pre- christmas activity #1 Wiggins party

Not the best picture, but the only one I took. This is always a very fun party for the kids. They look forward to it all December. Grandma goes over the top even when she thinks she's cutting back. Tons of food and treats and they get to open a present from G & G Wiggins and one from a Wiggins cousin. This year they got to help decorate the downstairs Christmas tree. Aaron made the YUMMIEST white cranberry fudge. I ate it all. (All that he sent home with us anyway.)

Priase the lord and pass the clam dip winter break is here. I helped with the party in Sage's room and I had the worst migraine headache that I have had in a very long time. BAD! The sounds and smells of 25 second graders just about killed me. I made it through pasting 25 little candy cane bags together with Christmas music blaring in the background and I didn't even throw up. Here's what I love about my little sister. When I say to her, "I have a headache." She oozes sympathy. She knows what I am talking about. It is the curse of the Dalley genes. Luckily I don't get them often anymore but it looks like I have passed the curse on to Cooper.

Anyway, the relief of having winter break start was wonderful-- like laying down a backpack filled with homework that hasn't been turned in, lunch boxes that have gone moldy at school and wrappers from every snack eaten this year. I don't have to cajole anyone out of bed in the morning or push them to get their homework done at night for 2 whole weeks. I came home, made myself some comfort food (clam dip, potato chips and coke) , and took four ibuprofen and a hot bath. Ah, these are the moments that life is made of.

Poem of the month November

I will be posting a favorite poem once a month. The purpose of this is 1-- to share a little of what I like with my readers (all four of them, okay maybe five) and 2-- when my kids read my blog they will be reading things they wouldn't normally read. Although Sage just told me she doesn't read my blog "because it's not that much interesting".


TE DEUM
by Charles Reznikoff

Not because of victories
I sing,
having none,
but for the common sunshine,
the breeze,
the largess of the spring.

Not for victory
but for the day's work done
as well as I was able;
not for a seat upon the dais
but at the common table.




"When will you make hot chocolate mom?" says Sage for the 4th time in 6 minutes. And this is probably the reason I don't blog much.

Or I should say November passed without major event except for the fact that Barack Obama won the presidential election and brought hope to the hearts of the WORLD. (And Thanksgiving was lovely.)

Skip this if you'd like but for documentations sake...

GEEZ! I let all of November and most of December pass without posting even once. What is my problem? I like to tell myself that maybe I am too private of a person to blog at all but it might have more to do with lack of focus.

Anyway, November passed without major event. Thanksgiving was lovely at my mom and dad's house with Jennifer, Paul and Kira. Jen, my mom and I cooked up a storm. Jason made the gravy and Paul (as always) hopped right to the dishes before everyone was even finished eating. No pictures because that is not the Dalley way of doing things. Jason and Samantha and Cooper went rock hounding at the iron mines and found some VERY cool rocks. I helped my mom with her office and Kira kept the twins entertained. We watched John Adams and just hung out and talked. I feel very lucky that I enjoy my family of origin. I mean really enjoy them, choose to spend time with them, look forward to it even. Brother's-in-law included.

Adventurous eating

Cooper and I went to the oriental market to get dried fish snacks (he absolutely loves them.) We couldn't find the ones that he wanted. I say find because you can't read any of the packages, you just have to go by how something looks. Well, here is what Cooper picked based on looks. Cash would not even try them:)

Halloween

What was I thinking letting them do this in the kitchen? Oh, well a little orange goo never hurt anyone.

We had lots of fun trunk or treating and trick or treating with the neighbor kids and partying at the school earlier that day. I have about ten lbs. of candy on top of my fridge. Cooper and Adam went all by themselves for the first time.

I have to say I miss the days when you celebrated each holiday ONCE--on the day of the holiday. Not twice the week before, once the day before and two times on the day of--craziness.

Isn't it cool how a raindrop on the camera lens made it look like the moon is full inside my house. Or maybe it was a halloween spirit. Ooooh. Spooky!