Come Sing With Me

Yes, TWO posts in one day. Okay, they are actually on two separate days due to that whole midnight thing, but two posts in a row I should say.

I just had to take a little video of our little man singing today. He has been singing parts of the "ABC's" for a while now but just suddenly has started singing the whole thing. I realize that is not earthshattering news and that a lot of 2 year olds have been doing it for some time. But it is new for HIM so it is fun for us! Plus, we think he is so stinking cute. Oh, this was taken at breakfast, late though it was, which is why he is in pj's. And we usually get on to him for standing in his chair, but he was standing to sing for us; he can be a little performer if he is in the mood. Just to reassure you, I was standing RIGHT there to catch him if needed. (He is like a monkey though, climbs all over the place and has pretty good balance) Oh, and at the end of this, he gets just down right silly. You will hear a word he repeats a couple times while laughing...it is "chicken". Oh, and look away at the very end. I thought I had turned the recording off and hadn't, so there is a seasick kind of moment as I put the camera down. I tried to edit it out but didn't have any luck apparently!

More later,

Reba

Decking the Halls...

Oh my, oh my. We have REALLY messed up our schedule this past week. Today we slept in...until...

9:30!

I don't remember that ever happening before. Ever.

I know tomorrow morning I am going to pay for these late nights (more for the kids than me...I have been staying up my normal time) and late mornings. I am not looking forward to setting my own alarm then helping four children pop out of bed ready for the day! Especially since I heard Joshua having a party in his crib until at least 10 p.m. I think tomorrow is going to a rough day for all of us!

As you can guess, we did not make it to church. We were already pretty sure we wouldn't. We have just been out so late all weekend visiting family. And I don't apologize for that at all. We have had some precious family time together. Words (nor pictures) can really express what a joy it was to be together, to laugh together, to enjoy one another.

So last night as I was dozing off, I had visions of the day. We would go hiking...haven't been in a few weeks. The weather has been so nice. I thought it would be perfect. Then we would maybe eat out or grill some steaks. I have been craving steak. Finally, we would start decorating for Christmas. Perfect day, huh?

Well, it was a very nice day. But from the moment I finally woke up, I knew the plans had gone awry. For one thing, the sky was a dark gray color. Not a good sign of things to come. When I went to weather.com for the hour to hour update, I quickly saw that it was possibly going to be a wet kind of day. Not a good day for hiking.

So change of plans.

After we scrounged for breakfast (in desperate need of a visit to the grocery store), we worked on some cleaning/organizing. Pretty much from the moment we got up, Lauren started asking if we could put up the tree. So, after we finally got things straight (for a little bit), we dove into the Christmas tree bag and started fluffing branches.

I think I have mentioned before that when I was younger (as in not married), I was a "real tree" girl all of the way. I always had one growing up. To me, it was just Christmas. However, I have terrible allergies. And Christmas trees really aggravate them (the allergies). When we got married, we may have had one "real" tree. Then we broke down and invested in an artificial tree. It is amazing how much more I enjoy Christmas now that I am not sneezing and wheezing each day. The mess is much less too, and I don't worry as much about how long it is up each year (in case I get too relaxed and don't get it down until later :). Plus, I love being able to move and fluff the branches to meet the needs of my ornaments. So, it has been a win win situation...

Here is Joshua unearthing our tree from its storage bag...
Lauren immediately took charge of the sorting of the branches and directing everyone in what to do.

While waiting for Mark to put the lights on the tree, we decided to get out our other Christmas decorations. The Santa hats were a huge hit...
The kids started claiming one of our many multicultural Santas for their rooms. Hunter of course chose France.

Just for the record, I am not ignoring Maria. She just never put a Santa hat on that I saw. We apparently only have three (not sure why). Looks like I will be making a trip to the store this week!

Finally Dad came through and lit up our tree. We were going to wait to put on ornaments, but the kids were chomping at the bits. So, we caved.

I think our tree is 7 feet. I keep hoping we will luck into a 9 footer for a really good price but it hasn't happened yet. Maybe next year. Then this one could go in the toy room. Because space is limited, I had to set my own limits. I only allowed the kids 7 ornaments each from their collection. Lauren especially balked at that one. They get a new ornament from both me and their grandparents every year, so she has twice that many at least. But I reminded her that just with kids, there were going to be about 28 ornaments on the tree already without my own ornaments. So she carefully selected without too much complaint. :)

I had hoped to get more tree decorating pictures, but my kids don't stand still for long and weren't overly cooperative. So this is the best I could do...

