Rantings of a Mom

Luke Yoder

2009-07-13T09:21:00.003-05:00

This is a friend of a friend son. It shows how fast life can change on a dime. Please pray or send positive energy for recovery and healing.

http://lukeyoder.wordpress.com/

two post day

2009-07-11T11:44:00.002-05:00

I have to tell you about this awesome give away I found this morning. I have mentioned PhatFiber before but this is one of my fave stores they promote.

Silversunalpacas on ETSY is one of my all time fave shops EVER!!!! The fibers there are a must have. I drool over every thing and wish I had the talent to do some of the stuff they do. MAybe some day - I am dyeing yarn this weekend - but I digress. This weekend only they have a special code that gives you 20% off your purchase (phat7) Not only that if you order a drop spindle kit it comes with 8 oz of fiber instead of 4. The 20% off doesn't apply but it is such an awesome deal who cares?

Check out this give away on Phat Fibers website. If you win I want one month of the fiber as a finders fee.

New Church

2009-07-11T11:22:00.002-05:00

AFter being back at St. Margaret's in Lawrence while we were on vacation I knew we had to get back to an Episcopal Church in Sacramento. While the church we were attending was all right we (I) never felt a connection to the people. Plus the sermons were too far to the right for me.

There is a little Episcopal church abotu 2 miles from the house that I had been wanting to try for a while. Scott finally agreed and we attended 3 weeks ago for the first time. Last Sundya was a church wide breakfast(best zuchunni fritters ever) and I learned why the church was so small. Sad story of betrayal. Anyway the church is trying to restart.

Me being Me I immediately got involved. I worked the firework stand on the 4th, helped with VBS this past week and will be helping with the rummage sale in August. For VBS I helped with snack and was also the official photographer. I took almost 1000 pics in 5 days.

Yesterday I was paid a compliment. One woman who is very involved in the church looked at me and said "It feels like you have been here forever and fit in so well" It made me feel like we had found new home.

Scott is out on a bike ride this morning with church members. They are wanting him to start a men's bible study like the one at St. Margaret's. I think that would be a good thing for him to do. LEt him get involved and feel useful in the church as well.

win 250.00 visa card

2009-07-02T21:17:00.001-05:00

My friends at All Thumbs are at it again. They have a 250.00 visa gift card from Capri sun they are giving a way. Check out their site for details

Where o where has Cathy gone

2009-06-24T11:33:00.003-05:00

I am back. Long month. Drew and I left June 9th for 10 days in Kansas. It was a mixed trip. The weather was hot and humid but we had a good time with family and friends.

Right before I left, I got a letter from the State Department of Education letting me know they were launching an investigation in to my allegations against the Elk Grove School District. That was something at least.

Drew is very excited about home school. He is already wanting to do workbook pages everyday. Hope the interest holds. If anyone wants to donate stickers it would be great. They are a big help and motivator. I had to break into my private stash of Tinker Bell stickers today. They did go to a good cause. He now knows the proper way to form a manuscript G. In school they were told to copy the letters but not told the correct way to form them. So that is what we are working on now.

Tomorrow is my birthday. I will be 42. WOW. Not sure what to think of that.

CAthy

Glutton for punishment

2009-06-02T11:13:00.002-05:00

I have been working on my 25th class reunion. It is next summer but you know me. The early bird gets the worm and in this case all that is done is to plan the food and get the registration info out. then count the people and hope everyone has a great time.

Well, I am also very enthusiastic. (keep your sarcastic comments to your self - ANNA) I got to thinking there were people in the class of 84 and 86 that I would love to see and if Iwanted to see people then I am sure others would feel the same way. So I sent a couple emails and now defintely the class of '84 is in for the reunion. Waiting to hear back from the class of '86.

Next thing I knew - members of '83 and '87 were saying what about us? I can't handle that many classes so they are on a case by case basis. If they hear about it and want to come then the more the merrier but I am not seeking them out actively.

