Inspired by Conference

One of the things that I am always considering, is how to allow Abbie to gain the greatest degree of independence.  Sometimes it's the simplest things that get us stumped.  We have been working on self-care and Conference got me motivated to just get.it.done!  Abbie does well with lists/pictographs.  I have made morning & evening routine lists, a list of directions for how to change her pad, and now.... (drum roll please)... the shower list!  I made this when we came home, and it is working very well so far.

When I make these lists for her, I write them at her level.  If your child is above this reading level, then make a list that works for them.  If your child is below this reading level, then make a list that highlights the pictures and make it work for them.  For example, she sometimes forgets to remove her socks and has stepped into the tub or shower with them on.  I personalized her instructions with that note to not forget her socks. :)

We have found that Abbie does well with a combination of written instructions with some photos to reinforce/remind her of the step.  I know she can already get dried off and dressed herself, so I didn't include that.  I did forget one thing that she reminded me of, the little smarty pants.  I forgot to add "close the shower door", so I'm going to see if I can write that in with marker, or if that doesn't stay I'll just modify and laminate a new one.

I have a laminating machine (so worth it!), so I laminate these and then place them where they are needed, or she will sometimes just carry them with her.  I hung this in the kids' bathroom last night.  She immediately had to try it out (yay!).  This morning when she woke up, she had to try it out again :)  I need to get another pump for body wash.  I found the soap pumps on clearance for .48 cents.  These are not the ones for foam, but for regular liquid soaps.  They are thicker, and the foam mechanisms can't always handle the heavier texture & consistency of shampoo or body wash.  I removed the labels and used permanent marker to relabel them.

Another great idea I got at conference was how to make sure they have the correct water temp.  First, show them how to turn on the shower and adjust it to the temperature they like.  Then, take 2 small pieces of electrical tape and place them in a line across the shower handle. (Make sure it's clean and dry when you tape or it won't stick very well!) Then they just have to line up the tape and they have the right temp-not too hot and not too cold. This works well if you have a single handle control.  If you have double handles, you can do the same thing for each handle.

I hope this is helpful to other parents out there who just want to be able to say "take a shower", and know their child can get it done with minimal assistance or prompting (*sigh of relief*).  Finally.  Why didn't I think of that?

A Neverending Story

I wish that Conference could last longer.  The dances were AMAZING!  The presentations were WONDERFUL!  The new friends we met and made are AWESOME!  Our learning never really ends, though, does it? 

Can you tell that we enjoyed ourselves? ;)

As for David, he attended several sessions on financial planning, Special Needs trusts, ABLE accounts, and what to do once you have them set up.  I'm sure he wouldn't mind sharing what he's learned.  Just send us a message and we'll do our best to get back to you.

We selected a flight home for very early tomorrow morning.  It is more economical to not fly home on Sundays.  So, now we have a little time to ourselves to relax, to absorb some of that vast amounts of information we've been hearing the last few days, and to go to bed early.

We braved down town Dallas again this afternoon for lunch.  We headed out from the opposite side of the building than last time, and had no issues this time around.  We found an excellent local grill, with fantastic service and yummy food (the Pressbox Grill).  It is hot, Hot, HOT out there!  We've been cool inside all weekend, but the short less-than-10-minute walk had us ready to run back into the air conditioning.  Today it's a balmy 100 degrees here.  Tonight's low here is supposed to be 82.   Tomorrow when we head out at 4:45 a.m., it's still going to be in the mid-80's.

We're looking forward to getting home to see the kids.  This journey home has a layover in Dulles (in Washington, DC), and should be just enough time to catch a quick lunch before our last flight.  We hope you enjoyed following along with us, and we look forward to seeing you all in Pittsburgh next summer!

Let's Get Creative

The last session I attended today was by Ds mom Kate Dougherty.  She is the President and Founder of 'Down Country'.  She spoke about using creativity in our thinking when using technology with our kids.  There are so many free and inexpensive apps and tools we now have access to.  I can't begin to reiterate her presentation, as it was a long series of web sites and tech tool information.  I'll just list a few for you, and if you need more info, please contact me and I can send you the listing given on the compendium.

