A little project I've been working on

Poor Preston has always had to use a pink scarf. Poor boy. The other day I decided to get out my yarn and crochet him a scarf. It will be white, red and green before it is finished (per his request). I started Friday night, and it's about 2 feet long now. Maybe, just maybe, it will be finished this weekend.

And it looks like we're now in for a "very likely" 1 inch of ice plus all of the snow that's coming Wednesday. Lovely, huh? With us living under so many trees (we have 20 in the back yard alone), that is NOT a good deal. I'm scared that old sycamore will land on our sunroom... I'm off to Aldi to buy some more cereal and then we're set. I plan on doing some baking so that if our power goes out (and Ameren is calling in the big guns to keep up with outages), we'll at least have some tasty treats to keep us full.

Wonder when the school will call to send the kids home- the rain is due to start any time.

Looks like a snow WEEK

Holy guacamole. As if we hadn't already had enough snow days, the worst storm yet is headed for us in a matter of hours. Two straight days of freezing rain and sleet, and 8-10 inches of snow on Wednesday. The storm is set to move in after midnight tonight, so I don't see there being school tomorrow, and with all of the ice and snow coming, the rest of the week will be out. There's no school Friday because of parent/teacher conferences, and there's no way the roads will be clear after the big snow Wed. They're warning of power outages, so we are stocked up on food and water since our well pump will be out of commission with no power. Preston is scared already since he hates power outages. I like them... when heat is not required. Than goodness for a generator!

We've had a busy weekend. Granny and Pa made it back Friday safely and we were nearly busting at the seams to see them. I was SO happy to see their garage door open when we got home from school that afternoon! Pa was pretty sore from his fall and riding in the car for 2 days, so we waited until Saturday to visit. It was really great to see them again! Right as we were leaving, my brother, his wife and my two favorite nephews showed up, so we had to stay and see them. The kids wanted to stay the night with mom since Glen was going to be there, so I went home and packed them a bag. During dinner, Kate started feeling sick, so I took her home and Preston stayed. Kate turned out to be fine and I"m not sure why her belly hurt, but we enjoyed some quality time together just the two of us. Then around 10:30, mom called and PReston was crying to come home. He won't stay anywhere without Kate. So I picked him up and brought him home. Sigh... And I was sure he'd fallen asleep and would make it all night...

I fell at Granny's yesterday and really banged up my toe. I was certain it was broken. I couldn't put any weight on it, couldn't touch it, and it was swollen and throbbing the whole night. The toenail had gotten bent back to the nail bed and although it didn't turn black of get knocked off, I'm pretty sure it might fall off. The pain ranked right up there with the ruptured eardrum as the worst pain ever. Today it feels much better although it still hurts badly on the nail. I don't think it's broken.

We went back up to Granny's this afternoon to see the boys before they went home. We're just glad to have Granny and Pa back, and I know they're glad, too. Flat Stanley had a great time with them on their cruise and I can't wait to get the pictures. He's off an another trip to Chicago next weekend and then to Florida again the week after that. Then it's time for Stanley to retire and return back to school. He has so many pictures from his trips that he has to have an album made for him!

Little Girls Gone Wild

I just read a fabulous, but disturbing article in Redbook this morning. It was called "Little Girls Gone Wild," and you can read it by clicking the title. It really hit a nerve because this is something I've felt very strongly about for a long time- sexualizing young girls. I have some very strong and probably controversial opinions on this subject. I make no apologies. If you're offended, I'm sorry that YOU took offense, but I am in no way sorry for my views.

Going back a long way, I feel strongly that the women's lib movement started all of this. Zip back to the 50's when women stayed at home with their children. They took the time to raise their families, to teach their children morals and values. They kept their family strong because it was important. But as the women's lib movement continued, some women felt the need to work outside the home. This left less time to raise their family, leaving less time to parent. Families have disintegrated since then. Now, many times, both parents work outside the home and by the time they get off work and pick the kids up from daycare, there's no time to fix a meal (hello, Mc Donalds), and if there are any activities, no one is home until bedtime. Then they're so exhausted that it's easier to plop their children in front of the tv and let them do their own thing. Parent's see their children maybe 4 hours a day. How can you parent like that? Way back, women were home when the kids got out of school, they cooked meals, they enjoyed their families, and families worked. Now, divorce is so common that it seems odd when families stay together.

