What a weekend - I am tired. Work, work, and more work. Mary had her awards for VBS this morning and she chose a super-soaker! Yikes! She is too funny. She's five years old and she was third highest points winner for the whole VBS which runs through 6th grade! On a different note, Katie used the potty this weekend (big YEA!!!) and she also said "hi" to me in direct response to me saying "Hi, Katie". Bill and I both did a double take -- it is great when she does correct and appropriate verbal responses. This week should be crazy. I'm on a 5 in row at work and Bill will be crazy as the marina prepares for the 4th of July. The good news is that I actually have a four day weekend for the fourth. I am so excited! We aren't going anywhere -- because Bill will have to work a little bit, but I am so excited to have four days of no work!!! That motivates me to get through the week. Mary was pretty excited to find out I'll be home that many days in a row, too --- Okay, I have to get up early to take Katie to speech therapy (which by the way they were finally able to get her a weekly spot with the therapist that we wanted, which is a huge answer to prayer) and we also have finally gotten a doctor's appointment to look into chelation therapy for her autism this week as well -- so it is going to be a crazy one. More later....

Well I think that this week has worn both of the girls out. Mary has been attending Vacation Bible School (VBS) all week at my parents church and by supper time she is a genuine crab. Bill said that she fell fast asleep before 7 tonight -- that never happens. Katie is on antibiotics and ear drops for her swimmers ear -- and antibiotics always seem to make Katie super wound up. I'm glad I have tomorrow off -- we all need to recover. I am on again this weekend -- mid-shifts again. I really don't like them because they pretty much kill the whole day. No time to do anything in the morning - and not home until the girls are basically in bed. I'm tired --- more tomorrow.

Okay, I've been delinquent with pictures, so here are a few -- this is my husband Bill and my oldest, Mary on a field trip a few weeks ago to the Marina where Bill works. The top one is my precious Katie at her sissy's soccer game. She's trying to sleep but it's too sunny out!

Well, Katie is sick again -- imagine that. It seems like a never ending battle with her -- even after tubes and adenoids. The Doctor said she has swimmer's ear and something funky in her throat so he prescribed antibiotics and ear drops - which of course are not generic and cost an arm and a leg -- it makes me crazy -- but hopefully they will help her feel better. He said that swimmer's ear is common with tubes because most ENT's don't recommend ear plugs anymore and sometimes water just ends up lingering in the ears causing swimmers ear. He said to use the drops before and after swimming for the rest of the summer as a preventative of future swimmers ear. I'm tired -- I have to be back at work in 9 hours and I just walked in the door 15 minutes ago - YIKES.

Well what a Monday it has been. I had to work a mid-shift at work (which is by far my least favorite.) Anyway -- Mary has vacation Bible school at my parent's church this week -- which she loves and which is also nice for me as it gives me some one on one time with Katie. Katie apparently had a pretty crabby day -- she was slightly off this weekend too - other than when we were on the boat. I don't know if she's just tired, or if she's had too much sun, or too much running around to 20 million places over Father's Day weekend, or what! All I know is that I am tired and better turn it, but it feels really good to be back in the blogging world - I've missed all of you bloggers out there -- and those of you who I know read this to get updates on Katie and the family but don't comment -- so to all of you HELLO!!!! and it's nice to be back in the swing of things.

Wow! Is it ever hot here today. the girls were outside swimming for awhile, and now we are waiting for Bill to call and say that our boat is ready to go so that we can drive out to the Lake. We didn't put our boat in last summer, so it needed a little work before we could use it. One of Katie's most favorite places is to be out on a boat. I love to see her stand and let the breeze go through her hair. It is like her "dream place" -- she is content and happy. I don't think I've ever seen her cry on a boat. She doesn't even fuss about having to wear a life jacket. The girls already have a mid-summer tan and its' only the middle of June -- I think that we are in for another hot summer like last year. I'm glad that I have this weekend off -- I just need to "de-tox" from work a little bit. It's been crazy there - and all I want to do is spend time with my girls and Bill.

