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Archive for December, 2007

i remember

December 29th, 2007 at 11:15 pm

New Years used to be a big deal when I was little, we got to eat junk food! We got to have pop! Dad paid attention to us! I remember him going out the day before and coming home with a case of pop and a bunch of snack stuff. It might have been cheese curls, chips, crackers, cheese in a can, and occasionally crackers. There was also this loaf of bread that was called party rye. Each piece was maybe 2 inches by 2 inches square and I loved it. On the 31st we went up under the eaves and found the roulette wheel and board or the bingo game. My Dad was the caller and we had junk and played what ever game we picked for that year. Usually it was roulette, in fact I only remember Bingo being played once. I was so young that I was in a high chair at my Mom's side. Then we little ones were sent to bed around 10 or so. OK, maybe it was only me! About 11:30 we stopped to listen to the music and watch the ball drop. Always it was Guy Lombardo. Around midnight the phone would ring and his friend from years ago would call. It was the only time they were in touch. I remember the year Dad died in October and when that phone rang (we didn't watch Guy that year either or play roulette) we all froze. NO one wanted to answer the phone. Anyway most of the memories were good so I want to make something similiar for my two youngest. I am not married to a guy who likes to go out (except to eat) so we are home (and usually in bed by midnight) but I remember how important traditions are so am going to build some. This year we are playing games like Bingo, Topple, Lotto and memory from dinner time till bedtime (and that will be all of 9 instead of 8) and eating cheeses curls, chips, and cheese on party rye bread.

New Years is Coming

December 29th, 2007 at 11:03 pm

For several reasons I have been very introspective lately. I have neglected this blog among other things. I need to get "on the stick" and do several things and I guess this is as good a time as any. So I guess I will redo my goals.
1) Eliminate credit card debt (already did this but built it back when DIL got hurt)
2) Choose a new stock for Sharebuilder
3) Lose weight (still and again)
4) Karate classes more consistently (due to ill spouse I havent been for a month and it bugs me)
5) Clear out the clutter and reduce our possessions to a reasonable amount (to make move south easier if God provides a job)
6) Get the kids outside more
7) Find a way of making money at home
8) Emergency fund (we need to redo it DIL cleared it out too)
9) Plan vacations (as in cash for them) to see family (Feb-adoption finalized, June-new one due, and Aug-son visiting from Iraq)
10)Pay off the doctors bills.


Day 8

December 12th, 2007 at 02:25 pm

Today was OK, We delivered the cookies we had baked yesterday to 3 families and DH took a set in to work with him for the guys. WE lit the candles for the last time and said the prayers. WE gave the last present. I had planned on this being a big present. DH got the snowshoes, poles and goggles he has been coveting for a year and was delighted. I got a shofar that no animal was harmed in the making of. DS2 got a race track that has remote cars on it. DD2 got a first dollhouse with a family and some furniture (she is getting the rest of the furniture for her birthday next month). Everyone was delighted and had fun playing. They went to bed on time and well too so Mom was pretty pleased.

Day 7

December 12th, 2007 at 02:21 pm

Last night was pretty awful. WE made cookies out of pie dough and sprinkled them with cinnamen and sugar. We used my candle cookie cutter and made enough to give away 4 menorahs. That part was fine. We did the candles and prayers, that was fine too. Then we got to the gifts. I gave DH a robe. He needed one very badly and I had found it on sale at a tall shop. He was very pleased. He gave me a montage frame. I use them alot. WE gave DS2 a veggie tale toy and DD2 a set with a crib, stroller, high chair etc we had picked up at a school closing for a song. The kids were delighted and played happily. Then the bad part came. We got DD2 ready for bed as usual and warned DS2 that his time was coming. As she got her story I told him to start cleaning up and he had an all out fit any 2 year old would be impressed by. The problem is that he is 4. I took the toy and it was an hour before he was calm enough to leave in his room. He didn't fall asleep until almost 11 that night because he was so upset his stomach and head hurt. Needless to say I didn't get much sleep either. He has always known that the toy will be there in the morning to play with and while sometimes he grumbles he's never done this before. Needless to say the toy was removed for a period of time (and almost thrown away). I don't know what it was but yesterday was awful. He had had a screaming fit in a restaurant that lunchtime over ice cream too. He didn't get the ice cream and we left rather quickly.

Day 6

December 10th, 2007 at 02:03 pm

Last night we started a tradition that I hope to continue every month from now on. We went to a Nursing Home to visit with people. We gave out the hearts that they made the first night. I loved the one persons comment, seeing them is better than a pill! I ignored the comment "look one of them is even black" I don't know if it was a comment on a mixed family or a negative remark. I choose to believe it was said in love. After we got home and did the candle thing we opened presents. Our son now knows the story of the miracle of lights letter perfect and we will start him learning the prayers next year so he can participate more. Presents were a bit bigger, I gave DH a set of containers for geocaching that he wanted and a t shirt I painted for him. DS2 got a robot. It is a small one but he is delighted. DD2 got a doll. It is the "child's first doll" so is easy to dress, and hold. They were all delighted.