When women demanded equality in the workplace, equalizing them with men, it also spurred a trend to be equal sexually, too. It had always been "acceptable" for men to be sexually promiscuous, but not for women. This brought about a huge change. The trends have been easy to see. It's not only disturbing, but disgusting as well. Now, it's being transferred down to our young girls in an "acceptable" way. Please note that when I use acceptable in parentheses, that I'm using the term loosely.

Media also plays a huge role in this crisis as well. Look at the ads on tv. Look at the toys they promote- most namely, Bratz. I've had a LONG hatred toward these dolls. Barbie is bad enough, but at least some of Barbies outfits were a little classy. Bratz look like they're about to head to the strip club. What message does this send to our girls. Then there's Hanna Montana... Seriously, do we really need that? They take a teenage girl, glam her up, make her look way too old for her age, and we aim it straight at little girls who think she's just fab. Really? And for the record, the girl can not sing, either, so I really don't get the appeal. The attitude that young girls have on those shows sickens me. They act like that it the appropriate way to act. What happened to the good old Emily Post etiquette rules? A few years back, Kate's 6 year old cousin had a party at Libby Lu's. Yes, 6 years old... I debated long and hard about her even going, but since it was family, we went and I regret it. Kate HATED every minute of having her hair and make-up done and having to wear some skanky outfit. She was embarassed. Then they had the girls all go out in the mall, bare midriffs and all, and dance. Kate refused, and I didn't make her. It was just WRONG. Last year when we went to the mall and that store was gone, we were both SO excited!

Then there are the shows like Toddlers and Tiaras where moms make their girls look like tramps for beauty pageants. I certainly don't find any beauty in those little girls. Take the make-up off, let their hair fall naturally, and put them in some play clothes, and they're gorgeous. I think it's absolutely wrong to even have pageants for little girls. The message it sends to them is that they're only as good as their looks. If they don't win, they're not good enough. Come on, people! Let them be little girls!

I have a young daughter, and it's hard when they see all of this around them being touted as "acceptable." Many of the girls her age wear more make-up than I do. They go to school wearing stilletos and VERY short mini skirts, despite the dress code. One, the parents flat out disobeying the school dress code sends the message that it's OK to be disobedient, and two, the school's lack of enforcement send the message that it's OK as well. I work hard to teach Kate that her worth is not about her beauty, but what she can accomplish in life and the attitude that she puts forth. She's big into Abercrombie clothes right now because that's what the girls wear. That's fine, but I also make sure that each item from there is appropriate and covers her body in a positive (yet not prudish) way. I refuse to let her wear anything with words on the butt- that just sends the wrong message...


Little girls need to be little girls as long as possible. They don't need to wear outfits that make them look grown up. I think smocked dresses and little white socks with flats are darling. And there's nothing wrong with letting them know they're pretty, it just needs to be secondary to their abilities. I really admire American Girl for promoting positive images for girls. I know we're a big fan here, with all of Kate's 9 dolls. We've read the historical books together and have been able to discuss the issues they're faced with, and all are in a positive way. Kate and I now read Nancy Drew books each night. We have the series up through #28 and our goal is to read them all. We read them together. It's positive bonding time reading quality material. It brings up good discussions, but also models good behavior- proper manners, and Nancy and Ned's romance is just that- a romance and nothing more. I think it's quite nice that way, and we both hope they marry by the end of the series. ;)


I know my battle is only beginning as Kate approaches her teenage years. I can only imagine there will be some times when she doesn't agree with my ideas, but it's my job to be her parent, not her friend. Some day, she'll be on her own, and an adult, and then she can dress and do as she pleases. But until then, as long as she's under my roof, it's my rules. Hopefully by that time, she'll learn that a little class and more clothing will make a much more positive impression.


And by the way, I wrote to Redbook thanking them for such a great article, bringing light to such a disturbing trend. I encourage you to write to them too, if you find it well written. We need to stop this trend and turn things around!

Today was just a lazy day. I don't seem to get many of those. There's always something to do. I took a nap today- something that is rare for me, although I'd love to do it everyday. Ha! At least today, Christopher was home to make sure I woke up to get the kids. It was a lovely nap!

Christopher's car went into the shop again today to fix the part they didn't have last week. $700 later, it is fixed. And what stinks, is the part that they fixed today was damaged in the wreck he had 2 years ago. Why didn't it mess up when insurance would have covered it? Such is life. Hopefully no more repairs will be needed.

