Christmas Eve

It is Christmas Eve!  Yup, it has FINALLY arrived!!!!!  I am going to the 7 pm service at my old church (the one I grew up in) and then we head back to Kathy's parents house for the opening of presents.  Santa comes while we are at church!  I have my gift for Kathy's parents ready and waiting to go.

So far it has been a good day.  Kathy called to let me know what time things were happening and then Jose, Mom's friend called.   He is very sad.  His wife (and she was a witch) died a few months ago and he is very, very bitter about it.  He also misses my mom a lot too.  I do feel bad for him as this is the first Christmas without her.  I asked if he was going to church this evening because I know he and Dorothy used to go all the time.  He said no.  He is at the stage where he is angry with God.  I totally understand.  We didn't talk to much after that but that is okay.  Sometimes, I think he is transferring how he felt about my mother to me and it creeps me out.  That is partly why I don't talk to him very often.  I did talk to Donna.  I think she is a bit lonely since she won't be spending the holidays with her daughter's family.  I don't know.  I know she is homebound a lot now that she doesn't have a car.  She was in a bad accident last winter and has been without a car ever since.  I try to take her out every so often, but with my schedule and her schedule, it doesn't happen a lot.  I did see her last weekend after church on Sunday and it was pretty good.

I am anxious to see what Kathy's kids get for Christmas.  I love watching how excited they are about the presents.  The twins are 5 now and Jacob is 9 or 10 with Matthew at 13.  I love watching children open presents on Christmas Eve or Day.  I used to take a lot of pictures of Abby and William when they were small but I haven't seen them in 3 1/2 years.  I don't anticipate seeing them any time soon.  I don't know if Andrew has spoken to Richard lately or not, I haven't asked.  I do hope Andrew texts him Merry Christmas.  I don't also think Richard will call on Christmas to speak to me.  I actually don't expect him to ever speak to me again.  He is very angry with me and knowing him, he will hold a grudge for a very long time.  Today, I am okay with this, some days I am not, but today is okay.

I was thinking about Mom a lot these past few days.  It is days like this that I miss her the most especially the woman she became with Alzheimer's.  Mom was always excited about Christmas and Christmas Eve, but even more so when she became ill because she could remember Christmas from when she was a little girl.  Fortunately, she never really lost what Christmas was before she passed away.  I do think she would have had she lived last year to see the Christmas.  I really wish she had because I really wanted a last good Christmas for her but God decided she needed to go home before that.  You just can't really argue with God, I have tried and it doesn't work.  Anyways, she was still enough of herself at the last Christmas she had, in 2009.  We spent it in Windsor.  It was the first year in my life that I can remember we didn't go to church.  Even when we were with Richard or with someone else, Mom would find a church for us to attend.  She firmly believed that if you can't celebrate the real meaning of Christmas, then you can't celebrate the other side to it.  Jesus' birthday was first and foremost in her mind and I agree.  I only missed 2 in my whole life.  1 when I had my surgery and Mom and I had a little bit of home church after she came home from the service, and the other in 2009 when we were at Tillie's.  The reason I didn't take her to church that night is because she really couldn't handle sitting there.  She was just too sick.  I was glad thought that she didn't remember we didn't go to church so she wouldn't be upset.  It upset her when we missed church.  Mom always felt a week starts off right when you go to church on Sunday.  She (I do agree with her, my weeks are better when I start them off with church) just believed it set your week up well to go.  Mom really didn't like missing church at all.  So anyways, we spent the night at Tillie's.  We watched Star Wars on Christmas Eve.  Christmas Day we opened presents and then Andrew came to spend the day with us.  I am glad he did.  It had been years since we spent a Christmas with him and it was important to Mom that she see her baby.  (Andrew is the youngest and is proud to be the "baby" of the family)  She spoke to Richard and the kids on the phone, which made her smile and she was with Andrew.  Now Andrew was shocked at Mom's shape.  I tried to tell him, but unless you actually see her in motion, you don't get it.  It was the start of the downhill turn in the little lady's life.  I am glad he got to spend some time with her that day, and the days at my Uncle's house.  He really needed too.

