You Came To Read #20 and All You Get is Lolcats??

SPECIAL 20th Thursday Thirteen...with 20 Items!

13 LOLCats my kids like (and one I do)

1.how close is the caption?

2.after I pass Geometry I'll be a genius

3. does it taste like chicken?

4. Maybe FF3 will be better?

5. it was a nice couch

6. better adjust the settings on that monitor

7.nom nom nom nom

8. when ya gotta go...

9. so that's what happens!

10. I was wondering where that was, but was too lazy to track it

11. come on now, admit it, you squuueed

12. another "squeee!"

13. my cat rides the same place

14. truth in advertising

15. oh hunnee...there's something in the drain...

16. Gotta watch out for those dingos

17. comfiest seat in the house

18. I think its brother is still there

19. that's how it always starts

20. THIS is my favorite.. it doesn't look that evil...

Didn't get enough? more cat pictures

T, who can't help it, finds these funnee

Technorati: Thursday_Thirteen, memes, LOLCats

So Now That You Know What I Do With My Time

13 Reasons I like twitter Better Than facebook

1. 140 characters...short and sweet

2. When you add a friend, you don't need permission

3. you can have followers without having to follow them

4. it is just about instantaneous, so you can have conversations

5. NO applications to download!

6. no spam (you can always block a follower)

7. With twitpic, you can add pictures

8. has a great interface, and with free software like twhirl and Twitterrific, you can update from your desktop; sites like twittervision, twistori and Tweet Wheel give new perspectives

9. Don't have to hold your friends hostage to interact with the site

10. CONTESTS! pbloco, twittertowin, etc.

11. can update or check updates with your mobile phone

12. interesting links can be sent and clicked upon..can feed your blog URL through

13. Community, the best part.

T, who loves the social media thing

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In Which We Find Out How I Keep Sane

13 ways Send Chocolate copes with autism and homeschooling in her family 1. weighted blankets. Both the kids have weighted blankets that they sleep with or otherwise use for relaxing or quelling anxiety. JBear's blanket is about 15 lbs. JBean's blanket is 7 lbs. The idea of the weight is that the pressure on the proprioceptive system serves as a calming factor. 2. swinging. Another way of calming, this time with the vestibular system. Swinging helps to balance the system by regulating the inner ear. 3. lunges, wall shoves and wheelbarrow rides. Large motor work also helps to give calm the system by giving pressure input. 4. sensory diet: bean bags, bubbles, feathers, modeling clay, squeezy ball... all serve to help regulate the system and keep balance. Also, .gum helps my son to concentrate and attend to his school work 5. Schedule. In this house, the schedule is often the king. We have a white board and three assignments at a time are written on it. As they are completed, they get a checkmark. We also have schedules on the fridge of what we are doing on a weekly basis. There is a schedule of the events that take place before school work starts, as well as a list of subjects to be completed each day...the weekly schedule. 6. frequent breaks. Setting the kids up for success is the best approach. Small periods of work, about twenty minutes, and then a break for large motor work 7.The Incredible 5 pt scale. I use this here for many things. For my daughter, I use it for her voice volume. 1 =silence 2-=whisper/library voice 3= conversational voice 4= playground/outside voice 5= the house is on fire voice when she is too loud, I remind her what level her voice is at, and what voice works better. It helps. For my son, we use it for his anger (we used to use it for volume, but have moved on) 1= pretty comfortable, body feeling good, no tension 2 =antsy, but more happy than not 3= tension starting, feeling stressed 4= starting to mouth off, feeling tense, jaw clenched, no violence 5= abusive names, possible hitting ..time for social separation! 8. Wilbarger Brushing techique: this is a protocol for helping a child get over sensory defensiveness. You use a soft plastic brush, similar to a surgical brush and brush all the parts of the child's body except for torso. about every hour. This creates brain connections in order to help the child get over the sensory difficulties, such as touch, that can cause problems. 9. trampoline. We have a mini tramp that I have my son jump on when he gets antsy. My daughter doesn't enjoy it, however. 10. Anger workbook. I am walking my son through cognitive behavior therapy in order that he might get a handle on his frustration. We just started, but I am a huge fan of cognitive behavior therapy, so I am optimistic. 11. baths. When the day is really, really bad, I fill up the tub, add some mag salts, and the kid gets to stew for a while. 12. social stories. Carol Gray wrote these stories as a blueprint for how to behave and to give a warning to upcoming events in a tangible way the child can understand. The child's name is added to the story and in a very matter-of-fact way with no value judgments, only facts. 13. lots of hugs for the kids, and Starbucks for me! T, who mostly has it down to a science

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Technorati: thursday thirteen, autism, homeschool

