Saturday, December 10, 2011

Portable Santa

I have to say that we've had fun with Portable Santa this week!

Click on the photo to see Isaak's video message from Santa.

I love it because you can include:
  • Your child's name
  • Your child's sex
  • How old your child is
  • Where they are from
  • If they've been naughty or nice
  • What they want for Christmas
  • 3 photos in Santa's book
  • Something that Santa wants them to work on
  • They can be sent to adults and children
  • Can be sent over facebook, twitter, emailed, but can't been embedded for blogging
  • It's free, unless you want to buy the video
Click on the photo to see Mica's video message from Santa.

What my boy's have to work on:
  • Mica: Not interrupting people when they are talking
  • Isaak: Not throwing those silly little tantrums
  • Daddy: Needs to try and be more cheering during the holiday season
You should have seen the boy's eyes get real big when they watched their videos from Santa! Now when Isaak gets grumpy and defiant, Mica reminds Isaak, "Santa said not to throw tantrums!" Isaak stops and thinks. I told him, "Isaak Santa is watching." ;) When Mica interrupts, we remind him about what Santa told him. Zip goes his mouth. I sent one to Daddy just for fun. I heard a good chuckle come out of him!

This Morning We Watched Cartoons

The boys and I love French cartoon Pingu! We can't understand what they say, but totally get the meaning just by watching it. The cartoon is so funny!

The oldest penguin reminds me of Mica and the youngest Isaak.

I had to put this Christmas one up!


Mica's known to dress up and totally be in character!



The boy's favorite! It is pretty funny!

Friday, December 9, 2011

A Relaxing End to a Crazy Week

I didn't have much time to breathe this week. Next week is finials time for my students. That pretty much means a lot of writing for me. I wrote review sheets, exams and answers and questions for a review game.

The review game is new this year. I call up three students.  Each student has a buzzer of some kind. My assistant answers the question and the student chime in to ask the question. It's Jeopardy style. If none of the three students chime in, the audience gets a chance to steel. For each point that they get, they earn two extra credit points. Some racked up points more than others.

I wrote the answers and questions, so my assistant didn't know what they were going to read before they read it. My favorite was for my assistant Mike today went something like this: Mike said, "PMS." Students: Giggled a lot. Then the student said, "What is Pantone Matching System?" I just loved it. I think it's crazy how they use PMS as an abbreviation for standard print colors, Pantone Matching System! My art students always giggle about it and they are in college.

I had two major projects due this week. Only one has been graded. It's a crazy rule breaking project. They have to paint the background, add packaging tape, paint the middle ground, add packaging tape, paint the foreground, add packaging tape and paint the details. It's kind of cool because they don't have to wait for their paint to dry. None of the student have ever painted this way. I loved seeing the results!

Here's my favorites:
Meet John Lemon:
 Meet Mr. Glutton:
 Tea Time with Bear:

I did have two issues with students this week: 

One guy did a strong message piece about suicide. It was a good concept. Well, it was sitting on his desk and he disappeared for a few days. Two other instructors freaked out thinking he could be true to his piece. To sum a long story up, everything is fine.

Another student got mad at me because I marked him absent. We take attendance and it effects their grade after they hit 3 absences for one class a week. Now his grade is suffering. Of course this is all my fault. He's not to blame at all. The last two sentences are what he thinks. I just follow school policy.

Those two situations were exhausting. 

The relaxing part of tonight:

Tonight we went to the YMCA up the street and went swimming for an hour! It felt nice to get away from it all! At first I didn't think we'd be able to go. I couldn't find Mica's swim trunks anywhere. I finally found them. It was odd going swimming while it's freezing cold outside! For awhile we had the pool to ourselves. I won a two month membership through Mica's school.

Then we came home and it was well past bed time! I got Isaak ready for bed, while Daddy assisted Mica. Mica was really tired. He needed more assisting than usual.

Isaak said, "Mommy you pretend to be Grandpa Spiehs and I'll be Grandma." I said, "Ok Grandma get your pjs on!" He said, "Ok Grandpa!" Then I said, "Get your diaper on over your underwear Grandma." He's still wets every once in awhile at night; I want him to feel his wetness, but protect his bedding! He said, "But Grandpa I don't wear diapers." I said, "Ok well pretend you are Great Grandma Kent then. She wears diapers." She has Alzheimer's disease, so that's why she wears diapers. That lead into a whole discussion about how some adults need diapers.

Off to bed.

Last Night it Took Me Close to Two Hours to Get Home

Yesterday it started to snow/sleet during the middle of the afternoon, on into the evening. It was slick, but man traffic was bumper to bumper. No one seemed impatient, which was good. By the time I went from work to Grandma and Grandpa Spiehs' house and back home was nearly two hours. Usually it only takes me 30 to 40 minutes of driving time. We're so lucky to have shorter commutes here. I'd hate to have that kind of commute everyday!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Stocking Stuffers

I really need to look through and remind myself of the things I've bought. I buy year round for Christmas. Often times I don't give them everything I've bought. I hold some stuff for birthdays.

I did buy a few stocking stuffers tonight.
  • One was tape for Mica. That boy is always asking for the tape. He's wanting to tape all kind of things together. 
  • I got Isaak some more chalk for the boy's black board.
  • Then I got 2 yellow submarine ornaments. The boys really like listening to the Beatles. They know many of their songs and get transfixed when The Yellow Submarine is on.
Source

Big Turkey Dinner

On Sunday we had a big turkey dinner for Grandma and Grandpa Spiehs.

