Christmas shopping, Madagascar, Church, a Gingerbread house and bad kitty.

What a fun weekend!!!!!

The kids each asked Santa for just one thing for Christmas. Rylie wants the Hannah Montana guitar (acoustic), Preslie wants a stuffed monkey and Chase wants Thomas the Train. Not sure of his thinking there because he doesn't like Thomas. Anyway, Cody says that the kids should get the one thing they ask Santa for because he wants them to believe for as long as possible. Well, the guitar is $87 at Wal-mart which is the cheapest in town and I really didn't want to spend the money. Cody called me Friday afternoon and said I could get it at Kohl's on Saturday for $69 early bird. Up I get at 6:45 am on Saturday morning get to Kohl's at 7:30am. They have one guitar left. So I grab it up. After Kohl's, I head over to Academy to pick up skates, monkey, backpacks and lunch boxes. I go to Home Depot, K-mart to pick up the pictures from Olan Mills, the dollar store, Michaels, call mom in this time and then head to Wal-mart with her. We do some shopping there and then I head home.

We unload the car into the attic and load the kids in the car for a surprise trip to the movies to see Madagascar 2. What a time there. We, meaning Cody, told the lady 2 adult tickets and 3 kids. Turn to walk away and realize she only gave us two adults tickets (and only charged us two adults). Cody tells her that we need the three kids too (I mean I'm standing there with the kids where did she think they were going?). She only gives him two and we realize this once we get inside. I take the kids to the bathroom while Cody gets the extra ticket. We got the 3rd kid ticket comp'ed because of all the problems. The movie was great. The kids loved it and I really liked it. Guess I really should watch the first one.

We wanted to make early service this morning, ya so didn't happen. We do get there for the 10:30 Mass and Cody had us sit right in front of the side door, so we froze until it started. All and all it really wasn't that bad. I made one bathroom trip in the beginning. The kids were good. Of course, I bribed with a sucker (and Rylie is always good in church). After church everyone was starving so we hit up Applebee's. The kids ate great so we got dessert. Oh that was funny. They set the plate down with the chocolate cake and ice cream. I think Cody and I got two bites apiece. The kids were like vultures. It was so funny. Preslie was scooping as she's got food in her mouth, Rylie was shoveling it in and that was the fastest I've ever seen Chase eat ice cream.

We headed home and started work on the gingerbread house (Christmas tradition). I let the kids do most of the work this year so the house looks beautiful. I've got pictures. I'll start a new post later to put them all on it.

Went to plug in the Christmas lights to find out the cat had chewed threw a wire. Oh yes, not very happy. Cody spliced up the wire and reconnected it until I can find out where I can order new lights. This is a pre-lit.

See, we had a great couple of days!!!!!

Thanksgiving

We had a great day!!! Of course, dinner started a little later then Cody wanted it too. We are so used to eating Thanksgiving dinner at 1pm but plans changed this year and it was scheduled for 3pm. Thanksgiving is Cody's favorite holiday, so 1pm is perfect for him. He has enough time to eat at mom's and get his stomach back in place to eat at his mom's house.

The kids had a great time. Of course, Chase put a big goose egg on his head. My poor accident prone son. He was playing catch in the yard with dad and wasn't watching where he was going and ran head first into the bird bath. It really looks a lot worse then it is (or that's what Cody told me). Still didn't stop me from freaking out a little when I saw it. Preslie ran around and played with the dog. Rylie waited so patiently for the ham. She just loves Turkey day.

Today the kids and I will be putting up the tree and making the Christmas ornaments. I usually have this tree that looks like no kids live here and I've decided to try something new this year and hopefully for the many years to come. The kids and I are going to make homemade Christmas ornaments to put on it and they'll paint them how they want them to look. Cody has to work today, so I'll sweet talk him into putting up the outside lights tomorrow. We have a ton of outside lights and I want to use them. I can't wait to take pictures of the tree and post them up. Christmas is my favorite holiday. I love the smells, the lights and just the overall feel of it.

The Window!

Ok, this one cracks me up.

One day we picked Chase up from school, must have been about a month ago, and he told us that the window hit him. Ok, I'm thinking maybe he was making up a story or something. Then the next day he has another story about the window and he proceeded to tell me that the window was on red. Now in our school, we go by a color chart with behaviour. Green=good, yellow=rough day but not bad, can move back down to green and red=very bad, sometimes getting sent to the office depending on the problem. Anyway, I remember looking at the chart that day and seeing a little boy in the class on red. Only boy in the class, Fernando. So I ask Chase to say Fernando...."the window, mommy". Yes, this solves the problem.

The teacher gets a kick out of it. What is even funnier, Chase who has no speech problems calls him "the window" and Preslie who has major speech problems actually says "fernando". So, we tried to break it down for Chase. Fer-nan-do! In the car the other day he proceeds to tell me a story about "Fer-window". I about lost it.

Kids!!!

We're driving to school the other morning and Rylie asks me a question. "Mom, why did God make your children so beautiful?" Oh yes she did. I told her that God made all children beautiful, to which she had no reply. I think we've finally got her trained to say "Thank You" when someone tells her she's beautiful instead of "I know". Preslie has started it now as well. She knows she beautiful and she'll tell you. Chase just walks around and says "I handsome just like my daddy". Do you think my kids are a little vain?