I got an email from Granny today and they are starting home in the morning instead of Saturday. I am so excited to be able to see them Friday! Preston finished their welcome home sign and I"m going to go up and hang it in their garage tomorrow. I remember doing the same thing when I was about his age and loved it. I think mom still has a picture of it.

There's really no substance to this post, but I thought it was note-worthy for my own good. ;)

Granny and Pa

Last night I got an email from mom. Granny and Pa are still in Florida, staying at Jeff's. Granny fell out of bed and cut her eye on the hardwood floor. It was in need of stitched but she steri-stripped it and called it a day. She says she has a black eye to accompany it. Then Pa fell over Jeff's dog and broke a few ribs- at least they think- both are too stubborn to see a doctor. I hope they're both healing well.

The good news is that they are heading home this Saturday and after staying the night with Greg in Savannah, they will be coming straight home. I emailed them weather reports so they know they won't be running into any winter weather along the way. We are so excited to see them- they've been gone since Christmas. I keep looking out the back door each day at their house even though I know they're not there. I can't wait until Monday when I can see their garage door open again and can go see them. Gotta make a welcome home sign, too. Preston made one, but wrote poop on it, so that one's not gonna work...

Cheering

Last night was the regional tournament and my baby sister Ashley was in town cheering so we went to watch. She's the one on the left. She did a really good job out there and the kids had a great time. Kate watched the girls cheer and Preston watched the game. Keep up the good work, girl!

Fun with snow

I know I've blogged about snow a lot this winter. We've gotten double what we normally get already and I have a feeling there will be a lot more. Last Friday as the previous snow was melting, we ventured out to build a snowman since last winter we didn't get enough to even make one. Although he was short in stature compared to our usual 5 ft. snowmen, he was still sweet. He even held a snowball.

Then there was this week's snowy forecast. If you're wondering why on Earth I'd take a picture of the forecast, it's my 365 pic for Tuesday. That's the 6+" snowfall for Thursday and more for this weekend.
Ol Mike Roberts was correct, and Wednesday night the sky let loose and dropped 5 inches on us. Christopher didn't even try to go to work Thursday. He did however decide to shovel our driveway. I would have left it, but that's just me...
This is looking up our solar tube (another 365). The directions state to never look directly up it because it concentrates the sunlight and reflects it off the aluminum tube. I've tried it before... it HURTS, and then you can't see... But anyway, this is with 5 inches of snow over the top. No burning your eyes this time. It's still like this.
This is what remains of the snowman after being rained on Tuesday and snowed on again. He's clearly seen better days.
Yesterday we went outside to play. Our backyard looked so peaceful.
The kids decided going down the slide into the snow was really fun!
And then we made a fort from snow bricks. They thought this was absolutely awesome! And it really was fun to build. They packed the bricks and I laid them. We spritzed it with a spray bottle to give it a coat of ice to harden it up. We went out twice today to work on it. It now has a secondary wall around the outside because it was starting to lean. I imagine they will want to build some more tomorrow.
When I watched the news Friday, they were calling for another 3-6 inches this afternoon. Sheer craziness! But last night's forecast showed us in the 1 inch range, so I figured it was no big deal. Well, when I went to IGA around 12:30, it was snowing hard. When we went to go see Yogi Bear with mom at 3, it was still snowing hard. When we left the theater at 5:30, the roads were completely covered. We had to drive from Hillsboro and could not see the center line nor the white line on the side of the highway. We got at least another inch and the snowplows have been going by. I certainly hope they don't have another snow day tomorrow...

7 days

As if it weren't 100% predictable that we'd have a snowday today, I figured tomorrow would be up for grabs. The plows managed to clear our road and the main roads in town (I ventured in to buy groceries while Christopher was home), but airport rd. was sheer snow at 3:30. Still, I wasn't sure what they'd do since we've had so many already and they continue to eat into our summer break. But just minutes ago, at 9:45, we got the call... snow day number 7 is tomorrow. We haven't had a full week of school since returning from Christmas break. And Preston only went to school one day this week.

So yes, we got 5 inches last night and this morning. Again, a really pretty snow. I'm loving it! This is what winter is supposed to be like! Christopher didn't even attempt to go to work today since the news was reporting 11 inches in Greenville. A guy he works with that lives right in St. Louis emailed to say that even he couldn't get to work, so it's a good thing Christopher didn't try. He did venture out to shovel our driveway- all 2,000 sq. ft. of it. It was his first and last time for that! I told him that hopefully Granny and Pa will be home the next time it snows a lot so Pa will come down and blade the drive for us! But at least I know that there won't be any falling flat on the driveway this time.

