Holy Bloggers, Batman! I forgot to write today!

I feel like I'm slacking today. Terribly busy at work (for once)...ok, well, kinda busy at work.

I really wanted to write about SmallBoy's Cub Scout outting yesterday. We went to visit Cantigny Park yesterday with most of the troop and some of the parents. The park is HUGE...I can't remember the acreage...full of trees (and the colors right now are beautiful), meadows, gardens, REAL tanks and vehicles from the wars. The boys gathered, did their flag ceremony and read their "research projects" on states. They had to pick a state, tell the bird, tree, describe the flag. Most of them did OTHER states, but about four, including SmallBoy, did Illinois. It was cute, though.

We moved on to the war museum. There the boys were able to see actual items used in various wars - equipment, uniforms, weapons, medical supplies, sample rations, photos from Viet Nam. They then toured a walk through exhibit beginning with a WWI exhibit, complete with a trench and periscopes. The tour continued through the wars in our history, including a stop to watch a short film about the landing on Omaha Beach, with reel footage (ha ha - sorry, PC's input), and ending with a very brief exhibit on the Gulf War. The Korean war was, as usual, overlooked.

Dismissed from the museum, the boys had free reign of the park and went exploring and climbing the tanks and vehicles on display outside of the museum. The had heard mention of the Nazis in the museum and decided to play Nazis v Americans with the tanks. Of COURSE the Americans won. The boys had a ball. We parents sat around praying that none of our children would fall off of the tanks or poke someone's eye out with a stick (GOD do I sound like a mom!). Finally building up an appetite, we settled in for a hot dog snack provided by the scout leaders.

As incredible as this experience was, I think the best part for me was watching SmallBoy interact. He was not always included and did not always make an effort to get in the game, but he DID play and run around with the boys. He had fun. He played. He socialized. I was surprised, really, that we had no inkling of a meltdown.

This morning was a bit difficult as far as getting up was concerned, though, but, really, I attribute part of that to all of the running around in the fresh air the day before (and part of it to a Monday morning). Tonight he blogged about his trip, short though it was. He's truly enjoying this writing and I'm hoping that it will help him with his expressive language. He loves it. Thanks to those of you who have stopped in and said hi. He thinks it's great that he's writing and, as I put it to him, helping other moms and other kids just like him. I think that helps him feel a little better about his "Aspie-ness".

I've got a cold beverage and a husband waiting for me, so I'll leave you with that for tonight and try to NOT do any work at the office tomorrow so that I can write and catch up with all of you!