What is your favorite Christmas-time TV Special??
Mine: Miracle On 34th Street! Yes..old AND new! I am sorry...I am sucker for all those movies that remind us to BELIEVE!
How about you???
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
When all else fails...disappear...for a while
I am not sure if I have one reader or more than one, but either way...my apologies for disappearing. I have been thru some ups and downs as of late and it was just easier to sit back, regroup and re-evaluate. Unfortunately, I could not wrap my head around the whole situation enough to actually write about it. So much is so very complicated and for a while, it was easier to just mull it over and just catch up on the reading of others blogs and to get my head on straight.
SO...here is is nearly two months later. Time flies as they say.
I guess I will start of slowly and give a bit of what I have been dealing with.
For quite some time, I have had to fight the difficult and somewhat surreal battle of being divorced. There are times when things seemed to be on the mend and the hope of being able to be around eachother without security forces was in sight. Then there were other times that it has felt as if we were not only back to square 1 but oh so far behind it.
I have found that even when the courts get involved and a marriage ends, there is no such thing as being totally divorced from that person when kids are involved. Sure...we move on with other relationships, and we each find a way to parent the kids without the other, but you are never totally rid of them. Whether you disagree on school decisions, holidays, doctors, child support or when it is best to call, you will have to deal with that other person for the long haul. You created human beings together and therefore are irrevocably tied to one another...like it or not. You see your old spouse in the children and it evokes both happiness at the rememberance of the good times and sadness and even anger at the bad. It is an odd feeling to look at your child, to love them with all you have and yet regret seeing that other person staring back out at you in their features, like their eyes or their smile...etc.
I have found that the more I learn about my Ex the more I dislike the old ball and chain. It seems that as of late, I can not remember one single reason why I ever felt like the sun and moon hung over this person! How their ability to make me laugh fixed so much for so long (and then their ability to break my heart has destroyed most of those feelings).
I am angry again. I am deeply angry. Just when I thought I had found the way thru and forgiven and found peace....the other half did something that I never thought they would and now I feel betrayed and disappointed beyond belief. It shakes you to your core when you spend YEARS with someone who you thought you knew was incapable of such behaviors, only to realize...you did not know this person at all.
I have read other blogs as of late about forgiveness and giving and it made me wonder something. WHAT IF the other person does not ask for the forgiveness? What if the other person is just happy to treat the other like crap and think that it is ok? What if the other person is so good about preaching about doing the right things but does not live by that word? What do you do with people who say they have given forgiveness but it is not really in their hearts and just a way to act like they are doing the right thing (when deep down...they are still just as angry and vindictive and there truly is not ANY forgiveness)?? What if you try and try to make this work and try to get the other person to do the right thing...and all they do is throw it in your face that they will do what they feel like...damned the consequences to everyone...including the kids?? What do you do when the other person is totally self centered and does not see past their own desires?
I do not think my old battleaxe is ever going to do what is right and therefore...where do you go from here???
Friday, September 19, 2008
Beware of words and their direction!
Well, I am not sure how many readers I have (I suppose I need one of those fancy dot map things that Lemon has) but I have several that I read religiously. One of my favorite writers is actually a couple (with seperate but tied in harmony blogs) from up North (that's right...their Yankees!)
ANYWAY...not so long ago Cap'n Lemon-Ergo (not sure what you go by these days...LOL) and his girl Spooky have been going thru a lot and posted about it. Me being the curious one, just had to open my big keyboard and ask many (too many) questions to try and understand better. Well, this set off an avalanche of events which led to some miscommunication and hard feelings. I feel awful about that.
You see, in cyberspace we have the ability to find friends that would otherwise never cross our paths. It is almost like taking a detour off of the road of Destiny and taking a chance. Sometimes, however, we have to remember that while we control this detour, we must remember that on the other end of that internet connection is someone else...a human...who has their own destiny and all its luggage to boot.
I quickly learned, that in this blogosphere, that it is sometimes better to wait patiently for a story to unfold and let the other person, who we may have considered a cyber friend, to decide the pace at which to tell a story and sometimes you need to not ask...but listen/read.
I am happy to say that in the end, we were able to regroup, reconnect and rewrite what was once a bloody awful mess, and it looks like we are going to be having lots more of those great stories and tales. I for one need to do more postings...but I am still getting my feet wet and I hope someday, perhaps, that I may have a big fat juicy red dot map too!!
ANYWAY...not so long ago Cap'n Lemon-Ergo (not sure what you go by these days...LOL) and his girl Spooky have been going thru a lot and posted about it. Me being the curious one, just had to open my big keyboard and ask many (too many) questions to try and understand better. Well, this set off an avalanche of events which led to some miscommunication and hard feelings. I feel awful about that.
You see, in cyberspace we have the ability to find friends that would otherwise never cross our paths. It is almost like taking a detour off of the road of Destiny and taking a chance. Sometimes, however, we have to remember that while we control this detour, we must remember that on the other end of that internet connection is someone else...a human...who has their own destiny and all its luggage to boot.
I quickly learned, that in this blogosphere, that it is sometimes better to wait patiently for a story to unfold and let the other person, who we may have considered a cyber friend, to decide the pace at which to tell a story and sometimes you need to not ask...but listen/read.
