Yep, it's Grave Digger. Well, it's the Traxxas remote controlled $250 version anyways. And it's fast. It's real fast. It's far too fast for a 10-year-old boy with autism. But thankfully, this truck has a training mode which allows the truck to run at 50% strength. You can think of it as autism mode. I call it "hope-he-doesn't-destroy-it-too-quickly" mode.

Mom and me just bought Braden this truck for his 10th birthday, May 3, 2012. He's in love with it! He thinks it's Au(tism)some!

Not only is it a remote controlled monster truck that's super fast, but it's something to which he has made an association. He has seen Grave Digger crushing cars on TV.

Read more

Does your child receive SSI? Wanna save money? Then get educated on the Energy Savings Assistance Program!

Even if you live in a state other than California, you should check to see if your local energy provider has a similar program to this one. I wouldn't be surprised if they did.

We got hooked up with this program because we are enrolled in Pacific Gas & Electric's (PG&E) CARE Program. CARE stands for California Alternate Rates for Energy, and it provides a monthly discount on energy bills for income-qualified households.

Read more

I read a lot of parenting blogs constantly looking for ideas. Ideas to save time, energy, money. Ideas to entertain and create. Ideas of how to relax. Perhaps you do the same thing. Lately I have been ranting on our Facebook page about the lack of depth of these blogs. "Oh poor me, my child wanting so much of my attention is wearing me out" or "Baby wipes can be used for more than cleaning a dirty bum". Really? I have ranted about parents of typical children calling a typical temper tantrum a meltdown. Sigh...some of these parents just don't get it. Maybe I am a little jealous?

Maybe I am a person of fantasy?

In my fantasy world life is, of course, perfect. Reality sucks sometimes. However, I am not deterred. I will keep up my fantasy even though every day reality slaps me in the face and says, "Hey you! Your son has autism! Get over it and go on". But, it is hard and so many days I feel, and my husband too, like we are at our wit's end.

Read more

Unintentional Humor is a lite book written by Linda Gund Anderson. It's a book about the humor caused when the literal mind encounters an often figurative language - standard vernacular English.

Each page features a comical drawing inspired by Brent Anderson, Linda's adult son. I think it's safe to assume Brent is on the spectrum. It's the thoughts, the images, that have come to his mind throughout the years that are the inspiration for this book. Without him, Unintentional Humor wouldn't have been possible.

This book is a joy to read, to be sure.

Read more