As mentioned in my previous blog entry, we went on our annual ski trip to Holiday Valley in Ellicottville, NY. Again, we rented a house big enough for four families. It was us minus Bob (he had a soccer tournament and hates to ski), Topher and Mags' family, Willie and Ami's family and Meryl and Goldie's family plus one of Meryl's friends, Lulu.
On our first full day there, we went to a private resort that is open to the public during the week. It is called Holimont. Initially, we thought it was crowded (the lodge was crowded) since they were having a contractor's outing. Once we got off the lifts, it was surprisingly open. The runs were nice and long, which is similar to Holiday Valley. The weather was perfect (26 degrees) and the mountain views were beautiful! We took a break for lunch and ate in the lodge. The food was pricey, but it was delicious.
That night for dinner, the ladies made quesadillas. SJ had a gluten free tortilla quesadilla. The quesadillas were delicious. That evening, the girls decided to go out into the hot tub and the boys played video games. The girls came in after 30 minutes. Right after they came in, SJ came out of the room he was sharing with Topher and Willie. He went into our bedroom and put on his swimsuit. I asked him, "Are you going in the hot tub with the boys?" He looked at me and asked, "Aren't the girls still out there?" I told him, "No, they just came in to shower." You should have seen his face. He looked so disappointed. He let out a huff and turned around to change back into his regular clothes. That made all the adults chuckle and then Meryl and Goldie's dad said, "Another boy that I now have to worry about." We all laughed harder.
The next day, we went to Holiday Valley. We skied all day! It was a little warm for skiing (37 degrees), but we still had a great day. We took a break for lunch, but that only lasted about 30 minutes. The food was still pricey, but not as good as the food at Holimont. The kids started getting tired around 4, so we went back to the house to get ready for dinner.
We tried to go into town to eat at the Brewery, but the wait was too long. We ended up at the Restaurant Depot, an old train station that they turned into a restaurant. It was a wing, pizza and beer place. I have to say the food was incredible. Maybe the best pizza that I have ever had! It was a quirky place with knick knacks all over the walls and ceilings. The kids loved it.
After we returned home, all the kids decided to get in the hot tub. They were playing "Truth or Snow". If you didn't want answer some embarrassing question, then you had to jump out of the hot tub and do a snow angel, etc. SJ told me later that Willie asked him a question, but he didn't tell the "whole truth". Since he told "half of the truth", he didn't do the snow dare. Stinker!
Our last day of skiing, we went back to Holiday Valley. It was unseasonable warm (48 degrees), which is a little too warm for skiing. The snow was very slushy and bare in some spots. We skied for a few hours and then went to lunch at The Gin Mill. This restaurant was at best a "dive", but the food was yummy there too. We bonused out on the food on this trip. After lunch was finished, we drove home. Can't wait until next year!
Friday, February 26, 2016
how to ski with one functioning arm...
A few days after SJ broke his hand, we were due to go on our ski trip. This caused A LOT of extra stress. My husband looked at multiple stores for an extra large mitten that could fit over his bulky cast. He bought a fairly large set, but it didn't fit when SJ tried it on. We started to look online to see if there were any other suggestions (he couldn't be the first person to ski with a cast). It was suggested to use either a wool sock or an oven mitt. Hmm...how silly would he look with an oven mitt on his hand?
We decided to go with the oven mitt. My husband found a black mitt at Wal-Mart. He said he would just slip it over the cast. Sounds simple, right? Wrong! It was too small to fit correctly over the cast too. I suggested cutting the oven mitt. My husband thought about it and decided it was the only solution. He would just have to tape the mitt up after his hand was in it.
