Parent Testimony

I was asked to give my Parent testimony about the in home program we have from Captial Autism Services. This is my first hand account, thoughts, feelings and perceptions of those whom I've worked with while they work with my two children; Celia and Spencer. It has been over a year that we have had them coming to our home doing parent training, lesson with the kids, community outings, and many other teaching opportunities.

I love Capital Autism services! I love how they are there for me for my children's collaboration meetings and IEPs. I love that because of the knowledge they have taught me I am able to come up with solutions that work for my children's school, home, and church environments. It is great to have consistent help from professionals to teach and mold my children.

We have seen considerable growth in both my children. Celia who was really lacking in language and had some major anxiety issues is now able to request before starting a behavior. Many social stories have helped her. We have benefited from schedules for the children, visuals for self help skills and Yvonne my consultant even made us up some Davis dollars to use as reinforcement for the kids for chores and acting appropriately. They look like money but have the children's pictures on it where the president's face would be. Not only have these helps worked but they have lasted.

I am impressed with how professional the employees are with CAS. I have had two programs come into my home in the past and I would refer CAS first to everyone needing services for their child or children with Autism. I feel they respect my beliefs, my home, and my desires for the growth in my children. I feel they are facilitating me and my family to be professionals on Autism. We can cope, come up with ideas and brainstorm our way through each developmental challenge in my family's life. I say family because how our children grow affect the entire dynamic of the family.

We work each week to building a better future for my children and our community. Our children are learning to become better classmates, peers, and members of our society through the great behavioral interventions we have receive through Capital Autism Services. Spencer is non verbal but is currently using his PECS book to ask for things he wants and is becoming more proficient and specific with his contant use. Spence is less self injurious, aggressive, and high strung. My daughter Celia is generalizing to kindergarten at our nearby elementary school. She has made significant growth in language and in many areas of concern. I can attribute help from CAS to these great milestones in my children's lives. I am grateful to have them come to my home and help bring a better life for my extremely special children.

Audrey Davis
Stay at Home Mom of four and behaviorism enthusiast.~

Feeling like Summer.

This Morning we went to Lake of the Pines. Its really beautiful up in foothills and who doesn't love sun, sand, and water! I gave my name at the gate and they thought I meant I was Ruth since we are both Davis' and I agreed when they asked me her name. The man figured it out when she came by though.:) What a great place to be with friends. Ellen intorduced me to Michal who I thought looked awfully familiar. It turned out she was in my Stake growing up! Its a small world, and its so great to see friends from long ago and from recently too. I got to see Jaynie, Ruth, Napa and Melanie there too! Celia loves to make friends and will do just fine in Kindergarten coming up. I was having a hard time keeping her away from the bigger girls who were trying to race. She thought they were having fun and wanted to join in! Joe was too cool with his funny expressions and relaxxing eating cheetos. He packed us lunches even though we stopped at Carl's Jr. on the way home. We made it home in time to get Spencer off the bus, bathe, and enjoy the rest of the summer day.:) I'm sure Spence had fun at summer school & Emmy at girls camp.~

Outta School

School is out and Summer was here. We had a lot of community outings with the tutors because of the remodeling going on at home. We went to the grocery store, a few parks, home depot, and Tower mart. After being out in 88 degree weather everyone enjoyed the whole room of refrigerated drinks in Tower Mart. I am still keeping the rule of no kids eating or drinking in the car, which Spencer was pretty mad about after picking out treats at tower mart. We made it home with the help of Andy his tutor ad are teaching him to sit appropriately in my van.

Joseph spent the first three days with Rah Rah and Papa. He had a grand time spending time over there doing puzzles, going for a walk and playing with his cousins, especially Holly and going to Wacky Tacky with them a highlight for him. Emmy got invited Camping with her friend Kaitlyn and was gone for several days hiking to a lake, observing squirrels and their behavior and having a fun time in the Sierra Nevadas.

