Special Exposure Wednesday ~ Does She Qualify for Guinness?

This is the 10th pair of glasses Gabi has been through this past year!

Last year, Gabi got glasses for the 1st time. While she actually prefers wearing them now and she is getting better about their care, she occasionally still ruins a pair. Yesterday, Gabi decided to twist the pair above when she was angry. If you look at the picture, you will notice the right side has been twisted causing the lens to fall out and the arm is bent away from the center. I've seen this enough times to determine that these are unrepairable. We have one pair left in decent enough condition that hopefully we can make it to her next exam before having to buy another pair.

So... is there a record for the amount of glasses ruined in a year in the Guinness Book of World Records?


Click Here and here for more Wordless Wednesdays.
And Click Here for more Special Exposure Wednesdays.

Magic Marker Monday ~ Bath Painting

How To Make A Bath Time Finger Painting Masterpiece

First, start with a set of soap paints:

Second, have a couple of eager to paint children:

Next, let the kids have fun painting the tub and each other.







And when the painting is complete, clean up is easy and fun.
Just give the kids a sponge, and they will have just as much
fun with the clean up as they did with the painting.


And when everything is done, you have clean kids
and the cleanest tub to go along with it!


For More Magic Marker Monday participants
head on over to 5 Minutes For Special Needs.

The R-word Hits Home

A couple days ago, I posted a note on my Facebook page. I am not sure why, but I was leary to post it on my blog first. I finally decided to go ahead and post it here for those who don't do the Facebook thing.

The R-word is a pretty painful word. Just ask anyone who loves or cares for someone with an intellectual disability. I am not afraid of the use of the word... when it is used appropriately as a medical diagnosis as it should be. Gabi is not retarded! She has a mental retardation. I am also not pleased when people think it's funny to smack their hand to their chest making unintelligible "duh duh" sounds. It's just not funny and implies the same type of insult as the use of the words retard or retarded.

But tonight, one of our children said to another, "Your such a retard!" No it wasn't directed at Gabi, but as I overheard this while cleaning my bathroom, I couldn't help but to be angry first, then hurt later. Why would one of our children be saying this? Because they hear it at schools, see it on TV, watch it in movies, hear other children say it, and (in my opinion... far worse) when they hear other adults say it. To say it has been a bad night here at our house is an understatement. It's over now, all is forgiven, but the pain of it is still so fresh.

So, why do I post this in a note on my Facebook page? Because I want to remind people of the use of this word and the pain it causes. My daughter is a beautiful person inside and out and shouldn't be the butt of anyone's jokes or insults. Teach your children by example and explain to them why they shouldn't name call. Does this mean they won't ever? Of course not, and our household tonight is shining example of that. But please don't give up the battle because I am not! For each person on this earth who respects another human being by not using this word is a victory in my eyes and in my heart! Help me to make more victories!

And by all means, take 10 minutes out of your day to listen to the greatest speech regarding the use of the r-word that was written by a high school senior who knows 1st hand how hurtful that word can be:

Soeren Palumbo Fremd HS Speech 2/28/07

Do these faces look familiar?

Do you see anyone you recognize on The Littlest Heroes Project's homepage here AND what about on their heroes page here?

Fat Kitty Scuba Dives???

Okay so this isn't really MY Fat Kitty, but man it looks EXACTLY like her. My hubby and I first seen her on some TV show last week about the funniest commercials in 2008. I can't even remember what the commercial was for, but just knew I could find her scuba diving on YouTube! And here she is:

Doesn't that look like my Fat Kitty?