Mountain Monday Redux

While I can't completely restore Tuesday into being Monday, I can make up for the lack of a Mountain Monday post yesterday.
Without further ado:

I love watching the cloud shadows move across the mountains.









The wild roses are starting to bloom.






Ms. Tenacious is still hanging in there!




This patch of poppies is one of my favorite places right now. They are such a deep red, they practically hurt your eyes to look at them.






Generally, this is where I share some of my favorite pictures from the week. I am too tired right now, it will have to wait til tomorrow.

Monday Inspiration

*Warning! Religious Content. My heathen blog buddies feel free to skip this post if you so desire*


Due to many different reasons, (School holiday, I have been home with the boy all day, Bald Man isn't home yet, the light is going to fade before he gets home, etc) Mountain Monday is postponed until Tues. But fear not, I still have something to share with you. I heard this young man speak on the internet first. He is coming to Salt Lake City in the fall and my heart wants to be there to hear him speak. He reminds me to stop whining, to be grateful and most of all, have the faith and hope to keep trying. Hope you enjoy him too. See ya all tomorrow!



Edited to switch out the video, I finally found the one I was looking for!

Mostly Wordless Wednesday

Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to come up with a catchy blog name for our newest grand daughter. Your reward will be seeing that name every time I write about her! Deadline is June 3rd, unless she gets here sooner!

Mountain Monday Disappointment

Long story short, I wasn't able to get out today until the light was fading. My pictures SUCK this week. Too dark. Ah well, I figure it is a good lesson to learn, in terms of finding lighting that works. I do have a couple, but this week is being chalked up on my learning curve. (Did I mix enough metaphors for ya there?)

I LOVE poppies. I am not quite sure I can explain why I think they are beautiful, but I think they are!







Many of you seemed to enjoy the sheepies last time, so here are some more.



I don't know what kind of flower this is, but the yellow is sooo brilliant!




Spring is quickly chasing the snow up the mountain sides.






Little Man got a medal for soccer. He was so proud!



These two love each other. It never ceases to amaze me at how patient the Pea is with the boy. She loves him so much, and he adores her.



This is the Pea showing off her "muscles". The face is always squished up when she shows you.




Check back on Wednesday. I have something special to show you! And a mini contest.

Mountain Monday

Little Man had an appt with Neurology today. They needed to check on the status of the generator for his VNS (Vagal Nerve Stimulator, used to help control his seizures) I am practically positive that the last time we had an appt she had told me his generator was going to fail in about 7 months, so I went with some major trepidation thinking we would have to schedule a surgery to replace it. She told me the battery said it had about 3 1/2 years left. What a relief! I was so pleased, I even took him to get his haircut! Major deal for us, but the stylist is trained in working with kids with autism and she rocked.

Spring is in full bloom here in Utah. I know in some places it is practically summer, but here the temperature is warm, the days lengthening and everywhere you look, you will see proof that Spring has sprung! I love Spring, not too hot, not too cold, and the burgeoning beauty all around me takes my breath away.But here, no need to take my word for it, I will show you!






Even though Spring is creeping up on the sides of the mountains, Winter continues to hold sway at the very top. For those of you not familiar with Utah, you can find snow, sometimes even into the Summer months, up in the canyons and mountain tops.



The wild daisys have just showed up this week.






Ms. Tenacious is still hanging in there.




Wild lilacs!
















Aren't I lucky?
Now, on to my picks of the week.

You know I am still loving every second of my boy playing soccer. I am going to be so sad when the season is over at the end of the month.



Now, on to the grand daughters! Squid, she is almost 9 months old.



June Bug, she will be 2 next month! Check out the curls.



The Pea, she is 3 1/2 now. Such a little hambone!



I love Mountain Mondays. There isn't a Monday that I don't do a post and keenly feel how blessed I am. I am surrounded by beauty, both physical and ethereal.

Another Point of View

Mongoose says:
"Actually unless you left something out, it doesn't sound like they said anything mean or rude. Your kid WAS bothering them - so what if he's autistic? Some people like their personal space, and I don't think anyone really owes it to other people to enjoy their kids, autistic or otherwise. I don't think the problem was their behaviour so much as you being worn out and raw. Not that I blame you, but feeling miserable doesn't make the world owe us any kindness. I should know.

And I know I sound like a total b!tch saying this, but I don't mean it as being rude to you (even though I'm pretty sure it sounds that way). It's just a matter of perspective."

