ALL The Things - To Do List

 So today I woke up at 4:00 AM, courtesy of my head cold and next door neighbours who like to slam doors as they let the dog out, take the dog for a walk, come home from a walk, then leave for work.

After being sick for almost 2 weeks and finally getting 2 nights of good sleep, I was ready to Do The Things - ALL The Things. So it wasn't bad at all to start that early. I made my evil dark coffee and drank it while I made The To Do List - Christmas day menus, items to get at the store, admin tasks, reminders ... all of which helped me organize the sequence for the day. 

I made breakfast for James and made sure he had his meds. I bagged up water bottles to recycle and had James dump his launder in the washer to be cleaned. List and recycling in hand I shepherded my guy into the van for stop #1: Trader Joe's. Although it had been open only 15 minutes, the lot was full. Luckily inside was not so bad. The recycling got taken care of. Wow, milk has shot up! I discovered that the one thing they were out of was what I wanted for Christmas dinner's main course. 

Okay, back at the van, James helped me load the groceries and then he returned the cart. Off to Stop#2 Kohl's. Avoided crowded route and entered a store with very few shoppers (I remember from my Christmas working at Capwell's that you have to get there before 11 to avoid crowds). This made it easy for James to pick out a gift for his dad.  There was no one in line and we zig-zagged through the line like the beginning of Shrek in Duloc. I swiped my online order on the way out - voila, James now has a Christmas t-shirt!

Stopped (#3) at the independent grocer on the way home and had a lovely conversation with the butcher, who saved Christmas! James' Cheez-Its were and on sale on the way to the register, so I got enough to last him on vacation. 

We tried looking for deer on Deer Hill South, but saw none. At home, James helped me unload the car and he took a break while I put away food, tossed his clothes in the dryer, and took a breather. Then I helped James get started on a shower and hair washing, which we accomplished in under an hour!!! Clean clothes were sorted, folded and donned. Hygiene list was completed.

Next, we hit the road so he could visit with his dad, play video games, and give him his present. They had a good time. I got to gas up the van for the cheapest gas around and hang out in the redwoods for a nature break.

On the way back up, hanger started to set in (not too badly, though), so we celebrated being on vacation and shower/shampoo victory with a pizza and shake from Amy's. Now it's dark again at just after 5:00 PM, but I can rest. It feels so good. 

Thanksgiving 2017

Rarely have I looked forward to a four-day weekend with relief as I have this year. I don't have to go or be anywhere except the family dinner on Thursday. I love baking, which is a middle-aged surprise for me. I don't bake anything fancy, I just feel a relief and satisfaction doing it, admiring my handiwork, and sharing it with others.

This year I baked cornbread and lemon loaf, having fun with all the tins I bought recently from Sur La Table on sale. I also made a salad and served up my simple green beans in my new casserole dish  (on a sale within a sale) with rooster designs by Jacques Pepin.

James is interested, but still says "no thanks" when I ask if he wants to try some. He had pizza for Thanksgiving, but he managed to sit at the table with us through dinner, despite all the anxiety over the animals that he might encounter at his grandparents' (dog was in his kennel, cats were snoozing in a back bedroom). He looked like he was enjoying himself.

After dessert, (he tried pumpkin mousse pie and liked it!) He found a quiet spot, periodically ambushing his cousins with "can we do Hide and Seek now?" Just before Thanksgiving wrapped, the cousins indulged him in two games. James was delighted. Thank you, cousins!

While I helped with the clean-up, James politely shut himself in the laundry room with his Kindle, so the dog could come out of his kennel and the cats reclaimed their house. We looked for deer on our way home (a new fascination for him) but found none.

The next day, I discovered three things:

1. James likes (regular) pumpkin pie.
2. We are both thrilled to hear Christmas music on the radio.
3. He likes The Ramones (he came in at the end of Spider-man: Homecoming).

He likes pumpkin pie!!!! That practically counts as a vegetable, right?!

Holidays, Homework, Hornsby

Well, it's Tuesday night and another fun, action-packed 10-hour day is finally calming down.

Holidays

Due to way the heck overload on the visits to doctors and medical places in general, sometimes have this amazing schedule: work by 6:00 am (5:30, upon occasion), lunch around 10:30 am. Big "lunch" break that is actually used for medical/appointment runs.

I must say, we live in a beautiful  region. The trees are still flaming gold and red, brilliantly lit under stormy skies by stray ray from a Fall sun and framed by dark wet branches and trunks. Gold leaves lie in piles on the ground. The vineyards retain some colours yet as well. I see ravens, egrets, and countless other birds. Rainbows happen.

