First Day of School pics

Yes, school has been "in session" for over two weeks. But I figured that most of you would want to see these...even if I am a "lame-o" blogger. ;)

Andrew started 3rd grade

Brennan is in 1st grade



And Parker goes to Early Intervention preschool 3 mornings a week

A summer pictorial

This summer has been way to busy for me to have much *fun computer time*, so rather than writing pages and pages of all that you have missed from the Sampson bunch, I decided to show you in pics.  

Here we go...

Father's Day weekend we went to the Oregon Coast.  The kids and I hadn't been to the Oregon coast ever.  It is very different than the California coast that we are used to, but we were prepared for chilly, windy weather.  We had fun playing on the beach, shopping in downtown Seaside, and we rented a bike for 5 (super fun!).

Brennan turned 6 and Parker turned 3!


In July, we took a trip back to Missouri to visit the Sampson family and spend some time with Grandma Sampson.  That trip was so much fun for all of us.  Andrew and Bren were in *big boy* heaven (giant trampolines, 4-wheelers, the Ranger, huge slip-and-slides, swimming with frogs, and more). What I miss most is fresh sweet corn, picked by the boys from the fields any time of day!!  Mmmmmmm....

We just recently got back from a long (but fun) trek down to the Bay Area.  Matt and I were able to work on some stuff for the first Bay Area Sparrow Club :) and spend some great time with family.  We attended Mark and Emily's wedding, celebrated my dad's bday with him, and I went on my 30th birthday trip to Disneyland!!!

A picture taken especially for Alisha!  Wishing that I was having Mickey ice cream with you!

And at the end of our "Cali Adventure" we were able to take the boys to 75 cent night @ the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.  Mom and Poppi took us to Gilroy Gardens (which was beautiful!).

Wrinkles

Honestly, my 30th birthday has barely come and gone, and I am getting wrinkles.  Not really "laugh lines" or "crows feet", but what I will call "autism mommy exhaustion circles".  I seem to be getting perma-lines from where I get bags under my eyes from lack of sleep or stress.  I really want to do something about them (I am afraid that they will get worse), but I don't have the money to go and try out different things that create promises of clear, wrinkle-free eyes.  Getting wrinkles is a part of getting older, and I am ok with that.  That being said, I am realizing how vain I am.  I find myself glancing in every "shiny" surface around our house, peering in hope that the lines have disappeared...they haven't.:(  

Matt says that he loves me, and doesn't care if I have wrinkles. (He is a wonderful man)  He thinks I need more sleep.  He is probably right, although I think that it is more a lack of quality sleep than the actual hours.  

Meanwhile, I will just do what they do on TV.  Cucumber slices.  Because instead of $50 for .2oz of a miracle, cucumbers are 3 for $1 at Food 4 Less. :)

End of the school year

Even though it doesn't feel like the end of May (weather wise), it feels like another school year is coming to a close.  The boys are excited for summer and the thrills that come with the last part of the year.  For instance, today Bren climbs excitedly into the car as I am picking him up, and exclaims, "I had ice cream at school!"  Unfortunately, he could not remember WHY they got ice cream (apparently all of the sugar so early in the morning had gone to his brain).  Andrew came home yelling, "Guess what, Mom!?!  No homework today!!  Mrs. Coleman forgot to copy our reading logs!!"  

You would have thought that Christmas had come early. 

So now they are outside playing some game involving weapons (as boys will do), and dreaming of days with no school, running through the sprinklers, and Sonic slushes!

Days like these, I love being a mom of boys.

Good...but not as good as Auntie Lynnie's

Last night I made fried potatoes.  My intent was to make a big batch for the boys, so that it was easy to warm up for those early morning school breakfasts.  My intent was that they would last a few days.  That was my intent. ;)

So, as I am making them the boys are begging to have them with dinner.  So much for a bunch of breakfasts!  I served up two small bowls full for the two big boys, and decided that what I wanted was "De Anza Browns" potatoes (I miss eating them with my mommy).  So I melted some cheese on a bowl of fried potatoes, added sour cream, avocado, and salsa (wishing I had some bacon).  They were divine!!  I think I will do them for dinner next week for the whole fam (with bacon).  

Andrew and Bren are eating them at the bar.  I ask, "How are they boys?"

Bren- "Good"

Andrew-"...but not as good as Auntie Lynnie's."

Oh well...I tried.

We only had enough for two small bowls for the big boys for breakfast.  They were popular, even if they were not "Auntie Lynnie" quality.

Getting into the soccer groove

First some pics, then the story. 

PS- Bren is #15

So Brennan played kindersoccer in the fall and just started back up with the spring league.  He loves it.  In the fall, he was the "nice" team mate who stepped away to give someone else a chance to kick it (his team or the opposing team).  I kept reminding him that it wasn't mean to try  to kick the ball away from the other team, and to keep kicking it toward the goal if you have the ball.  He would agree with what I was saying, and then continue to back away if someone came up to him.  He didn't seem afraid...just kind and generous.  During the entire season, he didn't score one goal.  Lots of assists...but no goal.