On Thursday we barricaded the Hall so the kids wouldn't touch the wet tile and we went to see the Rivercats. It was a beautiful night and we saw a bunch of runs. I love music and fun of the games there. The bridge looked like gold in the sunset and even though the wind coming off the river was quite cool , Joseph wanted a snow cone When he has money, it burns a hole in his pocket! He got one and was a happy camper for a second then looked at all the other things the vendors passed by with he he. Silly kid.

On Friday we had a play day at the park with Benjamin and Joseph got to spend the rest of the afternoon at over with him playing. I was invite d to a girls night out and enjoyed Costa Vida and great conversations outdoors with the girls. Afterwards, we had Starbucks hot chocolate which was my first time. It was pretty yummy with adding vanilla and hazelnut to it.:) It was pretty chocolaty and I'm sure Emmy would have been a fan of it! She came home on Saturday from camping with just enough time to pack her bags for girls camp on Monday. She will spend a week there and when she gets back Joseph will go to twilight camp for cub scouts.

Phew summer is beginning and already we are as busy as the school year. Celia and Spencer will have extended school year for a month, then comes fourth of July and before we know it we will be going to Mammoth in August. I'm glad we will have time to spend and make memories with every family member this break!

Nothing bad happens that good doesn't come of it.

Last Monday we embarked on a big project in our home. We actually it started way before that with preparation, but Monday was when the extraction of the floor and the installation began. It was an interesting week having tutors and meeting while under construction. We had some hard days and some great days but we were blessed and it turned out fantastic! Some thing good did come of our floor getting flooded. I love porcelain Spanish tile! We also sealed it and had polyblend grout so hopefully it'll be protected from dirt and stains.:) It will be easier to clean and its so warm colored and light compared to the look of the other floor. If you've ever done home improvement you know things go slow and there are always hiccups. I was amazed at the strength of the man that did ours. He truly had the help of the three nephites to complete everything and show up each day ready to put in 12 hours. Its hard to know what to say other then it was a great and crazy 5 days, but I couldn't be more happy with the results.:)

Emmy the Highschooler

On Thursday, Emmy went to her last day of Middle School at ACMS. The promotion ceremony felt like a graduation ceremony to me, it was a bit long for Celia bear. They played music from the nineties. I really liked it and Emmy said she hadn't heard of any of them. It was neat to see all the wonderful kids and hear of their accomplishments and greatness from their principal and the teachers. We had amazing weather considering we had a tornado warning and hail the day before. Here are a few pictures of our sweet Emmy in her Promotion dress. After the ceremony her and I went out to lunch to Olive Garden, she ordered pepperoni pizza which I think is silly seeing as she has pepperoni pizza all the time, but she thinks that's what Italian restaurants are for. The place was packed celebrating all the junior highers in the area with their families. It was nice to have time together on her last day. She had fun with her friends and is going to have a great summer then embark on the adventure of High School, I can't believe it!

Time Capsule

Celia and Joseph were playing in their "fort" area which is the area of the retaining wall behind the shed. There is great shade from the pear tree and lots of tree stumps from our former tree in the front yard. Joseph began playing in the dirt and hit something hard. They got out Celia's garden tote she got from Rah Rah for her birthday and started digging. They found a time capsule Emmy and Celia had buried back there a year earlier. I love how it was in a Classico spaghetti sauce container. It was cute to see their excitement and view photos and hand drawn pictures they had inside. I had fond memories of my childhood growing up and I 'm glad my kids are experiencing things like this that will build fond memories of this house, their time here and playing with each other when they were young.:)

