Miracle on 133rd Place

Well, I would've posted a more over the last few days, however our internet access has been acting up. So much has happened over the holidays that I will most likely catch up on stuff over the course of the week. Over the course of 24 hours, we had an amazing Christmas with our families.

After spending last weekend in Bend with my family, we were grateful to be able to stay sort of close to home for the yuletide. We drove about an hour away to Salem to see the other side of my family. We had such a blast there. Everyone was so jovial and spirited that it made for such a great time. Though I didn't get to grow up knowing this side of my family, I have fortunately been able to really get to know everyone in the last several years. They are a creative and talkative bunch, very much like me. They can also be LOUD.

For instance, we always snack on food, open presents, and end the night with a rautious game of Balderdash. Well, my cousin Cory managed to convince us to try Taboo for a change. This is a game where you have to try to get your team to guess the word by describing what it is. The catch is...you can't say the use hand gestures or the five most common words associated with it and these five are listed on the card. It really makes you have to stop and think. Well, we have some very headstrong people in my family. Needless to say, it was frustrating for some as everyone tried to understand the rules and just play the game. Overall, it was fun, but way too crazy for some to wrap their minds around.

So we moved onto Balderdash. In a nutshell, this game is simply about making up definitions for obscure words...then you try to guess the correct one that is mixed in with all of the made-up ones. My husband had a migraine and wanted to leave badly (the noise level can be deafening). However, he kindly stayed and let me finish playing the game with my family. This game went smoothely and everyone got into it. What made it great was that a few people that usually opt out of the game decided to play. So it was such a wonderful time. Also, my cousin Derek and his wife, Kazue (pronounced Kah-zu-weh), came down for the first time in years and so I loved getting to spend time with them. English is Kazue's second language and though she had a slow start, she ended up coming up with some of the best definitions.

We spent Christmas morning with just the four of us. We let the kids open their gifts and Kevin made us a great breakfast (cinnamon rolls, eggs, sausage, and hash browns). It was a special day and so I threw my diet out the door for the day. Then we went over to my mother-in-law's house for Christmas dinner. Kevin's sister and her husband were there as well. Then the most amazing thing happened.

For those who know the backstory, this will be an eye-opener. The short of it is, my sister-in-law has been a bit icy in recent years towards us. Among some other issues, she disapproved of us having our firstborn out-of-wedlock and has pretty much distanced herself from us. It has caused a lot of friction for my mother-in-law to say the least. Past gatherings have been fraught with tension and so I can honestly say I was dreading this day.

Well, the miraculous thing that happened was everyone got along. Kevin's sister and her husband are expecting their first child this spring. I don't know if that has anything to do with her change of heart, but I don't want to analyze it. While we aren't what you would call buddy-buddy, at least we had a conversation for the first time in years. My brother-in-law was his usual self, easygoing and funny. What really touched us was how Kevin's sister chatted with our kids and actually gave our son a hug when it was time to say goodbye. I think what made all the difference is that all of us put aside our "stuff" and just enjoyed the time together.

Again, you'd have to know the situation to realize what a wonderful thing this was for us. It was so nice to relax a little bit. I really enjoyed the afternoon too. I am genuinely excited for them as they embark on the adventure of parenthood and hope that our future family gatherings only get better with time. Needless to say, my mother-in-law got the best present of all...peace among her children and a joyful holiday.

What is ironic about all this is that my birth father was just talking to me on Christmas Eve about miracles. I believe that miracles come in all shapes and sizes. They don't have to be as dramatic as saving a life and such, they can be simple ones too. I think about what my best friend is going through with the recent loss of her a loved one and how positive she has stayed during this difficult time. It reminds me that so many of us just to need to shelve our baggage and get on with living life for all it's worth. To me, this breakthrough was as close to a Christmas miracle for all of us as I could expect. It gives me hope and what more can you ask for?

Christmas Karma

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks
Dressed in holiday style
In the air there's a feeling of Christmas
Children laughing, people passing
Meeting smile after smile
And on ev'ry street corner you'll hear...

The opening verse to my favorite Christmas song, Silver Bells, seemed fitting for today. The last major shopping day before Christmas Eve is always crazy, but there are many brave souls who throw caution to the wind. It becomes a battle of wills in a way. Some shoppers can get a bit...how can I put this delicately...testy. Who can keep their holiday spirit as they navigate the crowded store aisles ? I cross my fingers and hope for the best.

