Holiday Recap with Rhandyl and Deonna

In this episode, Rhandyl and Deonna share about their holiday break, Stuff the Van with Allie and Cole, their daughter's favorite gifts, and what to expect in Season 3 of the podcast!

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Transcript

Rhandyl: Hey, y'all. Welcome back to season three of Raising Disabled. We are so excited to be back. Yes. I know it feels like forever. And we were actually just talking about how like, We feel like we need to be doing something. I know. We're being slackers. Yeah, but it was a nice break. Busy break. , but we are happy to be back. And we're gonna just go through and let you guys know how our holidays went. Talk about a lot of trips. And I know we've both been busy traveling and things like that. But after our Last season ended, we had talked about Stuff, the Van with Allie and Cole and how Deonna and her family got gifts donated and We all delivered them to the hospital. So Deonna, do you want to talk about that and how all that went? It was a lot of fun from yeah, the small part of it that I was able to help with and Yeah, so 

Deonna: yeah, so this year was our biggest year ever. We donated? 525 toys which was way yay Ever have done. I know we were so excited.So it was like, I said, it wasn't stuff the van. It was stuff, the van stuff Rhandyl's suburban stuff, another truck. Like it was crazy. There was three of the cars down there getting unloaded, but it was really cool. And this year we added the. component of having sponsors just to try to make it bigger.

And there's all these businesses that wanted to help us out either in little ways or big ways. And so that was really cool. So we had M quality construction, Apple DME, which is who we use for all of Allie's like medical supplies and stuff. And then M quality construction, They are actually a disability family that we know here in Lubbock.

And so they wanted to help us out too, cause they go to the same hospital as us and everything. And then so that was cool. And then our podcast obviously helped out with it. Yeah. And then Atmis Energy, they actually had a really neat thing where. , if you work for them, you could pay money to the company to pie your boss in the face.

And so it's a, energy company. And so they raised over a thousand dollars or something, and they gave us over a hundred toys. So they contributed a lot to that. So that was cool. And yeah, like all the sponsors went down there . And so it's fun seeing it all displayed out there so you can see everything but 

Rhandyl: Yeah, I love looking back to the first year you guys did it and then it just like more and more, growing more and more gifts, more boxes, more, it's so fun to see how, I can't wait, yeah.

Deonna: I thought the first year was , so big, and then yeah, when we were comparing the pictures, I was like, okay, yeah, we didn't really do that much the first year. , so we go and unpack them. So it was so nice because usually it's not that many of us up there, all of our nurses showed up. And so that was cool having so much participation and help, actually delivering the toys.

 Then they invited us to their oncology party because that's where a lot of the toys get given out. They get given out, like through the entire year and everything, but. That's one of their big things that they do. And so if you've had cancer and been treated at UMC as a pediatric patient from zero to I think even past 18 you can go to this party.

And it was crazy. There was food and desserts and a DJ like dance floor at the Overton hotel. And we actually did a TV spot for it the other day and it just came out. So maybe I can try to share that, but it was cool seeing all the, toys laid out almost like a store and the patients would get four or five presents and then all their siblings could go shop too. Yeah, they give away a lot of presents that day. We were sad we didn't get to go. We were out of town that weekend. Yeah. No, next year y'all should go because it's really fun. 

Rhandyl: Yeah, we'll try to plan on that. And also, UMC, their children's hospital, they have completely revamped it in this last year. And so it's growing a lot. They're getting a lot more pediatric specialists. And they have a whole new, basically, hospital. And so I think it's just going to continue to be a need. A need. 

Deonna: Like on the oncology side, the it's getting better. And yeah, it's, it was really cool, but it was funny because when we got in there, my daughter Allie is terrified of mascots or anybody dressed up in a costume.

I knew there was probably going to be at least like a Grinch or something like that there. There was 20 different mascots, all the superheroes, all the Star Wars people the Grinch, Santa, everybody. And I was like, Oh crap. She is gonna freak out, and it's so funny. Like she just didn't care. And. Had fun and let them all come get right up in her face. And at one point the Grinch which I don't even like the Grinch he's scary to me. He comes up and he whispers in my ear can I pretend like I'm stealing her from you to go out on the dance floor? And I was like we'll see. Yeah. Yeah, you can try. And he grabs her and she looks at me like, Oh my gosh, what's happening? But she starts laughing. And he took her out on the dance floor and spun her around and had, and now she's like, not afraid of mascots. So I'm like I 

Rhandyl: just had to break her. Yeah. She had to be surrounded by them. Yeah. 

