What's In Jacob's Journal?: Chick Man

Every once in a while, I feel the need to show you some of Jacob's art.

This is one of those whiles.

It's a chick, man.

Or Chick Man.

Here to save the day.

Happy Halloween, by the way...

8

Where does the time go?

 I nose it goes too fast.

 Soon enough, he won't want to cuddle with me.

 I do hope he will finally start looking at the camera without a fight.

Like this.

 Happy birthday to the sweetest, funniest boy.

I can't believe it's been eight years already.

I feel so lucky to be his mom.

Perfect Pairings: Disguised

Seems like a good time to do a Halloween pairing.
I'm posting early because tomorrow is a special day for us.

Halloween 2007

Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,

but in their hearts they harbor deceit.

Proverbs 26:24

Got a pairing to share?

Post your own photo to pair with a Bible verse and let me know your link in the comments.

Happy Sunday!

My God-Given Purpose (for today anyway)

Bixby Buddy Training 2011

Today I'm blogging over at the Bixby Buddies website.

This program is so inspiring to me.  Maybe I'm biased because this was my baby.  (*Pats self on back*)  But then, it's not really my baby.  It's my God-given assignment.  (*takes back self-congratulating)  I knew from the moment I got Michael's diagnosis that I had a higher purpose than just raising this boy with autism.  Within a week I made a promise to myself that I would make every attempt that no other mom would have to feel alone and start from scratch.  Now I'm making good on that promise with the Asperger Mom Network, Bixby Buddies and volunteering with the Autism Center of Tulsa.  I have a passion for supporting people living in circumstances like my own, parenting a child with autism.  It has been my honor to participate and create programs to help.  I am honored... and exhausted.  But I can rest later, right?

I know God has had his hand in every bit of Bixby Buddies' creation.  How do I know?  It's growing and succeeding.  This is not just hard work.  This is meant to be.  Every aspect of what this program encompasses develops the qualities that Christ asks us to show.  Our buddies are developing the fruits of the Spirit and putting it in to practice - even if that isn't the way we phrase it.  We are not a Christian organization, we are a school organization.  This doesn't mean we can't encourage these qualities in our wonderful buddies!

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

Our second year has just begun.  We have found significant growth with the 4th-6th grades this year.  They have more than doubled in size!  All total, we went from about 30 kids last year to about 100 this year.  As we work with students in grades 4-8, we realize how much we can change the world.  During these formative years, isn't it nice to know that someone this age and stage wants to help others who need it?  We can bring out those wonderful qualities in these already fabulous kids.

I think every school should have a buddy program of some sort.  Why not?

And why not expand this thought to churches and youth groups?  Don't give me a mission project that I serve at once a year.  This is an opportunity to put principles to work in your daily life.  Don't get me wrong - mission projects are great.  I just think we sometimes miss the opportunities in front of our face on a day to day basis.  Christianity is not just an event you signed up for.  It's a responsibility to provide love and support to those you encounter every day.  It's a lifestyle.

Think about it.
How can you make a difference every day?

Who's Watching?

It's hard to distinguish between Michael's personality and his autism.  The good news is, I don't have to.  Michael is his own unique individual self.

The only reason I bring up autism is that sometimes I think there is a gift in his autism.  It must be nice to not worry what everyone thinks.  It must be nice to not realize others are watching you.

I spent every moment trying to blend in when I was younger.
Michael spends every moment trying to stand out.

As he sang karaoke in the Princess Palace at Legoland, I was reminded of the Irish saying you all know well.
See what I mean?

 Dance as if no one's watching,

sing as if no one's listening,

and live everyday 

as if it were your last.

(Irish Saying)

And of course I filmed it.

How could I not?

It's the Beebs.

Out to RHOK

Feeling judged?

I'm over at the RHOK today talking about judgement.

Come see me!

Legoland - A Review

The boys and I headed to Texas for fall break this past week.  In addition to seeing family, we made a special trip to see the Legoland Discovery Center at Grapevine Mills Mall with my friend Kim and her daughters.

They were so excited!

Here's the down low.

 They make you wait, building up the anticipation.

 Then they have you pretend you are making legos.

Our kids were the only ones willing to go along with it.

It wasn't that fun.

 They dump you out where the shoot-em-up ride is.

With the lights so dim, someone panicked.

I'm not naming names.

 But the others had fun riding it!

It's a short ride with laser guns that keeps your score as you go.

When that certain someone finally rode the ride, he loved it.

After playing on the playground area, we headed over to the 4D movie theater.

This movie was stupid.

Kim and I laughed the whole way through.

  The characters in the movie don't talk.  

They talk in "uuuhhhhh" and "oooooh" and "uhhhhh??"

Ridiculous.  

Then there's mini land.

It's the D/FW metroplex in legos.

Since it was October, the skeletons were invading.

D/FW Airport

Southfork Ranch (Dallas)

We liked the mini land, but there wasn't much to do but look.

After this, we waited for 30 minutes while they fixed the karaoke microphones in the Princess area.

The highlight for my boys was the racetrack area.

Plenty of legos to build your car then run it on the track.

 Michael hung out at the track with the countdown timer.

These guys did this for a solid hour.

Amazingly enough, when we walked through the gift store my boys didn't want anything.

I offered to buy lots of wheels and... no.

The good news is that the place is small and you won't lose your children.  They block the exit so they can't leave without you.  I like that.

