On Loving Tractors and other things

 

Granna & Pap came for a brief visit last weekend, and I just so happened to get my hands on coveted tickets for a huge kids consignment sale that happens at the local fairgrounds, so Granna & I went and shopped and shopped and shopped until we almost dropped.
Let's just say I feel good about Gus' upcoming spring/summer wardrobe, since I found a lot of stuff that isn't just straight from the GAP or Old Navy, where most boys' clothes seem to be coming from these days (I've seen boys at Gus' preschool in essentially identical outfits...a bummer at least to me)

Aside from clothes, Granna and I rescued a few toys, that Gus will love as they are being gradually unveiled. One we couldn't wait to give him, so we didn't.
It's WALL-E, Granna found him face down on a table. He came with 4 rechargeable batteries, so that alone was worth the $6he cost, we reasoned.
But it was love at first sight. Gus has been ever so sweet and loving with WALL-E since he moved in, and has even turned him on and let him make noises a few times (WALL-E is a learning toy and he is in working condition, we found out after the batteries got recharged).

Shopping aside, we had a great visit. Gus really enjoyed seeing his Granna & Pap and showing off all his new talents and old tricks.

Powder Day!!!

 

 

 

Powder Day in North Carolina! - schools are out - this is the most substantial dusting we could find around the house. And it won't last long, since Gus likes snow for breakfast!

Ski the Wolf

 

With some snow promised shyly in the forecast against a backdrop of the dullest, snowless winter ever, we decided to play hookie from preschool Friday and take Gus skiing at a nearby ski resort instead. He is so excited to be wearing his fancy Swiss-style skiing outfit.

 

Finally, we are all smiles on the most vintage chairlift we've been on in a while. Wolf Resort is quaint and tiny, but but well run, judging man-made snow is all they got right now.

 

Gus poses with his favorite friend on the slope, a snow groomer parked conveniently about halfway down the only blue slope open to skiers. Gus surprised us with his total delight in skiing and his stamina. We lost count after the 10th run with nary a break in between, and he still wanted to go back "up high" every time. Daddy finally called it quits. After all, Gus didn't do most of the skiing, our backs and knees did.

 

Jacob and Gus pose for the camera, after we skied the steep section of the blue run.

 

Gus and I pose before skiing the rest of the steep part of the blue run.

Oh and we also got interviewed for the local ABC affiliate (for their weather bitty about the impending snow). Jacob and Gus made it on TV!

Just another great day of fun for us!

Biking family-style

 

 

 

 

Jacob once rode a bike across this great nation of ours. Today he pedals at a decidely less ambitious pace and reach - tough a 2-hour Sunday ride with the family is nothing to be ashamed off - especially, since he pulled our nearly 40-pound child up and over a few hills without even a trace of a complaint.
We did take a break, when a bridge along a flat country road beckoned us. I forget how beautiful this corner of aformentioned nation is. I hike and run around in its forested areas all the time, but on a bike you see things differently and you get to FEEL the wide-openess and contours of things. I was reminded of how much agriculture there still is right around us.
We threw a few rocks, a few sticks, chased them to the other side of the bridge (we looked left and right, but VERY QUICKLY) and we simply stood and watched the French Broad (I have always loved that name for its double-entendre raunchiness) as it busily pulled along any and all debris we had to throw at it.
Gus took a nap. We needed one when we got home.
Family time. It simply is one of the best times we have in this life

A quick Toot of my own Horn

I have three resolutions for the new year. I will work hard to make this a strong year full of discovery and learning for Gus. I will work hard to take care of myself, and - drumroll here - I will try to use writing to help myself become more comfortable with Autism.

So I've been quietly writing away, trying to update my other blog dedicated to Gus & his diagnosis, at least two or three times a week. Feel free to read and pass it on. I don't have a good gauge of it yet. I'm just dabbling and that feels good for now. I hope to someday organize it into a part how-to, tips&tricks, DIY and part inspirational/funny (there is so much humor in Autism, someday I'm going to do write a stand-up routine on it) blog, but for now it is just a mad jumble of whatever jogs my mind that particular day.

In my wildest dreams I aim to write something that provides a lightbulb-moment for an affected parent, without being preachy and judgmental (what? You are not gluten-free?!) while, at the same time, I hope to make Autism interesting enough (this is where the humor comes in) to pull in someone who might not ever have to know much about Autism (but will thank me quietly when that funny-weird acting person takes a seat next to them on the subway).

I don't want to fret too much or make people sad. But I do want to be honest and transparent. I want to try to make people care and spread the word, that Autism is here to stay and the more we know, the more understanding we can offer to those affected, the better we all can live in harmony.

So go read if you have a moment, and feel free to pass it on.

The blog address is purzelbaumlein@blogspot.com

Ski fever!

 

Nevermind, that's actually a bad pun, in light of Gus just emerging from 3 days of fevers and a bad cold that reached its zenith with an ear infection. At least we caught that early and today he is feeling markedly better - antibiotics are a good thing, when you really need them.

We've been watching and talking about skiing. The plan is to take Gus to Laurel Ridge this winter and teach him how to ski in earnest - he seems ready. Today, after looking at Daddy's skis for a week, he decided to try them on for fit.

He kept saying "push, Momma, push" as I snapped the picture and he even attempted a somewhat uneven Texas Tuck.

Atta boy! We can't wait to hit the famed black diamond slopes of Western North Carolina!

Xmas in Bama

 

Due to the mysterious ways in which Apple wants us to handle pictures on iPads I've lost most of my pictures that I took over Christmas break (well, I didn't lose them, they are on my iPad, from which they refuse to move to a blog, no matter what I do). So here are the four quick snapshots I took as we all prepared to leave Alabama after a wonderful, relaxing Christmas with the entire family.
This is my kind of Alabama, balmy, blue-skyed and utterly open. I love it.

 

Another view from the driveway. Yep. It's that beautiful where Jacob's folks live. But you do have to drive 45 minutes for a cup of Starbucks...just to put the beauty in perspective.

 

The three cousins, never giving up hope that one more present could materialize somewhere among the refuse...don't worry they each got their body weight (and some of them are quite hefty) in toys.

 

"Really, there isn't another something wonderful and plastic in this box?"