GRAINS of GRATITUDE...

Another week has gone by in our household...it was a quiet week for us...

*Aviva was happy this week, because finally daddy was home to come pick her up at school dismissal...she loves when he is able to come. Which is not very often.

*Finally met with Aviva's teacher and the other room mom. It is going to be a good year...the teacher is very easy going and is leaving details up to us and will help us out any way we need it. Makes it easy for us too then.

*Aviva had another great week at school...13/13 on her spelling test and read two more books for accelerated reader. She loves to read...today we are going to read a Nate the Great book.

*Aviva and daddy went bike riding yesterday and they went pretty for Aviva and she had a blast. She saw some friends so she was able to stop and play for a bit....she came home happy and all sweaty!!

*It has been very quiet here....which is a good thing..that means we are all healthy and things are going well. Hoping for another quiet week...I have huge project I will be working on for class this week, Aviva is in school and Spider will be working.

Aviva!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Water fight at the park....it was hot!

Please Keep Chelsea in your thoughts and prayers...

She is from a board I visit and who have in the past helped me with my paper on Down Syndrome or T21 in the past. She was just diagnosed with Leukemia and can use all our prayers...that is why I have this button on the side of my blog.

It AMAZES me...

how uptight some people are....I guess I should explain.

I belong to a few yahoo groups and sent an email regarding something sort of politicial link about learning what candidates share your views but nothing to be controversial about...actually here is the link...take the quiz yourself and see who shares your views.

So this one person gets herself all uppity about the post...saying I am trying to start something controversial and this and that. Meanwhile, I shared it because I thought it would be informative.

Many people share different views then mine, which is perfectly fine, I was not saying vote for this one or that one just sharing what they stood for....I did get many thanks.

But this one person emailed me off the list and cc'd to the owner of the list....come on USE your D**N delete button if you do not want to read it. But to be so freaking petty..,GIVE ME A BREAK.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my HUSBAND

What a wonderful man I married..he is such a hard worker, a loving father and a good husband. But most of all a good person. He is not the romantic kind but is still there for me even if he does drive me crazy. He loves playing with Aviva and I am not sure who is a bigger kid. But I love him with all my heart and soul and hope he has another great year.

GRAINS of GRATITUDE....

Another week has gone by and we are all doing well.

*I have to brag about Aviva. She is doing terrific in school. I got her accelerated reader scores and she is doing perfect. She read 4 books with an average 2 nd grade 1st month level and has 20/20 for a perfect score and has earned 2 points. And got anothe perfect score on her spelling test. I am just thrilled in how well she is doing in school.

*We took Spider out to dinner to Smokey Bones for dinner last night. And we had a nice time...it is always nice to go out and not have to cook. And then today Spider's friend came by with 2 huge fish that he gave to Spider to have and to cook so he was happy.

*We are counting down to our Disney trip is 9 weeks from tomorrow and we cannot wait. The Disney Crocs I ordered for Aviva and I came in this week. But put them away till we go. Also, ordered matching t-shirts for the 3 of us..should be fun :)!

*I ordered gift cards from mypoints and the first one came in 3 days. The second one I ordered is for California Pizza Kitchen....at least we then have a reason to go out for dinner. And I still have 4400 points to use.

*And I am thinking about going to Jamaica..I have a plane ticket that I need to use before Feb. 6, 2008 so may go visit my SIL. And not sure I will take Aviva...would go from a Fri to a Mon. Aviva has no school. But would love to go and if Spider pays for Aviva's ticket off we go. Keep your fingers crossed that it all works out.

Today's conversation in the car with Aviva...

Me: How was your day?

Aviva: Good, mommy we moved our desks today I now sit with Kyle...(said with a very big smile).

Me: That is good.

Aviva: Kyle is very cute...I like him but not as much as Jessie. (Mind you all she did was talk about Kyle and how much she likes him, she is 6 1/2 going on 25).

Me: Oh really.

Aviva: Yes, I do not want to date Kyle, cause I really really really really really really like Jessie (he is a boy from her Kindergarten class who she sat with and totally loved him). I want to marry him.

Me: You are a bit young Aviva to worry about marriage.

Aviva: But he can be my boyfriend.

Me: Oy vey.

And believe me, she is very serious when she discusses this. Kyle is her friend she decided and Jesse is her boyfriend whether he knows it or not.

Those teenage years are going to be very interesting in our household.

Our day at High School Musical on Ice...

I picked up Aviva at school and did not tell her where we were going until we got to the arena. She still had no clue so while we parked I said guess what we are going to see. She had no clue so told her High School Musical on Ice...she screamed and was so happy. It was a cute show..glad we were able to get the tickets for free.

ENJOY!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I was awarded another award...

Thank you Shannon for this...makes me feel good...hoping one day you will come back to Florida for a visit and we can meet. I would love to have Aviva play with Gabi...and we sit and talk.

Thanks again for being so nice.

I have SURPRISE for Aviva..for Thursday...

I received an email this evening about free tickets to see HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL ON ICE...and the only thing you need to pay was the $6 service fee. So I thought hmmm...cannot beat that. So went to the site and it worked and it is legitimate.

I will pick her up from school Thursday and then off to the Bank Atlantic Center for the show..it is a 10 minute ride and the show starts at 3 pm....

