Mariah's CONGRATULATION Letter Today!

I am doing the HaPpY Dance cause I received the CONGRATULATIONS LETTER today!! Mariah was accepted into the STEM Magnet Program today!! She & I hugged and danced we were so haPpY! Been waiting since Dec. 1st when I signed her up!


A Public Middle Schooler she will be......4 now................going to give OUR BEST SHOT! ~ no nonsense...that's all I want. Smooth Sailing...could it be? 


The Principal is a 'grandfatherly type' ~ no airs ~ Performing Arts Magnet there too ~ hoping to benefit the Arts & Music Elective choices!!!! 


PRAYERS for the "matriculation" ~team~ interim IEP meeting!!
Prayers for this momma tiger for Mariah's Dreams! Rah Rah!!

Independence on the Runway ~ "No Limits"

Center for Independent Living of Broward & Ms Florida Plus America 2011, Tia Frost will be hosting for the 1st time ever the Debut Modeling event THIS Saturday, April 21st  ~ Independence on the Runway "No Limits"  Click above link for the full interview with Ms. Tia Frost Q. Why did you decide to do this event? A. I’m a mother of three and I’ve been modeling in the plus size industry for four years. My children have watched me rehearse many times. One day, my daughter and I were on the runway and my son, who has been diagnosed with Autism, jumped on the runway and wanted to rehearse with us. At that moment, I thought, “Why can’t he rehearse with us?” From there, the vision was born. I decided to go beyond autism, because there are some disabilities that are not visible and therefore less known. Doors Open at 1:30PM to visit vendors & media check in.  Green Carpet arrivals at 2:00PM with the FASHION SHOW at 3:00PM. Double Tree Sawgrass 13400 W. Sunrise Blvd., Sunrise, FL 33323 Advanced Tickets $10 At the door $15 This is an Inaugural event for children and young adults with disabilities, giving them the opportunity to build confidence and self-esteem while showing their personality, individuality and creativity on the runway! "It's about the people, not the fashion" http://whqtfm.media.streamtheworld.com/audio/center_for_independant_101583321.mp3 Please make plans to attend, this has been a fun experience for Mariah and others preparing and practicing for their debut time to be a Model on the Runway for the 1st time! Come and show your support for this event and our young people ~ some pretty amazing ones at that! Mariah has a few tickets for sale, let me know if you need an advance ticket for $10. http://youtu.be/_g6lvqFGJic ~ YouTube Promo NEWSFLASH! Commercial is on the main airways!!  Channel 7 and 10 local news!  Primetime with Dr Phil, The Insiders & Entertainment tonight! See you there at the Double Tree Sawgrass Hotel this Saturday April 21st at 1:30PM Mariah will be looking for you ~ with your CAMERA FLASHING!

RADIO COMMERCIAL ~ Disability Runway Modeling Debut event 4/21/12

Here is the RADIO COMMERCIAL for the MODELING show coming up on SATURDAY APRIL 21st at the Double Tree Hotel by Sawgrass Mall.

Take a LISTEN!


This is what my daughter Mariah is part of ~ it's been exciting to have her be involved in this event!


Tia Frost & Yesse Leyva are doing a HOT job for this DEBUT EVENT!! THANK YOU!~ MISS FLORIDA Plus & CIL~Center for Independent Living


http://whqtfm.media.streamtheworld.com/audio/center_for_independant_101583321.mp3

OT is FUN!

OT is alot of hard work and can be FUN! Today it was FUN with Marcie at Kids SPOT in Hollywood!


Thanks Marcie!!

The PuPpieS are getting Bigger!

My Puppies are 10 days old today!

Listening & Singing to BEATLES Songs

HaPpY New Violin Student

Today she was HaPpY to get to her Violin Lesson...I hope she will always feel that way! She is just getting started with doing her daily practice time. Keep her in your prayers as she begins this new adventure in her (our) life! We both have a long way to go with this new adventure! 

Today, she is HaPpY!

Easter Sunday 2012

The Story of Elizabeth ~ She plays beautiful violin!

Story of Elizabeth
www.storyofelizabeth.com


To watch more of Elizabeth playing her Violin please visit her YouTube page
http://www.youtube.com/user/storyofelizabeth?feature=watch

3.21.12 World Down Syndrome Day ~ My Favorite Day of the Year! Be HaPpY!

Don't forget tomorrow......it's my FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR!! World Down syndrome Day! Buy a balloon and release it with a good wish for all my peeps with DS!