This is the first year that Joshua wanted to help put the ornaments on. (He doesn't even have 7 yet, so it didn't take too long.) So he did. He put them all right there together, some on the same branch. Needless to say, at the end, I did a little tree make over, moving ornaments where needed.

Maria is wearing her eye patch for her "lazy eye" in case you wonder. :)
The finished product:

We are not ever likely to be on the cover of Southern Living or any other kind of "decorator" magazine, but I still love our tree. Every ornament on that tree has a story or a meaning from all phases of my life. It is eclectic. Nothing fancy. But it is our story.

More SOONER than later!

Reba

The Rest is Gravy

I love Appetizer Day. I love the Thanksgiving meal. But another meal I love is the turkey and gravy, a family tradition. A couple days after Thanksgiving, my mom makes a big pot of gravy with pieces of turkey. Then she bakes some biscuits. We pour the turkey and gravy over the biscuits and enjoy. It is just one of those meals...like a comfort food. Yum! I enjoyed every bite. (And there were still leftover appetizers to enjoy as well as...Christmas punch. :) It was a delicious end to the week. And I may have just overindulged tonight. I hate to see a good stuffed mushroom go to waste!

We had a good day leading up to this good food. Once again, we slept in until 9:00. Two days in a row. I was shocked and amazed and a little confused...that just never happens around here. We had just a lazy morning (my favorite kind). Then a little bit after lunch, a young lady from our neighborhood came down to watch the kids for a few hours. Mark and I got to go on a "double date"! We met up with my sister and her husband for a movie matinee. (We saw "The Blind Side" which I will comment on in another post very soon.) We even got to run a quick errand before heading home.

And now I am back to the beginning. Our delicious dinner. Along with the dinner, we had a very intense Razorback game on in the background (didn't go our way today but it was a good game). Loved the casual conversation (and sometimes teary, other times full of laughter) conversation with my mom and sister, those are special times to me. I so wish they lived closer and we could do that more often! And I loved the entertainment. With seven kids in the house, ages 10 and younger, there is a LOT of entertainment. They entertain each other (sometimes to our chagrin) and other times they entertain us. There was a lot of laughter this evening. A house bursting with love!

There is more to add but I am fading. We had another late night, so my time is more limited.

More later,
Reba

PS Thank you for the link for the reusable bags, Kathy. I will check them out!

Wii Not So Active...

I know, I know, not your typical "Thanksgiving" title. You were probably expecting me to be all sweet, sappy, sentimental. But that would be too expected. Sometimes I like to be unexpected. :)

So here is my Thanksgiving recap. Complete with pics. Very little sap. (I figure I cover enough of that throughout the year :)

Yesterday (Thanksgiving) was a treat. It was a Thursday morning, and BOTH of us (as in adults) were home. We even slept in until after 8...a true treat! We didn't really do anything special throughout the morning, just monitored arguing (some children were not feeling so thankful for siblings I think :), worked on our large laundry piles, and again tackled that neverending mess in the kitchen. Some of the kids went out to play though I am not sure how or why...it was pretty chilly!

Right after lunch, my sister and her family (minus the baby) came over for a while. My kids were just itching to see their cousins. However, I didn't think my mom needed the chaos of our four kids eagerly seeing their three cousins while working on Thanksgiving dinner. So we invited them over to OUR house instead.

I have very fond memories of time with my cousins. (I still love to connect with them on Facebook and via blogs.) I love that my kids have that same kind of connection with cousins on both sides of the family. It is just a neat relationship to have.

So the cousins played for a bit, then they met up at the table for a project. Lauren had created Oreo turkeys at school and then had a writing assignment (to write out the directions). She had been asking me all week if she could do that with her cousins. So Mark shopped for all of our ingredients the day before, and we were ready to go. Lauren is a natural leader, so other than putting out a few things for her, I was not involved...she led the whole thing. Some of her students were better followers than others...Here is Joshua eating up several of his "ingredients" before the project has even started. :)

Lauren leads the crew in putting together the turkeys...
Okay, he did salvage enough things to at least give his turkey a few feathers...