We went to the zoo today -- Katie did suprisingly well. I'm happy that she is so far having a good summer. We started her on a pretty significant vitamin regimin this week and I am anxious to see how it changes her. Mary loved the zoo, too. She was able to pet and feed a stingray -- she loved it! I am tired, but it has been great to have a day off -- and knowing that after I work tomorrow I have the weekend off, too , makes it even better!!!

My links are finally working, so I can add some more now -- to my friend's blogs. Today was long -- I don't really like working mid-shifts because it kills both ends of your day. The girls are getting so tan - all they do is swim all day. We started Katie on a new vitamin regimin today -- we are hoping for great results. We wanted to get her going on the vitamins before we start the chelation. The formula we bought (at the health food store yesterday) is reported to have great results with autistic, down syndrome and ADD/ADHD kids. We are excited to see how she will do. They must taste okay because she tolerates them really well in her apple juice. I'll keep you posted!

I am trying to put links to Autism Speaks and some other great sights on my blog, but I am having trouble. My computer illiteracy is holding me back. I'll keep working on it -- I've tried about 5 times - and that is enough for tonight. Work was yucky -- we were pretty slow and everyone was crabby. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. katie and Mary went swimming and it wasn't even 70 degrees here! They are crazy -- but there is something about Katie that you can't keep her out of the water -- they say that autistic kids are just attracted to the water -- that can be both a good and a dangerous thing -- we just have to be very careful that she always has excellent supervision when she is around the water.

I tried to take the "what sign should you be" test on my friend Emily's blog -- and it turned out that I should be a "virgo" -- but the results were so not me that I just sat and laughed! You can take the survey yourself at http://embstew.blogspot.com/ I'm back to work a little later this morning! Hopefully I can survive!!!!The weather isn't very nice here today -- it puts me in a sleepy mood. Not good -- that probably means the store will be very busy. Hopefully the girls will have a great day !!!

Well, we are going to start looking into chelation therapy for Katie. Chelation is the process of ridding the body of the excess mercury that her body is not able to rid itself of. We believe that the mercury is what causes the autism. I've done so much reading and research over the past year that at times I feel like I should be in a PhD class for autism -- but if Katie is able to make any improvement as a result of my research it will be well worth the time and effort. My vacation is over - back to work tomorrow -- oh well, the routine will be good for me. As much as I love being home with the girls, I was beginning to go a bit stir crazy. Well, more on chelation later....

Today was good. I'm tired -- I didn't think you were supposed to be tired when you are on vacation -- but I am. I'm on vacation from work, but we are busy. Today was Katie's last day of school -- which actually was sad. She has learned so much from school that I am sad she will not have class for 3 months. Her speech therapy went awesome yesterday though, so I am encouraged that she will continue to make good progress over the summer.

well, I'm having the same old problems - like this blog doesn't seem to be updating, but I'll just assume that it is just me and everyone out there in cyberland can see my updates just fine :) Katie's summer speech therapy starts tomorrow. I'm excited to see how it goes. Mary's last day of school is tomorrow -- she's sad and excited at the same time....I'm sad and excited too--I think summer is going to wear me out. The good news -- I don't work again until Saturday -- yee hah!!!

I can't believe that the months have flown by since I've updated the blog. Have I said before that autism can at times be an all-consuming thing. It definitely has been lately. Although Katie continues to do well and is making great improvements - it seems that we are constantly facing new challenges. She finishes school this week and as of today we have very few plans for her summer. I know that it will be difficult for her to be out of her routine and away from her daily school schedule which she loves. We have been able to get into a speech therapy program for the summer (and beyond) --but that will be once a week at most -- so not enough to fill the void of school-life. We have all been sick, too - which doesn't help. Katie had the stomach flu. Do you know how horrible it is to wake up in the morning and realize that sometime during the night your 3 year old threw-up all over herself, but had no way to let you know that she needed your help. It is crushing for me... We are all starting to feel better, but it has been a long week. Well, I promise to start updating more often again.......

