My sweet little E-boy

Ethan has been recently diagnosed with low-grade Autism Spectrum Disorder. He has been having a lot of trouble in school this year. Of course we've been aware of some of the minor and seperate issues he's had over years (blocked bowells, sensativity to noise, SID, Apraxia, Tics, OCD, etc) and I have been trying to get a Doctor to give me some kind of diganosis for each of these things individually. But I had no idea that all these issue combine equal autism. The nail in the autism coffin is that he has become violent. Of course he is still the sweet loving Ethan we know, but when something sets him off he tends to hurt people to make them stop what they're doing. A couple months back he walked across his kinder room and cut a little girl with scissors (thank goodness she didn't get more than just a scratch). When asked why he did this he said that she was making too much noise and wouldn't be quiet. I am so sad to see him struggling like this and we are doing everything in our power to help him. His preschool teachers are just so shocked by everything I have told them because, although they noticed the individual problems, they never once had a problem with Ethan like we're having this year. He only goes to school half day. I pick him up everyday at 11 right after lunch. This hasn't solved the problem although he comes home everyday and has a nap and I'm sure he needs them. He is doing fine acidemically, doing everything at grade level. Besides getting him the appropriate therapies we will be holding him back so that he can do Kindergarten again as a more mature little boy. If we let him continue onto 1st grade next year I know he will just stil further and further behind. So this situation has been pretty rough, but we have been dealing with it for years without a name. Now it just has a name and actual things we can do to help this little boy adjust and settle into a pretty normal life.

Songs I Want To Learn

A while back I posted a list of songs that I sing for karaoke. Now I've been compiling a list of songs I want to learn.

A Bad Goodbye Clint Black/Wynona
Amazing Aerosmith
Angry All The Time Faith Hill/Tim McGraw
Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better Annie Get Your Gun
Baby It's Cold Outside Tom Jones
Behind These Hazel Eyes Kelly Clarkson
Breath Faith Hill
Cry Faith Hill
Don't Worry Bout a Thing SheDaisy
Doo Wop (That Thing) Lauryn Hill
Dream On Aerosmith
Every Other Weekend Reba McIntire
Express Yourself Madonna
Fading Like a Flower Roxette
Georgia Rain Trisha Yearwood
Girlfriend Avril Lavign
Guilty Barbara Streisand/Barry Gibb
Gun Powder and Lead Miranda Lambert
Hanky Panky Madonna
Hey Baby Lets Go To Vegas Faith Hill
Hit Em Up Style Blue Cantrell
Holy Water Big and Rich
Hopelessly Devoted Olivia Newton-John
I love My Life Jaime O'Neal
I Love You Always & Forever Donna Lewis
I Wanna Dance With Somebody Whitney Houston
Jackson Johnny Cash/June Carter
Just A Dream Carrie Underwood
Let's Make Love Faith Hill/Tim McGraw
Linger Cranberries
Listen Beyonce
Love Is a Battlefiels Pat Benetar
Love Like This Natasha Bedingfield
Lucky For You(Tonight I'm just me) SheDaisy
Mine All Mine SheDaisy
Mississippi Girl Faith Hill
My Perogitive Britney Spears
Never Gonna Give You Up Rick Astley
No More Words Berlin
No Place That Far Sara Evans
Not Ready To Make Nice Dixie Chicks
Nothing Better To Do Leann Rimes
Nothing Compares 2 U Sinead O'Connor
Picture To Burn Taylor Swift
Please Remember Me Leann Rimes
Realize Colbie Calait
Rehab Amy Winehouse
Should've Said No Taylor Swift
Something More Sugarland
Take A Bow Rihanna
Thank U Alanis Morrisette
There Will Come a Day Faith Hill
There You'll Be Faith Hill
When I Think of You Janet Jackson
When You're Gone Avril Lavign
Where Are You Christmas Faith Hill
Who Says You Can't Go Home Bon Jovi/Jennifer Nettles
Wild Angels Martina McBride
You Belong To Me Carly Simon
You Don't Bring Me Flowers Barbara Streisand/Neil Diamond
You'll Always Be My Baby Sara Evans
You're The Inspiration Chicago

Wordless Wednesday: Li'l g's Eye Injury

Getting to know me a little!

Fun little time waster!