Our first day of skiing, there was much complaining when we were getting SJ ready to start. He was moaning about the oven mitt and then about the difficulty of holding the pole with the mitt. We suggested that he only use one pole. He tried that initially, but deemed it too difficult. "So, are you not going to ski?," I questioned him. "Nope. I am going to ski. Just with no poles, Mom," he said matter-of-factly. I didn't know how he was going to do that, but that is exactly what he did. He skied better with no poles than I do with two poles. The other kids also tried to ski without their poles, but told SJ that he was a rock star for skiing without poles. Occasionally, my husband let him borrow one of his poles if we had a slight upgrade to climb or give him a push when we were on a flat area.
He went down greens (easy), blues (medium), blacks (hard) and even did the terrain parks...all without poles and only one functioning arm. Obviously, if you love to ski, you will find a way!
We decided to go with the oven mitt. My husband found a black mitt at Wal-Mart. He said he would just slip it over the cast. Sounds simple, right? Wrong! It was too small to fit correctly over the cast too. I suggested cutting the oven mitt. My husband thought about it and decided it was the only solution. He would just have to tape the mitt up after his hand was in it.
Our first day of skiing, there was much complaining when we were getting SJ ready to start. He was moaning about the oven mitt and then about the difficulty of holding the pole with the mitt. We suggested that he only use one pole. He tried that initially, but deemed it too difficult. "So, are you not going to ski?," I questioned him. "Nope. I am going to ski. Just with no poles, Mom," he said matter-of-factly. I didn't know how he was going to do that, but that is exactly what he did. He skied better with no poles than I do with two poles. The other kids also tried to ski without their poles, but told SJ that he was a rock star for skiing without poles. Occasionally, my husband let him borrow one of his poles if we had a slight upgrade to climb or give him a push when we were on a flat area.
He went down greens (easy), blues (medium), blacks (hard) and even did the terrain parks...all without poles and only one functioning arm. Obviously, if you love to ski, you will find a way!
basketball highlights...running time under 180 seconds
SJ continued to attend all the practices and basketball games even though he couldn't do much. I felt it was important to complete what he started and realize that he was still a part of the team. A few days before the season was finished, I asked him what he did during practice. "Practice dribbling with my left hand and I help rebound the balls," he said. I know it is not much, but he is still observing the other players and somewhat practicing.
During games, he would sit in the stand with another player, who also has a broken arm. They would get the players water bottles and organize the warm up shirts. I talked to Mr. Hooper one evening before the season was complete. I inquired if SJ may just try to be the equipment manager next year. He thought that was a good idea, so I may suggest that to SJ next year.
I asked SJ if he liked playing basketball. He said, "Yeah, but I am still not better than Bob. That is why I joined Mom. I wanted to beat Bob at basketball." The problem is Bob is a natural athlete. He tends to be good at most of sports. "Just keep at it, SJ. Maybe next year, you will be better than Bob," I reassured him.
At the end of the season, they had a banquet for the coaches and players. It was at a local restaurant in their banquet room. They had chicken fingers, pizza, fries, popcorn and cupcakes. All of SJ's favorites! He had a great time at the banquet. He came home with a new shirt (long sleeve t-shirt, which is not his favorite) and he said he had fun. Even though his total playing was under 180 seconds, he was a part of team and made new friends. That is priceless.
During games, he would sit in the stand with another player, who also has a broken arm. They would get the players water bottles and organize the warm up shirts. I talked to Mr. Hooper one evening before the season was complete. I inquired if SJ may just try to be the equipment manager next year. He thought that was a good idea, so I may suggest that to SJ next year.
I asked SJ if he liked playing basketball. He said, "Yeah, but I am still not better than Bob. That is why I joined Mom. I wanted to beat Bob at basketball." The problem is Bob is a natural athlete. He tends to be good at most of sports. "Just keep at it, SJ. Maybe next year, you will be better than Bob," I reassured him.
At the end of the season, they had a banquet for the coaches and players. It was at a local restaurant in their banquet room. They had chicken fingers, pizza, fries, popcorn and cupcakes. All of SJ's favorites! He had a great time at the banquet. He came home with a new shirt (long sleeve t-shirt, which is not his favorite) and he said he had fun. Even though his total playing was under 180 seconds, he was a part of team and made new friends. That is priceless.