I'm so bad. I had wanted to be so much more dedicated to my blog -- so here goes - a big catch up session. I don't think I ever finished my top 100 list. The girls are doing pretty good -- Mary is still on antibiotic for her strep and double ear infection. Katie has a little cold, but I think she is doing ok. We have parent - teacher conferences for her tonight. That will be exciting for Bill and I to hear how she is really doing. I am tired, but hanging in there. My job is going much better. I feel like I am starting to find my niche - starting to earn people's respect. I can't believe I've been there almost 2 months already. Bill's work is finally settling in, too. We are hoping for a much calmer March than Jan or Feb was. We'll have to wait and see....

Mary has strep and a double ear infection!! Yikes. I need to keep Katie healthy for her surgery in two weeks! I think we need to open the windows and flush out all of these icky germs!!!!!

Per usual, time is short. I've had 3 days off from work -- that has been great. I start 6 in a row tomorrow. Things here are crazy. Katie is doing good with school. Her antibiotic has worn off so I'm a little concerned about her ears. She's already tugging at them. She is having tubes in and adenoids out the end of this month. Bill had either food poisoning or the stomach flu over the week -- that was horrible. I'm leaning towards food poisoning since none of the rest of us got it and it (pardon the expression) "went both ways" -- not a good thing. Saturday was a nightmare.
We were supposed to be going to Chicago today for a college thing for me. The touring group I sang in is celebrating its 60th anniversary -- but I decided that I didn't have anything to wear and I wasn't in the mood to deal with it -- so we stayed home. Considering how Bill is feeling, I think that was a good decision.

Okay, I have now officially caught whatever it is that my whole family has had -- I feel like poop! At least I'm not coughing, and I don't think I need antibiotics - but I am whipped! It's 8:30 and both of our kids are asleep -- that doesn't happen very often at this house -- but lately with all the sickness, it is becoming more common place. Katie missed the whole week of school -- which bums me out. She has an appointment on Tuesday to meet with the ENT so she can have the tubes put back in her ears. I was hoping we wouldn't have to do that - but it looks like we aren't going to have any optiions.

I hope that everyone else is doing well. I need to catch up on everyone's blogs -- I am going to try and do that this weekend... and I need to finish my list as well!!!!

Okay - I'll try and finish, but as per usual, I am crunched for time

61. God is good.
62. Babies are a true miracle.
63. I've always had an easier time making guy friends than girls friends
64. I only had 2 serious boyfriends before I met my husband.
65. Taco Bell always gives me a tummy-ache.
65. I broke my foot in the fourth grade and my fourth toe on my left foot has never grown since that time.
66. I can't ice skate worth a hoot - but I love to rollerskate -- and was pretty good at it in my prime.
67. Autism is a cruel disease --
68. I wish that I could be a stay at home mom.
69. I could never home-school.
70. I need to learn to be more generous.
71. Hot fudge
72. Chicago White Sox
73. I've seen Billy Joel and Elton John in concert seperately and they both rocked.
74. Houston's -- have you ever eaten there?
75. Hot tubs
76. Snowmobiling
77. Have I mentioned my love of NASCAR???
78. Daytona
79. Disneyworld
80. Giordonno's Pizza - if you haven't had it you are missing out.
81. Date Night -- we don't have it often enough.
82. Flannel Sheets
83. Fudge Brownies


Okay -- I have to go to work -- but I'm almost done.

Katie has a double ear infection and Bill has bronchitis, so we have been in the sick zone again. I am getting tired of it. We are trying to have Katie's tubes put back in her ears -- it helped her so much last time, so hopefully we can work that out. We have an appointment with the ENT next week.

51. I have a bad history with "best" friends. Two of the three"best" friends I have had in my adult life are no longer more than "acquaintances" to me.
52. I had brain surgery in '02 when I was diagnosed with Arnold Chiari Malformation.
53. I love to eat at Red Lobster.
54. Chicago's greatest hits is the CD currently in my CD player.
55. Although not officially labeled as one, I think I stutter quite often.
56. I have a teaching degree although I have never taught (other than subbing.)
57. I buy cheap shampoo.
58. Chocolate Milk - what more can I say.
59. Old Navy has the best kids clothes.
60. Retail management is not my life ambition.