Family Ride

Well I feel well enough to blog. The past few weeks have been challenging, but that just means I have to flex my muscles a little more right? It looks like the flood from last weeks FHE will require that we replace our laminate flooring. Bri and I picked out the tile. It is the same as our kitchen with a few decorative pieces thrown in there. It should be beautiful. I loved picking it out together with him so He can't tease me then if things are different than what he expected.:) Last Thursday I had oral surgery on my tooth area next to my front tooth. In third grade I knocked out my front tooth chasing a boy around after he stole my pencil during a math test. I tripped on a desk I could run through but made a T shaped at the bottom and I tripped. Who knew I'd be dealing with trauma from something that happened 28 years ago? I went in to have my bridge removed and my tooth extracted to help an infection I had in my gums that was bothering me. I came out two hours later with a bone graft, stitches and a not so comely temporary fix for my lack of teeth. Less than two months ago Brian had to have a similar oral surgery. One thing is nice, we know how each other feel. Bishop gave Brian a blessing during that time and was told, our trials would help our relationship to grow very close and be able to build even more of a special bond. That is coming true. We went for a nice ride today with the family. We ended up at the temple. It was so cool, peaceful, and beautiful there. Its great to have an eternal perspective especially when the road gets a little bumpy. We haven't had a family ride in quite some time because Spencer is really having a hard time not destroying things in my van. Today he did pretty well though.:) I love my family, friends, and the love and support I enjoy through them.

How Will My Garden Grow?

Its May and I finally got my garden in. This year I had been undecided on what to plant. I have a strawberry plant left over from previous years and was given a suggestion by our very own master Gardener and decided to take it. The suggestion was to make the garden a patch of strawberries to bloom ,grow, and cover the area in a few seasons. Joseph and I went and bought some strawberry starts. We also got a few herbs such and sweet basil, Belgium thyme, and rosemary. I threw an artichoke plant in for good measure.

Just like every year, we plant with faith hoping it will produce and we attend to them as best we can. Celia and Spencer were involved in the actual planting with me and the kids and I are pretty excited about our little garden. There are a few strawberries on the plants and where Celia saw one she exclaimed it was her favorite thing every and wanted to turn it into her house. After hearing her imagination bloom and plans emerge, I brought her down to earth a little bit by telling her it takes more than one day to build a house. She sighed, but is quite hopeful. One of these days we may turn our shed into a play house for her. She'll love it.

In the meantime, we are enjoying our time outdoors being in the garden. I find peace and happiness in the backyard among the trees and bushes we've planted since we've lived here. I love the front yard too with sitting on the porch and recalling days when we had the big tree, or watching the kids outside play football, fly kites, throw water balloons or just play with our neighbors. The kids have had great fun with Austin and Mckenna, Sarah and Gracie, and Megan and Jacob. Its been seven years we have lived here. It has been full of good experiences, friendships, and fun. Some of our fun has become traditions like fourth of July block parties, picnics on the grass, treasure hunts in our backyard, and other years we do things differently. I am beginning to see things change and it is nice to enjoy the traditions or way things are while they are happening . It is also good to look at the upcoming changes as a new adventure and a chance to experience more and grow. When we moved from Utah to here, it was a big change and a bit of an adjustment. It has been so wonderful. We love living nearer to our families and we love all the blessings we have received by being here. I am looking forward to what is next in our journey. I've always planted zucchini and tomatoes in my garden and now I'm making a strawberry patch and it will be great. Will this year bring more of the same wonderful times with our children or will we embark on a new adventure with them, for either I am ready.:)

Time Spent~

We had a nice time on the Saturday before Mother's day. It was awfully windy and Spencer's allergies were really acting up. Going to the park for getting together seemed out of the question. We had fun at home. Rah Rah and Jeremiah came over. We enjoyed some lunch then the boys played cards . They played a game called Resident Evil which apparently is about zombies. Jeremiah said that was his thing and he knew the names of the characters on the cards. It was great to see him so excited about it. Playing card and and board games with the kids is so good for them. They take turns, learn strategies, and have quality time with the family. Celia enjoyed being with Rah Rah reading books. Spencer liked to swing like he does, and it was a nice relaxing evening. Joseph went over and spent the night at Rah Rah's and loved playing games with Jeremiah and playing with their skateboards. Emmy was off at Great America for her band competition. Her group won first place and overall for the competition. I was sorry I didn't get to get a picture of her holding the two huge trophies, but I am glad she did well and is making great memories of her school participation and musical talent, not to mention all the roller coasters she got to go on.:)

My Marvelous Mothers

Nanni Lemmon with Emmy and Joseph

My Mom Emelina with Emmy and I

My abuelita in her thirties. I see many family resemblances with her and the daughter and Granddaughters on my side of the family.