If you know and LOVE someone with Down syndrome...share the POSITIVE AWARENESS & show support by letting others know how wonderful a person with Down syndrome is and ...."Oh the Places We Can Go!!"

Let the your FB World know...YOU CARE about someone with Down syndrome! Thank you for your support even if you don't have a child with DS...show you care and mostly that you BELIEVE IN THEM!

HaPpY 3.21.12 WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY EVERYONE!!

http://www.worlddownsyndromeday.org

Making a splash | The Valley Breeze

Making a splash | The Valley Breeze
click above to read full story!

....she will be able to continue swimming on the team....they all think she is just a treat!

WOW! I like that!

Mariah Loves to Fly! Thank you Challenge Air!

Thanks Challenge Air for such an awesome FUN DAY FLYING with a Friend!
Look at Jadin's cool face paint he had done!  


http://www.flickr.com/photos/challengeair/6924016153/in/set-72157629336511407/
click this link above to see Mariah getting ready for take-off! She loves flying!


Challenge Air is such a wonderful organization for "Co-Pilots" ~ Friends & Family!
www.challengeair.com

POLICY #6303 Field Trips (Broward Schools)

Policy 6303 FIELD TRIPS
Last amended 3.21.1995 ~ WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY!


There is a Policy written for just about everything! This is a good one to know if your child is going on his or her first class fieldtrip. The two portions of this policy that stand out to me are in paragraph 3 &5.


I am hearing from a few families here and there about some 'funny things' lately that have happened to their child and pertaining to our Special Ed students not always going on the class Field-Trips. So I thought it time for a Field-Trip post to my blog. This got me to go searching for yet another policy on...yup you guessed it, the Field-Trip policy!


#3 One day trips out of the Tri-County 
#5 Chaperones
(*take your cursor pointer over  any of the darker colors in my blog and click to go directly to links of the policies)


It's interesting when you know the policy..you know the rules! Did you know that at least one person designated by the principal should maybe even be a registered nurse!


Policy #6304 Special Program Trips is another good policy to read relating to 'field trips' or Special Program Trips.


Be sure to read many of your school districts POLICIES and know where to find them on your School Districts website. Reading the POLICIES of your District is just good practice to do as an 'involved parent'....it's a good habit!
Here are Broward Public School Policy page ~ click here
http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/sbbcpolicies/

A SMILE AS BIG AS THE MOON ~ Hallmark movie

A SMILE AS BIG AS THE MOON ~click to see more about this fabulous movie everyone should watch!

Did you get a chance to watch this? This movie is PERFECT for today!

My daughter now wants to go to SPACE CAMP!

Her 5th grade class will be going to Kennedy Space Center for their class trip! Mariah thinks everything is falling into place for....her DREAMS TO COME TRUE!

Mariah baby girl....DREAMS REALLY DO COME TRUE!

She and I are both so excited for this Field trip, a special class field trip this year for sure! She is going into Middle School next year. Time to enjoy the months she has with her beloved Elementary school.

3/3/12 Meggan Morancy Ride-A-Thon @ Horses & the Handicapped of South Florida

Mariah will be riding again in the Meggan Morency Ride-A-Thon in a few weeks on March 3rd, 2012 at Horses and the Handicapped in Tradewinds County Park in Coconut Creek, Florida.
Come out and see Mariah and her friends doing their best riding their horses! Be Mariah's Cheerleaders and show her your support! 


Mariah would love for you to DONATE to Horses and the Handicapped, this will help her favorite place continue providing much needed scholarships for many of the riders to continue riding in this wonderful program! The barn and the horse always need supplies, see their WISH LIST on their website and pick an item you would like make sure is taken care of. 


This year Mariah is riding ~ FIRE
Horses and the Handicapped







www.handhmagic.org
Horses and the Handicapped of South Florida is located inside Tradewinds County Park off Sample Road just West of the Turnpike, this is the entrance across the street from Butterfly World.


Mark your calendar and make plans to attend the upcoming Meggan Morancy Ride-A-Thon set for Saturday March 3rd, 2012.


Mariah will be glad to see you there!

Mariah's 5th Grade ~ FRIENDSHIP CARD!

