Holy Snow

I grew up 10 miles from here and remember very few Christmas's that were white. But since we've been back we have them almost every year. 

We had a White Christmas.  Callie really wanted to go on a snow walk. It wasn't icy so we walked to the park. 

I very much enjoyed having my youngest three home.  We had a good time.

Scott played a few songs. I played sleigh bells.

We shared re some good food and they all helped clean up. 

And played games, did puzzles and watched Christmas movies.

Don't ask.

I loved having them here. They lifted my spirits and made me laugh.

The highlight of the holiday was rreceiving a package from the bookstore of Kansas University.  It had a couple of items. It was Todd's way of informing us that they had hired him. 

My reaction was joy. It is so lunch closer. Tears of relief. The best present this year. 

Stress

A couple of years ago, our school district decided to end the semester at Christmas vacation.  It ment that we start earlier and that all testing and report cards are due the last day before the break. The week before the break has always been stressful with crazy, excited kids, Santa letters, and parent gifts.  When this day is over, it takes a day to decompress. 

The kids are with their parents now and so am I.  We are visiting Yuba City. This is probably the last time we will 

Stay in this house. My parents are getting ready to move in with my sister. 

When we moved here in 1977 I was a mess. I missed my friends and I missed Idaho. We stayed in a hotel and we looked for houses.  We found one in town and there was this one. I liked this house. It had my vote. 30 something years later, the neighborhood is still the same, but it is no longer in the country.  

I grew up here, left for my mission from here and brought my kids here to visit grandparents.  It is home. 

It is also in need of some work. I'm not sure which will fall apart first, my parents or this house. Cleaning it out is going to be a pain. The end of an Era.  A fresh start for someone else.  

Perspective

I've probably wrote about this before, but I was touched once again.

 We had a death of a High School's student in our district this week. There was a district wide fund raiser to help the family. I told my littles, who are only 5 and live in very humble circumstances, that some one was hurt and that their family needed money. They could wear a hat and bring a dollar for this family. 

I heard comments like, I only have 1 dollar. However the next day , all but 2 of them handed me a dollar. 

I couldn't help but think of thee 'widows mite'. There willingness to help another family touched my soul. 

There are good people out there.  You just have to find them. 

The Feast

We had Scott and Richie and Ashley with us for Thanksgiving. This is always a bad combination.  They don't bring anything to the table but a hungry stomach and they struggle to clean up. They did not disappoint. I don't mind cooking and I clean up as i go, but I expect everyone to clean up after dinner. Let's just say that it never ends well. 

I like to start with the rolls. 

I did fill this turkey with rolls eventually. 

I'm all about the stuffing. We tried dressing, but I love that mushy, turkey flavoed stuffing..

We used my Grandma's dishes this year. 

There was pleanty to eat and share..

I stopped for a picture of my Grandma's salad recipe in her dishes.

This is Scott's second plate full of food. 

And Mosby joined us for dinner. 

I'm not cooking next year. I appreciate the words of thanks and praise, but at the end of the meal, I need some physical help. 

I am grateful for the many Thanksgivings of my past with family, grandparents and cousins. And I do love turkey. 

Little Turkeys

We finished up a week at school with pie tasting and turkey hats. These little people are working hard. 

We have the week off. I had some ideas of getting out of town and visiting my parents over the weekend but I have a little cold and was reminded that we still live in a pandemic.

Then Todd, who has been traveling for job interviews, tested positive on his weekly Covid test. Problem: he was in Minnesota when he found out. He didn't have symptoms and wouldn't let me fly out there and drive him to North Carolina.  He drove himself home. The family is getting tested tomorrow.  It was a little stressful. 

I am getting my booster shoot tomorrow.  This is crazy. 

As for Wes, he did go to work and did over do it and spend a day at home. He was telling the kids he was great and I was sending them pictures.  

He has been easier to work with and I am hoping that he will be able to drive after he sees the doctor this week. 

I am still posting gratitude on Facebook 

A great grandmother who shares my love of quilting 

Colors

People who post beautiful pictures on Facebook 

Primary songs

I like to dig/ponder for new ideas.

Happy Thanksgiving 

Rough Week

Things were going okay. 

Because of Covid, all I had to do was drop him off at the door of the hospital.  For the record, I prayed for the nurses. I know that he is difficult.  Seven hours later, they called and I went to get him. 

Holy Moly!  I should have prayed for me.

He wouldn't lay down, wouldn't sit down, wouldn't let me help. He ate a sleeve of Ritz crackers instead of dinner.  I was like, okay, you don't want help, I can do that. Watching him do everything himself has been painful to watch, but that's the way he wanted it. I have lived with 5 three year olds. Brought back memories.   I went to work. But then Saturday came. I spent the day downstairs. Laundry, TV and then a quick trip to the quilt store.

I asked him how he was getting to work tomorrow.  I was not ready for his answer. I am taking him to work. Maybe until Christmas because he can't move his arm to put it in gear. Wait a minute. I'm not a morning person - to put it mildly.  I have a routine. It works. Hauling him to school fo 6 weeks is not on my agenda. But apparently the only thing he needs help with is a ride to school?  Good golly, we'll see how this works.

I heard him talk to the home health nurse. It explained multitudes of unanswered questions that I have had. You know like How did the Doctor not know you needed a skin cancer area removed? Or How did your shoulder get so bad and none ever said anything?  Well, he told the nurse he was fine, had no pain and felt great. All I'm saying is answering questions honestly and being in touch with your feelings might be helpful when talking to medical personnel. 

Last. He is going to work tomorrow.  He went to work to soon after Covid and he was cranky. I'm not talking snappy. I'm talking mean. So from that experience, I'm thinking the same behavior may repeat itself.  Because he is going back too soon. 

Should be fun. 

November

It's hard to believe that November is here. It's a good time of year. The kids st school are in a groove, the weather is about perfect, warm afternoons and cold mornings, and I can look forward to the holidays. 

Wes is having a shoulder replacement this week. It is almost funny to hear him talk about it. 

Him: Do you thing I shouldn't go to work the next day because I will be hopped up on pain meds?

Me: I hope so.

Him: Do you think it will hurt? 

Me: A lot.

Should be interesting. It should also keep us home for a few weeks. 

We do have a new grand daughter. 

Klara Lee. Todd and Katelyn's 3rd daughter. She was born on a full moon so I will always call her Luna Bella.  She is North Carolina and we hope to see her in January.  

Life is Good. I am grateful for the beautiful world that we live in. I am doing the social media grateful thing on Facebook this year. 

So far I have been grateful for Montana, Fall colors, my sweet class, and oceans. 

Oh Canada

Two years, four months and 2 weeks and I week later. I found my little family

People always ask me what Canada looks like. Well, it looks like Idaho without the sagebrush. It is cold and Calgary is a really big city. 

What I really want to see in in Canada is these little faces. They have grown and matured, but we were happy to see each other.

Autumn

I promised myself that I would not fall in love with the Fall colors this year. What comes next is a cold and long Winter.  But the yellows of the trees have won. I love the season of change. 

I love pumpkins. The orange is warm and happy. Watching my students help each other carve this pumpkin and then exclaim, Let's put a fire in it, made my heart happy. 

I am also thankful for the end of season summer flowers.