If I Had To Do It All Over Again, I Would Never

give my son a game system. As a 20 year old young autistic male he doesn't do much else. He goes to online college because we work and he doesn't drive, he works on the weekends because that is when we can drive him to a job and he doesn't try very hard to much of anything except game. 

I understand we are all different but I don't believe game systems would be in his life if I could rewind things and do it all again. 

Not just for him but for all the folks he is playing online with during the day and evening. I see it for myself and my husband, even my very talented daughter. We sit on the couch from 7:30 pm until bedtime on our respective devices. My husband, his computer researching various interests, my daughter, Pinterest obsessed and myself texting, reading, Facebooking with friends or playing Monopoly with friends on my phone. However, we all are involved with other things, this is our downtime. He does a few classes online, walks up and down the block and games. THAT IS IT! Other than various tasks or chores I give him and things he has to do like litterboxes, garbage and cleaning his room (he needs to be reminded often) he does nothing else. 

I try to throw other things his way but I work from 7:30 to 4:30 and when I get home about 5-5:15 I shower, cook dinner, and get ready for the next door. 

Tablets, phones, computers and game systems have changed us all. I see it with us, I see it in my preschool kids over the past few years. Even this weekend I was at a baby shower and the one child there was on their tablet the whole time and she is no more than 3. She was not engaging with anyone. She was not meeting her extended family, making eye contact, listening to relatives bad jokes or struggling not to laugh while someone plays peek-a-boo or does anything to get you to smile. She was completely and totally engrossed in whatever she enjoys watching on her tablet. Everyone is doing it! We all need to make a conscious effort to CHANGE.  THIS IS NOT HEALTHY and the next generation will struggle making connections. I see it already!

My Life In Pictures September 8 - September 16th

September 8 - Nada

September 9 - First day of school. It is very interesting that they are starting 10th and 11th grade but due to COVID only go to school every other day. Things will one day be the better right? 

September 10 - I love this umbrella for Cats and Dogs 3. So cute. I remember having clear umbrella's when I was a little girl and the kind that come down far like this one are my absolute favorites. 

September 11 - I love this activity for my preschool class. It was so easy to and parents love it. Each child lied on the floor and I measured them. Then cut some string that was the same size as the child, attached it with some painter's tape to a piece of paper with a little poem. You can use anything you like but we love this one. 

September 12 - My husband bought a mannequin to use for a Halloween decoration. I throw some material and chains around him that I got at Dollar Tree as well as the dark makeup. I thought he looked amazing but my husband had other ideas for him. But for a while, this was my guy and I hugged him every time I passed him in the dining room. Don't judge. I like tall guys. 

September 13 - Nada

September 14 - Me hugging Noah! I named him and loved having him in the dining room. 

September 15 - Noah after my husband started changing him. I was not happy but eventually he turned out amazing!!! Still so hard to believe this was just this mannequin we purchased from amazon.

September 16 - This pumpkin we purchased from Michael's a few years ago. It just a ceramic pumpkin but my husband created the most amazing jack-o-lantern that would look like it was flaming due to the light bulb he put in it. 

My Life In Pictures - May 25- 31

May 25 - I have started training my cats with CitiKitty NOT A SPONSOR. Let's see how it goes! 

May 26 - Nada

May 27 - Nada

May 28 - Back at work! It is hot and I cannot breathe but since this is the "new norm" and I am rule follower I wear this muzzle. 

May 29 - Because one was not enough! I needed another. 

May 30 -  We started taking the cats to the deck on a leash. They don't love the process of putting it on but enjoy it once they are out there.

May 31 - The photos your kids send you when you are at work. SMH!

My Life In Pictures - May 17 - 24

May 17 - Nothing

May 18 - Nothing

May 19 - This boy! He is so damn cute!

May 20 - Stopped in to see my classroom. It is so cute with this tent that no one is using these days. My classroom hasn't been used since sometime in March.  One day we will be back to normal right?!

May 21 -  Game review with this girl! We had a great time as usual. I love that she will play board games with me even if they are for younger kids. 

May 22 - Red Neck Cinema  - This is how my husband and I spend our night in the Spring and some of Summer. When it gets too hot we head to the air condition but on beautiful nights when the temps are below 75 we are outside for at least one movie. 

May 23 - My favorite garden decoration has been decorated every day. Just a token of a leaf or flower but I always give him something.

May 24 - Memorial Day ready. We always have a flag flying but this is the one we save for holidays. 

My Life In Pictures - May 1 - May 10

May 1 - My attempt at a dude. Does he look like a dude. Not sure why I find it so hard to draw men without making them look too feminine. 

May 2 - This guy was sunning himself while my husband was cleaning up the side of the yard. He stayed long enough for the whole family to get a nice glimpse of him. Head raised up above the rock. It was odd how long he stayed like that.  He is pretty cute!

May 3 - Jinxy needed a pillow soooo he used the windowsill. Does this look comfortable to anyone? 

