Thanksgiving Week

What a wonderful week it has been.  It was so good to have time off work with the kids.  I think we all really enjoyed it. 

Monday started off with me volunteering in Will’s classroom for their Stone Soup day.  All the kids brought in cans of veggies and they cooked it in the crockpot all morning.  Five moms, including me, came and helped serve it.  I’d say only a few kids actually ate it.  Lots of kids ate a lot of crackers and a lot of them dipped their crackers in the soup, but didn’t eat.  Too many veggies!  I enjoyed helping out.  Will pays you very little attention but I still like to see the kids and put faces with names.

Tuesday was supposed to be a big morning with Lindy’s reevaluation IEP meeting at 8:15am.  Would you believe we got our first dose of winter weather and the kids had a two hour delay?  We did find out Monday night around 9pm so we did actually sleep in some which was nice.  But I hate we had to reschedule her IEP meeting.  After her IEP meeting we were supposed to have Will’s parent teacher conference.  His teacher sent home a note saying to call her in the morning if we had a delay.  I did and we decided to still go ahead and meet at 9:30am.  The kids played while we talked to his teacher.  She is a fast talker.  You had to pay attention to catch everything!  She said he is doing really well and had very nice things to say about him.  She said he needs to work on retelling a story without leaving out details and has to be able to read sight words lightning fast.  Both I know he can do, but I think he has to get used to how they assess him.  The sight words are put on a powerpoint and supposedly it goes fast.  Will is not a fast child.  He knows all the words but she said he sat there with wide eyes at first.  Hopefully he’ll catch on to the testing they do. 

Wednesday we had a great day around the house working on Christmas presents the kids are making.  Can’t tell you what but they are cute and took all afternoon!  Will loved having me here to play with him.  Lately he’s been giving me the “I wish you didn’t have to work” speech.  I tell him he’s in school all day so I’d be bored at home (yeah right) and then he says, “I wish you were home in the afternoons.”  Way to make a mama feel good!  Anyway, we did enjoy our time together.

We got up on Thanksgiving day and headed to Drew’s dad’s house in Charlotte.  We enjoyed a delicious dinner with his dad, stepmom, his mom, and Suzette’s son, his wife, and their two kids.  The random thing is that Suzette’s older grandson, Matthew, has glasses and one hearing aid and one cochlear implant.  I just think it’s so random that two of their grandchildren are so similar.   The kids had a blast playing with Matthew and when Lindy wasn’t playing with Matthew she was obsessed with the baby, Michael.  Lisa and Eric were so patient with her and let her help them out.  She got to help feed him a bottle, burp him, hold him (or sit him as she keeps calling it!), and change his diaper.  She thought she was hot stuff.  She is now a certified babysitter – in her eyes anyway.  It really was a great day with awesome food.  One of the best meals I can remember in a long time.  Lynn, Suzette, and I were crazy maniacs that went out shopping on Thanksgiving night.  We decided to go out that night and not on Friday morning.  We only hit a couple stores because we waited in some long lines.  I got a few presents and some work stuff for myself.  We got home at 1am – way past Suzette’s curfew!  But she is retired now and can do those things! 

Friday we slept in (thank you Lindy for sleeping in so I could sleep in some!) and just hung around their house.  After yummy leftovers for lunch we got cleaned up and headed out for Southern Family Christmas card pictures.  After many takes and much unhappiness form a few of the people in the picture, we got a good picture.  Christmas card worthy.  We headed home after getting the picture and, man, we got to work.  I quickly unpacked and then Christmas exploded at our house.  By the time we went to bed that night we had two big trees and two little trees up and decorated. 

Saturday we got right to work the next morning as well.  Drew did some yard work while I kept putting Christmas decorations out.  In the afternoon we got the outside decorated as well.  Drew and I don’t usually move that fast!  Last night we went out with the Bryants for dinner to celebrate Kris’ birthday last week.  We always have a good time.  The kids were in heaven with Miss Victoria – the babysitter who watched them a lot this summer. 

Today we had church and then I finished decorating.  I got everything out that is going to get out.  I also picked up our Christmas cards and ran by the store for some food. 

That was possibly the most productive weekend we’ve ever had!  Feels good to get it all done and have been able to spend time with family and friends.  Now it’s back to the grind tomorrow.