I figure it is a win win. The costs go down the more that come and we get to see people we haven't and wouldn't see. With the advent of Facebook I am in touch with more people than ever that I can't wait to see next June.

HOY HOY!!!!

yoga

2009-06-01T09:15:00.001-05:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I think exercise and yoga are evil words. I don't sweat I glisten - to quote Blair from Facts of Life. I do walk on a regular basis now. Yea for me.

One of my fave sites has a great give away if you are in to yoga. Check out all thumbs.

http://allthumbsreviews.blogspot.com/2009/05/yoga-roundup-1-with-giveaway.html

I am sure they are up someones alley.

Revenge of the MArble Maze

2009-05-30T12:03:00.002-05:00

We love our friends Faith and Tom and their Daughter Clara - who according to Drew will some day be our daughter in law. (fine by me)

Before Drew's birthday I was talking to Faith (rather venting) about an incident at Toys R Us that involved a toy that Drew wanted for his birthday. It was a rather expensive 500 piece marble maze contraption. Online at Toys R Us it was 49.99 and according to my research 49.99 at Babies R Us Brick and Mortor Stores. Silly me I thought it would be 49.99 at Toys R Us. It was 79.99. They refused to price match in any way. I knew they hadn't sold any since Drew first showed me the toy several months ago - the dust that had accumulated on the top was evidence enough but also that one of them was a taped box that was there. My reasoning was if BRU and online had it for 49.99 then TRU would do the same just to move the stupid toy. WRONG!!!!! They refused to even discuss it.

So I called Faith to complain. She took note and guess what showed up on our door Thursday night. A giant box and in the box was this marble maze. Drew was beside himself. I wish I had a video camera because I would be 100,000 dollars richer. He immediately proposed to Clara over the phone - please note she accepted.

Fast forward to last night. Scott started to put this thing together. I had seen the reviews on teh website and was warned it would take several hours (up to 6) to get this thing togheter. After many "Good Lords, Damns, What in the worlds"and a few words I can't put here it is now together at 930 on Saturday Morning. Drew actually tried to wake Scott up at 630 this morning to finish it. In the assembly we also found out this thing made noise. GREAT (sarcastic)

So my husband now has me on a search for the most annoying multi piece toy I can find fit for a little girls birthday - I have till November. I have looked at Legos but Clara is such a girly girl they aren't for her.

So my wonderful (few) readers - any suggestions for a multi piece, noisy toy that will take Clara's engineer father HOURS to put together?

better alternaitive

2009-05-27T21:18:00.003-05:00

after more research we have finally figured it out. There is a charter called South Sutter. It has the most hands off approach to HS. I have to meet with an educational specialist once a month. but other than that I am free to teach how and what I want. PLUS we get a 1800.00 a year stipend to spend on what we sit fit for his education. cirriculum, lessons, camps, supplies, field trips etc. It is our choice. Definetly the way to go. It has the best reviews of all the charters in the area. So it is the way we are going.

Learned a lot today

2009-05-25T18:08:00.003-05:00

I spent the majority of the day researching our home school options for Drew. I found a great Yahoo group that cleared up lots of misconceptions that I had about the California Virtual School. We won't be under this districts umbrella which for us is a huge bonus. It is free and we only have to report to a teacher once a quarter. There is a place on line where I will record daily attendance. They organize field trips. If we choose to take a vacation we bring Drew's books with us and he does his assignments there. And plays catch up when he gets home if needed.

We work at Drew's pace. If we can ever get an IEP the Virtual School has to follow it as well. We can opt out of standarized testing is we want. If he doesn't quite finish a subject during the year we can finish over the summer or pick up where we left off in the fall.

I have already had several moms contact me about Drew and the problems with the district. I will have a support group locally as well as thru the state.

I feel more comfortable having a teacher to help me if I need it so I don't fee so alone esp during the first year. If later we choose to go it alone then great but I think CAVA will be what we do this year.

