12 days of Anderson Christmas

12 presents still to wrap

11 Christmas cards to write

10 pounds of Prime rib

9 lights to hang

8 carrots for the reindeer

7 phone calls waiting

6 ornaments to hang

5 cookies baking

4 wreaths to decorate

3 fights to have

2 presents still missing

1Merry Christmas to all.

home from college

I wish

I know many women this problem.



I wish instead of telling me to go buy what I want for Christmas, I wish the men in my family would think about me. What they know about me, My likes and dislikes. What drives me. More than anything I would love them to put some time into my presents, just like I do them. I wish they would stop and thinkg about what i like, my dislikes, my fibro limitations, things i have expressed an interest in trying - and no I don't mean a tatoo. I mean painting with acrylics, quilting, Kumihimo. The hints I keep dropping to get Bill Engvall tickets for January. Even point blank sais I wanted those. I even sent my oldest the instructions down to the dimension to have my former FIL make me a Kumi stand. But it never got done. I don't have an particular projects for knitting right now but a gift certificate would be nice. I love to read - they all know what i like go get me some books. I have Fibro so some massages would be good, I have hair, so a GC to the salon wouldn't be out of line. Things that pamper me. I want a hippo for christmas and i think Drew has that covered. Scott was kind enough to have me make a list of what I needed in the way of small trinkets that I could use for knitting. So I know my stocking is covered.


I don't expect them to go buy me the moon but it would be nice. If they would look at Chrimstas' past they should have some clue. I keep saying maybe a sewing machine so I can quilt again but I have one in my MIL basement and I am sure she wold love to get it out of there and I wold love to have it. He says that he doesn't do anything because I can go buy what I want when I want so there is nothing I need that I can't go get for myself. What I want for myself is my husband and my eldest son to listen to me through out the year, talk to each other and get a plan and enact it. the only present under the tree right now for me is the yarn and pattern to make a felted carpet bag, I had given him the name of a knitting book I wanted. I had to buy it myself becasue he didn't make it there in any reasonable time frame and they were almsot sold out AGAIN. But it isn't even wrapped. It is sitting on his desk. I try and find things that we will have fun with Christmas morning and ahve memories about in years to come. Like last year when all 3 got matchign Jack Skellington Pajamas. They were a great hit. I looked this year for matching hippo slippers but struck out because I didn't want to pay 25.00 a pair. I was informed that last year it wasn't Christmas because "Santa" dropped the ball and didn't get lifesaver books. It was duly noted and Santa has them on his list this year.


What frustrates me is that I spend hours shopping online and instores for things I know everyone wants. I do enjoy it but sometimes I wish someone would return the favor My office looks like Santa is it to store presents that won't fit in his sleigh for this leg of the trip. But if you looked under the tree you'd think I was on Santa's naughty list.



Now don't cut Scott slack on this one. He is up and well. In fact on monday he went to Oakland for a meeting. He goes to the doc today to get released to go back to work on Monday. And if they don't release him, they will have to commit me.

MAybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea.

No good deed.....

My dad always told me no good deed goes unpunished.

When I enrolled Drew in school I met the PTA president. Very nice lady. She asked if I would volunteer on the PTA. Sure I said what do you need. She asked if I could head up Holiday wrapping paper sales. Sure I say. Sally Foster takes care of most of the details. I just have to get the forms out, collect them, count the money - with a partner and hand out the paper which has already been sorted by child, grade and teacher. simple.

Nothing in life is simple. We had an order deadlilne. Most orders made it. We thought we had them all. After everything was picked up by Sally Foster i walked into the office and found another stack of about 20-30 orders. I gather them, do my thing, get them turned in. Then Sally Foster lets me know these will come as a seperate order soemtime before Christmas. It is of course to late to cancel the order. So I call ALL the people on the list to tell them they will be delayed. Most are very nice. Some don't listen to their messages and show up on orginal delivery day. I explain that there are orders we are holding on and they will be in before Christmas. Most again are very nice. But there is always one. She was mad that her order didn't make the first cut. She spent 10 minutes at pick up complaining about how I did things. Not sure if teacher didn't get it in or what - (coincedently this parents sisters order is also on the next delivery) I told the parent that there was nothing I could do but I would call Monday - today and see what I could find out. I told her when I had an answer I would let her know. So she shows up today at paper handouts wanting to know where her stuff is. I told her I didn't have an answer yet. 830 tonight my phone rings. I was reading to drew so it went to my cell voice mail. it was her wanting to know if I knew anything because she needs it by Monday. Her and everyother person on my list (you know the patient ones). I left her a message telling her once again I didn't have an answer, that I had emailed the rep as well as called her. and as soon as I had an answer I would be calling her as well as the other parents who are waiting on orders.