Karma is definitely one of those things you don't want to mess with. It is something that is constantly testing us to see if we can handle the pressures bestowed upon us. It wants to see what path we will choose. Will it be the selfless or selfish one? Knowing the right thing

to do isn't always clear at first. Case in point today.

Kirsten and I went out for some of this last-minute shopping today and experienced some interesting things. While out running some errands, we were also on the hunt for one of the 12 Dancing Princess Barbies from The Nutrcacker. She loves to dance around like a ballerina, so it seems to be the must-have gift of the season for her. I didn't mind having her with me or worry over her seeing something she'd be getting for Christmas. The moment I put it out of her sight she tends to get distracted by something else.

When we got to Target, it was a madhouse. It appeared we weren't the only ones with last-minute things to buy. Well, I was technically done shopping for the kids so it wasn't a absolutely necessary that Kirsten get this toy. However, I know that oftentimes if you don't snap up certain things when they come out the first time, sometimes you are outta luck later on when you finally make up your mind to get it. The alternative is a jacked-up bidding war on Ebay. (see PS3).

So anyhow, I scoured the shelves and realized they were literally cleaned out of the doll I was looking for. Well lo and behold, I found a wedding version of Princess Genevieve. It was actually a beautiful Barbie doll and so I put it in the cart since it was the last one. About the same time another woman came along. She was clearly in search of the same doll and seemed frustrated by the bare shelves. I mentioned to her that she might try another Target that was nearby. I felt kinda bad as I had the last doll stashed in my cart out of sight. It felt very covert.

Feeling dejected, this woman and her husband went on their way. I felt good about finding a doll that was at least close to what I wanted for Kirsten, but then something happened. I had a karma attack. I felt bad for the couple that had clearly wanted this doll and I was starting to wonder just how badly Kirsten really needed it. Not very. So I began to roam the toy aisles until I spotted the couple. I handed them the doll and said I happened to find one and thought they might like to have it. They seemed surprised and grateful.

Needless to say, it was the right thing to do and I am glad we gave up the doll. Instead, Kirsten and I found an even better gift that she and Nicky could share. They both love Rudolph and Christmas music. So when we found cute little "press me" Christmas decoration of Rudolph, Yukon Cornelius, and the blonde elf (forget his name) sitting in a sleigh from the cartoon classic, we were both delighted. As long as the mechanisms inside hold up, the kids can enjoy it for many holidays to come.

Well, the interesting twist to this little tale is that when Kirsten and I stopped at Fred Meyer for some dinner rolls and a veggie tray (for a family gathering), we made a short stopover in the toy aisle just for fun. Well, it felt a lot like that old adage of whatever you put out into the universe comes back to you, good and bad. Today it was positive. We happened to find the exact Nutcracker Princess Barbie doll we had been looking for and at half price! I snagged it. Nicky always wants to make Kirsten happy, so it will be from him. Kirsten picked out a stuffed Scottie dog for Nicky. I know they have more than enough this year, but I am glad they will be learning about the joy of giving and not just receiving. Next year I want to teach the kids about sponsoring another family for the holidays so that they can see the wonderful things that can come from that. Slowly getting the hang of this karma thing.

The Nutcracker

Okay, as a child growing up I was never into ballet. Something about watching people prance around on their toes was to me much like someone scraping their nails along a chalkboard. It just gave me the heebie jeebies to see something so excruciating. I guess I was always more of a gymnastics and figure skating afficionado.

I remember back in high school when I was in drama, I had a brief stint as a ballerina in a musical. I forget if it was in The Music Man or Oklahoma!, but it was one of them. I learned asome basic moves. I wasn't the most graceful ballerina, but I had fun trying to be. I think I fancied myself more like Jennifer Beals in Flashdance. Then my teacher asked some of us to help out a local ballet company during their annual performance of this famous ballet. My responsibilities included applying makeup to several little girls and managing some props. It was my first experience with the actual ballet. I still wasn't an avid fan or anything, but I began to tolerate it a bit more.

Then a few years back, my husband took me to see a live performance of The Nutcracker for my birthday. It was an amazing experience that I have never forgotten. While I had always loved Tchaikovsky's music, seeing the score set to dancing really brought it to life in a way I had never imagined. For the first time, I could truly appreciate ballet for what it was, a beautiful form of artistic expression that takes real dedication and hard work on the part of the dancers.