What was on the menu:
  • Garlic-Herb Butter Turkey.
  • Homemade Stuffing.
  • Green Beans.
  • Sweet Potatoes - I'm jotting this down because I know I'll forget how I made them. My boys loved them this way! I drizzled olive oil in a pan. Added the peeled and sliced the potatoes - 5 of them. Sprinkled salt and pepper. Bake 350 degrees for 50 min. It took mine 40 min. 
  • Cranapple Juice - 4 apples and 1 cup cranberries is a good amount for our family of 4. Then I add 2 more cups of water. No sugar added.
  • Pumpkin Pie.
It was yummy!

Mica and Isaak were fighting for Grandma's attention. I was a little worried that they wouldn't want to go to bed, but did. It was a school night.

Ever since Thanksgiving break Mica's been really blinky at night. His sign of being tired. Isaak's been using excuses while in bed.

Today I Said, "Enough!"

A short recap for those that know nothing about what I am talking about: I fell in the shower/tub the first part of October. It was a bad fall. My leg was bruised all over, but didn't appear to be that dark. In the past few weeks I've noticed that a small circle (about the size of a large egg) itches like crazy! It's still discolored. There is a lump under the skin.

I call my main doctor to get an appoint. They wanted me to see a dermatologist. I called the dermatologist and they wanted me to see my main doctor.

My co-worker said, "Just go to UrgentCare." So tonight I did just that. I have what's called a "Hematoma." It's a really BAD bruise. It can be a big deal. My happens to not be. She said if it was in the back of my leg it may be a bigger deal. The fact that the lump is so close to my skin and itches is a good thing. It means it's healing. I'm supposed to keep lotion on it as much as possible. If it starts to get hot, bigger or red than I should go in again.

I'm so glad it's nothing to worry about. Now I can cancel my other unneeded appointment.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

WW - Opera Characters {Linky}

Mica:

Isaak:




If you have time, check out this post to. It will make you smile for sure!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Today I Got the Run Around

The bruise I got in the beginning of October has never went away. I tripped on Isaak's play mat in the bathtub/shower. My leg stung and it really wasn't that colorful of a bruise. It was just was massive in size. The tissue was firmer than my other skin.

The size has gone down. What's left is a hard knot that is under the skin and the size of a large egg. It's a little discolored there. The skin in that spot dries out much more than my other skin and itches.

I didn't think too much of it. Like I said, it did get smaller. Since it won't go away, I did what everyone shouldn't probably do and looked online. What I found was that it could and probably is a "Hematoma." Sometimes ignorance is better, sometimes it's worse. What is it? A Hematoma refers to an abnormal collection of blood in the body that is typically the result of a broken or ruptured blood vessel. Hematomas can cause a minor skin bruise, or a collection of clotted blood that is deep within a muscle. Sometimes they shrink and go away, sometimes they don't and the sack of blood needs to b surgically removed. If it doesn't get removed, it can get so bad that a limb could need to be amputated. Ya that last part is where I decided that I should call my doctor. That's if it's really bad. Mine has shrunk down, so I doubt it's that bad.

I called my doctor and left a message with the nurse. Then she called and said that I'll need to see a Dermatologist. Then the Dermatologist office was away for an hour lunch break. Than I called back and they said, "It sounds like a Hematoma. You should probably see your regular doctor." I said, "They referred me to see a Dermatologist." She said, "Did they see you first?" I said, "No, but that's what my doctor said over the phone." She said, Ok."

I had to give them my maiden name. I haven't seen this doctor since late high school I think. That might be an issue in itself.

Now I have an appointment to see my Dermatologist at the end of the month.

At least I can have him look at my moles while I'm there. I don't think they are an issue because they haven't changed at all. Since I'm there, I might as well. I also have a raised, tiny mark by my eye. I'm sure it's just from getting older, but I'll have him look at that to.

I Heart Their Clothes!

Looking for some new clothes? Try this site called Eternal Creations. I'm always on the look out for my boys, but they have cute clothing for everyone!

eternal creation womeneternal creation boys

Natural Baby Goods is giving away a $50 GC to this clothing store.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Meet Mr and Mrs Claus

Daddy put the tree up last night. He fixed the lights. Why on pre-lit trees, do lights go out only after a few years? Grandma and Grandpa Spiehs had the same problem. So annoying! Then I put in the ribbon. I have red ribbon all throughout the tree. The boys and I put on the ornaments. Mica wanted to put up the star. He quickly said, "Next year Isaak gets to do it!" I'll hold him to his word.

Mica said, "I have the best idea of the century! Come in my room Isaak." So he proceeded to dress up Isaak like Mrs Claus and himself as Santa. Then he wanted Daddy to build him a sleigh and reindeer out of cardboard. Daddy said, "No." He had to go to work. When Mica gets into character, he doesn't just stop when in character. He wants the whole scene. Daddy said, "Go pretend your bed is the sleigh!" So he did. He collected pillows to represent the reindeer. Then came in and asked me, "Mom is it ok if I use my Indiana Jones whip to whip the pillows since they are my reindeer? I promise I won't hit Isaak!" I said, "Ok as long as I hear no problems."

Mrs Claus playing with Hallmark ornaments.
Mica has a pillow in his tummy to appear more plump and jolly. Isaak has one of my aprons on and an Indiana Jones satchel, which he was calling his "purse." Mica's shirt is on backwards. He did not have a plain red shirt. On his back is a motorcycle. Mica did put small balls in Isaak's shirt to represent, well you know what. That didn't last long!

Mica keeps saying, "I have Sugar Plums dancing in my head." He refuses to answer to the name, "Mica." He's like, "You can call me 'Santa, Mr Claus or St. Nick.' Ok Mica."  He wanted a beard, so we put put one of Daddy's CLEAN socks on his chin.



The most annoying Christmas item I have is this:


A sing, song Hallmark thing. I'm not into them at all! I bought it one year for the kids. It plays constantly!

Our First Big Snow

It snowed yesterday. First it was rain, then it was snow and at night wind picked up.




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