A Book to Share at School

I made a book for my son to bring to school that told of his experience. He had me read it about a hundred times this morning while we were waiting for the bus, and by then he had it memorized and he was reciting it while looking at the pictures while he sat on the bus. He is talking MUCH, MUCH more, but he is still hard to understand, and his vocabulary is still limited. So, sending in a book is a good way for him to share what happened to him, and he likes seeing his experience in a book too.



DS Met Too Many Yellow Jackets



DS was playing by a pine tree.



All of a sudden, DS felt a poke. It was a yellow jacket.



Yellow jackets are not like bees. They make nests in the ground and get very angry if someone comes near. A bee can only sting once, but a yellow jacket is a wasp that can sting many times. That is what happened to DS.



Soon, many more yellow jackets were stinging DS. Daddy came and brushed them all off. He got angry right back at those wasps.



DS got a lot of boo boos. They hurt a lot. Mommy called 9-1-1. Three trucks came just for DS-an ambulance, a police monster truck, and a fire truck.



DS got a shot. He didn't like it, but it made him feel much better. Mommy snuggled with DS, he slept a lot, and by the next day, his boo boos didn't hurt anymore.



An exterminator came and got rid of that wasp nest. Now DS can play by the pine tree again.



The End.

"Dear John" by Nicholas Sparks: A Surprising Look at Autism

"Dear John" by Nicholas Sparks - Courtesy Barnes & Noble Books

I just finished reading "Dear John" by Nicholas Sparks. I chose this particular book just because I like Sparks' books, even though they are usually heart wrenching. This book was no exception.

What I didn't expect, and what I didn't see in the book reviews or movie trailer is that it has two autistic characters. I don't want to give anything away, but a very large part of the story is the development and change of the relationship between two of the characters as one realizes the other is autistic and comes to understand and accept the character's behavior and why their relationship has remained so limited.

If you're interested in reading a synopsis of the book full of every possible spoiler, you can do so here.

It was really a beautiful story, but like so many of Sparks' books, doesn't have a happy ending.

I wonder if the movie is going to be true to the book or if it's going to cheat and end the way anyone who read the book would want the book to end. I wonder if they're going to portray autism as it was so beautifully portrayed in the book.

I know I won't be seeing it in the movies, so if anyone sees it, please let me know how it is!

The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh

This past weekend, my sister gave me a bag full of books that her boys had outgrown. In the bag of books was The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh. I had bought the book for her boys when they were very young and written their names inside the book. Except for the missing dustcover, the book is in pristine condition. I'm not sure if it was ever read, and it's a little sad to think that they didn't like it and wouldn't like to keep it for their children now that they are adults.

However, I absolutely love Winnie the Pooh, and I do not have the book, so I'm happy to have it. If you've never read the book, it would definitely be worth a look. I really enjoyed reading the history of the author and illustrator. I was also surprised to find that the reason why it is the complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh is because it is actually two books...Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner.

I have been reading a chapter a night to my son since Tuesday. I wasn't sure if he would sit and actually listen as it's not really a picture book, and every chapter is seven or eight pages long, which is a long time for him to sit. So, I decided I didn't care if he sat to listen, and I just read as he ran around, knowing that just because he's moving doesn't mean he's not listening. My son is just about the same age as Christopher Robin, and I add that in all the time while I'm reading. It's such a wonderful experience.

He quieted down near the end of the chapter the first day, and then after that, he sat to listen to the chapters. When I finish a chapter, he asks for more Pooh. He loves Winnie the Pooh! I'm so pleased. I've never read the book myself, so it's something wonderful that we're sharing together. My daughter is not interested yet, but I'm sure she will be some day. She loves books like my son does.

After his bedtime story, he threw a tantrum complete with head banging because he could not get his Fisher Price Little People Bus to balance on the bar at the foot of his toddler bed. I told him we'd work on it in the morning because I couldn't figure out a solution just yet...I don't think I ever will. However, this answer at least stopped the tantrum. This happens all the time. He wants things that are unusual or impossible. I'm working on handling his tantrums better, and for today, I'm doing well. It's a tall order for me, but depending on how I look at it, it can either be frustrating, or amusing.