Her school yearbook AD was due so it was time to create another FRIENDSHIP CARD for Mariah to hand out to her friends and for mommie to have also to hand out too! Mom picked all the pictures that showed all the different things I love to do everyday! Most of you know that I have always been up on a horse to help me with my low muscle tone and my speech skills. Mom has always believed in me and my learning how to be good at riding a horse all by myself one day....that day is here and I am learning more and more all the skills needed to be a skilled independent horse rider! My mom is so proud of me when I ride my horses!

She had to put in some of my baby pictures, because she thinks I was the prettiest baby in the entire world! See me when I was 3 months old after going to the beach for the first time! I was so happy that day to swim in Uncle Ken's swimming pool and soak up the beach breeze that day! I was still being carried around in a baby carrier!

My dance picture is one that my dad took of me in his mobile photo studio last year. I have been dancing with Dance Explosion for 6 years, starting out as you know how cute those tiny little babies are when they first start dancing? I started with Ballet, then I found I liked Hip Hop & Jazz a whole lot better! Ballet is hard work! Last year I took two dance classes, Hip Hop & Jazz and also I was in Dance Company, a bigger group of all ages and we did FUN things like doing little shows and walking & dancing in parades. My knees started giving me problems last year from certain dance moves so my mom found out I needed to get some Physical Therapy to help my knees get strong. I miss being in the dance shows on the big stage for my recitals...mom and dad would take so many pictures of me then!

Mom says I can start selling these FRIENDSHIP CARDS to my friends if they want me and my dad to make one for them. Mom wants to call  them FRIENDSHIP CARDS and knows my friends would like to have some like mine too to pass out to your friends!

Let me know if you want me to make you a custom FRIENDSHIIP CARD for you too! Email me or call me!

Have a FUN weekend!
Mariah

Hey...Soul Sister

"Dance 21" received 3 Gold Stars!!

Down Syndrome Awareness - Maddox Lucille

This video is designed to bring about awareness and teach others about the hopes and dreams of those with Down syndrome as well as combat the use of old school words such as retarded. For more of Maddox's stories, please check out www.mcclinticfamily.com 

HaPpY Giggly Christmas Holiday 2011

I won it!

She won the Baking Kit Raffle item!

Included in Gen Ed classes for Middle School? ABSOLUTELY YES!

Question for everyone ~ Which Middle Schools Believes in and puts into practice real Inclusion of students with Down syndrome and other students with disabilities into the General Education Classrooms? Which schools have a PEER BUDDY or STUDY BUDDY PROGRAMS in place? 


I have a 5th Grader and I am looking for a Collaborative Middle School for my daughter. So she can continue on the wonderful Academic Learning Path all her teachers and staff at Stephen Foster Elementary School have provided her so far.


Which Public Schools are thoughtfully INCLUDING Teenagers with Down syndrome in General Education Classrooms with thoughtful, helpful and kind classmates as well?


Please share with me..........


Post here or email me privately.
podsangels@bellsouth.net

She's a wannabe....

She loves any chance to make pretty sounds on a piano. She has musical talent....just haven't gotten her involved in any formal lessons.


Mariah dreaming of knowing how to play the piano!
Her Grandma would be proud of her! We are still missing you Grandma Elizabeth Harris! Your music lives on in the hearts of your family.

She loves the BEATLES & JOHN MAYER!! If you watch it again....she is thinking of a BEATLES song while she is playing. She is singing a BEATLES song ~ All the People...you can see and hear her sing it. All the while all the other young peeps were running around and playing hide-n-seek! She loved being able to 'be free' and play the piano! I was so happy when I caught her playing so nicely when I was looking to see where she was.....she was the one making the nice piano sounds! Gosh I love this girl!!!!! oxoxoxo 

Goodnight iPad, Ann Droyd - 9780399158568 PenguinGroupUSA

Goodnight iPad, Ann Droyd - 9780399158568 PenguinGroupUSA


This is so all of us today! Click above highlighted link to see CUTE VIDEO!
Good Night Moon~

I did it mom!! I made the A/B Honor roll!

MOM~WE DID IT TOGETHER!
Thanks everyone that has helped me along the way!
Mr. Allagood ~ You are the BEST! 
*Mom says so! 


That's my girl!! 
Consistently doing her homework, turning things in on-time, up early so she doesn't miss her bus, doing her best! Mariah you are a SUPER STAR and together we are both learning 5th grade math! 
I love you Princess!

What IS the definition of PARENT INVOLVEMENT?

What does it mean to be an INVOLVED PARENT at our Children's School?


If it means ~ I CARE ABOUT HER LEARNING...then I am an INVOLVED PARENT.