I am happy to say that in the end, we were able to regroup, reconnect and rewrite what was once a bloody awful mess, and it looks like we are going to be having lots more of those great stories and tales. I for one need to do more postings...but I am still getting my feet wet and I hope someday, perhaps, that I may have a big fat juicy red dot map too!!
Monday, August 11, 2008
*sigh*.... if only
Well, at the suggestion of my blog-buddy Lemon, I am going to wax eloquent (ok...probably choppy and out of order) about my ex. Here we go!
There was a girl. There was a boy. They fell in love (and fell in bed) and then decided it was a good idea to get married. Along came a kid or two or three, and one with disabilities (HELP...someone stop me...I AM RHYMING!)
My ex and I were soul mates. I truly believe that. Sure we had some key differences (religion, upbringing, and how we approached the world) but the core of our souls...they were a match. We were happy for a long time, and made eachother laugh like crazy and could fall asleep in eachothers arms and sleep that way all night. Being together was fun, easy and we were happy.
Then we had kids. NOW..do not get me wrong...because I LOVE my kids... but having them changes a lot. I have to admit, at first it was all fun and an adventure (watch out for boys in diapers...they have amazing aim!) but it started an almost imperceptable shift in our relationship. I have to admit, at times, I was a little jealous of how much my wife loved the baby (and others to follow) but I understood it. I guess I was just used to being her one and only and along comes a lump of cute little giggly baby-ness and now I have to share...let alone struggle for any attention.
As many of you surely know, it eventually evens out and you get into the swing of things and become a family and life is good again. But then you have one more and one more. Now you are lucky to even be looked at by your wife and usually it is in a plea for help with the kids. We tried to go out and leave the kids with sitters or family but that was rare. We still had the token relations if you know what I mean...and they were great (they always were with us) but this too fell to the wayside with all the demands of the kids and life.
NOW...add to the the pressure of finding out that one of your kids is just a little different. Now realize that he is VERY different and autistic and now he needs a lot of extra care and attention. Add to this a whirlwind of doctors, therapists, meetings with schools and whatnot...all while still trying to lead a "normal" life.....do you see where we are heading.
It is the same old story...we drifted apart. Not because of a lack of love...but a lack of time. Time for eachother. Time alone. Time to remember why we fell in love. Yes, there have been times I felt like I hated her (esp. during the divorce) but I think back now and realize I was angry at the love that was lost (or being ignored thru the anger) and I was angry because I gave up. I took it out on her that we stopped trying. I have to admit...I played the blame game. It was easy to blame her. SHE stopped paying attention to me. SHE stopped making me feel loved. SHE took me for granted. SHE only wanted me around to be Dad and SHE did not want me as a lover anymore. I was so very angry and rejected.
But.....
Then I stopped one day not to long ago, and I had an epiphany. *I* stopped paying attention to her. *I* did not try anymore to make her feel loved. *I* stopped thinking of her as my lover and she was the Mother of My Children. I rejected her and made her angry. I realized that BOTH of us got lost in the every day business of being parents and a family and lost US!
Why did I not try harder to show her I cared? Why did I not try harder to let her know I still loved her more than words? Why did I not try harder to make love to her whenever we had a moment? Why did I not buy her flowers or a single rose...just because. Why didn't I tell her every day how amazing I thought she was for being such a great Mom and for how hard she fought for our son to get everything he needed?? WHY DID I STOP TRYING????????
I wonder if I will ever stop regretting not trying. I sometimes wonder what would happen if I tried again. Does she wonder too? There are those moments when she seems to reach out to me and I wonder....is there hope after all this time? Then...my stubborn male mind kicks in and says..."Don't try it Jack. Better to leave things alone. Don't put yourself out there to get chopped down man!"
*SIGH*.......... Some say it is better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all. I hate that bastard that said they. He was full of shit!
There was a girl. There was a boy. They fell in love (and fell in bed) and then decided it was a good idea to get married. Along came a kid or two or three, and one with disabilities (HELP...someone stop me...I AM RHYMING!)
My ex and I were soul mates. I truly believe that. Sure we had some key differences (religion, upbringing, and how we approached the world) but the core of our souls...they were a match. We were happy for a long time, and made eachother laugh like crazy and could fall asleep in eachothers arms and sleep that way all night. Being together was fun, easy and we were happy.
Then we had kids. NOW..do not get me wrong...because I LOVE my kids... but having them changes a lot. I have to admit, at first it was all fun and an adventure (watch out for boys in diapers...they have amazing aim!) but it started an almost imperceptable shift in our relationship. I have to admit, at times, I was a little jealous of how much my wife loved the baby (and others to follow) but I understood it. I guess I was just used to being her one and only and along comes a lump of cute little giggly baby-ness and now I have to share...let alone struggle for any attention.
As many of you surely know, it eventually evens out and you get into the swing of things and become a family and life is good again. But then you have one more and one more. Now you are lucky to even be looked at by your wife and usually it is in a plea for help with the kids. We tried to go out and leave the kids with sitters or family but that was rare. We still had the token relations if you know what I mean...and they were great (they always were with us) but this too fell to the wayside with all the demands of the kids and life.
