Angels Everywhere...

I dropped Little Nugget off at her developmental preschool a little while ago.

She's autistic for those of you who don't know. Very high functioning, though, and sometimes, just sometimes we allow ourselves to forget what's really going on in her brain.

I was late picking her up at Montessori to take her to her afternoon classes, so like most people, I took a short cut to save time. I forgot.

That one little thing, taking another route, so minuscule and insignificant to most of us, set the Little Nugget into a tailspin of anxiety, hyperventilation and hysterical slobbery crying just because it was totally unexpected. Usually she can be talked down out of it, and frankly I was really hoping for some help from the radio, because a well-timed Mumford and Sons or Phoenix song could have ended up with a much different outcome.

See, one of the things about autism is that once an autie or aspie becomes upset, it's like their brain short circuits. They get stuck in an escalating state of eminent meltdown of varying degrees of severity, depending on the level of stress they are experiencing. On the grand scheme of things, this one wasn't horrible, so I kept going, thinking she'd be OK once she saw we were at school. I've actually been switching up the routes we take for a couple of months now, just to keep her from getting too rigid in her routine.

So yeah, I forgot. I forgot that our girl doesn't have neurons that fire like everyone else, and that she just can't drastically change (in her mind) her routine at will, and that she has to get used to new things on her own time, not rushed because Mommy's running late again.

We get to school and she's still in meltdown mode. I get her to calm a little in the car, but by then, school has already started. We got there on time, BTW, due to my amazing new shortcut, but at what cost? We sit in the car for another half hour. Once calmed, we make our way to the front door, she starts freaking again (maybe the blustery wind?) and breaks away from me. I grab her because I don't want her to get hurt in the parking lot, and carry her back to the door, her kicking and screaming the whole way. I get the door open and she drops to the ground still kicking and screaming when I felt a hand on my shoulder behind me, saying "I'll take her, mom, it's ok". It was her teacher and case worker from last year, Ms. Paula, the one who was instrumental in turning our girl's life around and showing her how to shine.

Autism has taught me many things, some bad, like how judgemental people can be, but mostly good, like taking time to think about things from other perspectives, the value of patience (still working on that!) and the goodness and kind-heartedness of our community. That I'll never forget.

Thank you Ms. Paula and my dear friend Jorgi. I'm eternally grateful for all the hard work you do.

Nugget

Halloween Festivites, Partay!

I promised pics, and I deliver! A couple of weeks ago, Hubby Nugget and I headed up to the great state of Iowa to partake in the annual "Lazy K Ranch Halloween Party." Apologies to my Facebook friends who have already seen these!

Hubby Nugget and I went as the Progressive Insurance Girl and the Verizon Guy:

My brother and sister-in-law were the Kennedys, after the shooting:

I present the Bobbits....

...and the dismembered member:

Before you get too grossed out, it was made of bologna. And ketchup.

Jello shots are never a good idea:

The naughty pumpkin!

One couple came as the painting American Gothic (by Grant Wood):

It was such an awesome idea that we all had to give it a try:

We HAD to have HN pose with the group to get a "Verizon Network" photo op:

That was so awesome! Finally, witness Hubby Nugget chillin in the coffin that decorated the front yard:

You just can't beat that!

Good times,

Nugget

Bookclubbing

Back in the day, I was in a bookclub of sorts. It was populated by like minded sorts, and was devoted to all things Arty. It went on for quite some time, a few years even. At first we met once a week at a local coffee shop (thereby augmenting my caffeine addiction), and discussed an article or chapter that someone had chosen. Then it was every two weeks, then once a month, you get the idea. Eventually I engaged in the madness that was a PhD program and drifted away, although by then it was really kaput anyway. On the bright side, I formed wonderful friendships with my two remaining girlies, A & R. No readings anymore, just hangin with my girls.