Sorry it is a vent night. So my thought? She doesn't like how it is done she should do it next year. but I am sure she will use the excuse that she is a working mom and can't simply be bothered by such as this.

Going to bed now to dream about
Faith trust and pixie dust.

Adoption Quiz. Do you see anything WRONG with this post?

Shall we count the ways?


Still available1/2 Anglo, 1/2 unknown race
due 2-16-09fetus appears to be a boy presented 11-25-08
Mother wants a married couple or single woman
Heterosexual only agency adoption
$4800 AdoptLink +
$25,000 estimated including finalization if baby is mixed race
$39,000 estimated including finalization if baby is Anglo.

Unfortunately this is the way it is in the adoption world.

I stole this from my friend Lori's blog. This is an actual post from a facilitators list of potential babies. If you see anything wrong with this ad let me know. If you don't I am truly sorry for you.

The question finally came....

We have always told Drew that he was adopted and that he grew in my heart not my tummy. Earlier today I found out one of his friends has a new baby brother as of this morning so tonight he brought up how he came to be.

He asked if someone cut me open and moved him from my heart to my tummy and he came out that way. (pretty ingenious for 6) I said no. Well then how did I get out of your heart he asked. Taking a deep breath and looking at Scott, I explained that he grew in my heart but in someone else's tummy. WHAT I HAVE MORE PARENTS?!?!? he asked. I said that we were his parents and that someone else gave him to us to be his parents because she couldn't be his mommy. He asked what she looked like. We told him what we remembered. He asked if she was flexible because he is. I told him I didn't know. He asked her name. I told him Angel. He asked if I loved her. I said I was grateful for the gift she gave me. Scott started to go into more detail but I stopped him. I wasn't sure what Drew wanted to know exactly - kind of like when a kid asks where babies come from. Plus I wanted to see how Drew was digesting this news. Drew said He didn't want to talk about it anymore because it was just too wierd. So we let it drop.

I am sure there will be many more discussions on this topic as he gets older. But at least the dialoge is out there and we will be as open as we can with Drew as long as it is age appropriate. There are some things he will not know for a long time- maybe ever.

blogblock

During the day I think of things to write about and share with my few but loyal readers. Then it comes time to sit and type something and I get blogblock. then I end up rambling about nothing of any importance. Silly trivial things that no one probably cares about but me.


guess what is happening right now?!?!?! Blog Block. Check back tomorrow.

Maybe I will make a list of topics or feel free to suggest something. I need all the help i can get.

Another blog

Several years ago we got into some financial problems. It was a matter of being irresponsible. I found this great site creditboards.com and I learned how to turn it around and improve our credit. There are very knowledgeable people on the site who support and guide people on how not to let collection people bully/scare you into paying what you shouldn't have to. Credit Boards are nationally recognized and have been written about in many magazines including US News, Time etc. I learned about the Fair Debt Collection Act as well as the Fair Credit Reporting Act. These are important thing for you to know about even if you dont' have credit problems. It is a matter of having the knowledge and being an informed consumer. using the info I learned, I found how collection agencies use tactics that are illegal to bully people in to paying what they don't owe. I also learned how to make the laws work for me.

We got out of debt and improved our credit scores. Then came 2 moves in 2 years, a house that wouldn't sell etc. We lived off our credit cards. Recently, Pam, the site owner asked for people who had gotten their act together and then had fallen back on hard times and were working to get back on the right track to contact her about writing a blog. I contacted her. I got an email today asking if I would write a blog on the Creditboard site - for all the world to see. I don't know how many blogs there are but check it out. With the down turn in the economy many people are not alone in scrambling to get out of debt and clean up their credit reports.

So come on over, read my story, read other stories, learn a thing or two about credit in this economy and how to protect yourself. If you are in a financial mess come read the stories of those digging out and how to help yourself. It saved us the first time and I am using what I learned several years ago again along with new tactics to help us this time around.

