Thanksgiving weekend

On Wednesday, we put up (most of) our Christmas decorations. Bryce and Sylas were over and helped us. It was funny to see the tree when Michelle, Ella, Bryce and Sylas were done. All of the decorations were in a circle around the middle third of the tree... right at their arm/eye level. No decorations were on the top third of the tree and only a few were on the bottom third.

We had a nice Thanksgiving Day. We went to Phil and Elaine's (my aunt and uncle.) Elaine made a delicious dinner. We played cards for awhile and the girls played happily with their dolls and toys. Then Alfredo joined us after work. That evening we went to Alfredo's aunt and uncle's Ana and Oswaldo and had another dinner. THe girls played happily with their cousins, Dayanara and Nayeli.

On Friday, I left to go shopping at 5 AM and returned home a little after 7. I am basically done with my Christmas shopping, except for Alfredo. He's always the hardest to buy for.

Yesterday, Alfredo watched the girls all day while I went to an all day scrap at Heartland Paper. It was from 10 AM to 10 PM. They serve lunch and dinner and have lots of prize drawings (I won twice... but sadly, I didn't get either of the two grand prizes... two different totes. One had $50 worth of products and the other had $100 worth of products.) I enjoyed talking to 3 women sitting next to me that came together. (I was alone, but that was okay.) The meals were yummy, the prizes were good, and I got a lot done. I am almost finished with my "Year in review album" which I have not kept up on this year. I also did a mini album with most of the wallet sized professional portraits we've had done of the girls. And I did 4 additional 12 x 12 pages as well. It was a lot of fun and I hope to do it again next time they have the all day crop (once every three months.)

Faith of children

I love this quote (I don't know who said it): Children are God's way of telling us that tomorrow is beautiful.

Sometimes I am so amazed and impressed by my children. Last night as Michelle said her prayers, she began to tell her Heavenly Father about her birds and how she first named them Shadow and Abby but then she decided to rename them because she didn't like their names. So she named them Annie and Max (after two of her friends.) She proceeded to talk to her Father in Heaven about her day. She sometimes says rote prayers, but she so often talks to Him as if He is her friend (which He is, but I'm impressed she realizes that at just 4 years of age). I'm impressed by how much she loves to pray, by her faith that her prayers will be answered and often by the things she says in her prayers.

Ella has a cold. She's not terribly sick but she has a yucky cough so I thought it would not be wise to take her to church, especially nursery, and get all of the other kids sick. Sweet Ella cried and said she wanted to go to church. She didn't want to stay home but wanted to be at church and go to sacrament meeting. Michelle cried too, and said couldn't her sister please come to church with us. I realize that a big part of this was that Ella didn't want to be left home. But my girls also really love church. That makes me feel like I'm doing something right and reminds me of what sweet spirits they have.

argh! our burgeoning artist

So I think we have a little Picasso on our hands. Ella loves to color, paint, or play with Playdough. (So does Michelle.) The problem is that Ella's masterpieces are not limited to paper or coloring books. Last night, as I was cleaning the kitchen after dinner, she went into my office/computer room. She somehow found a maker (I've really tried to hide all markers other than the COlor Wonder ones.) and colored with black permanent marker all over the computer screen (and on several photographs). I nearly had a heart attack when I saw it. We've only had this computer for about four months. I first tried wiping it off with a damp cloth. No luck. Somehow I got the idea to try using a cloth with a little bit of rubbing alcohol on it and fortunately, that took the marker right off.

Then today, Ella found a different red permanent marker and colored all over the wall. Both markers have been disposed of and I've done another trip through my house trying to hide all markers, highlighters and such. Aargh! Most of the marker came off the wall, but we'll have to repaint because despite trying several things, nothing removed it all. Unfortunately, I didn't think to take pictures of either event until after the mess was cleaned up so I don't have photographic evidence.

babies

I have several friends expecting right now. One college roommate (Mel) just had a baby a week ago, a little girl named Audrey. Another college rooommate (Cyndie) is expecting in December (having a boy). The young women's president in our ward (I'm the first counselor serving with her) is due in February (having a girl).

And here's something fun. Two of my friends that are due in December have decided not to find out what they are having. One of the special ed teachers at my school (Mindy) is due in just a few more weeks. We are having a shower for her at work today. Another teacher who worked at my school for the past four years, but now works at Glendale Middle School (Stephanie), is also due in December. There is a shower for her this weekend, but unfortunately I can't make it. She asked everyone to choose a favorite book and write a note in it for her baby. What a fun and neat idea! I think it's kind of exciting that they decided not to find out whether they were having a boy or girl... but I don't think I could do it!!! :)

reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic

Michelle seems to suddenly be taking off with her 3 R's (especially the first two.) She suddenly wants to spell out with magnetic letters and write tons of words, especially names of everyone she knows. Until just a few weeks ago, the only word she ever wanted to write was her name. But now she wants to write everything (and does a pretty good job as long as I spell each word letter by letter. There are still some letters that she can't really write but fewer each day it seems.)

She also suddenly wants me to wait at the end of each page I read and if there are only a few words on the page, she wants to spell each word. For example, "P - e - e -k - a -b - o - o
G-i - r - a - f -f -e." She gets almost every letter right (except if they use funny type print such as this a or this g. I still have a couple of third graders who don't recognize a or g if in this funny typesetting.) She is a cutie! (But it makes story time last much longer. Last night Ella got bored and curled up and fell asleep before the stories were over.)

mispronunciations

I don't think these really qualify to become part of the "Dictionary of Panameno-isms" but I still think they are such cute mispronunciations.

Michelle and Ella both call hamburgers "hanbrigers". Michelle will tell me, "Mommy, hand me that lib please" (Meaning: Hand me that lid.)

photos

Here are photos of the girls on Halloween. Also two pictures of Michelle "being the teacher." (See the last post.)

odds and ends

I get to join a book club. I'm excited. I'm in one in my ward that is really informal. It is an enrichment activity and usually there are only four of us there. We have a great time though. But this book club is a little more formal (meets monthly and rotates from house to house.) I'm excited because as everyone knows I love to read and I love to talk about what I'm reading and I read 1-3 books each week. So this should be fun.

I've already vented my frustrations to most of you about the voucher issue. I am so frustrated by the whole thing. My friend just heard yesterday that about $7 million has been spent (combined between the two sides-pro and con) advertising and sending out propaganda. I can't wait until the election. After talking to my dad this weekend about it, he said he wished I was speaking against vouchers and that he'd been planning to vote for them and I pretty much had convinced him to vote against them. I sat down to write out my thoughts because they keep circling in my head and I wrote 3 pages!! I guess I have some pretty strong opinions about the issue!

Halloween is over now, and I go back to work in just a couple more days. I had a great break but it is over too soon! :)

Today I helped out in Michelle's preschool class. It was fun to be able to see what she does in preschool and be able to be a parent volunteer and be on the "other side" for once. What I thought was especially cute was that her friend Bryce came over to play this afternoon after school. Michelle said let's play school and told Brycie, "Sit criss cross apple sauce and I will read you a story." So she proceeded to "read" him a story... holding just like a teacher would as he sat on the floor. Then she told him to be the calendar helper and Ella to be the line leader. Ella kind of floated in and out of the playing. But Brycie was so obedient and Michelle was just like a miniature teacher... Janene says they play this at her house all the time and Michelle is ALWAYS the teacher.