Rambling....

I titled this "rambling", but since I haven't even started yet I have no idea where this train of thought will go. Jonathan woke up with an upset stomache this morning. He's seeming fine now and has had gatorade, sprite, and pretzels. We are now in the middle phase where we don't know if it is a sickness that the rest of us will get or what. No one wants to be around us today, and I'm good with that because if I hear someone in someone's family threw up I generally don't want to be around anyone in said family for about a week. If no one else gets it, my kids will be at AWANA tomorrow night. Madi and Jake have AWANA bucks to spend at AWANA store to buy Christmas presents. Since they don't have much in the way of real bucks
...and no other store takes AWANA bucks...we are all hoping they will be able to go. Madi gave me a present Sunday night for being her CCD teacher. Sadly this was after I made a shallow comment about always giving all of the kids' teachers gifts, and being a teacher this year and not getting any. It's not really that I was looking for gifts as much as sometimes it is nice to get a small token of appreciation. So anyway, Sunday night when Mike and I got home from a date (a local theatre Christmas Caberet)...in the middle of my bed was a beaded bracelet and a card from Madi...not only had she made the card and bracelet, she'd made the bed too:)! And just to clear up any further confusion about if I am materialistic and looking for gifts, the reason I hope the kids can get to AWANA store is because they enjoy picking out and giving gifts...not because I want them to get me something.

Well, it looks like I'm doing a good job rambling. I think all of the presents that we needed to mail have been mailed. Most of our Christmas cards have been mailed as well. Unfortunately I don't keep a good list of who I've sent cards to, so most years I think there are some people who just don't get one from us (and probably other people who get more than one). Speaking of Christmas cards...I LOVE Christmas cards!! Here are some rules I think everyone should follow...everyone should send a Christmas letter (if it costs too much send it electronically!), and if you have kids you MUST include a picture (again, electronically if necessary). Too many people don't follow these simple rules.

Speaking of not making good lists...I tend to make all of my lists in my head (it is greener that way). Keeping your brain active is supposed to ward off demensia (also sometimes brushing your teeth with your wrong hand and taking a shower in the dark--I do these things too). The problem is I think if you try to keep too much in your head, it starts to backfire. I'm pretty sure I'm at that point. I also think I might have blogged this already, but that's my brain for ya! Jonathan and Madi are supposed to be writing down all of their schoolwork, activities, etc... in these handy little journals that I got at the homeschool convention in May. About a week ago I realized Jonathan hadn't written in his since Oct 11. Then he tried to make up for it by just writing "schoolwork" in all of the days. I'm not a very good example for him as far as writing things down. What can I say we're works in progress.

Jonathan was the stage manager for a three night adult theatre show. Everytime I say adult theatre it sounds like something X-rated, but I just mean it was for a real adult show, not a kids' performance. It was a really good show too and the night I went everyone seemed to have the props they were supposed to, so I think he did a pretty good job. He even had to miss the cast party for Seussical for this, so it was very grown up and responsible of him. He also has a few paying jobs going on right now. He is taking pictures for a friend's painting business website. He often takes care of the dogs nextdoor. Plus there's the puppy sitting the kids are doing (they are getting very attached to this puppy!)

The puppy's name is Mickey and Mike and I keep singing, "Oh Mickey your so fine your so fine you blow my mind hey Mickey......"...the kids look at us like we're crazy and have no idea what we're talking about. And they're pretty familiar with a lot of "retro" songs. Interestingly enough they keep singing this song to the tune of American Pie that they found online..."my my this new Annikan guy maybe Vader someday later but he's just a small fry, he left his home and kissed his mommy goodbye, saying soon I'm gonna be a Jedi..." I bet you'll think of me later today when you can't get these songs out of your head! (Next to lists songs are the #2 thing that clogs my brain!)

I guess that's enough rambling for now.