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The Ridiculous Cost of Special Bikes

December 29, 2011 By 4 Comments

My local news had a heartbreaking story of a boy with special needs who had his adaptive bicycle stolen the day after Christmas.  The boy’s family had saved up and gotten the bike for their son as a Christmas present and then some asshole steals it the very next day!  The story both broke my heart and pissed me off.

Then, in an amazing act of generosity, a local businessman stepped up and bought the family another new, $1300 bike for the boy who has Cerebral Palsy, Autism and other disabilities.

It seems that there are still good people in this world!

However, the entire story got me thinking (again) about the subject of “special needs bikes.”  My friend Cheryl wrote a post about it not long ago when she was looking for bikes for her daughter, Jillian.

We were looking through catalogs and chatting about it and I never understood WHY they cost so much money.

The boy in the news story above’s bike only cost $1300.00 but, a look through Adaptivemall.com and you can see that bikes made for these precious children can go as high as $4000.00 (FOUR THOUSAND BUCKS!).

I mean….WHY?

Because the seats are shaped different and they have a few extra nylon strap seat belts?  Because they have straps on the peddles to help steady the feet?  Perhaps it’s the extra brake?

I don’t think these are expensive adaptations.

Do you?

Why should a child with cerebral palsy or another physical disability be screwed out of the freedom of riding a shiny red bike?  I can go to WalMart and buy my kids a “regular” bike for $60.00.  Why does a few extra straps cost thousands more?

I’m so happy that this boy will still get his bike.  The generosity of strangers can still be an amazing thing.  While I try not to focus on the fact that the person who stole the bike is a douche, he is probably just another special needs parent who can’t afford to buy his own damn bike.

 

 

Filed Under: Current Events, Local San Diego Tagged With: ,
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Feeding the Giraffes

October 11, 2011 By 8 Comments

Kids are FREE at the San Diego Zoo for the month of October.  So my mom and I took them down this past weekend.  We had THE MOST fun!  Something new that they are offering is the chance to feed the giraffes.  For $5.00 you get 3 biscuits (they look like dog treats!).  We spent half of the day at the giraffe exhibit waiting to buy tickets, then waiting to feed them, the actual feeding took about 30 seconds.  But it was so worth it!

Gabriel and Nathan were nervous at first.

I’m so bummed that I didn’t get Anthony’s face in this picture.  He was grinning so big.

So excited!

Have you ever fed giraffes?  I actually got to feed some on a tour at the San Diego Safari Park a few years ago and I couldn’t wait to take my boys back to do that with me (they have to be 13 I think).  So it was a real treat to get to have the experience at the Zoo.

Filed Under: Adventure, Family Life, Local San Diego, Pictures Tagged With: , , , ,
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Please Have a Happy and Safe Fourth of July

July 2, 2011 By 6 Comments

I spent a few of my early elementary school years living in Oklahoma.  My dad worked in the oil fields, he hunted, I played in red clay mud puddles the size of a city block.  We were a typical “good ole” family.  Because we lived in the boondocks we did not get the treat of large production firework show on the Fourth of July.  We had a bar-be-que, a fire pit and did fireworks out in the field.

One year, I think I was probably about eight years old.  I was sitting under the tailgate of someones truck.  I was with two of my little girlfriends watching the show.  we were having a grand old time.

A grand old time until one of those spinning fireworks attacked me.

We were watching them light the spinners and laughing.  Then suddenly one came spinning right for us.  My two friends went left, I went right.

The spinner went right.

I don’t really remember a lot of exact details.  I remember being so scared!  It was in my face.  It was fast.  It was hot.  I was trying to knock it away.  People were running away and towards me all at the same time.  I was screaming.

Then I remember being on a kitchen counter being washed down and cleaned up.  I was still screaming and crying.

I don’t remember the days after.  I don’t remember seeing a doctor or having band-aids.  I don’t remember being afraid or anything…not at the time.

Many years later, we had moved back to California.  We would always have fireworks at my family Fourth of July party.  Sparklers, royal candles, spinners.  I always remember being afraid.  I could never enjoy the fun.  All the other kids were running around having a grand time and I would sit huddled on the top of the patio, where the spinners couldn’t reach me.

I was terrified.

Now I have my own children.  Sometimes there are sparklers.  I’m always afraid and I feel stupid and like a lame mom for trying to keep my kids away from the fun.  Nobody really understands why I’m so uptight.  It’s because I’m afraid.

