Autism: They may be on to something!

From 1978-1990 we lived in an amazing neighborhood.

It may not have looked like much to anyone else, 

but it was the perfect place for us.

We bonded with some great families.

For example, Charise and Mark lived right next door.

We had such a comfortable relationship 

that we would borrow things back and forth, continually.

One morning Charise said she almost called the night before 

to ask if they could borrow our bathroom door, 

"just for the night," since they had company coming and their 

bathroom door was broken. 

I told her she should have asked! I would have been honored!

One day while their daughters, Lindsey and Shaine were playing at 

our house, I told them it was my birthday and I was feeling sad. 

About 30 minutes after they had gone home, Charise and the girls came back and showered me with paper hearts they had made. Literally, all over my head.

The stories go on and on.

This picture below was probably just a typical 

summer afternoon on Buckingham Way. 

Tyler, Shaine, Lindsey, and Scotty 

(Scotty lived a few houses down 

and actually is on a softball team with Logan now.)

I think those are probably McKay's feet on the porch.

Last night Shaine along with her little boy Hudson were on our local news. Hudson is 4 and has autism. 

He is undergoing a new treatment I think sounds promising.

It just makes sense, but I didn't know they had such a test. 

Please take a look.

Where did Leo go?

I got this text last night from Karen:

Love those 2 names together: Leo and Casper

They all seem to be settling in so well in Idaho,

and have already met so many wonderful people.

This is the very first Casper I've heard of. 

(well, besides the friendly ghost....but we won't go there.)

This a different generation 

and they've probably never heard of him. 

So let's just keep it that way.

It's part of me more than I like to admit

So earlier this month at bookclub. I belong to 3 of them you know. This one was at my friend Kristi’s house. We had a great group that evening of 6 women. 

We somehow got on the subject of millennials which brought someone to ask, “So what is this next generation going to be called, after the millennials?" 

Can’t remember who said it but the answer was, “It will be known as “I Gen.” No one got it till she said, “I Gen... as in the iPhone generation." Okay, we all got that! 

That brought us into a discussion about phones and how they are everywhere. 

We reminisced how nice it was back in the day when we could take our kids grocery shopping and could use that time to converse with our toddlers. Not so anymore. Many (most?) moms are on the phone while shopping, even if her kids are in tow. 

I think we were all at some point during this discussion, rolling our eyes and shaking our heads in disgust how phones have taken over. 

And just at the exact moment when one of the ladies said, “People are on their phones everywhere!” ….my phone rang! I had to take it since it was Den and he was shopping for me at Costco. 

“Hello,” I said in the receiver as I turned to the ladies and said, “I have to take this one.” I think about all Den could hear when I answered was the laughter. But still it was embarrassing. 

Den thought we were just having a lively good time so he got right to the point and asked me what kind of salmon I wanted. Then I was able to wrap it up quickly and get back to the discussion about annoying iPhones. 

Later that night when I got home I explained to Den about his precise timing in calling me from Costco. It was all worth it though to get the right salmon, and not the seasoned one. 

My Mom use to have this saying, something about the pot calling the kettle black. I think I qualified that night. 

It was just odd since I don't normally wear my phone. It pretty much stays in one place in my house. And sometimes a whole day will go by and I won't notice it's turned off. 

Still...I never leave home without it!

Her weekly lunches

Amy stopped by yesterday, after going to the gym, and after picking up her week's worth of lunches. 

She's been doing the week's worth of lunches for about 6 weeks now but she just told me about it a few days ago.

She knew I was intrigued by it all so she brought the lunches by to show me.  

She's explained to me how it works. 

Every Wednesday she makes up 8 lunches 

All the same, and put into 8 separate containers.

*All the recipes are from cleansimpleeats.com

Then she meets with 3 friends who also 

have made 8 of the same lunch. 

Each of these 4 ladies goes home with 8 lunches (2 of each kind) 

I know, I didn't understand it at first either. 

So she took the lunches out and put them on my counter so I could see...

(Two of the eight she made, she left at home.)

Here they are up close:

This is a spinach salad with turkey, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, cucumbers...with strawberries and avocado with dressing to be mixed in later. 

This one will be a chicken salad sandwich complete with the cashew nuts mixed in just before serving. 

I think she said this was some kind of chicken pizza and broccoli

Below is the one Amy made for everyone.

It's a cooked yam, with added greek yogurt, turkey bacon, cheese, and green onion. She kept raving about how good this tastes!

These are all busy Moms. So the idea is each lady will have 8 lunches to eat for herself throughout the week. I guess that means one day she will have 2 lunches to eat, or an extra to share.

Amy has been doing this weeks now and 

every single lunch she has enjoyed. 