We ventured out for just a short time today. It was just too cold even without any wind. It's supposed to be the coldest night of the winter, so I figure tomorrow will be pretty chilly, too. I told the kids we'd go up to Granny's Saturday after bowling and sled. I'm hoping it will be a bit warmer then, too.

So, now we just have to wait and see how many more snow days we have this winter!

Another snow day?

It's been a wicked winter. Every week it seems that we get a good snow fall- and more snow days. We're supposed to get 6 inches overnight and tomorrow morning. Old man winter's not giving us any breaks!

I had to take Preston in to the dr. today. He came home from school yesterday with a temp. and since he's had the soupy cough since Saturday, it was a red flag. I figured pneumonia, a trip to the hospital for a chest x-ray, and antibiotics, but he actually sounded perfectly clear and was breathing comfortably! His ears, nose and throat all looked great, too, so she said it was viral. As long as he's up playing with his temp. and it doesn't get over 101, not to worry. Whew! And both tubes are still in place! Yeah!

Effingham had gotten more ice overnight than we got, so we slid all over town! I slid right passed the road I needed to turn on and I was barely even going. It was slick! Good thing we got new tires over the summer!

Christopher's been having car issues lately with his check engine light coming on, and yesterday, the abs light came on. He took it in today and it needed new rear brakes and rotors, a computer thingy, and something to do with the fuel guage that was making his gas gauge not work and the engine light to come on. I won't even say how much it cost... It was ridiculous! But considering he drives 140 miles a day, he needs it done. Things add up quickly when you commute long-distance!

Why don't we do it in the road?

Lately, we've been enjoying the Beatles white album in the car. The other day, Why Don't We Do it in the Road came on. During the entire song, Paul basically sings, "Why don't we do it in the road," repeatedly. From the backseat I hear, "Because you'll get hit by a car!"

And I figured they'd ask what they were doing in the road.

This little guy

This little guy has given us a rough road from the beginning. Not even 24 hours after birth, it was very clear something wasn't right. Babies spit up. It happens. But they don't vomit so much that they are completely soaked, not once, but repeatedly within an hour. After going home, this mega-fest of spit-up continued. There were days I'd do an entire washer-full of his laundry from what he'd worn that day. There was the day I sent Christopher to Wal-Mart to buy more burp rags because we soaked them by noon. There were the oh-so pleasant times that he'd vomit while still latched on, soaking me as well as him. At two months, they diagnosed him with reflux, after I'd told them about it, and then they witnessed him vomit across the room. Lovely! They prescribed Zantac, which helped somewhat with the amount of spit-up, but not the screaming for hours on end. If you've had a baby with severe reflux, you know how that is. It took several trials and errors before they finally found a combination- four months later- that controlled both. Sigh...

Then there was the time he came down with RSV at 3 months and was almost hospitalized twice in one week due to one doctor's error. He was given amoxicillin for an ear infection and had an allergic reaction to it. He was in and out of their office 5 times in 10 days...

Then at 6 months, he got his first taste of rice cereal. I was so careful to wait the whole six months before starting solids. I wasn't expecting an allergic reaction, nor the multitude of reactions leaving his skin so welted up that it looked like someone had taken a whip to him. I can't even begin to describe that... It was absolutely horrible. A trip to the allergist confirmed his allergies and we began our lives as "allergy parents," toting an Epi-pen everywhere we went.

Around 18 months, we noticed that he coughed. A lot. He'd wake up coughing, he'd cough all the day, and he'd really cough when he'd run or cry. We thought the nighttime coughing was his reflux, but they thought that with his other symptoms and allergies, that it might be asthma. They prescribed Singulair and shortly thereafter, the coughing improved. It was also around that time that he had bad bout of croup and was thrown into a scary, gasping, barking state. The dr. prescribed prednizone and he had a very scary reaction. Not only did his skin welt up again, but this time he was so lethargic he couldn't move. Add another to the list... After that, we had to be very careful with his breathing and anytime he started to get a cold, we had to start breathing treatments to keep his airways in check because if it got bad enough, he couldn't have prednisone. Looking back, we think his airways were damaged during his bout with RSV when the dr. we saw on a Saturday told us to stop his breathing treatments when he actually still needed them, leading to his asthma.

