ALL ABOARD... The Polar Express

Middleton, WI

NOV 30, 2014 2PM

The Polar Express

3 year old THANKSGIVING Program

Silas, our three year old who has NO QUALMS against performing in front of a room full of people at the library storytime, SHOCKED US when he was bashful and shy for his 3 year old preschool Thanksgiving performance in the chapel at church. He stood with his hands folded in front of him or behind him for most of the performance. He never really participated in sign language OR singing. (*You may recall, Sydney stood in the front roll and nervously rolled his dress shirt and sweater vest up all the way to his neck, exposing his entire belly and nipples when HE had his 3 year Thanksgiving performance.)

At preschool, Silas is good friends with MAX, the boy next to him who wears a sweater. (Max and his family are moving away as soon as they sell their house; Silas will eventually be sad that his playmate is leaving preschool.)

Both of our boys were the THANKFUL FOR TURKEYS page of the class book.

Silas demonstrated that HE IS A TURKEY since he kept ruining every chance we had at a nice family picture together. Little turkey!!!!

SILAS VIDEO: A turkey is a funny bird

A turkey is a funny bird, his head goes wobble, wobble...


3 year old preschool Thanksgiving performance, Noah's Ark. (Silas)

It MUST BE 'The REAL Santa!'

On Sunday morning, while Mike and the boys snuggled together in the recliner, I asked them if they were ready for our SPECIAL SURPRISE. Their faces lit up. "Surprise?????" they squealed in unison. "Yeah!!!!!" I pulled out the photo that Mike and I had gotten in Altoona, IA the day before...

Their eyes grew wide and HUGE SMILES appeared. (Oh, how I wish I would have video taped this moment on the iPad... or taken pictures of their faces... it was PRECIOUS!!!)

Studying the photo, Sydney announced "That looks like HE is the real Santa and not one of those helper Santas."

Mike informed them "Santa told us that Barney is anxious to come back and see us again. He'll be seeing us again very soon!"

"I KNEW IT!!!! I KNEW IT WAS THE REAL SANTA! SEE, HE KNOWS BARNEY!!! IT MUST BE THE REAL SANTA!!!!!! OH, I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE BARNEY AGAIN!" Sydney squealed.

Then, after a brief pause... "Um, guys??? Is THAT a reindeer behind you???"

Honestly, when Santa asked ME what I wanted for Christmas, my stomach jumped with excitement. I noticed that he had a very special twinkle in his eye as we wished him a MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Oh, how I LOVE the Christmas holiday season....

MS Annual Conference {AWARD: Sylvie}

Heartache; holding them close to my heart

This morning, right before I had to leave for serving school lunch, I found out via Facebook that one of the moms from my former MOPS table is grieving the death of her eight year old son**. I felt sick to my stomach all day and thought about her often. Heart-breaking....

I can't imagine...

As I took Sydney to school this morning, I realized that his red "take home folder" was left at home, but I was pleased that I would be back later for lunchtime and could bring it with me then. When he saw me in his classroom, his face lit up and he was super eager to give me a hug and a kiss. (I really needed that!)

I smuggled him his very own lip gloss to put on his incredibly chapped lips and face while at school and specified THIS IS FOR YOUR LIPS ONLY!!!

I was excited when he came through the lunch line because I knew that he would LOVE the fruit cocktail and fresh pear slices that I was offering at the end of the food line. I was also looking forward to a kiss from him.

"Sorry, no kiss for you today." I said to the next girl in line. She simply smiled.

Throughout the day, I was constantly reminded that I shouldn't be angry with the boys for being sassy or naughty, but instead to be THANKFUL that they were still around to be angry with. Afterall, it is my (very important) job to raise them to be good people. I was just thankful that I could still give my little boys a hug and a kiss, while my former MOPS friend is left trying to explain to her other children that their brother is GONE... FOREVER.

At bedtime tonight, I enjoyed snuggles. I held them close. I rubbed their backs or bellies. I kissed their cheeks. I sat in their darkened room - in the recliner - and cherished every second. Tears started to involuntarily roll down my cheeks. YES, so thankful to have each opportunity to snuggle and to remind them that I love them to the moon and back and how lucky I am to be their mom.

Before I go to bed each night, I tend to sneak into their rooms almost every night to make sure that they are covered and that all of their limbs are on their beds. I kiss them on the cheek while they sleep and admire the amazing little people that they've become.

They will ALWAYS be my babies.... I will love them FOREVER!!!!!






**I have NO IDEA what caused the eight year old boy to die unexpectedly; it's just terribly heart-breaking.

Reading Words WEEK THREE and FOUR

Monday: stamp, pot, back, duck, bad, fit, miss, rock, gas, drip (6)
Tuesday: cork, sheet, sail, see, storm, seed, float, born, or, oak (6a)
Wednesday: week, toast, paid, goal, tie, soak, paint, bleed, free, groan (7)
Thursday: hen, neck, hat, cat, pen, camp, deck, kick, met, can (4a)
Friday: vest, sport, aim, speed, creep, moan, main, well, faint (8a)  9 words

Monday: but, brick, flag, flap, fog, leg, rot, slip, top, up (7)
Tuesday: fan, peep, flat, grill, mom, dad, spot, lap, from, lamp, mud (8)   11 words

A reason to wear snowpants

This morning, we woke to a yard full of snow. (Technically, I'd say less than 2", but fun none-the-less for the boys.) After Mike left for work, we ventured outside to knock the snow off the car, scrape the windows and shovel. Our neighbor, Frank, was nice enough to help the boys shovel our front walk while I tackled the driveway. Afterwards, we went next door to help Sarah shovel the duplex on the corner.

From there, we shoveled at Aundry's house (since she got called in to work at Hardees at the last minute because the opening person couldn't make it in.) We thought she would appreciate the kind gesture. After that, we did the front walk of the lawyer's house - just to be nice.

While we were on the other side of the street, we went down to Jim's house and shoveled his front walk (leaving only the driveway for him to do). We wanted to say THANK YOU for loaning us the use of his community ladder yet again. (Last time, we brought him split pea & ham soup and beer bread, which he enjoyed immensely.)

Crossing back to our own side of the street, we shoveled Lisa's front walk. Yet another THANK YOU for all the times she takes care of our cats for us. (Which reminds me... I have to see if she is available for our next weekend trip to Nana's house.)

After that, our cheeks were red and Silas had snot all over his face. The boys were snow-covered and ready to have some hot chocolate. (Sydney smucked Silas in the face with a snowball, leaving a snow mustache. It stuck to the snot perfectly. Thankfully, smiley Siley just smiled.)

We put in our annual request with Ben & Breeze to make sure that it is STILL OK for us to sled down the bunny hill in their backyard. We're still waiting to hear back before we go ahead and use the yard of their rental property. (Guessing we'll be sledding later.)

First measurable snowfall.... a reason to wear snowpants! FUN!!!