Where have I been???

Hello everyone,

Sorry to have taken such a long time to write in the blog!!! Unfortunately, there has been some "stuff" going on and we've had to focus elsewhere for a while. Please be patient with us!

As soon as we get some things taken care of I promise we will be blogging fools!

Keep checking in............

Brandon Out!

What happened to the sun???

Hello again!

It's been a week since the last blog - I try hard to write often but sometimes the days get away from me !
The week was pretty good, nothing to terribly exciting happened. I've been looking forward to Easter Sunday when my grandpa and grandma come over to play!! Grandpa usually hides the Easter eggs and I work reall hard to find them all - and the goodies they put inside them!!

Saturday we went for a motorcycle ride..........twice! First, we rode over to Jacobs house, his mom was cutting Cindy's hair that day. After that, Tracy and Jacob rode with us to Nycole's house for a short visit and then we rode out to Buckley for a burger and a shake at Wally's drive in - That's me on the left.......

After that, we headed home and just as we pulled in the driveway Rick, our neighbor, came by on his bike. Rick is new in town so he doesn't know a lot of the area so, we led him on a nice 50 mile ride to Wilkenson, Buckley, Mud Mountain Dam, Cumberland and then home............it was a lot of fun.

Brandon has been riding on the back of the motorcycle sinc 2007 - he started when he was 11 years old. He learned to hang on and just enjoy it. He hates to wear hats but he learned that if he wanted to ride the motorcycle, he had to wear a helmet...........now, he has his own helmet, chaps and jacket. He has informed me that he wants some boots also..........yes prince Brandon.
Seriously, he is a really good rider, a lot of folks don't understand that he gets it - he knows what he is suppose to do and he does it. We rode 90 miles Saturday and he was terriffic - until his butt went to sleep!! LOL..........

Well, it's late and we need our beauty sleep...........talk again soon!

Brandon Out!

A weekend of Spring Fair Fun!!!!

Hey everybody!!

OMG!!!!!!!!!    I had a MOST AWESOME weekend!! I went to the fair (3) times: A school field trip on Friday then, Friday night we all went to the Monster Truck Show and Saturday, we turned around and went back for SLAMFEST!! What a GREAT weekend - I had a blast!!!!

Indeed we all had a great time this weekend - Friday night we took "B" (that's what we call him for short) to see the Monster Trucks at the fair. It was a little rainy but we were under cover so it was all good. A little slick for the trucks though!! We went to the Monster Jam a few years ago at Tacoma Dome and he thought it was the bomb!! It's so funny, he came home after the show and located every single monster truck he has and started jumpin' over stuff - we even built a make shift ramp so he could "crush" cars!! Friday night when those trucks started up he got so excited we could feel him shaking with excitement!!

Monster Truck Down!!

Saturday we returned to the fair only a bit earlier so we could ride the rides and eat and hang out!! Weather was good so why not right? Brandons favorite ride is the roller coaster so, we had to ride that one before the SLAMFEST and then again after - of course!! (twist my arm..........). Brandon really observed the SLAMFEST figure 8 racing - not sure he was really into that at all............it's all about crashing, jumping cars .....you know.......anyway, he was a little quite until the demolition derby started then he came alive!!

It's true, we all had a great time at the fair but I would also like to share with you a very special moment that touched me deeply...........Friday night at the Monster Truck Show it was Military Appreciation night - a special night indeed. At the beginning of the event, we honored the service men and women and then, they played the The National Anthem and we all stood and faced the flag. I looked at Brandon and without hesitation, he placed his right hand over his heart .......we never told him to do that, he just did it. It was incredible!!! I looked around me and saw other kids, many doing the same as "B" but there were some texting on their phone or talking and goofin' off - I was so touched by this kid of ours!

Goes to show you - keep expanding their minds and encouraging them in every way you can! You might be surprised and what they are capable of..............

After quite an exhausting but fun filled weekend, we go home........and Brandon sleeps!

Brandon Out!

It's all about a girl................

                 Today's blog is dedicated to Brandon's love for his girlfriend Nycole.

I believe there is someone for everyone in this world and don't think for a minute that children/adults with special needs are any different.

Brandon met Nycole a few years ago when he began going to school at Crestwood Elementary. Nycole is a couple years older than Brandon so, they really only spent 1 year in elementary school together then, Nycole moved on to Middle School. It would be 2 years before Brandon would again see Nycole but he never stopped talking about her. Finally, he entered Middle School at Lakeridge and was reunited with his lost love unfortunately, at the end of the school year they would again be seperated. This year Brandon entered High School and has once again been reunited with the love of his life.......Nycole. Fortunately, they can continue in high school until they are 21 (I believe) which means they will be able to FINALLY attend school together for more than a year at a time!!

Brandon rides the bus to and from school everyday while Nycole is dropped off at school but rides the bus home. We heard that Brandon would get off the bus at school and wait for Nycole to arrive. When she got there, he would take her hand and walk her in to class. I think this is absolutely adorable and so did Nycoles mom. We contacted each other and began to merge into one big(er) family - these 2 young lovers needed to have the opportunity to "date" - basically spend time together outside of school.

Nycole and Brandon at Bonney Lake's Pack the Gym night for the Special Olympic Basketball Team.
 Brandon participated in the individual skills portion.