Then right after he turned 4, he started in with the ear infections. He went through every antibiotic he could safely take and even the Clindamycin stopped working. It was off to the ENT for tubes. That six months he had them were wonderful! Then as soon as they were out and healed, he was right back to monthly infections. He got another set in June of 09, and that set was good for 6 months, then began the battle of infections every other month with tubes. Then in August of last year, he got a mega infection that took three weeks of drops and oral antibiotics to clear it up. So far, since then he's done well. They're due to be out soon and I can not lie... I am terrified! Even Preston said last night that he hoped he didn't have to go back to the operating room for another set. :(

So, after all of this, Preston is back on his Singulair today after nearly three years without it. I hate to see this, but I think it really is the best decision. The cough he'd had for weeks was just like the one when he was little- dry, in the morning and when he's running around. I really think it will help him. If he's not improved within a week, they want to see him. That's kind of hard to guage considering he's got a nasty cold right now and is productively coughing non-stop. Let's pray he gets better!

It's been a long road the past 7 years, but with the exception of allergies, asthma and ear infections, he's healthy, and that's what matters most. I'm so thankful for him, and love him dearly despite all he's put us through! Preston, you're one tough kid!

Recaping

It seems that I always get busy and neglect this blog- or moreso, my food blog. :( It's what happens in life with two kids. They finally got to go back to school Thursday, giving me a nice break before the weekend.

Friday, I had a fall. I made the mistake of wearing flats to the mailbox in 5 inches of snow. I tried to hop over a drift because I was walking in tire tracks to avoid wet feet when I fell, and fell hard. I fell so quickly that I couldn't catch myself and landed flat on my right side. My hip was pretty sore and I thought that was the rest of it. Then I woke up Saturday and my upper right arm was SO sore. There was a small bruise and some swelling, but it hurt so badly I could hardly lift it. Today, I still can't put pressure on it but it is feeling better. Looking back, I did land square on that arm, so I imagine that's what took the brunt of the fall. Our driveway has been thawing and re-freezing every night, so while there's still a LOT of snow on it, it's even slicker now. They're calling for freezing rain tomorrow and Tuesday, too. Note to self: wear boots to the mailbox.

Preston has had a cough for a few weeks. Nothing major, just a dry cough in the mornings and when he gets wound up. I figure since he's been off of his Singulair for his asthma for a while, that it's been triggered by something and acting up. He really hadn't had any issues with his asthma since his last surgery when it was triggered by the anesthesia/intubation. I had debated wether or not to call Dr. B. about it since it hasn't been bothering him and he had no other symptoms. Well, Saturday evening he started getting a runny nose and now has a full-blown cold with a soupy cough. Lovely. So I think tomorrow I will call and let them know, and hopefully find something out. With a cold, though, they'll probably be more focused on that than the root of the problem. I'm not concerned with the cold at all- no fever, just a cough and runny nose, but if his asthma is acting up again, it could get nasty. Plus, we could use some more albuterol.

Kate had a big day yesterday! Her girl scout troop traveled to St. Louis to go rock climbing. They left at 8:30 in the morning and were gone until 3:00. She had a great time and is asking to go back for her birthday. No longer than she'd been at home, she had to be at her friend Jenna's at 5:00 for a sleepover. Those crazy girls didn't go to bed until 6:00 this morning! I remember those days myself and can't think of the appeal of staying up all night! I rather like my sleep! So Kate was gone all but 2 hours during a 24 hour period and got a total of 4 hours of sleep. You can imagine how grouchy she was today!

Granny and Pa are leaving for their cruise to the Bahamas tomorrow and are taking Flat Stanley with them. Preston's Stanley is by far the most traveled on his class. He's been to Germany, Italy, Houston and Florida, now he's off to the Bahamas and to Chicago in February, Too bad Keith and Dee didn't have him earlier this week when they were snowed/iced in in Atlanta. That would have been cool, too!

Snow day #4

The weather men were right- we got 5 inches of snow overnight and we were all thrilled. Well, maybe Christopher wasn't. He tried to get to work this morning but got as far as FS and turned back. He drove one mile and it took 20 minutes. He did stop to ask a guy who'd driven off the road if he needed help, and the guy, holding a beer at 5:30 in the morning, said he needed pulled out, which Christopher wasn't capable of doing.