I still wonder about the charter school but I don't like the fact we have to meet every 2 weeks to be monitored. That is a HUGE drawback. I will call them tomorrow to see if that is truly the case. The pros with the charter are there is a stipend for activites for Drew, and the language arts and math are the same that he uses now.

So that is where it stands.

Changes are a coming

2009-05-24T10:32:00.002-05:00

After the latest problems with the school district we have made a decision. We are going to home school Andrew. The district has violated any trust I had with them. I will always be wondering what they might be up to next. And IF we were to ever get an IEP we would have to fight for everything and I worry that the districts disdain for me will have repercussions for Andrew. His teacher told me she has been told no child will get an IEP before 3rd grade. Forget the fact that early intervention in most developmental and learning disablites are better served in the early years they just won't do it.

We have filed a complaint with the California Board of Education on the violations. But who knows what that will get us.

We have several ways to home school. We could do virtual school, which would be free but that still puts us under the districts umbrella and we have to follow their rules, regulations, testing and calendar. I guess I am becoming a rebel in my old age. The schools don't believe in Life Lessons so we can't go on field trips etc.

I think the option we are seriously looking at is a program K12. It is what the district uses BUT we pay for the program and can make our own rules as to hours, days, field trips etc. We just have to file an afidavit with the state in October and then we are on our own. We are going to start easing into it in July and go full steam ahead in Mid August. when we get back from Kansas we will be getting together with a couple differnet home school groups to find one we jive with. Drew has several friends from church who are home schooled and so he seems to understand the concept.

My biggest concern is keeping him socialized as much as possible. He thrives on it. So it means outings wiht homeschool groups, karate, swimming etc. But I am very excited about the idea. I feel a certain freedom with his schooling that I haven't before.

Here we go.

School district tried to pull a fast one.

2009-05-21T12:05:00.000-05:00

I am so livid. In the mail yesterday I got an envelope from the school district. In the envelope were 4 pieces of paper. On top was a pink sticky note attached to a consent for release of medical information. All it said was sign and return. They want ALL records from Drew's neurologist. Medical tests, medical records, history, meds psych notes, Mental health records ALL of it.

Under that was a letter the school sent to the doc with out my knowledge requesting his records. Under that was a letter of refusal from the doctor saying that I hadn't signed a release for them to have the records. That was all that was in the envelope.The director of special ed asked me for all the records about 6 weeks ago and I in writing told them to put in writing what they wanted and I would obtain it for them. The neurologist has the entire history of Drew (BM issues etc) that is no ones business.

So they tried to circumvent me to get the records. Our advocate is out of town. I am trying to reach him now. The school has a letter from the doc stating Drew's DX of PDD. So why would they need his entire medical history and records? Do they really need them if they have a letter stating what the DX is.

They are already out of compliacne with federal guidelines because I requested and IEE on MArch 31 and they had 15 days to comply and they haven't.

knit one purl 2

2009-05-17T09:37:00.003-05:00

Thought I would post a few pics of things i have made lately.
My first completed sweater
Two views of Holding Hands Feeding Ducks

The above is a Debbie Bliss Bag
And this one right above is a wrap that is 95% done.

I have a couple others done but no pics yet.

cool slipper

2009-05-12T11:40:00.002-05:00

to me slippers have always been functional. I lived in Kansas. Slippers had to be warm in the winter to trudge thru snow to get the paper. In the summer who wanted to go out and look for the paper when it was 110 at 8 AM?

My friends at ALL THUMBS have a great answer. Check out their latest give away. click here These are fun slippers, stylish slippers the kind you should wear in California.

Borders needs to learn customer service

2009-05-11T14:31:00.002-05:00

I went to Borders today. I was looking for a couple magazine as well as couple birthday presents for Drew and what ever else caught my fancy. Hadn't ready a good book in a while and was on the prowl.

