Merry Christmas!

This year's Christmas has been wonderful in our family. We attended Christmas Eve services and everyone behaved very well (sometimes a challenge). The kids came home after dinner at my parents' and went straight to sleep. They needed to make sure they were sleeping well before Santa arrived.

Matthew was the first child awake this morning. He was up around 5:15 am. Normally, I would have sent him back to bed and told him it was too early but we had a special friend coming at 6 so I had to get up in 15 minutes anyway. I made him wait until 5:30 and then let him wake Jacob up so they could explore their Santa gifts together. Both boys have been good this year so their stockings were full. The only glitch is that the firetruck Matthew got was broken. Luckly, I know a store in the area that carries them and we will try to exchange it tomorrow. Other than that everyone got what they wanted. My brother even bought us an XBox 360 Kinnect so Jacob is no longer the only child in his day care class that doesn't have a video game system. Of course, I had more fun with it this afternoon than he did. Not to mention I got a good workout jumping while river rafting and playing a little football.

Our little friend, Aidan, spent the holiday with us as well since his mom had to work. It was nice having an extra kid around to enjoy. He kept sneaking under the tree and opening gifts when we weren't looking (he's only 2 1/2) which actually made it a little more fun. Of course, there were some presents for him as well so he had his own gifts to unwrap and enjoy.

We are now relaxing while the frozen pizza finishes cooking. Then we will probably watch the Packers beat the Bears and secure home field advantage for the playoffs (hopefully). I can't think of a better way to end Christmas (unless you are a Bears fan).

Christmas Fun

I am trying to get the pictures and video to upload but am experiencing technical difficulties.

Christmas so far this year has been a lot of fun. One of the great things about being a parent is that you get to watch the fun of the holidays through children's eyes and enjoy new experiences every year as they grow. Even on the most difficult days at work, I can know that I will get to see my children in just a few hours.

Jacob and Matthew did a great job in their holiday performances. They both loved singing and Matthew's class had the most fun version of Go Tell It On The Mountain I have seen in a very long time. The song just fit the kids outgoing personalities and was a lot of fun to watch. I am really hoping I will find a way to get it to upload here soon.

Jacob is really loving all of the new activities he is old enough to participate in. I am having trouble keeping him to just one activity but so far I have held my ground. I am a strong believer that children really don't need to be overscheduled and I also am aware that I have a tendency to overschedule all of us. Right now Jacob has started karate lessons and really loves it. Karate is also great at teaching self-confidence and self-control. I like that it is an individual sport so he isn't competing against anyone but himself to get better.

This school year is really flying by. The kids have learned a lot and are doing great in all of their activities. We recently went to see the holiday trains. I was a little saddened to realize that Jacob is beginning to outgrow them but we still had fun. At the same time, I am excited to take him to the Milwaukee Public Museum over winter break. He will be old enough to really enjoy it and learn something.

So hopefully I can get some pictures uploaded soon.

Blessed To Be American

People have been lining up to try to come to America since 1776. During the past 235 years America has changed and I believe mostly for the best. Change is a slow process and America continues to evolve and work to find ways to make life better for all of us. People continue to line up at our embassies around the world hoping and praying for a chance to "win the lottery" and be able to come here. Refugees come here somewhat unwillingly to begin to make a new life for their families. We are becoming more diverse every year and there are some experts who believe people of white European decent will no longer be in the majority in the future. Some people have concerns about our increasing diversity but I see it as an asset. By learning about all of the different culutures in this country, we are able to become a better and more diverse America. We are able to learn from each other, enjoy new and different foods, music and lifestyles and learn how to be more accepting and tolerant as a result.

Here are some of the other wonderful blessings we have and should be thankful for.

1) Plenty of food. Yes there are people who are hungry in this country. I have worked with many food insecure families in the past few months but the truth is food is available for most of us. Those who are food insecure are able to visit food pantries and free community meals as well as receive food from the governmen. We have private and government programs to help people who don't have a way to find food. Not all countries have these programs.