For me, one visit was enough for one lifetime.

Jacob can't wait to go back.

He's already making plans.

It was $50 for the three of us.

Definitely worth it for one visit, but I will be trying to talk them into something else next time.

I'd rather go to Six Flags.

Perfect Pairings - Paths

Today's pairing is brought to you by the Frank Buck Zoo yesterday in Gainesville, Texas.

Thus you will walk

in the ways of the good

and keep to the paths 

of the righteous.

Proverbs 2:20

It's good to think about where you are going.

Are you on the right path?

Do you have a Perfect Pairing for today?

Leave your post address in the comments!

Bubble Butt

"Look Mom!  I have a bubble butt!"

That's my kid.

Spooooky Party Games

The only thing spoooooky about these party games is that people were willing to play them.
My friend and co-RHOKstar Dawn gathered up some game ideas for me and I bought the supplies.
If you are looking for funny games, we have some ideas!

Cheesehead:
You will need...
disposable shower cap, disposable poncho, shaving cream, cheese balls, sit&spin (we skipped this part), at least 4 volunteers

Have 2 volunteers wear a poncho and shower cap (cover their clothes and hair as much as you can) and sit on sit&spin.  In our case, we had them kneel on the ground because I wasn't even nice enough to give them a chair.
Cover the shower cap with shaving cream just enough to give the cheese balls somewhere to stick (too much will drip all over the player and make a big mess).

Have the other two volunteers stand at a designated point with the cheese balls.
When you say go, they aim for their partners head to see who can get the most cheese balls to stick.

There are a couple of ways you can score this.  You can give them unlimited cheese balls and time them (we did a minute) or you can give them the same number of cheese balls and see who gets the most to stick.

How's It Hanging?

This is a variation of the Minute 2 Win It game our neighbors played with the banana recently.

You will need:

panty hose (get a larger size for best length), potato, tennis ball (or whatever size you want to use), at least 2 volunteers at a time

Cut the panty hose off at the top so you just have the leg and slide the potato down to the toe.  

Your participants are going to race each other.  Have each participant belt the hose around the waist so the potato hangs down between their legs, almost touching the ground if possible.

Hand everyone a tennis ball (I should have numbered them just in case they got them mixed up).

When you say go, they must use their hips to swing the potato to hit the ball.  First one to get to the finish line without using their hands wins!

This one came in last. 

Plunger Run

Another one you saw at Minute 2 Win It but too fun not to force people to do.

You will need: clean plungers, toilet paper roll, at least 4 participants 

(hint: the dollar store has plungers)

Have each pair decide who will be the plunger and who will hold the toilet paper roll.  Line up plungers on one side, tp holders on the other.  Place the designated item between your legs as pictured.

Plungers must get to their tp partner and get the toilet paper from them without using their hands - at any time. If the roll drops, the tp holder must pick it up and have it back in position before the plunger... plunges.  Once the toilet paper is on the plunger, they must also make it back to where they started without losing the roll.

You may not use your hands at all during this game.

Awkward and hilarious.

Humpy Dumpty

You will need: hard-boiled eggs, sharpie markers, save the egg crate to hold them, poster with instructions

(hint: walmart sells a flat crate of 2 1/2 dozen eggs, I put a black pillow case over it to make it "pretty")

(hint#2: I refuse to boil eggs at my house before a party because they smell like a fart.  See if a neighbor will do it for you.)

So... I skipped the instructions.  

And... I forgot to have the contest.  

But... the eggs were funny.

This game is great for the person who only wants to silently humiliate themselves.  Leave the eggs out somewhere and encourage party-goers to design an egg.  Have a vote at the end for the best egg.  It would be helpful to give clip art ideas for eyes, noses, mouths, etc on a poster for anyone needing inspiration.  Turns out, our friends didn't need inspiration!  I took this picture early on and there were more made later in the evening.  You get the idea, though.

Do you have some fun party game and mixer ideas?

I would love to hear them!

Halloween Party 2011

We were a little busy this weekend entertaining those crazy friends of ours.
The theme was "TV" but that was just to help people come up with ideas.


Can you find Baloney & the Doc in the pictures?


Do you dress up for Halloween?  
Ever?

"Halloween Parade 2011"

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Perfect Pairings: A Time for Everything

Although I'm certain this verse was not meant for our costumes, 

it seemed appropriate.  

We were celebrating the birthday of one of Doc's patients.

You can't tell, but the Doc is wearing a big white hat with a veil.

There is a time for everything

and a season for every activity under the heavens

~ Ecclesiastes 3:1

I was running a little behind today, but here I am!

If you have a pairing, please share it in the comments.

Happy Sunday!

Love

It was time for family photos.

*SPOILER ALERT*

This is probably going to be my Christmas card.

 But this is the real Baloney & Doc.

Aren't pictures fun?

My friend Malisa at Morgan Street Studios took these.

Maybe you should go check out her website?

You can even go "like" her page on Facebook!

Why We Got Married

Ice cream really opens up the lines of communication in our family.

Except for this guy.

Good luck talking about anything but Pokemon with him.

Well, you can... but only under force.

This guy has all sorts of deep thoughts he reveals.

And, well... he's always ready to hear it.

Then Jacob asks a good question.

"Why did you guys get married?"

"I know!  Because he wanted to KISS you!"

(giggle, giggle)

Oh yeah.

He's listening to this.

And now, so is he.