The magazine section was horribly stocked. Blank places everywhere. I noticed a girl who was stocking the magazine section and she had 9 boxes on a pallet. I asked if those boxes contained the mags i was looking for. She offered to open the boxes and look at the packing slips to check. They weren't in those but she told me that there were 6 boxes in the back and she would run and check the packing slips.

While waiting for her I had found a couple books, another magazine, and a couple books for Drew. the young lady came back and looked very apologetic. SHe said her manager told her she could not go thru the packing slips. She was not allowed to help me. There were other customers who needed help. I was welcome to come back in a few days and look on the shelves for my self but she could not help me. WTF!?!?!?! I was holding 50.00 worth of books and was going to buy about40.00 in mags if they had them.

I called the store when I got home and talked to the store manager and he basically said Sorry but what do you want me to do. He didn't seem to care that I had laid down other merchandise and because of one of his employees he lost a sale - if not a customer.

What is wrong with customer service these days? With all the competion out there for my business I would think stores would bend over to do the right thing and make situations right. I have called coroporate and left a voice mail for the assistant of someone and maybe I will hear from someone but who knows.

The

on Facebook

2009-04-27T20:54:00.003-05:00

You know on FAcebook there is a place to tell what you are doing or thinking. Do you ever want to put what you are really thinking or doing.

Like Cathy Anderson is sitting in her office in her underwear eating cookies and thinking she needs to get a life?

OR Cathy Anderson thinks XXXX is full of shit because they actually are a fan of lightbulbs.

OR Cathy Anderson is really angry at her mom for dying and leaving her to find out she was the one who truly held the family together.

There I said it.

no place but here

2009-04-26T18:58:00.002-05:00

I have to have some place to let it go and this is the only place I have so...

The past 2 years have sucked. Plain and simple. We have been moved twice, left everyone and everything we had known for the "good" of Scott's career and the company. Lost our house, our good credit, every thing we had worked for over the past 10 years. We had a good strong marriage but the past 2 years have taken a toll. His health problems over the past 7 months have been rough. He has hurt so much I can't imagine the pain he has been in. In some ways this surgery has been worse than the first in terms of recovery. I have asked more of him than i should. But sometimes I get tired of being the strong one.

for some reason my sister isn't speaking to me. I miss her. Heck I tried to talk to her one night because I was called to the hosptial and needed to talk to someone. she couldn't even pause a TV show to help me. My dad's wife hates me. My own father won't come see me. He talks about how my mom used to be hurt because her parents wouldn't come see them. Says it is too hard and they are too old. I know so many other people who have parents older than him who travel all the time to maintain a relationship with their kids and grandkids.

am I that bad of a person, am I that unloveable? What is wrong with me? I feel like such an outcast. I feel like nothing I do is right for anyone. Why do I try? Even a dog who gets kicked eventually stops going back but I still do. This is my family but I sure don't fee like I am a part of it anymore. I am hurting is so many ways. But no one cares.

new battle with school district.

2009-03-31T08:19:00.001-05:00

After playing phone tag for 2 weeks I finally got to talk to someone (Asshole) from district office about getting Drew what he needs. At the beginning of the year he did not meet the educational criteria for the IEP. But thru the year he has gone down hill and is now behind. The principal was questioning retaining him but he will be 7 in May so that is out. Then they talked about summer school but he is in kindergarten and they can't go to summer school. So these indicate to me that there is now a disability problem that his hampering his education. He is PDD NOS, SID, and FAE. When they did the testing they admitted they might have used the wrong tests for Drew given his age.

This jerk today was very condescending and asked what I wanted I explained, a basic IEP so that he could get the help he needed. I wasn't asking for an aide to be with him all day, I just wanted OT, a say in who is teachers would be, extra help with writing etc. I know budgets are tight. He told me given a report that was done over a year ago in NM he was denying services. He admitted he had the info from the neurologist here with Drew's DX but he felt he had to go with what was written a year ago. I went ballistic. I asked for his supervisors name and he refused to give it to me saying I would have to work thru him only. He said it didn't matter if I got to the supervisor because he would get to him first and what ever I said would not matter. He then told me that even tho he wouldn't give Drew an IEP originally he was going to get him an OT consult but because of my attitude he decided against it and would not approve it. I was also told my request for a 504 was denied. So because he doesn't like me he is going to deny services for my son. I can't afford an attorney.