Though I still can't fathom how they manage to dance on their toes like that. It just looks so painful. I know that ballet shoes have some sort of padding, but I believe it takes years to build up the strength to be able to perform the really challenging moves. Now that my own daughter is showing signs of a budding ballerina, I am thinking we may put her into a ballet class at some point and see what happens. She loves to twirl and prance about.

As I sit here and type this, I am listening to and half-watching The Nutcracker on PBS. It brings me back to the live performance I enjoyed so much. I can now say I am a true fan of the ballet and aim to see many more shows in the future. I don't know how many different ones there are, but I would at the very least love to see Swan Lake. Kevin and I can't wait to take our kids to see The Nutcracker for the first time.

To see the lights

Alrighty, you can tell I am on vacation by the sheer volume of blogging I've been doing lately. In the near future, I fear my spare time will be swallowed whole by a little thing called school. With my second student teaching stint on the horizon, I am milking this time off for all I can. I set out this week to complete lots of my homework, only to find myself running around trying to get other things done. I also set out to spend some real quality time with my kids, but also found myself preoccupied with holiday stuff.

In all of my rushing around, I had forgotten to just soak it all in. Last night I tucked my son in and with his big blue eyes beckoning, he asked me if I could stay and talk with him awhile. My first instinct was to say no and get right to wrapping presents. Then my heart kicked in and told my racing mind to back off. So I laid down next to him and we chatted about Santa Claus and many other things. It felt good to stop and spend some time with Nicky.

Today was another tiring day and I realize that this pattern getting tough for me to break. I just don't know how to stop. Well, I do and I don't. When I do slow down, I crave alone time and seek it out a lot. This is the reason why I think I stay up so late at night. It is the only time of day when nobody needs me to do something for them. I realize I am sacrificing my sleep for this down time, but it's my wierd of way putting off tomorrow.

All of this self-analysis sort of put me in my place. So I fell back on the same personal ritual I have every year around the holidays. When the house is all quiet and still, I turn off all of the lights, exept for the ones on the Christmas tree. I just sit and look at it. The pretty colors and silver tinsel really make the tree sparkle in the darkness of the living room. As I admire the tree, I just simply count all of my blessings and contemplate life in general. It may sound silly, but it's kind of my way of meditating and finding some peace. Slowing down like this reminds me to keep my focus on my family and friends, and not solely on external things outside the home. Time to get myself to bed, gotta bake those cookies with my kids tomorrow (well, I guess it's already tomorrow...it's after 1am).

Cookies

What a whirlwind week thus far! I have been playing catch-up with all of the Christmas shopping and holiday preparations. I feel like I haven't had a chance to stop and breathe. Due to how our paydays and bills lined up, had to wait until this week to get it all done. I think I am finally done with the shopping part of it at least. I stayed up til about 1:30am last night to wrap gifts. Even though it's a lot of work, I love this part.

Next I have to tackle my next big project, baking cookies for family. I wish I could pretend to be doing this from scratch, but Betty Crocker I am not (at least not yet). Nope, I am taking the easy way out by using Nestle Tollhouse chocolate cookie dough cookie dough. Next year I hope to do better by making some actual holiday cookie recipes.

This is a big step for me this year in my pursuit to become a domestic goddess, even if it is simply scooping the dough onto the cookie sheet and turning on the oven. I am a long way from my goal, but I working it a little bit more each year. I'm not a stay-at-home mom, so time is definitely a factor. One recipe at a time.

The Pursuit of Happyness

I had to write an additional blog about the most excellent movie, The Pursuit of Happyness. I LOVED LOVED LOVED this film. I won't spill any beans here by listing major plot points...no spoilers here. Just the basic synopsis and a shameless plug. Will Smith stars as a down-on-his-luck single dad who decides to pursue the impossible, an internship with Dean Witter. The movie follows his struggles to accomplish his dream and be a good parent at the same time. What makes this movie extra sweet is that Will's own son, Jaden Christopher Syre Smith, stars as his kid. He does a really good job too.

At the risk of sounding like a film critic, Will Smith turns in an Oscar-worthy performance. I don't get the chance to see too many movies do to the expensive ticket prices and a lack of childcare. So when the opportunity presented itself this past weekend to go see this movie, I was jumped at the chance. There are a lot of good ones out right now, but this one is a cut above the rest. and in case you are wondering about the spelling of Happyness, you'll have to go see it to understand it.