2) Free education. My children will go to school for free. I don't have to worry about finding a school uniform so my children can attend. I don't have to worry about paying high private school tuitions if I don't want to. I get the luxury of spending way too much time worrying about which public or private school to send my children to not if they will be able to attend.

3) A great higher education system. I realize some people have trouble paying for college and it's very important that higher education remain affordable for Americans. Yet we also have a college system that allows most people to attend even if it means borrowing money. I recently spoke to a young woman who had the grades but not the test scores to attend college. She was able to enroll in a public university where she is taking college courses this summer as a "bridge program" to help her prepare for college in the fall. As long as she passes the classes they have asked her to take this summer she will be able to attend college in the fall. There are grant and loan programs to help people pay for college. There are many different colleges to choose from and people can pursue any degree their talent and interst is in.

4) Health care. No matter where you stand on the public health care issue, we are all blessed to live in a country where health care is easy to obtain. Anyone can show up in an emergency room and receive care. For those of us lucky enough to have health insurance or wealthy enough to pay for it, we have great health care availble. Vaccines are routinely given out and it is rare to find a child who has not been immunized. We have enough doctors and clinics to care for all of our sick and injured.

5) Clean water.

6) Paved highways and roads.

7) Electricity

8) The ability to pursue our dreams, decide we no longer have the same dreams, return to school or move and pursue new dreams.

9) Travel freely throughout the country to visit family and friends without stopping at government check points or having to explain where we are going and why.

10) State and national parks that we can enjoy for cheap or free.

There are many more blessings than just the ones I have listed here. Everyone has there favorite activities. Just remember none of these things came to us for free. Our soldiers lost their lives. Our citizens worked hard in the private and public sector. Our children have studied hard. Yes, we have a ways to go. We have a lot to work on. But we have a good start. Together we will contine to evolve and grow as individual communities and a country.

Politics in Wisconsin has shown us all how far we have to go. My hope is that the ugly policies of the recent months will soon be a thing of the past but until then it's important to remember that even with our current administration we are very blessed to live here. We need to continue to stand united and all work together to continue to make this country great for all of her people.

Christmas Photos

We spent Christmas at my parents' house with my brother. Everyone had a great time and it was a very nice day. M had so much fun with his new toys that he decided to stay home and play while Jacob and I saw Yogi Bear at the movie theater. Even two weeks later, M and Jacob are still playing with their toys and asking to stay home from school to play more. Their favorite toys are a motorcycle from our neighbor, a remote controlled crane and a garbage truck. Fireman Sam movies were also a hit.

Perfect Start to 2011

I will admit that I haven't written my New Year's Resolutions. I have started to think about them but haven't decided exactly what they will be. For example, I want to set some financial goals (ie: what debt to retire, how much to save, etc) but haven't figured out exactly what those goals will be. I also like to set more personal goals such as behavior changes and other personal improvements that are far too personal to post on a public website. I will write them out eventually and might even share some of the less personal ones here. I just haven't found the time to sit and think and write yet. Maybe later this week. My last post shared some of my hopes for the next year and some of those dreams will be included in my resolutions just in slightly different forms.

So today wasn't a day where I sat and reflected. Instead I used it as a day to start working on one of the resolutions that I am willing to share publicly. I want to spend more time in 2011 with my children just relaxing. No time lines or deadlines. Fewer activities rushed through so that we can check it off our to do list and move onto something else. Just time to spend enjoying eachother.

I started that resolution today. The boys and I layed around the house watching TV and lounging until about 9:30 this morning. We then got dressed and went to my parents' house. My mom and I took the boys to the mall where we spent about 2 hours just playing on the climbing equipment, playing with trains and reading books in the bookstore and eating lunch.

Around 1:30, we returned to my parents' house where the boys took a nap while I went to the grocery store. My dad fixed pork chops and mashed potatoes for dinner and we watched my beloved Badgers play a good game in the Rose Bowl (even if they did lose). We then watched an episode of Diego to reward M's very good behavior and patience during the football game.

