New Orleans Holiday

Thursday was the day to fly out of Kansas City, and make the arrival at New Orleans.  Bless Allison; she is a great little traveler.  She loves to travel.  She's a pretty good kid in general but I honestly believe that she is even better behaved when we travel.  She is amazing for a little kid.  

Her pink backpack is filled with 'little kid keep busy' items...for the most part she is allowed to pack pretty much whatever she wants to.  However, I did have to ix-nay the pink dress up fairy wings!  I told her they were just too big, and they were something that she could play with at home, but I didn't think they would really be appropriate. Plus they were just too big to pack.  Well, I made the mistake of saying this when I still had the empty suitcase.  She lays it on the bottom of the suitcase, looks at me, and says, "See, it fits!"

This photo I took when we had arrived in New Orleans and we had bussed over to the rental car pick up area at the airport.  We were waiting while dad was finishing up the paperwork.  Pink poodle made the trip with us.  It's small.

And then there was traffic.....getting back into the 'city driving' mode.  It does take a different level of patience.

Advent Calendar...in a box

I bought this box a couple of years ago on a clearance sale after Christmas while Bruce and I were on one of our travels.  I don't even remember where...    This was the first year that I had gotten it out.  There are 24 little drawers in which you can put little presents, one for each day of December until you get to Christmas morning.   And when I say little, I mean little...I hadn't really thought about it ahead of time too much, but when I was trying to think of things and buy things to put in each drawer, it's not easy to find something that small.  There are small chocolate Santas, gummi Xmas Tree Crabby Patties, little lip glosses, Christmas stampers, etc.  

Being the first year that we've done this, I wasn't sure how exactly to handle it.  Allison is 6 years old...and still learning patience and waiting etc.    I didn't want to put the day's present in the drawer that day, as it would be very easy to forget, etc.   So, I loaded all 24 days' worth of presents, and hoped for the best.   I wasn't sure if Allison would peek ahead of time, etc.

So, the first day that I showed her the box, we talked about the fact that there were presents in all of the drawers and she could open one  drawer a day and when she got to the 24th drawer then it would be Christmas.  I encouraged her NOT to peek ahead of time, because surprises are fun, and if she looked ahead of time, she would know what they were ahead of time, and the surprise would be gone.  

By, golly, she GOT IT!  It is day13 today and she has been faithful of opening her daily drawer first thing in the morning, and has not looked or peeked ahead!  I'm really proud of her.  She isn't even acting like she is tempted.  Not really planned, this is an excellent addition to the lesson in waiting and patience...:)

HO HO HO!!

I was worried we wouldn't get a visit in with Santa this year, and THAT would be a bad, bad thing....I had to go up to church this afternoon for Sunday School stuff, and that was the same time as when Santa was in his house today.  I suggested to Daddy that maybe he could take her to visit Santa...and he did! :)  He even took these pictures when I left the camera for him (after saying that he wasn't "qualified" for that...bum! :)

Good Shepherd Lutheran School Christmas Program

Let's see, what are the words to that one Christmas song?...."It's the most wonderful time of the year....."  How very, very true...especially when you get to watch a beautiful little girl participate in her school program.  

It is harder than heck to get a good picture in the high school auditorium with the lighting there...I don't have a good enough camera, I suppose, not to mention that I am sitting in the audience... Regardless, I like this picture...Allison looks so pretty.  She looked really pretty in her dress.  

 This is the kindergarten class this year.  This is going to be her classmates for the next 12 years I suppose.  I am going out on a limb and saying that this is the largest class that Good Shepherd has ever had.  Add to that fact that 12 of them are boys and only 3 girls.  It's a high energy group of kids...but oh, so cute!

Little Steps Tumbling Recital December 2010

Little Steps Tumbling Recital - December 2010

We have come to the conclusion of our third 'quarter session' of tumbling at Little Steps Dance and Gymnastics in Seneca.  Well, we have the last actual session tonight.  