We are family

Well, one Christmas celebration down and two more to go. We spent four days in Bend with my family to have an early holiday with them. We got up early and drove down on Thursday (also my b-day). My folks watched the kids that night so that Kevin could take me out. We went to Outback Steakhouse and enjoyed some quality "us" time. We later went over to Fred Meyer to get a little Christmas shopping done and to walk off some dinner. While were were there, Kevin got me a set of headphones as an extra birthday gift.

Kevin spent most of Friday trying to fix my parents' computer, so I went out the kids and my nephew Tyler. We got some good gifts and took the kids to see Santa outside of Macy's. They seemed a little uncertain of ol' St. Nick, but Nicky did manage to share his wish list. Kirsten just kind of looked on. They got a little restless and hungry at that point, so I treated them all to Taco Bell for lunch. We took it home to eat, so Kirsten could take her nap. Tyler and I went back out to Fred Meyer to finish up some Christmas shopping. We had such a great time and ended up in toy department having way too much fun. I had my digital camera, so we took advantage and snapped lotsa funny pics. My nephew looks adorable in his feather boa and princess crown. I saw the this frog and had to kiss it to see if it would turn into a prince. No such luck.

Later that night, my brother Steve wanted to take me out for a belated birthday dinner. We went to a mexican place called El Rodeo and ate the spiciest salsa ever. We indulged a bit and each had a blackberry margarita, which was also good for tempering the hot salsa. I was feeling adventurous, so I also had a Corona with a twist of lime. Most of all I just enjoyed hanging out my big brother and catching up with him. Later that night, Kevin and my other nephew Garrett asked me to go cosmic bowling with them. I was just too tired from being out and about so much already though, so I sat this one out.

On Saturday, we had a great time in the snow. Kirsten was battling a cold, so she stayed inside. My dad and I dragged Nicky around on a sled all over the backyard, which looks a lot like a woodland. He had such a blast. My mom and I had a bit of a tiff (that's another story), but we were able to get past it. Later on we had our family Christmas party. It was great to see everyone, nibble on goodies, and open presents. That evening, Kevin, Garrett, my niece Marley, and I went to go see a movie, The Pursuit of Happyness. Definitely two thumbs up!

Then today (Sunday), we decided to call it good and come home. We wanted to beat any bad weather that might be on its way. We got home safely. Needless to say, it was a very busy weekend with my family. I spent a lot of time catching up with everyone and it was nice. It was especially nice when my cousin, Val, dropped a bombshell. She and her hubby are expecting their first baby and we are all so excited for them. We have our troubled waters, but as a family can usually bridge the gaps. For better or worse, we are family and that's a great thing.

Siblings

I was sitting here surfing the net and noticed that my kids were sitting at the kitchen table coloring together. While they may have their days where they bicker, overall they get along exceptionally well. They are very thoughtful of each other (most of the time) and play well together. For instance, last night my 3 year old daughter was sad about something. She loves to twirl and do her ballerina moves. She says, "I have no prince to dance with." So my 6 year old son steps in and they proceed to waltz around the room. It was one of those sweet moments that does a parent's heart good. It's the sort of relationship I have prayed for them to have.

I grew up with a lot of brothers and overall have great relationships with all of them. Though we aren't especially close in recent years due to the miles between us, we come together during the holidays and pick up where we left off. However, the brother that was closest to me in age was a real challenge to grow up with . He had some major issues and always made it tough to get along with him. Though we had our moments of getting along well, it wasn't until we adults that our relationship truly became a good one.

He passed away back in 1993, so our newfound friendship was short-lived. I hope that my two kids continue to find the good in each other and not focus on the differences too much. If I teach them anything, it is to treat each other with love and respect. They can be each other's strongest ally in the years to come, so it's important to treasure the gift of being blessed with a sibling. So far so good.

Sink-or-Swim Time

Okay, school is going to be the death of me. As if I wasn't stressed enough about my solo teaching, work sample and action research project, now my Cooperating Teacher (CT) has added a whole new dimension to it. From the talks we've had so far, I can tell he is going to be a wonderful mentor. However, he is going to whip me into teacher-shape with the sink-or-swim mentality. In other words, check my nerves at the door.

I was advised by my cohort leader to do each element by itself if possible due to the enormity of each task. My CT has other plans for me. According to him, I will most likely be having a lot of overlap of each one. He informed me today that I should be prepared to teach my work sample while simultaneously doing my solo teaching. When I asked about my action research, he said probably when my work sample was done (but still during the solo teaching). The work sample is very involved and to take on all of my CT's responsibilities is overwhelming.