Hunter acted uninterested in participating (and following his sister's lead). He had done this project before (while in third grade), so at the last minute, he jumped in and made his own. I knew he couldn't resist the call of the turkey...
Maria hard at work
A happy camper and her turkey

After our project, the little ones went down for a nap, the big ones decided to play, and the two sisters (that would be me and my sis) went out to shop, leaving the dads in charge. We headed over to Old Navy to check out the sales. We were not the only ones who wanted to be out...it was a full store. It was a nice little break though, even though I spent it with hundreds of others. :) I didn't find a whole lot to buy, but it was fun anyway.

Now most of the people we ran into had already eaten and looked surprised we hadn't. We truly had Thanksgiving dinner (not lunch). Shortly after the shopping spree, it was finally time to eat. I am pretty sure that you could hear the cheers from the children...they were ready!

Dinner was delicious. Turkey, ham, seven layer salad, rolls, green beans (okay, I don't eat those, but just wanted you to know we DID have vegetables available), mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberries (don't eat those either), etc...Oh, and the famous family "Christmas" punch that we drink at family get togethers- no, it doesn't involve alcohol in any form. It is just a very red fruity kind of punch. Now when Joshua sees it, he says, "That's punch, Momma. Punch is good." I did eat a lot but I cannot say I overindulged. Okay, maybe on the pumpkin cake, but that was worth it. Here are a few pics from the night; Thanksgiving just doesn't lend itself to pictures like other holidays...

The "kid's table" as they wait in eager anticipation

Joshua waits for the food

Hunter now sits at the grown up table. I am not sure how I feel about that. It makes me kind of sad because that means he is growing up.

We had such a nice night. Wonderful food. Lots of laughs. Time together. That is what I am thankful for!

Today has been a lazy day. We just enjoyed a lazy morning (slept in until 9 which was SOOOO sweet), then headed over to my parents' house for Appetizer Day. I do think Appetizer Day may be my favorite, even more than the Thanksgiving meal itself! We had a whole table full of dips and sausage balls and veggies and crackers and chips and bacon wrapped sausages...yum! And of course, some more Christmas punch. I may have overindulged on that. :) After more playtime (thankfully the weather was much nicer so the kids went OUTSIDE), we came home for late naps. I didn't get many pics from the day but I love this one of Lauren holding her youngest cousin (on this side of the family).

As for the title of the post, on Wednesday I was feeling flabby and out of shape, so I had the bright idea to pull out the Wii Active to have a workout. I had been doing so well working out until summertime (about the time I hurt my ankle which I can no longer use as an excuse), then I just stopped. Anyway, I chose the moderate activity level and did fine, though I was really tired once it was over. As has happened in the past, yesterday when I got out of bed, I ended up hobbling around the house moaning with every step. I feel like an old lady. I ended up not working out yesterday (beyond walking all over Old Navy and back and forth at the table later that evening), but I did do another one tonight. I have a feeling that there will be more hobbling tomorrow...sigh.

I hope you had a very happy Thanksgiving!

More later,

Reba

Slacker

I know, I know, I am a slacker. I had a nice little Thanksgiving post in mind yesterday then fell asleep before I could type a word. (We didn't actually even eat until 6:30 or so and weren't home until 10ish) We are actually going to have our round 2 in just a bit (ironically we are eating appetizers today which usually come before a meal but we like to mix things up), so I will write more later today. I have a feeling if there are any readers out there, they are either recovering themselves OR out shopping and aiding the economy so I doubt we are missed. But I still feel like a slacker. :)
Reba

Confession is Good for the Soul

Sometimes you just have to confess things to feel a little bit better. Okay, obviously if I am posting this on a public blog, it isn't anything earth shattering. Sorry to disappoint. :) But I am just in a mood (playful), so indulge me...

Confessions of a tired, working mom...

