Simple pleasures

Sometimes it is the littlest things that give us the greatest pleasures. That happened today. Maddy was at her grandparents for the evening. She usually will spend one evening a week over there just hanging out.

Usually when she returns she will take the time and tell us everything that she did while there. We have to hear everything they did in great detail. We don't mind, but when you are 16 should the highlight of your week be your grandparents house? This evening was completely different.

She was dropped off and while on the phone she said hello to both of us and then smiled a huge smile and ran upstairs to talk on the phone.

To see her be a "typical" teenager is such a joy for us. The days when we know she is living a life with a foundation we have provided and the opportunity to be a teenager makes us nervous and proud all at the same time.

Homemade Traditional Black Russian Bread

Treading Water

I have not posted since Wordless Wednesday. I have been overwhelmed by some things, underwhelmed by others. Confronted with new possibilities and in a rut with things I need to do. I have battled a head cold and managed to give myself an amazing case of the hives. I was asleep more this weekend than I was awake.

Today I am beginning to feel more myself and hope to join the blog world soon.

Brusier's new friend

Mickey Mouse

The young man that is fond of Maddy has continued to try to impress her with text messages of him driving up to our house in a Porsche GT or a Porsche with 24's. He is so very into cars and all the car lingo and Maddy just wants to talk about Justin Bieber.

This weekend we were at Costco and lo and behold a Porsche with 24's was there! The hubby tried to get Maddy to look at the car before it drove away. Maddy did not see the car, but her comment was wonderful.

"What is the big deal with wheels on a car? I wouldn't care if they had Mickey Mouse on them."

This and That

Happy weekend Blog world!

During the days, I have little things happen and I think what a great blog post that would be. I get home and by the time I can sit down to try to write about it other things have happened or I just plain forget was was so great about what I wanted to write. When I have those kind of weeks I have decided to post random things that have occurred.

Glimpses of Maddy

Last night Maddy and I did some volunteer work at the church thrift shop. The volunteer work part was good, but during this time I was able to see glimpses of Maddy that really made me smile. Maddy and I are together all the time and no matter who you are when your Mom is around you are just a little (or in some cases a lot) different than when you are on your own. This is a group of kids and adults Maddy is very comfortable with. During dinner and while working at the thrift store I let Maddy do what she wanted and made sure that I was in a different area. Throughout the evening I was able to watch her deal with kids and adults her way. She was charming, funny and a joy to be around. She was comfortable with who she was and laughed a sweet, innocent laugh most of the evening. I was a proud parent last night.


I am such a rebel

I am a rule follower so I tend to be an accidental rebel. While filling out the census I realized halfway through that I was putting check marks in the boxes instead an "x". Fear me!!

Prom

Maddy had her second prom at the church last weekend. This year she knew enough people that she was really looking forward to it. Her "boyfriend?" was beaming and she was able to spend the evening with a "date" and it was funny to watch her tell him to bug off when she wanted to be with her other friends.

My mom came with us this year and took us out to a lovely dinner beforehand. Maddy loved having her Banma there and I know that mom enjoyed the evening as much as we did. Having my mom there this year made it more special. Can't wait for next year!

Prom 2010

Best text ever!!

Boy: I will love you with all my heart till the end of time


Maddy: Cool...thanks

Happy Masters to you!

In general we are not a big sporting family. We are the typical watch the play off or big game kinda folks. However we do follow golf and enjoy watching it on these wonderful Spring weekends. Living in Texas it is important to enjoy the weekends in the Spring before the oppressive heat and humidity of summer arrives. For us nothing is better on a Saturday or Sunday than cooking out, watching golf, and enjoying a few cold beers with friends.

This weekend is THE most important sports weekend in my house. The hubby is taking off time from work to enjoy the entire tournament. We are having friends come in from out of town and every T.V. will be on so that no action is missed no matter where you are in the house.

We hope that you take this time to remember what is important. Enjoy your weekends, surround yourself with the things you love and make sure you have friends and family around you!


Wishing everyone a Wonderful Masters Weekend!!

Ipad

Watching the light bulb

When I first starting working with Maddy in August of 2008 we knew that her ability to learn was not capped out. We had no idea how much she would be able to do or learn, but we knew that I could do a better job than the public school system.

The hubby and I sat down and talked about what we felt were the important things that Maddy would need to know. We decided that reading, money and life skills were most important things I would need to teach her.

When I started working with Maddy she had just finished the 8th grade in public school. She thought Science was looking up and copying definitions from the back of the book, she could not tell me how many quarters in a dollar, she had to use her fingers to add and subtract sometimes even when it was by one or two. She was in an excellent reading program at school, but she did not know the difference between a noun and an adjective.

Between 2008 and now we have seen so many changes in Maddy and she still surprises me with things she has learned and she is not anywhere near her end game yet. She gets up every morning with her own alarm clock. She now has great pride in her appearance. She helps with laundry and other household chores.

She is fascinated by the human body and is now working in a great science book at a 4-6 grade level. We do a general science work book and a general geography book as well.

We do brainteasers and mad libs to help with some of the outside of the box thinking. She LOVES to do find a word puzzles.

She loves the Wii and does all sorts of motor skills games on it and does not just get mad and give up like she did a year ago.

She is now working in a 4th grade level English Grammar book and is killing it! She has taken to writing and will either type or write 4-5 page stories and she wants us to edit them and help her to add more detail to them. Once we finish this book I am seriously considering making the jump to a 6th grade book.

She is using her fingers for math less and less, she knows multiple ways to make change for a dollar. The other day she blew me away when we were working in math and I told her we needed to double .30 cents. Without hesitation she told me .60 cents and then explained to me how she got the answer. She is doing 3-digit math with carry over as well as making change using more than just dimes and pennies.

There is no greater joy for me than to watch her light bulb grow brighter and brighter!

Two for one Friday

Impressing the ladies!

Due to recent events I am now reading the text messages on Maddy's phone each morning. Every once in a while during my reading of anywhere from 20-80 messages something will crack me up. This week one of the funnier text conversations happened.

Boy: What are you doing?

Maddy: Listening to music

Boy: So what would u do if I rolled up to your house in a Porsche with 24's
*Note, the boy is very much into cars and I think he thought he would really WOW Maddy with the text*

Maddy: Idk

Boy: I would be out front in that Porsche with 24's just for you

Maddy: Umm ok, why are you out front and did you ask my parents if you can come over?

Guess it takes more that a flashy car to impress Maddy!

Movies

We were out running errands today and I stopped at Block Buster to look for a couple of movies. I decided up the movie Men Who Stare at Goats. Later during the errands I saw Maddy reading the movie case.

Maddy: What is the name of this movie?

Me: Read the title.

Maddy: The Men Who Stare at Goats????

Me: Yep

Maddy: OMG Boring, I bet there is no action in this movie. Why would anyone want to watch a movie about looking at goats. And really, who would want to know more about the people who do this??



I hope she is wrong about the movie and that I enjoy it.