I will see the little brother on Monday.  I am very excited about it.  I will also see my cousin, Jayson, and my Aunt and Uncle.

I do hope you are having a great Christmas!!!  Merry Christmas!!!!

Christmas Eve Eve

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve.  It is hard to believe that is so close.  It seemed like weeks and weeks away and suddenly, it has arrived!  Oh my!  I am somewhat ready.  I have gifts to wrap tomorrow but I am done shopping, not that I had much in the first place after my students!  I have received some really nice gifts from my students, some gift cards, a snow flake (one of those really big, homemade ones - made by Calli), an angel, and some ornaments.  I haven't used the gift cards yet, but I know I will!

A couple of friends of mine are in town for the Holiday, Kimberly and Anne.  I will see Kimberly on Tuesday for lunch at Olga's and I am not sure when I will get to see Anne.  I certainly hope so.  I can't wait to her all about life in the Big City, NYC.  She is doing rather well there.  She works for a publisher.  Kimberly lives in Florida and is a teacher.  She really likes it.  Kimberly has wanted to be a teacher since I met her.  I knew she would be a good one.  I just wish she lived closer but I know she really likes Florida.  Winter is not Kimberly's favorite season here in Michigan.

I get to see Kathy tomorrow and her family!  I can't wait!  It should be a good couple of days.  I also will see my uncle and aunt on Monday!  That will be great too.  Andrew will be there too.  I have a gift for him that is actually from mom.  It is rather strange to give someone a gift from a person who has passed away.  It is very strange.  I apparently told Andrew about it already so I can't surprise him.  I have one just like it only it has my name on it.  It is because our names were on them that I knew who they were for.  It is just like Mom to purchase them without me seeing them.  She had to have done it in 2006 or 2007 because she wouldn't have been able to purchase it in 2008 because she didn't have any money on her, I carried it all.

I keep looking at the Anne of Green Gable Christmas Treasury book on eBay.  I can't really afford it right now, but if it is still available in January, I will get it.  I had one, but it, as with so much other stuff, has gone.  I don't know exactly when, but it is gone.  I got when I went to Prince Edward Island many years ago.  I think we went the summer of 2000, yes that sounds about right.  I was working on my master's degree at that point.  Mom and I had a great time.  We went all over the 800 kilometer wide island from one end to the other.  We started in Summerside and went up north on the west side of the island before heading to the section they call Anne's Land.  This is where the story of Anne of Green Gables take place and where Lucy Maud Montgomery was born and lived.  It was fascinating.  We were in one house that became a museum.  It was run by Lucy Maud's grand nephew.  We were there for about 6 hours speaking with the man!  He gave us a tour and then we just started chatting and the stories he told about his great aunt was wonderful!  He was an elderly gentlemen.  We bought several books from him.  Mom bought them for me for Christmas that year as by the time we got to Anne's Land, I was flat broke.  I had spent all my money.  I am not really sure where all my money went, but went it did.  I love the books of Lucy Maud Montgomery especially the Anne of Green Gables books.  I like the book, The Blue Castle next and then the Emily books.  Mom liked Anne of Green Gables books too.  We have seen some of the movies, mostly the first one because the 2nd and 3rd are not like the books at all.  That is a drag but still, Megan Fellows is the best Anne Shirley I have ever seen including the one who was in the musical we saw in Charlottetown, PEI.  It was a wonderful show, let me tell you.  We had great seats.  We also went the next day to see the musical "Emily".  I hope to go back there some time.

Brooke and Brianne will not be having their lessons next week.  It is kind of a bummer, but, hey these things happen during kids' vacation.  I have 2 lessons on Tuesday, 3 on Wednesday, 2 maybe 3 on Thursday, 3 on Friday and 1 on Saturday.  It isn't a bad schedule for a week that the kids are off school.  No lessons, of course, on Saturday or Sunday and none on Monday.  I hope Isaac reschedules his Monday lessons.  I am not sure though, but if not, I will see him a week from Monday.

