Mystical Winter WonderLand! Just Beautiful!

Winter WonderLand at the Icenhour's House!

That's My Snow Baby! Man, he just didn't know what to do with this stuff!

Cameron's First Real Snow EVER!

Here is my Beautiful son in my front yard playing in his FIRST EVER SNOW! He couldn't figure out for the life of him what that "stuff" was but he was picking it up and rolling it up in a ball! I will take more pictures when it starts to pile up! What fun is this? WHAAAAAA HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Friggin Pissed and Overly Aggravated!

Man, the Flipping weather! If I had a NORMAL kid, I wouldn't be as pissed but I know "IT" is a coming! What I mean by that, is I have already gotten a dose of "my daily dose" from the last shot of snow and sleet that we got. Don't get me wrong, I love a pretty snow, so much as a kid and even more now, but anytime it snows or sleets and icing over on the roads, that means the state assistance for Cameron does not happen and I am trying my darnest to keep him "happy" ALL DAY! It is nothing about me and all about HIM.. so anyone doing a challenge, trying to eat right or even get some rest, well that all WENT STRAIGHT TO HELL IN A HAND BASKET! It took me pretty much until late afternoon to get my cardio in yesterday and it wasn't a "normal" cardio session, improvised but nonetheless, I got it done and felt good about it, but my son kept interrupting me and so in order to keep my heart rate up, I had to improvise and run around my main floor of my house, which is the living room, dining room, kitchen and entrance way about 20 times and each time I ran through where he was, he either threw a truck or train at me, jumped at my legs or yelled at me, guess I was "bothering" him! Go Figure! Man, life is just too hard some days, isn't it and today, well he has been very difficult to handle. He has had two meltdowns, thus resulted in more holes in my walls, made by his little trains, so his trains went up in the closet, and so he is very mad at me about that and spit at me... Yes, he spit at me. Well I have to get ready to do some math,,, write more later.

Update, it turned out that my tutor was able to show up and I got my quiz done and made a 88. Happy about that and got my workout in, so all in all, the mission was accomplished!

Made a Hard Decision today!

Every morning, my son and Rocky, my dog has a fight and one usually my son comes out with stratches. Now my dog is not mean at all, just big and my son, Cameron being autistic does not understand really how to treat animals. He can be rough and has hurt the dog by grabbing his groin area and squeezing really hard. Every morning, is so stressful and I am sad to say that I am going to give my dog Rocky to a new home. I have found someone, a Dad and son duo, whoes son is 13 and I am sure would be a great companion for Rocky. So today will be his last day in the house and I am in tears but I know it is the best for Cameron and my stress levels. Hope I am doing the right thing here.

Closing the 1st Week of my 2008 BFL Challenge!

Yes Yes Yes, the first week is written in History and I topped it off today with one heck of a Cardio Session burning 324 calories on my New Baby, the BowFlex TreadClimber and took a very short break to get my weights together and did my Entire Upper Body! I increased my weight with my Back and Chest Exercises in the dumbbells and Nautilus portions of the workout however I did feel some sharp pains from my right shoulder. Still having some trouble out of that tendon over there so I had to baby it just a little. "NOT TOO MUCH!"

Ate clean this week, trying to pick out what I want as a Free Meal on Sunday! I will let it just happen, then I won't worry about it. Drinking alot of water and I have noticed my Ice Tea and Diet Soda is lasting ALOT LONGER! :)- Off to do some Pre-Calculus! YUCK! Have a great day!

Updated Pictures of Home Gym!

Well since it wouldn't let me write anything with the pictures without making the page 5 feet long, I decided to do it and another post. The first picture is a wide view if I was standing in the back part of the gym at the mirrors and facing towards the door. I have hung a few more posters, some personal, some military, kind of gives you an idea of what I am seeing when I am back there working out!


Second photos is of my favorite corner in the gym, the EAS Corner, it has my pictures of when I drove 5 hours in rush hour traffic in 1999 in Northern California to see Bill, Shawn, their mother and Porter at a Book Signing in the Local Mall! One of the Best Days of my Life!

Third Photo is of my New Addition to my Gym Family! My BowFlex TreadClimber. Just got it the day AFTER Christmas, Yeah that's right! But it also turns into a stairstepper and a treadmill with a 10% incline if you so desire, didn't know that one until I read the instruction manual! So MEN read the directions! :)-

This week was my first week back at working out and I am tired and sore but it is all worth it. Can't believe I have gotten so OUT OF SHAPE! But it doesn't take long, it really doesn't and today was a huge awakening for me! You can NOT hide from the mirror! Can't fool the mirror! The mirror NEVER LIES! Yikes! Have got to get busy! Oh well! Off to the races! Wish me luck and see you at the end of this challenge, then onto another one and another one and another one!