We spent the afternoon at Granny and Pa's sledding. I didn't think we'd be able to make it out of our driveway, let alone, up their hill, but we made it with no problems considering the roads were completely ice and snow-packed. It was strange with them gone since Pa usually pulls them, but they're off enjoying some warm weather and preparing for a cruise. Lucky ducks!

The kids really had a great time! WE'd go sledding for about 20 minutes, then head in to dry our clothes and warm up before heading out again. We were there nearly 3 hours.

The kids made snow angels, ran around and just had a great time. They were plenty warm.

It got pretty windy and Preston's scarf (poor kid, I know, it's pink) was a little too thin, so I improvised and put a dish towel underneath, which kept him extra warm and those cheeks not-so-pink.

School has already been cancelled for tomorrow, making 5 snow days so far within a month. While waiting for their snow clothes to dry, the kids came across the Weather Channel and Saturday we're supposed to get snow, sleet, and freezing rain, with more snow on Sunday and Monday. At this rate, they won't have a summer break! If it's got to be cold, I'd rather there be some wintry weather to make it worthwhile! The wind is roaring outside and it's supposed to be in the single digits tonight and in the teens tomorrow for a high, so I think tomorrow we'll stay in all day.

Bowling

Preston decided to join a junior bowling league this fall and has been bowling up a storm. That is, when we actually make it... It seems that ever since it started, each Saturday has had either a family birthday party or holiday gathering. It had been a few weeks since we'd been there- since December 10...

Preston must have had other ideas of what this league would entail because it hasn't met his expectations. He hasn't enjoyed it like he or I thought he would, but I"m a firm believer in finishing what you start, so he's in it until the 16 weeks are up. He's on a team with another Preston and a boy named Xadric. He's by far, not the best bowler, but it's for fun, and he learns more each time. The owner of the bowling alley comes around to help the kids with their form and teaches them where to aim. He's improved and although he doesn't show that he enjoys it, I know that he does. In a few weeks, the league will be done and then he'll want to go bowl.

Treasure

Tonight, I received a treasure. A treasure that some might look at and not see it's worth. I know that when I brought it home, Christopher gave me a look that said, "Are you serious?" But this treasure is invaluable to me. It is a family heirloom five generations in the making.
These piles of fabric may look like a pile of scraps to the untrained eye. These piles to me are stacks of gold, rubies and sapphires. These stacks are quilt pieces that were hand cut by my Great-Great Grandma Bess. There are hundreds of them, some of the sewn together already- by hand. Many more of them are still unsewn.
These pieces were intended to make a beautiful quilt, but unfortunately, Grandma Bess passed away before she could finish. I never met Grandma Bess as she died before I was born. I remember stories, the large picture of her in her wheelchair in my great-grandma's hallway, and the many hours Seth and I spent racing around Ma-Ma's basement in Grandma Bess' wheelchair.
After Grandma Bess died, my great grandma took the pieces, intending to finish what her mom hadn't. Ma-Ma didn't finish either, and they were passed to Granny, who gave them to mom. Tonight, I received the large bag of quilt pieces, and no gift given to me could have made me happier. I am beyond excited to begin piecing these together and hope to do as much by hand as possible. There are enough sewn together already to make one quilt, and enough pieces to make at least one more. I have something very special planned. I hope to get Kate involved as sewing these together by hand is something she can help with, making this a project that has passed through the hands of six generations.

I have truly received a gift.

Hallelujah!

I hate trying to find jeans that fit. I think most women do. But when you're tiny, it's soooooooo much harder. I have been searching, and searching for jeans that fit. Loft changed their sizes a while back and now I can't fit in theirs, which were previously the only ones that fit. I even tried on MANY pairs yesterday when I went shopping... nada. I even had to go down to girls sizes at Old Navy, but they were too long.

Back a week or so ago, I got a Delia's catalog in the mail and they were having a great sale. I figured I'd try, and BINGO! Cue the Hallelujah Chorus! They FIT! I think I've found my go-to spot for jeans! I really liked that you can choose the inseam length, so I knew when I checked 28 inches, that they would not be too long. I wore them today and they are beyond comfy. The only downside was that I do not own a pair of boots (aside from my "moon boots" for the snow), so I had to wear my flats. They unfortunately were the wrong shoes for the job when there's two inches of snow on the ground. I'm sure the people at Wal-Mart and IGA got a kick out of my prancing through the parking lot trying to keep my feet dry. Sigh...

