The first swim of the season

We had some unseasonably hot weather in Roseville early last week. So the kids and I went to the pool at the gym twice...it was so nice. I really love summer. I hope it comes back soon...it has been pretty cool and windy this week.

Here's Nate checking out the pool...last year we usually left him in the childcare room while we swam. This year should be fun for him!














Zach showing off his good form.
















Here's Brandon coming up for air... something
he doesn't do too often. He's always under water.

Little Monkey

Brandon and Zach were playing frisbee in the backyard when one of Brandon's throws went over the fence into the empty lot next door. Before I could snap my fingers Zach hopped up and over the fence, tossed the frisbee back, and climbed back over. We'll have to get him out of that habit as the builder gets closer and closer to building that last house in the neighborhood...the one next to us.

Hands-on fun

Another fun outing during Spring Break...we headed down to the Stockton Childrens' Museum with our friends Tanner, Parker, and Carson. Their cool Mom, Keri, came along too. It's a fun place to play. Even when your kids don't really pretend to actually BE firemen, they have fun climbing on top of the truck. I think our kids all liked the pretend grocery store and this tunnel that showed you how an eyeball works.

The last Disneyland post...until next time

Ok, I had to post this picture of Nate. He is waiting for his Dad and brothers to get off of Star Tours...that's the story of your life when you're not 40 inches tall! There will be a few more Disneyland posts over the next year as we upgraded to an annual pass...this is real moneysaver if you plan on going for a few days every year because you can use one pass for 2 years trips if you time it right. So we'll be seeing Mickey and friends again soon!

Tom Sawyer Island

I'm always amazed we don't lose a kid somewhere in all the caves, tunnels, and forts.

Toontown

Toontown is always a great place for pictures.

Meeting the Characters

Our kids love the Disney characters, but usually would rather go on rides than wait in line to meet them. They are usually happy just to wave at them and walk by. Here's a few times when the line was not too long. Nate and I stood in line for Pooh and Tigger while Jerry and the big boys were on Splash Mountain. But I only got pix of him running up and hugging them and immediately running away. He thought it was great fun to play tag with them.

Spring Break at Disneyland

We dashed down to Disneyland for a few days during Spring Break and had so much fun! This will take a few posts since it's hard to pick just a few pictures. We'll start with some ride photo ops. Brandon's favorite ride is Space Mountain. Zach loves the new Toy Story Midway Mania ride, and Nate LOVED It's a Small World. He was standing up dancing and clapping the whole time.

Fairytale Town

Being the amazing parents that we are, we let the medicine that Brandon takes to fall asleep run out. Which meant that he was up all night. Not really a problem for us since he leaves us alone, but I figured it might not lead to the best day at school. So since he was asleep at 7:30 when he needed to be up, I just let him sleep. He woke up at 10 and I decided to just take the kids on a field trip. So we took advantage of the nice weather and went to Fairytale Town where they could just run and climb all over the place. You can tell your kids are getting a little beyond the intended age when they don't play on the equipment the way it was intended. They were usually on TOP of the stuff. Oh well, they had a blast and it wasn't too crowded.

Did I mention summer's coming?

Getting in some sandbox action on a warm spring day. They always love playing in the sandbox because of it's shady location under the playset.

Sibling rivalry can be a good thing

And now Zach rides a bike without training wheels :)

World Autism Awareness Day

Today (April 2) is designated by the UN as World Autism Awarenss Day. Most people know that Autism has been on the rise over the last 10 years. It is now diagnosed in 1 in 150 children and 1 in 96 boys...one of them is ours.

Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a person's lifetime. It is part of a group of disorders known as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Today, 1 in 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. Autism impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe (Autism Speaks).

We're lucky. Brandon's symptoms are on the milder end of the spectrum and our other boys show no signs of autism. Currently, there are no effective means to prevent autism, no fully effective treatments, and no cure. Nobody really knows what causes autism. It will probably end up being like cancer, where there are many causes and many types. If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism. They all have different symptoms and different treatments are effective for each one.

We're so proud of Brandon and how hard he works everyday...especially having to put up with a Mom for whom patience has never been a strength :) Ellen Notbohm wrote a book called, "Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wishes You Knew". I like a quote from the end, "I didn't choose to have autism. Remember it's happening to me, not you. Without your support, my chances of successful, self-reliant adulthood are slim. With your support and guidance, the possiblities are broader than you might think. I promise you, I'm worth it". Thank you to everyone in our lives who gives our son that love and support everyday!