If it means ~ I CARE THAT SHE IS HAPPY...than I am an INVOLVED PARENT. 



If it means ~ I CARE ABOUT HER SAFETY...then I am an INVOLVED PARENT.


If it means ~ I CARE THAT SHE LEARNS HOW TO READ...than I am an INVOLVED PARENT. 



If it means ~ I CARE ABOUT HER CLASSWORK...then I am an INVOLVED PARENT.


If it means ~ I CARE THAT SHE LIKES MATH...than I am an INVOLVED PARENT. 



If it means ~ I CARE ABOUT HELPING WITH HER HOMEWORK...then I am an INVOLVED PARENT.


If it means ~ I CARE THAT SHE HAS REAL FRIENDS...than I am an INVOLVED PARENT. 


If it means ~ I CARE ABOUT WHAT SHE DID IN SCHOOL EACH DAY...than I am an INVOLVED PARENT.


If it means ~ I CARE THAT SHE LIKES HER TEACHERS...than I am an INVOLVED PARENT.


My list could go on.....and on....I AM A MOTHER!


.....I AM AN INVOLVED PARENT IN MY DAUGHTERS EDUCATION.


I AM A PARTNER IN EDUCATION... 
~ TREAT ME LIKE A PARTNER.


I RESPECT YOU AS HER TEACHER...
~ RESPECT ME AS HER MOTHER.


by~ Nancy Linley-Harris
www.321FUN.blogspot.com 
November 18th, 2011

She LIKES doing Math!

This is Mariah doing her 5th Grade Level Math the other day.....she enjoys doing Math today more than ever before!

Now that she is bringing home her 5th Grade Level "Go Math" textbook everyday in her backpack - I am able to now see the classwork she did in Math class with her general ed classmates without Down syndrome....classwork that was actually worked on while in Math class that day. Mariah is now coming home with Math classwork completed! Her classmates are more involved with being positive peer role models helping her do just what they are doing in small groups. This is progress in the right direction......finally!! The communication is better because her teacher emails me alot too, so there is back & forth communication all the time. It had been such a struggle to see what she was actually "doing in class" the same as her classmates. It's a new school year with newly updated IEP goals written in to help support her IEP goals that are now to be INFUSED & INCLUDED INTO HER GENERAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM CLASSWORK.

My daughter is EXCITED to do some of her Math Homework now! This is her 2nd year in the 5th Grade and it is proving to be one of her BEST ACADEMIC YEARS so far!

Mariah is a student with Down syndrome (13 years old) and her desire to do well in school is motivating to her this year, because she knows she needs to do well in Math if she wants to one day have a job as a Vet Tech and go to college.

Mariah loves school and all her teachers this year! Her mom is loving all the nice academic progress she sees Mariah doing so far this year!

This little video clip was taken at first without Mariah knowing I was taping her doing her homework, then I asked her if she liked Math...and she said, "yes" so cute. I asked her if Math was hard for her...she says, "No, it's easy!" Oh my I love this girl!!~

It's BASICALLY SIMPLE ~ or as Mariah will say.... "SEE, IT'S EASY!" If you had a whole Apple Pie sitting on the table in front of you, you wouldn't have to eat the entire pie to know that you LIKED Apple Pie and wanted to have more of it! You would know you LIKED it just by eating a slice of that Apple Pie! You would know you LIKED it and WANTED MORE even with just a BITE of the PIE...even a TINY BITE OF THE PIE! It doesn't take eating the WHOLE PIE to know you LIKE IT & WANT MORE OF IT! ~ Point being, Inclusion is that same way.....providing a SLICE or a TINY BITE OF THE PIE (lessons) is what should be practiced in ALL our Classrooms today. That is what ACCOMODATIONS are all about....it LEVELS THE PLAYING FIELD for ALL Students.

Mariah has Accomodations, she doesn't have to do pages and pages of Math that some of the other students may have to do....she just needs to do a PORTION....a small portion even. On some days depending the assignment she will do more or less depending on the new concept being taught.

Today....she LIKES Math!

My daughter is now being provided more of that Apple Pie (Grade Level Math) which is about her being provided a PORTION of the Pie (Math Lesson). Small bites of (Lesson) what she CAN DO! Let's give students what THEY NEED...in small portions and build from there.

Mariah ROCKS in doing her Math this year and is actually doing 5th Grade Level Basic ALGEBRA!!