Well, spring soccer is here and a different Brennan is playing.  he is still sweet and kind, but something has clicked.  The first game of the season, he scored THREE goals!!

funny pics

Michael and Katie came over for dinner last week and were were playing with my new Mac Book Pro.  I am excited about this computer for numerous reasons.  Matt wrote a grant for 2 of them, which we got.  Free computers are the best kind.  I am producing all of the sparrow DVD's for our region now, and while my other mac works fine, while it is transferring/burning, etc. I can't use the computer.  So now I can continue to work while producing the dvd's.  Plus now I can work anywhere.  In the fall Parker will be in a EI autism program 3x/wk, and I will probably be down at our Asante office more often.  All of that to say, my new computer has a program called PhotoBooth.  It takes a pic with my built in camera and has tons of different effects.  Needless to say...we had a bit of fun.  Here are a few to share with you:

Torn!!

Yesterday we decided to have a garage sale.  We are beginning to move out of some of our "baby stuff" and since Parker is our last, we don't need to hang on to things. ;)  So as we were moving stuff out of the garage in the morning to set up for the sale, Parker's (the Crawford's) train table which was standing up on its end in the garage fell on me.  It hit my calf hard and scraped downward...taking off some skin in the process.  I cried like a baby.  It hurt SO badly.  The scrape hurt and burned, but my calf muscles were SO tight.  They felt like they were constantly cramped.  It was swelling, and by the afternoon I had two beautiful purple lumps in the back of my leg.  I was in tears just trying to walk.  After much coaxing from Matt and a friend who used to be a nurse (thx Laura) I went to urgent care.  Apparently, I have torn some muscles in my calf.  If I let it heal properly and stay off of it, it should heal itself in time.  For those of you who know me...that is easier said than done.  But I am doing my best to do the R.I.C.E thing (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) and will hopefully be back up and around in no time.

Quote of the day:

"Mama, I don't want to hurt your feelings.  But looking at your leg kinda makes me want to throw up."  -Andrew (8)

*in his defense, it IS swollen and purple, and badly scraped* ;)

PS-  The train table was out in the garage because our hardwood floors have gotten refinished and we have not moved it back in.  We were NOT selling the Crawfords train table at our garage sale. (a sigh of relief all the way in Uganda)

To Brad and Alisha

Look familiar?

Screwball Scramble- the game that requires no social interaction what-so-ever (except to hit brothers if they come to close, right) ;)

Thank you

So, the Sampson crew had a great time at the Southern Oregon Autism Walk-A-Thon.  It was FREEZING, but it feels so good to be with other families that are in the same daily fight as you.  A special thank you to Michael and Katie, who came out to walk with us!  I am so grateful to each and every one of you that sent in your donations to Team Parker.  Because of your generosity, Team Parker came in 3rd place!  The first two places were won by organizations, not families so I am pretty impressed by all of you.

Thank you again.

PS- Parker may be sad in the first pic, but he quickly perked up when he noticed the grass had NUMBERS on it(see third pic).  He was happy as a clam walking the field, and counting the yard lines!;)

Needles, Zoo, and Charlie

We have been so incredibly busy around here, I have had NO time to post.  A few weeks ago was our appointment with Dr. Green in Oregon City.  He is a DAN doctor and we were very excited to have an appointment with him for Parker.  We decided to make a 3 day trip out of it, so we were not running up there and back in 24 hours.  

The actual appointment w/ Dr. Green could not have gone better.  He addressed all of our biomedical concerns and gave us more information and things to try than we ever could have asked for.  We are trying many things over the next few weeks, which include different enzymes, supplements, vitamins, and B-12 injections.  I was really nervous about giving Parker injections every three days, but I did it and we have seen a HUGE difference already!  I give them to him while he is sleeping, and so far he hasn't even woken up!;)

We had a whole BUNCH of test done, including 9 blood tests, 4 stool tests, and one urine test.  We have a phone appointment at the beginning of May to go over the results, and figure out what the plan is.

                                                      Bloodwork is NO FUN for anyone!

    

                                            Hanging with Daddy after the tests are complete
As part of our little trip, we went to the Oregon Zoo in  Portland.  It was cold and sprinkling off and on, but there was hardly anyone there, which was great!  The boys had a great time, and the zoo isn't too huge which was good for everyone!

And last, but not least...our newest addition.  Meet Charlie:


The newest little boy in the Sampson crew.  He is a Cavi-poo, which is half Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and half Poodle.  He was born January 18th 2008, and we brought him home a week ago.  The boys are over the moon to FINALLY have a dog!!  It is true what they say. Having a puppy IS like having another baby, but we thought that it was important to raise a dog from a puppy in this loud house...especially for Parker.  He is so incredibly fun and soft, but I REALLY Can't wait until he sleeps through the night...and potty trains!!

I will update more soon!