Here is Hieu (a friend from my ward) and I watching our girls perform at the rivercats game.

It seems like we have been celebrating mother's day for quite a few days now, which is fine with me.:) Bri and I went out on Thursday. I enjoy going out with him. Sometimes we wander because don't having a specific plan. It is fun and spontaneous to me. Also, just driving around listening to music and talking it the most fun part of our dates. We ended up at Fuddruckers, it reminds me of when we lived in Utah and used to go there with Brian's coworkers from Sunrise. The Caesar salad used to be amazing, its alright now, but like I said the company is what matters most. Brian is so thoughtful and I got pearl earrings for mother's day. He got Emmy some smaller pink pearls too. I told her the pressure is on to be a mother someday then.:)

Speaking of Emmy she had fun playing the National Anthem to start the Rivercats game. It was windy, but I was happy to be a part of the band and bringing Brandon's drum from the car because I could see the tunnels under the stadium and got to see what the kids were experiencing in preparing to perform.Emmy is off to great America today for band. They perform in a competition there then they get to enjoy the amusement park all day. She also has a cast party for Drama on Monday. This year end for eighth grade and promotion will be memorable for her. She is going into high school later this year. I can't help but think she will be graduating from high school before I know it. I have enjoyed each developmental stage of my children. I am blessed to have the children that I do.

I am also blessed to have such wonderful mothers in my life as well. Rah Rah is so sweet making each member of our family important, loved, and remembered. We love her cards, postcards, hand sewn articles, and yummy treats. My mom Emelina is so sweet and loving. She has raised me on positive reinforcement. I have been spoiled with love and kindness from her my entire life.

I remember my abuelita Cayita Mejia would come from Honduras each summer and watch Tanya and I . She was so smiley and loving. Nanni is thoughtful and such a refined lady. We all love how she included our family in her life when we lived in Salt Lake. We have fond memories of transplanting daisys and raspberries from her yard, celebrating birthdays and thanksgiving with her. Since we were in a new neighborhood, there weren't many trees so she would have us over to jump in the leaves of their big trees in the fall. There were always treats and the toys in the closet for the kids any time we came over. I have a picture somewhere of a five generation of girls. Nanna Bushman, Nanni Lemmon, Rah Rah, me and Emelie.

Grandma Jean is so loving to us and our family as well. Her quilts have been quite the hit around here and we love to visit her after our vacation at the cabin each time we go. She bends over backwards to be a good hostess to us and makes sure we all feel happy and loved. What a blessing it is to have our children have these beautiful, inspiring women in their lives, to truly know them and be loved by them. Happy Mother's day to them all!

Versatility

I love to get together with friends, so I was excited to go to a Miche bag party at my friend Liz's house. I had never heard of Miche Bags, but I soon found out how nifty they are. It was ideal for those girls who like to change their purse with their outfits, but don't want to switch the contents of the purse. They are space savers in your closet, and a girls gotta have her stuff organized and manageable right? I know my mom would love it as she is somewhat of an avid accessorizer so I decided to take some pics for her and leave them here. These pictures are the before or base bag and the two afters. New shells to change thee whole look of the bag in a matter of seconds! They come out with new shells every month. It'll be fun to see whats next and which will be discounted for being discontinued. These kind of outings are fun and I felt especially grateful for having book group before this party and the next day going to see Water for Elephants which was a great movie.:) I can be as versatile as these purses, I can be wife, mother, friend, confidant, and be well rounded in all my roles, its a great thing.