I am getting rather tired now.  I got up a bit early for the girls lessons so I will go to bed a little bit early.  Oh, I think I managed to kill my plant from Tillie.  I am not very good with plants or keeping plants alive.  I did water it again today, but it isn't looking too well.  oops.  I am just not good at this.  I either water too little or too much, I just don't get it right.

I hope you are having a good day too.

It's getting closer! 12-22

Christmas is almost here!  I can't wait!  It looks like I will be going to my Uncle John's house on Monday.  Andrew will be there too.  I have a gift from Mom for him.  It is an ornament.  Mom and I had gone to Disney in 2006 and bought him an ornament with his name on it.  I know he will like it.  I have one too.  I found them in my room after Mom passed away.  We both forgot about them when we came home and Christmas arrived.  That was the last Christmas Mom and I spent at Richard's with his family.  We also went to Disney's Vero Beach that Christmas for New Year's Eve.  It was a good trip.  I only saw Richard a couple of times since then and his children just one time.

Benjy and Joiene had their lessons this evening.  Benjy is doing really well.  He really is.  I just wish they would practice.  I don't think they do at all.  Joiene is doing okay, considering the lack of practice, but Benjy is doing really well.  He knows where all his piano keys are and he learned the difference between a line note and a space note today.  that is sometimes a tough thing for students at first.  He is only just turned 7 and in 1st grade!  Can you imagine if he practiced what he would sound like?  It is mind boggling.  He is also excited about getting the computer game CD so he can play it on the computer.  It is a neat game.

Since I am not singing in church on Sunday, I am not going to church choir practice.  We had to be there at 7 pm tonight along with the orchestra.  I won't be singing with choir until the 8th of January.  I won't be at choir practice next week either but I will be there the one after that.  New Year's Eve I will be at my friend, Heather's B-T's house again for game night.  It shall be a lot of fun.  Calli and I have such a good giggle when we are together.  She is such a good kid and so is her brother, Acer.  Calli and I love to play Uno.  I love that game.  I really do.

When Lily was here yesterday, we played Disney's Trivial Pursuit and Sorry.  We had a good time playing too.  Lily won by a shade in the game Sorry and she had the most pie pieces of Trivial Pursuit so I declared her the winner.  I think she was surprised by how many answers she actually knew and didn't guess.  Her older sister, Emily, used to make her watch all the Disney movies when Lily was small.  Lily did say she was thankful for Emily for that since she was doing so well with the game.

I have to go and get a few gift certificates that I need for Monday.  I think I should do that tonight, so I will have to go soon.  I hope you are having a good day.  I did.  I am tired, but that is normal for me at this time of the night.

massive work in progress!!! The family room

My Library/TV room is finished.  The other side is still a work in progress but will be taken care of in the future.  I am so pleased with how everything looks.  The living room furniture is a bit crammed in the side of the family room, but that is okay for now.  Eventually, I will have the right amount of furniture in it but for now it will work.  I just need to get the cushions re-stuffed as they are super hard as a rock!  I do hope that by summer or fall I will be able to get some other furniture.  Right now the goal is to just maybe get them re-stuffed to last until I can get some other stuff.  It doesn't even have to be brand new, I don't need super brand new.  I will look at the resale shop that is up the street from me as well as the clearance center at Art Van.  We shall see how it goes.  Julie and Ross did a really good job with the family room.  The bar stools are gone as well as some of the other stuff that I wanted to donate.  Most of the stuff to be donated is now taken care of.  I will post pictures tomorrow.

I had 2 lessons tonight and a sort of try it out lesson with a 4 year old.  He actually sat pretty well.  I was surprised and happy about that surprise.  His brother already takes lessons but they are having issues trying to practice because the 4 year old wants to play too.  Maybe this way, they both will be able to practice, that is my hope anyway.

