Did you hear this news story?

There is a little five year old boy in Florida. He was just diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and ADHD. His Kindergarten teacher decided that it was best for this boy to stand him up in front of his class and ask each student what they didn't like about him. She went around the room and asked each student to state what it was about this child that made him annoying to others. Some of the kids used words such as "disgusting". Then she asked each student to vote as to whether or not Alex deserved to stay in their classroom, and at a vote of 14 to 2, this poor child was voted out of his classroom. The only friend he has ever made in his life also had to participate in this act of assault.

Unbelieveable. After hearing this story, and crying last night, I woke up this morning enraged. I don't see how a teacher, who has been trained in today's educational practises, can honestly feel that this would be benificial to either Alex, or to any of the other children in the classroom. This served no purpose in solving any difficulty that was occuring in the classroom, it only made it worse as it encouraged the other children to see this child as "bad" and not worthy of their friendship. For a child who needs friendship and acceptance so desparately, he was placed in front of a group of his peers that he has to see everyday, and ridiculed.

You know the thing that bothers me the most, is that when I was searching this story this morning on the internet, I came across many comments from others who are in support of this teacher and what she did, blaming the child and "bad parenting". What happened to progress??? What happened to tolerance??? (by the way, the parents have been working very hard, along side with the school, to get this child tested and to come up with an educational plan for him.)

As a mother of a child who likely had similar struggles as this child (although not too many behavioural issues ) I shudder to think what would have happened to my son if he had of ended up in a classroom, school, or school board, that considers this an acceptable way of dealing with children like this. I have said many times before and I will say it again ... we are very fortunate to have teachers, a school, and a school board, that has gone out of their way to do whatever they can to help Matt with any of his issues. I know that because of them, he will be successfully graduating from high school and carrying on to University. He has been able to be successful because he has the backing of wonderful teachers, principal, and school, who have always wanted the best for him.

I also want to give a big kudos to the parents for fighting this fight for Alex. It's so easy for those who have so-called "normal" children to assume that kids like this is due to bad partenting. In my experience, those of us who have been called to raise these children end up being much better parents because they have to fight so much harder for them, they constantly have to search out ways to help their child, they have to have more patience ... and the list goes on. So to Alex's parents, and the others out there who are fighting this fight, keep it up. Our children deserve it. Our children need it. Our children will be successful because of it.

Lastly, to those parents our there who don't have a special-needs child, please teach your children tolerance, not ignorance; acceptance, not exclusion. Life is tough enough for our kids.

I am one lucky girl with one great husband!

Look what my wonderful husband came home with last night for me?

I'm now the proud owner of this beautiful laptop computer. I whinned and complained so much about my computer and I think that John got sick of listening to it. My old computer has been sick for a while now, and it didn't look like it was going to get any better. In fact, it was getting sicker by the day. Over the last couple of weeks I was having to do CPR on it just to get it going every morning.

So, I now have this beautiful piece of modern technology sitting on my lap and I am happily playing away as I try and learn how to use it.

Now if I could just get my photo printer to play nice, then all would be right with the world.

Finally got some good weather

It was so nice to see the sun this weekend and to have some nice, warm temperatures ... especially after what we had to put up with last weekend.

Cameron and I went up to the trailer on Friday. John had a ball game and the other two boys decided to stay home with him, so it was just the two of us. We had a great time together. We puttered around on Friday evening and then watched TV until we fell asleep.

Saturday Cameron was out playing all day with his friend, and I hung out in the trailer, scrapbooking. I know a lot of you won't understand this. (the true scrapbookers will get it.) It was a very quiet day, with very few people up. The windows were open, the birds were singing, and I was scrapbooking, totally uninterupted, for most of the day. It was so quiet and peaceful. I managed to get 12 layouts done while I was there.

In the evening it wasn't too chilly, and Cameron and I had a campfire. We sat out for about two hours chit chatting about all of the wonderful ideas that are constantly swimming around Cameron's head, eating carmel popcorn, and drinking hot chocolate. It was a nice ending to a nice day. Neither one of us wanted to leave Sunday morning (we had to be in TO for 10:15 for Church.)