I suppose I can learn a lesson from the relationship between Christopher Robin and Pooh; it's best to smile and say, "Silly old bear."

Owl Babies, Again

I just ordered the board book version of my son's favorite book, "Owl Babies". You can read my first post about the book, here. One of my son's issues is that he can be very destructive. He's destroyed three sets of blinds, broken many of his toys, and torn apart many of his books. Even his favorite book, "Owl Babies". I have repeatedly taped the poor book back together again, but it's standing on its last leg. I found the book in board book form. This does not mean it won't be destroyed...my son has torn apart even large board books (and I don't know why). But, we read it several times a day, and the old book is disintegrating beneath my fingers. Also, my daughter absolutely adores books, and she's very upset that I won't let her touch this one. She'll be very happy to have a book she can handle.

Owl Babies

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell is my son's favorite book, and it has been since he was born. We have videos of us reading it to him days after he was born, and he was totally enthralled. We think maybe it's because his eyesight is so poor, and the pictures have a high level of contrast. However, he STILL loves the book even though his vision is corrected with glasses, and he loves the language. He can't talk, but he can recite the cadence and intonations of the book.

He's been going through a destructive phase lately, and one of the things he destroyed was his book. He ripped it into many little pieces. I was mourning the loss, as I've been trying to impress upon him that when he destroys something, you can't get it back. I make him throw away books and toys that he's broken or torn. However, I just couldn't bring myself to get rid of Owl Babies.
My wonderful, WONDERFUL Mom came over today to watch the kids while I got the opportunity to do some serious house cleaning. It felt so good to actually be able to work without many interruptions, and see a change in the house...like the appearance of the floor. Anyway, I showed her the many pieces Owl Babies was in, and she said, "You're not thinking of trying to put that back together, are you?" And I had to admit that that was exactly what was on my mind.

And, so help me, I could not resist repairing the book. I'm just missing one little piece. Oh, what a silly Mommy I am.

I remember my Mommy repairing my teddy bear over and over and over again because I loved him to death. I still have him too...he's 37 years old, and looks it. LOL Poor thing. Anyway, I just had to fix the book. Is there anything you couldn't bear for your child to part with because you know it means a lot to them, even if they are the ones who ruined it?

Jacques Pepin

It astounds me that there are so many people who don't know who Jacques Pepin is, so I am going to tell you right now. :)

Jacques Pepin is my favorite chef. He's been around for a very long time, is extremely talented, and seems to be very down to earth. He cooks very complicated fancy food, and very simple food. I have two of his cookbooks, and I use them often. They are "Fast Food My Way" and "Simple and Healthy Cooking". He has a brand new cook book out called "More Fast Food My Way", and there is a television series based upon the recipes on public television. Although I don't have the techniques to make food quite as fast as he, the recipes are certainly doable as weekday evening meals, and many of them are nice enough to be presented as special meals as well.

My favorite recipe from the books I own is from "Fast Food My Way", and it is Stuffed Scallops on Mushroom Rice.

I don't own "Jacques Pepin Celebrates", but in this book, he shows you how to cook a fish in pastry that you shape and mark like a fish, as well as how to make a Buche de Noel, which is a Yule log cake. He shows you how to make chocolate bark for the log, made a branch, and even meringue mushrooms.

He is renowned for his techniques, and his book, "La Technique" is a textbook at the French Culinary Institute where he is the Dean of Special Programs, as well as anywhere the fundamentals of French cuisine are taught. In this book, for which there is also a video, he shows basic techniques of cooking and lots and lots of knife work. In one of my favorite segments, he shows you how to carve fish out of mushrooms as a garnish.

Public television gets all its money from its viewers, and they offer incentives to get you to pledge money. Well, a few years ago, I was so sorry that I wasn't rich. They were offering a day of cooking with Jacques Pepin, then dining with him, with wines paired with each meal... for $500 per person. Ah well. Maybe when I win the lottery.