I only have 2 lessons tomorrow as opposed to my usual 6.  I have a bunch of new music to get though.  I need 3 different levels of Alfred piano books plus level 4 and 5 Snell books for Brooke and Brianne.  They will have their lessons on Friday as well as the usual 3, Acer, Calli, and Emily.  I also want to do some grocery shopping next week.  I wonder if Calli will be available.  The fridge and the cupboards were cleaned out today by Lily and well, let's just say that there was a lot that was past the expiration date.  Yeah, that is just not too good.

I need to gather the books that I either have duplicates for or I don't want to take to the used bookstore tomorrow also.  I want to get a few books for myself for the next few weeks.  I have several that I can take to them.  I think I owe about 16 books to them as I keep forgetting to bring more.  They have been giving me the discounted price, which is awfully nice of them.  I should take care of that right now while I am thinking about it.  Be right back.  There, I have a bag full to take there.  So tomorrow's errands are in order.  I have the list of music I have to take as well as the books to the bookstore before teaching.  I have a couple more gifts to get and then I will be finished with Christmas.  Kathy's parents are left and that is it.  I am getting them a gift certificate.  I am done with everything else and it feels awfully nice.  I will also stop at the Rochester of the Chipotle tomorrow for dinner.  I usually try to pick it up a bit early and then re-heat if I need to.

I also need to get the new Harry Potter movie tomorrow too!  I have to pay a couple of doctor bills, which I will take care of tonight so they will be ready to mail tomorrow.  Oh, right, i need to get some stamps too!  Ugh!  I used all the rest of them for the Christmas Cards last night.

I got my new blankets yesterday in the mail.  I will put them on the bed this weekend, probably Saturday.  I have new sheets too.  I hope they are soft.  The ones I have now are so I want to keep soft ones.  The new blankets are so pretty too.  The color of chocolate.  They will go well with the decor of my room.  My furniture will look nice with new blankets and sheets.  I just got plain white sheets for my bed.  My old blankets are totally falling apart so the timing was perfect for the new ones to arrive.

I do hope you had a good day!!!

Tuesday 12-20

Well, only a few days left and then it will be Christmas!  I WILL be going to Kathy's parents' house for Christmas Day as well as Christmas Eve.  It will be a fun couple of days with her.  I am not sure what my Uncle and Aunt are doing for Christmas but Andrew wants to know and naturally, he wants me to call.  I don't understand why he has trouble making these type calls but he does.  Oh well, that is just my younger brother.  I called and left a message.  They very well could be out of town already.  Last year, they went to her brother's so they could be there again this year.  I am just not sure.  I know Andrew wants to see Tillie too.  He has something for her and for my Aunt and Uncle as well as my small cousin, Jayson.

I didn't have any students today.  Charlie left his instrument in his mother's car so he is going to do an hour lesson next week.  Samuel's mom totally forgot about it this afternoon.  She remembered in the morning and then she forgot so she is coming tomorrow.  Katie was still at work, so she needs to reschedule for next week.  I think I spent the afternoon and evening on the computer.  I will be heading for bed rather soon because I am very dizzy and lightheaded this evening.  I have been all day, ever since I woke up this morning.  I actually think it is because I am out of my tramadol medicine.  I get dizzy when I don't take it and I have been out for 2 days.

I won't be singing at church this Sunday so I won't be at rehearsal this Thursday since they will be only working on Christmas Day stuff.  There is now choir on the 1st as far as I know.  I am hoping that in the New Year, Katie will be joining us in the choir.  I think she would really enjoy it a lot.  I would enjoy being in the choir with her.  She is such a nice girl and is really working hard to finish high school and get her Associates Degree by the end of summer. I am not sure what her next step is.  I know she is looking into other colleges.  Katie has visited some already.