Thursday, February 18, 2016
after school speech 18
At this week's speech session, I was able to take SJ. Normally, I can't, since I work fairly far from where we live. I picked SJ and Topher up from basketball practice (his dad was running late) and dropped him off at his house. SJ and I then went directly to therapy. He questioned why we would be getting there "so" early (we arrived 20 minutes before 6), but I reminded him that I was going to stop at McDonald's to get him some dinner.
I picked up his "usual" order (2 double hamburgers-no pickles, large fry and a medium Hi-C orange) and he ate in the car of the therapy parking lot. I hadn't met his new therapist yet and wasn't sure what her name was. A lady came out to the lobby and SJ went back with her. It was not someone I recognized.
After the 30 minute session, she and SJ came back to the lobby and he went directly to the car. I stood to introduce myself and told her I was SJ's mom. She said she was wondering who was the unfamiliar lady in the lobby, but SJ said he didn't know (stinker!). Anyhow...she was very nice and said she would have made him introduce me if she knew that I was his mom.
She told me he had a good session. She said he did a much better job keeping his hands and the rest of his body still during the session. She said they worked on emotions. She gave him an emotions word and he had to tell her a synonym for that word that was a little or a lot of the emotion. Here are the words:
Next, she worked on emotions in social situations. She did a few exercises with him on how to express his emotions in social situations. That will be a valuable skill going forward. I told her that we would be cancelling the next few sessions due to basketball games.
I picked up his "usual" order (2 double hamburgers-no pickles, large fry and a medium Hi-C orange) and he ate in the car of the therapy parking lot. I hadn't met his new therapist yet and wasn't sure what her name was. A lady came out to the lobby and SJ went back with her. It was not someone I recognized.
After the 30 minute session, she and SJ came back to the lobby and he went directly to the car. I stood to introduce myself and told her I was SJ's mom. She said she was wondering who was the unfamiliar lady in the lobby, but SJ said he didn't know (stinker!). Anyhow...she was very nice and said she would have made him introduce me if she knew that I was his mom.
She told me he had a good session. She said he did a much better job keeping his hands and the rest of his body still during the session. She said they worked on emotions. She gave him an emotions word and he had to tell her a synonym for that word that was a little or a lot of the emotion. Here are the words:
Joy Happy Excited
Fear Scared/Tense Terrified
Disgust Nauseous/Bored Grossed Out
Sadness Sad/Disappointed Depressed
Anger Frustrated Enraged
Next, she worked on emotions in social situations. She did a few exercises with him on how to express his emotions in social situations. That will be a valuable skill going forward. I told her that we would be cancelling the next few sessions due to basketball games.
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
mom, the wall was padded...
Last Wednesday, I got a phone call at work from Mr. Hooper, SJ's basketball coach. He was calling to ask me to come retrieve SJ from practice early. "What happened?" I asked him. "Well....we were having a scrimmage and SJ's team lost. I told them that they would have to run laps. SJ didn't want to run laps and got very agitated. Then, he punched the padded wall under the basketball hoop," he said. "I am not calling you about the behavior, but I am calling because SJ seems to be in a lot of pain," he added. I am actually shaking my head in disbelief, but I am not actually that surprised that this situation occurred. "I think it might be broken," the coach stated further. "Okay. I can't come get him, but I will have my husband leave work shortly. Thanks for letting us know," I embarrassingly stated.
I hung up the phone call with Mr. Hooper and called my husband. He didn't answer, so I had to text him.
I met my husband and SJ at the Urgent Care Center. I gave my husband his medical card and went to the gym (my husband said there was no need for both of us to be there). Before I was done with my workout, I received a text from my husband.
I hung up the phone call with Mr. Hooper and called my husband. He didn't answer, so I had to text him.
