Family Party

I miss my Picasa photo program. I can't do a collage on Zoombrowser so I'll have to post a ton of individual pictures. I'll start with the family party and do grandkids and Christmas Eve later.

Lovely Hosts of partyOne more Host and guest

Mother/daughter

These ladies will be the mother of 5 kids come June. Shannon due for twins any day, Larissa due for one baby Feb. 1st and Michelle due for twins in June.

"Annie Nance" says Danny

Two aunties

Men waiting to open gifts

Kids watching adult gift opening

Jean, Molly and Martha

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Twins Birthday Celebration

Being as we celebrated Danny's and Brad's birthdays' on Tuesday, we waited on the girls. Gretchen had to work on her birthday anyway. We did Kaitlin's on Monday and Gretchen's last night. Kaitlin was working.

Snow Day

We have a snow day today. I'd take a picture but it's still dark out and I'm still having a hard time loading pictures on this new computer. I'm trying to learn how to do it on Zoom Browser. It's not quite as simple as Picasa.

A snow day works okay for me. I'm making a list for the kids. I'll let them sleep until 10:00. In fact, I know one of the first things they all will do is go on the computer so I'll give them my list right here. Then I know they will see it!

1. Scrub the sauna-I'll do that one
2. Clean the basement so grandkids can play down there-Gretchen
3. Clean hall closet-Jeanie
4. Clean under kitchen sink-Molly
5. Clean refrigerator-I'll do that also
6. Clean upstairs bathroom-don't forget tub-Kaitlin
7. Clean boys bedroom-Mom and Danny
8. Clean bedrooms-Kaitlin, Gretchen, Molly, Jeanie
9. Shovel-Everyone

Doesn't that list look great. On paper it always does. Hopefully as Santa is watching, it will all get done! (Unfortunately, "Santa watching" only works for Danny anymore in this house!)

Guess Who's 17 Today?!

Happy Birthday Twinners! Hope you have a wonderful day! Poor things to be born during such a busy time of year! Hopefully we can "celebrate" your birthdays on Monday. Jon and Sara's kids will like that! Happy Birthday!

How to Build a Computer

Our old computer had a few years on it. Fred added about everything he could but it was slowing down and often freezing up. He decided to "build" one. He ordered the parts= i.e. memory, hard drive, etc. (I don't know computers) and put one together. I was pretty confident he knew what he was doing but I have to admit I was a little relieved when it was up and running!

The old one is temporarily set up close by. He transferred most stuff to the new one but there is a lot of "junk" left on the old and until I know all MY "good" stuff is transferred I don't want it too far. We will probably set it up in the "office" so kids can use it for homework.

Danny's Cake

We celebrated Brad's belated birthday also. He had the Ice Cream Cake.

Poor Dan and his brothers!

That was bad enough but when he went to the sink to wash it off.....

He thought it was funny. He went in the bathroom to try clean up. That frosting must have been all shortening. He was having a tough time getting it off. I went to check on him. I walked in the bathroom and started laughing as he looked like a green racoon. He VERY seriously said, "It's not funny anymore. Don't invite Brad and Larissa to my birthday next year." I said Larissa didn't do anything so he said, "Only invite Larissa."

Happy Birthday Teenager

Thirteen years ago today we were given our special gift. We didn't know he had Down Syndrome until he was born. Our first suspician that something was different was the nurses and doctor surrounding the warming crib where he was put after delivery. My OB doctor came up to me and said we sent for Dr. Kim (my pediatrician)"to make sure your son doesn't have Down Syndrome". Dr. Kim arrived shortly after and examined Danny. I saw Dr. Park look at him and he gave a small nod. Dr. Kim then came to my bedside to talk to Fred and I and said words to this effect: "Your son has Down Syndrome. We're able to tell by the "fat pad" behind his neck and by the the lines in his hands. We will run a chromosome test to verify."He was silent for a minute and then said, "These kids go a long way these days. Many of them learn to read and to do most things all kids do. The most important thing is to just treat him like your other kids." To this day I am eternal thankful for my wonderful doctor. Not once did he say, "I'm sorry" your son has Down Syndrome but he right away encouraged us and even told us about one of his patient's that was doing so well, even reading."

We honestly didn't shed many tears. I do think the tears we did shed were for the child we "lost". We were expecting someone different than we received. Fred took some video of Danny and went home to "tell" the kids. He explained the oxygen tube (Danny needed oxygen for four days and came home on the fifth without it.) and then explained to them that God gave us a very special baby this time. That Danny will need lots of love and lots of help from his brothers and sisters. Kids are so accepting. They all fell in love with him watching that video with tears streaming down their faces. And believe me, they still love and protect him fiercely (!) today!

Dr. Kim gave me information on the Michigan Early On program. Danny started going to "school" at 2 months old. The staff there were absolutely awesome! We went every week for two hours. There were several moms with special needs babies. There was a speech and occupational therapist. They gave us tips on ways to play that would strengthen muscles, tips on feeding, tips on anything we needed. Then the second hour the moms would go in another room for coffee and just talk while the therapists worked with the babies.

At age 3 Danny started riding the bus to school. I was a bit nervous that first day putting him on the bus but he was SO excited. He sat in a carseat by the window grinning and waving away. He had an awesome bus driver, Sandy, who I knew was taking good care of him. We have been very fortunate with Danny's school experience. He started out with the great staff in the Early On program and had great teachers. He had the BEST kindergarten, first and second grade teacher, Mrs. Forbes. We loved her and she loved Danny. I never worried about him at school because I knew he wasn't only being taken care of but he was also being loved! She gave him such a great start in his school experience and he continued to have awesome teachers right through elementary school. He had a bit of a "transition" period last year in middle school. It was a tough start but things are going okay now.