You have a right to your own perspective Moongoose, it is true. And they were very rude, making noises, whispering loudly to each other, throwing very ugly looks. Blocking my son from seeing the screen as if they were 4 years old. And you are correct in saying that my son was bothering them. It is true, they were bothered by my son.
But, they were NOT autistic, and their IQ's are significantly higher than 51. I am assuming, since they have reached adulthood, they have gone to school, and been exposed to people who are different from themselves and should have learned a few manners along the way. Obviously a lesson that fell on deaf ears in their cases, although I am fairly sure their mothers would have horrified by their appalling lack of human charity.
My son at least has an excuse for not yet having learned how to behave in public. What is theirs? He stood too close. He didn't touch them, he was bouncing and making noises. I was doing my best to help him not stand so close, but outside of completely physically restraining him, I was in a tough spot, only because they were being awful about it. I think some people think my son should not be allowed out in public, so he can't "bother" other people.(Not you Moongoose, but the couple we were behind) I am just grateful that this is just about the rudest set of people I have ever run across. For the most part, people are kind and accepting and try to do their best to help me show Little Man how to behave in public. If I never run across such unkind people again in my whole life, I would be okay with that. Next time they should order from Netflix, so they don't have to deal with people who might bother them. It is far easier for them to modify their reaction, than it is for me to instantly find a way to get my boy to change his. We are working on it, but it is a very long process, seeing that he lacks some of the most basic things to be able to train him. Like memory and intelligence, and an ability to read social cues. He wasn't dangerous, he wasn't touching them, he was standing too close. I don't think they will die from it anytime soon. Although at this point, I might wish it!

War and Peace

Today after Little Man got home from school, he wanted to get a movie. We took off to our favorite movie renting/buying place, Redbox. It isn't a store, but a little kiosk thing, this one outside of our local McDonalds. There was a couple in front of us. Little Man got up close, and tried to look around the man, so he could see the screen. The man made an annoyed noise, and blocked Little Man so he couldn't see the screen. I was surprised, you don't punch in any personal information, so there isn't much to see. I grabbed Little Man and apologized to the couple, and said that my son was autistic.
It went from bad to worse. Little Man was excited and bobbing up and down. He never touched either of the people, (thank goodness!) but he got too close and they were talking to each other and throwing death looks at me and my son. I finally grabbed him and said something about how SOME people have no patience. The lady got all snotty and said that he was BOTHERING them. I replied that it was a good thing everyone in the world wasn't like them or the world would be a much sadder place. I was soooo angry I could have scratched their eyes out. My mama bear self was just roaring to kill them!
Right after the rude people left, an older gentleman came up behind me, got closer to me than even my son had been to the other couple and said, "I just want to look over your shoulder". It was actually nice, because it helped point out how out of line those other people were.
Dang kiosk though, it wouldn't vend the movie Little Man wanted, so we left, with him in tears to go to another Redbox.
Once more, there were people standing in front of us, getting a movie. Little Man moved close so he could see the screen, I grabbed him, my heart still smarting and my feathers very ruffled, and said, "hey bud, not so close".
The lady in front of me, said, "it's okay, he isn't bothering me". To her surprise and mine, I burst into tears. The nice lady and her husband listened with kindness as I told them why I was crying. The husband said, "your son isn't a problem, he didn't do anything wrong, and those people were not nice. If I had been there, I would have given them a piece of my mind, I have a problem with people acting like that!"
I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness or ablities that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.
William Penn
Thank you nice people at the kiosk, for being the soothing balm for my hurting heart. And rude people? I hope you burn in hell for being mean to my boy.

Mountain Monday In May

Check this out!



On Saturday, Me's Blog, Eagles View, had a birthday lunch!
It was awesome fun, great company, I laughed and laughed. Check out the link for everyone who was there. I got to meet the (in)famous Motherboard!
Here I am with Motherboard!
She is just as snarky in real life as she is on her blog, have no fear.
I think Me's blog had a good birthday celebration if loud laughter and talk about sex is any indication.

There was a big storm that moved through Utah and I caught the clouds as they were retreating.

Ms. Oak Leaf, she continues to hang on, and the new leaves are budding around her.



I love it when you can see the cloud shadows on the mountainside.



















And, a couple of favorites from the preceding week.

Look at my boy grin!! Have I mentioned recently how much I LOVE being a soccer mom? I love watching him run and play. It is so incredibly average and cliche and I love every second of it. Obviously my boy does too!







I took the Pea to a place that serves "tea". They have dress up clothes for the kids and the Pea was delighted.






It is sooo good for me to be able to remember all the good things that happen every week in my life.