Julie is coming tomorrow with Lily!  I have to wrap the presents for Lily and Emily.  I am excited to see that lovely young lady and I enjoy hanging out with Julie too.  The whole family is really nice.  They are very helpful and I like being with them.  I am not sure where we are working in the family room tomorrow.  I will find out when Julie gets here and Lily.  I have some stuff in the fridge that needs to be tossed.

I got my new blankets from Walmart today.  They came in the mail.  I am very happy about that.  i will take care of them tomorrow.  I have new sheets too so that is good.  So now I have new pajamas, new blankets, and new sheets!  Yippee!  I am very happy about that.

There is a Law and Order: SVU marathon on USA channel right now.  I am sure there is only 1 episode left of the Marathon, but that is okay.  I love this show.  I haven't seen in regularly in the past few years because Mom was so afraid of TV.  Now I can watch it whenever it is on if I want.  I think I would rather have the mother with me.  Right now the episode that is on I have never seen before and boy is it a good one.  It is really good!!!  I am glad I accidentally found it after NCIS Los Angeles.

There have been a boatload of commercials about short term loans and get money quick.  Wow, nothing like tons of temptations.  I think about the financial mess I was in when losing the store, I shudder when I see commercials like this.  I really do.  I have 2 credit cards and they are supposed to be for emergencies, but unfortunately, each time I got one, I ended up putting it in my wallet instead of my safe.  I will be paying them off in the next few months so they will be empty and ready for emergencies.  Other than that, I am doing pretty well with making sure I do what I am supposed to.

I do hope you had a good day.  I can't really say I had a good one, but it wasn't too bad.  Tomorrow will be so much better.

pictures of the decorations!!

Here are some of the pictures of the decorations!

The girls did awesome!

I will write more this evening.  These are the 2 pianos, the book shelf, and the princess table with the tree on it.

Monday before Christmas 12-19

I have the perfect gift for Emily and Lily.  I can't write what it is, but I really like what I got them.  I will hopefully see Lily on Wednesday.  I am not sure though since she is a very busy young lady now that she is in 8th grade.  She is only going to get busy as she enters high school next year.  Sometimes, I think back to how young she was when I first met her.  I remember Emily and I heading to a movie and Lily crying because we weren't taking her that particular time.  She was so sweet in a way because she only wanted to be with us.  We took her the next time.  I remember the first time she came to the movies without her sisters with us.  I don't remember what we were going to see, but it was a good children's movie.  Mom was with us.  Because it was such a monumental moment, we also got treats from the concession stand.  She picked this candy, jolly ranchers.  When we opened the bag, she discovered the weren't the type she liked.  Normally, we wouldn't have gotten anything else but she really didn't know so Mom took her back to the stand to get something else.  I believe Lily came back with popcorn and a beautiful smile.  She is a very special young lady so are her sisters.  Emily just finished her first semester in college.  Elyse and her husband are saving for their first house.  All in all, the three are doing well.

I haven't taken pictures yet, but I will.  I also have to pick up the boxes in the living room too.  I want to take a picture of the front window but I need to do it during the day.  When Isaac arrived today, I hadn't turned on the lights.  His mom did and they liked the tree that the girls did.  Sometime next week we are supposed to go and see a movie.  I hope to see one with Lily too.  It all depends on all of the girls' schedules.  They are all very busy.  I don't have a lot of lessons this week because of the holiday, but I have a couple new lessons with 3 little girls.  They will have an hour lesson, 20 minutes each.  The younger girls are almost 5 and in preschool.  The oldest is almost 7.  All three have their birthdays in February.  I am looking forward to the lessons.

This Christmas seems to be harder than last year at times.  Not all the time, just some times.  Tonight was one of them.  As I was coming home, it hit me.  I am alright now, but it was a rough few minutes and of course, I was driving when this happened.

I am out of my tramadol again.  I knew last week I should have called for refills, but I kept putting it off and now I am out.  I sure hope it comes in rather quickly.  It needs a new prescription.  Naturally, I waited until the last minute.  You would think by now I would know better, but no, not me.  I have to learn the hard way again.  Maybe that should be my New Year's resolution.  It is something to think about anyway!!!