She advocates using whatever tools work for your child.  Sometimes we hear specialists and/or therapists say that we should only use one program, but if something works for our kids and allows them to learn or communicate, then use them!  Every child is unique, and every learning need will be unique.  It seems like sometimes it is forgotten that the I in IEP means individualized.

Lingraphica
TalkPath Therapy
TherapyAphasia.com
learningtools.donjohnston.com

Health vs. Wellness

This morning's first session was on Wellness in Adolescents and Adults with Down syndrome, but most of the information easily applies to all ages.  Dr. Chicoine, the Medical Director of the Adult Down Syndrome Center in Park Ridge, IL, was the presenter for this topic.  He discussed several issues such as the difference of health vs. wellness, 'the groove', chronological difficulties, and involvement in health plans.

When he talks about health, it's really about what doctors, professionals, and care givers do for their clients with Ds.  Health issues can be things such as thyroid, gastro, neurological, psychological, etc.  Health interventions are what we do to correct the physical and mental problems our kids may face. Wellness, on the other hand, looks at the whole person, and it is something that is planned and done with the clients.  Wellness is looking not just at physical well being and behaviors, but looking at how the physical challenges and emotional needs work together to create the whole person.  We heard a recorded interview from an adult with Ds, and he spoke of his wellness by citing his exercise, eating habits, healthy relationships, his job, and his happiness with himself and his life.

Next up is a topic near and dear to my heart: the Groove.  Have you seen the Walt Disney movie the Emperor's New Groove?  There's a character in the movie that states "Beware the Groove...".  This is when our kids create a habit, and need to complete those circumstances or behaviors over and over again.  This isn't all bad!  Dr. Chicoine noted that our kids often are very good workers at jobs that require precise or repetitive tasks, because they develop a groove.

There are times, though, when the groove can prove detrimental.  His example given was of  a young adult that felt compelled to complete one task before beginning another; so much so that he would forego necessary bathroom breaks in order to finish school papers.  As you can imagine, this caused accidents in High School, and the young man then had difficulties with peers, as they saw him as unable to control himself.  Working with him, Dr. Chicoine created a short video of him doing homework at home.  He worked for 30 seconds, then said aloud "I need a bathroom break", and walked out of the picture.  He viewed this video multiple times, and was able to create a new groove to follow.

As many of the presenters did, Dr C. noted that our kids are often very visual learners.  Making short videos, or watching videos, of tasks and social stories can greatly benefit our kids.

Chronological difficulties also often come into play with our kids.  For example, my daughter remembers quite well when David and I took an airplane to another conference.  However, she can't really differentiate when that happened.  For her, she'll say 'yesterday' or 'last week'.  This is very typical, (I was very relieved to hear we are not alone) of kids with Ds.  Their memories are excellent, but often their chronological sense is not as keen.  This can cause problems, sometimes.  The example given was the client that secured a job, and told the new employer that staff pushed him.  Staff did push him at his job, but it had happened 10 years previously.  All well and good, but now the employer has tagged him as a behavioral problem for lying.

These examples were given to demonstrate how we need to look at Wellness, the whole picture-the whole person-the whole situation, when planning for our kids.  Everything is connected and wrapped together in a connected chain of events, experiences, and needs.

The Adult Down Syndrome Center in IL has created many videos for clients on many topics that are FREE to view and use.  They use clients from the clinic, as they have found that peer modelling also works better than just having a stranger tell them what to do.

 I would highly suggest taking a look at their offerings at www.advocatehealth.com/health-services/adult-down-syndrome-center/ to view their resources and video gallery.  You can also search "Seeing is Believing" by Tom Buggey.  This series was made for kids with autism, but they can work for any kid in need of video modelling.

Don't Stop Short

Today is the last day of Conference.  :(  Unfortunately, we have seen many folks already packing up and preparing to leave or catching taxis home.  I understand that many folks work and can't take Monday off, but I would encourage anyone who attends to try and catch a later flight or ride home so that they don't miss the last few sessions.