1. I have never read any of the Twilight Series. It doesn't interest me AT all. I am not in anyway criticizing anyone who has. (I have found that some Twilight fans can get a little defensive via conversations on Facebook :) In fact, most of my friends have read it and have seen the newest movie by now. I know several people have said, "If you read one, you will be hooked, even if you don't think you will be." And that could be true. I LOVE to read. But my reading time is SO very limited, and I already have several books/authors I do know that I love to read (Nicholas Sparks, Francine Rivers). So I am passing as of now.
2. I think I have mentioned this before, but as the weather cools off, I am reminded even more...I do not like warm/hot drinks AT all. The smell of coffee is very unappealing to me. Don't like tea in the slightest. And as much as I like chocolate...NO hot chocolate for me. :)
3. I haven't been to a certain store that starts with a W in over 11 years. People around here (which is WM territory) always drop their mouths open if I mention that and ask me incredulously, "How do you survive?" Yet, somehow I do. :)
4. We have not decorated a bit for Christmas. Again, not criticizing anyone who has. I just like to wait until after Thanksgiving. When I think of Thanksgiving, I think "harvest", not "Christmas Tree". So, we have harvest stuff all over the house. Every time we travel at night (or these days, late afternoon), Lauren asks why "everyone else" has their lights up and we don't. I keep remind her...it is only November. We do have time. She (my planner) is a bit panicky I think. ;)
5. I like vacuuming. I am first of all thankful for the vacuum cleaner. We use it a lot, especially under the breakfast table which is where we eat almost all of our meals. For some reason, I don't like the thought of vacuuming or getting it out (like it is that hard...pull it out of the closet, ready to go). But I love the power of the vacuum, being able to aim it at the wayward Cheerio or the cobweb that appeared overnight and suck them right up. And I also love the fact that I cannot hear much of anything when I do vacuum. Arguing? Cries for "Mom?" Can't hear a thing...
6. I am hooked on cooking shows. You would think I would cook a lot more as much as I watch them. :) Mark actually is the one who started me on them and now I am hooked. Top Chef, Iron Chef, Chopped...love them.
7. One of my greatest joys (well, one of many) is NOT setting my alarm clock. I don't get to sleep in much with the kiddos, but I still would rather wake up to them than to that buzzer!
8. As I have mentioned a few thousand times, I LOVE my Mtn. Dew each day. But I don't remember if I have mentioned that I also LOVE Coke...from McDonald's. I typically just get a small and only for certain meals (typically NOT McDonald's). But just thinking about it now makes my mouth water.
9. I LOVE sugary cereals. Right now we are eating Cocoa Pebbles. I also love Apple Jacks, Lucky Charms, and Frosted Flakes. Oh, and Captain Crunch with Crunchberries. :) I know that other cereals are much more healthy but they aren't nearly as tasty to me...
10. When I cleaned out under the kitchen sink yesterday (a project I have wanted to do for months but just haven't found time to do), there were probably 70+ grocery store bags under there! Actually that may be a low estimate. We do have a bag saver, and we do save bags for the trash, transporting items, etc. But that (the "saver" can only handle so much. So the others have just been stuffed over months. Needless to say, just taking out the extra bags cleaned out most of the cabinet area. Oh, I will be taking them to the school;we have someone who recycles the bags. By the way, I am still trying to figure out how to reduce that number. We obviously buy a lot of groceries. And I am interested in finding reusable bags to bring the groceries home in...but they would have to be just right size wise and material wise. That is on my "to do" list for the next year.

Okay, enough confession for now. I was just in a mood for "light weight" conversation. I better head to bed...tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I have a lot of blessings to count before bed tonight!
Reba

Mercy Me!

Ever since I have been at my current school (13th year I think), we have had a Thanksgiving program with the kindergarten classes. Actually, I believe I heard today that it has been happening for 20+ years. I remember very well those first programs. They were quite elaborate with collars, several songs, and a "Thanksgiving feast" afterwards. I cannot tell you how stressful THAT was. Cooking food with kids all morning, presenting this Thanksgiving production, then serving food as parents and family looked on. Over the years, we have gradually made it our "own". Basically that means we have simplified things. (Do you hear a sign of relief on that one?) We dropped the feast; so many parents take their children home right afterward anyway. Instead, we usually have Thanksgiving foods the week before, such as homemade butter and bread or stuffing mix. Our songs have become simpler over the years. Instead of quantity, we now focus on quality. Even our costumes have become simpler. The Pilgrims wear "Pilgrim hats" and that is about that.

Well, this year's program was more special for me. This year I got to be a momma AND a teacher all in one day. Ms. Maria was in the program. She was a Pilgrim girl. For some reason, Mark thought that was funny. (that she was a Pilgrim rather than a Native American). Just for the record, we (as in the teachers) assign whole classes certain roles. My class was a Pilgrim class. The same goes for Maria's class. Oh, and the title? As the story is read on stage, every time the girls hear the words "the Pilgrim women..", they say, "Mercy Me!" and hold their cheeks. I snuck over to Maria's class for a few minutes this afternoon before the program to take a few photos. I thought it was fun (and a little ironic) to take a picture of our little Pilgrim girl in front of her classroom teepee. (By the way, we do talk about how not all Native Americans lived in a teepee...we try to be somewhat historically accurate:)

I may be a bit biased, but I think she is a pretty cute Pilgrim girl.