I am soooo PROUD of her!!


http://youtu.be/Wy75iNyXwPk

http://www.youtube.com/user/podsangels ~ Want to see more YouTube Video's of Mariah being Mariah?


See my other BLOGS ~ Down syndrome Inclusive Education 
Created in Honor of Mr. Allagood, Mariah's 5th Grade Homeroom & Science teacher! www.downsyndromeinclusiveeducation.blogspot.com

Singing & Reading Light Up The Sky

SOUND HOUND is our ALL-TIME FAVORITE APP on our iPhones right now! It is the coolest MUSIC App!! 


Mariah is reading the lyrics from our songs we sing together! She is my music DJ when we are driving in the car lately. She's the one that will hook up either one of our iPhones into the car stereo jack, moments after getting into the car. She loves singing! She remembers and carries the tune pretty good. Especially songs she really likes to listen to over and over. Mariah loves music with this SOUND HOUND app she is ENJOYING READING the LYRICS in MUSIC VIDEO's!! I am so gosh darned HaPpPY for Mariah and all that is at her finger-tips today in the way of TECHNOLOGY! When you see lyrics to songs that are presented like in the above video, who wouldn't enjoy READING them? READING is such a LIFE SKILL that opens so many doors! If only everyone worked so hard to really get everyone of our "Kiddo's" READING at earlier ages. Mariah has really blossomed in so many areas of her learning. LISTENING TO HER READ OUT LOUD TODAY is the most precious sound a mother could ever hear and one I have been waiting to hear her do for so long....her fluency is what has blossomed recently!.. I am so very proud of all the hard work Mariah has done to get to where she is today. It's been an interesting journey to say the least in helping Mariah academically where she is today. Becoming a part-time HOME SCHOOL MOM is what it takes to help our babies reach for the STARS in their education! Nothing happens overnight and without a consistent diet of teaching and learning opportunities...for all of us! It will happen if you DREAM IT for your Child! If YOU BELIEVE and are putting in the extra-extra that it's takes to make YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE!


Hope you enjoy this song as much as Mariah and I do...especially when we are driving and it's turned up as loud as possible!     ~ ENJOY!! ~

HaPpPy Tinkerbell!

She was so sweet tonight!


....first night without her brother going door-2-door with us. Come on Mark......dress up with us!

Today my name is Dorthy!

Ready for a party at Kitty's house!
Like my Pink Ruby Slippers?
My puppy would have jumped out of my basket so I have a Black Kitty instead to take to Kitty's Party - named TiTo!
The Party was a Blast!

Falafel is our favorite food!

Just ate a great Falafel vegetarian pita!
Mariah & I love this place....we sneak here after horse riding for a healthy eaZy dinner! 
                      ~ Y u m m y!!! ~


.....my girl has no problem eating! She loves whatever I make and likes & will try whatever I eat!


She is having FUN learning to TEXT better! She especially loves her MUSIC in her iPhone lately..loves singing and just enjoying her music! As soon as Mariah gets into the car, she will connect her iPhone into the car stereo system and well.....while I love the Beatles and John Mayer......I just want a Radio Station..... with lots of commercials too!


This place is a nice place to try something different....no more fast food!


University Dr.  ~just South of 595. 
Fala Mediterranean Cafe
2275 S University Dr.

Aniah ~ Breaking down STEREOTYPES 4 Kids w/Down syndrome!!! YEAH ANIAH!!!

Aniah ~ Breaking down STEREOTYPES 4 Kids

 w/Down syndrome!!!        YEAH ANIAH!!!

Aniah ~ Breaking down STEREOTYPES 4 Kids w/Down syndrome!!! YEAH ANIAH!!!

http://childrensdiagnostic.org/2011/10/4-year-old-breaks-down-stereotypes-for-kids-with-down-syndrome/

Aniah is Mariah's 'little sister'!!!

You go Little Princess....you let 
the whole world know how it 
really is today!!

Congratulations Jeannette...it's 
a beautiful story as you both are!
Aniah & you are both my HERO'S! 

Another day of Learning

Her backpack is filled with her neatly organized 3 ring binder, spiral notebooks for her spelling words & sentences, math spiral for math notes, a purple folder with her "to-do" items, a big bag of chocolate to donate to to her class, her pencil bag, a bag for her Safety Belt. She also takes her small personal notebook computer with software programs loaded in it just for her. She loves packing a school lunch everyday now...nothing like food from home for her school lunch!