NOW...add to the the pressure of finding out that one of your kids is just a little different. Now realize that he is VERY different and autistic and now he needs a lot of extra care and attention. Add to this a whirlwind of doctors, therapists, meetings with schools and whatnot...all while still trying to lead a "normal" life.....do you see where we are heading.
It is the same old story...we drifted apart. Not because of a lack of love...but a lack of time. Time for eachother. Time alone. Time to remember why we fell in love. Yes, there have been times I felt like I hated her (esp. during the divorce) but I think back now and realize I was angry at the love that was lost (or being ignored thru the anger) and I was angry because I gave up. I took it out on her that we stopped trying. I have to admit...I played the blame game. It was easy to blame her. SHE stopped paying attention to me. SHE stopped making me feel loved. SHE took me for granted. SHE only wanted me around to be Dad and SHE did not want me as a lover anymore. I was so very angry and rejected.
But.....
Then I stopped one day not to long ago, and I had an epiphany. *I* stopped paying attention to her. *I* did not try anymore to make her feel loved. *I* stopped thinking of her as my lover and she was the Mother of My Children. I rejected her and made her angry. I realized that BOTH of us got lost in the every day business of being parents and a family and lost US!
Why did I not try harder to show her I cared? Why did I not try harder to let her know I still loved her more than words? Why did I not try harder to make love to her whenever we had a moment? Why did I not buy her flowers or a single rose...just because. Why didn't I tell her every day how amazing I thought she was for being such a great Mom and for how hard she fought for our son to get everything he needed?? WHY DID I STOP TRYING????????
I wonder if I will ever stop regretting not trying. I sometimes wonder what would happen if I tried again. Does she wonder too? There are those moments when she seems to reach out to me and I wonder....is there hope after all this time? Then...my stubborn male mind kicks in and says..."Don't try it Jack. Better to leave things alone. Don't put yourself out there to get chopped down man!"
*SIGH*.......... Some say it is better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all. I hate that bastard that said they. He was full of shit!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
The lashing may now begin!
OK...OK...I have been a bad blogger! Let the beatings now begin!
I admit it...I let my blog fall to the wayside this summer.
Well, I have to say that in the big scheme of things, that while I sometimes have a lot to share, it is often hard to find the time (and sometimes energy) to get online and post.
UPDATE:
We are in the backend of summer here. It has been a lot of fun for me. I have saved up a bit of vacation and sick days, and cashed those puppies in for some extra time with my kids so we could spend more time together. The old saying is true, and you really have to appreciate the time with your kids while they are still young. I have gotten to spend some great times with the kids this summer (and HEY! My kid with ASD is talking so much more! God...I can not be happier to have been there when THAT started happening!!)
My oldest: He has gotten into the full fledged independent thing and wants to "hang out with the guys" all the time. The guys being a bunch of other boys that all like to go to the pool, dig up various creatures and bugs and use them for pranks (the Princess has been the unhappy victim to more than one creepy-crawly) and also to play ball and Xbox. You can imagine that he has been happier than a pig in S&%t with having all this time this summer! Awww...to be young!
My middle: Wow...what can I say...it is AMAZING to hear your kid talk when you wait SO long for it! He is actually putting some words together and getting his wants and needs across and the look of pride on his face when WE understand HIM...WOW!! I know some parents of "normal" kids may not get this, but this has been an amazing thing. I have spent MANY hours this summer working on his words with him and to see it pay off... well, there is no amount of money in the world that can replace that!
The Princess: Well, she has actually wanted MORE time with Dad this summer. She is my little sidekick and wants me to do everything with her. I must admit that I have been in attendence at more than one Tea Party and played with dolls this summer (and have to admit....it was fun!) It amazes me how nurturing girls are at such a young age. It makes me believe that it really is a built in system.
The Ex: Well, we got past the issues about Disney and time off of school...etc. I think we both harbor some resentment towards eachother but the other problem is that (without getting too far into it) we both ended things because we had drifted apart but there was still love there. This is hard for me to admit, because let's face it, it is easier to just say you hate the old ball and chain, but I must admit that I still loved her and did not allow myself to feel it (it was easier to convince myself that it was dead and gone) and I have wondered, on more than one occasion if we had not been so rash about the decision to divorce, if I had not left, if I had fought to try, IF we would have worked it out. *SIGH* I guess we will never know. Regrets suck!
ANYWAY... as I said... I took extra time off this summer and have just filled it to the brim with my kids. I will NEVER forget this summer. I will never forget the laughs, the picnics, the trips to fun places, and the hugs at the end of the days. God...I am going to miss those when we go back to the school year schedule. I could not make it without seeing my kids! They are growing and changing so fast and I can not imagine missing any more than I already do! (Ok...I know...too schmaltzy...but it is true.)
I will admit one thing I will NOT miss.... SAND IN LAUNDRY!! LOL! These kids get sand in clothes that you never find until it is a mess in the laundry room! Ok...so I have one thing I will gladly see go at the end of summer! There ya go!
I admit it...I let my blog fall to the wayside this summer.
Well, I have to say that in the big scheme of things, that while I sometimes have a lot to share, it is often hard to find the time (and sometimes energy) to get online and post.
