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NYBG Meetup Details And Other Upcoming Events
We plan to head to the family garden around 1:30 to play and will be there until at least 3:30pm. If you come make sure to wear clothing you don’t care about because you may be getting dirty! And if you haven’t been here before, the gardens open much earlier so feel free to get here beforehand to explore or to enjoy lunch in one of the cafes (soups are usually very good). Though we’ve been here a dozen times already we still haven’t managed to see the entire grounds – that’s how big they are!
This Thursday we hope you can join us at Highbridge pool for a free swim. Though security is known for being a little over-the-top, they have been very lenient with James and the Olympic sized 1-2ft pool has been a true gem for all of my kids (there is also an enormous 4-10 ft pool for more proficient swimmers).
Saturday we will be attempting to see the newest Ice Age movie at 10:00am at the 84th Street AMC Lowe’s theater. It’ll be our first time taking all 3 kids to a movie, but seeing as how the movie is sensory-friendly we figure what better time to try?
Lastly, please make a note that the Chuck E Cheese meetup has been moved from July 25th to the 23rd at 10:00am.
I’m working on the August calendar this week – if you have suggestions or requests for a meetup please email them to me by Friday if possible.
First Summer Meetup of The Foorce is tomorrow – NEW LOCATION (due to heat)
Our first get together is supposed to be tomorrow from 1-3pm at the Hudson Beach (103rd and Riverside), but the heat has been ridiculous lately and the Hudson Beach is not known for its shade (or sprinklers). So I am proposing a location change to the nearby Dinosaur Playground at 97th and Riverside Dr. It has shade, sand, a big and little kid playground, and sprinklers.
You can email me with questions until 12pm tomorrow. I will be there after 1:00 with all 3 kids and some freshly baked cookies to share. If the kids aren’t enough of a giveaway look for a very long braid on a hot, sweaty, pregnant woman.
Hope to see you there!
My Own Collection Of Summer Events, Extracurricular Activities and Camps in the NYC Area for Children With (any) Special Needs 2012
If you’re looking for a little light reading this weekend, CLICK HERE to open the main document that was handed out at this morning’s meeting. Though growing bigger every year, this labor of love still offers a manageable bite of some of the best programs out there this summer. It’s a pretty awesome resource, even if I do say so myself 🙂
Thanks to all who made it out this morning! It was really lovely to see and meet so many new faces, and I hope to see you again at one of the social group meetups this summer (if you missed the meeting, keep an eye out for more info on the free social group that meets over the summer, entering its fourth year and continuing to grow).
Two New Series on The Foorce This Week!
It was a quiet weekend on The Foorce but not here at home, let me assure you. I was really excited to see so many new faces at the meeting on Friday morning, and of course am always happy to see old friends, too. Now with Monday here I am catching up on things and am pleased to announce that there will be two new regular series beginning on The Foorce this week!
Based on survey feedback and emails I have decided to start a Monday Minute, featuring James’s entertaining and accidentally insightful ramblings on the way to school. Look for today’s edition later on!
I am also starting a Top Ten series this week, featuring some fantastic guest writers! Below are links to some of my past Top Tens to give you an idea of what’s in store. If you are interested in submitting a guest post for this series, please contact me at msearfoorce@gmail.com for more information and submission guidelines.
Boat Basin Cafe Meetup Friday, plus Highbridge Pool free swim tomorrow!
As I mentioned in the updated July calendar, we’ll be at the Boat Basin Cafe (www.boatbasincafe.com) for lunch followed by a trip to the sprinklers at the Classic Playground (near 79th and Riverside on the water) at 12:30pm on Friday, July 15th. No need to RSVP, though if you want me to save you a spot at our table in the restaurant you can email me (msearfoorce@gmail.com). Please email me if you might come and would like my cell # in order to find me once you get there. Plan to bring swimwear and towels, and sunscreen though the sprinklers and playground area is blessedly shaded.
Additionally, we will be at Highbridge Pool tomorrow, July 14th for free swim at 11a.m. after James’s adaptive swim lesson (we’re trying again). The olympic sized wading pool is perfect for my little ones and allows me to keep a less watchful eye on James as well. To get there from the UWS you can take the M5 to 173rd and Broadway or the 1 train to 168th St, then walk over to 173rd and Amsterdam. I suggest the bus up and the subway back as the most efficient. Email me if you might come and want my cell # to meet up, or just come looking for me. I’ll be the only one there crazy enough to bring 3 non-swimmers into the water by myself (in my defense, the wading pool only goes up to 2 ft deep)!
Details for the Sunday trip to the NYBG will be posted separately later on – we plan to take the Metro North there. Hope to see/ meet you this week!
Swing a Ring tomorrow at the Hudson Beach, July 5th at 1p.m.
I’m back! There is so much to tell but first I must attempt to unpack – we definitely give “sand-bagged” a whole new meaning.
