Our beach getaway!

Last Sunday we attempted to go to the beach, and while we eventually succeeded it was a long day! Our truck didn't want to go, so Mom let us use her car. Best mom ever I tell you. We eventually got to Biloxi to drop Jess and B off at MawMaws to meet up with their dad and by 9 we were in Gulf Shores! Landon was so exited! Monday was their first experience with sand and ocean and we were honestly quite scared if Isaac would love or hate it. He loved it! He loves playing in the sand, burying himself, and loves the waves!!! Just like in the tub though, he's not a big fan of it going on his head, but other than that he loves it! Loves it when they crash on him, and both boys love running from the sand into the water! I think that's their favorite! We rented a condo and we absolutely adored it. It was about 4 miles west of 59 on and just across the street from the beach. They had a great little walkway onto the beach. After about one day, we were able to get Isaac to understand and use the actual words "beach" and "ocean". We pushed him to his max everyday too and he really didn't but one or two fits the whole time. We pretty much ate at the condo except for dinners, we being of the mostly broke kind, and the kids did well with that. LuLu's was great! All the sand mounds and stuff for the boys to play in while we waited for a table looked like so much fun! Isaac, well he just wanted to stand and try to stick his hand in one of their giant fans. I realized on the way home, that this was just what we needed. I missed the big kids terribly, but I also know they are having teenager type fun that with Isaac we probably wouldn't have fun doing (like bowling, lazer tag, etc) at least not until he's just a bit older. Another thing I realized is the fun at the beach outweighs the sand in places I don't want it. Love tanning, laying on the beach, getting in the water with Landon (no, I cannot handle Isaac at the beach..not physically anyway) are the best. We stayed as long as we could on our last day, pushing Isaac almost past his nap point, and started to long drive back. As we were heading home I realized I don't think I have seen D so relaxed in well over a year. Maybe 2 years. He was wanting to stay one more day, and with the rock star furbaby sitter we had, we tried. But, it was not mean to be. On the way home, we talked about maybe next year. And since Isaac was cool with it, maybe longer than 5 nights. Next year was supposed to be a Disney year though. But the more I thought about it, the more the beach made a better decision. More like $3K than $10K, with the big kids, and D was alot, ALOT, more relaxed and seemed to be happier there than on our Disney trip. I know the saying is Happy Wife, Happy Life, but he makes me happy everyday and I think next summer it will be the beach. Maybe we'll try Fort Morgan or Destin. Where's your favorite beach to vacay and why? Let me know! I have less than a year! :)

Haven't blogged in a while! So much to say, or vent.

As I look toward vacation in a few days and I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off, trying to go in 8 different directions, I though I'd get some crap out of my head. We're going to the beach. Yay! Vacation! I'm actually more worried about these 5 days than I was the 14 days at Disney. So much that seems to not be going our way on it. I literally hit my knees and prayed about this vacation last night at one point while D was at the gym. Prayed more for me to have a positive attitude the whole time and roll with all the ups and more importantly downs than for things to go smooth. I really don't know how my mom didn't kill me and Fred before a trip. It seems like we went all over the place, and she didn't tie us to a tree until time to go. I asked her this once and she said, "Wine." Yes, please! If I have twice the kids she does, does that entitle me to twice the wine? I'm going with YES.
The big kids will be hanging out with their dad on this trip, so it's just the 4 of us going on to Gulf Shores. Rain and thunderstorms and all. Lately I've been craving sun. Lots of it. So this has me a little upset. Hence the praying I don't drive D crazy being upset. God has this plan, and I need to go with it. (And I do keep saying that in my head).
Back to school is looming, and my big kids are growing like the weeds in my backyard. Out of control. I wish they would get rid of uniforms. Yes, they're easier. Blah. Blah. Blah. When I hear uniforms, I also hear my bank account crying. Tax free, thank you. Never on sale. Ever.

Updates on Isaac: He just had his 6 month review since starting Tn early intervention services. He has mastered one goal. One. And we did that before he even started therapy. No pacifiers. He now tries to repeat what you are asking him to say most of the time, however he does not spontaneously say words. We have to say the word first. And they are probably not really understandable for most people who don't see him all that often. Milk is more like "NIL". He does say GO pretty well now though. He seems to have lost the word car. He did have that for a while. Up sounds more like "UM" and it always comes in threes. "UM UM UM" Same with want. And that sounds just like the teacher off of Charlie Brown. "WAA WAA WAA" When he was diagnosed it was officially January. We did a ton of looking stuff up and said we would give it a year to see how he progressed. Then we would seriously talk about moving. I have dropped it since. A month ago we went to see someone at the Autism Society of the MidSouth to talk about his upcoming IEP meeting that will be the day before his birthday in October. We were there for 2 hours and got really great advice. She also told us, in all seriousness, if you really want to help him...MOVE. North. Since we got denied SSI for Isaac, D and I have decided to appeal that. If we get denied again, our options are get a lawyer or let it drop. We'll see how that all goes. It just appears that now Special Kids and Families school for Isaac is out. We are hoping SCS offers him all 5 days of school in October so he can get some of the help he needs. That scares the poo out of me. I'm hoping SCS comes through for him. They sure haven't for Brandon and he only has ADHD. We are now looking towards potty training for him. We are trying to be realistic that it will probably be 4 or older, but are going to start working on it Labor Day weekend.

D and I have realized that we aren't getting invited to things anymore. I asked him what he thought... and I asked if he thought it was because they are so many of us, I'm just a bitch sometimes (heh...sometimes), Isaac, or a combo. He said who knows. Which means he wasn't surprised by my question and noticed it too. So when Mandy invited us to Brandy's for her visit home we were soooo excited! It won't require that much money, we got a good size notice, and kids are welcome. Bonus!! I miss her, and don't get to see Brandy enough either. I am over the moon about this! It seems the planets, moon, and sun have to align just right for us to go to something, if we get invited, and I'm making them align this time. I can't wait to come!
I guess that has been enough for now. The 9 or 10 bags/luggage won't pack themselves. And for some reason the house won't clean itself either. Why it won't, I have no clue. Where did I lose my magic wand?