Well, I am falling asleep while typing. I better go for now.

More later,

Reba

Cabin Fever

Well, we decided last night that I would stay at home with the kiddos today while Mark went to church. Joshua's allergies continue to get the best of him. I really don't think he is contagious, but unless you really love him, you may not want to see all of the coughing, dripping (nose), etc. And I am still struggling with a cold or a virus (something that is making me ache all over). Mark needed to be at church to help with the Lord's Supper, and that meant nobody was there to supervise remaining children. So we had a family (five out of six) church day at home.

I was glad we did. I woke up hurting all over. Even my teeth hurt. And Joshua woke up with a matted eye. It thankfully isn't pink or anything, and I really don't think it is pinkeye...I just think the allergies/cold are in his eyes. And Hunter slept until 9. So in the end, I was glad we chose to be at home.

Home church wasn't quite as neat of an experience as it was the last time we did it. Joshua doesn't get the point at all...imagine that. :) We tried to have a family prayer time, and he kept rolling over Hunter and bringing out any and all toys he has that make noise. Maria was a bit on the grumpy side, so she wasn't really "into it", and even Hunter was just kind of ambivalent about it all. I did try though.

Tonight we were supposed to have our life group (community group). However, my mom (who usually watches the kids) wasn't feeling so hot either. So Mark went alone, while I stayed back with the kids. (He offered to let me go, but I still am dragging a bit)

All that to say, I have a little bit of cabin fever! (And thankfully that is all of the fever I have even though I keep thinking I do have a fever) I am really too tired and achy to go anywhere, but I think tomorrow, I may dash out of the door!

That being said, I have enjoyed the time with the kids. We have had some good conversation. We have enjoyed playing some games (not even just video games...like real games!). And we have been able to catch up a little on housework. And I did get a nap today, which is always a plus. :)

I do have a few prayer requests, being that it is Sunday and all (or was when I started typing this).

Please pray for Hannah Grace. I have mentioned her before. She is a four year old daughter of a local teacher who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. I will admit, when I first heard her diagnosis, I thought, "Okay, this one CAN be beat." And it can. But little Hannah has had to deal with a lot of extra complications and difficulties (such as strokes), more than anyone could have imagined. I would guess her parents feel like they are on a roller coaster ride of emotions. She will have a good day then suddenly she is back in the ICU. Please pray for her healing and for her parents' strength and energy as they face each day, each new challenge. They have a strong faith, thankfully, but no matter what, as a momma it is agonizing to see your little one in any kind of pain.

Also, please continue to pray for Bonnie. She is an incredible lady if you ever get the chance to meet her. Even as she struggles with learning to live life without her husband, and even more, being a mommy (a very tired one at that) without her husband there to help, she has this genuine compassion and encouragement for other people. I can just imagine (or probably can't) how difficult the holidays will be this year...more new "normals". Please think about her and just pray for His strength.

And finally, please pray for us as we guide our children. We are dealing with behavior things with all of them...not big things but still things that must be dealt with. It can be tiring at times and a bit discouraging. Please pray for our wisdom and guidance as we figure out how to handle each situation that comes up, whether it is the impulsiveness of a toddler or the temper of a "big kid". There are days that it would be much easier to throw in the towel, to just "overlook" some flaws and issues, but in the end, we know now is the time to handle things...before they grow into bigger things.

Okay, one more finally, please pray for our health. So far we have avoided any major sickness, though I know it is all around. We are looking forward to the holiday, especially spending time with family. I am hoping we will all be well enough to enjoy each and every minute!

If there is something I can pray for you, let me know.

Off to bed...I DO have school tomorrow.

Reba

Random Thoughts on a Saturday night...

Okay, it is just Saturday afternoon. It just didn't have the same sound to it as "Saturday night". Besides, the rate I have been going, it may be Saturday night before this ever gets published.

I am enjoying a little peace and quiet. Mark has taken the girls to the school carnival. J-man and I are still battling allergies or a cold (not sure which) so we opted to stay home. Apparently Hunter is too old for such things, so he stayed home too. Joshua wanted to go outside, but I am tied to the stove making baked potato soup. So Hunter agreed to take him out for me.

