Party at Freedom Station

We had an early birthday party for Race over Spring Break. He chose Freedom Station in Prescott Valley and I thought it was totally worth the money.  We went, we partied, we came home and rested... end of story. :)

Race and his buddies: Brodie, Hannah, Paul, Jadon and Nathaniel. Witten was too busy in the monkey maze the ENTIRE party. So, he's not pictured in any birthday pictures. Don't know how that happened...

The Laser room. I was actually very surprised Race would go in. He did, and he loved it.  I'm starting to see a consistency in the noise that bothers Race. And it's not with machines or technology. It's people. And the noise and movements that go along with people.

The Monkey Maze.  I had to climb up in the darn thing to check on kids...definitely not built for adults... I figured two things out: I have no idea why it's called the Soft Play. And there is no way I'm taking my shoes off, no matter what the rules say...

The Birthday Boy! He's 8!!

Every year the boys challenge me in my cake making skills. And I refuse to use fondant because nobody will eat the stuff (nasty), so I've been having to get creative and watch a lot of You-Tube videos. Bragging moment... I didn't even have a star pan. I cut the stars out of squares.

It was such a fun day. We are so grateful for the friends who came and spent the day with us.

11 Years...wait, let me count... yep, 11 years.

In March, John and I celebrated our 11 year anniversary. Here's the pathetic thing... I keep forgetting how long we've been married. People ask... and I have to stop and count. I now understand why my mother used to forget how old she was. Cuz now, I'm doing the same thing. I keep telling people I'm 30, and Race keeps correcting me: You're 31, Mom.

So, ya. Here's to 11 years with my best friend, and some of my favorite pictures along the way:

March 9, 2001 at the Mesa Arizona Temple

2003

2004

2007

2010

March 9th, 2012

I've learned so much in the 11 years together. We did a lot of growing up.  And I want my boys to know that marriage requires sacrifice and service.  In today's world, this is so important to understand, because we live in a selfish world. Marriage is hard work, but the blessings are abundant.  And through the Temple, we understand that families can be together forever. And because of the Temple, we want to work hard at our marriage. Because we understand that true happiness comes through sacrifice and service.

Mesa Arizona Temple

I love you John. Here's to many, many more years. So many I'll forever lose count...

Spring Break/ Phoenix Zoo

We kept busy over Spring Break. One of our stops was to the Phoenix Zoo with Kissy and the cousins. We always have a blast with the cousins.

If you ever want to hang out with the funniest dynamic duo, these are your guys. Hilarious boys...

It was Lane's first trip to the Phoenix Zoo, and he's been talking about it ever since. On our way out of the park he said to me, "That was so fun Mama, and the monkey didn't even throw poop on me!"  ....??

So, Lil' Man, I'm so glad you loved your first trip to the big zoo, and I'm so glad the monkeys didn't throw poop on you...



1st Tournament

We've been busy with Tae Kwon Do. The boys graduated to their next belt: Witt is now a Little Dragon Orange Belt and Race is a a Little Dragon Black Belt!

At the end of February the boys participated in their first Tae Kwon Do Tournament. They did so well! Race got 2rd in his awesome White Belt Form and 3rd in his age group for sparing.

Witt... he won his age group for sparing. Go figure, he's quite the little pistol. If you ask him how he won, he'll tell you, "It was because of my lucky mohawk"

Should I be worried???

Catching Up Now that Classes are Over!

Oh my fabulous blog, how I've missed you!  Now that my writing classes are done, I can focus more on what I love best... writing about my family.

Here we are back in early march flying kites.  Flying kites is something the boys love to do, so we do it A LOT!  We do it so much, they're all pretty much expert kite fliers. Check them out:

Look at Lil' Lane fly the butterfly all by himself!

 

These two got one so high you can barely see the kite in the picture:

 Can you see it?

We take kite flying very serious at our place...



I am the Boxer

This month has been a fight, a battle.  And I'm feeling banged up, spinning out of control, in need of rest and recovery. In need of a cave to hide in with a stack of light hearted novels to escape into...

But hiding doesn't solve anything.

The only solution is to go out and face the world head on; with as much strength and grace possible. Then go home at night to bandage up the wounds and pray for more strength the next day.

And the strength always seems to come when it's absolutely necessary. Hope always returns when I feel myself sinking or getting overwhelmed with the big decisions I have to make. Whether its through the sweet words of my boys, a friend, the scriptures, or a song. And Monday it came through a song; good ol' Simon and Garfunkel never fail me. I was driving when their song, The Boxer, came on. A song I memorized as a kid. And the last verse gets me every time:

In the clearing stands a boxer
And a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminders
Of ev'ry glove that layed him down
Or cut him till he cried out
In his anger and his shame
"I am leaving, I am leaving"
But the fighter still remains

 How easy it is to throw in the towel and quit when the fight gets too hard.  Wouldn't it be nice to just stay in bed and excape in those novels day after day and avoid the fight?  Avoid the decisions that have to be made?