It's nearly impossible to get all three done at the exact same time. There just aren't enough hours in the day and brain cells in my head to handle them all at once. I am trying to keep an open mind and be as prepared as I can over the winter break. I just won't plan on seeing much of my family in the coming months. If I start to drown, someone throw me a lifeline!

March of the Penguins

I have to admit that I thought that the documentary, March of the Penguins, was truly amazing. I say that because I came into it about halfway in on the Hallmark Channel and was gonna change the station, but something about Morgan Freeman's narration drew me in. His rich, deep voice was warm and comforting, like a nice quilt to wrap up in while you watch this film about a family of penguins in the coldest place on earth. I find it ironic that we make the North Pole sound so cozy and quaint due to Santa Claus, but we think of the South Pole as this barren, icy continent. Both are just plain freezing...but I digress.

Besides having a college roommate that collected them, I never paid penguins much mind before. However, with the double whammy of this film and the animated hit, Happy Feet, I am a lot more interested in them these days. The documentary follows the Emperor Penguins' journey as they brave the bitter cold, protect their young, and make numerous treks to and from the sea. We are mesmerized by the heartache and delight the penguins feel when they must separate from their young and then reunited once more. It is such a sweet film. Now I want to go and rent it so I can see the whole thing. I can finally see what all the fuss was about.

Emmanuel

Tonight I took Nicky to a Christmas concert at our childcare provider's church. It was a huge event and very packed. It was opening night and they have 9 more shows to go. We knew some of the members of the choir, so it made it extra special. Kevin had a bad migraine, so he stayed home with our daughter to watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and Frosty Returns on TV. Definitely a yuletide theme permeated the evening.

It was a wonderful way to spend some quality time with Nicky. He really seemed to enjoy himself, though he began to get tired towards the last couple of songs. I thought he was a trooper for making it through the night as well as he did. He loves music, especially Christmas songs, so it was a lot of fun for us both. We especially enjoyed the children's choir and hand bells. Two of our childcare provider's daughters were on the hand bells and three were in the choir. Also, a couple of kids from his childcare were also in the children's choir.

During one portion of the concert, they played a brief video of a woman's difficult journey in finding God. She had been through hell and back. She battled drug addiction, abusive relationships, lost and regained custody of her kids, and grieved over the murder of her son by her boyfriend. It was through finding her faith that she found a way to heal and hope.

On the heels of this emotional story, the choir sang a beautiful rendition Emmanuel, a song I have always loved. It truly moved me to the point of tears. I think I had what you might call a spiritual moment of my own. Now I am not a very religious person, but I could really feel God's presence in the room and coming through to my heart. Music is truly a powerful thing.

We got home just in time to catch the tail end of Frosty Returns, so we watched that. After tucking the kids into bed, I took a swig of egg nog and called it a night. Well sort of, I decided to blog about our night. I definetly agree with the Andy William's holiday classic...it's the most wonderful time of the year!

Writer's Block

I find it a bit ironic that I have struggled to start writing a novel for years, but I can find time to blog so frequently lately. To put a positive spin on things it is one way to get some self-discipline going. I used to blog only about once a week or every couple of weeks, but recently I've been thinking of things to babble about.

My action research project asks the question, "Can crafting literature inspire primary students to think like writers?" Needless to say, after spending countless hours buried in writing research, I have fleshed out what this all means. I've always innately understood what it meant to see the world as a writer and have lived the concept. Writing in and of itself is not the challenge. For me, the struggle comes when I feel the pressure to write something very organized and long.

Think about all those long reports from your school days. If it was at least in a topic of interest, it made the process more bearable. I think I see drafting a novel in much the same way a rockclimber sees Mt. Everest for the first time. It will be a daunting task for sure and you know it will be a major uphill battle to get to the top of the mountain.

What I lack is the organizational skills to focus my writing and arrange into a cohesive whole. Maybe I should just come up with a general subject or idea and write little blurps about it. Blogging comes pretty easily to me as I am just rambling about my random opinions and experiences. Creating a fictional masterpiece takes a bit work.

Good Deeds

I passed by a Boy Scout Christmas tree lot on my way home. Then I received a flyer on my front door detailing a "Coats for Kids" clothing drive run by some local Eagle Scouts. Now the boys scouts are notorious for their good deeds and it got me thinking. The biggest lesson most of us learn around this time of year is to do more for others.