Updated Gym Pictures!

Starting Two New Challenges Simultaneously!

YUP! That is right. This week is PREP week and I am preparing my body to get back into the routine of working out and eating clean. I am so glad the doctor gave me her seal of approval over the phone. She ask me a few questions and told me to take it easy for the first 4 weeks! SURE I WON'T! I want my Banging BODY BACK! I feel like a SLOTH! I am not use to living this way AT ALL and am NOT happy with myself so it is time to get it in gear! My legs are screaming today, all tired and stiff from using my new Tread Climber, JUST LOVE IT!

Well I am signing up for the body for life challenge and the Torch Jacket Challenge! Wish me luck!

Christmas Day at the Icenhour's House!

Overall I guess it could have been a lot worse! I mean concerning Cameron. He loved his room but ask to open presents ALL DAY! Wouldn't shut up about it and of course we ran out! Last night, he opened up 4 gifts at Grandpa Overton's house and still try to take another kid's toys away from him. Oh my, anyway here are some pictures of Cameron, my mom and my dog on christmas day in our new home! Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to CAMERON!

Welcome to CAMERON'S WAY of LEARNING!
Officially Open for Business. Only for the
Special Children in our lives! I am still
posting ABCs and 1 2 3s on the walls but

this is his Christmas Present from me!

I am hoping this is what he needs because

it has pretty much maxed out my credit card!

But he is SO WORTH IT!

Finally this semester is OVER! Wheeeew!

Man oh Man! I am SO GLAD this semester is over! It was the most stressful EVER! If anyone reads my blog and attends college EVER, do whatever you can to NOT TAKE STATISTICS! It SUCKS! BAD! I can't remember hating a class as much as I hated this one and it took a toll on my stress level and free time worrying about the darn thing the whole time. I just hope I passed it. UPDATE!!!!!!!! Just FOUND OUT that I made an A- in Statistics and an A in Intermediate Algebra! Don't know how I pulled that off, ran on automatic this semester but oh well! IT IS OVER!


Well onto the holidays! 2 weeks off then onto the next hellation 3 months!

1st Christmas in my New Home!

I JUST LOVE MY FIREPLACE!

















And NOW I have a sleeping puppy in front of
the fireplace with my two bunnies! You ought
to see the front porch. I will post that later on!

The FIRST appointment for ME at the VA!

I had to drive all the way to Salisbury from Asheboro which is a 57 mile hike which equals to 1 hour if you drive NORMAL! But I am a lead foot and always goes 10 miles over the speed limit so I got there in 45 minutes and spent from 1015 to 1:15 talking to a Doctor, getting put in for a breast reduction, MRI on my right shoulder and new medicines for my sinuse issues and ulcer issues, god only knows what else! I didn't have time to get blood drawn or my xray done so I am going back after Thanksgiving and get all that done! Thank God the submissions last 30 days or I would be ass out! Ain't doing all that again! Had to talk to a shrink! THANK IS ALWAYS FUN! Well hopefully it is time to take care of myself and get BACK into my bodybuilding. I can't wait! I am thinking about buying one of those cross walking things that Bowflex sales! It is not good for me to run, bad back, bad knees and big BOOBS! Not a good mixture so I am trying to get another "SMART" piece of cardio equipment in my gym. I recently bought a little rotating heater, SO CUTE! for the gym since it is in the ground and will probably get pretty cold down there during the winter and I got one for upstairs, so Cameron and I will be warm when we take a bath! COZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZYYYYYYYYYYY!

So I gave myself this week as the end to be sick, get over whatever it is and get back to business and I got my FLU SHOT today, so we will see! :)- Can only hope I DO NOT GET SICK AGAIN!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Autism Funding Facing Presidential VETO!

Autism funding may face presidential vetoFriday, November 2, 2007 By: Carin Yavorcik
Joint committee approves components of Combating Autism Act for 2008 budget
On November 1, a joint House and Senate conference committee approved significant increases in autism-related funding in the 2008 Labor, Heath and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill. The legislation provides $37 million for autism public awareness and early intervention - a $17 million increase over last year, as mandated in the Combating Autism Act of 2006. The bill also appropriates $16.5 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to use toward surveillance and research and $1 million to reinstate the Inter-Agency Autism Coordinating Committee, which would develop a strategic plan for autism research at the National Institutes of Health.
President Bush has promised to veto the bill, which includes $9 billion more in discretionary spending than he asked for. This veto threatens much needed increases for autism early intervention, diagnosis, treatment and research. Please email, call or fax your Member of Congress or Senator today and urge them to SUPPORT the FY 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill.
From Congressional Quarterly:Spending Bill Headed to Conference, and Likely Bush Veto, After Senate Passage

The WORST DAY EVER!