It was 8:00 by the time we got home. I return to work tomorrow for 2 more days before my normal weekend. While I am never ready to leave my kids and go back to work, I am comforted returning after a relaxing and enjoyable day with the kids (and my parents).

Sure. We will still have days that are packed with activities. There will be activities that we have to squeeze in around other activities. But I also am pledging to myself and my children that I will try to have more days where we just relax, throw the schedules out the window, turn off the cell phone and computer and enjoy each other. I also pledge to continue to make spending one-on-one time with each of my children a priority this year. It's time that the kids really enjoy and I think is important for all of our relationships with eachother.

A Look Back and Forward

Last year I made a post about what I was looking foward to in 2010. Of course, many things happened that I would never have predicted and we had challenges and blessings. I wanted to look back and see how I did on my predictions though. So here they are.

1) Finish 2 semesters of grad school. I did this although I decided to only attend part-time this year. A decision that I am glad I made although I do wish I was graduating in August. Oh, well. One more year isn't bad.

2) Finish my internship. I can check that one off. It went well and I miss it.

3) Find a new job. Nope. Not yet. I'm getting closer but haven't been offered one yet. I am still hoping it will happen soon. I printed off another job application today and will apply for the same eligibility list I'm on now.

4) Obtain social work certification. I did this.

5) Complete another adoption home study. Check this one off also.

6) Jacob in 4K. Check. He's doing great.

7) M in 3 year old preschool. Check. He's also doing great at the new daycare.

8) No more diapers. Check. We only use pull-ups at night.

9) Camping. Didn't quite get to this one. I did buy a tent on clearance for cheap so we are getting closer.

10) Passing swimming lessons. Jacob is really close but not quite there yet.

11) Culture camp. Nope but it is on my list of things to do someday.

12) Watching Jacob and M bond as brothers. Check. They are definitelly there.

So here is a look at what I hope 2011 will bring.

1) M's adoption should be finalized sometime very soon. Hopefully this winter or spring. I can't imagine it won't be final by the end of this year.

2) Kindergarten. Jacob will start in the fall.

3) 4K. Hopefully, M will be part of the first 4K class in our district. Otherwise he will be in 4K at the day care he currently attends. It's expensive but very worth every penny. I wish I had taken him there much earlier.

4) Sports. M will be playing soccer and t-ball. Jacob will be playing soccer, basketball, t-ball and football. I guess you can call me a soccer mom now. And I'm proud of it.

5) School and church performances. Jacob has been in them for awhile but he really seems to enjoy them and look forward to them now. It's fun to watch him get so excited and really work hard.

6) Reading. Jacob is very close to being able to read. He can recognize all of the letters and is just starting to sound out words. By the end of this year I am sure I will have a reader on my hands.

7) A new job. I hope this one comes true this year. Right now I am only applying at the county I currently work for so I don't lose seniority and benefits. I am hoping to get a transfer soon but if not I may start to look outside the county.

8) Camping. We will do this one. No excuses. We have a tent now. Jacob is big enough to help me put up the tent and M is big enough to be trusted not to wander away or fall into a campfire (as long as he is supervised). I have friends who have said they will go with us so we really better make our way to the campground.

9) Mehaber. I was able to get off work to go to Mehaber again this year. It should be fun.

10) A party! If M's adoption is finalized we will finally be able to celebrate. I already have the party invitiations picked out and ready to order. I just need a date.

Life is good. Sure there have been challenges such as a very bad day care (the state substantiated my complaint), adoption delays and job seeking disappointments. There will be challenges next year as well (I am pretty sure one of our cats will pass away). Yet overall we are very blessed. We are a family and love each other. We work together, help each other and enjoy each other. I know we are very blessed and hope that 2011 brings even more blessings to my family and yours.

Whew! What A Week!

Life has been absolutely crazy and fun the past week or so. We arrived back from vacation last Tuesday around 2:30 in the afternoon. Our first stop was the dog kennel to pick up our two dogs. The dogs were happy but obviously very tired and ready to just go home and sleep. I never dreamed a kennel could be so exhausting but it must have been. I guess having all kinds of new people, dogs to "talk" to and new play areas tired them out.