Something new to us this year is that they are not having a closing!  We were very surprised and disappointed.  The closing was always a lot of fun, and where they 'officially' announced the location of the following year's Conference.  For those of you who haven't heard yet, it is planned for late June of 2019 in Pittsburgh, PA, where Dr. Vellody is based.  We'll be heading there with most, if not all, of the family next year since it will be within a handy driving distance of Rochester.  I highly encourage all of our local area friends who can make it to attend.  For those of you who really like to plan ahead, the 2020 Conference is scheduled to be held in the South.  I'll refrain from ruining the surprise of exactly where for you, for now :)

The vendors have closed up shop and no products are available today, but there are still two sessions.  They begin a bit earlier (8:30 instead of 9:00 a.m.) to give people a chance to leave a bit earlier, too.  We've made a few more friends from a few more places.  California, Texas, Minnesota, and Illinois. 

On today's agenda is a Wellness session and Creativity with Technology for me, and Beyond setting up the Special Needs Trust; and Awareness, Preparedness, and Prevention Safety for David.  We'll continue to keep you posted.

Crunching Some Numbers

Whenever professionals talk about our kids, they are so fond of throwing numbers and statistics at us.  At least, that has been our experience.  Usually they're along the lines of  "about 40% of kids with Ds have heart problems" (by the way, this means that MORE than half of kids with Ds do NOT have heart issues.  It's all in the perspective...).

Of course, we tend to focus on the issues and concerns that may face our own daughter, but there were a few numbers that caught my attention.  For instance, about 15% of kids with Ds will have celiac disease.  Typical population is about 2%.  Approximately 80% (wow!) of people with Ds have sleep apnea to one degree or another. It's recommended that all kids with Ds should have a sleep study by age 4 for a baseline. Between 15-20% of people with Ds have hypothyroid issues.  That's 30-40 times the rate of the typical population.  Again- "wow".

Now the better news.  Alzheimers, contrary to what has been claimed, is much less common in the Ds population than thought.  Actual research shows that at 40 years of age, about 10% of people with Ds will be affected.  At 50 years, about 20%, and at 60, about 40%.  I found that I sighed in relief, hearing actual medical studies done by Down syndrome clinics, instead of scary claims of 100% of people with Ds get Alzheimers.  Often times, life changes and transitions can trigger behaviors that may present as similar to dementia.  We need to be aware of the bigger picture of what is happening in the lives of our loved ones with Ds, and what may have triggered new behaviors, to help diagnose problems.

Some good news is that our kids don't seem to get soft tissue cancers, have much better outcomes with chemo when diagnosed with AML, have an 80% long term success/health rate when getting either AML or ALL (types of leukemia) and tend to have few dental cavities.  Cool, huh? There are new medical and growth guidelines for people with Ds, too, as recently as 2015.  I would hazard a guess that most of our pediatricians don't utilize the newest iterations.  I know a few questions I'll be asking when we get home :)

You can find some great info (and lots of numbers!) on many health subjects if you log into www.chp.edu/dscpodcast

Morning Sessions

This morning, as we usually do, David and I chose which sessions most appealed to us.  I attended the 'Medical Issues in Ds-What Caregivers Need to Know' session.  It was given by Dr. Vellody, so it was very thorough, practical, informative, and helpful.  He covered many topics we all need to be aware of-sleep apnea, skin issues, atlantoaxial instability, feeding, behavior... the list goes on.  This session was an overview of what to be aware of, and did not have a lot of time for questions. 

The second morning session was a continuation of his first presentation, and was all about the questions parents want to ask.  You could write, text, or verbally ask questions about your specific situations.  Sometimes he had an answer, and sometimes he would recommend seeing someone if the situation was something that needed to be addressed in person.  He's very practical and realistic. 

One of the points Dr. Vellody makes that I like was that sometimes, they have kids arrive at their clinic with something he calls "CDD"... Chronic Discipline Deficiency :)  It may be said in jesting, but he also notes that the behaviors we allow in young children with Ds can be harder to change and correct as they age.  Little ones who love throwing shoes at doctors (was his example from real life experiences), and are never corrected, turn into teens and adults who do whatever they want whenever they want to.  It's not just throwing things, it's any unwanted behaviors.

