Monday, January 19, 2009

Dear Noah.......we had a nice day off from school....




we went to grandma C's for lunch. Aunt Melissa and cousin Audrey met us up there and then came back to our house to visit too. We all had a nice visit I think. You let Audrey take home 3 of your computer games to play with for a week. I thought that was sweet that you let her do that.

Tomorrow we have school again....I have decided to back off on the pressure...and just go at the pace we can when we can and not worry so much about what we get done or when. We will get it all done. I may alter the lessons a bit too ...to suit your needs better.

I just made you another batch of Valentine heart-shaped gingerbread cookies....125 of them! I cannot believe you have gone through all those cookies from a few days ago already. Well I did help eat a few myself this time...but still!

You are all about elevators lately.....and playing elevators with closet doors....and looking at Wal-Marts and K-marts and Targets online on Google maps........you can now recognize which store is which store just by scanning the top roof of each store from a birdseye view on the map...it is amazing how you can know the things you know...and so quickly.

You have been holed up in your bedroom most of the weekend...only coming out briefly for food....water....bathroom breaks.....otherwise you are so content with doing searches online on the street maps.....and checking out all the department stores...mostly Wal-Mart which you used to not be able to stand. Now you love Wal*Marts.

Anyway....I have to go finish cleaning the kitchen and I am super tired already...I have to start work at 4:00 a.m. Tomorrow will be busy too. ..me working and then home-schooling you and meeting with your teacher on the phone and then online....and then to speech therapy....and then to grandma C's house to return her keys I had stuffed into my pocket today when I was out shoveling her walks (that I forgot I had in my pocket till I got home and emptied my pockets).

I love you Noah!

Mommy
XOXOX

10 comments:

Kathleen said...

Melissa- I am the mother of a 6 year old boy with autism and I enjoy reading your blog- your love and dedication to your son is inspiring. I read an article about a software program called Project Spectrum that seems like something Noah might like. I don't know, maybe you've already heard of it, but I found it at http://www.google.com/educators/spectrum.html

Melinda said...

Hi Kathleen. Noah has used Sketch Up for a couple of years now....he loves it. I am not sure how much he uses it for designing homes and such....but he has 2 other software programs he uses for that. I also got him another program he can use to make 3-dimensional models of things including homes which he loves. I don't know if he is aware you can make home plans with Sketch Up or not. He usually uses it for other things. BUT Sketch Up is a cool program and yes....we have heard about it and yes Noah uses it every day pretty much!

THANKS for the link though!

Melinda said...

Actually I don't think Noah has the Sketch Up program installed. I think he uses another version and it is probably because of our operating systems. I will have to check and see. Thanks for the link....the program looks really cool and I KNOW Noah would love it!

Melinda said...

Noah uses Google's Sketch Studio ALL the time currently......but it is different than Sketch Up.

Melinda said...

AND.....the free version appears to be a trial only....and to purchase the program is like 700.00! SO.....I am hoping the free trial version of one of their programs will last longer than what I read as 8 hours. Noah would probably fall in love with the program and then want it forever and there is no way I can pay that money for the license. I mean that is our rent money! haha

Melinda said...

and after further research......I can get the version FREE...and if I get that PRO version I CAN get it cheaper .....so thank YOU SO MUCH for the link. We had seen this about Sketch Up coming when I ordered and installed Sketch Studio for Noah over a year and a half ago. He fell in love with that program and at the time the SKETCH UP was not yet available. Something. Could be he is still only on Windows 98....which if that is the case.....he cannot use it on his PC then anyway. BUT I will definitely check into this. SO thank you again!

Melinda said...

and Noah did have Sketch Up installed on his PC but it was a very old version....nothing like what they offer now. We are currently installing the Sketch Up 7....he is very excited...so again...thanks for the link and reminder about this very cool program!

kristi said...

Sounds to me like you are doing wonderful home schooling Noah!

Patty said...

Sounds like you are both very busy. I don't know where you find all the time to do the things you do. Mom said she told you not to worry about the key, drop it off the next time you're down that way. She's got her garage door opener and she doesn't plan on going anyplace when it's this cold, she told me. I don't blame her. Yes Audrey wanted her bath quickly when they got home, so she could play a game. I guess she fell asleep coming home in the car. Sounds like they both enjoyed themselves.
Love you both.

Kathleen said...

melinda- i just realized i called you melissa in my original comment. sorry about that. Also, I didn't really look closely at the link, so I'm glad to hear its not going to cost $700 for the program! I can imagine how hard it would be if noah liked the trial, then couldn't use it anymore because it was too expensive. Hope it works well for you!