Special Olympics Summer Games 2015

June 6-7 the triplets competed in the SO Summer Games in Gymnastics.  They have spent most Saturdays this past school year out at Gymnastics Learning Center working with their team and coaches on the skills needed for competition.  They also learn skills needed for life...following directions, keeping fit, social skills with their peers, and sticking to a schedule.

Every year they love their weekend of competition!

The girls competed on Saturday.  They are at different levels, and both had a great time.  This past year was the first time that Sunny really took an interest in practices and put in a lot of effort.  The last few years she has at times been unconcerned about following directions, but something really clicked for her this year.

The last 2 years Micah has spent a night in the dorm with the team, last year Amelia did also, but this was the first year that all three stayed with the team Saturday night!  They were so excited!

Sunday morning before competition the athletes spent some down time playing duck duck goose.  Newly 13 years old, Micah seemed to choose the female coach quite frequently.  Ah, another teen boy in the house...

Micah works in spurts during practice throughout the year, but he really comes through at competition.

Another amazing weekend!

A breakdown of their scores, for my own records:

Amelia, Level 2 ages 13-14, 5 athletes:

Vault, 4th

Uneven bars, Silver

Beam, 4th (tie):

Floor, Silver (tie)

All Around, 4th.

ShanLin, Level 1 ages 12-15, 3 athletes:

Vault, Silver

Uneven bars, Bronze

Beam, Silver

Floor, Silver

All Around, Silver

Micah, Level 1 ages 12-14, 4 athletes

Floor, Gold (tie)

Pommel, Gold

Rings, Gold

Vault, Silver

Parallel Bars, Gold

High-Bar, Gold

All Around, Gold

Now we have the Summer off, but I am sure they will be excited to start practicing with the team again in the Fall.

How Autism Saves Us Money

Last week Jamie and I took our 6 youngest children for a short vacation at his parent's cottage in Rumney, NH.  We have been going there for 15 years now, and this was our first time without any of the Original 3.

I am not a fan of highways, and we were making our way up on some smaller roads.  Driving across Route 2 I saw a sign for a Fiber and Knit Shoppe.  If it has the words "fiber" AND "shoppe" in its name, then it must be the real deal, not your typical big store skeins of synthetic yarn.  Jamie saw me read the sign and said,

"Not with our crew."

I do not think he was referring to our six kids traipsing in and doing a little exploring of the shelves.

No, I think what he really meant was Not with our child who has autism and will walk in, look around, and start scream-singing "Happy Birthday to You" at the top of his lungs until we get out.  At least his stress level indicator song has harmless lyrics.

Our vacation options are pretty limited.  On the plus side, there is a lot of money not spent on entertainment for the kids.  No Storyland theme park, no Gondola rides or the Hobo Train.  No eating out at Plain Jane's Diner.   No visit to the Nature Center or hiking up Rattlesnake Mountain.  No bear show or bumper boats at Clark's Trading Post.

We certainly are not going to Six Flags this Summer for the rides or the water park, but Newfound Lake was only $27, and Monday the beaches were almost empty.  Dante loved it.  And the 10 minute wait to watch this water slide blow up was SO much better than the wait we would have had for a two minute slide at a theme park. The only wait in line was behind siblings!

We were able to walk to the Snack Shack and have three meals for less than one would have cost our family at Plain Jane's Diner.

There were plenty of ants in the cracks at the tennis court.  There were lots of frogs and salamanders in the pond.  Thankfully there were no bears (trained or otherwise) on the small hike the triplets, Leif and I took...and I don't think Jamie minded staying back at the cottage with Dante with Kimberly-- when we returned they were napping and he was reading Robinson Crusoe uninterrupted.

The only bumping was the kids pushing Kimberly everywhere.  (She can be kind of pushy about that.)

We have been going to Rumney Bible Conference for our vacation for 15 years now, and while the onset of Dante's autism changed how much we do while there, it has not changed the relaxing peaceful atmosphere that we experience there every year.

Even if Dante did not have autism, and even if we had money....we would still be at Rumney each Summer.

I would just have a little bit more yarn (fiber) sitting around.

Summer is Done, School has Begun

We had a long, hot Summer, and yet somehow it seems to be abruptly done.  I think it is because Zachary was gone until just a few weeks ago, and not having him nor Alexander here just was not right.  July 17th-August 10th seemed like long hot days we just had to get through. (That was the time period when both our teen boys were gone.)

We did pack a lot into the last 2 weeks though!

 While July was just plain hot, August was surprising perfect for enjoying time outside.

 Zachary jumped right back into big brother mode. Leif and Micah have been thrilled to have him home again.  This morning when he was up, Leif excitedly told Amelia that "Zach is here".

 Having fun can be exhausting.  Leif has passed Dante in a lot of ways, but right now these 2 have a huge rivalry going for my attention.  If one is on my lap, the other suddenly needs to be there.

 Leif loves his big sisters!

 This is a train table my father had made for Alexander and Zachary at least 13 years ago.  Jamie pulled it up out of the basement for the same trains the big boys had back then.


Yesterday Jamie returned to school, and we officially began.  I am primarily using Five in a Row with the triplets, so we started off with "The Story About Ping".  Today we talked about ducks, tomorrow will be family and counting, then floating and the geography of China on Thursday.  We are making lapbooks to show their work.

Leif is not making a lapbook, but he is ready with the glue stick for where ever it is needed, and some places it is not.  Amelia was excited to show Dad her work when he arrived home today. 

I am very glad we decided to keep the triplets home this year.  In a few weeks we will be embarking upon the ultimate Field Trip--- driving to Fort Jackson in South Carolina to see Alexander graduate from Basic Combat Training!!