Deonna: Immersion therapy or something. But no, it's a really good event. UMC and their child life does a good job, but it was really cool because we always just give the presents away. Then they're gone and you just, giving them to somebody, but it was cool to physically like Cole and Allie actually got to give kids presents. So that's awesome. That was really cool. Yeah. You'll have to go to it next year. 

And it was so cool too, because I think this company's called smiles in motion, but it's a. Photo booth experience that Lubbock has. And I just love these people, it's that photo booth where when you stand on it, it spins around and you can dance. Do you know what I'm talking about? Yeah. Yeah. They. Basically, I thought that just me and Cole were going to be able to get up there. Cause it's on a big platform. And so we were just walking up there and the people that own it were like, does she want to get up here? And I was thinking yeah, she does. It was like an eight inch, there was no way I was lifting her up by myself. And so they go grab all these dads and all these dads with them, lifted her up on the platform. So I thought that was nice that they, 

Rhandyl: that was such a cute video. And that's so cool , that everybody helped and got Allie there and she got to participate.

Deonna: I wish I had a video of that part cause that was funny, but no, it was cool. And seeing all the kids who, I don't know. I feel like cancer parents. can fit into our world. It's you know what I mean? Like a lot of the stuff I talked to a bunch of the parents and it's the same feelings, the same fears. Just, it's all the same. That was hard, but it was good, but yeah, seeing these little kids with cancer was 

Rhandyl: being a celebratory situation. And, I'm sure that made their whole holiday. Cause we both know how bad it sucks to be hospitalized and the holiday season. So it totally, just to bring some joy. I'm so glad you guys started doing that. And yeah, I'm so glad that it worked out. And. It's going to keep getting bigger. 

Deonna: It was probably like the highlight of the whole break, just like getting that experience. But yeah, my kids were like, we feel so good now. And I was like, yeah, it's always crazy how like doing something nice for somebody makes you feel better than even when somebody does something. Nice for you. Yes. It's . That's just how it works. But yeah, it was fun. But so what did you guys do over the holiday? I guess we missed Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year's hanging out.

, what all did y'all do? 

Rhandyl: I know. Yeah. Thanksgiving was chill. We usually just stay home and . We do a full. spread at our house. My husband and I cook and he fries turkey, smokes a ham, I do all the sides and desserts. And then we had some of our nurses come over that didn't have family in town. And then we had some of our neighbors come by and it was just a chill day. And we watched the Macy's Day Parade, and then football all day, and took a long nap, and it was just really nice. It was really nice to have that long weekend. Just all of us, just 

And then we were busy in December. We traveled twice. My family, I haven't seen a few of my first cousins in years and they planned a trip to Texas. And they came in early December. And so we loaded the whole family up and went to Shamrock, which is where all of my family live. And it's up in the panhandle. So it's like a three hour drive. So we went there and I actually got to see all of my first cousins randomly, my other first cousin on my mom's side of the family. She was driving through her and her husband. And I hadn't seen any of them in so many years some probably six years, probably.

That was a lot of fun. And then my aunt and uncle were there. They don't live in California anymore. They live in Florida. It was like everybody met in Texas. It was like an early Christmas for that side of the family. It was a lot of fun. We played lots of games and my grandparents the matriarchs of that side of the family, they are in their mid nineties and they still live at home and just keep each other going and they were so happy to see everyone.

And my brother and sister have young kids. And so it was just like, cousin, crazy time wild at my mom's house. But that was a lot of fun. And then we went back to the same place for Christmas. And all of my husband, yeah, all of my husband's family. And then all of my family again, and it was, We were just going from house to house for all the trees and, this side of the family, that side of the family. So much food. Amazing food. It was a lot of fun. The kids, of course, more cousin time and no naps and late nights, and my family loves to play games, so we played a lot of board games, card games, dominoes, things like that. It was a lot of, it was a lot of fun. And we always do Christmas morning at my parents house, so that's where Santa comes. So right. Yeah. So we had, we took for the Christmas trip, we took. Two vehicles and two trailers. It was crazy . 

