The Auter Family - theauterfamily

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The Auter household has certainly been busy with guests!

First came Grandpa Mike and Grandma Lyn in early-March for an early Easter celebration. Lyn, of course, went all-out and filled plastic eggs with pieces of paper that led to "prizes," such as bubbles, body gel, toys, and Grandpa Mike and I hid the eggs after a brunch out while the kids and Lee showed Grandma Lyn what fun they have at the park.

In typical Grandpa Mike fashion, he wanted to hide it in unexpected places (see him holding Atrus up to the ceiling fan!). The kids loved the hunt! I'm amazed, continuously, how easy they have come to love my father and stepmother as their own grandparents. And, likewise, my dad and stepmom have taken a great love for my stepchildren. It's beautiful to watch.

The week before Easter, Grandma Sandy came down from Sheboygan to visit. She brought the Easter candy and baskets and stickers. She was able to stay the whole week while the kids were on Spring Break, so that helped Lee and myself out a lot. We all loved having her.

The last dozen pictures or so from Easter are from the night before Easter when we were coloring eggs. Lee took those pictures and you can tell because of the obvious artistic angles.

To explain the house picture, that is a dollhouse that Lee is making from scratch (!) for the girls. I'm so proud of him for all the work he's done.

Parental updates:
I'm working part-time with "C," a 13-year-old severely Autistic boy who is just a delight. He teaches me so much about patience and communication. He's nonverbal, but uses sign for things. I'm struck by his dark eyes and dark hair. He is truly a treasure in my life and I'm blessed to be working with him.

I'm applying to other home care agencies, trying to find someone else I can help during the days - both to add to my occupational therapy experience and to bring in more money.

Lee is working hard at work, as usual. His birthday was March 29th and he turned 32!! I follow him on May 14th and can't believe we're already that old. :) This April he's taking an overnight trip up to visit Uncle Brian (best friend) to go to a roller derby. Knowing I'd be home alone that night, he was kind and smart enough to grab two free tickets for a Suzanne Vega concert at work. I'm ecstatic. I love Suzanne Vega and am taking with my dear friend, Mary.

Spring certainly is a welcome season, isn't it. This Winter has felt especially claustophobic and stifling so the ability to open the windows and let in the breeze is most wonderful. Callie, the cat, is especially loving it.

We wish you a Happy Easter Season and wish you every blessing!

Greetings, Auter-fans!

I have an Atrus on my lap. He's grown so much just in the past few months. He has more hair and is so much more verbal at his post 3-year-old status. The oober-cute "Seesa" he used to call me is now sometimes replaced by the actual "Lisa," proving that he is working on his L's.

We spend mornings together during our weeks together going to storytime at Barnes and Noble and going to a church group on Thursdays where I can talk with kind adults and Atrus can practice his social skills with other kids.

The girls are going well in school. Aislyn had to choose someone in history to "be" in a wax museum pretend-project. She picked Helen Keller and afterward, Lee found out that Edgewood College was putting on "The Miracle Worker" and so the three of us went to see her first play (non-musical). She LOVED it, much to my delight as a former actress. I'm so glad we had that experience.

Gabrielle is being her outgoing, crafty self (both crafty in the arts and crafts sense and the sneaky sense, haha) and making friends all over the place. Thanks to Grandma Lyn, the house has been decorated with hand-made cut-outs for each holiday. Gabrielle loves to help hang them up.

I have good news regarding my forthcoming published book about my mother. We've decided on a title - the editor didn't like "Motherlung," much to my dismay, so we settled on "The Sum of Our Burning." So that book will be out in 2012.

I have a part-time job now, as an Autism Therapist for a 13-year-old severely Autistic boy. He's challenging, but delightful. This goes along with my desire to get my Occupational Therapy degree, so it's good experience. I'm still in training-mode. I enjoy it very much. I only wish it was more hours. I'm looking for a second part-time job to bring in more income. Boy, is that ever frustrating! But the following person is a super champ in motivating and caring for me:

Lee is doing well at work, as usual. I wish they'd recognize his achievements and efforts with a MONETARY recognition....but that's hoping for too much at this point. He has been gaming with friends and working on his miniatures (painting) which he is very adept at - and I love knowing he is getting back into his hobbies he had once upon a time.

Springtime is coming! During Spring Break, Grandma Sandy is hoping to come down for a visit. We hope the weather will be nice enough to go to a mud-free park.

We send you all of our love and hope you find that special Springtime moment when you notice the first flower bud.

xxoo
Lisa

Hello! Greetings from the post-Holiday Auters!
We all had a great Christmas. I received a present from Aislyn that is my pride and joy - a charm that spells out "Step Mom." I got so choked up when I saw that. :)

And Gabrielle made me THREE cards!

