Merry Christmas

I have been so busy with finals and getting the family ready for our holiday vacation that I haven't blogged in forever. We are leaving (today actually) for a week at Wolf Creek in the mountains. We rented a condo for this week. We'll set up the Christmas tree and play in the snow and watch the deer and just relax for a week. (Well, that's the goal...)

I do want to wish family, friends and everyone a very Merry Christmas. My family and friends are so important to me. I don't usually send Christmas cards, but I'm going to start. I want to stay in touch with people more than I do now. I've lost touch with so many good friends that I wish I was still close too.

Have a happy holiday!

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

My husband teases me about my "Rudolph Rant." In fact, whenever I get ranting about anything else, he will 'cough' into his hand 'rudolph' to let me know I'm on one. My older two children know my feelings about Rudolph but I've kept it from my younger children, not wanting to spoil the innocence of Christmas.

The Rant: If Rudolph was made as people instead of animals, it would never be shown. This is a story about a child born to proud expectant parents. When they discover that their precious baby has a deformity, they are ashamed of him. They try to hide his deformity and are ashamed of what he has or who he is. When the truth comes out, none of his friends are allowed to play with him anymore. Even the revered ruler of the community is ashamed of him and bans him from participating with others. It doesn't matter what his abilities are, he is ostracized by the community. In shame, he runs away. After running away, he realizes his own worth, and maintains his good heart. He returns home, and finds that his parents have gone looking for him. He has to rescue them. Then, the community begrudgingly accepts him until they realize they can use his deformity for their own benefit. Suddenly he is a hero. Putting aside his own feelings, Rudolph saves the day because it is for the good of children everywhere. I think it is selfish and mean and an awful show.

The other day, Punkin and Little Cat had watched Frosty the Snowman about 10 times. Over and over and over and over again, I had to endure the music of Frosty the Snowman coming from the playroom. Finally, I suggested, let's watch something else. I put in Rudolph (it came in a set of Christmas movies... I wouldn't have bought it on its own). I went back into the living room to fold laundry. After 10 minutes or so, Punkin comes running out just sobbing. It was such a broken hearted cry, I was sure that Little Cat had taken her beloved Rufus or something. "Honey! What is it? What's the matter?" I pulled her onto my lap and tried to comfort her. After her sobbing had subsided somewhat she said. "I don't like that movie. They were so mean to Rudolph and he runned away. That was so mean. They were rude to him and Santa was mean. I don't like that mean Santa. Rudolph was all alone and runned away!" She started crying all over again. I sat in thought for a moment. I was going to have to defend Rudolph. I tried to tell Punkin that Rudolph was okay, and he comes home and everyone says sorry, and he gets to lead the sleigh, but she didn't buy it. She told me should would never watch that movie again. After sitting quietly on my lap for a few minutes as I ran my fingers through her hair, she looked up at me and said "Can we watch Frosty again?"

When I told my husband about it later, he actually laughed. He said "Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!"

The Icky Sickies

Both Punkin and Little Cat have colds. Punkin's is worse. She sounds so croupy at night. Her nose is so stuffy she can't breathe, and she wakes up crying. She was sitting with her dad and me at about 1 in the morning, and she told dad "My nose is so full of boogers I can't breave". It was funny and sad at the same time! Poor little Punkin. I hate it when my kids are sick. They both have fevers today, but at least they are not really really high, and come down with ibuprofen. I guess it is just that time of the year. I hope Boo doesn't get it, but I think that is just wishful thinking.

Halloween Festival

Boo's school had a Halloween Festival. Boo and Punkin dressed up as scarecrows, and Little Cat was, well, a little cat. They had a ball. The school did a good job. There was a spook alley, crafts, cotton candy, games and lots of fun things all around.

Winter is on the way... or is it?

Boo had to get out her new winter coat (compliments of Grandma!) to wear to school today. She has been wearing a hoodie or light jacket. It was 27 this morning (and felt like 19) when she had to leave for school. It is so weird because just three days ago we turned the AC back on because it was in the seventies and too warm inside. Next week it will be in the 70s again. What yoyo weather we are having. A couple of Saturdays ago, it actually snowed a little bit. The mountains are nicely topped with white tips, but that is as far as it goes. I don't want snow in the valley for a little while yet. I like the mild weather of fall, and it seems like it just got here. I'm not ready for the freezing temperatures. One more month of mild would be nice. It can get freezing by the end of November. Is that too much to ask? By then I'll be ready for the snow.

Oh.... and here's an unrelated shocker... gas was below 3.00 per gallon yesterday. I saw it for 2.97. Six months ago it was 4.+. Yeah!!

Fall Leaves!!

I love the fall leaves!! I'm glad my little girls do to. Their big sister Peach took them out this weekend and they made big piles of the fallen leaves. Actually, most of the trees in the area haven't even turned yet. I love the time of year when everything is in color. The mountains are all in fall colors, and it is beautiful to go look at. Here in the valley, they are just beginning. It actually snowed this weekend, so the cold snap should bring the color out. When I was a child and lived in New England, we have marvelous falls. We had a lot of trees in our yard and I remember raking and raking leaves. We would have piles so big, and it was the best fun to run and jump into them. We stuffed scarecrows, and had bags and bags of leaves for the trash. I loved the maple leaves. They were the most colorful of all. Those memories of playing in the fall leaves are some of my best. It is a wonderful time of the year. I love the pumpkins out and the crispness in the air. There was a place in Massachusetts that we went to called Atkins. The place was big like a barn. To a child it was huge. It smelled like apples and pumpkin pie and maple syrup. There was a huge vat and they would actually make their own maple syrup from the maple trees in the area. I thought it was incredible and wonderful. I loved going there. It was one of my favorite places to go. We usually would get a small piece of maple sugar candy as we left, usually in the shape of a leaf. That was our treat. I remember the smells vividly even though I haven't been there in 30 years. We may not have an Atkins market, but we do have corn mazes, apple groves, pumpkins and plenty of fall leaves. I'm glad of that. When we lived in Texas, the leaves didn't really change color. Fall was missing. I hated that. Fall is my favorite time of the year. I'm glad it is finally here, and I'm doubly glad my girls can enjoy it like I always did. Bring on the leaves!

