Christmas pictures

Renee and my dad

Joe, Renee, JJ, Braden and Brighton

Braden and Brighton

We wish you a merry christmas

Well, I'm nearly done with everything.
A little wrapping to do yet, and that's it.

Tomorrow we go to Afro's for Christmas dinner. I'm making sausage soup, a bread pudding and I don't know what else.

I hope everyone has a great holiday and enjoys a little time off work.

Merry Christmas!

Left hand, give it up

The kids at my school have started playing this new game. They can walk to you, or anyone, at anytime, and say, "left hand give it up" and whatever is in your left hand becomes theirs. If you're quick enough, you can say, "half and half" and then you only have to split it with them. I think it's hysterical that it works. You should see them at lunch time. The other day one kid wound up with five milks! Somene lost a watch. One kid taped the fingers of his left hand together, so he would remember not to use it. I'm addicted to it. I love to catch them...and make them give me their stuff. I give it right back, of course.
Could you imagine innocently eating your school lunch and because someone says, "left hand give it up" and you lose your hoagie??

updates

We're off today....the first snow day of the year. I think I'll get a jump on my baking. Maybe I'll do cutouts today.

My dad is getting out of the rehab center on Saturday. He has agreed to stay at my sister's for a week or two, just so we can make sure he can get around okay. My mother is in such poor health, that she's useless when it comes to taking care of him....so this way there will be other adults around in case he falls or needs something. He still has to go for dialysis three times a week, and he'll probably have to continue with some sort of physical therapy. Pooh, if you're reading this....good luck with the tea lady. I hope you bought a case of lipton!

Renee, goofball and the baby moved out a little while ago. It's been nice to have my household back to normal. Well, as normal as my household can be. Right now, she and the baby are staying with her grandfather, and goofball is in Allentown and he's still working. She got herself into more trouble on Thanksgiving, and even though my ex-father-in-law swears that he's done helping her out....he bailed her out and is now letting her and the baby live with him. She is involved with Children and Youth so there will be random checks on her and the baby. Presently she seems to be doing well....but she always does for about a month. She needs serious help and sadly, I'm the only one in her immediate family that seems to realize this. I just hope she gets it before it's too late. She's coming here on Christmas Eve, and she might leave the baby with me for a visit for a few days. I sure miss him! When we talk on the phone, she puts him on and he coos and aaahhhs. It makes me want to squeeze him.

I still have a bit of Christmas shopping to do. Just a few items. Nothing that I have to search for. And I have a lot of wrapping to do. And baking.

"There's a tree in the grand hotel...."

I am so far behind....I might be a little in front.

I haven't even started Christmas shopping yet. Not one thing. No gift wrap, no cards, no presents.

I have a dentist appointment this morning, then I'm taking the rest of the day off, and I'm going to try to get a start on it all. We'll see how it goes. I usually do well under pressure, so I'm hoping I can get most of it done today...all except the kids. I save them for last. Especially Braden. He changes his mind a kazillion times. And even more than hate Christmas shopping, I hate returning Christmas gifts.

I'll let you know how I make out.

Misc....

My father is improving. He's starting to eat a little, now that my mom has talked them into removing all the restrictions they had on his diet. He's 80 years old for crying out loud....if he wants to have pudding instead of diet jello, let him have it! Much to his chagrin, they moved him to a rehab center yesterday so they can concentrate on his hip. He's being very stubborn about walking on it. He has to go for dialysis three times a week. So, on that front things are looking up.

My Thanksgiving dinner went well. Everyone enjoyed the food, and I didn't have too many leftovers...just enough. Here's a picture of Braden and JJ taken on Sunday. Doesn't Braden look cute in that hat?

I'm going to start decorating for Christmas today. JJ has a basketball game this morning and when he and Keith get back, they're going to bring all the decorations down and then I'm going to "cheer this place up." I love decorating for Christmas, but then I can't wait to take it down. I have to force myself to leave it up until New Year's.

Brighton is starting to walk by holding on to furniture, or people, or toys...or anything he sees that he thinks will work. This plan works more often than not...but when it doesn't...let's just say

he takes quite a few nosedives. He's a good sport about it all though. Since I haven't blessed you in a while, here's a picture of him.