I hope you are having a good day.

the living room is now Christmas Wonderland!

The living room is completely decorated except for one piano.  I will fix that tomorrow.  I also have to put the bins out of the way too.  The tree is loaded down with decorations and it looks just great.  The top of the piano I am not currently using is covered and decorated but the one I am currently using in lessons is empty except for the CD player on it.  The 4 girls did a great job decorating.

Church went well and without ANY lightheadedness today.  It must have been the contacts causing the issues with eye straining.  I accidentally put the old prescription in the left eye and since I could still read and watch TV, I didn't think it would be a problem, but apparently, I was wrong.  I changed them last night and they are fine now.  I don't know if I am singing on Christmas Day or not.  There will be one service at 10 am instead of the usual 3 services.  (Choir only sings at the first service except for once a month when we do all 4 including Saturday night)  I will be at my old Church with Kathy and family on Christmas Eve then off to her parents house to watch the kids open presents.  I enjoy watching them open presents and see the looks on their faces when the see what they get.  I just love her children, they are such neat children.  Christmas Day is still up in the air, but since it is a week away, it doesn't matter at this point.  I will be somewhere with friends and that is what matters.  Either I will be with Kathy on Christmas Day or the day after or I will be at the Hubels on Christmas Day.  Either way, I get Kathy some time during the weekend.  I have an older laptop (from a few years ago) and 2 boxes of games for her to come and collect sometime during the weekend.  I hope her children like the games I am giving them.  They were mine but I don't play board games as much as I used to so I have too many.  I kept a few and the rest go to Kathy's kids!

I am pretty tired now since I have been up since 6:45 with NO nap this afternoon!  After church, I picked up Donna and we went to lunch at Chipolte's.  She liked it a lot.  I knew she was allergic to a lot of things, but man tons of food too?  Pork, Sour Cream, are just a few.  We had to leave earlier than planned because the cleaning agent that one of the employees were using were making her sick.  We had finished lunch by then so that was okay.  I dropped her back home and then came home to read.  I was going to take a nap, but I was reading instead so that didn't happen.  I will probably go to bed early since I am so tired.

I have been having a problem in the night lately with night sweats and upset tummy.  It has happened several times a week in the last few weeks.  I have been having to get up and sometimes change my top and then go downstairs for some tummy medicine.  It is really annoying.  I have a bit of an upset tummy right now so before bed I will take more tummy stuff.  It is almost time for my other tummy medicine again.  I sure hope that it will fade away as quickly as it came.  I am just not up for this.  I ran out of my Xantac yesterday morning and I can't get it until tomorrow so I hope tonight isn't too awful.  I have some Mylanta on hand such I need it.

I do hope you are having a good day.  I am getting rather tired and I foresee going soon.  It is only 8 pm so I am going to try to stay awake until at least 9 so that I won't wake up wide awake in the middle of the night.

Super Great Day! 12-17

I paid the rest of the property taxes!!!  Yes!!!  It is paid (well, I mailed it so give it a few days to get there).  I am so happy about this because I can now focus on the 2011 taxes!  Yeah, I am, as of right now, only behind with the summer taxes because the winter ones just came in and they are due by March 1.  Whether or not I get there by then, I don't think so, but I will have started paying them loooooong before then.  It was such a good feeling to write the check and mail it!

The other reason it was a super great day is that my lovely girls, Natalie, Hannah, Sarah, and Lydia came to help decorate.  I was so pleased with how well they did.  We have the sled on the wall and the wall hanging from Disney.  A lot of my Disney ornaments are on the tree.  I have so many.  The tree is covered with them.  I know that they are really too big for the tree, but it they are so beautiful and I love them.  Next year I will decorate outside too but this year I just don't have the money to spend on the electricity.  Speaking of electricity, mine for some reason has jumped and I am concerned because I use less electricity than I use to and the bill is super high.  This is the 2nd month in a row and I don't understand why.  I have to call them on Monday because my electricity usage has not changed that much to be that high.  If more than one person lived here, I could see it, but it is only me so I don't get it.