When I Run Away, I'm Taking My iPod With Me

13 Songs in Heavy Rotation on my iPod 1. Fallen by Sarah McLachlan love her gutsy, vulnerable voice 2. Hold On by Good Charlotte It's the song I wish I had as a teenager 3. Drops of Jupiter by Train an oldie but a goodie < 4. I'm Not Okay (I Promise) by My Chemical Romance have to get my Emo on somehow 5. Swing by Trace Adkins I just love his deep, sultry southern voice 6.It Stoned Me Van Morrison It's Van, what's not to love? Bluesy, mellow 7. You Can't Take the Honky Tonk Outta the Girl Brooks & Dunn you can take the girl out of the country, but can't, well, you know 8. Bent by Matchbox Twenty Please help me, I'm bent.. 9. Not Ready To Make Nice by Dixie Chicks completely describes how I feel about this Administration 10. Love Song by Sara Bareilles I am a sucker for smoky voice with attitude 11. Stomp by Kirk Franklin & God's Property tried and true gospel hip hop...We havin' church we ain't goin' no where 12. A Lord of the Rings Suite by James Galway we love instrumental here... also love George Winston and classical, too (use your imagination, techy glitches with You Tube and Flash) 13. You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC my guilty secret, but in the interest of authenticity, here it is (this is where YouTube video would go, but at midnight it suddenly stopped using Flash Player 7 and I cannot upgrade to Flash 9... issues. So, sorry, but you probably know the song anyway, right?)

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

T, who can't live without music

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, please leave a comment.It's rude to link and leave. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Technorati: thursday-thirteen, meme, music

I Need a Break and the Day Isn't Half Over

Thirteen Things I Have To Do Today (crossed off things done)

1. Take van into mechanic. This is a new mechanic, a friend of mine has known since high school. He seems nice, and his office is a mess, always a good sign to me that he is good at what he does.

2. arrange rental car that doesn't cost an arm and a leg (Bad planning on my part, everyone wants to rent a car for the upcoming weekend. Leave it to me to try to rent a car on the busiest weekend of the year, Memorial Day Weekend! I ended up with a PT Cruiser, too expensive, but beggars can't be choosers.

3. Figure out what to do when I realize I left the car seat in the van and the van is already up on the lift at the mechanic's shop.

4. Call a friend and borrow her ancient booster seat, the one with no back.

5. Call my in laws to borrow their newer seat.

6. Drive to my friend's house to pick up the older seat. She lives close to me, and my in laws live 20 minutes away. I need the car seat from my friend to get to my in laws, where I can borrow the other seat.

7. Take oldest daughter to band lesson. All kids come with. We can hang out in the lobby area, the kids play and I chat with a friend.

8. Take the kids to in law's house again, drop the younger two off for babysitting.

9. Take oldest daughter to her doctor's appointment. She really likes him and has been seeing him since she was in the 4th grade. I like him, too.

10. Stop at AM/PM for our traditional snack afterwards. I usually get a Kit Kat and a Pepsi, or guacamole chips. RIght now, though, with my mouth being sore, I might just forgo the snack.

11. pick up kids from in laws after appointment

12. drive to grocery store to get milk and a few other odds and ends. Pray the kids can handle the trip and that it will be done quickly.

13.finish this T-13. and figure out something for dinner. J is going to take JBear to the Indiana Jones movie, so the girls and I will have a nice "girl's night" while they are gone. Maybe we will get pizza!

*I also need to get my house cleaned since a friend of mine is coming to visit...hoping that will happen this evening.

T, who is tired already, just looking at the list

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Technorati: Thursday 13, memes

This Blog Has Been Brought To You Today By the Letter T and the Number 13

T is for "TLC" and for...

1 talkative... I always have something to say, but I can also listen

2 tenacious... We call this persevering in my house

3 talented ... can you hang a spoon on your nose or make up parodies of songs on the fly?

4 torrid... dh said I had to include this, and you don't get an explanation

5 teacher... I homeschool my 3 children, and I am naturally a teacher, in everything

6 trustworthy... If you choose to confide in me, know that you are safe

7 truthful... don't ask if you don't want the truth. I am able to be tender about it though

8 twisted... I love Monty Python and dry humor. Puns are a specialty

9 tuneful... I always hum or have a song to sing

10 tired... too many late nights spent talking to you, O Internet

11 toothache... seriously, right now that is all I can think about, have to get a tooth pulled and I am terrified (hey another T word, for free!)

12 thoughtful... I am constantly in my head, thinking, figuring out and improving

13 tempermental... the mark of genius? not sure, probably just PMS, or the toothache

T, who wants her tooth to stop hurting!

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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All My Bags Are Packed...

13 Places I Have Been, or Wish I Could Go (you figure out which is which)

1. San Francisco. Love the vibe there, so funky and open.

2. Ireland. Maiden name is Irish and there is a reason I love Guinness.

3. France. The places that Anthony Bordain goes on No Reservations. I am not a tourist person, I want to experience the local flavor.

4. Disney World. Just to say I did.

5. England. I love me some accent!

6. Washington D.C. So much to see, so little time.

7. Sardinia. Have you seen the color of the water?

8. Hawaaii. Duh!

9. Greece. History is soooo cool.

10.Africa.Because really, doesn't everyone want to see a lion?

12.Canada. I know, eh.

13.Egypt. The library of Alexandria. Because I love libraries.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

T, who wants to be anywhere but here

Technorati: Thursday Thirteen, travel,