Stay-cation Week IV
by Steve West on August 14, 2008

Brenda had a minor medical procedure today so we dropped the girls at Grandma's house for the majority of the day. Got through the procedure and had a nice lunch (just the two of us) at a local restaurant. I had a steak sandwich that was very tasty except it was served on ciabatta bread. While the bread was fresh and had a wonderful aroma, it was chewy. I don't like chewy bread as a sandwich option although it's quite nice as a companion roll. The harder you bite to get through the bread the more likely the contents of your sandwich will escape the other side. And it was loaded with pickle, onion, lettuce, tomato and roasted plantain slices with chipotle mayo. And the appetizer was pulled pork raviolis that were pan-fried and served with a spicy barbecue dipping sauce. Yummy.
Came home and Brenda and I took a well deserved nap for an hour. She was recovering from her mild trauma of her doctor visit while I'm still recovering from yesterday (Ha!). Picked up the girls, lost a few games of Rock Block and now am taking the girls to Vacation Bible School which they've been doing all week along with everything else. Been a great stay-cation so far with Hershey Park on the horizon.
One Reply to Stay-cation Week IV
Web Junkie
Steve West scours the Web searching for interest or absurdity and then shakes his head ruefully when he finds it. Read more »

Back to School Night
We just got back from the titular event and I have to say, I love my kids' school. Lauren is in 3rd grade and Olivia is in the autism program in 1st grade. Lauren has one teacher and Olivia has at least three (more if you count her speech therapist, occupational therapist, and physical therapist). Go »
Sleep, Really?
Recent conversation with Brenda: Me: (after winning the wishbone break) Dead chicken says I get my wish. Brenda: What did you wish for? Me: What's your greatest fantasy? Go »
Special Olympics
"Special Olympics athletes are spokespersons for freedom itself - they ask for the freedom to live, the freedom to belong, the freedom to contribute, the freedom to have a chance. And, of all the values that unite and inspire us to seek a better world, no value holds a higher place than the value of freedom." - Eunice Kennedy Shriver Olivia's participation in today's Special Olympics was incredibly uplifting for me and Brenda. Go »
Odds & Ends
Yesterday, Lauren and I went to Toby's Dinner Theatre for her birthday and saw Happy Days, the musical. I was never a big fan of the series but had seen enough of it to get the inside jokes and references to the old sitcom. A few of the groaners included not seeing Chuck for a few years now, the Fonz not being the same since he jumped the shark and Richie commenting on his usual ability to solve problems in just one-half hour. Go »
Strike Two
Brenda and I attended a school meeting today to discuss the battery of assessments needed to properly develop an education plan for Olivia. After hearing the assessments from the primary teacher, occupational therapist, speech therapist and physical therapist, we got to the part that was a stunner to say the least - the school psychologist. After giving her report which mimicked the other reports to a large degree, she informed us that she felt it was time to officially put it in the record that Olivia was intellectually disabled. Go »










Amy Austin | August 15, 2008
Great. Could you make me any hungrier???