Will set up a music show for us Tuesday night.  And he needed a volunteer from the audience.Who did really funny bows!Wednesday we saw SNOW!!  We ran outside to see it.  It didn’t last long but it was fun to see!Lindy ‘sitting’ baby Michael!Look how happy she is to help feed him a bottle!These three had a blast together!Getting the first tree put together.  We go fake in our house.They were actually kind of helpful this year.  We got the tree decorated in record time.  Even Daddy helped.  A Christmas miracle!On to their little trees in their room.  They can decorate them anyway they want.  They turn out special!Final product!Our first Xmas outfits for church this morning1She is so pretty!He’s so handsome!Love these two so much!Pluto arrived this afternoon!  The kids are really excited by the thought of him this year. 

The Week Before Thanksgiving

The Chiefs lost again today.  Boo.  Last week I put Lindy in a Chiefs t-shirt and they lost so I thought I jinxed them.  I didn’t put her in it today and they still lost.  Glad to know it wasn’t me and Lindy last week. 

It was a fairly quiet week around our house.  Which was great after the super busy week we had last week.  I volunteered in Lindy’s specials on Tuesday.  I went to science and media with her.  It’s nice to get to know some of her classmates.   Besides Lindy and Will telling us every day who got in trouble, I can definitely pick them out myself now. 

Wednesday night the kids and I ate Thanksgiving dinner at church. 

Thursday Lindy had her yearly neurosurgery appointment to check her shunt.  Drew took her and actually saw the neurosurgeon.  We usually see a PA.  Drew said it was basically a waste of time, but of course the doctor had to warn him that her shunt can malfunction at any time.  We know, we know.   But we don’t live in fear.  For the most part I forget she has it.  They found out the neurosurgeon has a kindergarten son in another class at their school.  Thursday evening the kids had choir practice.  They got to practice the bells and I got recruited to ring with them.  My ears were ringing when we were done but we sounded pretty good!

Friday morning Lindy started getting a cold.  Her nose was running – which is awesome!  It usually drains down her throat.  We were all supposed to see our niece Molly in her middle school play, Aladdin, but Lindy and I ended up staying home.  Mostly because she was getting sick but some because she wouldn’t be able to see the play.  It would have been her playing a phone for 2 hours.  Instead Lindy and I made cookies – with well washed hands - and we played in her bed. 

Saturday morning I took Will up to the YMCA and signed him up for basketball.  This should be interesting!  I hope they lower the baskets!!  We came home and my parents got to our house.  We headed out to our last Wake Forest football game of the season.  Going to the game was kind of a last minute decision because they had been calling for some rain all week.  I wasn’t taking Lindy if it was supposed to rain.  Saturday morning the forecast was almost 60F and not showing any rain so we all headed out.  We thankfully brought two layers of coats and gloves because it was a little nippy out there.   We got back home around 3pm and I got quite a bit of stuff done around the house last night.  I was in a productive mood!

Today we headed to Charlotte for the Southern Christmas Show.  Jamie rode with us and we headed to Bob’s.  We met my parents there.  Drew and the kids stayed at Bob’s house while Suzette, Jamie, my mom and I went to the Christmas Show and met Lynn and Anna.  It was the last day and we did see some deals.  It’s always fun to walk around and we did pick up some presents – and fudge.   I always come home with fudge.  We got back to Bob and Suzette’s around 4pm and headed home not too long after that. 

We have a short week of work and school and then it’s the Thanksgiving holiday!  There is a chance of wintery mix on Tuesday and Wednesday so we’ll see what that means for school.  We have Lindy’s IEP scheduled for Tuesday morning at 8:15am so it will probably be cancelled.  I’m hoping for no wintery mix. 

I only took a few pictures this week.

I found this in Lindy’s Sunday school classroom at church.  Check out the last line.  Joys and Concerns.  Lindy said Papa.  I wonder if she meant he was a joy or a concern?? ha ha!Making cookies Friday night.  This girl wants to help with everything so she loved doing this.Here she is waiting for the first batch to finish cooking.Tasting the final product. Rubbing her belly and saying ‘Yum’!Wednesday at church the kids got a gift from the other set of twins in our church.  Will and Nora just turned 16 this weekend but their mom gave Lindy and Will Nora and Will’s old bathrobes.  Lindy and Will LOVE them!  Today at the Christmas Show.My mothers!  My mom, step-mother-in-law, and mother-in-law!

The Past Two Weeks

So after I posted my last post on Nov 3 I took my computer in to get cleaned up and worked on.  I didn’t have it last Sunday to do my regular post.  We picked it up on Tuesday but by that time I was knee deep in to work and had no time to post.   Let’s see if I can catch up. 

Will’s special day was on November 6th (see below for a post dedicated to him and his day). 