Traffic happens too, and drivers panicked by the recent election and rain on the roadways, but I digress.

Then back mid-afternoon for a couple hours of wrap up, to depart around 5:00 pm in the deepening gloom to pick up James from Boys and Girls Club (BAGC). Or is it the BAGC? Mr. Tumnus greets me at the door. A huge painting of a Lion proudly looks out over the room from a wall. Three snowy trees with beavers under them have displaced the Lost and Found table. On top of the backpack cubbies is a curious wardrobe. A castle gleams, far in the distance!

As we drive to the library or home, we take new streets, hoping to see new Christmas lights along the way. Christmas songs have been known to be sung.

Homework

Dang, what a difference a good teacher and IEP team makes! We are starting to receive Math sheets, Reading and content analysis, and more advanced spelling lists. James usually whips through this, sometimes at the BAGC's Power Hour (read "homework time"), sometimes at the desk in his room, but most often with me. He is much more independent when he works, and I am proud of him.

He has been asking about Egypt and Greece, so I know he is taking in some history. 

Every now and then it is hard to get James to focus. He falls apart as I watch. He is almost 12, so I make him some more dinner. That usually makes a big change for the better. He is getting much better at keeping track of his homework and putting it in his folder, then the folder in his backpack.

Hornsby

Sometimes, there is too much cacophony in the house. At times like this, I break out music. James likes Mozart and Bach. I like Christmas music and ... Bruce Hornsby. I play YouTube videos so James can watch him play. I also like Bruce Hornsby best during his live performances. After all the hectic craziness of the day, I find his music to be rich, full of life, and relaxing.

Twas the Afternoon Before ...

After working a half day this morning, I am home with the kids. Friends are over. It is now preparation time. James enjoys making Christmas cookies. It is one of our Christmas traditions, along with trimming the tree, visiting holiday lights around the neighbourhood, and singing.

The paper all over the table in the background? Hello, Triennial IEP (still in progress)!

Merry Christmas!

Letter to Santa

Oh yes, James still believes.

He has been talking and obsessing over the Cars movies from Pixar. I think I've finally convinced him that the third movie won't get here until 2017.

The closer we get to Christmas, the juniper James gets about Santa and will he bring presents? It get very hard to focus him on homework. He would much rather look at Christmas lights.

Tonight, I got him to write his letter to Santa after math and reading. We posted it at our Town Green. It was a win-win winter evening!

  

Christmas Morning 2014

We all got to bed a bit late Christmas Eve, so I was able to sleep in until just after 6:30 -- yes!

James was first up. He was so excited: "Is today December 25th?" "Yes." "Is it Christmas?" "Yes." "Hooray!!! Angry Bird Season Christmas is open! Can I play my iPad?"

My, what Charles Dickens could have done with that one!

Anywho, we did all wake up a little after that, had some freshly baked scones, bacon, and eggs for breakfast (unless you were James, who had mini blueberry muffins and a scone). James did get excited with his stocking and presents:

James unexpectedly liked the snowman tic-tac-toe game. Not that he wants to play it with us, he just thinks it's neat and likes to fiddle with it. He also liked the hand rocket launcher ... until the fins started coming off the rocket. Then it was oh noes time and we had to hide them before he could calm down and move on to something else.

He really liked the Star Wars selection of bath soap - more for the figurine/bottles than happy anticipation of bath time, I'd say. He also liked the Star Wars reader book.

James does not like sugar or candy much. He does love the Trader Joe's organic lollipops - only the red ones, though! Santa's paper this year was SpongeBob & Co in Santa gear ...

  

He did like Fred from Big Hero 6 ... mainly because Fred dresses as an over-the-top monster who shoots fire sticks from his mouth. What is not to like?

James did a Happy Dance for his Robot and the Minion characters went on such a spin that I could not capture them on film. He also received a large amount of fabulous books!


Is he playing with some of these toys? YES! Not as much as I'd like to see, but he is playing. So that's a good thing.

Holiday Talking, Brought To You By the Letter "I"

Trying something a little new this year - talking about Thanksgiving and being thankful. A bit of a challenge when he's found the VHS tape of Sesame Street episodes I taped when he was a baby. He's focused on the subway scene at the end credits and why Big Bird has long legs.

We did manage to establish that Thanksgiving is when people give things like turkeys and chicken!

I explained that I am thankful for things like ... his smile, our family, a nice house, and good friends.

With a little prompting, James shared he's thankful for I Spy Treasure Hunt at the library.

Of course.

