(Hello all... I started this post a few days before Christmas and never posted it as I have been really busy and did not get a chance to add photographs... sorry... I still thought you might enjoy reading it so I am posting it now.)
Merry Christmas to all my family and friends!
To those that distance separates us... I love you, miss you and
wish you all a wonderful holiday season.
wish you all a wonderful holiday season.
Well... I can't believe it has been an entire month since I have found time to post on my blog! So much has happened in these four weeks... but I will try to remember the more interesting tidbits to share with you all.
I finished my Early Childhood: Curriculum and Planning class and for all my self-induced stress... got my A... WOHOO! Now I am moving on to another busy semester this spring. My semester includes four classes... Yes... I know... I am loading up, but want to finally get finished. Only two more classes and a preschool internship after this spring. I have always said that I wouldn't mind being a career student if I could afford it...but I am finally starting to get tired of school and would like to get on with life. I am SOOO excited about not having the stresses of college classes.
Mike had his pins removed and is starting to gradually switch from using crutches to putting full weight and walking on his foot. It's slow going and his foot is still swollen and in pain, especially at night... but he is making progress. He attends physical therapy twice a week to help increase motility of his toes/foot. He is currently out on sick leave for two more weeks and then will go back to light duty work (although with the way he limps around... I still have a hard time imagining what he could possibly do for 8 hours on his feet). Sorry no pictures this month!
Aidan is Aidan. He is doing well at school and has been pretty healthy so far this year with hardly any asthma attacks. He is still loving Cub Scouts and has a bunch of great friends that live on our block and the next block over to play with. It's hard to believe he is nine and so much time has passed! Nine more years and he will be 18!
Caitlin has been having some medical problems that we are not sure of the extent of yet. Of course, our minds seem to imagine the worst even though it may very well be simple such as childhood migraines (both Michael and I get migraines) or a malformed vertebrate pinching something in her neck. She has had frequent headaches and neck pain for awhile now. We recently noticed that she is tilting her head to the side... leading to some concern about her spine possibly being an issue. Her pediatrician had x-rays of her spine taken and the preliminary results showed some sort of abnormality in the spine. We were then referred to an pediatric orthopedist for further evaluation. We are now waiting for a MRI of her head and neck/spine to be scheduled. Unfortunately, it has to be at a children's hospital because they put children her age under general anesthesia so they do not move. Other than that, she is also doing well at school and enjoying being a Brownie in the Girl Scouts.
Ewan is doing well in preschool. He made a little friend named Jacob and he tells me about their daily play activities. He has had a couple bouts of croup this month and one very short lived tummy virus that wreaked havoc for one day. Ewan's eyesight has improved tremendously in the last 3 months. His eye doctor (and us) are very pleased. Now we are at the point where we patch his good eye for 4-6 hours a day to make his weak eye work even harder to improve his vision more. He has adapted to wearing the patch easily, although he did not like it at first. Now he reminds me that he needs his patch when I forget! (Post note: Ewan's little tummy virus unfortunately made the rounds... it spread to Aidan and Michael and then to our neighbors who came down with it while in California visiting their relatives for the Holidays. Subsequently their relatives came down with it is well. So probably 2/3 of California has it by now. Sorry California!! Fortunately it was a very short lived virus only lasting about 12 hours total.)
Zoe is returning to her normal self now that Moose has been gone for awhile. I think she is an only dog type. She gets too stressed out when other pets are here for any length of time.
I think that is all the catching up on "NEWS" this month of December!
Here they are getting to the "Alright! Enough with the camera already!!" We had to have a picture with Grandma and grandpa H. with all the grand kids though.
I think that is all the catching up on "NEWS" this month of December!
Trimming the Tree
Where else can you wear shorts in December in the U.S.?
Friends...
Some of my friends from the PTSO came over to my house for cookie decorating with the kids.
Catilin with her cookie remnants on her face.
Ewan's PreK Christmas Party
Singing Christmas Carols
Ewan made me an ornament for Christmas!
Handmade... the best type of gift!
Stockings
Our Christmas eve tradition... opening the stockings
Christmas Morning
Another one of our traitions is to have Grandma and Grandpa H. come over Christmas morning for gift opening. We make breakfast (this year it was cinnamon rolls and little smokies with orange juice so we would have room for Christmas dinner later) and then opened packages.
Grandma H. opening her gift
Grandpa H. caught by surprise crumpling up the
remnants of wrapping paper
Christmas Dinner
Christmas dinner was at Grandma H.'s house at 3:30pm. Well, actually... it was supposed to be 3 pm... but I was running late making desert (as usual). I just can't seem to find the time to get it made the day before. An extra special present was getting to see cousin Samuel. His dad dropped him off so that he could spend Christmas dinner with us. We also were able to talk to Auntie Dae Dae (Tracy) in Washington by Skype.
Grandma sure knows how to dress a table!
All the cousins together
Christmas Dessert...
...was with Uncle Mike and Aunt Lisa at Rick and Deb's house. in Chandler It was a very relaxing evening filled with yummy deserts, a fire pit, roasted marshmallows and great company. Thank You!!
The day after Christmas
We went to Great Aunt and Uncle T.'s house for lunch and more gift opening. The kids wanted to purchase a beta fish with their money that Nanie gave them. So we headed to Wal-mart after and they each came home with a new pet. Beta's are such pretty fish and very easy to care for.
Ewan excited about his new books!
The day after the day after Christmas (Ron's House)
So we went to visit Ron on December 27th and wish him a Merry Christmas. I baked 2 pumpkin pies (one to keep and one to give to Ron). What's so interesting about Ron's house and pumpkin pie, you ask?
A couple of things (besides Ron, of course!!!)...
When I cracked one of the eggs... it had twin yolks...
(the right side of the picture) First time I saw this
since I was a little child and my mom showed me
an egg that had dual yolks too.
My homemade pumpkin pies made from the pumpkins
the kids and I grew in the backyard. It had a different flavor
from canned pumpkin... not bad... just not what I was used too!
Ron's Bachelor Pad Food Supplies...
Make sure to check the date's on the packages before you eat! ;)
the kids and I grew in the backyard. It had a different flavor
from canned pumpkin... not bad... just not what I was used too!
Ron's Bachelor Pad Food Supplies...
What I should have done was document Ron's food supplies every time we made a visit. I had almost come to the conclusion that single guys must not eat, because the first few times we visited ... I couldn't find much of anything decent to eat with the exception of condiments. Maybe that's why Ron is skinny?? Anyway, It has been a slow process for Ron apparently (he has had his home since last summer)... but take a look at his refrigerator and pantry now...
It's a miracle!! There is more than 2 boxes of food on the shelf!
Notice how prettily he faces his shelves! (boxes facing out)
Ron buys in bulk... Caitlin can barely pick this bag of plastic cups up!!
It's almost as tall as she is!! Now what would a single guy need with all those cups??
Apparently he is waiting for an army of people to stop by and eat! :)
SORRY RON! You know we love you...
but I just couldn't resist!
