Friday afternoon I went to the festival of trees with my Mom and her friend Roxanne. I got all my girlfriends bubble bath from Avon for Christmas. I got Craig a hockey picture ornament of a player he likes. I got Miss C something too… but don’t want her to find out so I am not writing it here!

Saturday was the Rose Club Christmas party at the Norsemen Inn. In the afternoon we had a practice for our play. The play was very fun and went smoothly. We do a Chinese gift exchange I got a box of chocolates and a Christmas Light Pattern Blanket. We watched a slideshow that Rebecca made of all of the activities we did throughout the year. It was very fun to see pictures from the year. We did a lot of things! I had pudding for dessert it was good.

There was a dance and Derek & Barry provided the music and later on there was a band. Here is me dancing with Marissa!

Sunday I stayed home because Mom and Dad were at a Super Bowl Party! So I decorated the house and the Christmas Tree. We had some Christmas Music playing in the background.

Saturday during the day we went shopping for Christmas gifts for the Rose Club Christmas Party. I paid all by myself with no help at all. I was so excited I couldn’t get my wallet back in my purse!

Saturday Night we had Rose Club Craft Night we made Snow Globes out of little jars. We had to use hot glue guns. I told my staff Melissa where I wanted to put the ornaments and she glued them for me.

After we talked about our Muppets Christmas Carol  that we are doing for the Rose Club Christmas Party. I am playing Tiny Tim. Stay tuned for pictures next week!

On Sunday Mom and I went to a craft sale at the Norsemen.  We had trouble finding a spot to park because someone was parked in the middle of the three handicapped parking spots, making the other ones too narrow for the ramp to come down.  We ended up parking on the end of a row, but when we came out someone was parked right beside us so Mom had to pull ahead to load me while I waited.  It was pretty warm on Sunday so the snow really stuck to my tires – they looked like snow balls.

Thursday evening we wrapped our gifts for the Rose Club Christmas Party. I held the paper and taped it with some help from Marisa. We printed a card off the computer that we made and then I colored and folded it. I am looking forward to the party!

Saturday morning I got up hung out. My staff Marissa came in at 11:00. Miss C gave me blue hair dye last weekend. I stayed in my jammies and sat in the shower chair to dye my hair. Marissa put lots of towels around me so I wouldn’t get dye on my clothes! We had 2 colors of blue a dark blue and greeny blue. So we put the dye on and I had to wait for an hour! While I waited I went on Facebook and posted that I was dying my hair today. I had lunch while I waited. Finally I had a shower and washed the dye out. I really like it… What do you think?!

Saturday afternoon we went to Walmart and did some errands. We had some ice cream at McDonalds in Walmart.

Monday evening Nancy my staff got a surprise for me. It was a white box that hooks up to the TV and we can watch music videos, this is very nice. I can use my iPad to watch YouTube on the TV and I control it with an app on my iPad.We used to watch CMT but they never have music videos anymore and there are no commercials!

I went bowling with Special O on Wednesday.

Yesterday I finished the typing for my Vision Impairment Project I am working on.

Saturday morning I decorated a cake for the Rose Club Birthday Bash. We made a chocolate cake and decorated with fresh strawberries. I even had a piece at the Birthday Bash!

On Saturday the 4th my Grade 1 Teacher Miss Cherniak (Miss C) and her Mom came from Wetaskiwin to spend the day with me and my Mom. We gave her a tour of my house and she met some of my roommates. I taught her how to play Yahtzee and she won! We decided to go to Starbuck’s and ended up talking for an hour and a half! I haven’t seen her in 3 years so we had a lot of catching to do. It was so nice to finally see her again. She came with gifts and gave me blue hair dye, earrings, necklace & rings! Since Grade 1 we talk almost everyday. She is very special to me.

On Monday I priced tea cups at my job at Centra Cam Outlet Store. I really like my new job. It is very fun and easy to do. Centra Cam does a Christmas Tree for the Festival of Trees. All of the ornaments are homemade by the Centra Cam Clients. It is very fun to be part of.

