Gift Giving and Asperger’s

Every Christmas, my daughter sets up a spreadsheet. She knows what she wants and goes to the trouble of categorizing gift ideas. My family has always been about getting lists together for each other, so this isn’t unusual for us, at all. In fact, it’s helpful. If you’ve read “Asperger’s in Pink,” you are already familiar with how my Aspie …

Seeing Asperger’s with a Thankful Heart

A few years ago, K became quite upset. The details are fuzzy, but it likely involved a would-be friend who let her down or something else that people do to make like complex and frustrating. Asperger’s, to K, means Sensory Processing Disorder, which effects how she experiences life. Sometimes, this means shoving hands over ears or choosing comfort over fashion …

The Holidays and Extended Family

When K was younger, she considered holiday meal time nothing less than an abomination. First, there was the timing. Many holiday “dinners” were timed smack between lunch and supper, making the phrase “dinner” a source of constant consternation. Then there was the food, itself. Even when the main holiday meal was around noon, the fact that it was “dinner food” …

November, the Month of Thankfulness and my Aspie

Happy November! In my part of the world, this is the month we set aside to have a thankful outlook. Amidst pumpkins and turkeys, plus stores blaring Christmas music way too soon, social media is filled with people talking thankfulness. From posting a thankful thought each day to merely taking a break from materialism, I’ve always enjoyed reading what others …

The Carolina Renaissance Festival, a Feast for the Sensory

Before my Aspergirl flew out of the nest to college, we took yearly a “mother-daughter day” in the fall. This time together was unbreakable. We’d pick a sunny weekend morning and drive over to the Renaissance Festival early, just as the gates opened. My husband would stay home with the dog, and a bit of peace and quiet, as the …

Halloween from a Sensory Avoiding POV

Halloween + Sensory Processing Disorder = marriage in heaven. Or hell. It all depends on your perspective. As Temple Grandin has said, it is likely all on the Autism Spectrum have some form of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). But did you know that some with SPD are not on the Autism Spectrum? There are many of us who have unique …

Parenting Talks for October plus a Blogging Update!

It’s funny how something small, roughly 6 x 8 inches give or take, can transform a life such as mine. Sound dramatic? Yeah. But the truth is I struggle with ADD. This was a truth I needed to face head-on in order to keep the website current. So, I got a planner. And honestly, it’s helping me focus on what …