Deonna: Yeah. 'cause you have to take everything. We hate to have to take all the presents.

Rhandyl: All the presents. . Not just their, like their put gifts, all of our gifts and then . We took our hunting gear, which takes up a lot of room and oh, I've, anyway, we ended up taking two vehicles and two trailers. That's not a typical road trip, but that's definitely it's close to happen to get everything there that needs to be there for the Christmas break. But we were there for five or six days and it was fun. 

But I know you guys also traveled. So tell me, tell us about y'alls. trips. I think you went to the mountains.

Deonna: We did. So Thanksgiving, we just stayed here and just hosted Dane's mom and dad. And so yeah, same deal. Like we cooked an outrageous amount of food and I wasn't even hungry when It was time to eat because I had ate so much junk before we even ate lunch. So yeah, when salsa and chips are out or anything like that, it's I can't stay away from it, but yeah, we did Thanksgiving here.

And then that weekend we took we had two tickets that my friend crit gave to us for the Texas Tech football game. And so just Cole and my husband were going to go and the last second, like the night before I was like, Allie, I want to go to the game. We're going to look and see if there's two tickets left in disability, yeah. She's I don't want to go. I don't want to go. And I was like, I promise you, you're going to have fun. This was before the Christmas party. She did not want to run into the mascot for Texas Tech, which if you live around here, he's like the cutest guy thing ever. He looks like Yosemite Sam. He's not scary at all, but yeah, he does not like him. 

But she didn't really want to go to the game. And I was like, I promise you it's going to be fun. Let's go. So me and her bought like tickets last second, the night before. And so it was really cold that morning, but it warmed up pretty good. But we went to a tech game, which is an experience. Like it's, it's not not a, just, it's not not disabled friendly. They do a pretty good job and everything, but it was funny. Me and Allie actually had really good seats, like in the sun. So it was warm and everything, but she had a blast. Like she was terrified of the fireworks.

That was her favorite part. Every time they scored, she was like, she just, it's like funny. She's experiencing everything for the first time, post injury. So some stuff she's nervous about. She gets nervous if she can't cover her own ears, because that's how it sounds, but no, she thought that was the best thing ever.

Had a blast. We both got a sunburn, even though it was like 30 degrees outside. I'm like, whatever. But. And then that next week we went and saw, we were so tired by the end of this week, we went and saw Lindsey Stirling, which is the, violinist who like dances. She's super fun. Allie loved that. And my, so did Cole. And we all loved that. That was a lot of fun. 

And then the next night we went and saw, Texas Tech basketball game for the first time. And so we did a lot of first night, we were so tired, but she loved the basketball game too. She sat by my mom and I think they just ate snacks and talked, but they had fun. It was funny cause we all had different seats in different parts of the stadium. There were six of us, but you can never get six seats together. So like my mom and Allie were in one place. Me and my dad were like down a few rows from them. And then I don't even know where my husband and Cole were. They were down below us somewhere, but we all had fun separately. Sounds yeah, the stuff, the van thing went really well. 

And then for Christmas we went to Taos, New Mexico, which is old town. This town, I don't even know, probably like 1800s. It's so cool. Yeah. It's so like when this town was built, but it has probably the best skiing and snowboarding in New Mexico. Yeah. And so that's Dane's place. He's been there like a few episodes ago when we talked to Ruby. That's where they used to go ski together when they were young, but, 

Rhandyl: I love skiing at Taos. See, I don't like, I, It's a really steep mountain. It's a really steep mountain. It's really not a beginner mountain. 

Deonna: No, it is not a beginner mountain, but I've only skied it once and we got up to the top and it was me and my brother and my husband and We went down like one run. It was windy though. It wasn't like snow. It was like ice. And we got down to the bottom and I called my mom and dad and was like, Hey, come get me. I hate my life. And so they came and got me. And my dad's like we didn't even drive off. We like waited for you. We knew you were going to do this. Like it was because it was not good weather or anything.