Tuesday morning I worked on my Visual Impairment Project. I research a different topic every month.  We look up questions and make notes from the intranet.The topic is usually disability related. I put together a bulletin board with information regarding the topic. I wanted to do this to help people not be afraid of their differences so everyone can be more included! I also wanted to understand different disabilities. I was scared to ask questions and didn’t want to hurt peoples feelings.

We have a tree in the hallway at Centra Cam. Everyone brought a baby picture and we stuck them on the tree. We have to figure out who’s baby picture is who. It’s fun.

Wednesday’s I do Movement Class I have been doing it for 3 years. I can now cross my leg overtop my other leg!

Rose Club carved Pumpkins on Friday, October 20th. I really liked digging out the inside of the pumpkin. Becca and I did hand over hand cutting of the face. I made 2 faces on my pumpkin and a design.

On Saturday the 21st my staff, roommates and I went out to pick out Halloween Costumes and decorations. We also went for walk around Mirror Lake. I had a gift card for A&W since last year so I had a chocolate milkshake it was really good!

Every October Camrose Association For Community Living (CAFCL) has a Charity Auction. This year it was on Thursday, October 26th. I donated a scarf I made. I was featured as a Client Showcase Person.  Which made my scarf a Live Auction item. Esther the CEO of CAFCL had me on stage and asked me questions so the crowd got to know me. Then they auctioned off my scarf. The Mayor Norm Mayer bought my scarf for $1500 and then he gave it back to me!! I was honoured to be included. My Mom was there as well. The Charity Auction was really fun! I bought a mirror and sign for my house. I can’t wait for next year!

Saturday October 28th Rose Club had a Halloween and Birthday Bash. I made cheesecake brownies with orange and black icing. I dressed as Alice In Wonderland for the party. My Mom made a hole in my costume so I could still eat!

This week at my job I learned how to stamp prices. I really like what I am doing.

On Thursday November 2nd Cherilyn and I did a presentation at Our Lady of Mount Pleasant (OLMP) School to 450 students and the staff! It was amazing. You can really tell when kids are listening because they ask questions! We talked about Cerebral Palsy (CP)and how it affects everyone differently. My roommate is a student at OLMP and she has CP so I talked about her and myself. I felt really good after the presentation that I made a difference.

On Friday the 13th Rose Club did a Bake Sale at the Camrose Kodiak’s Game. I made Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins and labels for the bags with my roommate Theresa and my staff Marissa. Rose Club made $180.30 at the Bake Sale. Everyone had lots of fun and it was nice to see people and that they appreciated our baking. The money we raised will help with the cost of future Rose Club events.

This is me doing quality control to make sure the muffins were good enough to sell!

Wheelchair Parking Gone Wrong!

We purposefully chose a parking spot equipped with a wheelchair sign and pared off to the side so that we would have lots of room to put the ramp out so that we could get my wheelchair in and out of the vehicle. When we came back out, this is what we found.

Someone, with a wheelchair sign in their window parked in between our vehicle and the next vehicle, completely blocking our ability to fold down the ramp. This was very frustrating! What you think when you see this?

I started my new job on Tuesday. I had to sign some papers, watch a safety video and we toured around. They have to make a ramp at the back door so that I can get out safely if there is a fire. My first day went pretty ok. I am starting on Monday’s and I look forward to it!

Sunday I had Thanksgiving dinner at my parents. My brother Joel  came home from Edmonton  and my other brother Luke came home from Calgary they are both going to school. Every Thanksgiving we always take a Fall Family Picture. But this year the weather wasn’t very cooperative and my Mom was under the weather. So we took our picture in the living room. We always have to match! We love doing them.After pictures Mom, Joel and I played Rummikub. Once I got the hang of it, it was really fun. I can play it by myself and didn’t need help once I figured it out.

My Mom made a ham dinner and I got to have a piece of apple pie!

On Monday my staff Marisa colored my hair with hair chalk. It was fun and I liked how it looked. What do you think?

Saturday Theresa and went to Flatliners at Duggan Cinemas. Theresa liked the Action part of the movie and I really like the medical part. They made their hearts stop and my heart stopped for 20-30 minutes when I was a baby. It was interesting for me to watch.