Day 5

December 9th, 2007 at 03:22 pm

Last night we spent time with friends to celebrate Jesus. The adults played games, including a new variation on scrabble that went fast and was fun. The kids played. Our 4 yr old played with a toy that he loves and it was fun to see his delight because he doesn't know that one very very similiar is waiting for the 8th night to become his. For gifts we had the kids give theirs to us and to each other. They made their Dad long sleeved t-shirts to go geocaching and waymarking in. They each drew a map to a "cache" on it. I wrote their names and the date as well. For me they had made a garden stone with their handprints and names and some pretty plastic things. She gave her brother a remote control truck (he has been lusting after a remote control thing for months) and he gave her a backpack that looks like Bob form Veggie Tales. He has a Larry one so they look cool together. The backpacks were the first thing they played with this morning after they came downstairs. What I am delighted with is that I have to remind them about the chocolate menorah each morning. They aren't desperate to get the candy.

Day 4

December 8th, 2007 at 10:34 pm

Last night was fun we made cards with menorahs, dreidals, an 6 pointed stars on them. They also said Happy Hanukkah. After that we gave books. I gave DH a subscription to Readers Digest and an electronic KaKuro game since he has a hard time writing with the brace on his hand. He gave me a copy of a book that I read as a child an dwant to read to my youngest two, Smiling Hill Farm. We gave the kids some books that teach good morals and ethics from Biblical standpoint. It was fun but Mom was hoarse afterwards from reading lots of books.

Day 3

December 7th, 2007 at 06:51 pm

Last night we didn't have time to do a craft or an activity because we had to get dog food and DH had a phone interview for a new job (90 minutes, I think they like him!) It was supposed to have been playgroup day anyway (cancelled due to my two having coughs) So we lit the candles with the prayers and quized the oldest to see if he remembered the Hanukkah story. Then we gave gifts. DH got tow shirts that he needs, I got a flag (he promises to put up the pole) and the kids got a fun costume and an outfit. Both of them have Veggie Tales on their outfit so they were delighted. Our 4 year old got a space shuttle costume that you blow up and it fits around him. Our 2yr old got a butterfly cape and hat. They danced or should I say flew around the house for the rest of the night.

Day 2

December 6th, 2007 at 07:41 pm

Last night was fun. We gave up on the candles getting here (they arrived today) and bought votives to use. Oh well at least we won't go through this next year. We lined our votives up in front of the Menorah and began on more traditions. We put together a bag for DH boss. We gave him cookies and coffee. Last night we gave our presents before activities. We are keeping it simple and so gave each child a mug. The cool thing was that they each had a picture of Larry boy (veggie tales hero) on them. The incredible delight on their faces was wonderful. I have never seen anyone so excited by a mug before. In each was 10 small pieces of candy (sweettarts) that they could use to play the Dreidal game. The one I had ordered for the family didn't show up in time but we had a couple small ones that we used. The kids had fun spinning (or trying to) the top and we're very content when they ran out of candy. We then put the candy in front of each and let them trade till they had what they wanted and let them eat it. They have never had that much at once before so it was amazing to them. This morning we again had an unusual breakfast (poptarts) since it is a holiday and opened the second cardboard candle. After school today they made a paper menorah and glued it onto a big piece of paper. I got a little ahead of myself because I forgot we had to give DD2 social worker (till adoption is finalized) her gift today since we won't see her until late January now bu that's ok. We put together a bag with fingerpaint (same ones they got and a doll for her kids (a year older than mine are) and a tin of tea for her. We also gave her a small dreidal and directions (thank God for the internet) on how to play. They were proud to see her open it. The visit went well too, she is talking about signing adoption paperwork next month so it can be filed in early February!! Hurray!

Day 1

December 5th, 2007 at 06:45 pm

We are celebrating Hanukkah this year instead of Christmas because that is what Jesus celebrated and because we want to stress the gift of Jesus dying for us more than when he was born. So far not so good. Last night we explained the story (to a 4 and 2 year old) and looked at our new Menorah. Of course the candles that I was promised would be here aren't yet. I may leave my first negative feedback on ebay because of it. We lit a different candle. Then we each opened a small present. They each got a set of color wonder fingerpaints (and proceeded to paint a bunch of them) while DH got "yellow arrows" (a waymarking itme he wanted) and I got some stamping stuff. We explained tha twe are giving them a gift because all of God's miracles are a gift to us. This morning we had a special breakfast, chocolate donuts, (that are never in the house usually) and we put up a "candle" in our cardboard menorah (one for each) Wow behind the candle was a small piece of chocolate wrapped in gold. The kids were thrilled. After schoolwork we made our first Hanukkah decoration. I wrote Happy Hanukkah and drew a 6 pointed star on a piece of cardboard with glitter glue while they colored and cut out (I moved the paper for the 2 year old) stars that we decorated with more glitter glue. When they dry we are going to hang the stars from the sign and put it up. We also delivered a present to the first of 8 people we chose to be our "Hanukkah present people."
We know we arent' following th eactual traditions perfectly but we are combining some of them while we build new ones and try to stress the family fun rather than the gifts. Tonight we plan on playing the dreidal game, so I'll blog about that tomorrow.