4 Days to Christmas

Random thoughts-

-doing "Crisis Cleaning" via flylady.net. You set the timer for 15 minutes and hit one room hard. Then do it again for 15 minutes for another room etc. I'm working on the kitchen, living room, bathroom and office in 15 minute intervals. It puts a little "fun" into cleaning. We all have a little "child" in us somewhere. It's fun to race the timer. Also, you don't get burned out cleaning the same room. Then 60 minutes later......you're ready to finish tackling the job. Every hour I take a 15 minute break. I know it may sound crazy to most people but it works for me. I am having in-laws over for a Christmas Eve Party. A good incentive to get some light fixtures, heating grates, etc. cleaned! Not that I really worry about them coming over. After 31 years of being part of the family, they have come to realize that I am no Mrs. P but I think they accept me as I am!

-I still have three gifts to purchase

-I still have my Christmas grocery shopping to do

-I do have everything else wrapped

-I'm hopeing to get the cleaning done today so we can "party" (eat) the rest of the weekend and plan some weddings

A Danny Story

First of all, my meeting with his teacher went pretty good. The reason I had seen no papers from him was because his mailbox was FULL. He had not been taking them home. (I'm not sure why the teacher didn't notice, though.) He has been having speech, mostly in the classroom as a group. The speech teacher did call me and said she had been pulling him out of class for speech once a month but per my concerns, will start pulling him out once a week. As far as the library. In middle school you don't have a "library hour". You just go at lunch or recess or homeroom on your own. The teacher said most of the books are above her students level so she has a "library" in her classroom for them. When I mentioned how much he loves "going to the library" and usually gets nonfiction books, which the school library should have, she said she will start to let him go. They do their "time cards" during homeroom. She said Danny use to take the whole period to get it done but has started to get it done much more quickly so she will use that as an incentive for him to go to the library during homeroom when his "timecard" is finished. He has two teachers. I sent the email with my concerns to both. I have yet to "hear" from the other teacher.

Now for the story. At the meeting his teacher mentioned that they had had speech that morning and related this story:

"The speech teacher came in with wrapped gifts for all the kids. But when they opened them, they were cans of peas, tuna fish, etc. The kids were quite disappointed except Danny. He got a can of green beans. He got all excited and pumped his hand in the air and said, "Yes!!!! I LOVE green beans!!!" Well, the point of the exercise was to teach them gift opening manners. That even if they are disappointed they are to be polite and not let it show. So they took Danny's green beans away from him and gave him some Ramen Noodles. He again said, "Yes, Ramen Noodles are my favorite!!" So I guess it didn't work with Danny"

I chuckled and told her about his past presents of clothes and how unhappy and disappointed he was with them. And of course SHOWED the disappointment. She said she was glad I shared that with her because he obviously did need to learn the "lesson".

Twins Birthday Celebration

A quick post of the "birthday pose". Wade was running late so missed the picture. Don't count the candles, we didn't have 32 but it was still quite smoky after they blew them out! Kaitlin had Angel Food Cake with strawberries and Gretchen had Blueberry Delight for their cakes.I have a 9:00 appointment with Danny's teacher to try figure out what's going on at school. Some of his grades aren't too good and I'm wondering if he is having the "Speech" he is suppose to be having. (He claims he doesn't have speech.) and also, why he never brings home papers and why he has yet to go to the school library. (His most favorite place to go.) I'm not sure I like middle school.

THEN, I will head out to the mall and pick up Amanda's wedding dress!!! Hopefully I'll come home with all my Christmas shopping completed, including "stocking stuffers"! (Is that wishful thinking?....maybe not.)

Happy 16th Birthday Kaitlin & Gretchen

Oh My Goodness! I can hardly believe the "twinners" are 16! I have to say, it has been so fun to have twins in our life. I'll never forget the day we found out we were getting twins. It was the day before Thanksgiving when I went for my ultra-sound. To say I was shocked when the technician told me there were two babies, is an understatement! Fred and I were flying high! And the kids were literally jumping up and down! I remember making the stuffing for the turkey and the phone was ringing off the hook with "congratulations"! The telephone lines were humming from here to the U.P. to Minnesota. Three weeks later we were blessed with two healthy girls. Big for twins. Kaitlin was 6 pds 8 z. and Gretchen was 6 pds. 6. oz. They were such good babies! I enjoyed them from day one. I honestly never thought it was "hard" to have two babies. Not only were they good but I had so much help here at home. Jennifer was 14 and like a second Mom! Plus Sara and Emily were right behind her. I have always felt blessed to have had them as my 10th and 11th children. Had I had them at the beginning of the family, I'm sure it would be a different story. To this day I marvel when I look at them. What a miracle twins are! To think there are two where there should have been one!

Happy Birthday girls!!

Snow Day!

We have no school today. The kids heard about the closing last night at the Sunday School Program. A bunch of excited kids! I'm not sure why they called school. We got dumped on yesterday but the snow had stopped by mid-afternoon. Probably the back roads were still unplowed. (Somebody drove through the front yard! Just because he has four wheel drive and he can!) (top picture)

Happy 12th Birthday Danny!

I snapped this picture just as Heidi and Jeff walked in the door. Then my battery went dead on my camera. I think Fred got one with them. I will post it when he loads it. Molly was in the shower and missed the party. (Gretch got a haircut!)