I use a therapy wedge to stretch my torso and my hips because when you sit all day you don’t use those muscles and the therapy wedge helps me strengthen them. My staff uses a motorized lift to put me on the wedge. I like to use a pillow for my elbows to keep them supported and comfortable. I watch TV while I lay on the wedge!

We have a reclining chair that I really like to sit in to watch TV as well. I have a pillow that supports my back that doesn’t move.

This week on Thursday I walked in my walker 13 laps! That is more than I have ever done I usually do 10!

I found out on Thursday while I was walking that I got a job at the Centra Cam Outlet Store! My job will be to price the items on Tuesday mornings. I am very excited to start this week!

This was a very good week!

Friday September 22nd was another Rose Club event. We decorated white T-Shirts with permanent marker and acetone. I could color the t-shirt very well with no help. It was really fun. I like how the shirt turned out. The smell from the acetone was strong though!

Saturday September 23rd we went to the Camrose Kodiak’s Game. I don’t really like hockey but when I have a chance to go out and do something with my friends I go! I shared poutine with my room mate Theresa! The Kodiak’s won 4-3.

This week we started swimming and bowling again with Special O. Craig and I bowl on Wednesday Nights from 4:30-5:30 it is really fun for me!

On Monday’s I go swimming with Centra Cam from 3:00-4:00 and then I have Special O swimming from 4:00-5:00. I am REALLY Busy!

Sunday I flew from Edmonton to Vancouver and stayed the night at the airport hotel.

Monday I got on the Disney Cruise and toured around the ship for the day!! We watched a ventriloquist show in the evening before supper!!

On Tuesday we did a couple of crafts in the day time!! We got to make homemade buttons and another craft a paper Minnie Mouse!! Then we went to the show the golden mickey’s!  Then we went out for supper!!!

On Wednesday we had breakfast in our room!!! We saw the characters and we went shopping, I got a sweater (jacket and pants that are black and has Disney cruise written on it!! ) I also got a Mickey Mouse picture fame! They had a Pirates of the Caribbean theme night at supper!! So, they gave us bandanas to wear, they had a band playing music and we danced!! After supper we watched the musical ” Frozen” and then they had fire works on one the decks.

Thursday we had breakfast out!! We went to see more characters and they had windows that you could sit on!! We went swimming again in the afternoon!! This was the last night on the ship and we went to “Disney Dreams” and had supper!!! Everyone was very happy to help so we went to each restaurant on the ship and to each waiter and gave them a tip!! We made a waiter cry!!!

We went to Sea World on Saturday!!! We went on rides (we went on the motion airplane and the gondola) we went to watch a killer whale show, saw turtles and we went in a tunnel that had the sharks In it!!! There was an ice wall but I’m not sure what that was about!! We also watched whales play and swim in a show!! We also saw flamingos and baby sharks, seals and otters, a walrus and dolphins!

The ups and downs about this cruise!!!

1. It was hard to get in the elevator (a bit tricky with a walker and a wheelchair)
2. There was stuff that you take for granted  – I can go into my house because we have a ramp (Rebecca had to do a lot of lifting on this trip), at home we have lifts to put me into bed, we had to use a suitcase to keep me in bed – at home I have bed rails ! It was a good thing I brought my unpowered chair because it was hard to get into the elevator because the door closed too fast it would have been impossible to get it in as quick as we needed to!!
3. There were unknowns too!! People were very helpful and knew what they were talking about!!! They had a seat belt for me on the rides, they had lifts for the shuttles and seat belts for me to keep me safe!!

In the states they had a lot of wheelchair public washrooms everywhere!!  Also the public washrooms were bigger than in Canada!!   In Sea World they even had sinks outside. All the shows that we saw had wheelchair seats!!!

This was an amazing trip and I would go again in a heartbeat. I would like to thank CAFCL for making this happen. They planned an amazing trip that I will never forget. My staff Becca, Kathy & Diana were very fun! Theresa, Kat, Nicole, Cindy & Joanne were awesome to hang around with!