Oh my! The learning curve on this thing is huge. I opened this up to post something new and needed a password. After resetting it because I couldn't remember what I used last time, I think I am finally in.
Thanksgiving and Christmas have passed. We had 2 great holidays with lots of family time. We started Thanksgiving morning off with our family tradition of delivering meals downtown. What a treat it was to realize we were delivering to the same place as the year before. It was a bigger blessing when we handed the meals to one particular lady and she recognized our family. She was happy to see and grateful for the food. Grace declared the best part of the day was helping the people by giving them food, even though we didn't buy it. Caleb declared the best part of the day was not having to smell the "smoke" (incenses) from the apartments. Last year we visited a family from India, it took a few hours for our noses to regain a normal sense of smell. Afterwards we were off to turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, corn, blue jello and our autographed tablecloth. Another tradition.
Christmas was filled with lots of activity. The kids are off for17 days! At first, I thought oh my.... that is a long time. However it has flown by in warp speed. We have done the usual shopping, wrapping, some baking, movies and sleeping in. Actually, Christmas songs, the tree and the Elf on the Shelf named Bobby Jo, have been regular visitors since Thanksgiving Day. Caleb still can't figure out "how" Bobby Jo gets to the North Pole and back to our house over night. Grace just smiles and says he has special powers. The secret is out for G. She loves the times when Caleb talks about Santa...she looks at me with a smile and winks. They wrote their santa letters and G's started off with "Dear Santa, I don't know why I have to write you, I know you aren't real but I will make my mom happy and pretend for my brother." Caleb's started off with "Dear Santa, I have been good this year please bring me presents."
Over break, Grace played in first AAU basketball tournament. What a joy it was to watch her play in an advanced league with better quality ball and out of her comfort zone. She is capable of playing in this league, just not sure of herself and likes the confines of her inner world. She also got 8 inches of hair cut off to donate! She has purchased all Harry Potter movies and is incredibly happy with life right now....she got an itouch for Christmas. She has become my personal tutor.
Caleb received a frog hatchery kit for Christmas. After catching30 some tadpoles from the marsh in our backyard last spring, Santa thought it would be fun for Caleb to grow his own. So, he will receive 6-10 embryos in the mail. He will have to care for them in hopes they turn into tadpoles and eventually frogs. At that point, they become his pets or released into world. We also enrolled Caleb in Karate. He starts next week so we have been working on his 7 phrases: no sir, yes sir, yes mam, no mam, thank you , please and your welcome. We have also instituted the same theme in our home that they teach at karate: "first time every time." I love it! Karate is going to be soooooooooo much fun for me, I hope he likes it too!
The pictures are from Christmas morning. Grace also wanted a chin up bar and an architectual kit. Caleb wanted a glow in dark marble maze and ripstick. Merry Christmas and Happy New. Unfortunately, that was the inscription on our Christmas card this year. As my 6th grader put it with a gigantic smile, "mom, that's why you should always proofread and look over things." Can you tell she has heard that before?????
