The Tale of an IEP Meeting Gone Right!!

An IEP(Indivualized Education Program) is a written statement of the educational program designed to meet the child's individual needs. Every child who receives special education services must have an IEP.
Parents that have had this experience can probably relate to the anxiety that can go into having one of these meetings. I have heard of several tales of IEP meetings from hell from other parents and I have also had my share. In Jake's short 8 years of life, I have attended many IEP meetings. I usually go into each meeting with my guard up and am prepared for a fight and it is a time where my assertive out spoken personality comes in handy.

That being said I would like to backup a minute. I have made the decision to move Jake and myself to our happy place. Moving Jake from one school to the next takes a lot of planning and preparation. Being that he is visually impaired there are a lot of moving parts that go into the process of making sure his needs are met. I have also decided to move him before the school year is over which is added pressure on him, me and the IEP team. This was a difficult decision but one that I thought long and hard over. I am confident this is what is best for Jake and me in our new chapter.

So, as I walked into Jake's IEP meeting(5 minutes late-not a very good impression). I felt very nervous. Jake was with me this time because I wanted them to get to know him. I just want to say that this was the first time I have brought Jake with me. I do not like talking about him like he isn't there but I am so happy he was there. It was an intimidating room for an 8 year old. 8 adults with notebooks and laptops all asking questions about him and talking about him. I will say this was my Most proud MAMA moment. Jake rocked it!!! He was articulate with his words and explained to everyone what his day looks like and what his needs are. He explained to them what he likes and what he doesn't and what is hard for him. He explained his vision and why things are hard for him. As he spoke I surveyed the room to see reactions, facial expressions and body language(something I do a lot at work-habit). I could see that they were all just as floored by this little 8 year old as I was.

This group of educators really impressed me with their caring and compassion for Jake and the desire to meet his needs. I have never left a meeting feeling as confident as I did and that they are genuinely going help my son get the best education they can provide. They helped put this Mama Bear at ease with my nervousness about switching his school. Let the adventure begin

Stay tuned for more tales of our Happy Place and Jake's new adventures in his new school.

10 things That Made Me Happy This Week!

1. Down 8lbs in 13 days!!

2. My sweet child

3. My new Cookbook

4. Cooking with my favorite person over 8.

5. Sam's club

6. Cooper coming home. Finally!!

7. Vodka and La Croix. Guilt free

8. Games with the fam. 

9. Homemade Olive Garden Zuppa Tuscana. Low carb version. Yummy!!

10. Fat cats!!

Happy 8th Birthday Jake!!

Happy 8th Birthday to my not so little boy. Being your Mom is the greatest gift I could ever receive. I am so proud of all the obstacles you have overcome. You are a happy, funny, bright, sweet, beautifully unique and amazingly original child. You march to the beat of your own drum and are an inspiration. I love you my sweet boy!!

Favorite foods
Mac & cheese mixed with green beans, peas and hot dogs

Favorite Color
Red

Favorite Toy
Your Tablet

Favorite Show
Jessie

Favorite Saying
Really? 

Favorite subject in school
Art and music

Favorite kind of music
Anything Kidz Bop

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week!!

The past couple weeks have been pretty crazy. I thought since I didn't share my 10 favorites last Friday I would do my 10 favorites from the past 2 weeks.

1. Family game night with my two favorite guys. J drove an hour to meet Jake and me at his school for Jake's school event which lasted only an hour. That was after working a really long day. We love him.

2. Watching Jake with his cat Rosa is pretty awesome!! They are best friends. It helps that she is the sweetest kitty. 

3. I think that I have mastered the art of making J breakfast. He's spoiled! But so am I!!

4. Relaxing at my happy place with my favorite humans and animals.

5. Sunday morning baking with my favorite 7 year old. 

6. I still love to watch him sleep. Especially when I find him in the hat he begged me to wear to school and I said no. 

7. Car rides aren't always fun but these two make me happy and make it better. 

8. These two!!

9. Crafts at our happy place

10. I decided it was time to get back in shape. I am determined to lose the weight I gained in the past 3 years. This week was a good week. I am very happy and motivated. 

Hosts. Lindsay @ The Flynnigans, Krysten @ Why Girls Are Weird and Charlotte @ My Pixie Blog

Minnesota NAPVI- Cookies with Santa

When my son was born, almost 8 years ago with a rare eye disease that caused him to be legally blind, I wasn't sure what his future was going to look like for him. I was lost and unsure where to turn. Jake's eye surgeon introduced us fellow  mom Casey who also had a child the same age with the same rare eye disease. Through Casey, I was introduced to MN NAPVI (Minnesota National Association of Parents with Visually Impaired Children). 

This organization brings our kids together in an environment where they not only get to play with kids just like them but they also get to do activities that are blind and visually impaired friendly.  

Each year one of the main events is Cookies with Santa.

Not only do the kids get to meet Sparkles the Elf but they also get to meet Santa and go on reindeer rides. 