UPDATE:
We are in the backend of summer here. It has been a lot of fun for me. I have saved up a bit of vacation and sick days, and cashed those puppies in for some extra time with my kids so we could spend more time together. The old saying is true, and you really have to appreciate the time with your kids while they are still young. I have gotten to spend some great times with the kids this summer (and HEY! My kid with ASD is talking so much more! God...I can not be happier to have been there when THAT started happening!!)
My oldest: He has gotten into the full fledged independent thing and wants to "hang out with the guys" all the time. The guys being a bunch of other boys that all like to go to the pool, dig up various creatures and bugs and use them for pranks (the Princess has been the unhappy victim to more than one creepy-crawly) and also to play ball and Xbox. You can imagine that he has been happier than a pig in S&%t with having all this time this summer! Awww...to be young!
My middle: Wow...what can I say...it is AMAZING to hear your kid talk when you wait SO long for it! He is actually putting some words together and getting his wants and needs across and the look of pride on his face when WE understand HIM...WOW!! I know some parents of "normal" kids may not get this, but this has been an amazing thing. I have spent MANY hours this summer working on his words with him and to see it pay off... well, there is no amount of money in the world that can replace that!
The Princess: Well, she has actually wanted MORE time with Dad this summer. She is my little sidekick and wants me to do everything with her. I must admit that I have been in attendence at more than one Tea Party and played with dolls this summer (and have to admit....it was fun!) It amazes me how nurturing girls are at such a young age. It makes me believe that it really is a built in system.
The Ex: Well, we got past the issues about Disney and time off of school...etc. I think we both harbor some resentment towards eachother but the other problem is that (without getting too far into it) we both ended things because we had drifted apart but there was still love there. This is hard for me to admit, because let's face it, it is easier to just say you hate the old ball and chain, but I must admit that I still loved her and did not allow myself to feel it (it was easier to convince myself that it was dead and gone) and I have wondered, on more than one occasion if we had not been so rash about the decision to divorce, if I had not left, if I had fought to try, IF we would have worked it out. *SIGH* I guess we will never know. Regrets suck!
ANYWAY... as I said... I took extra time off this summer and have just filled it to the brim with my kids. I will NEVER forget this summer. I will never forget the laughs, the picnics, the trips to fun places, and the hugs at the end of the days. God...I am going to miss those when we go back to the school year schedule. I could not make it without seeing my kids! They are growing and changing so fast and I can not imagine missing any more than I already do! (Ok...I know...too schmaltzy...but it is true.)
I will admit one thing I will NOT miss.... SAND IN LAUNDRY!! LOL! These kids get sand in clothes that you never find until it is a mess in the laundry room! Ok...so I have one thing I will gladly see go at the end of summer! There ya go!
Sunday, June 8, 2008
This brought tears to even my eyes!
Here is a wonderful video from You Tube that even got to this tough old guy! This says it all!
Saturday, June 7, 2008
No sleep for mere mortals
Well, my autistic son is up again in the middle of the night. This kid has the worst sleep patterns but we are used to it after years of this. I have to wonder if half his problems stem from sleep deprivation?! I know I do not do well without sleep and I am literal when I say he has rarely had a full nights sleep. How much does that mess with you when you are already sensory overloaded??
Well...guess I had better get back to attempting to get the boy back to sleep....LOL!
Well...guess I had better get back to attempting to get the boy back to sleep....LOL!
Friday, May 30, 2008
No time for myself
Ever feel like you never have time for yourself? I feel like all I do is work, sleep and see my kids.
Do not get me wrong. I LOVE MY KIDS!! I like my job alright (well...its a job...not paradise!) and that leaves sleep as my one escape and by definition of the act of sleeping...I miss it! LOL!
I know I have not been blogging much, but I have been working so much and not had much time. I have had some great times with my kids (it is sunny and hot here in FL and that means lots of pool time) and I just fall into bed at the end of the day. My apologies to my new blogger friends. I am just not that good at regular posts yet!
ANYWAY...any of you feel overwhelmed too? Anyone else feel like they never get to do something just for themselves?? Well, I should not complain...I have great kids and get to see them a lot, and that is a lot more than I thought after my ex got pissy after the Disney debacle. I could not live without seeing my kids!
Ok...I am off my soapbox or pedestal or whatever it is I am whining from! LOL!
Do not get me wrong. I LOVE MY KIDS!! I like my job alright (well...its a job...not paradise!) and that leaves sleep as my one escape and by definition of the act of sleeping...I miss it! LOL!
I know I have not been blogging much, but I have been working so much and not had much time. I have had some great times with my kids (it is sunny and hot here in FL and that means lots of pool time) and I just fall into bed at the end of the day. My apologies to my new blogger friends. I am just not that good at regular posts yet!
ANYWAY...any of you feel overwhelmed too? Anyone else feel like they never get to do something just for themselves?? Well, I should not complain...I have great kids and get to see them a lot, and that is a lot more than I thought after my ex got pissy after the Disney debacle. I could not live without seeing my kids!
Ok...I am off my soapbox or pedestal or whatever it is I am whining from! LOL!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The Long and the Short of it
Well, I knew there would be some residual flack from my ex wife for taking the kids for some fun times when they were out of school...uh...*cough*...sick. I do believe she is a little more upset than necessary though. She says I am irresponsible because they missed classes (they are still young enough where they are not missing much and I believe that they are not learning a whole heck of a lot in the last few weeks of school. I never did!)