Yeah. So we went to a more beginner friendly mountain the next day. But oh yeah, Cole learned to snowboard. The, when we were in Taos and then the second day they just skied, cause I think Cole's butt hurts so bad from just slamming down onto the road. But they had fun. And so me and Allie and my parents went out One of the days and explored the town. We've been there a lot, but I wouldn't say it's an accessible town if you're ever considering going there. 

Rhandyl: I don't feel like any mountain towns are accessible. I don't think so. That's how it is when we go to Red River. Yeah. It's just, yeah, it's hard to. 

Deonna: Every store has a step and you're like, why? But they all have a step. And then we went to one restaurant that is like one of my mom's favorites. And. This was a disastrous situation. Oh no, I was driving the wrong way on a one way. I didn't even, I didn't even know. And this one guy really nicely, he is like, Hey, you're going the wrong way. I was like,

Rhandyl: we're not used to one ways in Texas.

Deonna: I know. Yeah. This is not like what we're used to. And so I tried to turn around, which made it worse. And then , I was trying to get Allie out of the car and I was like, y'all just get out. It's like this hole in the wall. Mexican restaurant that's really good. Called La Cueva. Oh yeah. So we're trying to get out and the ramp, like she was almost off the ramp, but the back tires were still on the ramp and the ramp, like malfunctioned and tried to come back in while she was on it. And we were on this jagged gravelly area and my dad and mom are like, she's not off the ramp yet. Like they thought I was like. Pushing the button. And I'm like screaming at them. I'm not pushing it. Like people probably were watching us, like what is happening? But so then they go inside the restaurant without me. And I was like, I'll see y'all later. I'm going to go find a spot and I'll just see you when I see you, yeah. 

And. My mom said that this restaurant, when they walked in, it's like the tiniest restaurant I've ever been to. We've been in like sitting outside before, but there's an inside part. And my mom said, everybody, the waiter, which I love the waiter for this, but the waiter made everyone in the restaurant, Get up because it's a room that's like the size of a bedroom. He made everybody get up and shimmy and move their tables so Allie could get in. And I'm like, Oh my gosh. And so love him for that, but I'm glad I missed that whole awkward. 

Rhandyl: That's so sweet though. 

Deonna: It was, but then they had to do the entire thing to get out. So it's Oh my God. But, yeah, not an accessible town, but it is if your kid's not in a wheelchair, it is a really, which we made it work, it was fine, but it's not the most wheelchair friendly town it's just so old, but we had a lot of fun, and we just we got a cool Airbnb that was, like, at the base of the mountain, and we just Ate and watched movies, played like games. They got tons of games. So just played games and had just like a relaxing time. Like it was fun, but we made way too much food and snacks too. And just, yeah, it's Christmas. But yeah, it was a good memory we've had a lot of tough holidays in the last few years. And with my brother dying and things like that, so it's always nice when you can just you never forget it, obviously, but just have those moments of peace and happiness, coming back, and it's a good feeling. And yeah, it was a lot of

Rhandyl: And I like that you guys, Did Christmas remote, so there weren't a lot of triggers and I don't know, I love that.

Deonna: I do think that helps. If you've lost somebody, go do it somewhere else, but it is hard in a way too. Cause it doesn't feel like the real holiday but yeah, we had to pack. Like you get nervous when you go on these trips cause you're like, we drive a Toyota. Yeah. Like you're going up to a high elevation, which can cause oxygen. Yeah. Or it can cause, we've talked about this, like the malfunction of your equipment, which is something that you can't know whether that's going to happen or not.

There's so many unknowns, like you don't know, like if the place you're staying is going to be. Accessible. Like our Airbnb was really great, but it had two humongous steps down into a sunken living room. So like us four adults would. Yeah. Which I knew there were gonna be steps, but they were like substantial big steps. Dang. And so like we would have to lift her in and out, so she would just stay in the living room and we would all eat in there. Yeah. We picked a table up and took it in there and did stuff like that, but yeah, it's, we don't travel with nursing, so you do have a lot of work involved, but it's worth it, but yeah we took all of our presents. too with us. Yeah, and I mean we were crammed in there like it was pretty crazy 

But and we have to take like generators You don't know if the power was gonna go out or you just never know. Yeah, it's complicated for sure. But It's, it was a lot of fun. We had a great time. I would love to go back there and do that again, but not maybe go shop so much. Yeah. My dad was tired by the end of it from having to push her. I kept being like, do you want me to push her? No, I got it. And then Oh my goodness. He was probably so sore and would never tell me, that's dad's for you.