We took the dogs home and then I took M to my parents house while Jacob and I went to do a very fast run through the grocery store. We needed just enough food to get us through Christmas which really wasn't much. The grocery store was busy as I expected that close to Christmas.

We left the grocery store and headed to a day care in the neighboring community to pick up a five-year-old friend. Grace's mom needed someone to watch Grace overnight while she took care of some family things. Grace was a delight. She is a little girl who is full of energy and can out last either of my two boys (which really takes a lot). She kept asking if she was being an angel which in her own way she was.

Grace, Jacob and I picked M up and we all went to McDonald's for dinner. Grace hadn't had a chance to see Santa Clause so we headed to the mall after eating and paid Santa a visit. I reminded Jacob and M that Santa had already started their gifts so make sure you don't ask for something different this time. They didn't disappoint and Jacob asked for a garbage truck with yellow garbage can and M asked for a parking garage.

Wednesday Jacob, Grace and I all got up early and played in the house. Jacob and M needed to go to day care for about an hour to finish up their holiday activities and give me a chance to finish up mine. Grace and I worked together to wrap Jacob and M's presents and move all of the gifts from my parents' house to my car. We returned home, made lunch and laid down for an hour. After naps, we finished the day by making Christmas cookies before Grace went home.

M and I spent Wednesday evening shopping for a gift for M to give Jacob. We quickly found a doctor kit that Jacob had been asking for as well as a present for our friend P. I was very tired by this point so we picked Jacob up and all went home for a fairly early bedtime.

Thursday was another busy day but not as bad as Tuesday and Wednesday. Jacob, P, M and I all went to the holiday train and garden show at the local gardens. P really enjoyed looking at the different flowers, Jacob and M really enjoyed the trains and everyone enjoyed some cookies afterwards. We had a holiday lunch of macaroni and cheese at Noodles and Company and gave P her doll. Jacob, M and I were still tired from our vacation and the past two days so we spent time in the afternoon just picking up the house, doing laundry and taking some much needed naps.

Christmas Eve and Day were fun and I will write about them later. For the most part, they were uneventful and just enjoyable.

Sunday the boys and I spent time putting their new toys together and playing. Well, they did most of the playing. I spent most of my time trying to unpack the suitcases and get at least a little closer to finishing the laundry. It is amazing how fast time flies when there are three suitcases to launder, Christmas toys to put together and play with and of course, we all wanted to take a nap. I spent some time relaxing and watching the Packer game while the kids slept so the day wasn't completely lost to work.

Monday Jacob's friend Lana came over while her mom worked. Her mom was kind enough to give up some money to spend so we decided to go to Chuck E Cheese for lunch. Lana is 4 years old and just a delight to be around. She played with the boys while I made breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen. I did a couple chores around the house and then took the kids downtown to get my uniform for work that night. We went to Chuck E Cheese after leaving my office and spent about two hours eating pizza and playing games. All of the kids had a great time and were exhausted by the time we left.

I got home with Lana and the boys and had just started putting laundry away when Lana's mom arrived to take her home. I had to hurry and get ready for a special work assignment that night. I picked up the babysitter and hurried off to work until about 10.

Yesterday was almost as busy as Monday. I took M to day care so he will have enough hours in to meet his funding requirements. I took the opportunity to take Jacob and P bowling. Neither had ever been bowling before and both had a great time. We bowled two games which took us about an hour and a half to finish. Bowling is a much slower game with young children especially when the ball seems to barely be moving as it inches down the lane. Everyone had fun though and we all survived the trip.

Jacob had been waiting since Christmas to go to Toys R Us and get a remote control crane so we stopped there before bowling. As soon as we took P to her house, Jacob and I got to work putting the crane together. It was actually a lot easier to assemble than I anticipated and Jacob had fun playing with it until it was time to get M from day care.

I decided it was time for some adult time and went to dinner and a movie with a friend last night. We saw Little Fockers which was funny and a great way to just relax. I got home around 9:30 and picked up the house for the house cleaner today (still the best money I spend each week). I got to bed around 10:30 and was awakened at 4:40 this morning by an eager M. He wanted to watch cartoons before going back to day care.