NOW...I tried explaining that I just wanted to have some fun with them and thought it would be a nice distraction that Mommy was not here (this was her first long trip away). She doubts that I even considered the latter, but I did. My daughter is VERY attached to her Mom and with good reason! Those two have been attached at the hip since her birth and my daughter adores her Mom (and I honestly believe that is how it should be...Moms and daughters should be close!) Now, the boys were not as bad, they are always happy to hang with Dad, and my one sons biggest concern was sleeping in a strange bed/room (autistic kids hate change) but he seemed to handle it well. My daughter missed her Mom most at night (they have a little thing they do at night for bedtime) and I expected that, so that is why I tried to make our night activities fun and tried to, well, to be honest, I tried to wear her out so she would fall asleep before even getting to the hotel. This worked every night and it helped immensely.
Well, to make this short (before it gets long) my Ex says that if I can not stick with their routine and schedules (ie school, lessons, etc) then she may have to reconsider letting me have them for extra time. I told her I understand her concerns but I also think she needs to remember that we have joint custody and my decisions for them hold equal weight. I am not sure if that made her mad or she just got tired of arguing because she stopped at that point cold. Now most people would be happy with that, but to be honest, I prefer when my Ex is yelling, because when she gets quiet...that is when I am really in trouble!
NOW...I tried explaining that I just wanted to have some fun with them and thought it would be a nice distraction that Mommy was not here (this was her first long trip away). She doubts that I even considered the latter, but I did. My daughter is VERY attached to her Mom and with good reason! Those two have been attached at the hip since her birth and my daughter adores her Mom (and I honestly believe that is how it should be...Moms and daughters should be close!) Now, the boys were not as bad, they are always happy to hang with Dad, and my one sons biggest concern was sleeping in a strange bed/room (autistic kids hate change) but he seemed to handle it well. My daughter missed her Mom most at night (they have a little thing they do at night for bedtime) and I expected that, so that is why I tried to make our night activities fun and tried to, well, to be honest, I tried to wear her out so she would fall asleep before even getting to the hotel. This worked every night and it helped immensely.
Well, to make this short (before it gets long) my Ex says that if I can not stick with their routine and schedules (ie school, lessons, etc) then she may have to reconsider letting me have them for extra time. I told her I understand her concerns but I also think she needs to remember that we have joint custody and my decisions for them hold equal weight. I am not sure if that made her mad or she just got tired of arguing because she stopped at that point cold. Now most people would be happy with that, but to be honest, I prefer when my Ex is yelling, because when she gets quiet...that is when I am really in trouble!
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Mad Adventures in the Sunshine State
So I got to tell you, it is hard during the school year, but when you get the chance to spend some time with your kids, you really try to pack it all in! If you get to annoy your Ex in the process..that is just an extra bonus! LOL!
So, I got the opportunity to have my kids for 5 days straight when the Ex was going out of town. WELL....I saddled up my horse, picked 'em up and called in sick for the days the fell during the week (OH...and the kids got a cold too...if you happen to see their teachers...*cough*) I figure when you have the chance to surprise the kids and actually have some extra cash...why not go a little nuts!
I promptly proclaimed a road trip and we went to the beach, A day at Busch Gardens and then over to Disney for a couple of days. The beach was awesome and despite the hesitation from my son ( I think the overwhelming vastness is what gets to him) we all had a great time. MANY, MANY treasures were found along the shore and being buried in sand, I now believe I will be finding sand in places I was unaware I had for MONTHS!!! LOL! I love taking the kids to the beach and being FL kids, they love it too. They all have built in, year round tans so even sunscreen is not needed as much, but still used. By the way, I still love making sandcastles but I must insist on a moat. A moat is very important and must be used! LOL!
Next was a day at Busch Gardens, where we rode rides and played hard (I hate roller coasters but will tolerate them because the kids like them) and they kids loved it. We have passes there so going there was nothing new. For something new we headed over to Orlando for a couple days at Disney. Now, I loved taking the kids to BG, but Disney is a WHOLE different experience, and you will have to forgive me if I carry on a bit, because it was my first time taking the kids (after many MANY times promising to go IF we could manage it...ya...sometimes shit takes awhile to get pulled together alright!!)
If you ever get a chance to visit there, you need to stay at a Disney resort, because they take care of EVERYTHING ...really they do!! I told them what I needed...it was done!! We got a 1st floor room (away from the pool for noise reduction) and upon arrival they had all this info for us. The tickets were attached to the keys (LOVE THAT) and we could even charge things to the room AND have any purchases delivered there (man...does this save you from having to carry bags all day at a park!!) Kudos to the staff at the All Star Movies resort! They were great! Also, they provide all the transportation to everything Disney (just hop on a bus to where you want to go and hop on one to come back!)