Now just have to keep the secret for 3 more days...I can do it!

I got an award...

Thank you to Shannon at Gabi's World...she gave me the You Make Me Smile Award...you have to check her out and see what an amazing family she has.

You made my day!!

GRAINS of GRATITUDE.......

Another week has gone by...hard to believe how fast it went.

*It was a quiet week here...Spider did a lot of Overtime this week which will be very helpful to us. And with Spider not being home much Aviva was very good this week and very helpful....she did her homework in no time...and read three books and took 2 accelerated reader tests this week.

*I finished my book review and report with power point to and glad to turn it in. Now I have a big project to work on due by Oct. 6th for class. It was on a book written by a father...Breaking Autism Barriers: A Father's Story by Bill Davis...I recommend the book...great information in the book and not many books written by a father's perspective. Wish it was organized a bit better but worth the read.

*Went to the doctor this week and for the most part it was a good report. Bloodwork good, A1C going down...good thing...Bp 120/70 he was thrilled and Cholesterol was very good. But white blood count higher then last time...it seems to be high (about 16,000) all the time..he says it is the neurophyls (that shows signs of infection) that is the better one to be high. So, he put me on Cipro and wants me back in 3 weeks for another test, if still high off to the hematologist. Also, wants a chest x-ray since been coughing a while and doubled the nexium so twice a day now in case cough is reflux. I go back in a month. Hoping numbers are better.

*Yesterday I had mommy time, Aviva had daddy-daughter time as she calls it. They went to the pool for a couple of hours. I enjoyed the quiet and she enjoyed her time with daddy.

Thanks you Christine.

Plain ole love and silliness....

This is how she usually sleeps...for some reason she likes her braids up like that. Silly!

HAPPY NEW YEAR......

Tonight is the start of the Jewish New Year...5768. I wish those who celebrate a Very Happy and Sweet New Year and may you be written in the book of life.

L'SHANA TOVA!!!

GRAINS of GRATITUDE....

It has been a good week all around for all of us...here are some highlights....

*I am really liking the South Beach Diet...I am not hungry do not miss the bad stuff...cooking more and eating lots of good salads....I am proud of myself, last night we went to Outback Steakhouse for dinner and I got a side salad and my dinner was grilled chicken with a double order of grilled veggies...(no rice and did not eat the bread). Today found a great new store Toss My Salad so I designed my own and it was yummy.

*We had Open School night this week with Aviva's teacher and I really like her. She told me what a wonderful reader Aviva is and what a big help she is when needed.

*An Aviva brag now...she did all her homework in no time, read 3 books this week and best of all she got a 15/15 on her first spelling test...that is my girl. She is excited to start accelerated reader this week.

*I love my new camera...it takes amazing action shots...I had fun using yesterday. Of course my model is easy to shoot....

*We all had a nice day together...we went to soccer ratings, Aviva then played at the playground, and the off to Target...got to love going as a family...always spend more....Spider was off all day and then out to dinner...it was very nice and was needed.

My Little SOCCER PLAYER.....

It is HARD to BELIEVE...

that 26 years ago..that is right 26 years ago today I had my Bat Mitzvah. I cannot believe so much time has passed since then. It seems like yesterday. I had my outfit made...my color theme for the party was burgandy, gray and silver. My center pieces were balloons and we had a band. I cannot believe so much time has passed since then.

Having fun with my new camera...

Aviva was being silly so I just snapped away...amazing the difference between my 2 cameras. But boy do I have a lot to learn.

It is OFFICIAL....

I completed my first week of South Beach on Phase One...and feel good and sugars are better.

But the best news is I am down 6.6 lbs and feel great about it.

I do not miss the breads and potato. I have my sweet treats and that helps a lot.

Made some new recipes and tried healthier snacks. Tonight it is eggplant chili.

GRAINS of GRATITUDE....

Another week has gone by and we have already finished the second week of school..hard to believe. Thanks to Christine at Brady's Bunch for introducing me to the grains.

I am very thankful that I had good news from the retina specialist...he said my eyes are looking better and the swelling of the blood vessels have gone down....always nice to hear that. My blood sugars are doing much better.

I am very happy Aviva really likes school and seems very happy to go in the morning..she likes getting homework...and loves to read to me. The teacher said she is a joy to have in the class and is a wonderful reader...always nice to have some tell me that.

I am happy to say we all went shopping yesterday to Target and spent time together and today we are off to Publix....all three of us. Should be fun.

Aviva and daddy are practicing her soccer skills...she has to go Saturday to do ratings to make up the teams to start in December. She loves her pink ball.

And I must say I am enjoying the South Beach diet....I am not missing the bread, pasta, or rice...miss fruit a bit but can have that in another week with sweet pototoes so not to bad. It is working and have to stick to it...had a great week and got some great recipes for dinner this week. Found I like celery with hummus it is a filling snack.

I peeked....

yes I did...but could not help it.

Are you wondering what I am taking about?

Well, I started the South Beach Diet on Monday and today the scale shows a 6 pound loss...I am thrilled. It is working and not difficult.

I have not had bread, pasta, rice, potato among other things and do not miss it.

Weigh in day is Monday so hoping for more.