We picked up the kids joint Christmas present today........Rock Band for the PS3. Cody is so excited, he wants to open it now and break it in before the kids get a hold of it just to make sure it works. Ya right!!!! I'm not buying that one. Now, I have to find out where to hide it.

We made a trip to see Santa at the mall today. It was quite funny. Preslie wants a monkey, Rylie wants a Hannah Montana guitar (wonder if the rock band will work) and Chase wants a Thomas train. Not for sure where that one came from because he can't stand Thomas the train. Maybe it was a "A Christmas Story" moment......a uh, football!! I'll try to scan the picture later. Rylie did say when we were heading over to Santa that it wasn't Santa, it was an elf. She said Santa was at the North Pole working right now. I can't remember if I told her that before or if she's just starting to get to that age.

I picked up the kids wrapping paper for Christmas this year. Rylie went with, drum roll.....Hannah Montana. I got Chase, spiderman and Preslie got Little Pet Shop. Now, all their presents under the tree from mom and dad will be wrapped in this paper. Santa doesn't wrap his presents and he only fills stockings, leaves one big group present (rock band) and then one present for each child.

Tattle Tell

I so felt like the class tattle teller these past couple of days. But, when it comes to my children and the kids I'm entrusted to help each day I will do everything to make sure everything is great for them.

The sub for the K class was a very sweet lady but she was so not cut out for kindergarten. I think she expected a little too much from a group of 5 year olds. She had a problem realizing that things needed to be explained to them, they need to know what the numbers are past 10. They don't move as fast as a bunch of high school kids (the sub was a high school teacher in Cali before moving here) and you actually have to wait for them and not just walk off and leave them. I also felt she had already labeled a couple of kids as "bad seeds". In fact, she actually told me that she can already tell what one of them is going to be like when they are older. That was just a wrong comment to make. First of all, she only knew the child for half a day. Every child is so different and not every child grows up to be like they are right now. You have to make allowances for children. Their home life may not be the same as someone elses, they may have a learning problem. It just really rubbed me the wrong way.

The 1st grade sub was HORRIBLE!!!!!!!! I heard stories going in but it got even worse at dismissal yesterday. I waited outside for Rylie in "the spot" and after a few mins she still wasn't out. I knew things would go differently because of the sub but I didn't know how different. I think about 4 or 5 kids (including Rylie) showed up but no teacher in sight. I finally saw her way up at the building talking to people. I took Rylie's hand and let her know that I was taking Rylie and she just brushed me off. When we got home, Cody and I were talking about it and Rylie told me that the teacher told them to "just walk ahead and keep walking". Ya, who tells that to a bunch of 6 and 7 year olds? Anything could have happened yesterday and we were just so blessed that nothing did. This afternoon, the principal walked them out. I was very happy about that.

Monday

My brain is full of so many things right now. I'm probably going to be doing a lot of rambling. That's ok, because it will make sense to me.

It didn't really feel like a Monday at work today. The kids were really good. Although, I do have to say I am so tired of the tattle telling. I just started throwing up my hand and telling them that I don't want to listen to it and to work it out. Seems to work, but you should see the look they give me.

This is really going to be a busy week. The kids have their dr check-up tomorrow afternoon. Wednesday, we meet with Preslie's speech therapist and get all the paperwork started...then it's off to gymnastics. Thursday and Friday the class teacher is gone and I'll have to deal with a sub. I saw her in action last week and was not impressed. She was subbing for 1st grade and she left half the class downstairs and didn't realize it until she was in the classroom. So now, I'll be working double hard those two days. I do love it though. Those kids are wonderful.

Cody and I started talking about getting the kids a Wii for Christmas. We went and looked at them with the kids tonight and they just didn't show any interest in them. Then we thought, hey they might like the RockBand for Cody's PS3. They loved playing with the drums. Of course, now I'm thinking maybe about getting Rylie a DS and the twins something fun. Cody is a little bummed because he was really wanting the Rock Band.

I'll have to take the van in before too long for it's oil change. I think my oil life is at 50% and I need to take it in at 15%, so just a few more weeks probably. This will be my pricey oil change because they are going to look at everything. After the holiday's I need to get my window fixed. We were driving to Amos' wedding and a rock hit it. It's just a little tiny ding but it's a ding on my new window. I do love my Honda, though. We still need to buff the spot from the guy who clipped me. I guess it could have been much worse.

I need to get some supplies for baking for Thanksgiving and I found a recipe for homemade Christmas ornaments in my box. I figured that would be fun for the kids and myself. We'll make them this weekend, paint maybe next Wednesday and put up decorations next Friday. WOW, can't believe Christmas is almost here.

Is it ok to lie to a kindergartener?

This is the question I presented to my principal today. I have so many kids in class who have the "hypochondriac". The slightest fall or bump seems to warrant an ice pack. On little girl told me this morning she needed one because she hurt her finger. When I went back a little bit later to look at it, she couldn't remember which hand it was. Then, this same girl "hurt" herself on the playground. I went to the office and asked the principal the above question. Her reply to me was that sometimes it's in the best interest to lie to the child, in cases like this. We agreed that as mother's we sometimes to the kids as well but it's for our own sanity that we have to do that. "No honey, the store isn't open today", "no, it's broken right now". Now I don't feel so bad for my little "lies" to my children because I do it for my sanity.