I was a little apprehensive about how my son would handle everything, but I was really surprised that they have a special card for autistic kids. This was a lifesaver! BRILLIANT!! Major points to Disney for recognizing the autistic kids can NOT wait in line sometimes...it just is not possible! Now, I will tell you that I was told many times that this card is not good for all character lines but most of them let us in anyway. My daughter about went nuts for the HSM 2 show at Hollywood Studios (what is it with this stuff?? I do not get it!) and the boys loved the rides the most and then of course, meeting the characters! We got to meet Buzz & Woody, Power Rangers, and even the Incredibles at Hollywood Studios. Had lunch with some characters (more on that later) and then went on the Backstage Studio Tour and then to Playhouse Disney. Fantasmic was amazing (HS end of the day show/fireworks). Oh...and I would avoid Tower of Terror unless you really love thrill rides. I could hear the screams from the walkway and that was enough for me to keep a-walking. As a park, we liked HS, but the real fun came the next day at the Magic Kingdom.
At Magic Kingdom most of the day we spent looking for important people to fill those damn autograph books I was foolish enough to buy them (word to the wise...if you buy these your kids become obsessed with filling them! DO NOT GIVE IN! Stick with pictures only and you will be able to ride more and wait less!!! Also, with each book, each kid wants their own pen which the characters never use! They usually use the first one handed to them! Save some money and bring your own!)
My daughter wanted to do this boutique thing where they turn them into a princess for a mere $200...uh... I offered to allow her anything she wanted for a gift. THANK GOD! That saved me a ton! Why do they charge so much for this?
We met the Princesses (something that someone would just die if it did not happen! LOL!), Mickey and Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald (can Disney make a point of having more boy friendly characters?? Most are geared towards girls!) I have got to say that even I enjoyed meeting Mickey! I have always liked Mickey!
Then we found Snow White at Minnie's house. We thought this was a weird place for her to show up but her watcher said she loved to visit Minnie's gardens and since Minnie was not using the Gazebo, she thought she would say hello for a bit! WHERE DO THEY COME UP WITH THESE STORIES I ASK YOU??!! ARE THEY TRAINED TO MAKE THIS SHIT UP??? Ok..I know this the nitpicky adult in me and I should allow my inner child to be protected, but I am sorry ... every character had its own stories and they would never give you a straight answer! I think they are all brainwashed into believing this shit is real because no one goes on break...they are going for honey or for tea or to go to a picnic! THEY ARE JUST IN COSTUMES (which btw must be awful unless they have some sort of cooling system built in)! I get that they want the kids to believe it but why can they not be straight with the adults??! Just tell me they need to go pee or that it is time to switch people! Oh...that is another thing. They will not tell you THAT either! I kept asking this one watcher (these people who escort them around the park) about how many they have and she would not give me a straight answer. It was always just 1!!!! I am not a kid nor am I stupid, so why can they not be straight with me?! I did not ask loud enough for the kids to hear and they could have just whispered the answers...but no... they act like I am strange for even asking!
Now, having said all that, I will tell you that if you also want to have a great time and a great meal...do the character dining thing. #1 You get to eat a ton (and we did the disney dining thing and this was an option that normally would have been a fortune! Totally do the dining plan...it saves you A LOT) and #2 the characters come to you! We did two of these. Play & Dine at HS and Liberty Tree Tavern at MK. Both great but both totally different characters and experiences. I recommend both but my kids loved the P&D the most. #3 Since they come to you, no waiting in lines in the HOT SUN!
As for rides, we went on Buzz Lightyear (this is like a ride in arcade game where you try to rack up points by shooting lasers at stuff), Splash Mountain and the Haunted Mansion. My son hated the HM and promptly went into a meltdown. He was fine once we got into the little black cars that ride thru the mansion but we will not go on that again! (I managed to avoid Small World since the kids were not interested but was forced to endure Winnie the Pooh and the Teacups!) We saw the parade in the afternoon but was disappointed that they did not have the night time parade when we were there. I heard it was cool and thought they did parades every day, so that was the only let down really. The fireworks that night were very cool and set to a soundtrack. The mad rush to leave the park after them was not so fun though.
Well, after several days of crazily spoiling my kids rotten (but hey...that is what we do when we only see them every once in a while) we headed home. The kids were exhausted, I was exhausted (and practically broke! LOL!) and the best part of all came when we got home and everyone just sat around and watched movies and sat together on the couch. Ok...I know we had some amazing memories but the last one is the one I think I may remember the most.... hmmm... I could have saved a lot of money and just stayed home and chilled out with them for 5 days..... NAH!!!
PS... My ex was not thrilled that the kids missed school and were exhausted and the fact that they are now thinking Dad is the coolest for taking them all over for mad fun really annoys her! LOL! OH WELL!!!
So, I got the opportunity to have my kids for 5 days straight when the Ex was going out of town. WELL....I saddled up my horse, picked 'em up and called in sick for the days the fell during the week (OH...and the kids got a cold too...if you happen to see their teachers...*cough*) I figure when you have the chance to surprise the kids and actually have some extra cash...why not go a little nuts!
I promptly proclaimed a road trip and we went to the beach, A day at Busch Gardens and then over to Disney for a couple of days. The beach was awesome and despite the hesitation from my son ( I think the overwhelming vastness is what gets to him) we all had a great time. MANY, MANY treasures were found along the shore and being buried in sand, I now believe I will be finding sand in places I was unaware I had for MONTHS!!! LOL! I love taking the kids to the beach and being FL kids, they love it too. They all have built in, year round tans so even sunscreen is not needed as much, but still used. By the way, I still love making sandcastles but I must insist on a moat. A moat is very important and must be used! LOL!