In addition to decorating our tree with my kids, I spent the rest of the evening getting some good deeds in. My mother-in-law needed some help updating her resume, so I spent a couple of hours this evening working on that for her. Next I need to tackle an editing task for a classmate's action research paper. I am contemplating giving some of the kids' old coats to that Eagle Scout coat drive. I was gonna consign them, but now I'm feeling like that could be bad karma.

Starting tomorrow I have to get busy on some personal responsibilities so that I can catch up. Subbing and school work has been swamping my time, so many domestic issues have been neglected, including my sleep. Well, I am all tapped out on things to say, so that's all for now. Time to do my body a favor and let it rest.

On the go

Where do I begin? Today was a very productive day for a change. It's not that I've been a complete lump on a log (well some days I was), but I haven't done as much as I could've. Anyhow, today I tried to get some things crossed off my to-do list. I started the day by taking Nicky to school and volunteering for almost 2 hours. Then I ran home for a bit and ended up chatting with a neighbor that was moving. I was sorry to her and her family go. They are one of the few original town home owners that were left in the area.

Over lunch, I got some errands done and turned in some important work at my GFU. Then I raced over to the school that I'll be placed at from January through April to meet with my Cooperating Teacher (CT) and meet his first grade class. On top of that, we had a meeting with my supervisor to go over all of the the things that I'll be doing and need to do. Let's just say that my hope for a peaceful winter break is shot. I have so much to do it's a bit overwhelming.

I didn't get home until almost 5pm. When we got home, I started dinner. We all ate dinner and decided to rearrange the living room to make room for the Christmas tree. We got it set up, but opted not to decorate it tonight. We were pretty bushed and thought we could tackle that task tomorrow. We let the kids stay up an extra hour to watch Santa Claus is Coming to Town on TV. It was good quality family time. It felt good to just relax after being on the go all day. Tomorrow it starts all over again.

O' Christmas Tree

Well, Kevin is down for the count again. He hurt his back a bit while helping some friends move yesterday and has been suffering from a bad migraine all day today. He was in no shape to go get a Christmas tree and suggested we wait til next week. I was afraid it would be raining and wanted to take advantage of the nice weather. So I said I would take our son and go get a tree.

Kevin had very little faith that I could do this and didn't want us to go. I reminded him that if his 60+ year old mother could cut down her own tree, I could handle it. When I was kid used to go out and chop wood with my family every winter. So I prepared the back of our car with an old army blanket, laid the backseat down, and grabbed the necessary supplies. Nicky came along to keep me company.

It wasn't an easy task, but we managed to find a great tree. It's one of those things where you just know it when you see it. I was mindful of picking one that wasn't too far of a walk back to the car. Luckily, we found just the perfect one. What I didn't anticipate was how sore and tired my arms would get while I was sawing the tree trunk. It cute how Nicky circled the trees and chattered away about how tired he was while I was hacking away at the bottom of the tree.

Not to toot my own horn, but I was proud of myself for doing this. I know it's just chopping down a Christmas tree, but both Kevin and his mom had their doubts as to whether I could handle it. I'll admit I wasn't sure how it would go, but it went off without a hitch. Next I need to tackle tire chains. Gotta get better at putting them on before we drive over the snowy pass in a couple weeks. I am woman, hear me roar!

Anyhow, I am very happy that we have our tree now. We need to rearrange the furniture a bit and then we can set it up. I love to decorate the tree, especially with the kids. They love to help with hanging the ornaments on the tree. Kevin isn't big on this part, but does try to help with the lights. Once we get this all done, it will really feel like the Christmas season is underway. Tis the season!

Crowning the canines

Okay, I know that I am officially growing as a person. Lately, I love watching shows on the non-mainstream stuff these days. We don't get too many channels since we only have the most basic cable. Besides the major networks, some shopping channels, C-Span type stuff, and a couple international stations, the most exotic channels we get are Discovery and E!...:) Don't get me wrong, I still get a kick out of the intellectually-stimulating shows like Girls Next Door and the suspenseful crime dramas like CSI. It's just that now I'm getting into the offbeat and educational shows.

While hanging out with some family friends tonight, I drank way too much caffeine and ate too much spicy food. After we got home, I found myself too wired to go to sleep. So I got a major craving and got the bright idea to drink some egg nog (just to make sure I pushed my stomach over the edge). Feeling way guilty, I decided to imitate Denise Austin's workout and do a 15 minute indoor walk as I watched the American Kennel Club National Championship on Discovery. The dogs were trotting around on the Telly, so I figured why not get off my duff and join in. I find myself actually wanting to tune in tomorrow to catch the herding dog category and see the Border Collies (we have named Keely). Also, they are gonna announce the Best in Show.

