❄ Brrrrrrr ❄

It has been pretty cold here in Ohio the past two days, so cold the boys have been off of school. I don't think they've had a full week, since going back after Christmas!  I'm really looking forward to next week though, because these boys need to get back in a groove and so does mom!  Colin, more than anybody! This poor child of mine, just can't seem to get over the angst he feels right before getting to the building. So, please Lord, help him get back on track here soon! ♥  Anyway, the news stations prepared everyone for the Polar Vortex, but I have to admit I wasn't expecting it to be this cold. Ok, ok you see and hear the temp #s, but it just doesn't seem real that Ohio can be colder than Greenland or Alaska....it was yesterday! It is still pretty cold today, but it's going to be warming up here and hard to believe in the 50s come Sunday.  You gotta love Ohio weather this time of year!  I love the seasons, however, it's like Mother Nature has been bipolar this past year with these crazy weather patterns we've experienced. Just has been a weird weather year, I guess! Due to the cold, Ethan has been chomping at the bit to try the Hot Water Toss, so last night he did it and it worked.  He was so excited!  We tried before, but it must not have been cold enough, because we just got water back in our faces. LOL! Last night though, it was definitely cold enough! I must say, it was really neat and he was pretty excited to finally experience what he's been watching on YouTube!☺

Making Memories

This past weekend, it was a pretty lazy one here. I have to admit....I love weekends like that, especially winter weekends! As I mentioned before, I'm really embracing the winter season this year.  However, let's be honest, it's much nicer to embrace from inside your nice, cozy, & warm home. LOL!  For some reason though, Saturday, it really hit me that I wanted/needed to get outside and get some fresh air.  Lucky for me, it wasn't all that cold and Colin was wanting to "go side" as well, so I got him all bundled up and out we went.  He enjoyed the snow and just played out back rolling around and swinging. I loved watching him!

Ethan, decided he too wanted to go outside when Colin was ready to head back in, so he and I headed down to the Nature Center to take a look at the river and explore down there. While Colin went back in to warm up and get something to eat w/ daddy.  The center is pretty much right behind our house and a short walk down the street.  We enjoy going down, so we went and spent a good part of the late afternoon down there. We were having so much fun that Brenton texted to remind us it was getting dark, LOL!  I LOVE getting to spend individual time with my boys and watching their imaginations come to life.  It means so much to me to have conversations and time that is ours making memories, especially with Ethan right now.  He's getting older and I want to make sure that he always feels & knows that I am interested in him, his likes, and his thoughts! We had fun exploring and seeing how high the river was.  What a fun afternoon! ♥

It's Finally Here!

Last Sunday, we celebrated Brenton's 41st birthday here at home.  We woke up to a winter wonderland, after thinking, the storm wasn't going to hit us.  It did! It was good though, we were prepared and ready to go.  Ethan and I, Saturday night, made Brenton his favorite cheesecake and since Ethan doesn't care for cheesecake we also made a chocolate chip cookie cake.  I love birthdays, so this was a fun night of preparation.  I was really excited to give Brenton his gifts, too.  After not knowing what to do for him, it all came together last Friday on my day off.  Brenton has been wanting a Bluetooth speaker for the pool area, the house, etc.  So, I found a tower one that he can take wherever he wants to, lol!  I also did a basket full of his favorites, put in an Old Navy gift card, and the practicals underwear & socks. LOL! Funny thing, Brenton loves getting underwear and socks! However, I was really excited for him to open his last gift and this one was totally my mom's idea. We went in with her to get an engraved brick for the walkway around OSU stadium. Brenton is a fanatic when it comes to Ohio State football and he loves to go walk around the stadium, so this was perfect. This summer his brick, that is engraved with "Brenton Shroyer and Family, Go Bucks", will become a permanent piece at his favorite place to visit! How awesome is that?! It'll be so fun to go and visit that every time we go to Columbus!  Brenton LOVES Columbus, so it was a perfect gift and a great idea my mom had. As you probably guessed, he loved this gift! It took him by surprise and one he never expected. LOVE it!! Overall, it was a great weekend we had together as a family...snow and all! 