There are a lot of behavioral sessions here.  It's a hot topic for many families.  Dr. Vellody made an excellent point.  He sees teens and adults come in to their transition program that have never had consistent discipline to teach them socially appropriate behaviors.  Not punishments, but guidelines for accepted behaviors.  These older teens and adults then go out into the workplace to find employment, and are having trouble transitioning.  Why?  Because if they don't want to do something, they do as they've always been allowed to do-refuse, avoid, retaliate.  Then the employers say "I knew this wasn't a good idea", and the clients say "why can't my kid be accepted in a job?". 

These are hard to acknowledge but very valid and important issues we face with our kids.  I know we always try to model best behaviors, and it doesn't always work.  Especially when other friends or caregivers allow behaviors because they feel sorry for our kids, or excuse behaviors just because they have Ds, or think it's inevitable behavior.  It's not.  What may be cute at 4, like pulling hair or slapping hands or whacking things with a stick, won't be so cute at 14 when they're trying to be accepted into social groups or public activities, or at 24 when they're trying to secure employment.

Unfortunately, our kids seem to develop habits and routines very quickly.  You take them out to Wendy's as a treat for good behavior at one activity, and suddenly every Tuesday night is junk food night.  They accidentally grab the wrong mom's leg or grab or slap someone in public and you allow it or laugh, and suddenly they are grabbing inappropriate portions of anatomy of unsuspecting strangers. These types of situations can have legal consequences to our children as they age, as well.

We have to be aware of what routines we are creating, and be sure to keep an eye to the future just as much as we teach our typical children appropriate and acceptable behaviors.  It will not only help us as parents to be more stress-free, but will benefit our children in so many ways throughout their lives.

Meeting Celebrities

One of the cool things about Conference is that you often get to meet some popular people in the Down syndrome community.  Several years ago, we had the opportunity to meet Chris Burke.  We've also met Carrie Burkin, Lauren Potter, and Natalie Upp.  Pretty cool.  This year was no exception, and we happened to run into someone entirely by accident.

Here's a little background.  Clothing for our kids with Ds is often hard to find.  Target clothes may be cute, but let's face it-they're made for stick figures.  My older daughter never had a problem and actually needed those skinny little styles.  Unfortunately, they just don't work for Abigail.  (There are some wonderful vendors here with some beautiful women's clothing by a designer with Ds.  I can't say as much for the men.  Sorry, guys!) 

Any way, we saw a lovely young woman with a striking dress that would look fabulous on Abigail.  I stopped them to ask where she'd found it, and was having a very nice conversation with her mom.  I noticed lots of folks stopping behind us and asking for photos.  Me, being clueless, asked her Mom why everyone wanted her photo.  Turns out the beautiful young lady was:



Christina from the show "Born This Way".  I was embarrassed to have to admit that I never watch the show.  I can't bring myself to watch it.  I don't know why.  Maybe it's simply because we don't have cable and I never watch TV, or because I figure I'd just cry through it anyway, or that I don't like reality shows and it seems like it would be very staged and give false impressions of what our lives are really like day-to-day, or that these kids would be placed in uncomfortable situations just to see how they react.  I don't know, but I just have no desire watch it.

She was a very sweet young woman, and her mom and dad were very nice, too.  We had a very pleasant conversation and went on our way.  Maybe I should try watching her show just to see if she's as sweet as she is in person.  It's like that here-meeting celebrities is just a thing you do at Convention :)

A Matter of Time

I have several more posts to fit in, but we are crunched for time and got in quite late last night after the amazing dance.  Will update asap.  Gotta go learn some more stuff.... :)

Inspired to Dance

If you ever attend Conference, I would highly suggest you attend the Plenary sessions and Opening Session, and also the Films.  Our first few conferences, we sort of blew them off, figuring they would be boring speeches.  We were SO wrong.

We were fortunate this year to arrive so early on in the Conference schedule that we could attend the ice breaker Thursday evening and the Opening Session on Friday night.  It is so inspiring and uplifting to hear the stories and speakers there.  This year's Keynote Presentation was by Frank Stephens, who addressed Congress.  He has an amazing sense of humor and had the whole audience in stitches.  Then he got to the meat of his presentation, and received standing ovations (plural) during his speech.  If you have to opportunity, please, please stream his presentation. I promise you won't be bored or disappointed.