Before I post all about our amazing adventure-filled vacation I wanted to remind you about our little get together tomorrow, July 5, at the Hudson Beach. Enter Riverside Park at 104th and walk toward the water – you’ll run right into it.
I got 3 emails while I was gone about people coming for a grand total of around 10 people. I’ll probably bring some cookies to share and drinks for the kids. And sand toys – I won’t even bother unpacking them from our trip. And sand – we will still have plenty of beach sand to share no matter what effort I make.
For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, we are taking our school-year “cafe meetings” outdoors this summer, starting with a potluck picnic at the Hudson “Swing a Ring” Beach (swingaring.com) tomorrow at 1p.m. If you come feel free to bring snacks, sand toys and/or lawn games to share! Or just stop by and say hi. Don’t be shy, it’s not formal and I’ll be there with the kids one way or the other.
Having a disabled child, friend or loved one is not a requirement to come hang out, though it will be a recurring theme :). If you can’t make it tomorrow but want to come next time, we are meeting at the Natural History Museum sprinklers this weekend (see the July Adventures post).
I plan to write all about the past week as soon as everyone is asleep tonight, though the kids are on “beach time” so that might turn into tomorrow. I also came back to a fabulous list of topics that I can’t wait to share with you.
I hope everyone’s summer is off to a wonderful start and that you are enjoying a very happy 4th of July!
A Look At The Week Ahead 6-12-11
Shockingly, I didn’t get to post everything I meant to this past week, but that didn’t stop me from adding six zillion more things to my “To Post” list (my husband hates when I exaggerate numbers like this, but in my opinion I am barely stretching this one).
I partly blame the MLK Health Center for getting me behind schedule since I had to devote so many hours to being on hold, and then even more time to complaining about it online (see Shame On You MLK Health Center). But in reality it was also because I was doing some covert behind-the-scenes work on this blogsite (to keep the magic alive). And, the kids don’t care about making time for my personal business unless it involves changing diapers, reciting Goodnight Moon or making rice krispie treats (peanut butter and plain).
So, here we are – Sunday night and I’m already behind. James has another half day at school tomorrow, which is just a waste of a day for both of us in my opinion – he also had one last week and a day off on top of it. It would be nice if we could just end the school year a little earlier, but hey, I’m all for dragging it out as long as humanly possible since I’ll be in the one percent of New Yorkers with 3 whole kids home this summer.
So, in the spirit of dragging things out, here is my list of the topics I plan to post in the week ahead:
St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the luck of the Irish – My long overdue story from James’s confirmation service last weekend.
Curious George at CMOM – A look at the exhibit from three points of view – the toddler, the special needs child and the parent who brought them both.
Deal Alert! I snagged some discounts from special needs stores and providers to pass on to Foorce.com readers – watch for details to be posted later this week!
My Children the ABA Therapists – We are always the first ones to say how amazing ABA therapy was for James, but who’s training who these days?
Going to the beach with your special needs child – Yes, we are. Though the trip is still two weeks away, I’ve been ordering supplies for the last month. Watch me whip up packing lists and itineraries that anticipate even the most special of special needs, while still leaving room for spontaneity (it’s scheduled in).
July Calendar for Summer Social Group – I’m still working on the calendar feature for this site, but July’s meetings are tentatively set and include potluck picnics, outdoor music events, special needs museum trips and lots of water fun. Hey, I figure if I can accommodate my family’s special needs beach trip, this meeting group should be a cinch.
How to ignore your special needs child (Uncomfortable Subjects Part 3) – Don’t judge until you’ve been there or read this.
Sneak Peek at Fall speakers 2011-2012 season – I know it seems like a long way off, but you’ll want to make time for next year’s meetings. We already have 6 amazing speakers/programs lined up! And, some of your favorite speakers from this past year are joining forces (I am letting this double “oo” opportunity pass me by out of respect for them) this year for some especially awesome opportunities. I hope I can tell you more about this soon!
Aside from the half day, there should be more time to post everything this week. But be warned, I am having trouble getting one of James’s prescriptions refilled and I also need to schedule two more appointments for him. Thankfully, neither of them are at the MLK Health Center (the grudge will eventually fade, I swear).
Have a great week!
Upcoming meeting reminder – May 6, 2011
Just a reminder that once we are back from Spring break, there will be another meeting at PS 163 on May 6th, at 9a.m. This might be our last meeting of the school year, so please try to attend if you can!
The featured speaker will be Dina Shanowitz of The Friendship Circle (see my separate post). There will be the opportunity to sign up for the Central Park Challenge and the informal social group that meets over the Summer. Also, information about Special Needs Soccer for the Fall and future meeting topics will be available, as well as hard copies of the Summer Activities document I have been handing out at the past few meetings. Lastly, you can RSVP to the fantastic DMF concert on May 22nd at the meeting (see separate post for more details).
Hope to see you there! Keep an eye out for new posts this weekend and early next week – I’ve been home with all three kids for Spring break so my free time is virtually nonexistent.
Happy Easter to all who are celebrating this weekend!
The Foorce 
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