Planning the Holiday Avalanche Campaign, 2014

Thanks to The Peaceful Mom for inspiration

Well, the IEP, Walkathon, Book Fair, School Photos, Halloween and first report cards are now behind us. Time to seriously get thinking about the holidays. Yes, I have become that person out of necessity. Especially now that I working full time again, and have to deal with Winter Break coverage for the kids.

Who collectively have birthdays right before and after Christmas and New Years. Well planned ...not!!

I have counted my PTO and booked it all away ... praying no one gets sick before then. I should be able to spend a good chunk of time with the kids over the hols this year. Trying to figure out childcare that last week between  the time our wonderful regular care person goes home for the holidays and the kids are off and I can start taking time to be with them is going to be a bit tricky.

I have started research for holiday and birthday gifts. It's looking like they've way outgrown their older bikes, so it might be time for some bigger ones. I have lots of ideas for James' older sister. For James, however, it can be a challenge to find something fun that he will enjoy that is NOT an electronic game or device.

So far, I am looking at all things I Spy, as it's high on his interest radar, helps his vocabulary and interpersonal play/communication, and has gift-worthy items that are not limited to books or electronic games.

James likes music so much that I'd like to get him some kind of music player ... preferably one that does not involve too much money and survive his inquisitive nature (he likes to disassemble things).

While James did love building and playing with the marble run a few years back, it was difficult to keep set up and the pieces started disappearing, so no LEGOS or little do-hickey play kits. Although these Squiz tempt me into thinking this might be something he'd enjoy playing with, and help his finger fine motor skills. Likewise, the Squap, which he could play with family or friends, even indoors.

I dunno .. open to suggestions here!

Special Exposure / Wordless Weds: Flag Salutes

From end of May through early July, our country's flag waves just about everywhere we look. Even though Flag Day is officially in June, I feel like July is when I notice it most. Here are some salutes to our flag:

James, waving to someone he knows in one of our local parades.

Patriotic bunting at our last baseball game.

A Fourth of July Block Party

Greetings as you approach the Barn at the Ranch.

Over the pool, as the sun sets on our evening swim lessons. 

New solar lights for the yard.

Home town decor.

Love the light on this.

What we see as we drive through Town.

Our fire station, as we honor those lost from the Granite Mt. Hotshots.

For more images from the heart and to share some of yours,
visit Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs.






               and ... Wordless Wednesday

Magic Marker Monday: Portrait

We celebrated St. Patrick's Day at James' grandparents' house. My mom's family is all Irish and one does not let the day pass by. I've visited the home counties of Rosscommon, Westmeath, and Tyrone, back in my traveling days, and (even farther back in time) danced with my Irish dancing troupe in the San Francisco St. Patrick's Day Parade (totally pre-Riverdance).

Thanks for the fun, Google! In my day, however, there was less foof, and our hair was our own.

James decided to draw pictures after dinner, something he rarely chooses on his own. He drew a picture of Mommy, so I have to include it here:

Note the party hat and jolly crossed eyes -- c'est moi!

For more great masterpieces or to share some of your own, visit
5 Minutes for Special Needs for more Magic Marker Monday.

                                 
 

Halloween Spunk

October's been a tough month for us all here. James has progressively resisted going to school, practically breaking down in tears and begging me not to go. Routine has flown out the window in chunks at home and at school almost daily. Second grade is ramping up challenges for learning and behaviours.

Witch and splatty witch, on our way to school
on Halloween morning.

To James, October was a magic month. It meant Halloween. He was very firm about what he wanted to be: a witch. Not a warlock. Not Harry Potter. A witch. He asked every day to go looking at the Halloween decorations. Splatty witches are still a big thing for him, and luckily I found a version of one at the Dollar Store and brought it home is September, because they were gone like *that* and James took immense pleasure in helping to set it up on our very own garage door. It kind of made up for our van disappearing and not coming back (that's a story for another time). He also liked spiders, webs, and bats. Skeletons fascinated him.

A trip to the Party Store a few weeks back put a big grin on his face. We got him his very own witch's hat and an Angry Bird trick-or-treat bag. K-Mart had a dynamite 50% off sale on costumes the day before Halloween and I picked up capes for his sister and him. A good friend sent us scads of cool glow-in-the-dark necklaces, which we all wore around our necks so the motorists could see us.  James' Halloween witch's cup was full.

It was very hot until the day of Halloween; then it rained that afternoon and evening. James didn't care. He helped put up decorations and kept talking about Halloween while we ate pizza. Then he pulled on his boots, held a ladybug umbrella in one hand, high above his pointy hat, and his Angry Birds bag in the other before sailing out into the dark and stormy night. We went three blocks in the rain, braving puddles, Evil Dead-type houses, and barking dogs. At each door, James sang out "Trick-or-Treat!!" and "thank you!" with an occasional "Happy Halloween!" thrown in for luck.