(David & Frank)

Dan Habib, filmmaker from the University of NH (Including Samuel), was also a speaker and gave a wonderful presentation and preview of his upcoming film "Disabling Segregation".  Dr. Vellody, of the Ds Clinic of Western PA, was there as well.  He is currently the President of the NDSC and also an inspiring speaker.  He has a 42 year old brother with Ds, so he has a good grasp of what life is like for us all.

The Self Advocates group from the Youth & Adults Conference gave a presentation on their book donation initiative.  You can donate $100, and they will send books to donate to your local library.  All of the books portray individuals with Down syndrome in a positive light.

After all of this wonderful inspiration, it's hard to just sit still or go to sleep.  So many thoughts and ideas are running through your head that you can't sit still.  That's a good thing, though, because following the Opening Session is the 3-2-1 Dance! party.  As always, it was tons of fun and we love, love, love seeing all of the babies, kids, teens, and adults with Ds having such a great time with their families, dancing the night away.  The DJ played great upbeat music and a few classic favorites, like YMCA.  They also serve desserts and munchies (cookies, brownies, fruit, tortilla chips & cheese) and have cash bars.  A dance night is always a great time.

Oh How Many Feet You Meet...

First, I just wanted to show you this year's convention tshirt, because I think it's fun:



Now, on to the nitty-gritty....It may sound strange, but the Foot Issues session was amazing!  Abigail wore sure-steps when she was little, which was great.  Recently (within the past year), her right foot has begun to pronate, she is developing a bunion, and she occasionally complains of foot pain.  This session was perfect timing for us. When I have asked about foot issues, I have heard too many responses along the lines of "she has Down syndrome, and they just walk like that".  Rrrg.  Ugh.  Aarrgg!  You fellow parents out there get it, right?

Dr. Lorri Riley, DPM provided lots of info and background on many issues our kids may encounter.  Flat feet, pronation, nail issues (thick nails, thin nails, brittle nails, fungus, ingrown, etc.), toe issues (hammer toe, claw toe, fused toes, calluses, bunions, club toes, etc.).  It may not be a glamorous subject, but it sure is useful information to have for the next time we visit the doctor.  Sometimes just knowing the right questions to ask makes all the difference in finding help for our kids.

Not all presenters do, but this particular one has developed a product for sale here at the convention, and also offers services via mail to take impressions of your child's foot for creating custom orthotics.  Her presentation was not aimed at promoting her product, though.  It was not an infomercial :)

She answered lots of questions and explained the mechanics of the foot and how it can affect the knees, hips, back, and even the neck in some cases.  She also explained how flat feet develop, the importance of supporting the whole foot, the difference and use of afo's and braces, and when surgery becomes necessary as opposed to simpler correction methods.  You can find out more about support of our kids' feet here https://www.j1insoles.com/content/about-us/down-syndrome-and-j1-insoles

If you would like to view a session recording, go to www.playbackndsc.com to view prices and available options.  When we registered, we got a flash drive of the compendium (including all slides from all presentations).

While I was learning about those cute little toes, David went to the session on ABLE (tax-advantage savings accounts for people with disabilities and their families) and learned lots of good info.  For instance, you can have an ABLE account AND a Special Needs Trust, and they will complement one another.  Also, you can get the ABLE account that is offered in your home state, OR, get one from a different state that has set their accounts to be nationally available (for example, VA has a nationally available program at www.able-now.com).  Pick the one that suits your needs best.  Go to www.ablenrc.org to find out more about this important subject.

So Many Choices-How to Choose?

After a good night's sleep, (we didn't wake until 9 a.m.!) we're ready to select the info sessions we want to attend.  There are 84 sessions to choose from, from this afternoon through Sunday morning.  Whew!  That's a lot of info.

Each session is marked with suggested age group, so you can begin to narrow your choices by that.  We're looking primarily at the 'school age', 'teen', and 'all' categories.  There are lots and lots of topics to choose from.  David and I usually make selections independently.  We then attend what is of most concern to us, and we are able to cover more territory, so to speak.  Sometimes we enter a session and find one another :)

Here's a quick pic so you can get an idea of a few sessions...