So why the nostalgia? Well, since I came to my senses about the advanced degree, I have had a hankerin to read for fun. I've been pecking away at this one book for awhile, but I find I really need the discipline of deadlines to really accomplish said reading enjoyment. Reading for fun seems so...wrong. Which is crazy, I know, but after years of my advisor asking why I was reading such and such, it's not scholarly enough to use in my dissertation, blah, blah, blah, it kind of gets drilled in your head that books are work. You use them for research, you write them, you don't read them for entertainment.

I guess what I'm saying is I'm looking to join a book club. I see this thing on Facebook, so I might check that out. But still might be kind of cool to join something locally, not virtually. Because I don't drink enough coffee as it is!

All for now,
Nugget

TGIF

Technically, my Friday is Thursday, since I'm off on Fridays, but if I said TGITh yesterday, you'd be like, "what?"

Today is shaping up to be a good day. Oh yeah, someone woke me a little sooner than I would like, but I'm getting used to that after almost 3 years. Some highlights:

• Found an open bag of cedar mulch at the local Lowes for half off, yet still full. That was pretty sweet since I went there to get mulch...


• Scored a super cute Wonder Pets book for the Monkey, Tiny-sized for her wee little Monkey hands, and just the right size for me to lug around in my Little Nugget survival bag. Inspired many verses of the WP theme song in Target.


• Speaking of Target, we had an exceptional outing in that she was the perfect child, one that we rarely see around here. All the mothers were jealous, I could tell. It made me giggle a little because I know better! You take it when you can get it.


• Not that she's a bad child, just spirited. Yes, I said it. Spirited. I've been reading the book by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, "Raising Your Spirited Child: A Guide for Parents whose Child is More Intense, Sensitive, Perceptive, Persistent, Energetic." Spirited. Oh. Hell. Yes.


• Oh and guess what. I took a quiz in that book, and I, apparently, am a spirited parent. No wonder we push each others buttons. Sheesh.


• Oh and we got a free sandwich from the new Chick-fil-a that's opening next week. Mmm...free!


• Tonight we are going out to dinner with a high school friend and her husband, without the Little Nugget! Yea! Uninterrupted adult conversation!!!! Yea! Not that dinner conversation with the Sweet Babygirl is lacking, the "Jabba Jabba Yuppa Pets" is very sweet!

All for now, I haven't had coffee yet! Looks like it will be iced coffee today!

Nugget

A Good Day to be a Lazy Turd

Team Nugget slept in today, didn't even get dressed until noon. Not even strong coffee can rouse us from our grogginess.

Camping was postponed due to medical emergency, D had a reaction to either a virus or prescribed medication and ended up in the hospital yesterday, so we wish the family H a speedy recovery! And as it turns out, it's been rainy all weekend anyway, so it probably just wasn't in the cards this time. Little Nugget will have to wait for her first camping experience just a little bit longer.

So instead, Team Nugget is engaged in a massive spring cleaning campaign, organizing and such. In the garage Hubby Nugget built a fabulous recycling center and abode for our soon-to-be-acquired composting worms. I'm still working on a collective name for our new Team Nugget mascots of topsoil-creating goodness. I will keep you posted, I'm sure you're on pins and needles!

I cleaned the living room, picked up toys, put away things, then moved to Little Nugget's bedroom, did the same, then back out to the living room where she had messed it up again, then back to her bedroom, where she had messed it up again, repeat, repeat, repeat. The final time she managed to sneak out a crayon and mark up the living room. Good times! Anyone know how to get crayon off carpet? Luckily it's not too visible, it might wear off on it's own. If not we'll just put an ottoman over it. :-)

All for now, time to make lunch!
Nugget

Socialpalooza!