It is very heartwarming watching the two of them explore in the backyard. When we first started adopting, Hunter wanted us to adopt a boy from France (he has a fascination with France) that was his age. I was worried that Joshua would be a huge disappointment to him, coming as a baby and obviously NOT from France. But from the beginning, the two boys took to each other. They are eight years apart, look completely different, but totally love each other. Oh, they drive each other crazy on occasion, but overall, Hunter is exactly the big brother to J-man that I hoped in my heart he would be!

Even as I type, the boys have come in twice to show me treasures they have found...things like a red leaf and acorns. I love to watch Hunter share his fascination and curiosity about the world with J-man. They are both special boys.

Whew! What a long week it was! Most of us were dealing with allergy "crud" (such a precise word, isn't it?). And the younger two were a bit...emotional? They gave me a run for my money I will say. I felt like I spent much of the week in correction/discipline mode. I keep hoping it will pay off in the end but there were a couple times this week I was ready to throw my hands up in despair.

Last night (I did mention these are random thoughts, right?), we rented our second Redbox movie. I am really enjoying this convenience. We are such an exciting crew...we rented Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaur and ordered queso and chips for dinner. Really, aren't you envious of our Friday night?

I will admit, I only half watched the first part of the movie. After all, it is the third installment. How good can it be? Except that partway through, I realized it was very funny, as in those deep down laughs that come from the gut. Hunter was gone for the night, but the rest of us just enjoyed hanging out and chuckling throughout the movie. One of my favorite parts was when a giant T-Rex type dinosaur was chasing after one of the characters. Joshua started screaming at the T.V., "No bite, Dinosaur! No bite!" He is a funny boy (most of the time). He also chuckled pretty hard in some spots. He definitely has a sense of humor.

Another part that warmed my heart was when a baby mammoth was born. Maria was sitting next to me. She was particularly loving yesterday anyway. She watched the three mammoths, the two parent mammoths holding the baby, and she got the most tender look on her face. She said something to the effect that now she guessed they were a family. And that is how she sees it.

Another kid funny: Later that night, Mark was getting J-man ready for bed. He was on the changing table while Mark put pjs on him. Mark said he was wiggling or something, so Mark fussed at him. He said that Joshua stopped and then lowered his voice and said, "I want Mommy." It is hard not to laugh sometimes!

Oh, and earlier that night (nothing like going backwards in your storytelling, good for confusing the readers), the girls decided to play hair stylist. Maria insisted on fixing my hair. I will NEVER complain about that. I love to have my hair played with, it is SO very relaxing even though at the end it is flat and probably greasy. Anyway, Joshua got into the act (the joys of older sisters) and "fixed" my hair too. He then told me, "Mommy, you look pretty." Over and over. Really, how could you ever tire of hearing that (especially knowing what I really looked like)?

Now, back to today. It truly is Saturday night. Such is the story of my life. I start things then get distracted (not sure how :). We had baked potato soup for dinner. Yum. And then turkey sugar cookies (as in with a picture of a turkey on them, not made out of turkeys). And we had a little game time...Lauren and I played Uno while Daddy played Memory with the little ones. Then books and bed. Pretty nice evening if you ask me.

Well, I better wrap up. I do have some pics of Lauren from the game but I think my camera is in the car. I am too tired to walk there and get it.

More later,
Reba

Holiday Countdown

I do love school. I really do. I enjoy being there. My heart goes all atwitter when I get a new book order in the mail. I still have a chalkboard (right next to my dry erase board) that I love to write on each day. One of my favorite times? Snack time. Not because I get to eat, but because at times throughout the year, we make something fun and different to eat (like bread and homemade "butter"); I love to watch my students experience new things. I have wonderful co-workers; they are like my second family away from home. And the hugs, the notes, the smiles I receive throughout the day, the sweet voices telling me that I look very pretty today or that they are having fun learning...all food for my soul.

That being said, I am ready for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The kids are too.

If you don't believe me, just step into the school. Listen. There is a definite buzz in the air, an electricity you can almost feel. Combine that with "snow like weather" (that never produced a flake), it is more than they (or I) can handle.

Even at home, my sweet children are pushing each and every button I have. I keep tripping over dirty socks. I hear tattles from the time I wake up until the time they are go to sleep. I feel like I am working some days at a complaint department in a department store...complaining, complaining, complaining. Just now, little Miss Maria came in distraught because her pants were falling down. That is how I am starting my day.

Oh, the joy of it all.

Five days (including today)...five days.

I can do it. Right?

Let the countdown begin!