World according to Drew part 2

I really don't have much to say right now. So I thought I would bore you with more of Drew's pictures. Like I said I was amazed at his view. It made me realize so much about what kids see and absorb in the world. I am seeing an artistic streak start to emerge in him. I want to foster that - something I am not good at. I remember teachers yelling at me for coloring outside the lines in kindergarten. I want Drew to think outside the box and not be stifled creativly. I have an ace in the hole to help him. His preschool teacher from the Art Center is a dear dear friend of mine and she helps me by making sure (and giving me ideas) he gets what he needs to further his artistic side. He actually took a series of pictures of his lego people having an action battle on my plant. he would pose them take the picture, move them, take another pic, move them again etc. Like he was making a mini movie. Maybe I need to get the movie camera out for him. I may have a budding speilburg on my hands.

World According to Drew

A few weeks ago. Drew "borrowed" my camera. Here are just a few of the pics he took. It was interesting to see the world from his point of view.

Thankful for part 2

This is a weird year. Scott Drew and I are in California (and today it feels and looks like Kansas). Our family is in Kansas and according to them it is cold but the sun is shining. It is just the three of us. If we were home we would be rushing between Kansas City for an early dinner and then back to Topeka for a late one. What are we doing? I am on the computer. The turkey is in the oven. Scott is playing Xbox and Drew is watching cartoons. I have been perusing sales on line in between getting enough food for an army ready for the 3 of us.

I think back to holidays past at my Dad's cousin Kay's house. The hustle and bustle. ALL the relatives. The insane amount of food. As time as passed our giant family times at the farm have faded away as have the amount of family still with us. Thanks to all of them for instilling a sense of family in me that in the future I hope to pass on. I look forward to future years when we will all be together under one roof to share the feast of giving thanks for all that we have.

I am thankful for a husband who provides so I can stay home with Drew and provide a stable routine for him. I am thankful for my oldest son, the one I have been to hell and back with before Scott came into our lives. I am thankful for Drew,who helps me to stop and remember it is the small things in life that truly count. I am thankful for my sister, who gives me the reality check I need sometimes. I am thankful for the love and support of my dad. I am thankful for Andrea loving my dad. I am thankful for Steve for loving my sister. I am thankful for Mary Lou for raising such a wonderful son, who has turned out to be my best friend.

I am thankful for friends who are always there. I am thankful for everyone who gives of their time and talents in all areas. I am thankful to the men and women who are in harms way to keep us safe so we can share this time with our families. I am thankful for their families who sacrifice so I can be safe.

I am thankful I can help my youngest son understand the meaning of giving by donating to organizations to help those less fortunate. I am thankful for the teachers who gave me knowledge, courage, passion and a sense of who I am today.

This one may sound funny. I am thankful for the technology that has allowed me to contact old friends. It is nice to have them back in my life.

may you have a day filled with all the Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust the world has to offer.

C

What do I have to be thankful for?

Some times I forget to stop and think about what I am truly thankful. I have a roof over my head, food in my stomach, good friends and family. We have our health and are happy. I have lots to be thankful for but here 3 of my main reasons to be thankful everyday.

Scott finally gave up - or I won depending on whose view you take.

When Scott and I first got married he didn't understand my love of Christmas. He has gotten better about going along. He has steadfastly refused to allow anything to go up before the Friday after Thanksgiving but this year....

I have been itching for a bit of Christmas cheer. I teased my friend Sarah (check out Dukes of Lawrence blog) that she had her tree up. Then my friend Anna who owns my fave yarn shop here in Sacramento told me here tree was up. I posed the question WHY?!?!?! to both women and Sarah said "because Christmas lives in her heart year round and there is no reason not to celebrate as long as possible" Anna was a little more down to earth in her response of "it just seems silly to go to all that work just to take it down in 3 weeks." They are both right. So today....

I got the mantle decorated. It is the first time I had a mantle to hand our Christmas stocking on. Pictures will be posted soon. I have the Christmas boxes out and have been sorting thru them. WOW I have lots of stuff. I know I am missing some boxes that are at Mary Lou's. Drew has been checking out the new Advent calendar. He is ready for the countdown to begin.