Today Danny is Danny. What more can I say. He can be annoying (!), stubborn (!) and lazy. But mostly he is happy, excited and fun! He is obsessed with Harry Potter. He listens and re-listens and re-listens......to the books on tape. Loudly! It doesn't matter if it's Harry Potter or his music, he has the volume loud! We are forever going up and turning it down. His most favorite place to go is the local library. He finds his way around the library like a "pro". He even looks things up on the computers there if he can't find a book or tape. He comes out with tons of music cd's, mostly Radio Disney, exercise books and "fact" books. Anything in nonfiction wether it's on a certain type of animal, the weather, human body......He loves to then share the"facts" with us. He loves the computer. He can surf the net better than I can. He is forever at the computer with books typing in a website from the back cover or from a cereal box or whatever. His saved "favorites" gets out of hand!

Our family gatherings sure would be boring without Dan. He is the life of the party without even trying. He has us in stitches, often by saying what the rest of us only dare think!

Happy Birthday you big teenager! You bring sunshine to all of our days!

Sunday School Program

The Sunday School Christmas Program was last night. Jeanie and Danny had a "piece". Jeanie knew her's and Danny knew his but read it instead of recited it. At the morning practice Danny didn't sing so the girls told him to make sure he sings at the program. I wasn't sure that was such a good idea but he brought his song book up and he did sing! We heard him way back where we were sitting. Very loud, flat and totally out of key! Poor little Caroline S. who was standing right in front of him. She was fighting the giggles but I give her credit as she kept singing. Not sure that was too easy!

Danny saw Santa Clause yesterday. Jeanie refused. We were standing in a not too long line when I realized the line was not moving. Santa wasn't schedule to start seeing the public for another 15 minutes when one of the workers came up to offer me an order form for pictures. I told him I didn't want a picture that Danny just wanted to see Santa. He hesitated a moment and then said, "Santa is seeing special needs kids right now." So he told me to go around to the other side. When we got there Santa had already got off his chair and was going for a break before the line started. He spotted Danny and came over and gave him a big hug! I told Danny to quickly tell Santa what he wanted as Santa was going on a break. He told Santa he wanted "Harry Potter Stuff". Santa said, "I'll see what I can do. I like Harry Potter, too." Then he asked if we were coming back later to see him. I told him that we weren't. So he asked Danny if he wanted some stickers and when back to get him some. Later as we were walking through the mall I heard Danny marvel several times, "Geez, I can't believe Santa likes Harry Potter too!!"

FYI

Just a little note: If anyone has webkinz on their shopping lists.....Limited Too has a buy one get one free sale store wide. It includes webkinz's and everything else in the store except CD's, DVD's and DS games.

Now off to fry those "dogs". (anise lappa's (?) or I should say cardamon lappa's as I use cardamon, not anise. )We're not going to count how many I eat today. The ones you eat on the day you make them are fat free and calorie free! (I think that goes for cookies too.)

Six random useless things about me

I decided to play along with the tag.

1. I love Mondays and mornings.

2. I hate doing my hair so it's one of the first things I always do to "get it over with". You will find me every morning dressed and hair done by 6:45 am.

3. I do not lounge in pajama's in the morning. Note above. BUT I do lounge in robe and pj's sometimes as early as 8:00 in the evening. (I even occasionally go to bed by 8:30 but mostly between 9:30 and 10:00. I do start my day at 5:45 am.)

4. I take a sauna every night. Once in awhile I skip and just shower in the hot summer but not often.

5. There is a very neat freak and organized person inside me trying to get out. But the tired and procrastinating person often (mostly?) wins.

6. I am not an envious person. I enjoy and can be happy for other peoples blessings but I am happy and thankful for my "lot".

Making a List

• 9 days until Danny's birthday
• 10 days until Sara and Jon come
• 15 days until Christmas

Danny is keeping track on the wipe-off board. I am trying to stay calm. Lets see....my to do list:

• finish the second half of my shopping
• do all the christmas cookie baking
• make "dogs"
• make oodles of batches of Butter Toffee
• clean, clean, clean, clean
• mail Christmas packages
• address Christmas cards (when they arrive)
• plan easy, tasty meals for when gang is home
• get a haircut

Actually that doesn't feel so bad. I realized I've done at least, or maybe more than, half of my shopping online. Infact, I have things in my cart at amazon.com right now. I am NOT a shopper. I love to be able to sit in the comfort of my home and order online. Plus it's always exciting when the UPS man arrives!

School Pictures

Uncle Jeff took the kids school pictures again. I haven't had them printed yet. I will do them when I do the Christmas card picture. I will send them then.

eta: re: Amanda's comment: When we got the proofs Danny looked at his picture and this is the conversation:

Danny: Oooooohhhh I look different.

Me: You do? Do you think you older?

Danny: Yeah! I look like a teenager!

Apron

After seeing Becca T's Emmaline Apron on her blog (myownpemberley.blogspot.com)-I don't know how to "link" it. I thought I'd post mine. I do wish I could photo mine as good as she does! This is a fun and reversable apron. This one was for Larissa's birthday. I'm hopeing to get another one done before Christmas for "someone's" late birthday but we shall see....