Sorry I haven't been around lately, but it seems I have gotten myself overloaded on social networking sites. Two blogs: Team Nugget and one for work; Two Twitter accounts: Team Nugget and one for the Bug (he has more followers than me!); and now Facebook, which has been occupying a lot of time at Chez Nugget (Hubby Nugget signed up for that one too). So when we're not goofin with the Little Nugget lately, we're catching up with old friends and just generally hangin out. Being social is exhausting! But like I told Hubby Nugget, we need to stay up-to-date so we won't end up like those people who don't know how to email (my boss)! We're doing it for the Sweet Babygirl.

And to those friends and family (especially my family) who haven't got on Facebook yet, sign up already! I'll be your friend!

That's all I've got for today, but I will have grand adventures to retell later, we're going camping tomorrow, Little Nugget's first time!!!! Should be *fun*!

Nugget

I just did spell check and it suggested "forsook" instead of Facebook, he-he!

Geeks of the Midwest, Unite!

I am an art historian. Have I ever told you that? I don't remember. I know that I've alluded to my *useless degrees. (*I mean that in the best possible way. That is to say, art and art history are wonderful and interesting courses of study, but they rarely pay the bills.) Anyhoo, I seriously got burned out while pursuing the doctorate, and could no longer stomach the stuff. It just wasn't fun anymore, felt like work (same thing with reading...). Didn't step foot in a museum, except to have lunch with my Visual Resources peeps N & D (see you next week ladies!).

Fast forward to this week, and the annual gathering of regional art historians in a convention-like setting held this year in my fair town. I used to always go to this thing, back in the day when I had mad love for it. I even presented a paper once, in Chicago, 1998 ("Influences of the Decadent Movement in the Art Nouveau Jewelry of Rene Lalique".) That cracks me up, hard to believe that I presented a paper in front of a audience of almost 100 people (people with PhD's!!!)!!! But I can't remember the last one I went to, I just wasn't interested once I went into burn-out mode.

So last week, one of the professors in my department asked if I wanted to go since we're hosting it, I thought, "why not. I'm not paying for it. Plus I get a day out of the office."

You know what? I had fun. It was energizing! All the papers were interesting and I learned a few things I didn't know before. I saw a lot of friends and colleagues I hadn't seen in some time!
And as it turns out, one of my BFFs was presenting a paper! (Little stinker didn't say anything until the last minute!) It was a very good day.

And the best thing, I like art history again!

But no, I am not going back to school to finish the doctorate. You can't make me.

All for now,
Nugget

They might be giants...

but not so much this season. No, instead they are our lovable, dysfunctional foosball team, the Chiefs. It is a difficult thing being a Chiefs fan. It requires equal parts optimism and denial. Well, maybe more denial. But we swear, one of these days, we will be contenders again. Yes, it's a rebuilding year.

So Team Nugget went to the game yesterday, as we are apt to do, and while the players showed up for a couple of quarters, we sadly could not attain the victory we were so desperately seeking.

At least is wasn't a blowout. Because that would just be embarrassing.

So I present to you some lovely photos from a happier time, a game earlier in the season in which we battered the Broncos. Behold.

It was a nice sunny day, and being the giant dumbass that I am, I forgot the sunscreen. So by the end of the game, me and my nugget were cooked like lobsters. They were truly wicked sunburns. We went with two other couples, M&J and G&N, and wouldn't you know that NONE of us brought sunscreen. Team Nugget is a bit pastier than other Teams, so grabbing skin protection really should have been higher up on our to-do list. Oh well.

The breakfast of champions. Oh yeah, the green goo in the pouch is actually guacamole. It's much more appetizing than its packaging suggests.

M&J fired up the grill for burgers--yum!!!

We also forgot to bring the bottle opener as we were drinking fancy beer that day, so Hubby Nugget improvised with a pair of tongs!!!

Newlyweds G&N paused to say "cheese!" He-he!

Such a sweet picture of M&J!!!

A sea of red--our stadium is supposed to be the loudest in the league. I haven't been to other stadiums, but I'd have to agree that it's quite a sound when everyone gets fired up.

Go Chiefs!!!!!

Nugget