Part of me wanted to wait till Phil got here December 12. But I realized that was not fair to Drew. He needs the traditions carried on. Phil had his years and now it is Drew's turn. Phil is thankful not to be here this year for the decorating and is happy to pass on the responsibility to Drew. So this year Phil will not get the joy of putting it all but but he will get the task of taking it all down.

Hey you win some, you lose some. Sorry boys.

conformity or Puff the Magic Dragon needs to live

Well today was volunteer day. Chaos reigned. I actually got kind of ticked at the morning teacher. One thing I love about kids is how they think out side the box. This teacher seems to believe in kindergarten conformity. She told all the kids that their turkeys must be brown with red gobbles. There were to be no purple turkeys because that is not how turkeys look. Hello!?!?!!? Who says there are no purple turkeys - maybe they havne't been seen yet. She also took the feathers off of one little girls turkey because she put them on the bottom of the bird and not on the sides. Turkeys have feathers all over not just on the sides. I was really upset that this teacher had the gall to take a childs special creation which she was proud of and turn it into something that was not an expression of the childs own creativity. Kids have lots of time to conform to the norms that are enforced on them. I for one want to be a purple cow.

I introduced Drew to the world of Puff the Magic Dragon today. It has quickly become a fave song. I think that is my rebellion against the kindergarten teacher who believes in only brown turkeys. Life is too much like Puff these days and Puff is abandoned way to early in my opinion.

These are the special papers that parents like to keep. They show how a child thought outside the box. If every one believed that all turkeys were brown the world would have been robbed of the likes of Andy Warhol, Bach, Picasso, Maya Angelou, Einstein etc. And what a blah world that would be.

Knocked for a loop.

I woke up yesterday with a killer headache. I haven't had anything like this in ages. I was pissed because it felt like a hangover and I don't remember having any fun the night before.

I thought it would pass. Wrong. I had to take 3 doses of migraine medicine as well as Ativan before it would begin to subside. It was one of those headaches where your eyes can't focus and all you want is quiet, dark and cold.

I am at least upright today. I am still having lingering flashes of pain. I plan to take it easy for one more day.

Scott saw the surgeon Friday. He is still limited to 20 hours a week. They are hoping he can go back full time after he sees the doc again on December 12. He sees the new surgeon on Wed and he is hoping they go ahead and schedule the second surgery sooner rather than later. But we shall see. I kind of do too. Esp since we have met all deductibles for the year.

Pandemonium

I spend every Thursday afternoon volunteering in Drew's kindergarten classroom. I have a good time. I get to know his friends and see how amazing Drew is. He is kind, caring, smart. I love to watch him take it all in. I get to be a part of his school time with out him feeling like I am intruding. I know those days will come all to soon.

Today, however, I came to the very real conclusion that I was not meant to be a kindergarten teacher. In the Sacramento school district, they do parent teacher conferences very different than anything I have witnessed before. The kids get half days for 8 days. Teachers hold 3-4 conferences a day and don't have to work late. This is good for the teachers and full day students, as well as morning Kindergarten students. For the afternoon kindergarten kids it is a nightmare. They are used to sleeping in a little, not having a rushed morning, getting to eat breakfast, watch TV - get ready at their leisure. Not during minimum days. The afternoon kindergarten kids have to go in the AM so in Drew's classroom there are 40+ kids from 8-11:30. It is that way in the other kindergarten class as well. It is controlled chaos.

I did my volunteer time this morning. The kids were split into groups of 5-7 kids and they visited "centers" each center had an activity. at one station they were cutting pilgrim hats for their pilgrim faces. At another they were doing language arts worksheets. One station was magnadoodle and one was geosquares. I had the math worksheet. It was my job to help these kids in small groups work on ordinal numbers. We were working on 6th thru 10th. This was not on my kindergarten cirriculum. I don't even think it was taught in 1st grade. Ever try to keep the attention of 5-7 kids to do a work sheet when all around them there are 35 ohter kids talking and playing? It was not pretty. I was able to think on my feet and get their attention but keeping it was another matter. We managed.

It was obvious the kids, both morning and afternoon, were out of their element. I had several tell me they didn't like all the noise. It was a distraction to them. No one could hear anything, let alone learn anything in that environment. Everyone was definitely ready for recess and snack.

