I HAVE FAILED!

That's right, I admit it.  My plan to have a golf cart as our only means of transportation has officially failed.  To be fair to myself, we could have totally lived for 6 months with only a golf cart if:

1.  We wanted to rent a car or pay for a shuttle every time someone needed a ride to or from the airport. (Which is about every two weeks)
2.  We wanted to rent a car once a month to run errands and purchase essential things at Costco, Whole Foods, etc.
3.  We didn't care about freezing to death or being struck by lightening in a golf cart.
4.  And most importantly - If we wanted to only do part of what we should be doing to help our children succeed in the Brain Balance program.

The top 3 items could somehow be worked out, but #4 is what lead us to the decision to get our sweet mini van out here!  Someday soon when I post the information about the left and right hemispheres and what they control and what stimulates each of them, you will understand better what I am talking about.  Here it is in a nutshell:

Both of the boys are right brain delayed.  This means that their left hemisphere is much more developed and much stronger than their right.  This causes an imbalance.  It explains why both boys are  geniuses and are so intelligent, (left) but can't focus, pay attention, and have social issues (right).  Anyways, the left brain is easy to stimulate.  You do this with letters, numbers, details, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, movies, computer games, building things, Legos, etc.  (All of which we are supposed to have them do NONE of! and all of which are their favorite things...)

The right brain on the other hand is much more abstract.   This is just list of examples that I found online:

Looking at art and allowing your imagination to roam freely to construct a story around the images; creating art; listening to music - but as much as possible seek out novel activities and experiences.

Sight seeing; meeting new people; reading books that have lots of pictures and unusual sentence structure, big picture thinking, new experiences, etc.  

Which one sounds easier to you???

We were given a list of activities to do as well as sensory motor activities:

• Bike riding
• swimming
• walking/running
• museums
• water parks
• The Zoo
• hiking
• Bouncy houses
• traveling/new experiences
• etc. etc. etc. 

Bouncy house.  Check.  Only takes us 45 minutes there and back - we can do that.
Swimming.  Check.  We can start going there when it warms up next month.
Walking.  Check.  We have plenty of paths to explore.
The rest of the list...... no can do.  So - we decided if we were going to move across the country,  then we were going to make sure to do EVERY last thing we could do to get the most out of the program and our time here.  The more the parents do at home with the home programing, exercises, etc.  The more success and progress they see.  So - if any of you know me, I am not one to do something half way :)

So - could we have made it?  Yes.  However - we want to give our kids every opportunity to succeed so we are altering our original plan a little.

Paige's husband will be driving for 3 days to bring our car to us.  He plans to visit here for a day and then has to head back to work.  THANK YOU DRAYTON!  He will be bringing some essentials with him:

• Bikes, scooters, big wheels
• Mini Trampoline
• Tennis rackets and other sports items
• Keyboard
• Guitar
• Star wars Toys for Brody
• Little people toys for Wyatt
• Books and a few other toys for Hazel
• Oh yea - and A CAR!!!

We will still be driving the cart a lot here.  It is so fast and easy to get to Target, the grocery store and even Brain Balance.  It takes about 20 minutes but the drive is beautiful and just what the kids need.  They experience nature, trees, squirrels, birds, new people and faces, etc!    But for church, museums, airports, etc. we will be driving a car.

Hazel is up sick.  She is stuffy and can't breathe.  I fear we may be up a lot of the night with her so I must wrap up.  I still have a GIANT list of things to post about but all in good time.

I do have one bit of news:  Brody lost his front tooth!  That is the third tooth he has lost but the other two were a long time ago.  It has been loose for awhile and then really loose the last few days.  In fact, yesterday and today it was hurting him because it was hanging down so far that when he would chew or bite down, it would hit the other teeth and hurt.  We brought up the option of pulling it (which I NEVER did as a child either) and he did NOT like it.

On the way home from Jumping Jelly Beans, he was eating a waffle (yes, we take them as snacks - the are yummy just plain!)  and it just came out!  He was a little scared of the blood, but there wasn't much and he was more brave than usual.  Yea Brody!

Good night!