New Scarves for the Special Olympics

JJ and my Mom donated a scarf each. I just wanted to showcase their workmanship here before I send them off to Headquarters. Amazing aren't they!! The picture does not do them justice. Mom's has a lot of texture in her pattern and JD approves of JJ's color variation and tassels.

I don't want to darken their gifts with sadness, but there has been a turn of events in next years World Special Olympics. I don't know all of the details but it sounds like economic events in the country have put a huge damper on the games. But Bogus Basin and Brundage Ski Resort stepped up and are graciously hosting the alpine skiing events anyway. A local Boise bank is providing medals. Too bad for all of those hockey, ice skating, and etc. participants. I saw a volunteer coat on Ebay last month, sign of the times.

Thank you for your help Mom and JJ. Some skier will be cozy, warm and so excited!

Christmas Miracle

Now, I know you are thinking the miracle is that I have posted to my blog, but I am happy to announce that it is SO much more than that. Drum roll please...the kids have learned how to take off the empty roll AND replace it with a new one!!!Evidence #1: Notice that the new roll is backwards (flap going backwards). Such a small thing when it comes down to it. The replacement alone is advanced housekeeping, we can overlook the misdirection. I know what you are thinking - how do I know it isn't JP going around the house replacing empty rolls....

Here is JP's powder room. Notice the empty roll just below the new one? Ya, ya, ya, it's my empty roll too, but still evidence #2.

Evidence #3 is the standard way a new roll should look if I had anything to do with it. Notice the flap coming forward? The triangle fold comes from three months at Three Bear Lodge. Good times...

Any way, I hope that you find your Christmas miracle just as I did. It doesn't matter how small or inconspicuous. Find it and be joyful. Make your Christmas AMAZING! Merry Christmas!!!

Snow! Sort of...

So last week we had our first sort of snow. It started out as a sleety rain and gradually turned into ginormous soggy cotton balls and started to stick. The girls were so excited they headed out in flip-flops and Ts. They back tracked quickly and redressed more appropriately, their own idea - it is amazing what an inch of slush will make you do. BK admired their bravery from the doorway.

They made it about 15 minutes and then trudged in with heavy shoes and soggy socks. We are so ready for winter! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Red Ribbon Week

Sock it to Drugs (Crazy sock day)

Red-y to always be drug free (wear red)

Make Drugs Walk the Plank (pirate dress - prelude to that nights Fall Festival Theme)

We also had Hats off to being drug free (hat day). It has just been a fun reminder and good dialogue starter for keeping our kids drug free.

Pirates Don't Cry or Do They...

Change is always a big deal in our house. I have tried springing it on them and I have tried the gentle persuasion and reminder of upcoming events but it always comes down to the same thing. Tears.

We started early this year with our Halloween costume finding. The girls wanted to be witches (not the scary/ugly ones but the pretty ones like princesses), we had a spider for JD and BK didn't care. So we found suitable witch costumes, and happened across a pirate costume. IT WAS AWESOME!! It was such a great find because BK to Daddy could fit into it. BLEE had pirate day at school for Red Ribbon week and was able to use it then and then BK could use it at several Halloween occasions.

When we finally got it on all he wanted to be was a Pooh Bear (a suggestion from his older sister). So we tried Pooh Bear. Thank you C & W! Though the tears streamed in that one also. It did help when the candy started flowing though. Someday he will look back and ask why it looks like he was crying in all of his Halloween picts.

Optimistic

I would like to think of myself as an optimist. This is why I get Blee ready for school with my mask pushed up on top of my head and one eye closed. It could happen. I could get her ready for school and quietly slip back in bed for a few more zzz, couldn't I?
The issue has become sleep deprivation. This week JP and I took the opportunity to push JD out of our nest. He is 7 1/2 months old. He hasn't been excited about the move and it takes him awhile to calm down.

It was especially tough for him last night. JP just went back to work after being home for a week. So we started out late-late even for me. Then at 5 am EEP and BK came creeping, panicked into my room. A robot with "grabber" hands was coming after them. Their night light was out and I had just put the last bulb into JD's light.
So my empty nest quickly filled with whispers, grinding teeth (Princess EEP), quiet giggling, and finally soft snores. This was followed by a 6 am feeding and a jarring alarm soon after. So I am optimistic. There will be a nap in today's itinerary.Tonight should be better. JD's bottom teeth finally came in!!!

Who's Who?

So can you figure out which one is Bk and which is JD? The teeth will always be the give away for me. JD is 6 months in his picture and BK is 8 months in his. Highlight the area underneath each picture to find out which is which. JD

BK