Mariah loves riding the school bus and waiting for her bus ride every morning. We both enjoy our morning "moment" while waiting for her bus to get here. Sometimes she reads me a book while we are waiting, sometimes she sips on my morning coffee while she is finishing her quick breakfast.


Mariah is a good student...she loves school and learning! Science is her favorite class as is her new reading class. Today she is now able to do simple Algebra problems....and likes Math today more than ever! Amazing what a child can show us they can learn with the proper supports & "flexibility"!


Her teachers have all done a fabulous job of helping her get this far in her learning.


THANK YOU STEPHEN FOSTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS......you all know who you are that truly believed in her abilities and helped her along the way to be the student she is today! Mariah thanks you too!


.......now hurry up school bus and get here to pick up Stephen Foster's STAR STUDENT for school.....she's ready for another day of learning today!  

Making New GS Troop T-Shirts

Mariah LOVES being in the Girl Scouts! 
They are making their new
T-Shirts for this year. 
Girl Scouts ROCK!

Independent Obstacle Course

Today she was able to navigate the OBSTACLE COURSE with the lead walker just nearby for safety. Mariah loves her days she goes to the ranch! She has been riding here going on probably 6 years. She started at another ranch called PROJECT STABLE with an amazing woman named, Sandy....Sandy invited Mariah to get up on one of her horses  when she was just 2 years old! Mariah has been riding ever since. So riding every week has always been part of her life! Yes...it's a busy schedule, but going here every week GROUNDS ME and allows Mariah & I both to connect with our 'horse' family of friends over the years. We both love being on a tight schedule, Mariah going Horse Riding every week...keeps both of us centered. We miss it and are out of sync when she isn't riding during the summer time. 


Mariah has become a very nice English Rider! She sits up so nice and tall and has good back posture. Her hair right now is as long as a horses tail! She makes me HaPpY when I see her face when she is sitting high upon her horse each week. She rides with FIRE!


Thank you Horses & the Handicapped for such and awesome program!
Alison, Mandy, Molly, all the wonderful Volunteers.....thank you all!! Click her for the direct link to Horses & the Handicapped's webpage and a great video with Alison, Mariah's riding instructor explaining their riding program.

Mr. Magic!

Here is where he sits after the school bus....her limo...picks up the little Princess every morning. Mr. Magic has me all to himself till 2PM when the limo brings her back home again.

Mr. Magic has been with us for 9 1/2 years now, since Mariah was just 3 years old and her older brother Mark was 6 years old. Magic is a sable color Papillon and is the best puppy ever!

Y'all have a Hap Pap Pappy Papillon Day!

The Papillon is known for it's perky ears and the coloring...aka the Butterfly dog.

Painting Little Turtles

They went on a turtle walk to see them laying eggs a few weeks ago. Now tonight at Girl Scouts they made out of clay tiny little turtles and painted them. They all were so cute!


Sign up and get involved in Scouting!
Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida
http://www.gssef.org/Default.aspx

MattyB Q&A w/ Sarah Grace (7.31.11) by MattyBVlogs

Autumn Pigtails

Shopping for Autumn 'stuff'......found this Pigtail Scarecrow....too cute to scare crows!!..
...and we don't have too many crows in our yard anyway. So guess she will just 'hang around' in our yard for awhile. Mariah liked this one!

Girlie Girl Shopping

My Name is Sarah: Forever in Holland

My Name is Sarah: Forever in Holland

Birthday Cupcakes!

She has been looking forward to this day since the day after she turned 12 last year! She told me two days after she turned 12 that she was going to be 13!


Mariah is the Birthday girl today! This is the day she talks about ALL YEAR! Bringing cupcakes to school during her lunch is all she ever talks about....alot! Of course I'm going make her dreams come true on this one!


Being in the 5th grade and passing out Pink & Purple "Princess" cupcakes for her is a simple thing I can do to make her day complete! She is standing taller today, she is beaming brighter, she is doing her best and is the Special Birthday Girl today!


Her classmates were OK with the plastic Princess rings on top of all that frosting!....even all the BoyZ she likes to sit with at lunch!


It's a "last time" for celebrating her Birthday in elementary school! She is officially THIRTEEN - my little sweet teenager!! (Let's hope she stays "sweet" as always!!)


Now it's time to make that CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING you want!


Enjoy your Birthday at school today my LIL CUPCAKE!! oxoxox

Today is my 13th Birthday!