Now I am back to work and ready for our normal routine to start. Tonight will be much quieter with me doing laundry and the kids enjoying their new toys. Christmas vacation is over and we are all ready for some normalcy to return.

Christmas Cookies

Jacob and M had a friend spend the night last night. Actually, we arrived home from vacation and picked her up about two hours later. We went to McDonald's for supper then visited Santa one last time at the mall. We spent this morning playing and wrapping Christmas gifts and then made cookies this afternoon. Grace left tonight right before dinner and the house already seems earily quiet. She was a lot of fun to have over. I forsee more sleepovers in the future.

Christmas Play Cancelled

Jacob was disappointed. The Christmas play at church was cancelled today due to a large snowfall. I'm not sure how much we got but it was enough to make driving difficult and cancelled most of the church services for today. We actually skipped church last night for the same reason. I didn't want to get stuck 20 minutes from home if the storm hit during the service. It ended up being the right decision because it started snowing pretty heavily about the time church would have been ending.

I did get to watch Jacob practice for the performance yesterday morning. I was so proud of my little man. He is one of the bigger kids in his Sunday school class and will actually be moving up to the kindergarten class after the holidays (another story but I want to separate him from M). He stood tall on the stage, rocked to the music and sang along with the other kids. Last year he hated performing and I didn't usually force the issue. This year he has more self-confidence and really seems to enjoy it. He works hard and pays close attention to the teachers and directors. I just wish my work schedule didn't get in the way of so many of the children's concerts and performances. Maybe he can perform in the next concert.

Books For Christmas

First it was any book with Thomas The Train or Lightning McQueen. Those were quickly followed by any book that had anything to do with trucks. Now they are fire fighter books, Stinky the Garbage Truck or fun rhyming books. These are the books my kids love to read. They read them to themselves and I read them to them. Their teachers read to them daily and their grandparents read to them when we vist.

My boys have discovered the joy of reading and I am grateful. They often ask me to buy new books in the bookstore and we occassionally go to the library where we sit and read together before taking some books home. That is where we were two nights ago. We read three books at the library, put on a puppet show and picked out two DVDs to take home and watch later. I buy books monthly from the Scholastic order at their day care. Santa and the Easter Bunny bring books when they visit. My kids can already tell you that hard cover books are expensive so if you hope to get me to buy a book make sure it is paperback.

Yet I saw an editorial in the paper about the number of children who are read to on a regular basis in this country. It was shocking and incredibly sad. Over half of all American children are not read to on a regular basis and many children do not even own a book. Reading is the key to a child's educational success. Without reading, all other subjects become even more difficult. Books open up worlds for children and adults to explore together. Full of new words that expand vocabulary and new sounds to hear are stories that inspire the imagination. Not to mention a great way to bond with your children.

The writer was asking everyone with children to wrap a book and leave it on the end of their child's bed Christmas morning. I won't be doing that but my children will be receiving two new books. Santa brings them every year. I hope Santa or another adult brings the children in your lives books this Christmas as well.

The Results Are In

Jacob and M picked out their holiday ornaments last night. M got a blue Nascar and Jacob picked out an American flag. Jacob stated he wanted the flag, "so I can honor America this Chirstmas." M got the car because, well, he loves cars and blue is his favorite color.

Family Traditions

Family traditions are a great way to help everyone feel connected and an important member of the family. It gives a chance to spend time together doing something fun and enjoyable that will hopefully last for years to come. While our family doesn't have a lot of traditions we follow during the year due to our ever changing schedules (I work a rotating shift with different days off every week and am attending graduate school). We do have several that are associated with Christmas. Here is a list of our family's traditions. Please feel free to leave a comment with things your family enjoys doing. I am still looking for more holiday activities with my kids.

1) Chocolate advent calendar. Every day (usually in the morning) the kids get to open one door on their advent calendar and find a piece of chocolate. We are counting down the days until Christmas. In case you are curious, we are at 20 days now.

