Twelve Days of Christmas – a NEW version

I stumbled upon this poem and just had to share it!!  I LOVE IT!!

The Twelve  Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas, the good Lord gave to me: a child with a disability.

On the second day of Christmas, the good Lord gave to me: a heart full of love for my child with a disability.

On the third day of Christmas, the good Lord gave to me: an ache in my heart and a heart full of love for my child with a disability.

On the fourth day of Christmas, the good Lord gave to me: a tear in my eyes, an ache in my heart and a heart full of love for my child with a disability.

On the fifth day of Christmas, the good Lord gave to me: an unsuspected strength for the tear in my eyes and the ache in my heart and my heart full of love for my child with a disability.

On the sixth day of Christmas, the good Lord gave to me: a ray of hope, an unsuspected strength for the tear in my eyes and the ache in my heart and my heart full of love for my child with a disability.

On the seventh day of Christmas, the good Lord gave to me: a sense of humor, a ray of hope, an unsuspected strength for the tear in my eyes and the ache in my heart and my heart full of love for my child with a disability.

On the eighth day of Christmas, the good Lord gave to me: supportive friends, a sense of humor, a ray of hope, an unsuspected strength for the tear in my eyes and the ache in my heart and my heart full of love for my child with a disability.

On the ninth day of Christmas, the good Lord gave to me: remarkable doctors & therapists, supportive friends, a sense of humor, a ray of hope, an unsuspected strength for the tear in my eyes and the ache in heart and my heart full of love for my child with a disability.

On the tenth day of Christmas, the good Lord gave to me: an appreciation of small accomplishments, remarkable doctors & therapists, supportive friends, a sense of humor, a ray of hope, an unsuspected strength for the tear in my eyes and the ache in my heart and my heart full of love for my child with a disability.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, the good Lord gave to me: a sense of pride, an appreciation of small accomplishments, remarkable doctors & therapists, supportive friends, a sense of humor, a ray of hope, an unsuspected strength for the tear in my eyes and the ache in my heart and my heart full of love for my child with a disability.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, the good Lord said to me: Reach out and share your sense of pride, your appreciation of small accomplishments, your remarkable doctors & therapists, your supportive friends, your sense of humor, your ray of hope, your unsuspected strength for the tear in your eyes and the ache in your heart and your heart full of love for your child with a disability.

Is Caty ready for the Roller Derby?

Not quite but she had a ton of fun at her friend Kylie’s birthday party!  Kylie and Caty met in the 3 year old preschool class.  I had Hanna with me so I told Caty that she’d have to manage by herself.  Thankfully Kylie’s older sisters and their friends helped her out but soon enough she was skating (ok walking because they turned the wheels so they pretty much didn’t go around). 

Caty getting some help from Avery

 

Hanna and Payton (Kylie’s little sister) having some fun of their own

 

Caty, Aubrey, Kylie, Kylie’s cousin Taylor, and Maddy

Aubrey doing great!

The girls are off for more skating

 

Caty and Aubrey

She’s doing it!!

Watching their big sissy’s!

 

The birthday girl!

Happy Birthday Kylie!  So glad that you and Caty are such good friends!

Simple Woman’s Daybook – January 23rd 2012

For today – January 23rd 2012

Outside my window… the rain has finally slowed.  It was POURING when I dropped Caty off at school this morning :-(

I am thinking… about how I could have just one more cup of coffee – I’m cold!!

I am thankful for… friends and family!

In the kitchen…  coffee is finished…dishes washed and put away…so not much going on

I am wearing… jeans and a sweatshirt – trying to keep warm.

I am creating… Boards on Pinterest – such fun!!

I am going to… hopefully start watching another child.  Met with a family of a 7 month old yesterday – think that it went well, just waiting to hear from them about what they’ve decided to do.  They have only had family watch their little girl so this is a big step. 

I am reading…  still nothing but wanting to start the Twilight series soon – been looking over Girl Scout stuff (lots of reading material) and needing to get this troop going. 

I am hoping… to get this job watching the little girl.

I am hearing…  the wind and rain outside…Hanna playing with her toys.

Around the house… Hanna is playing, I’m catching up on posting blogs, the cat can’t decide if he wants in or out…

A few plans for the rest of the week…  Watching a friend of Caty’s before and after school as his dad is out of town helping her big sister move to LA.  Dropping my parents car off at the airport as they come home from Maui tonight.  Hoping I’ll be watching Ciena and Nolan a day or two.  Friday night I’m heading out with some girlfriends to hear my favorite band play at Stoney’s.  Saturday is beer bottling day so we’ll head over to our friends house for that. 

