AutismOne Conference 2013

I spent last week getting myself situated for school this summer. That means I am officially signed up for two online classes this summer. Then in the fall I start a full load. Brain don't fail me now!

I spent the first part of the week getting my house situated for me to be gone for 2 nights and 3 days at the AutismOne Conference at the end of the week. This was the first year I knew about a grant that gives attendee's money to attend the conference and I took advantage of it. Though next year I plan on figuring it out better. Oy. I hate hotels. More on the conference in a bit.

On Monday the oldest received a reading award at school!! She had to work very hard to improve with a tutor with reading.

On Tuesday I finalized my classes for summer and fall along with my financial aid.

Wednesday I went to Weigh In at Weight Watchers since I wouldn't be home this weekend to attend my regular meeting. I was down 3lbs! Woot! Finally the right direction.

Thursday I left to attend the conference. There was so many great speeches but it's hard to pinpoint what was my favorite part  of it was.

On Friday we sat in on a speech by four members of Congress. Rep. Dan Burton, Rep. Darrell Issa, Rep. Bill Posey and Rep. Dave Weldon MD. I have pictures of this, but we weren't suppose to take pictures of this talk because of security (like a cop was ready to pounce someone for getting reallyclose to Issa) and some other stuff and the pics are not great.  Although this was a great part of the weekend I have almost no faith in congress to actually get shit done anymore. That pretty much sums up my feelings on that.

Then we skipped out of that place and headed to a new favorite place for lunch!

I finally made it to Toby Keith's I Love this Bar & Grill in Rosemont. The food is typical bar food ( no issues there!) and the prices were good considering the conference center location.  I paid $14 for a crappy ass panini at the hotel restaurant the day before but I paid $10.99 for a bacon cheeseburger that was cooked exactly the way I wanted it.  Four dollars for a Miller Lite (12ozs)  compared to $6 the day (bottle!)  before at the hotel bar. The service was pretty good and really friendly. Since it's all females in tank tops and shorts I was kinda of worried about that. Sometimes we've been to Hooters and the girls are just so not nice to you because they think you won't be good tippers and they are mentally prepared for guys, kwim?

The place itself is HUGE! Two floors and a big stage area. We were told when we went back on Saturday (snort) that it is the largest of the restaurants and this one is owned by a corporation whereas some of the restaurants with his name are franchised.  My oldest is upset that I went to his restaurant without her and I told her I would make a special trip up there in the summer when her sister goes to school full day just for me and her to hang out. She is really going to have to twist my arm to go again!

Late Friday afternoon/early evening my friend Jurgita and I attended the speech by Robert F Kennedy Jr. That speech was so wonderful that I can't even begin to describe it all.  That's horrible isn't it? I can't put into words what I heard or felt besides just using the word: wonderful!

I stayed at a hotel that was about a mile away from the primary hotel to save money. I even walked back to my hotel both nights. Haha. I averaged about 5 miles on Thurs, Fri and 4 miles on Saturday just from walking the conference.  In the end I got screwed by something at the hotel I did stay at and I still have to have them fix my bill! Hence me hating hotels now.

Saturday was the final day I was staying up there. I have never been there for the keynote speaker address by Jenny McCarthy so this was a first. It was worth it! Say what you will about her, but damn it she is living my life (except with great makeup, a skinny bod and a lot more money). Her special guests this year for the panel were: Miss Montana Alexis Wineman and Real Housewives of New Jersey Jacqueline and Chris Laurita. I knew who Alexis was and I had a vague idea of the RHONJ couple. I do not watch those shows but through magazines and friends I knew they had a child with Autism.

It was a really great panel. To hear Alexis speak about growing up and how she stims today was really refreshing.  She gave me great hope for Avery. The Laurita's were really down to earth and when I spoke to them later and got a picture with them (don't have it yet it!)  she seemed very relaxed and soft spoken but you can tell that they will do anything to help their son.

Me and Miss Montana Alexis Wineman. 

Til next year AutismOne!

Sleep issues and life in general...

I think it's been about 3 week since I posted. My last post was about the 5k I had done and then I went quiet for awhile.

Do I want to blog? Yes.

Do I have anything positive to blog? Hmmm probably not hence why I went quiet.

It's May. The time of the year I used to normally enjoy. It's my birthday month.  Woot! It's also Mothers Day. Which this year the loss of my Mother has saddened me more than in years past. I was pretty much a hot mess crying on the treadmill at the gym last week.  How would you like to be running next to that gal at the gym?

Yes I mentioned gym twice. I now belong to a new gym in town. In fact it's a national chain. And you've probably seen the really annoying commercials for it on tv lately.  Planet Fitness is cheap, nice and updated (well it should be since it's brand spanking new!!)  I've been there a lot in the past 3 weeks so my membership is getting it's use. Once school ends in about 2 weeks I'll have to figure out what to do before they wake or after they go to bed since they have no daycare.

The kids will be getting out of school in a few weeks. While the oldest will be out for the summer the youngest is only out for 3 weeks. Then she starts at her new school!!! It's very exciting and we are all very hopeful that we will see lot's of good improvement from the little one. I came to the realization a few weeks ago that Avery is basically a mischievous unrestrained toddler in the body of a very physically capable almost 5 year old. She climbs things. She get's into messes. She's very impulsive.

One of the reasons why I went silent is that we were trying to get Avery's sleep issues under control again. Back in the winter of 2011/2012 she had major sleep issues and it took us months to get her back into good sleep habits.  This time was worse as that I alluded just above that she's very mischievous and insanely strong for a 5 yr old. We finally resorted to small doses of melatonin to help her go to sleep. I was hesitant to start melatonin because I've read stories where that it could increase waking at night. Which she already does on a regular basis. Since starting the melatonin there has been an increase in night wakings, but it is also high allergy season for her and she's having a break through when it comes to potty training. The melatonin has worked in the sense that what used to be nightly fighting and taking almost 2 hours to go to bed is now about less than 30 minuets from receiving the melatonin to her hitting the sack!!  If you think a 2 year old who takes off a diaper after it's soiled is a lot of fun, try a freaking 5 year old! This whole I am too wet for a diaper and I'm going to whip it off ASAP is new and messy but it's also a sign that she's finally sensing that a wet diaper is a horrible thing to have!!

I am also suppose to be signing up for school...but I'm terrified. Not so much of going back to school but of the debt. I could convince myself that it won't be bad but then if I see the numbers of what I can get for next year I'm not that freaked out. It's all the other stuff after that. I'm considered a senior who still has to take like 54 credits to graduate!! ARGHHHHHHH!!! That's a lot!!!


Is it going to be worth paying student loans before I hit retirement age? (not like I'm going to be able to retire hahano)