After Christmas

I have lost track of what day it is! When I woke up and thought about it, I realized I had forgotten to post yesterday. There is soooo much energy in this house, I am always on the move! Somebody needs help figuring out a new game, or the girls want me to help with their new Barbies, I'm being torn in all directions. Christmas morning flew by for me, I couldn't believe it. Then I realized, it was Peter who would open the toys for the kids while I started getting ready for company. Last year it was my mom who took over Peter's job (she stayed with me on Christmas Eve). This year it was just me. I didn't feel lonely, I felt their presence all around me, so I was okay.

The kids had a blast opening gifts. Noah is the only one who can't read his name so I told the other kids to find his presents. Every time one of them would hand him a present he would say, "YEAH!!" Ted was thrilled to get PlayStation2, he and Robbie have been playing it a lot! Helen got a Dora computer game, she loves to play on NickJr. and Playhouse Disney. She can maneuver around those sites like a pro! When she gets off the bus from school she comes running up the driveway saying, "Mommy, computer!!?!", everyday it's the same answer, "No Helen, we have to pick up the kids from school, you can play when we get back." As soon as we get back from picking them up she flies out of the car, runs to the computer, and starts playing...with her coat, hat, boots, and one glove on!(She takes the glove off the hand she uses for the mouse)

I'm going to make this short, the whole time I have been typing I have had at least one of them asking for something. Now I have Helen asking to play Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the computer, so I guess that means my time is up!

I wish everyone happiness and good health for 2008!! I can't believe it's here already, I am glad to say good-bye to 2007, not a very good year for this family. Please be safe on New Year's Eve. We are staying home, in fact I have date, with Ted. He is going to stay up with me this year and bring in the new year! Everyone have a good one!

Until next year-

Take Care,

Sue

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Fighting a Cold

I want to wish all of you a very happy holiday season. I hope all of you are enjoying the Christmas concerts, baking cookies, holiday parties, and just being in good company whether it be family, friends, or both.

I'm going to make this short, I have been fighting off a head cold so I have a lot of catching up to do with housework and my elf duties. I was planning on doing most of my duties this week when the kids went to bed. Instead I have been going to bed with a hot cup of tea and have been asleep by 10:00pm. It has helped, I don't feel so drained as I did a few days ago. I think people take for granted the fact that they have someone to cover for them when they become sick. It's times like these when I really miss Peter, he was always such a big help to me.

Helen had her Christmas concert the other night, she did a good job according to her teacher. I couldn't see her for the first four songs, and even when I did finally see her it was just her arm or elbow, or the side of her head! The gym was packed with a ton of people, and that was just half of the school. The gym is small so they divide the concert into two nights. They didn't have the risers set up in the middle, they were off to one side. Of course it was the side where the chairs filled up quickly, and of course, I need a big chunk of chairs since there are so many of us! We ended up on the side without the risers, and Helen was in the top row but, she was on the side we were sitting on so we couldn't see her. In fact, I was getting mad because I couldn't find her and I thought her teachers kept her out because she had an accident in her pants. I was really starting to steam, and then her teacher caught my eye and I saw her staring at one place which drew my attention, it was Helen. I just want to make it clear, if I hadn't been fighting this cold, I wouldn't have been as irritated. I almost didn't go that night because I was feeling bad, but I knew how much it meant to Helen. She has been walking around the house for weeks now doing the hand movements. When I asked her about the concert, she told me, "Mommy, hats on head and Santa Clause!" They wore penguin hats, which Helen insisted on wearing the next day to school, and Santa came at the end of the concert. It was worth all the misery I was feeling to see my little girl so happy and have a wonderful time. Today we are going to another program just her class is putting on, so I should be able to see her with no problem!

Have a wonderful holiday.

