It’s always difficult trying to figure out what to say about myself. I never really know where to start. I guess that’s how I ended up with a whole blog to explain my life. These are some introductory bullet points to get you started, but you’ll find plenty more if you browse around the site.

Halliday (Me)

First and foremost, I am a mom. No matter what I do or what I become, that will always be the most important to me. Everything I do always revolves around Riley and making her life better.

I wear many hats and work in several industries, and am constantly researching and learning new skills to figure out how to best suit her needs as a parent. My work includes gigs as a cosmetologist, web marketing consultant & web designer, or occasionally as a meditation coach. I also do quite a bit of writing, and still somehow find time to practice my fiber arts. You can find many of my patterns online on Ravelry.

I struggle with OCD, which does not mean I tidy all the time. Cleaning is simply a common coping mechanism for OCD, not a symptom. Unfortunately for the state of my house, cleaning is not one of my personal coping mechanisms. I’m much more likely to dive into video games and get lost for unreasonable amounts of time. Doctors and I have come to believe that I’m autistic same as The Munchkin, but we haven’t seen much purpose in me undergoing testing for a formal diagnosis.

If you’d like to know where else you can find me and my work on the internet, check out the Contact page.

The Munchkin

RT is an absolutely amazing kid. She astounds me on a daily basis. She’s sweet, she’s silly, stubborn, confident, sassy, and absolutely brilliant. I couldn’t ask for a more awesome kid. Her biggest interests include outer space, water, and marine life. I actually started maintaining fish tanks again just to watch her face light up.

She loves to snuggle while watching documentaries or Moana. Her absolute favorite show of all time is Cosmos. We watch the entire series through probably about once every other week. 

She received a diagnosis of moderate-to-severe autism at the age of two. For years, she was primarily non-verbal and communicated mostly through hand signs and touch. However, after receiving special services, she is rapidly progressing. Her capacity for language is growing constantly. She has never allowed her language delay to slow her down. No matter what she’s trying to communicate, she finds a way. Her meltdowns are few and far between because they only happen when she fails to get her point across and becomes frustrated.

I am unbelievably proud of how hard she works and everything she has accomplished. She is such a trooper, the way she wakes up early and pushes through our morning routine and then a full day of school, day in and day out. Even when we had to deal with remote learning as something brand new, she made the pivot exceptionally well and made it work.

About Our Family

I am extremely grateful for my large, tight-knit family. RT’s is even larger. She already has a few cousins on her dad’s side of the family! She spends half the week with me, and half the week with her father. Thankfully, although her dad and I reached a point where we were no longer compatible as life partners, we are still able to cooperate in making sure she has the best care and opportunities possible. There’s no animosity that would prevent us from working together toward those ends.