Next was a day at Busch Gardens, where we rode rides and played hard (I hate roller coasters but will tolerate them because the kids like them) and they kids loved it. We have passes there so going there was nothing new. For something new we headed over to Orlando for a couple days at Disney. Now, I loved taking the kids to BG, but Disney is a WHOLE different experience, and you will have to forgive me if I carry on a bit, because it was my first time taking the kids (after many MANY times promising to go IF we could manage it...ya...sometimes shit takes awhile to get pulled together alright!!)
If you ever get a chance to visit there, you need to stay at a Disney resort, because they take care of EVERYTHING ...really they do!! I told them what I needed...it was done!! We got a 1st floor room (away from the pool for noise reduction) and upon arrival they had all this info for us. The tickets were attached to the keys (LOVE THAT) and we could even charge things to the room AND have any purchases delivered there (man...does this save you from having to carry bags all day at a park!!) Kudos to the staff at the All Star Movies resort! They were great! Also, they provide all the transportation to everything Disney (just hop on a bus to where you want to go and hop on one to come back!)
I was a little apprehensive about how my son would handle everything, but I was really surprised that they have a special card for autistic kids. This was a lifesaver! BRILLIANT!! Major points to Disney for recognizing the autistic kids can NOT wait in line sometimes...it just is not possible! Now, I will tell you that I was told many times that this card is not good for all character lines but most of them let us in anyway. My daughter about went nuts for the HSM 2 show at Hollywood Studios (what is it with this stuff?? I do not get it!) and the boys loved the rides the most and then of course, meeting the characters! We got to meet Buzz & Woody, Power Rangers, and even the Incredibles at Hollywood Studios. Had lunch with some characters (more on that later) and then went on the Backstage Studio Tour and then to Playhouse Disney. Fantasmic was amazing (HS end of the day show/fireworks). Oh...and I would avoid Tower of Terror unless you really love thrill rides. I could hear the screams from the walkway and that was enough for me to keep a-walking. As a park, we liked HS, but the real fun came the next day at the Magic Kingdom.
At Magic Kingdom most of the day we spent looking for important people to fill those damn autograph books I was foolish enough to buy them (word to the wise...if you buy these your kids become obsessed with filling them! DO NOT GIVE IN! Stick with pictures only and you will be able to ride more and wait less!!! Also, with each book, each kid wants their own pen which the characters never use! They usually use the first one handed to them! Save some money and bring your own!)
My daughter wanted to do this boutique thing where they turn them into a princess for a mere $200...uh... I offered to allow her anything she wanted for a gift. THANK GOD! That saved me a ton! Why do they charge so much for this?
We met the Princesses (something that someone would just die if it did not happen! LOL!), Mickey and Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald (can Disney make a point of having more boy friendly characters?? Most are geared towards girls!) I have got to say that even I enjoyed meeting Mickey! I have always liked Mickey!
Then we found Snow White at Minnie's house. We thought this was a weird place for her to show up but her watcher said she loved to visit Minnie's gardens and since Minnie was not using the Gazebo, she thought she would say hello for a bit! WHERE DO THEY COME UP WITH THESE STORIES I ASK YOU??!! ARE THEY TRAINED TO MAKE THIS SHIT UP??? Ok..I know this the nitpicky adult in me and I should allow my inner child to be protected, but I am sorry ... every character had its own stories and they would never give you a straight answer! I think they are all brainwashed into believing this shit is real because no one goes on break...they are going for honey or for tea or to go to a picnic! THEY ARE JUST IN COSTUMES (which btw must be awful unless they have some sort of cooling system built in)! I get that they want the kids to believe it but why can they not be straight with the adults??! Just tell me they need to go pee or that it is time to switch people! Oh...that is another thing. They will not tell you THAT either! I kept asking this one watcher (these people who escort them around the park) about how many they have and she would not give me a straight answer. It was always just 1!!!! I am not a kid nor am I stupid, so why can they not be straight with me?! I did not ask loud enough for the kids to hear and they could have just whispered the answers...but no... they act like I am strange for even asking!
Now, having said all that, I will tell you that if you also want to have a great time and a great meal...do the character dining thing. #1 You get to eat a ton (and we did the disney dining thing and this was an option that normally would have been a fortune! Totally do the dining plan...it saves you A LOT) and #2 the characters come to you! We did two of these. Play & Dine at HS and Liberty Tree Tavern at MK. Both great but both totally different characters and experiences. I recommend both but my kids loved the P&D the most. #3 Since they come to you, no waiting in lines in the HOT SUN!
As for rides, we went on Buzz Lightyear (this is like a ride in arcade game where you try to rack up points by shooting lasers at stuff), Splash Mountain and the Haunted Mansion. My son hated the HM and promptly went into a meltdown. He was fine once we got into the little black cars that ride thru the mansion but we will not go on that again! (I managed to avoid Small World since the kids were not interested but was forced to endure Winnie the Pooh and the Teacups!) We saw the parade in the afternoon but was disappointed that they did not have the night time parade when we were there. I heard it was cool and thought they did parades every day, so that was the only let down really. The fireworks that night were very cool and set to a soundtrack. The mad rush to leave the park after them was not so fun though.