To participate just copy and paste in your own blog, and bold all of the things you have done. Happy discoveries!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars - in a tent.
3. Played in a band 4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity - any amount is more than I can afford, I'm poor.
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped - Never will, it's insane.
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someones life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake - GROSS!!!!!!
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Today's Rambling

I paid $1.99 for gas today!!! This makes me so happy! It also makes me want to go buy some gas cans and store gas for when it sky rockets back up! LOL

I've lost my patience as a mother today.

I'm looking forward to seeing an old friend tomorrow.

I'm looking even more forward to my paycheck next Friday!

Wordless Wednesday

A Pirate's Life For Me!

You Are 55% Pirate

Garrrr, yer a true pirate down to yer bones. Yer an originial sea dog, an' ye certainly have earned yer sea legs. No one be goin' to accuse ye o' bein' a landlubber. Ye got yer eye on the prize, an' yer willin' to go pillagin' fer some booty.

Would You Make a Good Pirate?

Google

I love todays Google.com graphic! Happy Veterens Day!

Bored at work last night....

So I was re-reading my sent text messages last night and they are quite strange.

11:27pm - To: Facebook Status - Gigi is tired.....& surprisingly bored!
* I didn't have a whole lot of people to talk to at work last night. Which is wierd.

12:45pm - To: Rob - Goodness now Bambie is hitting on me!
* last night seemed to be MY night in terms of people wanting me! LOL

1:32am - To: Facebook Status - Gigi should try Secret by Madonna
* Just a mental note about a song I want to try. I had several of these texts, but my phone only stores 30 sent texts! grrrr

1:40am - To: Facebook Status - Gigi is wondering what the chances are she's going 2 make 75bucks 2nite
* Actually the chances were good! LOL

1:49am - To: Facebook Status - Gigi thinks people are clueless.
* I'm not sure what I was talking about here

1:54am - To: Bob - Except for Ro I think You have questionable taste in women.
* Just an observation to a friend!

1:58am - To: Facebook Satus - Gigi thinks Silver Sprigns is a GREAT way to end the night. And yes that was sarcasm!
* The chica who had the last song picked the LONGEST, most BORING song to sing!

2:25am - To: Facebook Status - Gig is headed hom and thinks her friends are crazy.
* I don't remember who I was referring to!

2:36am - To: Rob - I am home finlly. Heading to bed soon. I need a night lite in my room and a small keychain for my keys.
* Telling Rob I made it home safely and the bit about the lights was just for a reminder for me.

I wish my phone stored more than 30 sent messages. I had quite a few funny texts because I was so bored, but I've been texting people all morning.

I love this Meme, but Saturdays are so busy I always forget to do it! So here's the last few Saturday 9s!


1. Where is the furthest place that you have traveled and how far away from home is it? Choctaw, Oklahoma...isn't that sad?

2. What is a blog that you would recommend for us to read and why? Go Fug Yourself


3. What is the biggest surprise you ever have had and was it a good one?That I was pregnant?? The verdict is still out on whether it's a good thing though!


4. What is your favorite quote? Look to the right under my picture!

5. Have you ever been hospitalized for a major health situation?I don't know if it's MAJOR but I was in the hospital for 4 days with pneumonia back n 2004.


6. Do you prefer long hair or short hair for yourself?My hair is the bane of my existence! I don't like it the same all the time. I get bored of it. It's horribly damaged right now and falls out in CLUMPS in the shower. I may have NO hair soon!


7. What was your favorite amusement park ride growing up?Considering I grew up here in AZ and we didn't have an "amusement park" until like 1996 I don't think I had a favorite. Oh and amusement park is in quotes because I'm really not sure you can call Castles and Coasters and amusement park!


8. How long do you talk on your phone on a typical day?If I had my way I wouldn't talk on it AT ALL! I hate the phone! But unfortunately my mother thinks that we need to talk every day! *wink*

9. Other than Saturday 9, what is your favorite meme to do each week?Wordless Wednesday because I'm lazy and it's easier just to throw up a picture instead of having to write in my blog! And I would have linked you to the Wordless Wednesday blog but it keeps freezing up my computer.


November 1st
1. Were you raised around a lot of sports? Yeah my family is a sports family. We played sports...we watched sports. I think my grandpa wishes we were all boys! My mom was a catcher in a boys baseball league!


2. What is your favorite sport?I love playing softball. I love watching live baseball. I think Lacrosse is awesome. I will watching ANY sport live though!