A picture that I’m sharing… here’s the IPA that is fermenting.  Yes, there’s a lot of chunky stuff in there but that gets strained out.  Can’t wait to try it!!

Wordless Wednesday – January 18th 2012

More on this picture in another post…

New and Improved!!

As many of you know from my Facebook posts, Scott and my dad did quite a bit of work in our kitchen over Winter Break.  My dad is very very handy and Scott is a great apprentice. 

Here’s what our kitchen looked like before – notice the lovely white tile countertops – YUCK!!  FYI…our floors (in the kitchen, entry way and hallway to the girls rooms) are the same tile so guess what the next project will be???

 

I took this picture as the girls and I were leaving to head to my parents where we stayed during the process…bye bye ugly white tile!

Scott took pictures on his phone and sent them to me at the end of the day….

End of day 1

End of day 2

End of day 3

And the finished product…

 

 

Simple Woman’s Daybook – January 16th 2012

For today – January 16th 2012

Outside my window… it’s sunny but it sure isn’t warm!  It’s 37* right now (9:45 am) – this is CA people, that’s cold!

I am thinking… about how lucky we’ve been with the CA weather we’ve been having lately.  We are in need of rain though and it’s coming later this week. 

I am thankful for… the fact that it’s a holiday and I’m still in my pajamas. 

In the kitchen…  the coffee pot is calling my name before it shuts off for the day

I am wearing… my PAJAMAS!!

I am creating… not much, still have a few more blogs to catch up on.

I am going to… get dressed soon, just in case the kids show up earlier than their dad said!

I am reading…  nothing…still haven’t started a new book yet, maybe today I will.  Need to start the Twilight series so I can get the whole set read by the time Breaking Dawn Part 1 comes out. 

I am hoping… that the Chris Gardner Band CD comes out soon!!

I am hearing…  Karla Davis singing ""Fire and Rain” by James Taylor.  Karla tried out for this season of the Voice and I can’t wait to see how she did. 

Around the house… the girls are coloring; Caty is watching Home Alone; Scott’s gone for the day – went to Reno to help his dad with a few things.  Gonna watch the sibling set for a few hours today as well.

A few plans for the rest of the week…  home today, not too much else going on during the week, hopefully have my afterschool kids a day or two.  Saturday is beer brewing day for Scott and his friend so we’ll be over at their house for a few hours. 

I’m sharing a video today instead of what I’m listening to…

Christmas time…

The girls helping make some salt dough ornaments that we used for Table place settings on Christmas Day – unfortunately I didn’t get any finished product pictures.  Oops!

 

At Nana and Papa’s for Christmas Eve dinner, some cookie making and a few presents

Mmm…Christmas cookies!!

 

Good job Papa…cutting Scott’s head off…oops!

Opening some presents

Seeing what’s in their stockings

Caty got Connect 4

And a bead set

 

Hanna got a potty for her dolls, which worked out great – she decided last week that she was going to start using the potty and has been doing GREAT!!!

      

Caty LOVES iCarly!

Back home we went to get ready for Santa…

Throwing some carrots out for the reindeer

 

Flat Stanley got to help with the cookies

 

I didn’t get a picture of the milk but Hanna wanted to leave Santa Chocolate milk since that’s what Max and Ruby left him

Onto Christmas morning….

Caty asked Santa for a Password Journal – a pretty cool gift if you ask me.  She had to program a password and it only opens to her voice. 

Hanna asked for a Scooter and Santa got her a Minnie Mouse one!

 

Some new books

Cute little baskets from Auntie Barbara and Uncle Bill

New art supplies

Bears from Auntie Claudia

Presents from Grandpa – Hanna got a Tag Junior and Caty got Disney’s Apples to Apples

Hanna got a Leapfrog My Own Storytime Pad

Caty also recently inherited Daddy’s old iPod so we got her new Clock/Radio/MP3 player stereo so now she can plug her iPod in and listen away

Daddy and his girls

Me and my little loves

 

Family picture

My parents came over later in the day, which meant more presents for the girls!!!

Caty got a desk for her room!!

Opening presents from Uncle Todd, Auntie Erin, Riley and Reese

Hanna’s new Kitty Helmet

Took the picture before, not after…but Caty got supplies for her desk…pencil holders, notebooks, etc

Last present of the day….Hanna got her own camera – now she doesn’t have to steal sissy’s!

We had a wonderful day…hope that you did too!