I'll skip 4

Punkin has been having an adjustment to her big sister Boo going to kindergarten. She misses her during the day and tells her so when Boo gets off the bus in the afternoon. Punkin even walks around with her backpack and talks about when she is going to get to go to school too. I told her she has to be five before she can go to school. She asked if that was her next birthday. I said, next summer, you'll turn four. Then you have to wait another whole year before you turn five. She thought for a moment and in all seriousness said, "I'll just skip four, okay mommy?"

Thursday Thirteen 10/2

Cat Lady's Thursday Thirteen

I decided to do thirteen things I'd rather be doing than going to school today. I have a midterm in Economic History, and I'm seriously struggling with studying for it. There are at least 100 things I'd rather be doing.


1. Sleeping. Does anyone get enough sleep?

2. Shopping. I need a new black dress. I could spend all day looking for one

3. Reading. I have three new books that are calling me and they are all more interesting than Economic Historty from 1600 - present.

4. Playing outside with my kids. I love this weather!!! I could play outside all day

5. Re-arrange my living room. I'm not really into rearranging, but it is getting old. I need to move the couch and the chairs and, well, just re-arrange everything

6. Go for a drive. The leaves are changing in the mountains and it is so beautiful.

7. Have lunch with my honey. He's at work, but I could go have lunch with him!!

8. Clean my room. Trust me... this is far better than Economic History

9. Go to the zoo with my daughter's kindergarten class. This should be number 1. If I had the day off, I would SO go with them to the zoo. How fun would that be!!

10. Scrapbook. I love it, and never have the time to do it anymore.

11. Make Boo some pj pants. I bought the cutest High School Musical fabric to make her some pj pants, I just have to find the time.

12. Practice the music for choir. We sing in a week and a half and I really need to practice.

13. Play on the internet... which is sort of what I'm doing. LOL I really need to get off my butt and get to class.

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I need a real fairy godmother

Punkin has a stuffed dog that she loves more than life, I think. She takes it everywhere, and can't sleep without it. Her "rufus" is her favorite thing ever. She even takes it into the bathroom with her. I hate to think of what would happen if we ever lost it. Actually... one day we did sort of lose it. We couldn't find it and she called me at work crying because Rufus ran away. She was so distraught. I tried to console him over the phone, but she could not be comforted. When I got home we looked and looked. Finally, Rufus was found in the drawer with the craft stuff. Apparently, she put him in there when she took some coloring books out. She was so delighted to see him again. Several weeks later she told me (in all seriousness) "Mom, I need a real fairy godmother." I replied that I did too. She said "No, mom. I really need a real fairy godmother. I need Rufus to be made into a real dog because he just loves me SO much." It was so sweet. I really hope Rufus stays around for a long time because I don't think Punkin is going to be ready to part with him anytime soon. And... if anyone has ever read the Velveteen Rabbit... I think Rufus will definitely be a real dog one day.

Kindergarten

Boo started kindergarten on the 5th. To say she loves it is an understatment. Every day she comes home so excited. She gets homework once a week, and she is disappointed that there isn't more to do. I love that she is so excited. She is starting to read words on billboards, at the grocery store, and in magazines around the house. It is so wonderful to watch her excitement over learning. Her teacher is really good with the kids. I think it would take a lot of patience to teach kindergarten. I hope the love of learning lasts a good long time... hopefully forever. I'm in school myself, and I still love it. I love learning new things. There are so many interesting subjects in the world. I hope all my kids can enjoy school as much as they do in kindergarten!

Stranger Danger

There was an Amber alert in our city today for a missing 7 year old girl. She was a cute little girl with long dark hair and big dark eyes. I ached for the little girl and I ached for the family. I thought of my own daughters and how I would feel if anything ever happened to one of them. It would be unbearable.

When I got home from school, I asked Boo what she would do if a man came up to her when she was playing outside and asked if she would help him find his lost puppy. He may even have a picture of his cute little puppy and he may even be crying because he was so sad he lost his puppy, I told her. What would you do? Her answer is every mother's fear. "I would help him find his puppy because it would be really sad, and I wouldn't want him to be sad or his puppy to be lost." She has seen the video "Too Smart for Strangers". I know we've talked about not talking to strangers, and running away if someone tries to get you to come with them, but somehow the big message was missed. So... we talked again. Next week I'm going to have the same conversation. And the week after that. And I'm going to talk with Punkin, and as soon as I think she knows what I'm saying, I'll talk with Little Cat, too. I'm going to keep talking. I'm going to make sure they know.

At the same time, I want them to be compassionate, caring daughters with empathy and concern for others. It is hard for a five year old to draw a line between helping someone who really needs it and not helping someone because they are only asking so that they can hurt you. I have tried to explain that helping her friends when they are outside is okay... or helping someone when mom or dad says its okay... is okay. I hope she understands.

I never want to know the heartache and dispair of knowing that your child is gone. I hope they find this missing little girl. I hope she is okay and I hope her father will get to hold her again soon.