Cameron had an appointment at Wake Forest Baptist Memorial and he was getting an MRI to rule out everything else and then be able to concentrate on Autism. Well it DID NOT GO WELL! IT SUCKED! Cameron NEVER went to sleep and he was a VIOLENT LITTLE MANIAC ALL DAY. I had to pull off the road 3 separate times and it took me 2 hours to get home! It had to be the worst experience of my life! Not only did he repeatedly HIT ME IN THE HEAD, he BIT ME, PINCHED ME, KICKED ME and threw his drink ALL OVER THE CAR. Oh yeah, HE PUKED THREE TIMES, and all of this happened in my new VOLKSWAGON BEETLE! YEAH, POOR ME right? I felt so bad for Cameron because he didn't understand what was going on, but I had to take all of the beating, screaming, crying, vomiting and all of this happened inside a space large as a tanning bed! I ALMOST LOST IT! I even caught myself ZONING OUT while he was in ONE OF MANY screaming fits!

MY DAY SUCKED! I have got to find an outlet! I am STILL SICK! YEAH thats right and so I can't WORK OUT. I am at a STANDSTILL in my life!

When it RAINS it POURS!

Man do I know what Lori went through! I received my Federal Financial Aid on Saturday and went to the bank to deposit them, well the automatic reader COULDN'T read them, so I had to wait until MONDAY! Hate Mondays! Oh well, got up this morning, got Cameron ready for school, "that is a work out in itself!" :)- Then the friggin power went out, everything shut off, lights, everything, and what was I doing???? HOMEWORK! MY LIFE STINKS! If it can happen, it has happened! Then I call Progressive Power, and complain, they say, no one else has called! ummmmm, what does that mean to YOU? Well to me it means that I am just a woman and don't know how to check my flippin breakers to my HOUSE! DONE IT PEOPLE! So here he goes trying to "suck up to me" saying all that BLAH BLAH BLAH!!! and my comment was, no it's not your problem, your sitting in a room with LIGHTS! So yeah, I was a major B, but it only gets better! Drove 20 miles to the bank, closest one to my house, and when I got there learned that the Financial Aid that I actually received won't be deposited to my account for

8 DAYS! YEAH THAT IS WHAT I SAID! BOA states they have to be sure it will CLEAR! WHAT? WTFO! My ass, I was cursing in that place, trust me. I told them, I have already paid for my tuition and now it is time for bills, groceries, etc! That lady looked at me like I had 3 eyes! Hell, I probably did after that! I am sure that blood vessel on my forehead was POPPING OUT! And I said, well it is time to change BANKS in front of the manager! I also said, I retired from the Navy after 22 years of "protecting your freedom" and what do I get, NOT SHIT! Thanks alot! Who cares what they think of me, I could give a rats ass right now. They do not have a 5 year old autistic boy to raise, and cure! A mortgage to pay for, college to finish and groceries to buy, bills to pay! The only people I feel sorry for right now, is the people in California that lost their homes to the fire started by other people and of course all the children in the world going hungry. So I should stop feeling sorry for myself, well I am not, I am just pissed. Why isn't it easier? Why is it so hard?

Tired and Worn out! It is SUNDAY!

Yeah Yeah, I know what you are going to say! But I am going to bitch anyway! I am so tired of being sick! I thought I shook this Flu or whatever got a hold of me but it is back AGAIN! I am snotting up and my head feels like it is going to explode. I am so tired but took care of a friend's baby girl last night. Hell she wasn't any problem, but my two boys were, one furry, one bald. Always a pain in the rear! Erin (baby girl) was out at 7:30 and here is my son, even with his meds FIGHTING TO THE DEATH! But thank GOD SANDMAN finally got him! Wheeeewww! Heck, made $20 off of babysitting and I guess that is what I will do when I get a chance. Making some odd and end money here and there! I still have to take a test today, DON'T WANT TOO! Just want to sleep! Dallas Cowboys aren't playing today- Bi-Week so it is boring for me! and I just love football. I was giving myself till this monday to get better and over this crap but it came back and I do not want to wear myself down even further and STAY SICK! So what do I do? I got one of my checks from Financial Aid and I am putting it in the bank tomorrow. Will sit on most of it but am buying some much needed supplies for the house and paying ahead on utilities! My life has changed so much over this year, I don't know myself anymore. I am BORED OUT OF MY MIND, starting to HATE SCHOOL but need to keep going because it is the only way for me to earn any kind of income because of my son's situation! Next year he will be attending Kindergarten and a different school so here we GO AGAIN! Well I guess I will read and watch some football or just SLEEP! Whatever!