It seems the Lord is constantly testing me to what extent I will fight for my kid. And I always come away reminded, "Whatever it takes."

So this month, I am the Boxer.

To “I Wish I Didn’t Have Aspergers”: An #AutismPositivity2012 Flash Blog Event

Okay readers, I am participating in the Autism Positivity Flash Blog project.  Click on the tag below to learn more about it. I am also referring you to Leah Kelley's blog for her INSPIRING words about embracing autism positively.




It took me a long time to embrace autism.  And as you've read in many of my posts, it was because of fear.  Reading Leah's post got me thinking as to how I've embraced autism.  And honesty, it was with my guards up, like a boxer going into the ring. 

Race is getting older.  We talk about autism with him.  We have to because he needs to love himself for the amazing person he is.  And I think when he's on the playground at school, that's a hard thing for him to do sometimes.  Because kids can be mean, so he's been going to recess with his guards up.  We both have our guards up.  And we're both having to learn to relax, and embrace autism positively.

This month is Autism Awareness Month.  Race and I went around to the classes in his school and talked about autism.  He had plenty to say about it too: he told the fifth grade class that he has a hard time talking sometimes, and sometimes he gets crazy when it's really loud.  It was pretty awesome when he got to show off his map and geography skills to the older classes.  They thought it was pretty amazing.  I still watch him with complete amazement, as he studies his atlas, and when asked, can instantly point out Papua New Guinea or Qatar or Malawi or just name a country for him and he'll probably know it. 

Race, you are amazing.  And part of what makes you amazing is your autism.  You have so much to offer the world, and so much to teach all of us.

Another thing I don't talk about enough is how Race's autism effects Witten.  All too often, we read or hear about how siblings of autistic kids are resentful because of the attention that is demanded from parents.  We talk to Witten about autism.  I really feel it is just as important for Witt to embrace autism as it is for Race.  I try to catch Witt, in those moments when he is confused and frustrated by his brother and the way he does things; and we'll go talk, or go on a date. 

Witten, you are amazing.  And you're more patient than people give you credit for.  Because you are in so many ways, a big brother to your big brother. 

In the New York Times there was an article talking about how autism in families has a higher stress rate than having other disabilities within the family.  I think that by embracing autism positively, stress can be lessened.  And by John and I knowing this, and being aware of this, our family can only get stronger. 

Embracing autism positively will only make us stronger.

Today is the final day of Autism Awareness Month.
At the top of this post is a badge for a great initiative for a flash blog/positive message event to send a positive message about autism, to a person who googled “I wish I didn’t have Aspergers” and every person doing so from today on.

This Autism Positivity Flash Blog Event is the brainchild of Thinking About Perspectives, a group of bloggers committed to increasing autism awareness and acceptance via open and respectful dialogue.  They are:  30 Days of Autism, Outrunning the Storm, The Third Glance, Aspie Kid,Flappiness Is, Quirky and Laughing, Life on the Spectrum, Fairy Tale Forgotten, The Aspie Side of Life, and Inner Aspie.

Since We're Friends

Last week and this week, the boy's schools invited me to come in and share a word or two about autism.  I read this story...lots of times.  It was awesome.  Read it.

Thanks to Ms. Kathy at the Tae Kwon Do studio who spent an entire week talking about autism as well.  Thanks Ms. Kathy. 

For one of my classes I wrote a short story about an autistic boy.  I figured I know a little about the subject.  Anyway, bragging moment everybody, where's the drum roll........ I got invited to read it to the college, and apparently its good enough to publish!  I'll start that whole process this summer. 

Just spreading the awareness.

Ragnar 2012

I had soooooo much fun running with these ladies. What a super fun, exhausting, painful, sleepless, awesome weekend.  Go Miss Matched Socks!

Look there I am somewhere in between Buckeye and Anthem on my 9.5 mile leg.

Look, there I am again.  Same leg of the race.  Those reflective vests were really reflective!  We didn't get any pictures of our "running through the night legs.  But on that one I ran a 4.2 mile along Carefree Highway.  Yep, that one was an adventure all in itself.  The runners were pretty spread out by that point so it was just me and my headlamp and my sister's can of pepper spray against the dark wild of the desert.  Awesome. Of course I had my cell phone on me also. 

 Somewhere in Scottsdale on my 6.5 mile leg.

So, 200 miles later, a missing toenail and three blisters later, we were so happy to be done and ready to sleep in our own beds, but sad to leave our new awesome friends. 

There's another one for the bucket list!



And the Winner is...

Using random.org,

the lucky winner for Mockingbird is:

 Sara

And the lucky winner of Thinking In Pictures is:

 Debbie 

Congratulations!!

I'll be contacting you shortly by email. 

Please hop back to Team Armstrong any time to read about the world from our perspective... I will also be doing more autism give-aways throughout the year. 

Happy Autism Awareness Month!!