Mixed Nuts: Twas the week before Christmas

Quotes

"There is no better way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark." - Helen Keller
When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~Erma Bombeck
You may never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.- Unknown
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow' ~Helen Keller
Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."- Dr. Seuss
"Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it."
"God doesn't give children with disabilities to strong people: He gives them to ordinary, everyday people, then He helps the parents to grow stronger through the journey. Raising a child with special needs doesn't TAKE a special family, it MAKES a special family."Author Unknown
I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go – Abraham Lincoln
Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~ Benjamin Franklin
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is a miracle - Albert Einstein
The journey of a 1000 miles starts with a single step
Sometimes in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives you a fairy tale
Where there is great love, there are always miracles - Willa Cather
The Difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness
There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings.
Be the change you want to see in the world
Don't tell God how big the storm is, tell the storm how big Your God is..........
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it
Fall down seven times - get up eight - unknown
Despite our differences, we sink or swim together
Life may not be the party we expected, but while we are here, we might as well dance
"The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones." -Confucius

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Twas the week before Christmas

Happy week before Christmas everyone! I am sure your family and kids are just as excited as ours for the upcoming holiday. My excitement comes for seeing my kids faces Christmas morning AND having 12 days off in a row before having to return to work.

The kids at work have been showing me mercy this week. I had three meetings today and saw a remarkably low 18 kids. It was AWESOME. I have NEVER seen less than 20!! I was in the meetings for 3 our my 7 hour work day, but still...... I was in a happy place. One girl came in and said her tooth hurt (it was a little loose) and she needed a life saver to make it feel better. Nice try.

Sunday we went to church and Arlington and the other elementary kids in the parish performed a few little Christmas songs and then they did a song with bells. They did a really great job! Those are about my only pictures this week – sorry! It has only been a few days. Arlington was so excited about that bell. She had a red bell and she guarded it with her life! And the kids did great – they followed the director's cues and had a great time.

This week I did start asking the kids that came into the office what they wanted for Christmas. Most of them wanted normal things – Wii, barbie, some kind of “hero”. But some were weird....
soap
tic tacs
clarvoyance (I kid you not)
cash (not so weird – actually kind of smart!)
magical powers

Poor Santa! He has his work cut out for him on some of those.

The kids are doing well. Cainan is in love with the Christmas tree. He stares and stares at it, but never touches it. Finley found out the hard way that the lights on the tree are hot. Do you think that will stop her from ever touching it again???? Probably not.

This is their last full week of school Next week Arlington just has Kindergarten on Monday, and since there is a ½ day on Tuesday, she just has to go to the daycare. I work until next Tuesday, and then we are all off on break.

Arlington had Daisy scouts this evening and they had their Christmas party. She had a lot of fun. On Daisy Scout days we go to McDonald's for dinner because I get home late, and it is just easier. Plus it is something for the kids to look forward too. Finley had totally gotten the routine. We started out after school and she realized we weren't going home and she said “are we going to McDonalds? Sissy have Daisy Scouts??” Too smart. And I know there are the health nuts out there that shun McDonald's for sustanance for your kids. I say – good for you!!! I am not that person. Hello, my name is Jennifer and my kids eat McDonald's.

Anyway, they made ornaments at Daisy Scouts. The cinamon ornaments that smell so good! Arlington kind of misunderstood when they told her to put a hole in it. They wanted the girls to put a hole in it to hang it on the tree when it dried. Arlington made a tree and FILLED it with holes. It is a true Charlie Brown Christmas tree now! Very unique. They also gave each of the girl's “magic reindeer food”. Arlington showed it to me and I said, “oh! We will have to put that out on Christmas eve”. She said “but what if the regular deer eat it? How will they know it is just for Santa's reindeer?” This is a pickle. I promised her the “regular” deer won't want this food. I don't think smarty pants bought it. So she said, "daddy will just have to spread it on the roof". I am sure he will get right on that.

We are supposed to be getting some kind of winter weather tonight here in our beautiful state. All the adults were buzzing about it at work today. I am not getting too excited. As I can tell, near the coast here in Connecticut doesn't get the fun the rest of the state gets. I use the word fun loosely. I personally would like a “little” bit of snow and a 2 hour delay!! Sleeping in would be nice! But I probably am not going to get my wish. We shall see! I did miss the 2 hour delay possibility with the boring weather of Florida.

I am sorry I don't have more pictures today, but I was lazy and have a cold and didn't have anything fun to take pictures of. But I will have more for Saturday!! Have a great week and see you Saturday!!

Arlington singing along