Well, after several days of crazily spoiling my kids rotten (but hey...that is what we do when we only see them every once in a while) we headed home. The kids were exhausted, I was exhausted (and practically broke! LOL!) and the best part of all came when we got home and everyone just sat around and watched movies and sat together on the couch. Ok...I know we had some amazing memories but the last one is the one I think I may remember the most.... hmmm... I could have saved a lot of money and just stayed home and chilled out with them for 5 days..... NAH!!!
PS... My ex was not thrilled that the kids missed school and were exhausted and the fact that they are now thinking Dad is the coolest for taking them all over for mad fun really annoys her! LOL! OH WELL!!!
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Are all Princesses Pink??
Ok...so I know that according to the animated movie "Cinderella" atleast one Princess wears blue...but why is it that girls are completely consumed with the idea that Pink is the the color of Princesses??? My little one LOVES the color pink! She says that if she is a princess than she has to be a pink princess. So, I asked her, "what about Cinderella" and she said: "But Daddy...she only had to wear that cuz the Fairy Godmother did not know that Pink was her favorite! The mice knew cuz they wuz her friends!" LOL! Outta the mouths of babes!!
So this begs the question: Why are princesses (and all their accessories that we see so prominently EVERYWHERE the color PINK????? Is there power in Pink??? Does it subconsciously make the Princess Wannabe more likely to be a TRUE princess???????
These are the weird things I wonder about.
Meanwhile...my ex just says to stop thinking so much and just buy her the pink princess sheets she wants for her.
:sigh:
So this begs the question: Why are princesses (and all their accessories that we see so prominently EVERYWHERE the color PINK????? Is there power in Pink??? Does it subconsciously make the Princess Wannabe more likely to be a TRUE princess???????
These are the weird things I wonder about.
Meanwhile...my ex just says to stop thinking so much and just buy her the pink princess sheets she wants for her.
:sigh:
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Some days are better than others
Okay folks...here we go. I have been lurking around blogger for a while now and reading a lot. I love to read. It fills my soul when it feels empty. Well.....I figure it is time to jump into the deep end of the pool as they say and contribute a bit and share my stories as well.
Since I am new to this I will keep it relatively simple.
I am a full time Dad with Part time hours. I love my kids dearly but only get to see them as much as the Ex will allow. I want more and she is fine the way it is. My kids are great. I got three (two boys and one girl) and one has a disorder (ASD - autism spectrum disorder). Basically that means that he doesn't talk much and does not understand what we are asking of him. It is a short circuit in the understanding of communication. That is basically how that works. My other two are pretty "normal" with my little girl being quite the Princess. Everything for her is about fairy tales and if it is Pink she has GOT to have it. My other boy is just that....100% boy...gettin' dirty, playing with bugs and annoying his sister. Wish I was there for everything but if you have kids and are divorced....you know what I mean!
The other day I had to bring my kids back to the Ex. Let's just say no matter how much we may have loved eachother...we just could not live together. I think we are just like Oil and Water...ya we are both liquids but we sure do not mix well. Anyway..things are tense at times (especially when we talk about our son with ASD) because she wants him to go to some private school and I want him to stay with public schools. THey have a great one with a class just for kids like him and they are doing great! I just do not know why she feels the need to change things when he is making progress. Anyway...just another battle that seems more about who is the one who wins rather than what we are supposedly fighting about. Know what I mean?!
Anyway, I am just fresh into this whole newly single thing and have NO interest in getting back into the saddle again. Please do not use my blog to meet...but I would sure like to see where this goes as far as online friends and hear from others going thru the same thing.
Hope this is not too boring...I am not a great writer...but hey...worth trying...right?!
Since I am new to this I will keep it relatively simple.
I am a full time Dad with Part time hours. I love my kids dearly but only get to see them as much as the Ex will allow. I want more and she is fine the way it is. My kids are great. I got three (two boys and one girl) and one has a disorder (ASD - autism spectrum disorder). Basically that means that he doesn't talk much and does not understand what we are asking of him. It is a short circuit in the understanding of communication. That is basically how that works. My other two are pretty "normal" with my little girl being quite the Princess. Everything for her is about fairy tales and if it is Pink she has GOT to have it. My other boy is just that....100% boy...gettin' dirty, playing with bugs and annoying his sister. Wish I was there for everything but if you have kids and are divorced....you know what I mean!
The other day I had to bring my kids back to the Ex. Let's just say no matter how much we may have loved eachother...we just could not live together. I think we are just like Oil and Water...ya we are both liquids but we sure do not mix well. Anyway..things are tense at times (especially when we talk about our son with ASD) because she wants him to go to some private school and I want him to stay with public schools. THey have a great one with a class just for kids like him and they are doing great! I just do not know why she feels the need to change things when he is making progress. Anyway...just another battle that seems more about who is the one who wins rather than what we are supposedly fighting about. Know what I mean?!
Anyway, I am just fresh into this whole newly single thing and have NO interest in getting back into the saddle again. Please do not use my blog to meet...but I would sure like to see where this goes as far as online friends and hear from others going thru the same thing.
Hope this is not too boring...I am not a great writer...but hey...worth trying...right?!
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