That's the funny things about dog shows. I've always wondered what dogs really get out of these things. They are fun to watch, but what's really interesting is how intense they are for the owners/handlers. Adding another ribbon to their collection is the reason these people spend thousands of dollars in caring and preparing for these animals. Bragging rights seems to be the biggest incentive. I always found it odd when someone introduces their pet with the requisite P.S., "he/she is a purebred and has her papers to prove it." Does it really matter to the average layperson?

I love my dog dearly and she is purebred without papers, but I feel no need to advertise this. Are mixed breeds somehow less? I find some of the mixed breeds to be the most beautiful dogs out there. I am not trying to knock people who like to show their dogs. I liken the process to the beauty pageant business. It's a big deal to those involved in that world. I just found it ironic how similar the AKC show was to the Miss USA or Miss Americanpageants. The participants are judged on their poise, bodyline, beauty, and such.

What's great though is that I learned about all the different dog categories out there. There a zillion breeds out there, but you can break 'em down into Toy, Working, Herding, Sporting, Non-Sporting, Terrier, and there were two others that I forget. I'll say this, it's got me thinking about the next dog I want to get someday. There were a handful that appealed to me. It all depends on how family friendly they are. The Golden Retriever is one of the most popular and pretty, but I also found a soft spot for the Pug. The kind of face only a mother could love, but oh so cute! I also liked a few others. Okay, enough of this midnight rambling. I got way off topic as usual. I'll blame it on the caffeine.

Kidspeak

Okay, I am in dire need of getting a notebook started for each of my kids. My childcare provider made a great suggestion to me once about keeping track of the witty things her kids have said over the years. She has pages upon pages of cute little blurps from them. She says they're fun to read over. I've been mentally taking notes whenever mine do this, but I gotta get something for each of them so that I don't lose these adorable little remarks that they've made. Nicky does it the most lately, probably due to the fact that he's older and in kindergarten. My daughter is still expanding her vocabulary, but can definitely hold her own...my little drama queen.

Tonight I was changing a whopper of a stinky diaper (I know...TMI) and reminded her for the gazillionth time that she needed to go poopy in the toilet, not her diaper. Oblivious, she responds by putting her pink and white stuffed elephant in my face and says with her cheshire cat grin, "My elephant's looking at you." I try a little harder to make my point about potty training by reminding her that in order to go to school like a big girl she would have to go in the toilet. I ask her if she wants to go to school and coyly replies, "No, not yet." I swear this kid knows what she needs to do, but just doesn't feel like doing it yet...:)

My kids definitely are learning what their strengths are though. My daughter is the coy, clever one and my son is the affectionate, intellectual one. What's great though is that I love watching them literally processing new information before my eyes. Kevin, my hubby, and I can always tell when Nicky learns a new concept in school, because he begins to apply it to his environment. For instance, this morning Nicky commented about our weekly childcare rotation. He said, "Mommy...first I go to grandma's, then to Mrs. Williams, and then with you, then with grandma again (and so on). That's a pattern!" I love it.

Do you hear what I hear?

One of the great things about the holiday season is the constant barrage of Christmas music. What can I say? I am one of those people who listen to the radio stations that play it nonstop. Do you have any idea just how many holiday songs are out there? Well, neither do I...but there's enough to keep a radio station on-air 24/7 without too heavy of rotation of the same stuff.

My husband gets an his annual case of the bah humbugs around this time and doesn't enjoy listening to it like I do, so I get my fill en route to work or while doing errands. My kids are getting into it as well. Just yesterday my son was walking around the house singing "Deck the Halls" and "Jingle Bells." My problem is that I don't have that many songs memorized, even some of my favorites. Every year I try to learn a new one to add to the reportoire. Since I am queen of the lists, I thought I'd list some of my all-time favorite Christmas songs. Except for number choice, "Silver Bells", the rest are in not particular order and I love all versions I hear by various artists.

• Silver Bells


• The First Noel


• Sleigh Ride


• Let it Snow


• It Came Upon a Midnight Clear


• Jolly Old St. Nicholas

Some old favorites by specific artists:

• Feliz Navidad (Jose Feliciano)
  
• Last Christmas (Wham!)