May 4 - These girls are pretty cute. 

May 5 - Hot day. Luna stretched out as far as she can. I cannot image this coat of fur when it is 84 and humid. UGH.

May 6 - We had tenants in the bird house for the first time this year. Today all the babies decided was the day to jump and try to fly. They were all over the deck. Hoping, bouncing and this little guy holding onto the screen. It was so tiny and my cats were going crazy. Thankfully there is no way out of the house or these tiny birds wouldn't have stood a change. 

May 7 - Man life is so different. My son went into the pizzeria to grab our Friday night pies. We always do Pizza Friday. He eats a whole pie every single Friday so he is happy to go in.  I just had to grab a photo to remember how weird these times are. 

May 8 - Found on my son's Snapchat. I think this is a compliment right? LOL

May 9 - Got my daughter some light saber chopsticks! They are so cute.  

May 10 - We cleaned out my truck so we could post it on Craigslist. We obviously had different opinions of how the day was. I enjoyed my time with her. 

My Life In Pictures - April 23 - 30

April 23 - OMG I am in love with my daughter's cardboard and Exacto knife artwork. So pretty!

April 24 - It was a beautiful night. These are my favorite color combinations. 

April 25 - The drawing prompt was Quest. She said she was drawing  girl on a boat looking over at the waves and the horizon but she is not sure it looks like she is on a boat. I saw it before she even told me what it was.

April 26 - The Kramer has been bestowed to the girl. After sitting in a guitar bag for over 17 years my husband finally relinquished his beloved guitar to our daughter. They may have not thought it was a big deal that needed to be memorialized but I thought it was beautiful. Shot taken over my shoulder to not take away from the moment ♥️

 

April 27 - Scrapbooking some old pics from my grandparents house and wanted to add some paper beside photos. Found this letter from my Uncle dated June 17 1969 from when he was in the Army. We should all get back to writing. I love that my grandparents kept this letter inside the envelope.  

April 28 - I haven't been to my classroom since March 13th but with my preschool still open and a few of my kids and co-workers still there I decided to drop off some fun Summer items for them to play with and my co-worker requested dark chocolate. It was nice to see them all and I was happy to do it!

April 29 - The prompt was sprout. I am amazed how she takes a prompt and thinks outside the box using her own skills and style. I would have probably put a little bud in a planter but this is why she is an artist and I am a doodler.

April 30 - My little doodle. She reminds me of Pat Benetar for some reason and I think it is because of her mouth. 

My Life In Pictures - April 11 - April 17

April 11 - The prompt for the art my daughter is doing on Instagram was Glow. I think she nailed it!

April 12 - Thankfully I did a little Easter shopping when Valentine's Day ended. It was a bit different. The kids kept saying it was the first Easter they didn't spend at their Abuela's

April 13 - We never have a good view of rainbows near us but after a storm I headed out to see if I could see any and saw the most beautiful rainbow. It was a double and so vibrant. Because of my location I couldn't get a good view but was thrilled to be able to see it! Always look for the rainbow. It is amazing how good it makes you feel. Just a reminder that no matter what storm you are going through in your life, light will return. Hang in there!

April 14 - These are the worst birthday photos I have ever taken but my Goddess turned 15. I cannot believe it. Time flies. She had a great day and we all decided to that we didn't need a huge cake in the house so I did some of her favorite cookies and a few slices of Shoprite cheesecake. My family loves it.

April 15 - I have been putting books and movies in a milk crate with a FREE sign and an announcement on Facebook. Knowing that kids are home from school and I have a ton of read for a review/like new books I hoped to give them away to anyone who wanted them. 

April 16 - Goddess' drawing prompt was unite. I love her interpretation. 

April 17 -  Someone had a dirty butt so they needed a bath. Poor baby. She was not a happy camper but you have to do what you have to do. 

 

My Life In Pictures - April 1 - April 10

April 1 - My husband started his Spring garden which means I lose the top of my microwave stand because this window gets the most sun for a few weeks.

April 2 - Hung out with my daughter in the temporary greenhouse. It was sunny but cold. She did her homework and I did some reading. It was a great day. 

April 3 - Drew a photo of my daughter reading or was she doing art on the 2nd but didn't take a photo until the 3rd to share on my Insta? What do you think? 

April 4 - Slowly filling up the greenhouse. 

April 5 -  Nothing

April 6 - My son asked for some football photos today for his Snapchat/Instapages. No problem. I took about 50 in 6 minutes.

April 7 - This doesn't happen often! All three cats in one pic! 

April 8 - My first digital art! Don't laugh. 

April 9 - My daughter did an art challenge for the month of April. Her pieces were impressive. Look at hers compared to mine above. It's actually laughable.

April 10 -  Life is very different these days. Seeing my kids in masks every time we leave the house is weird.  It is also weird that a few months in we have gotten use to seeing everyone wear one. It is the norm. Never saw this as the future.