HaPpPy Birthday to me!
I think I will celebrate all week long!

Brain Pop.com explains ~ BLOGS

Brain Pop.com explains ~ BLOGS
Someone asked me the other day what's a BLOG.....or a BLOGGER? Brain Pop www.brainpop.com has created the best way to explain  what a BLOG is. Brainpop has the cutest colorful snippet video's of just about everything! 


Mariah loves this program alot and so do I~!! It is one of the TOP Online Learning Programs I think that really helps teach and explain about all sorts of "EDUCATIONAL THINGS" by making it FUN and having FUN while Learning! 


Sign up for the FREE Trial.


This Beautifully Created Online Learning Program is an Investment in your Child's Education!

Sign up and have FUN Learning NEW THINGS!

HaPpY 13th PreBirthday!

Today 9/25 is your last day being 12 years old!
Tomorrow 9/26 you will wake up a TEENAGER!
HaPpY 13th PreBirthday Baby Girl!! 
We will Celebrate ALL Week Long!


I remember Thursday, September 25th, 1998.
.....the day before you were born....it was the week of Hurricane Georges that blew through from the Keys up to New Orleans and made a mess...I remember sleeping on the 2nd floor carpeted lobby of the Hospital with all the other moms that were ready to give birth, two actually went into labor! Lots of activity, we were all so very comfortable sleeping on the hospital floor.....it was CrAzY for sure!!
.....tomorrow.....and all week long...I will celebrate the WEEK you were born my Princess! It was a week 13 years ago, I will never forget! 
Thank you God for the PERFECT SURPRISE I prayed for!

Kindergarten SPARKLERS!

Mariah with two of her Favorite Kindergarten SPARKLERS!


These classmates are what I call the ones I refer to as Mariah's Classroom SPARKLERS! There is always at least ONE...but mostly the entire classroom is filled with wonderful  classmates that PROTECT ~ SUPPORT ~ HELP TEACH and LOVE her!


I need to THANK ALL of Mariah's classmates from that Kindergarten school year at Stephen Foster Elementary School! It was Oh so much FUN for both of us! It it students like these two pictured here with Mariah, that showed me that INCLUSION is what is NATURAL and WORKS! Especially at a 'tender age' where....WHO CARES that she has Down syndrome! It didn't matter at school that Mariah had an extra 21st chromosome, that she didn't really 'talk'...well she did, but she wasn't easy to understand. Did it really matter that she responded maybe a little differently when her classmates would talk to her? She was having FUN and loved going to school with the big kids now!


Her Kindergarten Friends I hope will continue to be Mariah's friend for a very long time. I hope to watch her classmates grow into their DREAMS and see what kind of adults they become...they all were great classmates for Mariah! They didn't see or care that she had...."Down syndrome"....they just saw what I saw...a CUTE little blonde haired girl!


God knew what He was doing when it was time for Mariah to go to Kindergarten. When I met Ms. Ashworth for the first time, our conversation felt NATURAL, she wasn't too overly concerned of the fact that Mariah had Down syndrome. She had the Honor of being Mariah's Kindergarten Teacher for 2 entirely SHORT years! This wonderful age period goes by so quickly! Oh if only I could just reach into a picture and wish I was BACK THERE all over again! Such a CUTE AGE!


Mariah has been attending the same Public School since she turned 4 years old. So many great classmates and teachers that are all part of Mariah's Educational Journey! Mariah has taken me on a Journey to Advocacy that I didn't know existed before. Why would I?


Thank you Stephen Foster Elementary School for being so wonderful to my Princess for close to 10 years now! The old saying is so very true, that it takes a Village to Raise a Child. In Mariah's case, it has taken so many from her school SUPPORTING HER and EDUCATING HER each step of the way and without KIND and CARING Teachers, seeing past the fact that she is their only student on their school campus that has Down syndrome, but having everyone just BELIEVING in her and ACCEPTING her....just the way she is!


Thank you ALL of Stephen Foster Elementary Teachers & Staff that did your part while Mariah was under your care in your classrooms.


Mariah loves her teachers and she loves learning and going to school. ...why not...learning new things everyday is FUN!!


This is her last weekend to be a 12 year old, her Birthday is on Monday. I am going to help make this weekend go into my memory in slow motion, I don't want this time to be over, I want TODAY to last & last!


HaPpY UnBirthday today my Lil Princess!


Mommie is so VERY PROUD of you and how smart you are! 


Love, 


Mom