The food is all simple and clean. No big prep. 

Anyway, just had to share this. 

I'm always looking for new food adventures 

and LOVE the idea of simple and clean!

*There is a cost for the recipes on cleansimpleeats.com

but they offer a free 7 day recipe/menu plan 

if you want to try it out. That's what I'm doing.

And of course I have nothing to do with any of this.

Our Monday morning

You would think Den and I would be good at this school morning send off by now....but we aren't so much. 

Like this morning for example.

At 6:45am we put music on....
and Den noisily empties the dishwasher from the night before.



15 minutes later and now it's 7am. 
Music and clanging dishes does not phase them in the least.

"Come on little Chickadees!"

Den announces, "It's a great day in America!" 

I say, "Breakfast is READY. TIME to get UP!" 

7:15 and we're making progress.

"Nope, little darlings...

"It's time to eat!"

So glad we bought this new Black and Decker

grill on Saturday for $24.99.

The one I bought in 1994 died a few months ago 

and I probably paid more for it back then!

They laughed at our 1960s music. 

I told them that was the music we listened to 

when we were their age.

But some things have not changed through the years...

Tea said, "I will show you how this works!"

I said, "Oh but I remember! 

I use to make these too when I was your age!!

Whatever they are called!

But Téa's new lunch bag is something I could not have even dreamed about back in my day...

We put the whole thing in the freezer the night before because the entire bag is lined with internal ice packs! 

As I watched Jonas put the toothpaste on Téa's toothbrush, I said, 

"Oh having a twin is the best!"

and Téa's response?

"Why? Do you have a twin?"

(She gets her sweet air headedness 

from the Rozier side of the family.)

8:15 and I think they are both awake enough now 

to shuffle off to school!

And to think tomorrow they need to be at school 30 minutes earlier 

for Téa's bookclub!

Amy is in Idaho for a week getting Laurynn situated in school and visiting Austin, Brooke and little Levi. Logan comes every night for dinner, unless he's working a double.

My wonders of the past few weeks....

In no particular order....

1. This is what 93 usually does not look like.

My Uncle Don turned 93 less than 2 weeks ago.

He's my Mom's brother, and our only living uncle.

My Grandma use to tell me that as a baby he had a hard time thriving. The doctor told her to feed him meat. He didn't want meat. So she would put baby Don in a buggy and every few steps try to coax him into eating another bite. 

2. If I would known how popular this recipe was going to be, 

I would have taken better care of it. 

We made several of these for a recent funeral. 

The recipe was passed on to us from our Stake Girl's Camp. 

I've lost track of how many have requested it so far.

3. So nice to have Tyler's cousin Julie and her family,

 in the same neighborhood in Meridian! 

My brother John and Suzanne, 

and Alex live not too far from them either. 

Makes me happy to see my family intertwined. 

4. Envy Apples

Tyler introduced me to these. They are a cross breed between two apples and have only been available since 2009. 

These are now our very favorite apple! 

They are only grown in Washington, New Zealand, Chili and Costco (which is where we get ours.) 

4. This just makes sense to me.

I was intrigued at first by the last on the list: "have a strong sense of control"...I thought it was just me who needs that. Apparently not. 

5. Last month (in August!) we received probably the earliest invite to a Christmas party. 

How can we not go when they have already tried this hard?

6. Den and I get our happy treasures every Saturday morning at the Farmer's Market. 

Did you know that 1/3 of all produce in the US 

is grown right here in our valley?

(We won't talk about our air quality, 

just focus on the fruits and vegetables.)

7. This is just basic human reflex....

Imagine what the world would be like if everyone understood this. 

I'm one with a chicken

I have never felt so connected to an animal as I do with this chicken.....

Oakmont

My Dad and Susan's new home.

In many ways it's like living in a luxury hotel. 

And for those who feel inclined to have a little variety in their day.....

They even have their own little movie theater, 

complete with recliners and a popcorn machine. 

Every day at 2pm and 7pm.

This week's features:

Or they can bring their own movies to watch there at other times. 

They have "touch up Tuesdays" 

just in case anyone runs into a wall with their wheelchair.

They even have a little entry way to their apartment.  

Just so happens, every time I've been there so far, 

there has been a hospice nurse, such as this one. 

They are loving the food so far.

I am, too! 

They can go in there whenever they want to eat, 

not just regular meal times. 

Last time we were there, Dad and Susan 

were discussing the fish on the menu.

She thought sole and salmon were the same fish.

Dad said they weren't. 

So she asked what the difference was and my Dad responded:

"S-A-L-M-O-N"

Some of the other residents like to decorate outside their front door. 

But this one is my favorite:

And I just have to say, isn't Susan adorable!