Kate had her eye exam today and all is well and healthy. She is a little more near sighted than she was last January, but he said it wasn't enough to warrant new glasses at this point. If before next year she breaks them, wants new, or has any trouble, he wants to "up" her prescription. That was good news since she really likes the frames she has and didn't want to get new ones.

What a way to wake up

No one saw this coming! They discussed a few flurries last night on the news, but they didn't know this was coming! I woke up and had completely forgotten about the "flurries" when I decided to look outside and saw an inch of snow! Holy smokes! Any day that I wake up to a fresh white blanket starts my day on a good note! Unfortunately, the snowplows had not gone at all. When Christopher left at 5:30, the road was snowpacked and evident that plows hadn't been out (I don't think they even suspected this, therefore had no manpower). Getting to the interstate this morning was not an easy task for him. He called around 7:00 to have me call his dad to take the kids to school- our rear-wheel drive vehicle is worthless in snow. Being the stubborn one, I refused to call. I only called when he called back 10 minutes later to see if I'd gotten a hold of him. I called and he came and picked us up. And it was a good thing or this post would have been titled, "Stuck in a ditch", or worse... He was in 4-wheel drive and we still slid. More is in store for Monday, so I'm excited! But hopefully they call off school. Keith and Dee will be in Atlanta Monday and I'll have to get out!

I did send these lovely pictures to Granny and Pa who are vacationing in the warm Florida sun this month. Ahhhh, to be retired!

I'm off in a bit to take Kate for her eye exam. Hoping her prescription hasn't changed since last year!

Blessed

I've been volunteering in Preston's class quite a bit this year and have gotten to know some of his friends. One day, I noticed that one boy in particular was wearing a sleeveless shirt, holey jeans and holey shoes- mind you, it was December. I was instantly pulled to prayer for this boy. I couldn't put this boy out of my mind. I thought of him constantly, prayed constantly. I shared my story to my mom and Grandma and we decided we should adopt his family. My mom got in contact with the principal and arranged for us to adopt them in complete anonymity (which is why I won't share their names.) We got them a lot of gifts and had them wrapped and ready for the mom to pick up at the school. I thought about this family a lot over Christmas break, especially Christmas morning as I imagined them opening their gifts. My mom and I wondered the other day what they thought of them. Tonight I sat down to check my email and got this message:

I just talked to Mrs. C. and she made me cry; she was giving me an update on the family we helped at Christmas.

She said that the mom came in that day before Christmas with a house coat, with no belt, on as a coat. She was crying when she realized that the boxes where all for them. She told her that a family friend of theirs had lost the mother of the family and they had given their Christmas money to that family for Christmas because they had lost their mom. So she was SO grateful for all that we did. Mrs. C. said that she saw J. in the lunch line Monday and asked him how was his Christmas, he said "Oh Mrs C. it was the best Christmas I ever had".

I feel more convinced now that God was using me as his steward for this family. Had I not been volunteering at Preston's school, I wouldn't have even known about this family, and they might not have had anything at all for Christmas since they gave their own Christmas money, when they had little of their own, to help another family that they felt was in greater need. God speaks to us in so many ways. We just need to slow down and listen. I've known for many years that I am extremely blessed, and tonight, I am even more blessed, to know that I made an impact on a family, and made their Christmas very special. I hope they can see that God is with them, and that even though they may have little material possesions, they truly are blessed.

The new face of Forgetful Jones

Those of you who watched Sesame Street back in the 80's probably remember Forgetful Jones. He was the cowboy that always forgot things. I think that maybe, just maybe, he could be replaced by this girl...
It's been known for ages that my sweet daughter is quite absent minded. It's OK. That's who she is. I'm used to it. Some days, I do worry about her, though.

Several months ago, she lost her school library book. She searched each of her classrooms, the library, the lost and found, and still no book. I've resorted to getting a bill at the end of the year for a very overdue book. Sigh. Back before school let out for Christmas break, she came home reporting that she'd lost her P.E. pants. How on earth, I don't know. She'd searched again and couldn't find them. She asked me, "Do I have a blue sweatshirt with stars on it? Because I found one in the lost and found that looks like it." Sure enough, after looking in her closet, she'd lost that, too, but had NO clue she had until she'd seen it in lost and found. Sigh. She brought home the shirt the next day, and it was hers, but no pants.

Today was the first day back to school and she had her $6.00 to buy another pair of shorts. We got to school, she's gathering her stuff and, "Where's my flute?" Sigh... Luckily we were 10 minutes early and were able to go back home and find not only her flute, but also her P.E. shirt that she'd forgotten. What a way to start off a new semester!

