SONJ Jingle All the Way 3K

Today we participated in our first Special Olympics of New Jersey Jingle all the Way 3K. Instead of being in the competitive race we decided to register the whole family for the fun run/walk so we could be together.  We got Piper all ready in her jogging stroller, had our race bibs on and were ready to race. There were around 500 participants in total.

 

After the race they had an entertainment group singing and dancing, Piper was mesmerized. Too top off all the fun had by all every participate under 10 received a medal, Piper of course thought it was just another thing to chew/suck on.   

31 for 21: Day 29 Riding out the Storm

The following was written and attempted to be posted before we lost power due to hurricane Sandy: -Yes we still have power, for how long I'm not sure. After spending all day inside watching the news and watching Sandy creep closer and closer to us. We started to get cabin fever, well Piper did she was getting quite cranky. We decided to make the trek over to our neighbors who live two houses down.
We drove because there was no way we were going to get piper there in her stroller. While we were pulling out of the drive way we noticed that one of our side tree had snapped in half and was blocking the sidewalk. Needles to say once we got to our neighbors Mark wrangled them up to help move the tree to a safer space.

The first tree that fell victim to Hurricane Sandy, in it's resting spot

Once we got there Piper was no longer cranky, I guess she just wanted to get out and see some other people and play with some other toys.

 At one point there was an impromptu dance party in the kitchen which with the help of Daddy, Piper joined in.

After eating dinner and the gailing winds outside I thought it was time to make our way back home.





While watching tv, Mark and I heard a load boom. Mark grabbed a flashlight to see what caused the boom to find out that out 20+ year old spruce had snapped in half and fell away from the house, luckily.

The Spruce that fell away from out house

As the winds got stronger and stronger the other tree outside our house had two considerable crack on the sides of one of the big branches. We watch safely in the house as the winds blew the branch ever which way, until it fell away from the house. Allowing us to go to be knowing no trees would come crashing into our bedroom. 

The destruction of two trees

The other tree that thankfully fell away from the house aswell

What our house looks like after the storm, a few shutters lost and a tree that needs to be cleared.

The large branches that fell off of trees in the backyard

Of course it took until late the following monday night for us to regain power. And today was the first day I was able to access my wireless hardrive that had all my photos. I hope everyone else survived Sandy.

31 or 21: Day 28 Ann Coulter vs. Everyone Sane Person

As there are only a few more days left of Down Syndrome Awareness Month, I came across this and thought it is a great representation of Down Syndrome Awareness.

http://specialolympicsblog.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/an-open-letter-to-ann-coulter/

I will admit that after reading it, I had to actually see what Ann Coulter tweeted. And just like John Franklin Stephens I couldn't believe she would say that.

Since her comment many people in twitter land have spoken their minds about what she has said. And many have referred to what John Franklin Stephens wrote.

Recently she tweeted that she would not apologize for what she said about the President in her tweet. I feel like it is people like her that are so narrow minded and don't care how their words effect others are the ones that we really need to change however I'm not sure how easily it would be.

31 for 21: Day 27 Generations

Today my mother, myself and Piper took my Aunt Elspeth and Mormor (Grandmother) to New Hope. We had a wonderful walk around stopping in a few shops and having a very eclectic lunch. The menu had "American", Mexican and Thai food, in a place like that I never know which food will actually be the safe bet, as they can't all be good.

As we strolled down the street so many people commented on how cute or pretty Piper is, a few even struck up more of a conversation asking how old she is and her name, trying to connect to a family member of theirs. I wonder when I take Piper out if people see she has Down Syndrome, or think shes a cute little girl but there is something different about her.

I wonder what it will be like when she gets older and it is more "noticeable" that she has Down Syndrome, but for now I'm not going to worry about any of that and just enjoy the girls day out we just had.

31 for 21: Day 26

Sorry for the really short post. Piper got to meet her great grandmother and great aunt today, which means we had a very busy day. Needless to say we are all wiped out. We are off to New Hope tomorrow so I will post some pics and talk more about our day.

31 for 21: Day 25 Halloween Party

Today we went to a Halloween party at the library with our neighbors. They had a hayride to a "pumpkin patch" in reality it was a bunch of pumpkins strewn across a soccer field.

The Fox Chase Kids minus Quinn

Happy Daddy made it.

There was a haunted room, which we didn't bring our little ones into, they also had a place to decorate our pumpkins however as it was time for dinner for everyone we all decided to go home.

And when we got home Piper's great grandmother and great aunt had arrived, of course a little too late so she will get to meet them tomorrow.

31 for 21: Day 24 The R- Word

On Spread the Word to End the Word Day, (3/7/12) I wrote a posting about how I used to use and hear the R- word and not really have a problem with it. The other day I over heard someone using the word, they weren't initially using to insult someone it was one of those not really thinking times. He didn't know that I have a daughter with Down Syndrome. Because it wasn't said vindictively I wasn't sure if I should say something. I thought to myself I don't want to be little this person just educate them.

So I dove in and asked him if he really felt like a retard and if he actually knew what implications that word has on other people. At first he took it as me lecturing him, which wasn't really want I wanted. I explain that people who have Down Syndrome and their loved ones do not like the everyday misuse of the word. In the end I think he appreciated me informing him, if not at least he will rethink the next time he may use that word.