If you'd like to know more about Chef Pepin, you can read the entry on Wikipedia, which is very informative http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Pepin, and his books are all available at bookstores and on http://www.amazon.com/.

Michael Crichton

I'm still mourning the loss of Michael Crichton. He passed away from cancer this past November. Most people know who he is. He wrote Jurassic Park, Twister, and ER. He is my favorite author. He was a brilliant man, and a brilliant weaver of stories. I can't believe I'll never be able to read another new Michael Crichton book. There are other authors who write in his style of weaving fact and fiction together creating terrifying or exciting possible realities, but nobody is quite the same. I've read all of his fiction books, except for one...State of Fear. This book has so many characters and locations, that by the third chapter I was hopelessly lost. I will definitely try again to read this book...at least it will be something new. There are also two non-fiction books of his I have yet to read...Jasper Jones, which is his exploration and comments on the works of this artist, and Electronic Life, which is about computers.

Jurassic Park is the first book I read. I remember sitting at my college job where I taught English as a Second Language, and my boss was reading this book. I found the cover interesting...a T Rex skeleton. I asked him about the book, and he said it read like a screenplay...and sure enough, soon afterwards, it became a movie, as everyone knows. I read that book in just a few hours...I walked while reading it all over campus, read it through my acting class, read it while I was supposed to be working...I very simply could not put it down. And so I was hooked on Michael Crichton's writing from that day forward. If you've never read a Michael Crichton book, please do. I enjoy the movies based on his books as well, but of course, they are no where near as exciting or detailed as the books. Best of all, I always feel as if I've learned something when I finish one of his books. He explores so many different subjects from medicine, ethics, law, history, and exploration to engineering. So, do yourself a favor, and read a Michael Crichton book. Any one will do. And say a prayer for him, his family, and all the people who are mourning the loss of this brilliant and talented man.

Here is the tribute from his web page:http://www.michaelcrichton.net/

In Memoriam

Michael Crichton

1942 - 2008

Best-selling author Michael Crichton died unexpectedly in Los Angeles Tuesday, November 4, 2008 after a courageous and private battle against cancer. While the world knew him as a great story teller that challenged our preconceived notions about the world around us -- and entertained us all while doing so -- his wife Sherri, daughter Taylor, family and friends knew Michael Crichton as a devoted husband, loving father and generous friend who inspired each of us to strive to see the wonders of our world through new eyes. He did this with a wry sense of humor that those who were privileged to know him personally will never forget. Through his books, Michael Crichton served as an inspiration to students of all ages, challenged scientists in many fields, and illuminated the mysteries of the world in a way we could all understand. He will be profoundly missed by those whose lives he touched, but he leaves behind the greatest gifts of a thirst for knowledge, the desire to understand, and the wisdom to use our minds to better our world. Michael's family respectfully asks for privacy during this difficult time.

2009 Action Plan

I'm a fan of Oprah Winfrey's shows, and was looking forward to her Best Life series last week. However, since I was too busy playing with my kids, I only got to see Monday's show. I had wanted to see the show with Suze Orman, as she gives practical and easy to understand advice on money management. I have one of her books about how to be a wealthy woman, and I began reading it last year. We moved in August, and I have not been able to find the book since. I liked some of the advice, but some I didn't care for. Volunteering time was looked down upon because there is no income involved, and time is money. However, being raised with Christian values, this gave me a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Of course, as far as advice goes, I always filter it, and take what I like and leave the rest.

I'm happy to report that Suze Orman has published a new book to read until I can find my other one. On Oprah's website is a link to download Suze Orman's latest book for free. It is her plan for 2009, and how to manage finances in this new era of fiscal crisis.

Managing finances has never been one of my strong points (to say the least), and this combined with some of the very worst financial luck a person can face has brought me to a firmer understanding of what I must learn. I'm looking forward to reading this new book, and seeing what new information I can learn and use to improve my financial life.