I know. But yeah, it was good. And so we just had that weird moment in between Christmas and New Year where you're just doing nothing and don't know what day of the week it is, but oh yeah, we're okay with that too. That was nice too. We taught Cole how to make fires in the fireplace. Oh, so now he's he's our little fire guy. Yeah. Now every day I'm like Cole make me a fire. Thank you love that. He thought it was fun at first now. He's probably oh he's oh again, it's like a chore for him now So what did Remi get for christmas from you guys and from santa? 

Rhandyl: Okay, so Santa was late on one of her gifts, but but no, her highlighted gift was, it was like a stocking stuffer and it's those, they're called like noisemaker sticks. Do you know those sticks that you like turn upside down and it's anyway, she got a pack of those. And. For the whole time we were in Shamrock and even now that we're home, she just sits there and does it over and over again. And it's hilarious. I think I tune all of that stuff out, but for some people, I think they were like, she was going to do that all day.

And I'm like, yeah, she is. Yep. Yep. She needs one of those like rain sticks. Remember those? She has rain sticks. Does she? She does. But you know what? Oh my gosh. I love those. She doesn't really like it. It's funny. I have a video of her when she was a baby. We were still at Houston in the hospital and she had gotten a rain stick for her first birthday and I have a video of me doing it in front of her face and she looked so terrified oh, no. She's just not terrified of them anymore, but she doesn't really care for them. It's not her sound. No. 

No. That's funny. She likes the loud, annoying sounds. Yeah. The loud, yeah. Huh. Not the peaceful, calm ones. No. No. That's funny. But she those were, like, her favorite things. And then, she loves, The feel of hair, like she loves to pull people's hair, mess with their hair, twists her own hair, all the things. So I got, we got her this Jasmine, Princess Jasmine head, it's just a head, and so it's got all the hair, and she it's really for kids to do the, Doll's hair and things but she, yeah, I like braided or whatever. She just loves playing with the hair, the texture of it and all the things.

So she loved that and then she's really into these. It's funny a few months ago we went to the dentist and she, when you leave you get to pick up a free toy and she picked out this little tiny fairy. It's like only a couple inches, but it has like really long hair and she loves this little thing. And so we found these mini Barbies. And they're similar, they have these they're Barbie brand and they're just little mini ones and they have the long, colorful hair and she loves those. So those were like her two fun it's like My Little Pony yeah, But then she got a whole new closet full of Billy's shoes because she went through a really big growth spurt in the last few months and she's getting new AFOs Soon we got fitted for them And so I've did the measurements and I'm praying that we got the right size because anyone that asked, you know What she needed I think she ended up getting six or seven new Billy's shoes 

Deonna: oh my that's all she wears and I have some Billy's shoes for you at the house. Okay So many Billy's oh my god, but it 

Rhandyl: she wears them like she wears them every day. So yeah, so she, yeah. And I've donated a few to some friends that are like smaller than her and then some of my patients and some of the ones she outgrew. So it was nice. But , then her big gift, actually, I have to be honest, we haven't opened it yet. Because where I want it to be is where The Christmas tree is still at in our playroom slash therapy room. Yeah. 

But, you know the treadmills that they're becoming more popular because , so many people are working from home, they're under desk treadmills. Yeah, I was talking about one of those today. Yeah. And so they're really small and compact and they fold up and you can easily put them away or against the wall. And they go at a slower pace than like regular treadmills. And it comes with a remote control and anyway, so she got one of those which she's not going to be all that excited about, but it's, it'll help with her therapies.

Deonna: Would you just Hold her hands while she does it? 