Last Friday evening was the studio's fall recital over at Sabetha.  It's our third recital we've done, and after doing recitals with Denise here in Marysville for dance, I am still amazed at the night and day differences of how things are run.  In Marysville the recitals are organized, run smoothly, not chaotic at all.  These however are just nuts.  There are people getting up and down, walking in and out, kids running around, literally rolling down the aisle way; then there are the changing facilities...or lack thereof...the backstage area...there are clothes EVERYWHERE.   But we finished, and Allison did very well, and we are very proud of her.  

I am looking into possibly trying to get Allison into the tumbling program at Hanover. It's closer, a smidge less expensive, etc.   Allison is resistant, but I think that's mainly due to the unknown of the program.  We'll see what we can find out.   The new session of tumbling begins the end of January, so hopefully we can get something worked out. 

Yyyyyaaaaawwwwwnnnnnnn

Ok, so now we come to the true reason why waking up at 2:00 in the morning is not such a cool deal........I have to get up and function at the time the rest of the world feels is normal. What is normal really? Well, the fact that today is a day I have a little girl here dictates my normal, as was just proven by being laid on. :)

Sleep or not to sleep?

AAACK!  Someone help me!?!?!?!   I'm starting to get my days and nights mixed up.  It takes me back to the newborn days of Allison's life.   She was awake overnight.   For awhile now, I seem to be staying up later and later, or, as tonight and Monday night, I went to bed early enough, but then I wake up at 2:00 and I'm up for awhile.  I'm not one to necessarily go watch TV...that feels like not doing anything.  I feel that I need to "do" something.  I know that is the wrong way to think.  In fact, things I have read point to that being a huge part of the problem.  I try to do things that ultimately stimulate me instead of trying to relax myself in order to back to sleep.  Much easier said than done.  The main problem with this whole situation is the fact that come about 1:00 or so then I am EXHAUSTED and cannot keep my eyes open...:(    I know, I know, .... I am headed back to bed again, after I save and publish this post. 

Today Show and the Black Eyed Peas

My brother-in-law in Kansas City posted this video on Facebook last night.  I love it.  I love the Black Eyed Peas so that might have something to do with it.  I used to watch The Today Show when I was pregnant with Allison and first at home; I actually started watching Good Morning America now, but I still think the anchors over at Today are great.  This is a fun video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkMaIzAeK58&feature=player_embedded

Opening Weekend to Seasonal Events

Ever since Bruce and I have lived in our current home, we have gone to Pinecrest Tree Farm and purchased a lovely tall tree...usually around 8' tall or so.  The first year we lived here, we did not have the wood stove on the tiled platform, so that provided a perfect "stage" for the tree (I think it might've been taller than 8' even).  When we got the wood stove, the tree had to move.  It's in the corner of the living room in front of one of the windows, and next to the TV.  It fits there, and it is fine.  I would not mind at all being able to move the furniture around here, however.  We moved in 8 years ago, now that I think about it; it was December 2002.  We still have the furniture in the SAME place.  Bruce is NOT one for change, obviously, and he won't let me move stuff around, change things up a bit.  I'm kinda getting off the initial subject here, but I suppose that's okay, too. :)


Anyhoo....We got the real tree on Saturday afternoon, got it up, decorated, etc.  We also put an artificial tree up on the second floor, by Allison's bedroom.  It's an "old" artificial tree with a lot of sentimental ornaments on it.  I have a Garfield ornament dated 1983, which is the oldest one that I can verify.  There is flat wooden painted cat that I have to almost wonder if it is even older than that...the kind that I remember having that was kind of like a paint by number thing.  Pretty much all of the ornaments have some type of story or memory or sentiment to it...whether it be something a student gave me while I was teaching, a gift from someone, a reflection of an important time in my/our lives, a representation of something, etc.   I have become more and more fond of Christmas ornaments as I get older.  While not a fanatic by any means, I have really started to enjoy the Hallmark ornaments. I wish I could afford more of them or justify paying that much for more of them.  I get a couple each year, and maybe one from the previous year now that it is on clearance, but I can't justify much more than that.    Of course, we have lots that represent Allison's place in our lives....:)