Well, here it is almost Friday!

This has been a looonng week at school. We are starting to pack up some stuff and turn our textbooks in.

My students are going to make their Mother's Day gifts and cards tomorrow. The gift will be a potted flower with their photo in the middle of the flower. Here is how you make it: 1. Take a bathroom cup or a small cardboard pot and decorate the outside with various colors of tissue paper, brush the paper with thinned glue so it will stick. (kinda like decoupage) 2. Put some "clay" in the cup.(ha!) 3. Take a fun-foam piece and cut it in a circle (maybe 3" round). 4. Glue fake flower petals around it to make the flower. 5. Get a photo picture of the child and cut it in a circle to fit in the middle of the flower. 6. Attach the "flower" to a straw (staple, tape, or glue with hot glue)(you can also use those green plant sticks that you can get at the craft store/flower shop) 7. Stick the straw into the "clay" in the cup. 8. Use leftover Easter grass to put on top of the clay in the cup.

We are also doing a "tea", but just with the kids, not the mothers. We just don't have enough room to have that many adults in the room. (although we may change it to a picnic outside on a blanket if the weather is nice)

I found recipes for scones, tea cakes, and tea sandwiches. They will cut out the sandwiches with cookie cutters. The web address is: Great Party Recipes

We do a cooking activity every Friday to improve their daily living skills as well as their measurement, language, and social skills.

Next week, they get to vote on what they would like for their final Friday meal. Some of my students with Autism who are very particular about what they eat have already said they want pizza, peanut butter cookies, and punch. I might have to throw in a salad and have them taste it. I try to get them to take a little taste of something new each week before they can have what they really want to eat. This gives them exposure to different tastes even if they aren't sure they will like them.

Don't forget to go buy this week's TIME magazine. The cover story is on Autism. It's dated May 15, 2006.

So glad to see Clay's smiling face when he visited that school in CT!! What's with the hair? Not sure how I like it. I think I like it a little more styled. I kinda like the color, but he needs some highlights. I like it long or short.

Well, I am bushed after a long day with only one aide. My other aide took off work today and no sub could be found. So, I didn't get any breaks nor did my aide. I'm ready to go home and relax. I'll probably fall asleep at the computer tonight.

Oh, tomorrow is our Relay for Life walk for cancer. I get to walk at 4 in the morning Saturday morning! Then I have to drive 3 hours to my sister's for my nephew's diving meet in Conroe. He has a build like Clay and has red hair and freckles. He's almost 16. Since he dives, he has to wear those Speedos. I don't think Clay would ever wear something like that. I'll leave it at that.

Take care all you students and teachers out there! I pray for the Clay fans, for Clay & his family, and for everyone associated with Clay everyday at school during our "moment of silence" in the morning.

Godspeed and God Bless You!

Deb from Texas