Christmas Eve, the kids went to their mom's house. Lee and I had a quiet Christmas Eve at home together.
Christmas Day, we met the kids at Grandpa Jeff and Grandma Penny's house where so many people gathered to eat good food, open fun presents and be together. It was the first family get-together I've been to (big one, anyway). I loved it!

Then, we came back home and opened presents, just the kids and Lee and I.

The following day, my aunt, uncle, and three cousins drove up from Kenilworth, IL to spend the day with us. They were kind enough to get the kids their own kid-size table so now they can color and do projects on a table that fits them! Thanks, Gordons!

Besides Christmas, we also celebrated Gabrielle's 6th birthday! She was so excited to turn six and I've had fun looking at pictures from when I first met her (she was a late four years old) - her hair was so much shorter! - to pictures of her now. She had a birthday bash in school and then her mom took her out for dinner and dropped her back off here with us. She's already talking about when she turns seven. :)

I'm watching Atrus during the day while Lee is at work and that's working out well. We're bonding quite nicely and playing lots of games. Mostly trucks and cars, but luckily, we got him some action figures so now he has "guys" to put in all his trucks and cars.

Aislyn is doing great in school. Over Winter Break, she made a monster snow fort and has enjoyed that thoroughly. She's definitely our outside girl!

Well, we hope that 2010 finds you healthy, happy, and in love with life.

Love,
Lisa

Hi family,
well, I got laid off of my great job yesterday. It was a temp job which was supposed to last one week but lasted nearly three months - so I thought they'd keep me on - but alas, the economy is still so unstable so off I go into unemployment land. It's very frustrating and I feel like I've lost my footing a bit...but you can guess what - or who - bring me back to my beautiful reality: these beautiful children and my wonderful husband.

Last weekend, they went on an overnight trip to Grandpa Jeff and Grandma Penny's house (Lee's dad and step-mom) and they made yummy cookies, saw amazing Christmas lights, played in the snow and had an all-around wonderful time.

Next week, Lee has a furlough day and then I'll be taking care of the kids while they're on break. They'll send Christmas Eve with their mom and then Christmas Day, we'll all go to Grandpa Jeff and Penny's and then on the Saturday, the 26th, my aunt and uncle and cousins, the Gordons, are coming up to Madison from Chicago to spend the day with us.

Lee and I are so grateful for our family who love us so much and are making the kids feel so loved.

Love shall get us all through.

Lisa

The kids and I were home all day yesterday due to Madison's 18 inches of snow! I shoveled a LOT while the kids played inside. They played in the snow for a while as well. The girls had a ball, but poor Atrus was intimidated by the height of the snowbanks and mostly poked at them with a big stick. We went inside for hot chocolate and lunch. The kids played their new mini-air hockey game given to them by Grandpa Mike (my dad, thanks dad!) and I collapsed on the couch in bodily pain (from shoveling).

Lee's car is very unreliable in this kind of weather so he got a ride to work on this horrible, snowy day. He got home safely, much to our happiness.

Kids were back to school and day care today. I had the day to myself which was nice. Lee and I are planning on something fun for the kids Friday - sledding, perhaps?

And Grandpa Jeff and Grandma Penny (Lee's dad and step-mom) are going to take the kids for a holiday sleepover. I'm sure they'll have a blast.

We're planning on taking our own family picture so expect a card in the mail soon!

The Auter family hopes you are having a wonderful holiday season!

Lisa

Hello! We've had a busy and wonderful Thanksgiving. Grandma Sandy came down from Sheboygan and the kids made her many art projects to welcome her. It was the six of us for Thanksgiving. Lee didn't buy a bird this year - Grandma Sandy is a vegetarian and the kids wouldn't eat it, so we had turkey cutlets. Along with yummy chicken salad with grapes, cherries, and cranberries. Mashed potatoes, broccoli bake, corn - all amazing!

However, we quickly realized that when the kids are spending the holiday with us, we "might" want to think about going to someone ELSE's house because it's so hard to watch the kids AND make sure the food is ready, hot and on time. :) So any invitations for two years from now?

The day after Thanksgiving was fun, too. I got two fillings filled (not fun) and Lee worked while Grandma watched the kiddos. Then Granmda let Lee and I actually have a night out which was fun.

Today (Saturday) Grandma Sandy's sister and her family from Kansas (as well as her sister-in-law from Milwaukee) came to visit so we had a full house.

At first, Aislyn and Atrus were a bit shy, but they quickly warmed up. Aislyn's second cousin, Hayley (age 12) was there and after a slight awkward beginning, they were upstairs playing Barbies before we knew it.

We all had sub sandwhiches and munched on chips. Before we knew it, they had to leave (far too soon) and now the girls are doing art projects they got as gifts - Aislyn is painting her birdhouse and Gabrielle painted her glass hangings.

So a special Thanksgiving weekend full of love, family, and food!