• My Grown-Up Christmas List (Amy Grant)


• Hey Santa (Carnie and Wendy Wilson)


• The Hannakah Song (Adam Sandler)


• Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree (Brenda Lee)


• Holly Jolly Christmas (Burl Ives)


• The 12 Days of Christmas (John Denver w/ the Muppets)


• Winter Wonderland (Dolly Parton)


• Santa Claus is Coming to Town (Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Five)

Now keep in mind that I didn't even list all the ones I love. Popular songs such as "Jingle Bells"..."Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"..."Deck the Halls" and such were omitted because they are kinda just givens. They are so catchy and mainstream that they are hard not to love. I miss my son attending his old preshcool. It was a church preschool so they held holiday concerts that were so great to attend.

When I was in school we got to have Christmas concerts, but many schools these days don't because of the separation of church and state. The school I worked at last year found a great compromise for this issue. They held a Winter Celebration and honored all of the holidays and cultural traditions so that everyone felt included. They held skits, dances, and sang songs for a big concert. My son's school isn't doing that, so I'm a little disappointed. The bright side is that we were invited to a Christmas concert next week that will be held at my childcare provider's church. Apparently, it's a huge deal in the community and so I'm excited for that. Can't wait for a night of Christmas music! Yes, I know. I'm a bit on the nutty side.

PBS Telethon

I'm sitting here blogging while listening to a tribute to James Taylor on PBS during their holiday fundraising drive. This is when they show their best stuff. The show tonight is an all-star celebration of James Taylor's music and legacy. I've always loved him and it's a great reminder to listen to new voices bring back some great classics. What's awesome is that I'm getting to hear some of my favorite singers perform too. The Dixie Chicks sang the hell out of "Shower the People." Sheryl Crow sang my sentimental favorite, "Mexico," with David Crosby and Jackson Browne doing backup for her. Keith Urban, Bonnie Raitt, Sting, and many more permformed as well. His music is so enduring. Some of my faves include:

• Carolina on My Mind
• Mexico
• Shower the People
• You've Got a Friend
• Copperline

For me, listening to his songs is like the sounds of a waterfall, soothing and beautiful. Yes, I am gushing. I am a folk enthusiast, so I adore the great artists of the past like John Denver; Peter, Paul & Mary, Fleetwood Mac (okay maybe they're more rock), of course James Taylor, and so many more. Okay, I am done raving and I seriously digress...

Thank goodness for PBS. They have some great stuff on that channel and I look forward to the day when I can financially contribute some real support to them. I volunteered a few years back for their holiday drive and had a great time. I got some freaky callers and no pledges for support. Instead, I received more than a few complaints about how the regular programming schedule was messed up and why weren't we showing Lawrence Welk? My mom loves that show and I remember loving it a kid. However, what control do I have over programming on PBS? None. The callers didn't seem to get that and so it was interesting to listen to the many issues people had and their need to share them with a telethon volunteer. However, my partner-in-crime that night, Mo, got a bunch of pledges for donations. She must've just looked cuter on tv. I got all the freaks. Maybe that should tell me something...:) Okay, this has to be one my strangest ramblings as of late. Nighty-night.

Breaking News

Does the news amplify everyday problems? I'm beginning to think so. While cold weather and ice storms are no laughing matter, I think that the media plays a big role in exacerbating normal seasonal events. For example, we had a huge winter ice storm a few years back that brought the city to a halt. People were literally homebound because the foot of snow was covered with a top layer of ice several inches thick. Was it dangerous? Yes. Was it newsworthy? Yes. Did it warrent 24 hour coverage for a whole week on every station? I don't think so.

The local media devoted almost all of their news crews to covering the weather. In addition to the real dramas, we were treated to breaking stories about...get this...piles of snow left behind behind the snow plows...transit buses putting on chains...etc. The way these mundane events played out on tv were actually riveting thanks to the way the media portrayed the stories. A year so ago, a local fox affiliate took some major heat for interrupting the show Prison Break during a major plot point to bring us another breaking story...it was snowing on Mt. Hood. Can you believe it? It was snowing on a mountain? I mean we are talking big time news here, I was shocked that the Associated Press hadn't picked it up...:) In an ironic twist it was the news station that found themselves as the major news story for having the gall to interrupt a show with such a silly topic.

I have to admit that get sucked in the drama as much as the next person, regardless of how trivial the subject matter. I'll even confess to tuning in frequently for weather updates during that snowstorm a few years back. The media knows how to hook its viewers and reel them in. It's the images and drama that we must be drawn to. Even though the images are often horrific, it's hard to tear your eyes away. It's a bit like a trainwreck, you can't not look.