We arrived back home, soaking. James was happy to change into his jammies and curl up with blankets and watch me hand out treats at our door. Right now I am looking at an Angry Birds bag that is 1/3 full of candy. He hasn't touched it. It's not the important part for him.

Magic Marker Monday: Rip It, USA!

Not only is this project patriotic, it involved ripping, one of James' favourite (unfortunately) past times. And now that the Summer Olympics are almost upon us, We can wave his flag and cheer, and hopefully open up some dialog about sports and our world.

 
Hey, a mom can hope, okay?

For more great masterpieces or to share some of your own, visit
 5 Minutes for Special Needs for more Magic Marker Monday.
                              

Happy Easter

Bunny boy was up at 5:30 and ... ignored his basket. Again. He was all about playing with his iPad. Red-eyed and exhausted, I handed him some books and suggested he read *quietly.* A mere 20 minutes later, he was reading aloud from "Where the Wild Things Are" - emphasis on the LOUD. Time to inject coffee, extra strength for me!

By the time we'd all assembled for our Easter brunch, James had noticed his basket. Both kids got Funky Monkey tokens in their basket eggs instead of candy. They collected dozen of sweets-filled eggs at their grandparents' garden later that day.

James really liked getting a flashlight of his own and his Cars book, which (whisper it) was actually a great present he'd received for an earlier holiday, but was not yet ready to appreciate. Boy, does he appreciate it now!

After the egg hunt at Nana and Apu's it was time for an early dinner. Everyone sat together at the table, and for the first time I did not bring the kids' food for them. I figured they could eat bread and try something new ... or I could feed them when we got home. Time to try stretching what they'll eat at social gatherings. Yeah, they pretty much stuck to bread and they had a late dinner-snack before bedtime.  We'll get there.

After a really delicious meal and desserts, the cousins all played together at a local park, running off a ton of energy (and sugar). It was so satisfying to watch them all chase each other and have a blast in a group. It's how I grew up and I don't want our kids to miss out on that.

Bedtime came early and they slept well!

SOOC Saturday: Christmas Eve!

Well, the lead-up to Christmas this year has been challenging and not very fun for the adults. The kids, however, have been popping like corn with anticipatory glee. Which makes things more bearable and puts me in the right mood for Christmas Eve and tomorrow.

It's not even 9am here, and already, we have:

Ah yes, Joyeux Leon to all!

Let's be reindeer!

Last night we started baking cookies for Santa and our wonderful neighbours:

Taste tests proved ... delicious!

Wishing everyone a special Christmas. And if Christmas is not your holiday, may your special days be enjoyed with the ones you love.

Sharing some candid Christmas for my share of the SOOC action at Marvelous Mommy's blog.
Come on over to see more or join in!

Sick

I have a head cold. Didn't feel so bad at first, but it's got my attention now. How will I get it together for Christmas and keep up as the driver for the family? Well, my fingers are crossed, so that's a start. Got some unexpected respite lined up for this afternoon. I think I'll get some Throat Coat, to go with the Mucinex and saline nasal spray. I want to use the big guns -- my prescription cough meds with codiene, but then I can't drive. Friday night can't come soon enough.

The kids are well, yay. But they need parents to take care of them. Oh well. At least grocery run is done for the week, we have gift wrap, and many presents have been purchased. If only I could find them. I hate being sick and worried over the holidays.

Looking forward to next week, when I can go back to enjoying the little things.

Special Exposure / Wordless Weds: Snow!

Although our temps have regularly been in the 20s, it's been clear. So disappointing for my daughter, who would LOVE to be out in a snow storm, or at least a couple of flurries. Snow is strange and wonderous for her.

Our schedules at home have had to shift majorly twice daily to get Daddy down to the commute bus in the morning, well before school, and pick him up after dinner. It's an hour's round-trip each time. And on top of it all, I am trying to catch up on groceries, birthday, and Christmas preparations that I never got the chance to do over the past 2 weeks. I made it to the gym exactly once, which is dire for me. Some days the kids have spent 3 or more hours in the van. I am trying to make things as fun as possible and keep the holiday magic going, at least for the kids and I.

How fortunate that our town has a grove of 150 decorated Christmas trees at the Town Green, and that twice nightly, it "snows" in a certain part of the grove. A couple of times I have taken the kids there after a dinner on the go, so they could have half an hour of fun outside before another round-trip down the freeway. The joy on their faces goes a long way to soothing my heart right now:

 

For more images from the heart, and to share some of yours,
visit Special Exposure Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Special Needs.






                ... and Wordless Wednesday.