I have to change my contacts tomorrow morning because it is time for them to be changed.  I am hoping I won't be so dizzy tomorrow, if I am then I won't be able to be in choir because during the rehearsal I get dizzy and feel like I am going to pass out.  I am usually alright by the time the service starts, but even then it can happen.  I truly do think it is my contacts and I will change them.  It has been a while and I need to start keeping better track now.

I got up earlier than usual for Brianne's lesson.  She is going to be put in the Snell books level 4 and her sister will be in the level 5 ones.  I will also add fun stuff in it too so that will hopefully be interesting for them.

all the music that was in the living room is now in the office in piles on the floor.  I will take one pile at a time and put them in order and then put them away.  I plan to do a pile or so a day so that I will not have to stand for so long.  There are about 5 to 6 piles.  I also will take care of the CDs that I use for my singers.  There are a lot of those out right now but they will be much easier to put away.  I have some CDs I need to copy as I don't like to give out the original CDs.  In order to get a new CD, if something happens to the originals, I have often have to buy the entire book and CD combo, which is expensive.

Tomorrow after church, I am going to see Donna.  I have a few things for her.  A bunch of Videos and a keyboard.  It is my old one.  I have no idea if it works or not but we will find out.  It needs new batteries, that much I know.  I have the stuff in the trunk of the car now.  I think that is everything I need to bring her.  If I forgot anything, I have no idea what it could possibly be.  I think I will probably come and take a nap.

I very tired now.  It has been such a full day.  Tomorrow will be a super early day starting at 6:45 am to get ready for church.  I do like the new church.

I am watching a program on overweight teens, I mean extremely overweight.  They are all getting the gastric bypass surgery.  I was asked about getting it done but I don't want to get it.  I have thought about and from what I have read about it, it is very risky and I am not ready for that type of a risk.  I have friends who have done the surgery, but they all have had major problems afterwards.  My exercise machine is now uncovered so i can go and use it everyday.  I am not sure how long I can use it, but I think any amount of time is good.  I used to be be able to do a 1/2 hour a day but this was 6 years ago before my blood clot.  Since then my mobility has gone down.  I hope to get it up higher again.  I figure I will start by counting my steps instead of time.  I have a goal to have more mobility and not so dependent on my scooter.  That I should lose weight will be the by product.  Every time I make the goal to lose weight, I end up gaining weight so I figure this time I will target mobility.  I want to be able to walk up and down my street with my CD player in my ear like I used.  I used to walk about 3 miles a day.  I would put my music on and I would just go.  I am not sure with the arthritis and the fibro how much I can do but I figure some is better than none, which is what I am doing now.

I do hope you had a good day.  I did.

9 days before Christmas

It is 9 days before Christmas and my bloggy friend, Jojo's blog made me think of this special memory of my mother and my childhood.