Rhandyl: Yeah, so there's different things that we plan to do. There's all sorts of things so that we've been wanting to do, but trying to figure out the space for it. Yeah, I get what you're saying. So we've watched these videos of kids with low tone like her when you're trying to work on stability , with walking, you have these ropes that are on either side basically parallel bar, but they're ropes, so they're not that sturdy, but she still holds on to them. And so we're going to try to my husband's going to try to build something that's, movable that can just be right. Beside either side of the treadmill and we have other ideas of different things that we can add on because there's not any bars There's not it's just literally the treadmill belt? And so I've seen that. Yeah, and so there's Yeah, I got it on Black Friday sale, but it just didn't Finish the delivery, you know just didn't I know but it was fine. That was one lesson Big box that we had to travel with I know But yeah, so those were the kind of the highlights of what she got.

What about Allie? 

Deonna: Yeah, she got so Allie's really into the Disney Descendants and zombies movies we were gonna give her we bought her tickets to go see this show live where it's like the best The actors from the movie are doing a show and we were trying to make it till her birthday. And that wasn't happening because she knew the tickets were for sale.

She was starting to get anxious about not getting a disability seat, cause she knows that's not. There's way less of those. And so I was like we'll give it to her for Christmas. Then we didn't even make it to Christmas because she was freaking out. She kept being like, like every day she was like, mom, if you do not buy these two day cause I told her we would go, but yeah, so we that was an early one, but we bought her a cheerleader uniform from one of those movies and she loves it.

Like she thinks she's Addison now. And that's like your favorite thing ever. Yeah. And our Christmas pictures, it was funny because like she's wearing that caught outfit at the play Airbnb. And then my son bought me, this was like one of my favorite gifts I got. He bought me the t shirt from The Parent Trap. The one with Lindsay Lohan. Yeah. He bought me the camp shirt from Oh nice. The movie. And I was like, oh. When I opened it up I was like, oh my gosh. And my mom's what is that? I was like, it's the movie. 

Rhandyl: But man, I love those movies. So yeah, we're, I love the original and that movie, they're so good.

Deonna: Oh, me too. I love 'em both that's so cool. I know exactly what shirt you're talking about. Yeah, so it was funny 'cause we're both wearing like costumes from movies. But she got that and loved it. And then, she had a bunch of fun little things, but she got the Tonnie Box, which you have, and she's really into that because at night, because used to, she would listen to podcasts on her iPad, but she would get like anxious. If. Because the podcast episodes are only like 12 minutes long or eight minutes long. She would feel anxious. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to fall asleep within this window, and I want to have something playing while I fall asleep. It's like a security blanket for her. And So she likes the Tonnies cause I like them because they're pretty easy to manage. Like they're just right there and it's not like a bright screen, 

Rhandyl: not at all. And they just don't take up much room. They're perfect. 

Deonna: And they're just easy to deal with, but she's gotten a couple and her birthday's in a few weeks, so she's going to get more. Yay. Yeah. She's really loved those. That was a huge hit. My mom and dad got her those. But we for, from Santa, she wanted a karaoke machine. And so it's been hilarious. Like we bought this app, it's called like Smule or something. It's S M U L E. L E or something, but it has every song.

I think I've only looked up one song that it didn't have that we wanted. Wow. And it's like the karaoke. You can choose the background. You can choose everything, but you buy the app and she'll sit there. We bought her a little stand, like a microphone stand. Yeah. And it came with two, it looks like a little amp, like an old school amp.

I it's cute, but Oh, it's the coolest thing ever. Like we were singing every song that we have ever, thought of since the dawn of time. I, my mom and dad were probably like, Oh my gosh, because they were laughing like really hard, but we were just singing every song, like Cole and Allie were singing, man, I feel like a woman.

Rhandyl: Oh yeah. That's my go to karaoke song right there. 

Deonna: That one there, I, we had a lot of fun singing that song, but I realized I did not know some of the words to that song. And I've been singing that my whole life. Oh no. And you're singing the karaoke version. And I'm like, Oh, that's what she was saying right there. I had no idea, but no, we sing like every Descendant song, every zombie song, every Disney song, like they kept trying to sing the Wicked soundtrack. And I'm like, this is hard. Like these are not songs just anyone can sing, but every Taylor Swift song, we, our throats hurt from singing so much. It's fun. And she, and it's something she can do independently too. Cause it's like on her iPad and so that was a hit. We all, even my husband, like we were all singing, like we all were having fun. So yeah, that was funny, but we'll have a lot of fun with that. 

