Polar Express (and Baby update)

Received word that baby is doing ok. Lots of issues occured during the delivery, but it looks like things are moving forward. Phew! I cannot express the joy in typing that statement.

Now on to the fun of the weekend. Sunday, we drove Flimore, CA (just north of Valencia, then West).  To ride the train, which during the Holiday Season, the create into the Polar Express. We are read the story, have chocolate milk, cookies, and get to see Santa.  We had fun playing in the park and eating dinner with my in-laws before boarding. Upon departure our elves led us in carols with the aid of some of the children. My own Tori, Katie, and Drew helped with various songs. The children were given a sleigh bell after the book was read to us.We saw the Hobo outside the windows about 1/2 way.  Then we started seeing ice bergs.. At this point I've moved Drew and I to the appropriate side of the train, we jingled his bell (we do believe) and started looking.. There he was.. and I cannot describe Drews' face, I was darn near in tears watching him. He and Santa made eye contact, and Drew just about broke his face smiling. We then received the news that Santa would be boarding the train!!! OMG, you'd have thought we'd given my boy a puppy AND a house of toys. Santa came in through the back, and Drew almost patiently waited for him. When it was finally his turn he nearly lept into his arms. Giggles and smiles were all we heard and saw. Santa was most pleased. Drew accepted his candy cane politely, Santa moved on to the next car, and we settled in to finish the ride. After we got back to the station we went to the end of the train for pictures and a visit. At that point Drew was just overwhelmed. All he could do was smile, giggle, and say Santa. It was priceless. Tori and Katie were also all giggles but were no bones about what they wanted from Santa for Christmas...and I score, I've already gotten them both what they asked for!!! :oD    Pictures were taken by aunts, uncles, and grandparents.. I'll post a few to our family web-page asap. 

The holiday season has come back to life for me...I'm so very excited for Christmas this year.

Happy thought/ prayer request

I've no idea who reads this, how many people, etc. but  it's more than 2 I'm guessing.. so here's the deal. My friend K had a baby girl Wednesday, baby was born past due date emergency c-section, she's not doing well. Please, say a prayer, offer a blessing, or just think positive thoughts for Baby M.  

I'll share my adventures of riding "the Polar Express" this evening.

Delayed Holiday Greetings

I'm hoping all who read had a very happy Thanksgiving. Mine was.  Wednesday night Hubby and I went with mom, dad, brother, his GF, and C. to the Fenians pre-thanksgiving show. It was fun!!! We danced.. ok, Bill danced with GF, alot... Bill doesn't dance, didn't dance? She's a keeper, she's fun!! I really look forward to getting to know her better...so far, she's very shy and seems almost outright afraid of me. <shrug> I'm the last person I'd think of as being "scary"... but unbeknownst to me, my opinion ranks high in my brother's world.. so that has a lot to do with it.

Thursday we had a lovely mid-morning breakfast, then loaded up to visit MIL and family for the big feast. I made my pasta salad, I wanted to try a new dish, given to my by a vegetarian friend, but I couldn't find any of the ingredients, so my standby had to do. It's veggie too, so it worked. I'm not veggie, but like to serve it at "mostly meat meals" on holidays.   After stuffing ourselves I napped through a football game, played cards with the cousins, played strawberry shortcake with Katie and Tori, kicked the ball with Drew, and then settled in to create wish lists for my children to give to the family.  Top 5 items per kid. It didn't take too long, and nothing was over 20 dollars, so I'm content.  We left around 8pm, got home tucked the bodies of the littles into their beds. Beth, Tim and I then began a movie marathon. Star Wars, we started with Episode 1, and have worked our way through. yesterday all we did was S.W. 4 episodes. We have Return of the Jedi to watch tonight.  I noticed last night, though, that both S.W. and Empire Strikes Back, are VHS and the sound is going out on our copies.. I'm sure ROJ is the same so I'll be looking to replace those soon.

Today I've read for school, done some light house work, and generally lazied about the house while getting SOME stuff done. Tomorrow after church we're going to Filmore to ride the Polar Express. Should be a blast.

Again, I wish you all the best this Thanksgiving weekend, and throughout the year.

TGIF

A good Friday and happy weekend to you. I wrote the paper for Thursday, Wednesday night after the Ducks game. The game was a blast, sadly our Duck's lost, but we still had fun. I did get to meet my brother's girlfriend. I like her. She's a little shy. Alot nervous about my approval, which seems odd to me, but also cool.  Overall, I told brother he could keep her, lol.

I have two more papers both due the 29th. then the last two papers, one of which is the final project for my writing class due 12/8, those are in place of finals. I'll have one final, also 12/8. and I'm DONE for the quarter!!! BIG sigh of relief.

In other news, I have an update on Victoria. My poor peanut. Tori has been struggling to read throughout school, she's now in 2nd grade with a 1st grade reading level. We kept trying to encourage reading and work with her, but it just wasn't helping. So Wednesday I took her for an eye exam, and explained to the Dr. some of the issues we're dealing with. Tori is getting reading glasses, as well as a referral for vision therapy screening. She has a visual convergence issue, no I don't really know what that means. What I can tell you is if you do the 'follow my finger' test on her, her eyes won't cross as you get closer to her nose.  AND when she gets close to an object instead of seeing 2 of them the one object goes 3D.  what this means for her schooling is she can't properly process from the board to a paper or even from book to paper.  She broke my heart when she told me she was relieved it was just her eyes not working properly and there was nothing wrong with her brain, she's not stupid. Poor girl, she's been trying so hard, but just can't see it properly. Why she didn't tell us I've no idea. Her reading glasses come Wednesday. They're cute. sort of a blue-green with glitter on the ear pieces, thin wire around the lenses. she goes for the formal Vision Therapy (VT) evaluation 11/30. Once they figure out what's up, they set up therapy sessions as needed to help her exercise the muscles, and teach her how to work around the problem(s) she has.

