Leave A Comment - Win A Book!

Age of Autism is running a contest for my book! Run on over and leave a comment. It just might be your lucky day!

Remember - even if you already have one by the side of your bed, you still need one for the top of the toilet.

Now Available in Bookstores!

The legislative session in Utah is only 45 days long, but it feels like we're on the television show "Lost" trying to figure out how to get off the island, and there is just no end. I wake up each morning with what Brittany, Steve, and I have termed the "legislative hangover" which consists of 4-5 hours of sleep per night, a nauseating headache that is only made worse by looking at those facebook ads of babies with four eyes, and trying to figure out how a vote at 10 a.m. could end up at 4 p.m. And please...PLEASE don't call me on my cell phone. My monthly bill last month rivaled our car payment. My children have started calling me "grandma" (the one who lives in Idaho) because they see me just about as often. We have March 12 circled on our calendars. I've even doodled fireworks on that day. If it passes, we can celebrate. If it fails, our legislative hangovers will live on. Godspeed!*

So in the middle of all this, I've been made aware of some exciting news. My book, A Child's Journey out of Autism, is now available in bookstores! I also have a couple of events coming up, so please mark them on your calendars. I would be thrilled to see you there!

The King's English Bookshop - Friday, April 3rd @ 7 p.m. (Salt Lake City - 1511 South 1500 East)

Oneida Public Library (Malad City); 31 N. 100, Malad, ID 83252 - Wednesday, April 8th, 7:00 PM



*My experience with Clay's Law has been a fulfilling, tremendously rewarding experience. This is another blog entry (even book) that will be meant to inspire. It's opened up an entirely new world where I have been able to experience love, loss, laughter, and hopefully an eventual victory.

Clay's Law - SB 43 Committee Hearing

Who: Clay's Law hearing in front of the Health and Human Services Senate Sub Committee

When: Thursday, February 12th, 8am-9:30am

Where: Utah State Capitol, Room 250

How Can You Help: BE THERE!! Bring your family, friends, neighbors, church friends, playgroup moms & kids, bring EVERYONE! We need to fill that room so that it's standing room only, and there are people spilling out into the hall. Bring signs that say "Vote Yes for Clay's Law" or "We support Clay's Law." If you are in Senator Bell or Senator Christensen's districts, bring signs that say "Sen. (Bell's/Christensen's) district is for Clay's Law." We are having buttons made that say "Vote Yes!!! Clay's Law" we will only have a few hundred made, so if you take one, make sure you hold onto it and wear it again to other hearings in the future.

Please forward this on to everyone you know in Utah. Ask them to be there to support Clay's Law!

Just so you know where we are at in the legislative process... here is the breakdown. Clay's Law has to pass each step. If it fails in any one of these spots, it's dead. Then we will have to work even harder next year to get it passed. Let's just knock it out of the park NOW!!

1. Senate Sub Committee Hearing - this is the meeting that is on Thursday.
2. Senate Vote - The whole Senate will be able to vote on Clay's Law.
3. House Sub Committee Hearing - Just like the Senate, it has to go through the sub committee first.
4. House Vote - The whole House of Representatives will be able to vote on Clay's Law
5. Appropriations Sub Committee - This sub committee decides if it's worth the money to pass.
6. Governor - After passing all of that, Gov. Huntsman can still Veto the Law. So, we'll need to start writing him letters too.

There are only five weeks left in the legislative session. So this will all fly by really fast. We will need as many people as possible to show up to all of the hearings and votes. Please continue to contact your legislators and ask them to support Clay's Law!!!

Thank you for all of your hard work and support. This will take all of us to get this passed!

Valentines Day Gift Ideas

Valentine's Day doesn't have to suck. I decided several years ago that no longer was he going to top me in the gift giving department. So I sat down one day and wrote a list of memorable, mostly inexpensive gifts.

1. Cake your lips with lipstick then kiss the bathroom mirror topping it off with “I LOVE YOU” in all caps like that. Then google how to get that much lipstick off the mirror.

2. Get the biggest box you can find and let the kids help you decorate it with hearts and messages of love. If you can all fit, hide inside the box. Then jump out and surprised him when he walks through the door. CAUTION - do not write honey do's on the box no matter how tempting.

3. Buy car paint pens (Wal-Mart). Get the kiddies involved and draw hearts and cupids all over his car windows.

4. Write down all the favorite memories you have of the two of you on cute paper. Cut them in strips and put them in a cool box. Put the box on top of the toilet so you’re sure he’ll read one at least everyday.

5. Purchase fish net stockings and the highest heels you can find at Nordstrom. Go home, put them on and start vacuuming the house.

6. Gather all the love letters and cards you've ever sent to each other and put them in a scrapbook. Place on top of the television so he's sure to read at least once. Then you can place on the bookshelf.

7. Send him a pajama gram at work. pajamagram.com. Start office gossip.

8. Dress up as cupid and shoot him with arrows that have suction cups on the end.

9. Take out all the flags in a bag of Hershey kisses and insert your own flags telling him the reasons why you love him.

10. Censored

LET'S HEAR YOUR IDEAS!

Senate Bill 43 - Clay's Law Video

Please refer this You Tube video to your legislators! Thank you so much everyone!

Here it comes...

Sorry for the quietness. I've been hiding under this...

Press Advisory

Coalition to Update Utah Insurance Coverage for Autism

Legislators, business leaders and families join together in announcing a bill to update medical insurance to eliminate discrimination of and provide coverage for children with autism. “Clay’s Law”, named after a child who, after successful treatment, no longer has autism, will help countless children and save taxpayers in Utah millions of dollars.

When: Thursday, January 22, 2009 11 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Where: Utah State Capitol Rotunda

Who: Sen. Howard Stephenson (Utah Senate District 11), Rep. Roger Barrus (Utah House District 18), Fraser Bullock (former CEO 2002 Olympic Winter Games - in absentia), Paul Carbone, MD (Intermountain Pediatric Society), Steve Michalski (autism specialist), Leeann Whiffen (Clay’s mother), Brittany Recalde (parent), and Holly Rechis (parent).

Ample space will be available for photography (still and video) and audio recording. A press Question & Answer session will follow the brief comments. If you would like to make arrangements to interview any of the speakers listed above, or want more information about the Utah Autism Coalition, please call Leeann Whiffen.

# # # #

What is Steamy, Sexy, and Autism?

A Jenny McCarthy/Jim Carrey fundraiser? Wrong! It’s Kay Thomas’s exciting new book, Better Than Bulletproof! So scoot on over to Kim Stagliano's and leave a comment so you can enter the contest for a free, signed copy of this must read!


Until then, we’re running a contest of our own. In the comments, I want you to write your very best steamy G to PG-13 rated one or two-liner. Come on, Twilight fans, I know you have one tucked away somewhere…

I’ll kick it off…

His oversized hand pressed gently against the small of her back as he dipped her in his arms, staring deep into her hungry eyes. He pressed his lips firmly against hers in a passionate embrace that spoke of their enduring love and unwavering loyalty to one another.

(If this were a scene taken from my life, which it isn’t, the next line would read something like this…Suddenly there was a loud banging on the bedroom door. Mooooooooooom! Judd threw his sippy cup at me!”)