We first went over to Nycoles house and spent time getting to know her mom, dad, sisters, aunt, etc.... even the goldens! Next, they brought Nycole to our home and they got to know us (and Brandon's environment) better. We have all become like one big happy family now, thanks to Nycole and Brandon - and Nycoles sister Danielle often sits with Brandon for us.

We are fortunate to have Nycole and her family in our life and it warms my heart to see her and Brandon together. Talk about pure unspoiled love (for all the right reasons) - then you are talking about Brandon and Nycole.

In the next blog I wll tell you about the train trip we went on for Brandon's birthday - Nycole and her mom joined us. It's a great story and I am pretty sure you will be laughing very hard when you hear it.......trust me, you can't make this stuff up!!  (".)

Brandon out -

LATER DUDES!!!!

Who's Really on Vacation?

Hello -

I know it's been a week since our last blog however, the adults left for a week and went on a road trip to Reno, Tahoe, California and up the coast. Of course while we were gone Brandon was on his own vacation with no parents to boss him around! He was living the dream of many 15 year olds.......staying in a house with a young attractive gal who watched over him and the house. Of course this gal was his girlfriends older sister so, he better behave right? (LOL)

He also was pampered by his girlfriends mom, his teacher at school and everyone else he came in contact with because they all figured he was a little out of sorts because we were gone. I for one believe that he was having the time of his life - no one to boss him around, good looking women with him every night, excellent meal preperation.........Hello???? What guy wouldn't be eatin' this up???

So tell me again - who was really on vacation????

Brandon out -

(More later after we settle back in...............)

A little more part II.......

Oh dear - he's got that look again...........

I remember one night about 9 years ago now, Brandon was 6 years old and the batteries in his "Kermit" were dying and Kermit was talking very slow. Brandon had a fit - tears were pouring from his eyes and he was "scream crying", usual behavior when something quit working. I decided right then that I was NOT going to let "batteries" control my life any longer. I stood there with the screw driver in one hand and batteries in the other and I looked him straight in the eye and told him to stop crying and I would fix it for him. Well, obviously this didn't work on the first take - that would have been a divine miracle - however, I held my ground and eventually he stopped crying and I changed the batteries for him. I continued this lesson religiously and one day he handed me Kermit and I asked him if it needed batteries and he shook his head "yes". I was busy so, I told him to set it on the counter and I will do it in a minute and he sat it down and walked away - no crying - no screaming - he understood.

We began to use this "exercise" in many different situations that needed to be addressed and I know it has helped him to be more open to change, become more patient and helped him to learn and understand better. The most important thing is that we make sure we follow through with what we tell him but then again, don't you expect that from others? It wasn't always easy, this exercise was trying on both of us but it's calmed him down, taught him patience and helped his brain to learn a different behavior. Perserverence is the key.

Brandon has come so far in the past 9 years and he continues to grow and learn every day. This year he competed in "Special Olympics" through school - bowling and basketball (individual skills class). He absolutely loved it and believe it or not, he's pretty good at shooting baskets! He took the bronze in the Bremerton Tournament for scoring the most points in his age group.

I must admit that once you experience these kids competing in special olympics athletics, you realize that they are capable of so much more than you ever knew possible.........what a great program.

Brandon out -


Pack The Gym Night at Sumner High School
He shoots and he scores!!



A little more...........

Spring break has gone pretty good, considering the weather sucks. Of course Danielle, who has been staying with Brandon, may completely disagree.

Monday Cooper, the little ankle bitter, got loose in the house and because he didn't know her, he began to bark at her and show his teeth. This would then prompt Austin, the Rotweiller/Shepard, to get up and protect Danielle by puttng Cooper in his place which usually results in Cooper rolling over and putting his hands in the air.Yesterday, Danielle locked herself in the garage (with the ankle bitter) and because Brandon was sound asleep upstairs, she was in quite a predicament. Unfortunately, she pushed a button that opened the garage door and Cooper, who also happens to be quite a runner, escaped. Now, Danielle is locked out of the house and Cooper is on the loose. Although this hasn't been the easiest week for Danielle, she has done a fantastic job and there has been no harm done to anyone or anything. So relax Danielle - you done great!!
I will pay for any and all therapy...............

Brandon is very, very good about entertaining himself and considering that he has been out of school all this week one might think he would be getting difficult to keep busy however, that's not the case. Although routine is a big part of Brandon's day and school is part of that routine, Brandon has gotten so much better at accepting change in his world.

There was a time that something as simple as replacing batteries in a toy created major meltdowns in Brandons world - MY GAWD! THE TOY QUIT MAKING MUSIC!!!!!!!! I tell you, we frantically searched for batteries and tools to change them so that the screaming and crying would stop!! All part of the Autism.

Brandon used to come home from school and scan the house to see what was different - what was moved or replaced or new - he always spotted what ever it was when it occurred. Don't be fooled into thinking that your special needs child isn't smart - they are smarter than you give them credit for.

One day I experimented - I moved a tiny figurine, maybe 3 inches tall, from one place to another and would you believe he noticed it was moved right away! Not only did he notice it had been moved but he searched the house, found it and returned it to it's original place. I found it so interesting how his mind worked. He doesn't do that as often now or at the same intense level as he did then because he has learned to accept changes however, there was a time that it mattered to him and would throw his world off  kilter until things were as they were suppose to be - the way that Brandon knew they were suppose to be.

Fascinating don't you think?

Brandon out -

We miss you every day Kendall