I don't know how the teachers do it. In some ways I think it is very unfair to them as well as the students. It would be better if they rotated the kindergarten every other day. Or have the teachers do all the conferences in a day and a half. and be done with it.

I guess the teachers have a better union than the kids.

A mother knows or right decision or give them wings.

When Phil called to tell me he wanted to come out here I was excited but hesitant. I had a feeling he was making a rash decsion based on some feelings of being scared and lonely. Everytime we talked, there he never seemed sure about his decision. I kept telling him it was his decision to make. He was an adult and I couldn't make it for him. I knew this was hard on him. On one hand he had a dream to be in the medical field - on the other hand he didn't want to leave all he knew for the unknown. (good thing he didn't have to come to America from a foreign country in the early 1900's or go west in the 1800's)

I have held my excitement in check pretty well.

Today I knew why. He called this morning and we had a fight. the next thing I knew he was saying he wasn't sure he wanted to move. I felt he was using the fight as an excuse to change his mind. I finally let it drop and told him once again this was for him to figure out. i could advise but not make the final decision for him.

He told me tonight that his Aunt Amie surprised him today. He figured she would be totally against him moving here. But she was able to give him some insight from the Greek point of view. It made him realize several things. Things he needed to change about himself and about his situation.

Then, he had a talk with his friend Cody. He admitted to Cody the real reason he was moving to CA. Cody made a little pact with him. He has told Phil, if that the reason he was coming out here was because of wanting to get a fresh start to go to med school ,he would make it his mission to ensure that Phil did what he needed to do at Washburn to get it done. (Cody - we will talk someday - you robbed me of my live in babysitter)

I knew deep down that if the decsion was that hard for Phil to make, coming out here was NOT the right decision. Tonight Phil and I had a heart to heart. I told him that I knew him better than anyone- better than he knew himself. It is a mom thing. As hard as it was and with tears in my eyes, I gave Phil wings today. I told him he needed to stay in Topeka and get it done there. It would have been so easy to rescue him. To let him come here and take the easy way. but that is not what he needed. Amie knew that. I knew that but didn't want to admit it. I sometimes forget he is a man and I need step back more often and let him fly. If he falls that is when I need to open the nest door not before his wings expand. Otherwise he will know never know how high he can truly soar. Eagles will be beneath him if he is given the chance. Thanks to my sis for seeing his true potential

She gets an extra dose of Pixie Dust today. Thanks Amie.

C

The tickles.

I am trying to just make sure I write in here daily. Some days i have to search to think of something.

Since Scott has been sick I have taken over helping Drew with his homework. We have fun. He has this thing about being tickled. HE LOVES IT. So after each page or when he does something really well I tickle him. He loves it and for some reason it gets him to move on to the next thing. It also helps when he makes a mistake. Gets him over it pretty fast. It surprised me that there is homework for kindergarten. It is sent home on Monday and we send it back completed on Friday.

Scott made dinner tonight. it was really good.

Looking for money? you might check www.missingmoney.com It is a data base for all state databases of money that has not been claimed. I found 30.00 for Scott. It was from the overpayment of a hospital bill in 2000. Too bad they don't tack on interest.

still knitting

I am still knitting Christmas presents. I can't say what they are because some people read my blog. My shoulder still hurts but I couldn't get in to the doctor.

Phil is telling his fraternity brothers tonight of his upcoming departure. i know this is going to be very hard on him. I know he says he is coming but until he walks thru that front door with his bags I am holding my excitement in check. He could change his mind and decide to stay in Topeka and that would be OK too. It has to be what he wants to do. I just don't want him to live with regrets and what ifs - no matter what he decides.

My Santa bag from Pottery Barn Kids came today. I can't wait to put the Santa presents in it and leave it Christmas morning. Scott just shook his head. As frustrated as I get some times he is very indulgent with me. Scott is kind of happy that this means he won't be up late putting presents together. They can just go in the bag and put together Christmas AM. I have a feeling one or 2 will have to be put together for appearance sake.

well off to knit.

FTPD
C

Sunday

Scott came up and read to Drew tonight. I know Scott has missed being able to do that. And I know how much Drew missed his special Daddy time. Every day we see improvement. He starts back to work part time tomorrow.

I have 2 Christmas presents done. Lots to go but I have to figure out why my shoulder is hurting so much first. I am going to go to the doc tomorrow to see what the deal is.