2) Sending holiday cards. Okay. I try really hard to get them out early but it rarely happens. I even sometimes send them after Christmas but I do always send them.

3) A new Christmas ornament. Every year the kids each get to pick out one special Christmas ornament. We haven't bought ours for this year but will this week. I really like this tradition because it gives me a rememberance of what the kids were like and interested in at this time every year. For instance, 2 years ago Jacob discovered the wonder of Santa Claus and picked out a Santa ornament. Last year he was all about Disney Pixar's Cars movie and got a Cars ornament. I will try to remember to tell everyone what the kids pick out this year.

4) Christmas cookies. We are going to alter this one a little this year (I think). We will bake a few extra cookies and take them to neighbors who have been extra kind to us in the past year. This year they will probably go to our neighbors Kris and Sylvia.

5) Christmas lights. We drive through the city Christmas light display every year. I usually take our friend, P, with us. She lives near the light display and it's a fun way to end our evening together.

This year I am also hoping to make popcorn balls with the kids. I'm not sure how well it will turn out. If it turns out well, this may also become a holiday tradition.

Christmas Activity Ideas

Anyone got some great ideas to do with young children during the holidays? I have a few ideas but want to think of some others. The kids are both old enough to really enjoy the activities and I would love to do some with P also. Here is the list of possiblities so far:

-Christmas cookies
-Making Grandpa's christmas present (since Grandma reads this blog I'm keeping it a secret for now).
-Train show at the local gardens.
-Setting up the Christmas tree (already done but was fun so I'm including it in the list anyway).


Anyone else got some great ideas? They can be things I can do with just one of the boys or together. Just a reminder in case you aren't a regular follower. The boys are 3 and 5 years old.

Christmas Programs and Santa

It seems really early to me but maybe that is just because life has been beyond crazy the past couple of weeks. The Christmas season is here and the programs have started already. Jacob and M both sang in their preschool program yesterday and were very cute. M sang about the Christmas star and walked around with a flashlight. Jacob was an angel and say An Angel We Have Heard On High. I couldn't fine my camera and didn't want to be late so I snapped a couple of photos with my cellphone. They didn't turn out well so I won't post them here but I figure fuzzy pictures are better than no pictures. It was fun to watch them and compare them to the younger kids. They have grown a lot in the past year.

After the Christmas program, I took the kids and our friend P to the mall to visit Santa. Of course, both boys asked for expensive and large toys and Santa agreed to give them to him (thanks a lot Santa). We went to a Toys R Us outlet store in the mall and the boys decided they would rather have different toys (and less expensive) so we trudged back down to see Santa again. There wasn't a line so I let the boys tell Santa they had changed their minds and now wanted the cheaper toys. I guess we will have to wait and see what Santa is able to bring them. I heard his helper will be working on their gifts next week.

I also went to Kohl's before the school program while the kids were still at day care. The school program didn't start until an hour and a half after I got off work so it was the perfect time to sneak out and do a little shopping. Kohls department store had a great sale yesterday. I had received a $10 off any $10 purchase and a card for an extra 15% off plus they had a great sale in general so I decided to do a little shopping. I have been told that on Genna (Ethiopian Christmas) children whose parents can afford it will get one new outfit that day. I like to try to keep a little Ethioipian culture in our home and this is one easy way to do it. Kohl's sale was a great way to get that outfit out of the way as well as a finding a great deal on a present for Uncle Chuck (which I will keep secret in case he reads this).

So Christmas is finally coming. We put up the Christmas tree on Wednesday, have begun shopping, had the school performance, visited Santa and started our chocolate Advent calendars. It snowed for the first time this year last night and the ground is now a beautiful white. The boys are ready for Christmas and want it to come today. I am not even near ready and believe another three weeks is just fine with me.

What We Are Thankful For

It is Thanksgiving. A day to reflect on all of the blessings in our lives. The kids and I talked about what we are most thankful for last night. Here are their answers.

M: Fire trucks, ambulances and police cars.

Jacob: Doctors.