For this afternoon, I'm looking at 'speech clarity', 'foot problems' and 'recharge for resilience' for family members and caregivers.  They all sound good, so how do I choose?  Now it's time to narrow down the choices.  Well, she does receive speech therapy and is working on clarity, so I could ask her therapist how to help.  She has been having some foot issues, so I need to learn more about that.  I think all caregivers should learn how to relax & recharge... but... I'm thinking the foot issues is going to win out.  That's the one I can least readily find information about at home.

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night

Oh the weather outside is frightful, hot, and stormy ... but inside is truly delightful, cool, and welcoming. We arrived this afternoon via train, had a quick bite for lunch, then headed straight to conference check-in and the vendor area. As always, there was lots and lots of information to be found on various services, organizations, and events.  There were vendors selling artwork, books, and clothing.  We were quick to find the GiGi's Playhouse table (they say "hi" to our local team!) and find info supporting all ages of children with Ds.

One of the things we noticed that was different this year, as we haven't attended for a few years, is the number of organizations and support networks for teens and college age kids.  There are several programs that are growing into the much-needed area of supported adult life.  Pathfinder Village, Ruby's Rainbow, PALS, and Clemson LIFE College are a few names I remember. 

When we came out of the vendor area it had started to thunderstorm, and it is still going strong, unlike me.  We headed to one last event for the night-the Connection Reception.  Rooms are designated by age groups, and you meet other parents & families with kids in a similar developmental stage as yours.  We met some lovely folks and are looking forward to seeing them more this weekend at some of the breakout sessions.

For now, I think I've about reached my limit (up since 3:00 a.m.) and am heading to bed.  I'll have to write more when I have a good sleep and can think clearly again.  Good night from stormy Dallas, TX!

Going For a Train Ride

We decided to take the train.  It was our most economical option, and we were in no rush.  From the Dallas Fort Worth Airport, it took close to an hour to get to the downtown Sheraton.  Our flight arrived well before we could check in to our hotel room, so the time wasn't an issue.  The total cost for both of us was $5.  We met a very nice woman we chatted with on the train and she learned about the NDSC conference :)  She seemed genuinely interested.

Another bonus was that the train was air conditioned.  It did cut out for about 2 stops, and it got warm but not bad.  Then it kicked in again with no further issues.  It took 15 stops to get where we were going, but it was actually kind of relaxing and enjoyable.  The train was not crowded (we weren't in a rush hour), so it worked out pretty well.

As for walking about down town Dallas, we won't be doing much of that.  First of all, we will be busy at the conference.  Secondly, we walked a few short blocks to a local sandwich shop for lunch, and it does not feel like a safe place to be wandering about.  Police sirens are frequent.  There are a lot of panhandlers and homeless, which I get, but one was semi-following us yelling "I have a gun!  No, I don't have a gun!  Never mind!".  Another came up close behind us and only stopped when we entered the shop. Another approached us asking for money.  Once we finished lunch (which was perfectly comfortable and pleasant in the shop), we had no instances walk back, but, it's not something we'll be repeating.  There are several food options here in the hotel, albeit a bit pricier than local fare might be, but not ridiculously so.

The hotel itself is quite lovely, and the staff have all been pleasant and helpful.  ;There are 3 towers-North, Central, and South. There is an outdoor pool which we can see from our room, but we didn't even bring our suits, as we're planning on being busy with conference.  Here's a pic of the pool on Central tower:



For our trip back to the airport, we will need a shuttle or taxi to make sure we arrive on time, and it's quite early in the a.m.  I'm not sure I'd want to be travelling off hours for so long.  We would have to get up a lot earlier, too, to allow for the time it takes the train to make all the stops, and we already have to get up at 4:30 a.m.  That's early enough, thanks!

Early Flight

We were up at 3:00 a.m. this morning getting ready for our first (very early) flight.  The first leg of our journey went smoothly and now we're waiting in the Chicago airport to catch our second flight into Dallas.  To be honest, I'm having a hard time keeping my eyes open :)  I just don't function well on 3 hours of sleep any more.... not that I ever have, ha ha ha!