Lots happening around here

I've been a tad busy lately with things around here.

-Spencer had his enrolment at Church on Mother's Day. It made for a busy day as we had everyone back to the house for the afternoon to celebrate the enrolment, and mother's day.

-We opened the trailer this weekend. It was freezing cold, and wet, but it still felt like the beginning of summer for us.

-Spencer had a band trip this past weekend to Ottawa with the Divisional Youth Band. They were able to play on Parliment Hill.

-Cameron had his Spring Concert at school. All three bands played - one was the grade 6 band, one was the Senior Concert, and the other was the Jazz Band. He plays in all three. He's the only grade six in the Senior concert and the Jazz Band. I was so surprised at just how well they played.

-we are going to apply for Cameron to stay at his current school. The boundaries have changed (for the third time in 8 years) and so the kids one our street are going to the new school. We can request Cameron stay where he is since they've moved him three times. The music programme at his current school is fantastic so we want him to stay where he is.

-Matt continues to be handling his anxiety really well right now. We are so pleased with his progress and I know he is too.

-with school starting to wind down for the year, it seems that there are so many events going on. Every weekend between now and the end of June seems to be booked with events.

-John is enjoying his consulting work right now. When this contract comes to an end in July he has already signed on to work for Swiss Re.

-I've been very frustrated lately with being a digital photographer. I love the instant gratification, and the fact that I'm more comfortable in the creative modes of the d-slr (as I can see right away what works and what doesn't), but I hate the after part. I hate editing, organizing, and printing. I find it all way to time consuming.

-I've managed to get some scrapping time in. Here's a couple more layouts:

Yesterday I was thinking back to the Mother's Day, 6 or 7 years ago when Matt had taken a lot of time to plan out a special breakfast in bed for me, complete with a special song by the Back Street Boys playing on the CD player. (if you want to read the full story, click here: (http://boysareus.blogspot.com/2006/05/well-yesterday-was-mothers-day-as-you.html)

I'm still so moved everytime I hear that song and think of the times I heard him laying on his bed, singing along with it on his CD player.

Yesterday, I found the song on YouTube and thought it would be perfect to share here with you all. I want to dedicate it to my own mother who was always in the background, never taking the limelight. She always supported us, loved us unconditionally, and sacrificed so much for us. She really was, and is, the perfect fan!

The New Shreddies

Have you seen the new Shreddies billboards and the new commercials?

When we saw them we laughed so hard. Talk about a clever ad compaign! (sorry, you'll have to pause the music in the sidebar if you want to watch the video.)

So now we have a box of diamond shreddies on our breakfast table and I giggle everytime I look at it.

Just Sharing some recent layouts

I only got 15 layouts done this weekend while I was at the retreat. For a while I was doing really well scrapping, but lately I haven't been doing as much at home, and now that the nice weather is here, I don't see that changing until the Fall.



...but I do have a backlog of layouts on my computer that I haven't been sharing here, so I will try and get them up over the next little while.



Here are some:

I finally got around to doing these older pictures of the boys. When I look at them, I can't believe how much they have changed over the past couple of years.




This one was a total lift off someone on Two Peas. I will come back later and give the proper credit.





And this one is a lift from Nic Howard. I love her work!

There's a reason God gave me three boys

You know, I've known for a long time that I love being the mother of boys, and that all the things boys do make me laugh. I admit it. I'm not a girly girl at all.

Well, this weekend I found the perfect edition our home.

He looks innocent enough, doesn't he? Well, he fits in well in our family. You see, when you pass in front of him, he "let's out unexpected gassy explosions." That's right, people, he FARTS! How hysterical is that???? He is proudly sitting at the top of the stairs (in the house) right now so that whenever anyone passes by, he lets one rip, which is followed, of course, by side splitting laughter from the other family members and comments like "good one" or "what do you say".

I'm such an enabler!