When I was very small, I must have been early elementary at the time because I firmly that my dad was still here, one day after school, I came home with my younger and older brothers and our house was all lit up.  Someone had brought out the trees (we had two, 1 in the living room and the other in our indoor patio) and decorated the living room one.  Lights were up outside along the roof of the house and the trees.  Down in the indoor patio were the decorations all laid out for us to decorate the tree with hangers on them.  Our family room was fully decorated too.  Decorations were in the windows in the living room and dining room too.  Pretty much everywhere downstairs that could be decorated, was.  We asked Momma who did them and she sat us down.  She said that Santa thought we were very good children and sent his elves to decorate while we were in school.  The funny thing is, we believed her for years on this one!  It wasn't until we were in upper elementary that we learned momma did that.  Well one year my brother, Andrew and I decided to be the elves for Mom.  I don't remember if Richard was there or not, it was too long ago.  I remember Andrew and I decorating the big tree downstairs and leaving Mom to do "her" tree with ornaments complete with their hangers ready to go.  We put the decorations in the windows and started the family room.  Mom came home before we finished but she was really happy with what we had done.  Later that night we hung the outdoor lights.  I had never seen her hang them herself before and I had an unnatural fear of Mom on a ladder.  I, for some reason, always melted down when she was on a ladder.  I had a fear that she would fall and it would be a bad fall.  Eventually, she sent me inside to make some hot chocolate because I wouldn't stop crying.  She told me she wouldn't fall off the ladder because she wouldn't be so high, but still, I just clung to her and cry.  Mom and Andrew finished hanging the lights with me inside so I wouldn't have to see it and I thought she wouldn't get on the ladder.  After that year, she always did the lights when I wasn't around.  i think I was about 13 to 14 before I could handle her on a ladder.  I have never seen anyone fall off a ladder in person, just on TV in movies and shows but I was terrified of Mom on a ladder.  It didn't matter if it was inside or outside.  I have only seen her on the roof once and it sent me in the house in tears.  Anyways, I digress!  Mom really loved the Christmas Season and really made the most of it.  That is what I am thinking of this season.  Yes, there is a bit of sadness as she is in Heaven, but with Christmas and why we celebrate it, it is hard to be sad all the time.

Another thing Mom would do when we were small (this was after my dad was gone).  She would get a birthday cake with "happy birthday, Jesus" on it.  This wasn't done every year, but every few Christmas she would do this.  When I was in junior high, we started setting the table and adding a place setting for Jesus to join us.  I had read about this tradition and that it was so cool, that we did it a few years.  Remembering some of the traditions and things we used to do makes me smile and in a year where there were very few smiles, I need to focus on them, not the sad times.

After Acer and Calli's lessons, Bill brought KFC for dinner so the 5 of us sat down for dinner.  It was yummy.  Bill also took about 12 or so boxes of books that Julie and I put together and he is taking them to his library for donation.  He works at a library so he is the perfect person to take them too.  I have enjoyed them and now someone else can too.  It was really cute, Acer informed me where his seat is at the table and he was right!  It is where he sits every time we eat together.  Bill sits opposite from me, Acer on my right with Heather next to him and Calli is on my left.  She is such a good kid, both of them really.  I simply adore them both, then again, I have great kids for students and I adore them too.  Some are more cuddly than others, but all of them are awesome.  Three of my lovelies will be here tomorrow to help me decorate.  I will take pictures and post them.  Hannah, Natalie, and Lydia are wonderful girls. They only can have lessons once a month and I am thankful that they can have them at all.  I am not sure if Sarah, their little sister, will be coming or not.  I will find out after Camille's lesson tomorrow!  I have Brianne in the morning and then Camille in the afternoon with the girls after that.

It is has been a decent day and I am hopeful that yours was good too.

10 days until Christmas! 12-15

I am such a happy girl this afternoon.  I will be able to mail the rest of the taxes tomorrow!  I am very excited how this worked out.  I am really glad about that.

Church Choir practice went well.  We were working on stuff for Christmas and Sunday.  I am not sure about Christmas Day yet.  I am still waiting to see what all is going on.  I know that Christmas Eve I will be with Kathy and her family with her parents.  It should be really good.  Kathy is just waiting to find out what the in-laws are doing for the Christmas.  If they have something on Christmas Day then Kathy's parents will have something for the Monday.  Either will work for me as they usually have stuff earlier in the day and I don't teach until 4 so that should work.  I have Rachel and Isaac's lessons that day.  I am anxious to see Kathy and family.  I know, it has only been a few short weeks since I last saw them, but still, I want to see her rather soon.

I am tired now so I will be in bed soon.  I don't have to get up early tomorrow so that is good.  My girls are coming on Saturday for decorating.  They will be here at 2 pm.  It should be a fun time.  I need to also pull some music for Brianne on Saturday.

I hope you are having a good night!