Rhandyl: It was one of those my sister in law, , my husband's sister, their three boys are all grown 18 to 22 or something like that, and my husband was always the uncle that bought the boys all the Annoying gifts, messy gifts, and yeah, so now we're getting payback. And yeah, they got my son a drum set and this microphone that is so loud and plays all these crazy songs and then it makes his voice do all sorts of crazy sounds. So we've been listening for the last few weeks and we're like. They know what they did. They love you. They're like, oh, no pay. They were very honest about it. They're just like, pay back for the next 18 Christmases. I'm like, okay, that's mean, but I like it. Yeah. Yeah. 

Deonna: Oh man. Yeah, it sounds like we both had a good holiday and it was really fun on Instagram reading. Comments from people about what they got their kids and stuff like that. There's actually a lot of really good ideas in there. If you ever are wondering what you should get your disabled kid, there was a lot of good ideas. It was just like one post we did in December, but yeah, it was really good reading through there and being like, Oh that's a cool idea. 

So this is our first episode of season three So we're so excited that we're starting another season I wasn't sure at some points if we were gonna make it through the first one if Rhandyl wasn't like let's go Deonna Hurry up edit let's get this done. I would never have gotten to this point, but 

Rhandyl: I think that the flow is better and technology is better. And we've actually maybe figured it out better, but 

Deonna: we know, we know like a little bit more, but still like very beginner. But we have a lot of fun things, we're meeting to plan out like the next several months of it and we have a lot of fun ideas. We're going to continue our series on dumb things people say, so if you guys ever have ideas for that 

Rhandyl: shoot us a message or, yeah, send us, you can text us through. Through our Buzzsprout. You can. Website. We can't respond back, which is weird, but but yeah, you can just DM us on our social and, yeah, because we are always up for good ideas on.

Deonna: Yeah. More, more dumb things. More Dumb Things People Say. But we're gonna talk to more parents and if you ever want to do something like that, you can reach out to us about that too. We have. All kinds of fun things we want to do this season. I'm hoping it's like our best one we've ever done. Me too. We have some people who have said they would return and be guests. And so that's exciting. Yes. We who's your person that you think would be really fun to talk to? 

Rhandyl: I love The Autism Dad on Instagram. He is, great. I just love all of his posts and advice. And I would love to, talk to him and we would like to hopefully talk to more disabled people in general, for sure.

Yeah. What about you? Who's, who do you have in mind to? 

Deonna: Yeah. I think, I would like to talk to The Autism Dad too. I feel like he is honest, but not in a negative way. You know what I mean? Like it can be negative really quickly. 

Rhandyl: Very good with awareness. Like he's, that's his biggest thing is like awareness of autism and.

Deonna: And just what it's like. Exactly. Yeah. Like he tells you and it's really enlightening, but I want to talk to All Access Life with Daniel and Bradley. I feel like they have. The inside scoop in, into all of the technology that's coming out and what it can do and their story and relationship is just really like unique and cool.

And so I would love to talk to them. So we're basically manifesting those two things. Maybe it can happen, but yeah, our we just have a lot of fun things planned and for all y'all who've been with us we're so thankful for another year of getting to do this again. It's very therapeutic to me and I know for you too. Oh yeah, for sure. To get to talk these feelings out or talk these experiences out, 

Rhandyl: yeah, and if it weren't for you guys, Listening and continuing to be involved in our socials and reading us reviews and listening and being loyal. We just, we wouldn't be where we are and we wouldn't get to do what we've learned to really love. And that inspires us. We just thank you all so much and we are so excited for season three and all that there is to come from that. But we hope you guys are having a great new year and next episode we're going to go over some resolutions. Whether you do them, whether you don't, what your plans are, what your aspirations are for your season. If you have a disabled child, things like that. So tune in for that and we look forward to talking to you guys again.

**Disclaimer

Before we go, I wanna remind our listeners that this podcast is for the purpose of education and entertainment only, and is not a replacement for seeing a doctor. We suggest you seek out the help of a trained professional for help with your child's specific situation.