I called the school and told the principal I was requesting an IEE and the request would be on her desk by the end of the day. I told her I was trying to save the district money by trying to get early intervention. by requesting an IEE - Individual Educational Eval - has to be done by an outside person that I get to pick and they have to pay for it would give an un biased opinion of what was going on. The principal told me I could request it but it had to be approved by the district and under the circumstances she didn't see it being approved. I am appealing his IEP denial and asking for the IEE anyway.

I have been in such state all day. What does it take to get him services. IF he doesn't get them now we will be fighting this battle next year any way I can't find an outside OT source because in CA it is to be done thru the school so there is no one to help him. I am ready to go to the newspaper about this whole thing.

The Roller Coaster Continues

2009-03-26T13:50:00.002-05:00

Phil was set to sign with the Navy on Tuesday but hit another road block. He is suing the guy who hit in the car wreck 2 years ago. So the Navy can't take him while he has legal things pending.

He is going to his second choice. He has talked to the National Guard. They aren't worried about the litigation. Phil won't be gone long enough for basic and AIT. His attorney will get the trial pushed back to next year if needed. While it is not moms choice it is his. He is giong to layout a semester. He will go to basic this summer and then do his AIT school after that. He is planning on MP training but won't know until next week.

I have found the silver lining in all of this - he qualifies for the special resort at WDW that is for military personell. He can bring us with him. a room is only 93.00!!!!! The resort is on par with the Deluxes at WDW - AKL, Poly, GF. He has given me permission to check in to booking for after Christmas for the 4 of us. It is actually across the road from the Poly and GF. He can actually book up to 6 rooms at that rate. Anyone want to become my sister?

want to start a business

2009-03-24T11:45:00.002-05:00

As many know my love of knitting and yarn and fiber has grown over the past few months. I am amazed at what is out there in the world of fiber. I want a part of it. I want to start dyeing my own yarns and roves. I have been researching online stores that do this and I am totally amazed at what is offered. Even mistakes make beautiful yarn. I have been pricing wholesale yarns and have found a wonderful company that makes several lines of dyeable fibers. I have been looking at different methods of dying and can't beleive how many ways there are to dye. From dye kits that can be bought to using easter egg dye all provide different vibrance and subtlty to the yarn. In talking to several other artisians the start up for this kind of business is less than 1000.00. The biggest investment is the start up yarn. They have all told me that they make it back in the first month and their businesses have grown faster than they were orginally prepared for.

I have been told I need a creative outlet. I looked at painting but it wasn't for me. I enjoy knitting but want to take it one step further in being creative. hopefully once scott has is next surgery and we get back on our feet I can take the step I want and go into business for my self. and I think this is the way to do it. I need to research getting an EIN # so I can get things wholesale that way I am able to compete with others. Next step - more research.

dinner last night

2009-03-21T09:38:00.002-05:00

I was going to write about this last night but I wanted to post about Annika and her friends instead.

We decided to go out to dinner last night. There was a restaurant we had been wanting to try since we got here. It is called VINCES. It reminds be of Don's in Lawrence only in decor. It sits in teh middle of a field. It looks like the place that Tony Soprano would hold court and then have Paulie dispose of the bodies in the field. It claims to be an Italian restaurant but it was so much more.

I had a steak combo plate. It came with Steak, chicken, prawns, pasta, baked potato, soup or salad, and ice cream. You don't need an appetizer in this place but I do understand their homemade garlic bread is wonderful. It was one of best steaks i had ever eaten. I brought home the chicken, and pasta.