We met another family from our local area on our first flight.  We may not know each other well, but it was still good to see a familiar face.  We'll be looking for them at the conference once we arrive.  We're not sure if any other local families are attending this year.  Even though we haven't been to this conference for the last few years, we're looking forward to meeting old friends and making new.  One of the best things about this event is that you meet so many people, and instantly feel that you've gained some new life-long family members.

When we attended our first conference, we were hopeful about learning more about our amazing daughter, but were unprepared for the inspiring people we would meet.  I cannot possibly put into words the overwhelming feeling of belonging, of hope, of reassurance, and acceptance, and of wonder that we felt when attending for the first time.  We were immediately hooked and will attend whenever we can manage it. 

We have attended by ourselves, and we have taken the kids with us, depending upon the area and what may be of interest for the kids.  We took them when it was at Disney World (of course!), and also when it was in Washington (they loved the Smithsonian). 

This amazing Family that our daughter brought us to has opened up opportunities for us in multiple facets of our lives, and helped us to make so, so many positive connections.  I am missing her and our other 3 already, although I know that she's having fun at school right now, and that Grama & Aunt Wendy  and her best-big-sister-ever have some fun planned for the next couple days.  Then she gets to party with her other Grandma and cousins.  I think she'll be too busy to miss us much!

Weathering the weather

I just checked the weather report for Dallas over the next few days.  Yet another one of those details that make a trip go more smoothly.  Pack for the weather of your destination. It's supposed to be 98-99 each day (that's 36-37 for all of my celsius-minded friends out there).  I think we might melt if we're outside :)

Here's the dilemma now... do I pack for searing heat, or do I pack for air conditioning?  A little of both, I think.  For some reason, we wait and wait all winter for warmer weather, and we want to warm up.  When summer arrives, everyone cranks up the air conditioning so much that it's too cold to wear warm-weather clothing.  I like air conditioning, don't get me wrong, but in moderation.  I want to feel comfortable, not cool or chilly.  I want to be able to wear sandals without my toes turning blue.

We'll be packing summer clothes, of course, but I'm hedging my bets and taking a pair of light pants and something to cover my arms while we're in sessions, restaurants, etc.

Train or Taxi?

Some of the things you have to think about, and plan for, aren't always the fun and exciting sessions at the conference.  Any trip goes more smoothly when you plan for the little things, too, like how you are going to get to the venue.  This year, since it is so far from our home, we will be flying into Dallas.  Easy enough to get ourselves to the airport from home, but how about when we arrive?  We are not planning to rent a vehicle this trip, since we will be there for the conference and not for sight seeing or driving about. 

This year, the hotel does not have it's own shuttle service, so we will need to get ourselves there from the airport.  A few options are taking a taxi, taking the train, or calling an Uber driver.  Taxi will run us about $65.  Train will be about $10, and Uber somewhere in between.  Now that we know the costs involved, we have to decide which adventure to choose. 

A taxi is as taxis are everywhere.  Personally, I find them awkward and a bit smelly, especially for the price. At the last conference we attended and flew to, the taxi drivers were downright aggressive and presumptive, and the SUV that we finally went with was in need of a tidy-up, for sure. The driver talked on the radio/phone the whole trip.  A little nerve wracking, to say the least. 

The train has a stop right at the Dallas airport, and also a station right across the street from the hotel.  Most cost effective, and virtually door-to-door service.  It will be during daytime hours, so should be fairly safe.  Down side, we have to lug our bags with us.

We've never used Uber, so that would be a new experience for us all around.  Decisions, decisions...

It's Getting Close!

Just a few more days and we're on our way!  Packing hasn't begun yet, because we're still UNpacking from a trip this past weekend.  It is beautiful in the Adirondacks in the warm, sunny weather.  It's a crazy busy summer, with our twins graduating High School, with grad parties, with 1 heading off to work out of town, and our eldest working his first full time co-op.  Abbie began summer session today at her school with a new teacher.  Busy times for all.

We're Heading South!

This year's NDSC Conference is being held in Dallas, TX, in mid-July.  I'm thinking it will be very, very hot :) We've had to take a few years off from attending (that's why this blog has been so neglected), but we are heading to the conference again this year in just a few short months!  I'm already excited, and can't wait to see old friends, make new acquaintances, and learn some new stuff.