Friday November 8th was a fun day for our family.  We went to the Wake Forest basketball season opener and I got recognized as a community hero for my work with the March of Dimes.   My parents and Bob and Suzette came to witness the event.  I’ve been fussed at by other family members for not telling them what was happening (although I did offer them tickets.  I just didn’t tell them the whole story!)  At the first time out in the second half we got to walk out on the court and they read a little clip about me and then the Deacon presented me with a certificate.  Actually he tried to present it to Drew and Drew had to tell him it was me!  It was pretty neat to be out on the court!  They showed us up on the big scoreboard.  The kids thought it was super cool.  When I told Will we were going to get to do it he said, “This will be the best day of my life!”  It was a neat experience and it was crazy to find out so many people we knew were there.  

Saturday we had a home football game which we ended up leaving soon after half time.   We met and tailgated a bit with the usual crowd (plus Drew’s old college roommate and his wife) but the game was awful.  Wake got blasted by Florida St.  We got home and enjoyed a late afternoon and evening at home.   Well the kids and I did – Drew had a wedding to perform.

Sunday was the day we celebrated Will’s special day.  It turned out to be a very special day – for more than one reason.  Will lost his first tooth on Sunday morning!  He has waited very patiently since Lindy lost her two teeth this summer.  The dentist said it was loose at his visit in September and it got really loose last week.  I tried pulling it out on Sat. night but it wasn’t quite ready.  Will ate an apple slice for breakfast Sunday morning and  he wiggled it a bunch and then I popped it right out!  He showed everyone at church.  We made sure to put his tooth under his pillow that night so the tooth fairy could find him.

I’ve never really seen Lindy jealous but man she was jealous last Sunday.  It was killing her that Will was getting lots of attention for his lost tooth.  One of her top teeth is just barely loose.  Just barely.  She wiggled and wiggled and and tried to show everyone at church that she had a loose tooth.  I lost count of how many times I told her to stop and let Will have his day. 

We woke up Monday to find the tooth fairy had left Will $1.00.   He was super excited to find his money and a certificate from the tooth fairy.  The kids didn’t have school because of Veterans Day and they stayed home with Drew.  They actually stayed with Martha most of the morning as I had to be at work and Drew needed to visit someone who had just been put in the hospice home.  Martha saved the day by coming to watch the kids.  They had a lazy bum Monday by staying in pj’s most of the day.  Drew did bring them to me at work for a little while so he could go back and visit the family at the hospice house.  

Other highlights of the week – Will had character day on Thursday and he wore his globe costume again.  His teacher gave us a book called “Me on the Map.”  One parent could go and because of stuff going on at work, Drew went.   He said it was controlled chaos.  The boys were on the outside of the circle and the girls on the inside circle and they rotated and had to tell each other about their character.  Drew said Will got lots of compliments on his globe!

Friday the kids went on their first field trip with school.  They went with the children’s theatre to see City Mouse Country Mouse.  I  know Will enjoyed it.  Lindy didn’t say much.  She said she enjoyed it but I wonder where she sat.  Will said her class set up front so maybe they did that so she could see. 

It was a very busy week for me – work wise.  I had my big fall fundraiser on Friday night so I worked later than normal at work and then worked every evening after the kids went to bed.  Thursday night was a very late night and then Friday night was the actual event!  Thankfully it went great and we raised nearly $140,000 for the babies!  It was a super late night and I was worth nothing on Saturday.  Lynn came up to babysit the kids because I had Drew volunteering at my event!  I was so thankful she was there Saturday morning too.  Drew had a funeral to do Saturday morning but because Lynn was here they let me sleep until 9am!   It was glorious.  I still was so worn out and tired that we didn’t do much of anything.  We packed shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child and we ran to Target.  Other than that I was worthless.

Today we had church and then Will had a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese.  We left early and went to the mall to look for blankets for the kids’ beds.  We walked the entire mall and ended up where we started buying blankets.  We headed to the party and Will had a blast. 

I think that catches everyone up on the last two weeks.  And now some pictures! 

 

Out on the court at the Wake Forest Basketball game.  There’s me – the community hero!Finally!  He lost a tooth and he has a ‘window'’!Putting his tooth under his pillow!Yay!  Finding a dollar the next morning!And a certificate!Character day at school.  All the boys.The circle of boys on the outside.  The kid on the right in black is ginormous.  I swear his feet are as big as mine.Today the kids sang in church.  They dressed up and looked real spiffy!Will wore his first tie!  So handsome!And she’s so beautiful – even if she hates being called that!My boys with their ties!  So handsome!So cute!Fun afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese!

Keep Reading for Will’s special day post.