Jake and Santa

Jake and Sparkles

Jake and Emily have been friends since they were babies

Smaller Group than usual but the kids all had a blast

Jake and Em taking a ride

I just have to share a side by side of Jake and Em at a past Cookies with Santa. Top one was when they were toddlers and the bottom one was from last year. 

Friends Forever!!

Our Happy Place

Every Friday after work and school, Jake and I get in the car and take the hour long trip to what we call our happy place. We rock out to Kidz Bop and sing at the top of our lungs. The drive doesn't even faze us anymore because we also know what waits us at our happy place.

At our Happy Place we get to hang out with a pretty awesome guy we will call J. There is also a cool pup named Cooper and the most beautiful feline named Rosa that lives there. All weekend we cook awesome food, relax, play games and we laugh. We laugh A LOT!!

I'm not sure how it took me 38 years to find this happy place but I'm pretty sure that I found it exactly when I was meant to find it.

Stay tuned to read more about our happy place and too see more pictures of our weekends at the happy place. For now I will introduce you to 2 members.

Miss Rosa aka Lightening 

Miss Copper aka Pooper

Tuesday Topics-Favorite Characters

I saw this awesome link up on Ericka's blog and after commenting how I would have liked to join I was invited to link up by host Jenn.

Anyone that knows me knows I am obsessed with TV, Film and pop culture. Entertainment being my most won trophy on Trivia Crack(yes I still play). While brainstorming my favorite characters I came up with WAY more than 8. I am focusing on film and television in my post. I think my favorite characters from the books I love, deserves its own post all together.

I am a DIE hard fan of The Walking Dead this show has by far dug it's nails into me and hasn't let go for the entire time it has aired. Most people think it's all blood and guts but it is way more than that. There is so much hidden symbolism in this show that I find myself watching it over and over and picking up new things I miss the first time. I do not think that there is a character I do not like. They all have interesting back stories that keep me hooked. Because I can't pick just one character from this show I am picking my favorite episode with two of my top favorite characters. Season 4, Episode 12: “Still”  Norman Reddus plays Daryl Dixon and Emily Kinney plays Beth 

I was so obsessed with Sex and the City that I wore my box set out. I would play it from the beginning to the end over and over. Carrie played by Sarah Jessica Parker was my favorite character. I wouldn't call myself a "Carrie" but I still loved her Character the most out of all the girls.

 Rayanne from My So Called Life Yes, I know this show only lasted one season and hasn't been on in over 20 years. It is still my favorite. Rayanne was weird, quirky and made me laugh. I think I related to her the most.

When Mindy Kaling played Kelly on the Office I couldn't stand her. I thought that it was just Mindy that I didn't like but after giving The Mindy Project a try I was hooked. I love her  odd sense of humor.

 Rachel Bilson as Dr. Zoe Hart in Hart of Dixie . I have a strange obsession with small town teeny bopper dramaties. Shows like One Tree Hill, Dawson's Creek and Friday Night Lights.

How can you NOT love Melissa McCarthy? To pick on character is tough but  Detective Shannon Mullons is by far my ALL TIME FAVORITE

Yes this show is still on. 13 seasons and I am still a die hard Grey's Anatomy fan. I have religiously watched this show every week since it started in 2005. My favorite character is Dr. Alex Karev played by Justin Chambers. I think he is my favorite because he was once my most hated character and has evolved into my most favorite.

Emma Stone as Allison Vandermeersh in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. Although her part is very small. She is hilarious!! 

There it is. My list of characters, whittled down to 8. Thanks for stopping by.

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week!

For reason I am not quite ready to get into, this week has been considerably hard for me. In the midst of the drama that is currently my life, I still managed to find some happy moments that made me smile. Although I can't give 10, I am happy to share 5 things that made me happy this week.

1. Dinner with Jake, my Dad and Step Mom

2. Funny conversations with my almost 8 year old 

3. Spring like weather in Minnesota (WHAT??)

4. This is Us. If you haven't watched this show yet, I highly recommend you do!!

5. I finally rejoined the gym. Revenge body?? Stay tuned!

Friday Link Up Hosts: Lindsay @ The Flynnigans, Krysten @ Why Girls Are Weird and Charlotte @ My Pixie Blog

Conversation With An 8 Year Old

Conversations in the car with Jake.
Jake- Mama, can I marry you when I'm older?
Me- That's sweet buddy but I'm your Mama. You need to find a partner, not in your family that you love and marry them.
Jake- ok well, how about my teacher? Can I marry my teacher?
Me-?????

Girls Night

When I was pregnant I started blogging. One of my best friends was a huge blogger and got me into it and I also wanted to document my pregnancy. We both blogged religiously for years until the past couple years we both have embarrassingly neglected our blogs. Kristi is getting back into blogging and I am hoping that will encourage me to keep up my blog more frequently too.

Check out Kristi's post here about our girls dinner that we had last week. 25+ years of friendship and going stronger than ever...