We're back -- it's 2025 -- and life is good!
Hi there! Can you believe it's been FOUR years since I posted on this platform? I just love this page so much, (especially the name!) I want to dive back in and write about my wonderful kids and the happenings in our lives. Charlie is 14 years old now! Can you believe it? I can't. He's actually 2 months from turning 15 already. Wow! We won't talk about my age though! ha! (holding at 45;) I'm excited to say that Charlie's doing well at his new school. He seems to enjoy his teachers, fellow students and the curriculum that they have set up for him. He's thriving and always smiling and happy. In the end, this is what we want for our kids, isn't it?
One thing about Charlie is that he really loves to talk and ask questions. He is a "busy bee" as well! He's constantly mimicking me and my habits..which is really cute and adorable. He has a green car that he drives in the backyard and a playhouse too. He will hop in his car with his cell phone and drive to his playhouse. It gives him an opportunity to "practice" being a "grown up." His green cars is getting worn out after only a year and 1/2 because he's so big for it. But that's ok.. I'll probably replace the wheels and let him continue to drive it as long as he can. My hope is that one day we'll get a golf cart to allow him to drive around the neighborhood with me, his brother and my husband. I'm not sure about getting a driver's license and actually get to drive one day, but we will wait and see how he develops.
Meet our new cat!
In the past couple of years a few things have changed. Our family has gotten a little bigger. We found this adorable Blue Russian cat at a very busy McDonald's! I know, it's hard to believe someone would "lose" their cat at a busy intersection at a McDonald's. I know now, he wasn't lost, he was in fact dumped there. When I drove up to enter the drive-thru, I glanced over and saw a thin gray cat walk into the McDonald's -- through the door no less! He slipped in as someone was going into the building. He was probably looking for his previous (cruel) owners who dumped him there. He was also trying to get dry and maybe some food, since he was in the concrete jungle and no food to be found.
Still in the drive-thru I saw him carried out of the McDonald's and placed by the dumpster. Mind you, it was a gray rainy day and this scene made it impossible for me to grab my coffee and leave. I was on a break from the high school I was working at and had to coordinate to get someone to watch my class as I jumped into action to help this kitty. (I later used this as a lesson in compassion for the teens in my classes.)
I parked my car and jumped out and went to the dumpster area and there he was hiding behind a large piece of wood leaning against the wooden enclosure around the dumpster. He was crying out .. a shrill meow that sounded extremely heartbreaking. I grabbed him and just like that, he was in my car!
I noticed he had collar and a tag! Holy cow, he had an owner I thought. I jumped into action and reached out. The person on the other end of the phone sounded surprised to say the least. More like shocked. I could hear in her voice that taking him back wasn't her plan. BUT, we coordinated to meet and she seemed ready to reunite with him. She even brought a carrier to our house and took video as though it were a happy reunion!
Long story short... she gave cat back to me, but then felt guilty and ask for the cat back over the holidays and sent me a text AFTER the holidays saying "If you can't take him back, I'll have to just let him go." UGHH.... I had a feeling she didn't want him, so very sad... but I was relieved that she didn't just dump him again. He was now mine. Never to be dumped again!
We love this cat so much! We named him Mr. Ash. Welcome to our family, sweet boy.
Grinch, the musical at Bass Hall 2024
We had fun over the holidays - 2024 - going to many different musicals! Charlie is a HUGE fan of musicals, funny plays, concerts, comedy shows, Disney movies, you name it!
We highly recommend checking out the productions at these local community theaters in the Fort Worth area:
- Fort Worth Bass Hall
- Casa Manana Theater
- Jubilee Theater, Circle Theater
- Stage West Theater
- Amphibian Stage Theater
- Hip Pocket Theater
- Onstage in Bedford
- Theater Arlington
- Fort Worth Community Arts Center
- Granbury Opera House
- Palace Arts Theater in Grapevine
- Keller High School Theater
- MPM Studio Theater in Mansfield
- Farr Best Theater in Mansfield
- Mainstage Classic Theater in Mansfield
- Stolen Shakespeare Guild in FW
- Ridglea Theater in FW
- Uptown Theater in Grand Prairie
- Theater TCU in FW
- Theater Wesleyan in FW
- UTA Department of Theatre Arts
- Various high school theaters (public and private)
If I'm missing any theaters that you think should be on this list, please send me a note and I'll add it! Can't wait to attend our next show!
Max, our engineer/Boy Scout, is towering over us all!
Max, my sweet first born, is 16 years old this year. Wow, hard to believe the years have zoomed by like that. Just yesterday, he was born on a blistering hot summer day in 2008. He was like a warm bundle of joy to me... I couldn't believe I had a baby (and I got to take him home from the hospital with me!) He was like a doll and I was so unsure of my skills in mothering. I figured it out fast and took to mothering like a fish to water. :) And what a cute, adorable baby he was. He's now grown into a tall, handsome young man. I'm so proud of him and his kind personality, person who is driven to work hard in school, and ability to set a great example for his brother. It's not easy being a big brother to a young one with Down syndrome. He wants to battle it out with him sometimes, but he knows that his example is so very important for Charlie in the grand scheme of things. When Max sets a good example it helps Charlie to do the right thing and keep him on track to maturity. Max has been a Boy Scout since age 6, so 10 years! He's traveled to Minnesota on a big camping trip last summer and experienced the Great Lakes as well as a 100 mile trek through the area by foot and canoe. He did an amazing job! What a great adventure. He's looking forward to traveling to New Mexico this summer for another exciting journey with the Scouts.
Social Stories in my Etsy Shop
As for me, I've been doing a variety of different things! One of which I truly enjoy is writing Social Stories for my son Charlie. I strongly believe in the power of carefully written, positive messages in a compact social story to encourage good behavior and mature development. Charlie is in Middle School so his behavior is often typical of a tween or adolescent. However, people like Charlie don't have a filter and are much more genuine in their reaction and behaviors. So, many behaviors start to arise and we have to tackle them as they come. I know lots of parents can relate to this! As you can see in the photo above, Charlie used to do all of those things and still does, but way less often now. He will routinely ask me to write him a social story to understand why we do or don't do certain things. I'm excited by his progress as well as helping so many kids across the WORLD learn valuable tools to being a mature, kind person. Yes, I said "World!" I've sold my books to people in Canada, Italy, England, Ireland, and of to many different states across the USA. I'm so proud! I hope they are getting great use of my e-books made with love.
Here's a link to my Etsy Shop - Huggles Design Co if you want to check out the variety of topics I've written about. https://hugglesdesignco.etsy.com
Well, thanks for visiting my blog! Talk again soon xo!