3. When did you last play a sport?I played a little Volleyball and Softball this year.


4. When did you last attend a professional sporting event and what was it?I went to a Phoenix Coyotes game last week (or was it the week before?).


5. What was the last sport you watch on TV? I usually catch some football game when I'm working.


6. If you have children, do they play the same sports that you did? If not, someday if you have kids, would you like them to?My kids all swim and that was my main thing growing up.


7. Do you think other people care too much about sports?How can you care too much about sports?? They're fun and great exercise!


8. Do you have the freedom to be as involved in either playing or watching as much sports as you’d like to?Nope! I'm a busy mom!


9. Who is your favorite sports team?Phoenix Suns



October 25th
1. What's the best new website you've found?Facebook


2. What's the best movie you've seen?10 Things I Hate About You


3. What's the best quote you know?I just answered this!


4. What's the best book you've read?Wow I don't think I can answer that question! I've read so many great books!


5. What's the best thing someone's done for you?Accepted me for who I am!


6. What's the best thing about your job?Both my jobs allow me to do what I love to do!


7. What’s the best CD you own?I think I only own 3 CDs and I'm not even sure which ones they are!


8. What’s the best new TV show you watch?I don't watch new TV shows. I wait until they come out on DVD.


9. What’s the best car you’ve owned?I didn't appreciate it at the time but when I was 16 I had a 1964 Toyota Land Cruiser.



October 18th
1. What are your favorite shoes?You expect me to pick just ONE pair???


2. What does your favorite shirt or blouse look like?Again, you want me to choose just one? I'm a clothes horse!


3. What does your favorite tee shirt say on it?"Do you wake up in the morning with new things to annoy me?"


4. Do you think you look better in casual or business attire?I always look good! How's that for humble!


5. What do you sleep in?Wouldn't you like to know!! *wink*


6. Do you wear expensive sneakers?I have two pairs. Nikes my mom gave me and Z-coils. I have no idea what the Nikes cost but the Z-coils cost me $200!!!


7. What is your favorite hat?I'm not really a hat person.


8. Your preference for men: Boxers or briefs??I don't care. Whatever they're comfortable in.



9. Your preference for women: Suits or dresses?I don't care. Whatever they're comfortable in.



October 11th
1. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it??I have no idea!



2. Can you change the oil on a car??I can, but don't choose to do it. That's what men are for!



3. Name three things you have on you at all times.Phone, purse, lipgloss.



4. What’s your life motto?Don't sweat the small stuff.



5. What’s a word that you say a lot?"nice", "fantastic", some 4 letter words I say too often.<


6. What were you doing at midnight last night?Falling asleep!


7. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?I actually haven't looked yet! LOL



8. Who is your worst enemy?Myself


9. What does your watch look like?It's silver with a ribbon band. I never wear it.



October 4th
1. When was the last time you lost your temper with someone?Ethan, yesterday.


2. What was it about?He wouldn't get out of the pool and thought he could push my buttons. He learned real quick.


3. Were you totally right or totally wrong?I'm the mom, of course I was right!


4. If wrong, how long until you realized it? If right, how long until the other person realized it?He's 5, the only thing he realized is that mommy doesn't mess around.


5. Did you go a lengthy of time without speaking?Now THAT would be childish!


6. Who made the first move?huh?


7. Do you feel the situation is resolved now?I'm sure he'll keep pushing buttons. After all, he's a kid.


8. Do you ever give in, knowing you weren’t wrong, to keep the peace?If it's a trivial matter I'll give in to keep the peace. But if it means something to me then I will not back down.


9. Was there permanent damage even though you’ve made up?I hope the permanent damage is that Ethan learned to get out of the pool when I tell him to.

Life is about TRUSTING our feelings and taking CHANCES, losing and finding HAPPINESS, appreciating the memories and LEARNING from the past.

Boring: What I did today

3 loads of laundry - 2 at the condo 1 at the house
washed 2 loads of dishes at the condo
watched Georgia Rule twice
clipped coupons
picked Ethan up from school
picked Cori up from school
Took a shower

.....I didn't do them in that order though.

More pics by Amber Autrey

The kids November 2008

Songs I Sing

So I'm making a list of all the songs I sing well. When you work as a karaoke host and sing as often as I do you have to have a big selection. I hate doing the same songs over and over. I also have a list of songs I want to try but I'll save that for another post.