We send you all our love this holiday season and I'll check back soon!

Lisa

By the way, I am in the process of uploading our FINISHED (meaning, photoshopped and cropped) pictures of our wedding onto Shutterfly. You are welcome to purchase whatever pictures you like off of the site. Any questions on how to do that, ask me.

And Dad and Lyn, of course we'll get the pictures for you. :)

Love
Lisa

This week with the kids has been a pleasure. Yesterday, the girls were off school for parent-teacher conferences. Atrus was in day care so it was just the girls and myself. We went on some errands and went to a gemstone shop so I can get a few stones of my liking. We saw many beautiful stones - Pyrite, Amethyst, Ruby, Lapis. The girls loved looking at the pretty, shiny stones. I bought each of them a little surprise. A hunk of pyrite that is said to help one go to sleep. We put it under their bed.

Lee went to parent-teacher conferences while I had the girls. Mrs. Tucci had nothing but good things to say about Gabrielle. It seems she is a great helper in class and is the first to report any bad behavior - not in a tattle-telling way, but in a helpful way. Mrs. Tucci said Gabrielle was a joy to have.

Mrs. Vernon had similar things to say about Aislyn. She raises her hand in class and has great ideas, she said. Her Math skills could be better (I think all of our math skills can be better -I know mine can!) but the rest of her studies are up to par. She's reading a book Grandma Sandy gave to her called "Little Witch" (by choice). It was published in 1953. It's pretty neat to see her reading such an old book.

We just finished our nighttime book, "Anne of Green Gables" (and watched the miniseries, which the girls loved) and are now on "The Secret Garden." Believe me, Anne Shirley is a LOT better behaved than Mary Lennox! :) We shall see where Mary Lennox takes us on her journey.

Atrus loves his Richard Scarry book that explains numbers, colors, EVERYTHING. He also likes MY little golden book about different kinds of cats. Of course, he's all about cars in everyday life, but I think he's developing a growing interest in cats, too.

Lee is doing very well at work, directing shows himself and doing a stand-up job!

My part-time job is going superbly and I hear that many temps are hired on after a couple of months. Cross your fingers!

Atrus likes his day care which he goes to four days a week when he is with us. Well, he likes it off and on. Yesterday he wanted nothing to do with it, but today, when he wasn't going, he WANTED to go and missed his friends. So, go figure. :)

Tonight or tomorrow we are going to see Sesame Street Live - the kids are excited about it and so are us parents!

That's all for now!

Best,
Lisa

12. Oct. 2009
Ah, to be a child and home sick. Aislyn had a high fever two days ago - 104!!! We were very worried and Lee took her immediately to the hospital. They sent her home that night after poking and proding her with tests and needles. She bounced back in a day or so and is now finishing up her homework for school tomorrow.

As these things go, Gabrielle developed a fever of 100.5 last night. It was a pretty miserable night for her. And you know that when it's miserable for a 5 year old, it's miserable for EVERYONE. I awoke at 3am to a little shadow of a girl hovering over me in bed.

"Lisa? My tummy hurts..."

So I tucked her back into bed with a pan in case she vomited and a rag.

Luckily, she took a zonked-out nap earlier today and that helped her greatly. The alien has exited the little 5 year old's body. ;) She's coloring right now and I'm about to join her (Thanks Grandma Lyn and Grandpa Mike for that AWESOME princess coloring book - she loves it!).

Atrus was taken to their mom's house so he wouldn't be infected so, luckily, he's safe.

As for Lee and myself? We both have head colds.

Callie the cat is the only healthy one in this house.

But we're doing well, enjoying the sun coming through the blinds on this Tuesday afternoon.

Talk to you soon!

28.Sept.09

Today is a blustery, windy, Autumn day. The girls are in school - Aislyn in 5th Grade and Gabrielle in Kindergarten. Both enjoy school immensely and love their teachers. I, especially, being a new step-mom, enjoy hearing about their school experiences and seeing the papers that come home. It feels good to be a parent.

Atrus is too little for school so I take care of him until Lee gets home in the afternoon. We take walks and bike rides around the block and to the park. We watch movies (his favorite is WALL-E), read books (his favorite is "Stop That Ball!" by Mike McClintock, which was copyrighted in 1959 - goes to show you that some stories are priceless.

I'm in the process, as usual, of finding a job in this horrible economy but I remain hopeful. I still work on my writing and publishing. The kids are an unending source of inspiration for poetry!

Lee is busy over at the TV station, but always makes the time to be the most available and loving father and husband ever.

Thanks for checking out our new website. I look forward to adding on and reading your comments!

Lisa

3/2/2010 2:47:00 PM - 000054977471
Atrus says: "I want a car. Presents. I love Daddy, um, Gabby, Aislyn, Mama, Seesa.