Winter Family Report

Okay, so it has been awhile since I have posted. It is not for lack of desire to connect with friends and family, but rather the old organization challenge. It has been an excellent winter in many respects so I will outline some of the fun being had in no particular order (because then I would have to remember the order).
With Alex there has been

• Sledding galore
• Downhill skiing
• "Hiking" with Jack (half being pulled on the sled)
• Tobogganing
• Winter parties with snow fun and bonfires
  

With Kevin there has been

• A fancy Scottish dinner (Robert Burns turns 250)
• Various Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon highjinx

Family wise there has been

• A trip to Family Camp way up North
• More "hiking" with Jack
• More downhill skiing
• Watching the Inaguration on line- and promising Alex we will take him to the White House when he is 8
  

And on my own there has been

• Running on frozen rivers with Jack
  
• Skiing the trails with friends, including by moonlight
  
• Jumping through a hole in the ice after a nice long sauna, three times, at night by lantern light (at a balmy 10 degrees F)

All this in addition to getting through several days of minus 30 degrees F where school was cancelled, keeping up house and home, work, preschool, business, therapies, and volunteering at Peace church. Yikes, no wonder it seems like it has been a long winter. And in all this there has been the great joy of hearing "President Obama" as a statement of fact not conjecture. Sure, there has been quite a bit of dark and depressing news, but there is also great hope.

Alex had his assessment back on December 31, and we had the great pleasure of having it confirmed that we are doing the right things with him. We didn't get any new labels, but the psychiatrist did feel that he is on his way to being fully mainstreamed. She will be attending his preschool in April and write her report to support a schooling path that will be most beneficial to him. We are not exactly sure what that will be right now, but as the year progresses it will become clearer. Unfortunately the school district has not been great at helping him fulfill his greated potential. The schools are more focused on smooth sailing for the schools, but I guess that will keep Kevin and I employed fully as parents. Alex is definitely wanting to interact with his peers now, but still cannot communicate at his age level. We are going to move up a level at the Scottish Rite Language Clinic, from his interacting with the therapist and me or Kevin, to having another kid in the sessions. We have recruited his dear friend Fraya and these sessions start this week. It should be interesting.

Kevin has been working extremely hard at the business. He has had orders coming out his ears and has been dealing with a back log since a few weeks before Christmas. People held off from ordering in November and early December, then noticed they were cold or needed new gear. He is close to caught up now, and that is a good feeling.

So, that it is for now. I will try to post more,and more frequently, but must admit that Face book has eaten into my computer time a bit. Ahh technology... once again working to find the balance. Good luck to all with enjoyment of the end of winter. Only six more weeks, sez Puxatuney Phil, and we will be on to spring!