9 to 5 Dolly Parton
Again Janet Jackson
Aint Nothing 'bout You Brooks & Dunn
All That She Wants Ace of Base
Alone Heart
Angel Aerosmith
Anymore Travis Tritt
Anyway Martina McBride
Back Velvet Alannah Miles
Bathwater No Doubt
Because The Night 10,000 Maniacs
Bring Me To Life Evanessence
Call Me When You’re sober Evanessence
Close My Eyes Forever Lita ford/ Ozzy
Cold Hearted Snake Paula Abdul
Come To Bed Gretchen Wilson
Come To My Window Melissa Etheridge
Come Together Beatles
Complicated Carolynn Dawn Johnson
Concrete Angel Martina McBride
Cowboy Take Me Away Dixie Chicks
Crazy Ex-girlfriend Miranda Lambert
Crying Aerosmith
Does He Love You Reba
Don' Stop Believin Journey
Don't Go Breaking My Heart Elton John/Kiki Dee
Don't Know Why Norah Jones
Don't Speak No Doubt
Down To My Last Tear Drop Tanya Tucker
Dreams Cranberries
Everything About You Ugly Kid Joe
Everytime We Touch Cascada
Fancy Reba
Fever Peggy Lee
Finally Fergie
Flashdance Irene Cara
Foolish Games Jewel
Guys Do It All the Time Mindy McCreedy
Hand In My Pocket Alanis Morrisette
Hate That I Love You Rihanna
Heartbreaker Pink
Here For The Party Gretchen Wilson
Hole In My Head Dixie Chicks
Hurt Christina Aguilera
I Have Nothing Whitney Houston
I kissed A Girl Katy Perry
I Try to Think About Elvis Patty Loveless
I Wanna Hold Your Hand Beatles
I’m The Only One Melissa Etheridge
If I Could Turn Back Time Cher
If It Makes You Happy Sheryl Crow
I'll Stand By You Pretenders
In My Daughter’s Eyes Martina McBride
In Your Room Bangles
Ironic Alanis Morrissette
It Matters To Me Faith Hill
Just a Girl No Doubt
Kerosene Miranda Lambert
Killing Me Softly Fegees
Kiss Me Sixpence Non The Richer
Kiss Me Deadly Lita Ford
Last Name Carrie Underwood
Leavin' On Your Mind Patsy Cline
Let 'Er Rip Dixie Chicks
Let's Hear It For the Boy Deniece Williams
Like a Prayer Madonna
Like a Virgin Madonna
Love Song Tesla
Lovefool Cardigans
Material Girl Madonna
Mother, Mother Tracy Bonham
My Baby Loves Me Martina McBride
My Favorite Mistake Sheryl Crow
My Give a Damn' Busted Jo Dee Messina
Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia Reba
Oh Baby I Love Your Way Peter Frampton
Piece of My Heart Faith Hill
Pour Me Trick Pony
Right Kinda Wrong Leann Rimes
Separate Ways Journey
She's Got You Patsy Cline
Shoop Shoop Song Cher
Sin Wagon Dixie Chicks
So Wrong Patsy Cline
Soak Up The Sun Sheryl Crow
Some Days You Gotta Dance Dixie Chicks
Son of a Preacher Man
Spiderwebs No Doubt
Stay (I Missed You) Lisa Loeb
Stay Sugarland
Straight Up Paula Abdul
Strong Enough Sheryl Crow
Tavelin Soldier Dixie Chicks
The First Cut Is the Deepest Sheryl Crow
The Way You Love Me Faith Hill
There She Goes Sixpence Non The Richer
This One's For The Girls Martina McBride
To Love Somebody The Bee Gee's
Travellin Soldier Dixie Chicks
Uninvited Alanis Morrissette/Cascada
Walk Like an Egyptian Bangles
Walkin' After Midnight Patsy Cline
What Hurts The Most Cascada
What's Up 4non-Blondes
Whiskey Lullaby Allison Krause
White Trash Wedding Dixie Chicks
Who Knew Pink
Who Will Save Your Soul Jewel
Why Haven’t I Heard From You Reba
Wide Open Spaces Dixie Chicks
Words of Love Mamas and Papas
You Were Meant For Me Jewel
You Were Mine Dixie Chicks
You're Still The One Shania Twain
Zombie Cranberries