I could list all of the things I am thankful for but the list would be endless. After travelling to countries where people don't have clean drinking water, access to schools and medical care and where 25 percent of children die before their 4th birhday, I don't take anything for granted anymore. I also am much better at prioritizing what is important so here are my top things I am thankful for this year.

1) My 2 beautiful sons. Jacob has been here for 3.5 years now and M has been here for just over 2 years. They brighten my every day and make life worth living. I can't begin to express the joy these two precious children bring to me. They make me laugh and cry and I wouldn't have it any other way.

2) The love of my family and friends. It really is the relationships we build that are most important.

3) Our health. There is not a day that goes by that I don't look at my family and thank God we are all healthy. I know that could change in the blink of an eye and will never take it for granted.

4) Schools and education. We experienced some day care problems and had some not-so-good teachers and day care directors and some absolutely awesome teachers. I am so grateful that we have great teachers right now who love the kids and their jobs and do their best every day. I am also very grateful to live in a country where my children are guaranteed an education and most people can attend college if they choose to (even if they have to take loans or go part-time).

5) Our pets. We lost one cat earlier this year and another one isn't going to live much longer. We will miss both of them but know that they have blessed us while they were here.

6)A healthy and safe home. That includes safe water, house and neighborhood.

7) Enough food to fill us every day and never having to worry about where our next meal will come from.

8) A working van to get us to all the places we want to go.

9) Time with my family. I often don't think I have enough of it but I am grateful for the time we do spend together.

10) Great doctors and medical care. I am so grateful that I life in a country where people come from all over the world to see our doctors and use our hospitals. We may grumble over the cost but we are privileged to be able to do that. So many people in the world don't ever see a doctor and die of preventable illnesses. We are truly blessed to have such great care.

Thanksgiving Cooking Rules By M

I am working today and Uncle Chuck is watching the boys. I reminded M to be good this morning and help Uncle Chuck cook. M replied he would but then followed that with some rules. Here they are:

1) Jacob and I can't put hot things in the oven. We would burn our hands.

2) Only Grandpa, Mom and Uncle Chuck can put things in the oven.

3) Grandma can't use the oven because she might hurt her hands. She's a grown-up but she still can't use the oven.

Grandma and Grandpa are in Egypt and Jordan this week so they aren't going to be cooking. I will make sure Grandma knows the rule about using the oven when she returns. She will be happy to know that she doesn't have to cook.

Weekend Update

It has been a busy and fun weekend. I was off both Saturday and Sunday which is always a special treat. It means I actually get to spend two full days with my kids and don't have to take anyone to school or day care. I am always grateful for these days and hopeful that I will get more of them soon. Here is a quick review of the major things we did.

Saturday:

-We started the day by just laying around the house and relaxing. The boys woke up around 5:30 which is normal but then watched cartoons until about 8. At 8:30, I made pancakes and started to get everyone ready for the day. Much more relaxing than our normal 45 minute dash for the front door at 6 AM.

- We went to Target with a list of things I was waiting to buy. I cashed out some unused vacation time and had a little extra money on my check. I bought new sleds for the kids (although the temp is suppose to be back up in the 50s next week. This has been a very warm start to the winter). I also bought a DVD player. I bought one last Christmas but it broke shortly after we got it so we have been living without one. I finally decided I better get some gloves and a hat for me since they are predicting light snow at the end of the week. It will be cold for a couple days before it warms up enough to melt so I will have to shovel if we get much. Otherwise I risk icy driveways and stairs. I also got some new markers, paints and coloring pages to try to keep the kids entertained now that it is getting to cold to go outside all the time.

- Jacob and I set up the DVD player while M took his nap. Jacob loved watching the two new DVDs we bought and learning how to use the new player. M slept for about 3 hours. I slept for about an hour and then played solitaire on the computer and just rested.

-Jacob, M, Uncle Chuck and my parents took me out for my birthday dinner. M kept telling me I was getting a police car. He was so convincing my mom mentioned that she hoped he wouldn't be upset when he saw what he really got me. He wasn't and he remembered. I opened the box and pulled out some earrings. He immediately started laughing and told me that was my police car. Funny kid.