Got rid of my SUV! Thought I was going to die!

YES that is right, I decided to turn in my SUV and get a more economical car, better on gas, just not as much room! And I hate sitting on the floor! Drives me crazy but I guess I will get use to it! I bought a Black, Convertible Beetle Bug. I figured if it had to be smaller, it had to be cute! Oh well, I am trying to think more efficient on gas. I am saving over $1200 a year in gas alone! YIKES! Can you believe it? I can't! Anyway felt like I left one of my kids at that dealership! Another day another 5 cents! I am living on air here! Waiting for this to come in, waiting on that to come in and survive. I called my Bank and asked them if I could pay interest on their loans for 2 months and then I would be ok. It didn't go well. He didn't agree with me buying a new car, oh well. Couldn't understand that I am opening up almost $100 a month on gas alone, not counting everything else that goes with a SUV! Off to study for a test this morning! I am getting to hate college but I have a long way to go! KEEP CHARGING!

FIGHT FOR YOUR CHILDREN! AUTISM WILL NOT WIN!

Action Alert: Urge your Senator to Support Increased Autism FundingMonday, October 15, 2007

Senate to Take Up Health Funding Bill

This week, the Senate will take up the FY 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill. This important bill funds autism research, public education, early intervention, and education programs. The Autism Society of America is urging all Senators to support this important bill. The Senate Appropriations bill includes full funding for many of the programs authorized by the Combating Autism Act. It also increases other programs of importance to the disability community. Specifically, the bill includes:
$37 million for the Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and the Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Training Program. These University-based programs provide long-term, graduate level interdisciplinary training, as well as services and care for infants, children, and adolescents with disabilities.
$16.5 million for the CDC’s autism programs. These programs include the Centers for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Epidemiology (CADDRE), which studies potential causes of autism, and the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, which provides critical data on autism prevalence, growth, and causes.
An overall increase of $1 billion (3.5 percent) for the National Institutes of Health.
$11.24 billion for Special Education State Grants, a 4.2 percent increase over FY 2007.
The legislation also provided $540 million to Special Education Grants for Infants and Families, a 3.1 percent increase over last year.
Click here to send an email to your Senator, urging him or her to support this important bill.

After you click on the link, you will provide just your basic information, Name, Address and E-mail address and this pre-typed letter will be sent in your behalf!

Please fund the Lifespan Respite Care Act

Dear [Decision Maker],
With autism affecting 1.5 million people in the U.S. today, millions of Americans are caregiving 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for a lifetime of care. Respite care is the only option available to give these families and guardians the rest they need to keep their children safe and learning -- and their families together.The House version of FY08 Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations bill, which passed in July, includes $10 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Act. Please act now to include language to fund Lifespan Respite at $10 million when the FY08 Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations bill is debated this week.
You will make a difference in the lives of all those affected by autism, too.
Sincerely,
[Your Name][Your Address][City, State ZIP]


PLEASE HELP ME along with all the other families fighting for their children to combat the thousand of under-funded programs intending on making the lives of the families touched by a diagnosis on the autism spectrum! THANK-YOU and GOD BLESS!

Financial Trouble is here!

Yes I have hit the stage of my life where I am panicking. I don't make a whole lot from the Retired Navy Pay and it only covers my mortgage, and one loan, then I am out my car payment, utilites and groceries so what am I suppose to do? I can't get a part time job because Cameron is not in Kindergarten and they do not have after school programs for Pre-K and with him being Autistic, it is just so hard to make ends meet. Thank god, I paid up on my electric and water or I would be up shit creek without a pattle (sp?). I am stressing out because I am about out of funds and literally CAN NOT WORK! Going to school which is costing me a fortune even with the MGIB and I am having trouble getting a Federal Student Loan, always these flipping rules that of course I am not that desperate in their eyes to need it, oh but I don't see ANYONE standing in line to HELP ME EITHER! I am pissed, worried and aggravated. Tuesday I have to take the time, research the $$ involved with barbie dolls and sale some of them that I have because my priorities have changed so much, and I need the $$$$. Just don't know where to turn right now, money doesn't fall from the heavens and I don't want to ruin my credit that I worked so hard to fix but it looks like it is coming if I don't do something right now. My birthday is Next FRIDAY and I will be 40 but I am not in the mood to celebrate, so I might have to call Navy Federal and ask them if I can pay interest for a few months and then get back on track. I just don't know what to do anymore, but it isn't like anyone reads my blog anyway, out of sight, out of mind! Have a nice day.