And finally, my big cool-mom moment for the month. I'm pulling Beth and C's eldest D. from school to go see Harry Potter this morning. I can't wait. I actually went out and let the air out D's front tire so they couldn't ride their bikes to school. hehe I'm such a dork. But, hey, it worked. :o)  Tickets are all purchased. My brother will be here around 10:30 towatch Drew for me, and collect the rest of the kids from school. What an uncle/brother!!!  I registered for next quarter. Now to finish this one, and rest.

that's it for now. Have a great weekend.

 

ramblings

The research prospectus is done. printed and stapled. phew, that was almost painful.  I've reached that point in the quarter when I wonder the <bleep> I was thinking, taking on trying to finish a degree with 4 busy children, etc.  My house is trashed, my brain is fried, and I want to run away for a long weekend with my hubby, the kids (with a sitter, for those romantic late night walks) and a couple of just for the fun of it reading books.  The reality is it's midnight, I've just finished the paper that's due tomorrow, I have another paper due Thursday, the book for that I've read not quite 1/2 of. I must write that paper tomorrow as I'm out of house Wednesday night (YES! and escape, and for fun, HOCKEY!! GO DUCKS!). ok, breathe.. I can do this.. just 3 weeks left.  YAY! JUST 3 weeks left!!!! Next quarter will be better and worse, better as I'm only taking 2 classes, worse as one of them is art history. While I'm sure it's going to be at least a little interesting, I do enjoy art. It's going to be tough, because I do not do the "slide show testing" well, and that's what this class is.  The exams are slide shows where you ID the artist and give a paragraph biography on him/her.

Then there's the good news, first and foremost, is that I, in fact, and in writing, have 3 classes remaining to graduate. 2 in winter, 1 in spring. I'm beyond excited.. even in the midst of overwhelmed.   Second, my brother has a girlfriend...my brother has a girlfriend?!!?!! this is so different, and cool!!! he WANTS me to meet her. She's our age (30-something), a trial lawyer (smart), and enjoys hanging out at the Harp (she's got Irish in her blood somewhere)... She and brother spent the weekend with my mom and dad at the house in Mexico.. Mom and dad both like her. Hopefully I'll get to meet her Wednesday evening, she's supposed to go to the game with us. :o)  and finally,  I gave blood today, it's my "do good deed" it's easy, costs nothing, and I can.  Well, apparently I have a lot over the last few years.. I was given my 3 gallon pin today.  3 gallons!!! that is ALOT of blood. I feel very good for doing this.

ok, I'm off to sleep!!!!

a little slump.

I'm in a little emotional slump.  My paper for tomorrow is done, so that's good. I've started the research for the paper due Thursday, so it's going well. I'll begin research for the big paper (due next Tuesday tomorrow at school)...  things are relatively good here.. I don't know.. I feel almost like I'm missing something.. I think it's more of someone, and more than one. 

While very blessed to have C. as a dear and close friend.. I don't have several girlfriends to do things with.. like girls' night out...the few friends I do have are either as busy as me, or  we live too far apart for those spur of the moment get togethers I love to do. 

I'm also seriously bummed out because Beth did not register for GS this year... we haven't heard word one from her leader, and cookie sales have already started.  That frustrates me, you'd think they'd want to keep girls in, and would at least give her a call or email to say what's up.  Tori's not in, but that's my doing... with the struggles in school, the added activity of GS would be too much. 

I'm also anxious about next quarter, my schedule changes and it's not a friendly change to our routine here.. then there's the added what AM I going to do when I graduate?!!?!!??  a real job... that's 9am-5pm  I'm not sure the mommy in me can handle that one!!! Tim is so excited to have me getting a "real income"  I hope I can handle the reality of it.

updates, and stuff..

I met with the Ass. Principal at Beth's school. I think things will be ok now.  At least he's aware of the problem and so Beth knows she can go to him for help safely, without having to explain things, which can take too much time.

School is going well for everyone but Tori. I'm requesting testing through the district. There's something not clicking with her in class. She can DO the work, she's just not.  Her reading is behind where I'd like it, but not so much so that she should be doing so poorly.. and most of that is due to not listening/following directions/daydreaming... ugh! 

Beth started solo ballet lessons this week. She had a good 30mins. workout/class. I am certain this is going to give her a boost in confidence in dance, which will be a great thing! She sure does love it!!!

In other family news, my friend C's boyfriend is soon to become her fiance which of course will lead to husband... yup, it's that serious!! I'm thrilled for all of them, he's a great guy and loves the kids and C. It's ALL good!!  My brother seems to have found a young woman for himself as well. And here I thought he'd be a confirmed bachelor forever. I can't start picking out the dress to wear to THAT wedding, but it's fun to see him with a special person in his life!  My special person should be home soon, so I'd better be off. We're having dinner with my parents (No kids) and then off to the Mist for Whooligan's night!!! (DANCING!!! I'm ready to dance myself silly!!)

Oh, quick 'fore I forget, I've been back at the gym for 2 weeks now, 3 days a week!! 90mins. each. 2 days weights and a water aerobics, 1day a 30-min. abs class then wateraerobics!! I will lose the baby fat.. I will lose the baby fat!!! :oD

C-ya!

"Grad check"

It is pretty much what it sounds like.. you check with your advisor that you've cleared all that needs be done to graduate. Adding classes I'm currently enrolled in, I have 4, yes only 4 classes left.  2 next quarter and 2 in spring... I've done it.. I've really really done it. I AM graduating in June!!!!!!!!! I have floated most of the day today!! I'm so excited!!!!!