Photographing Cognitively Challenged Teens
Tips,Tricks and Strategies, Uncategorized

Senior Portraits High school graduation was approaching. Our first attempt at senior photos with the high school’s local photographer was unsuccessful. Photographing cognitively challenged teens requires patience and knowledge of their neurodiversity. I was fortunate that the ideal photographer was working with Miss Bee at school all year. Obligatory Photography Studio Last summer Miss Bee’s high school sent us to a locally contracted photographer for senior portraits. Due to the...

An Easy Garden Art Project
Parenting Self-Care, Tips,Tricks and Strategies

Finding a Project Pinterest has countless ideas for easy art projects that are workable for my daughter Miss Bee. Over the summer, I found several Pinterest pins for creating flowers out of painted river rocks. We had an empty flower bed at our front entrance. An easy garden art project to fill this space was an ideal project for us to tackle. Locating the Supplies The first step was to...

Social Distancing in St. Augustine
Florida Travel, Personal Reflection, St. Augustine Travel

Safe Social Distancing Summer travel and visiting local over-crowded tourist destinations were not an option this summer. We are an at-risk family. Staying home was our safest option. I searched for local destinations where safe social distancing in St Augustine was possible. Good Timing Our move across the country was lucky for reasons we could have never guessed. Unbeknownst to me, a pandemic had begun on the other side of...

How to Organize Special Education Paperwork
Special Education

Time to Organize Parents whose children have medical and educational challenges accumulate tons of paperwork. Although it might not be evident when a child is young, this paperwork could be critically helpful when applying for future services. Here are the steps parents can take to learn how to organize special education paperwork. By the time a medically fragile or developmentally delayed child reaches the age of three, the paper trail...

Thompson-Neely Grist Mill Historic Restoration
Family Travel, Pennsylvania Travel
Thompson-Neely Grist Mill

Visiting the 18th Century During a recent visit to Washington Crossing Pennslyvania, I had the privilege of touring an 18th-century grist mill. The Thompson-Neely Grist Mill historic restoration is currently ongoing thanks to Glenn Blakely and the Washington Crossing Historic Park. Mr. Blakely is a local businessman who has financially supported and volunteered countless hours working on the restorations. Today, the Mill is a functioning engineering marvel. Revolutionary War Era...

Easter Past and Present
Personal Reflection
Childhood Easter Basket

A Virus Stopped The World Holidays have been a challenge since my children were about four and seven. They can’t help it due to their disabilities. There have been years when we skipped celebrating several holidays.  Easter has been the hardest. None of our difficult Easters will ever come close to the what world as a whole has become in 2020. Looking through our photos of our past attempts at...

Baking is Our School Closure Math
Special Education, Tips,Tricks and Strategies

Fetal Alcohol vs. Snickerdoodles Spring break is over. It was time to tackle the activities in my previous post Coping with Unplanned School Closings. Miss Bee chose to bake. Piece of cake, I love baking. Baking is our school closure math. Our math infused baking activity became a three-day challenge. It was frustrating to be defeated by an elegant little cookie. After a week of idleness cooped up in the...