Until next time-

Take Care,

Sue

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Christmas Growing Up

Christmas is sneaking up on me, how about you? I remember when I was a little girl, Christmas couldn't get here fast enough. On Christmas Eve we would go to my Aunt's house (my mom's sister), and it seemed that day lasted forever, that we would never get there. Once we got there, time flew! We always had a visit from Santa, we would sing him a song, there would be a little banter amongst the grown-ups, and then he would pass out our gifts, only one. When he was done we would take family pictures with him, it was such a special time. After Santa left we would compare gifts, play new games, eat, and just have fun. Before I knew it, we were headed back home to wait for Santa to come to our house. I had a special Christmas album I would listen to every year when I went to bed. It was the story of Twas The Night Before Christmas, and on the flip side it was a story about visiting Santa's toyshop. I still have that album, too bad my turntable got broke during one of our moves. Christmas morning was filled with excitement and anticipation, we couldn't start opening our gifts until everyone was awake. We would take our positions in our certain "spots", and proceed to open our gifts. Paper was everywhere, there were oohs and aahs, and an occasional, "alright, just what I wanted!" My mom would sit in her chair, enjoying every minute of it. All the shopping she had done, all the energy she put into Christmas (and believe me, there was a lot), was paying off by seeing our faces light up. She once told me, "I don't care if I ever get a Christmas gift, my gift is watching you kids open yours, I enjoy it so much." At the time I thought she was crazy, what do you mean no gifts! I now understand exactly what she felt, for I too, feel the same way. Sherry would always be the last one to finish opening her gifts, she always "studied" her gifts once she opened them. If they were clothes, she would go try them on right away. I would open, look at it quickly, then move on to the next! To this day it is an inside joke with us as to who has the last gift! Once all the gifts were opened we cleaned up all the paper, saved the bows, and starting eating our candy from the stockings. We would go through all of our gifts again and take a better look at them. I would always put mine neatly beneath the tree, front and center, so I could stare at them. We would lounge around the house for the rest of the day, while my mom cooked us Christmas dinner. There were a few years when we ate out at a very nice restaurant. I ordered the ribs everytime, my mom got lobster, my brother John and my Grandma ordered duck. I can't remember what Sherry and my brother Rick ordered. They had Santa at this restaurant, so when we were done eating we would pay him a visit to thank him for all the nice gifts. My Aunt and Uncle would pay us a visit in the evening to see our presents. My Aunt already knew most of what we got because she and my mom would start their shopping after Thanksgiving. They were always at the mall! My mom absolutely loved Christmas, she will be deeply missed by all of us this year. I know we are all thinking about her as we go about our Christmas business. I will be thinking about her tomorrow while I am out and about doing my elf duties. Thank goodness Sherry is coming over to stay with Grace and Noah so I am able to go. Now that I am an adult (I don't always feel like one, I'm just a kid at heart), time flies!! It seems like just yesterday we were months away from Christmas, and now we're just days!

I hope all of you are enjoying this holiday season, please take time to take it all in.

Until next time-

Take Care,

Sue

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Santa Is Down...

On Saturday we had a wicked storm pass through, it started with snow, then sleet, and finally, rain. The wind was so strong, it seemed as though it was coming from every direction. Remember I said I was going to get our inflatable Santa up a couple of weeks ago? He stands 12 feet tall!! He was rockin an a rollin out there!! Last year we had the same type of storm blow through so I deflated Santa so as not to harm him. The next day when I went to inflate him, he had a lot of ice on him and was having a hard time standing straight. I pulled on him trying to get him upright and tore him at the base. I ended up bringing him inside so he could thaw and then I sewed him up. I didn't want to make the same mistake this time around so I kept him inflated during the storm. The kids had been keeping an eye on him at first but soon became bored with him. I was in the kitchen cooking dinner when I asked Ted to take a look at him and see how he was doing. The response I got was, "Santa is down! I repeat, Santa is down!!" I haven't laughed that hard in such a long time, it felt good. After I composed myself, I bundled up and went to see what I could do for the big guy. He was almost completely lying down, it was the wind that was keeping him there. I decided to deflate him, I was afraid the wind would put a bigger rip in him, beyond repair. After thinking about it constantly, I decided to inflate him again and keep a close eye on him. I was afraid the snow would bury him and the ice would attach him to the ground. I am happy to report that he survived the storm! I did have to tighten the tethers the next day, but that was nothing compared to last year.

Grace had a nice party, I'm disappointed neither one of her Godparents made it to the party, but, what are you gonna do? I lowered my expectations of my friends awhile ago and wasn't all that surprised by the no-shows! The people that did show up had a good time and gave her(and also the rest of my kids) all the love she deserved. She reminds me every day that she's four now. "Mommy, can I play that game, you know I'm a big girl now, I'm four!" She wanted to play Ted's SpongeBob Monopoly game, she still was told no. She wanted to play with the game pieces, Ted would have been upset if I let her and she lost one. She is star of the week at school, she thought that meant she was the leader all week. She got a rude awakening this morning when she learned one of her friends was the leader today. I think she handled it like a big girl, you know she's four now!

I received Helen's updated IEP in the mail today, I guess that means they will be giving her teacher a full-time assistant. It's a pain in the @$$ what we parents have to go through in order for our kids to get the assistance they need. Her sinus infection is clearing up, slowly, but surely. I think she will need another round of antibiotics, she usually does. She is easing up on saying her favorite word these days...butt. We are ignoring her when she says it, something I tried to do in the first place but it didn't seem to work. For some reason it seems to be doing the trick.

Update on Ted, he did a fantastic job with getting his teeth pulled. He received one round of Tylenol for the pain, and then he was fine. I took their picture for our Christmas card the other night, he has a huge smile!!! I already see a difference. Can you imagine how he will be once he gets the braces on and his front teeth are pulled into place? I can't wait!!!!!:o)

Until next time-

Take Care,

Sue

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