So, this Fourth of July.  Please go out and have a wonderful family get together.  Please enjoy the city sponsored fireworks because they are beautiful!  Please do not have simple and “harmless” fireworks in your backyard.  No matter how safe you think they are,  they could traumatize your child for the rest of their life.  They could kill your child.

San Diego Fireworks Guide 2011

Annual Big Bay Boom Downtown San Diego July 4, 9 p.m.
Chula Vista Fireworks Chula Vista Harbor Yacht July 4, 9 p.m.
Coronado Fireworks Spreckels Park July 4, 9 p.m.
Disneyland 1313 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim July 1-4, 9:30 p.m.
El Cajon Fireworks Kennedy Park July 4, 9 p.m.
Escondido Fireworks Grape Day Park July 4, 9 p.m.
Lake Murray Murray Park Drive July 4, 9:15 p.m.
LEGOLAND California 1 Legoland Drive, Carlsbad July 3-4, 8:30 p.m.
Mira Mesa Fireworks Mira Mesa Community Park July 4, 9 p.m.
National City Fireworks Kimball Park July 4, 9 p.m.
Ocean Beach Fireworks Ocean Beach Pier July 4, 9 p.m.
Picnic Fireworks in La Jolla La Jolla Shores & Kellog Park July 4, 9 p.m.
Poway Fireworks Poway Highschool July 4, 9 p.m.
Rancho Bernardo Fireworks Bernardo Heights Middle School July 4, 9 p.m.
Santee Fireworks Town Center Community Park West July 4, 9 p.m.
SeaWorld San Diego 500 SeaWorld Drive, San Diego July 4, 9:30 p.m.

 

Filed Under: Holidays, Local San Diego, Mommy Time Tagged With: ,
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Time Is Running Out For The San Diego County Fair

June 26, 2011 By 2 Comments

If you live anywhere near San Diego then you know it is San Diego County Fair time.  Heck, with the entire North American Continent intrigued with our Deep Fried Kool-Aid, even if you don’t live in the area you probably know about it!

{Cheryl showed me a Canadian news story last week about the treat!  Imagine that!}

Anyhow, with only two weekends left before it is gone, and we headed down on Friday to check it out.

I remember when I was a child in 4-H, I spent a lot of time at the Del Mar Fair, which is what it was called in the olden days.   It has been a yearly staple for my family ever since.  I don’t think any of my boys have missed it since they have been born.  When I was a kid, I raised market sheep so we would spend days camping at the fair.  It holds a lot of great memories for my family.

This weekend was a perfect weekend to go.  It reached about 70 degrees and mostly sunny by lunch.  I love going on a weekday because it is less crowded (not by much…but every little bit helps). I had one goal in mind as we headed out.  I needed to try Deep Fried Kool-Aid.  Everything else was just a bonus.

We weren’t at The Fair for an hour and the boys needed to rest their feet.  Whimps.

My mom and I headed into the shopping areas first.  You can always get the coolest stuff at the Fair!  I really wanted these slushie makers, but of course, I forgot to go back and get them before we left.  Oh well, $20.00 saved.  We also had a fabulous cooking demonstration where Anthony was smitten with the adorable chef.   While we watched the healthy cooking demo, the twins scarfed down two dozen donuts.

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You can not go to the Fair without riding the rides!  Finally, we let the boys have some fun.  They are expensive, especially multiplied by three.  But the San Diego County Fair has a lot ways to help you save money on rides.

I got stuck riding the ferris wheel with Anthony.  Heights are not my favorite thing and he enjoyed torturing me and making fun of me while I held onto the center pole for dear life.  Good times.

Oh!  The farm animals at the Fair!  We had the best time in the livestock barns and the animal petting areas.  I made friends with this sweet little calf.

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Finally!  Deep Fried Kool-Aid.  I can usually go to the fair and resist the lure of fried goodness that is known as Chicken Charlies.  But this year, something about Deep Fried Kool-Aid had me salivating.  I had to try them.  They are delicious little balls of Kool-Aid flavored fritter dusted with powdered sugar.  Hot out of the frier, they were surprisingly good.

 

By now, the whole family was tuckered out.  We petted some more animals and gradually made our way out.  This weekend they were having a beer festival and we decided we really should have come to the fair withOUT the kids.  Maybe next year!

The San Diego County Fair runs until July 4th  so there is still time for you to make it down!

 

 

Filed Under: Local San Diego Tagged With: , ,
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