After our fun weekend, the week got started off perfectly....well from my boy's eyes that is. LOL! Monday was MLK day, so they had the day off and then a snow day on Tuesday.  We had school yesterday, and poor Colin, had another rough morning. He just can't catch a break with all these days off; however, Mrs. Jones said his anxiety was again brief and he was "perfect and funny" all day! Thank God for that, but poor little guy and his morning anxiety.  Guess what though...another SNOW DAY today! I've never seen Colin so excited!☺ He jumped right out of bed, like the Charlie Brown crew, so excited to get the day started.  I'm never going to get him back on track, I swear! LOL!!!  Oh well, it'll be ok!  For now, I'm embracing this winter. It's finally here and I'm really enjoying the extra time, at home, with my boys! Winter truly is a beautiful season and this year, I'm really noticing it!

   

Fingers Crossed!

So, it's January 2019, and in just a few short days my hubby's birthday will be upon us.  I have no clue what to get him this year?  My mom had a great idea, which I'll share later, so the boys and I went in with her. I'm pretty stoked about it, but what else?  UGH!  I'm racking my brain with that and then trying to figure out my youngest son and getting him relaxed so he doesn't have so much anxiety on the school bus.  This came out of the blue!  He loves the bus, loves school!  I've never had an issue getting him to school without vomiting every morning, not even after summer break. He was ready to head back! But now, after Christmas, it's been happening daily!  I feel terrible for the bus driver, but we are seeing progress!  I sent a puke bucket and thank goodness, for the most part, he is using it but still it's been happening and why?  Nothing has changed in his schedule, there are no new people he sees, I mean nothing new all around?  I'm so confused!  We are seeing progress, like I said, so for that I'm thankful.  The tears have subsided, but still the vomiting!  I'm hoping it goes away soon and then boom, we have a snow day today! LOL!  I'm never going to get this boy on track, LOL!  No, just kidding, it'll happen but still it's mind boggling for me.  I hate when his autism affects other people and causes messes to be picked up.  We have some pretty amazing support from all the staff that work with him at school and nobody is upset, but still I hate them having to clean up after him.  Anyway, progress is happening so I need to be happy about that & remain so thankful for the folks who are in charge of him after he leaves here in the mornings.....they are truly great and understanding!  We are very fortunate with our school district, Colin definitely has good & understanding people around him.  For this mama, that makes all the difference! I did order a visual weekly schedule though, I'm so hoping that will help him be able to work through the emotions with knowing what to look forward to on a weekly basis.  We had a daily one, but I think this weekly option is going to be so much better for him. Fingers crossed anyway. ☺

On another note, I've had to take another sabbatical from social media. Not that it's bad or anything, but I spend way too much time on it! Way too much!! My main goal, I made for myself this year, is to get more intentional with my relationship w/ Christ  I just want to get more knowledgeable! So, I removed Instagram from my phone and let me tell you, what a difference that made.  I do have it on our iPad, but I find I can go days without even getting on.  I did get on when my son asked if I saw his new post, but I didn't stay on and scroll through.  I know I'll be back on, but I'm really enjoying this time.  I feel like I get more done, more intentional with things, involved more, and just overall feel like I'm not sharing too much of our life.  I like that! A LOT!!  I try to be a private person, for the most part, and I don't trust well so this is helping me regain myself for a bit without having to deal with all the things people, me included, post on a daily basis. 

Anyway, life here is moving along.  We're supposed to be getting a huge snowstorm this weekend, so we are getting ready for that.  I have to admit, I'm so excited about it.  I truly hope it slams us, so we are stuck in the house!  Winter, is not my favorite season, but I do love how it just makes life slow down for a moment.  I embrace those moments! ♥