They have a steak for 2 and it is all of the above and also comes with a glass of wine.

Scott had Chcken Procuittio alfredo. He wouldn't share. So I am assuming it was pretty good.

Tuesday is Pizza Night, Thursday is Prime rib, Friday is T-bone Steak (and it is the only night they offer clam chowder.) Sunday the have a brunch.

We were shocked when we got the bill 50.00 for the 3 of us. In California that is a trip to McDonalds. So if you ever venture to see us you can bet this place will be on the tour.

a testiment to friendship

2009-03-20T23:32:00.002-05:00

A friend of ours back in Lawrence has been living every parent's nightmare. Their daughter was diagnosed with Cancer a few months ago. The prognosis is good from what I understand. The young lady's father was Phil's home room teacher at Seabury for 5 years and his upper level math teacher. He is a quiet man who lives his life for his family. I can only imagine what a pillar of strength Arnie is being right now on the out side but so worried on the inside.

I found this on the Lawrence Journal World website about Annika's friends who wanted to help. These were some pretty talented kids and the song is amazing. Click on the circle on the left hand side of the page. If you don't shed a tear you have ice water in your veins. Maybe you can find a way to help as well.

They can use all the pixie dust we can send them.

Cathy

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2009/mar/22/soldier-without-armor-raintree-students-produce-cd/

I screwed up.

2009-03-19T17:12:00.002-05:00

I blew it as a mom today. I spoke my mind and wasn't supportive. Phil had been a holding pattern about the Navy. He was waiting for waivers for medical exemptions. I never dreamed he would get them. Today as we were getting ready for the day. He came down plopped in a chair and said "I got the waivers" I don't know if it was how he said it, the timing (the day before he leaves) or what but I said all the wrong things.

Now he thinks I don't support him. He is now trying to figure how to make me happy. As a mom I have so many mixed emotions. I want him happy. I truly do. BUt as a mom I don't want him in harms way. AS a mom all I want to do is keep him in a coccoon for ever. I know that is not possible.

He has shown me that he wants this more than anything. I am proud of his decision. But it hit me that tonight might be my last night with him for a long long time. Inside I am screaming I am proud of you but I am also crying.

A friend whose son is in the NAvy said it was Ok to cry. Good. I seem to be good at that. Not good at saying the right thing, however. My only wish is that he would wait until he got out of college to go in. It is so much better to go in as an Officer. But this is the path he chooses and as such I go as cheerleader, friend, devil's advocate but most importantly mom.

GO FOR IT PHIL. I will always have your back.

MOM

nothing

2009-03-18T21:07:00.003-05:00

I have been trying to figure out what to blog about. Nothing seems worth blogging about

This afternoon, Scott was out in the garage and found a music box my grandmother had given me. I had forgotten about it. I opened it and inside were a locket with pics of my grandparents when they were young as well as a small picture of my dad when he was a baby. Made me nostalgic. I went to the gargae and rummaged thru some boxes and found a doll that my grandmother made. It was a replica of her when she was Worthy Matron of Eastern Star, as well as a plate she painted of two little girls walking togheter. Made me think about my sis.

In another box I found my high school memories. Poetry I had written, cards people had given me etc. Looked at the cards and wondered why I kept them. The people who gave them to me now mean nothing to me. Funny how our priorities change. I found the newspaper from my high school that celebrated out graduation. On the front page were pics of the "in" crowd. I talk to many of them on facebook. I keep wondering if they will be mad if I reveal what they looked like in their younger days.

I found my baby book, Phils baby book as well as pics of him as little guy. The memories were intense.

That is about it.

Drew logic

2009-03-15T15:10:00.002-05:00

Last night I was working on the computer and Drew walks in.

He told me"Daddy is getting married"
I ask "To who"
Drew " His video game"
Me "Why"
Drew " Because he loves it"
Me "there may be a problem with that - He is already married to me"
Drew "prepared to be dumped."