Sunday:

-We went to church. Sunday school has been a struggle lately. I am hoping this is a short phase. The boys' teachers are great but they just feed off each other. I bought a cookbook from the mission group. Jacob tried to give it back to the woman. He stated I didn't need it because I already cook well. What a sweetie. I told him I wanted it to get some new ideas. There are a lot of wonderful and easy recipes in it.

- The boys lost their DVD privileges so I rented a movie I wanted to see. It was nice to just sit down and watch TV. I watched the movie while the kids slept.

- Our friends Jasmine, Brooke and Quanda came over. They are teenagers now. I have known them since they were 5 and 7 years old. It was nice to have them over for dinner and catch up on their lives.

- We took a small turkey over to my parents' house to start to thaw in the fridge. My parents are on a trip to Egypt and Jordan so it will be just the kids, me and my brother. It will be fun but we will all miss my parents while they are gone. This is the second time they have been gone for Thanksgiving and we always miss having them there. Right now I am scheduled to work and my brother will be watching the kids. I am hoping that changes and I can get off work but it probably isn't likely.

-M and I are having our monthly meeting with the social worker tomorrow. Jacob has 4K and I have to take the dog to the vet in the afternoon. Then we are off to Appleton so I can go to class. We are officially back to our crazy and busy schedule tomorrow. It was nice to have the past two days off to just relax, clean and do laundry and just spend time together.

A Day Of Surprises

Life at our house has been crazy lately but thankfully the trees in our yard have been cooperating. Or at least until the wind storms last week. The leaves all came off and my hard was covered. I planned to spend a day raking and mulching this week.

Yesterday I came home from church to find the leaves in my yard gone and two large piles by the street. My first thought was that my dad had come over but he normally mulches and I had seen him at 10. He had mentioned going to the Y to workout and nothing about working at my house or his. Then I noticed that the neighbors yard was also freshly raked. I asked her if she had noticed who raked my yard but all she would say was that it was the "leaf fairy." Well, I still wasn't one hundred percent sure it was her so I asked the neighbor across the street. She confirmed that my next door neighbor was the "leaf fairy." I guess I will be repaying her by snow blowing her drivway later this winter. Of course I'll call it the "snow fairy."

Jacob and M were also in for a special treat. They had soccer games early yesterday and I was in a rush to get their gear and get to the game after lunch. As we were racing to the car, our neighbor, Maxine, came outside. She stated she had a treat for the kids and to wait a minute. She returned a minute later with a card for each of the boys. Inside the card were $2 bills. My kids happily told Grandpa that they got "dollars" for Halloween.

Overall Halloween went well. M didn't really like trick-or-treating. He was tired and cold and only wanted to go to a couple of houses. Jacob and I went to about 12 houses total. I was willing to keep going but he was ready to go help handout candy. His friend from school stopped by and the kids had fun seeing each other and learning that we all live pretty close to each other. We still have plenty of candy from trick-or-treating at the zoo and now have a little variety to go with it.

Overall, it was a very good day and Halloween. I am looking forward to all of the activities this month and next. Halloween is just the start of fun things to come.

All I Want For Christmas

Jacob and I were watching TV the other night when an add for a toy came on. I asked Jacob what he wants Santa to bring him this year. He stated, "Something for Ms. Jessie." I asked him if he wanted something for himself. He stated, "No. Just something for Ms. Jessie." That teacher has quite the spell on my kid. I love it.

Halloween Has Begun

Halloween 2010 has begun. We attended a party at the YMCA on Friday evening and then went trick-or-treating at the zoo today. It was raining pretty hard this morning and we got to the zoo as soon as the radar screen showed the rain had moved out of the area. It was clear that the crowds would not be quite as big this year though so some of the tents were handing out full handfuls of candy. At the end, Jacob handed me his bag complaining it was too heavy to carry. I carried his and M's and admit my arm was tired by the time we got to the car. Jacob also won Most Realistic Costume award Friday night. You be the judge. He's a pilot.