Me: Can you go get SJ now? He slammed the wall with this hand. The coach said he is in a lot of pain.
He is having trouble keeping it together.
Husband: OkI left work 20 minutes later. On my way to meet my husband at the Urgent Care Center, SJ called me on the phone. He was crying. He said, "Mom, I know you are going to be so mad at me. My team lost the scrimmage and Mr. Hooper said we had to run laps. I was so mad! I didn't want to lose and I didn't want to run laps. I punched the padded wall. I didn't think it would hurt this bad, since it was padded," he rambled to me. I replied, "I am not mad, but I am really disappointed in your behavior. You are 13 years old. You need to learn to hold it together when you are mad. Now, you may have a broken hand. You won't be able to play basketball for the rest of the season and I don't know if you will be able to ski." This response from me made his crying worse. Okay, I know you are thinking I should feel bad for him, but I can't believe he would do something so dumb (I am aware that teenage boys do dumb things). "You should have just run the laps," I said and SJ hung up the phone.
I met my husband and SJ at the Urgent Care Center. I gave my husband his medical card and went to the gym (my husband said there was no need for both of us to be there). Before I was done with my workout, I received a text from my husband.
Husband: Fractured the bone on the outside of the hand. Temp cast. Need to see ortho. He can wear my mittens for skiing.
Me: Better than a worse break.My husband took SJ to the Orthopedic doctor the next day. He left with a half cast. The doctor said he was to come back in 4 weeks. He said he could ski with the cast, but asked him to be careful. When are 13 year old boys ever careful?
This will be his fashion accessory for the next 4 weeks. He was very sad when he got home from school, since he had trouble writing (why is it always the writing hand?). He was also upset that he wouldn't be able to participate in his new elective, Competitive Edge (an extra gym class), while he had the cast on. I felt bad for him briefly, but then got irritated at him for his very poor choice. "So, what are you going to do the next time you are mad?" I asked him. He said, "Punch the punching bag in the garage." I told him, "That would be a much wiser choice." Hopefully, he learned something from this. He will probably never punch that wall again, but he may kick it. Boys!
8th grade tutoring #7 and #8
Last week, Mrs. Banks had to cancel SJ's tutoring session due to her being ill. He did have two sessions in the month of January. They are still reading Toilet Paper Tigers. Mrs. Banks told me at session #7 that SJ was a little distracted, but he was still able to answer the questions that she proposed to him. She was a somewhat surprised but in a pleasant way.
At session #8, she said he was much more focused and on task. She thought he might have forgotten the material from two weeks earlier, but he was directing her as to where they left off. She said he read really well and was not as "fidgety" as he was at the previous session. She said they are almost finished with the book. At this point, she wasn't sure what the next book selection was going to be. I hope he will enjoy it as much as he is enjoying this one.
That evening, my husband and I had a chat about the tutoring. Mrs. Banks is doing a wonderful job, but SJ always expresses that he wishes he wasn't in tutoring. My husband feels that he could read with SJ, but I want to continue to have Mrs. Banks come to tutor SJ. I feel that kids pay more attention when they are working with someone other than their parents. We tabled the discussion for now and will continue to have Mrs. Banks come to tutor SJ.
At session #8, she said he was much more focused and on task. She thought he might have forgotten the material from two weeks earlier, but he was directing her as to where they left off. She said he read really well and was not as "fidgety" as he was at the previous session. She said they are almost finished with the book. At this point, she wasn't sure what the next book selection was going to be. I hope he will enjoy it as much as he is enjoying this one.
That evening, my husband and I had a chat about the tutoring. Mrs. Banks is doing a wonderful job, but SJ always expresses that he wishes he wasn't in tutoring. My husband feels that he could read with SJ, but I want to continue to have Mrs. Banks come to tutor SJ. I feel that kids pay more attention when they are working with someone other than their parents. We tabled the discussion for now and will continue to have Mrs. Banks come to tutor SJ.
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