I swear that if her head wasn't attached, she'd lose it. And she agrees.

By some miracle, her pants had been turned in and all is well. She did say that she lost her binder, though, the big, 5 pound thing she has to lug around to each class. Luckily, it was quickly found!

Project 365

I've seen this done a few times before and always thought that it was a neat idea. The problem was, was that I saw it after the first of the year, which kind of makes it hard to do 365 pictures. Not this year, my friends!

So what is project 365? It's a promise to take at least one picture a day for an entire year- 365. I'm really hoping I can accomplish this, not matter what. Yesterday I almost forgot until late, so the only thing I could figure to photograph was Nonni in his basket. And here is my very first 365 photo- aptly named "Because we otherwise don't get enough Beatles in our daily lives..." Ha! Preston got this Abbey Road puzzle for Christmas and Kate wanted to put it together. The only problem is that she wanted to start it, yet doesn't want to finish it. Two days later, it doesn't look much different than it did the day we started.
I hope that once I make it through the year, I will make a photo book with all of the pictures. A day in the life, if you will. ;)

A very belated Christmas

I realize that Christmas was more than a week ago. I apologize. I also realize that every other blogger has long posted their Christmas recap. Again, I apologize. But with kids home and Christopher's fascination with Kate's new Sims 2 game, I haven't been able to get on the computer. In fact, last night was the first time in a week. Wow! Christmas was a whirlwind as always. Other than our first Christmas that we celebrated on the 17th, our marathon of 6 Christmases in four days started on Christmas Eve.
Preston enjoying his computer from Granny and Pa. It was a hit!
Kate was thrilled to get Skittles in a puking Santa dispenser. Seriously. When you twist it to open, Santa's mouth opens wide and you shake the Skittles out. Lovely!
Every year since Seth and I were little, we've wrapped up this same roll of Christmas toilet paper for Pa. He loves it! He's come to expect it and it's one of our favorite traditions! As soon as Christmas is over, it goes back upstairs in their closet until next year!

We were all beyond excited several days before Christmas when they predicted a white Christmas. Snow began falling heavily Christmas eve afternoon, causing us to gather at mom's early so Seth and Diana could get home safely before it got too bad. Christmas morning we awoke to this...

Our front and back yard were nothing short of stunning. We only got about 3-4 inches, which isn't impressive, but it was more than enough to put us in true Christmas spirit! Driving through the country to Kent and Karen's was beautiful! White everywhere you looked, and the snow on the branches was even prettier!

The kids were up bright and early at 5:30 Christmas morning and I sent them back to bed. Bah humbug! They could wait no longer by 6, so we were all up and downstairs to see what Santa had brought. They had a lot of fun opening gifts and liked everything they got.


Then it was off to Kent and Karen's for Christmas with Christopher's family. The kids had a great time and got way too many gifts.
Sarah, Gracie, Kate, PReston, Abbie and Issie pose.
We then headed to my Me-maw's for our second Christmas of the day. Preston enjoyed playing with her cat, Simon.
Kate was just thrilled to play with Glen. I can't tell you how many good times I had as a kid playing in that same chair. Back then, it spun around really well and fast, and we'd have a blast spinning until the chair tipped.

The next day we got together with Christopher's parents and his sister, her husband and daughters. The kids had a good time and did a lot of playing. Preston got a basketball goal which I'm sure will be a lot of fun this spring and summer.
Monday rounded out our last of the celebrations. The kids got to see all of their cousins from Chicago and had too much fun! They begged not to leave, and then when we had to go back to help set up their Roku, they were beyond excited! Dee got all of the kids Sing-a-majigs and they had a blast playing with them! Kate and Madison chose matching ones.
Abbie and Issie were just as excited to play in a box than anything else!
As busy as we were for 4 straight days, I wouldn't trade it for anything. It was great. Probably one of the best in many years. It was really nice, though, to do absolutely nothing on Tuesday. Just this weekend, we finally got all of the CHristmas toys put away, which should tell you the amount of stuff they got. They did really well the other day weeding out old toys, too!

We had a quiet new years, with the exception of tornado sirens and a torrential downpour. With temps in the 60's it certainly felt like spring! Winter came back with a vengeance, though, and it's COLD! With 2010 gone, I'm looking forward to 2011 and all it offers.