Week of December 11th

Sunday Jason took all the kids to a big indoor play, climby area here.  Then they went out to lunch at a place like McDonalds, a burger place.
I had nice peaceful morning trying to get things done around here.

Monday morning I helped stuff 830 invitations into enevelopes for the PTO wine tasting we are doing!  Only came away with one bad papercut.
Jacob only has 1/2 of the normal homework load this week.  Sean didn't have any besides reading.  He has his big concert this week at school.  I think a lot of kids are leaving for the holidays so their classes are going to be smaller this week.
The kids got their haircuts this evening after we picked Sean up from ball skills.  Amber did such a good job sitting on the booster seat and so still for her hair cut.   On the way home we saw this van that someone had painted to look just like the Scooby Doo Van- so funny!

Tuesday it poured, poured and poured.  It started raining in the middle of the night and then just never stopped until around 4pm today for a bit and then started up again.  It makes it very difficult to get the kids to school, one it is still dark out and then pouring and walking them all into school. 
I got quite a few inches cut off my hair today and then highlights as well so I look nice and young again- ha!
We did a make up gymnastics class for Amber today since I took her there last week and I couldn't get her to participate.  Then to pick up the boys from school was awful.  Did I mention it was pouring today?  When I went to park in the parking garage, I got there right before the last spots were taken and then people were just parking behind people's parked cars and sitting there.  It was crazy.  It was so windy and my hood wouldn't stay on, our umbrellas were turning inside out, and we got soaked.  I actually had to change Amber's pants when we got home b/c she was so wet.  I had those high rain boots on, my winter coat that comes to my thighs, and between those my jeans were soaked.  Nothing better then wet heavy winter coats, and mittens- ugh!
Rain, rain, go away!


Wednesday was raining again in the morning and I had to get the 3 preschool teacher's big gift baskets into school.  That was difficult since they were so heavy too.  What we did was each child brough in an item from their home country and I put them in a basket and wrapped it.  So it turned out very nice.  But 18 items in each basket made them quite heavy and in the rain to carry in!  Then I went to a travel agent to help me find some place to go for spring break.  Already thinking warmer weather (:
Then before Amber's day ended they had a little Christmas show with about 5 songs they sung and then we had some gingerbread cookies and hot chocolate with the parents.  So that was nice, and then I presented the teachers with their gift baskets as well.  Amber loved the singing and the dancing!
Then after school her one boy friend came over and they were busy playing, then cutting, coloring, glueing, and painting their projects.  They play so well together!
The boys had RE class today and the teacher gave them some yummy clemintine oranges wrapped up and an ornament.  The oranges are very good here this time of year!
Jacob's guitar teacher had canceled class for tonight and I was glad not to have to go back out in the rain.

Thursday Amber had a meltdown at school when I went to leave the teachers had to peel her off my leg.  That is not like her.
The electrician that came by a few weeks ago, just showed up today.  Luckily Jason was still here and hadn't left to come to Sean's program.
Sean had his Christmas concert during the morning, so both Jason and I went in for it.  They did a great job. Some kids had speaking parts and it was neat to hear everyone's different accents when speaking English.

 It was 1st and 2nd grade combined.  They sung some songs together and some separate.  1st grade did a dance to the Katie Perry song "Fireworks"  It was so cute.  There was this one boy that had his little suit on and he was getting his groove on.  He had all the beats and moves down and was totally into it. He was so cute!
Amber had gymnastics and this week they must have been able to wear costumes to class, but since I couldn't get Amber to go last week we missed the announcement.  So a few of the kids were dressed up in costumes.  But I get the feeling that since Amber doesn't have any good friends in the class she is not enjoying it as much.  She always seems to like a buddy to do things with and while she runs and plays with all of the children I don't think any of the other kids speak English.
Sean looked very cute in his nice clothes today, but then when he gets in the car after school he tells me that he didn't go to the bathroom all day b/c he couldn't get his pants unbuttoned- poor thing.  I said please ask your teacher to help you if that ever happens again. She is so sweet and would understand.
Here is Pinkilicious Minnie mouse

Friday morning Jason tells me he is going to take my car to get it registered in town.  He had all the paperwork ready, but also needed the car in case it needed an inspection.  So I go and get all my stuff out of my car that I need and he leaves with my car.  It is again pouring out.  His car is parked outside and we are getting soaked getting everyone in the car.  Once in the car Jason calls and says he forget to take his work badge out so if I could leave that at home for him.  So I go get soaked again. 

So his car is too technologically advanced for me.  I can't even get the car started.   It doesn't have a key just this box thing you put in and then you have to press the start button.  So I am doing this and still can't get it to start, so I call Jason back and I guess you also have to have your foot on the brake- ha.  I can't figure this car out.  Then I realize that he doesn't have the school sticker on the window, so I have to call him back and ask where it is.  He tells me it is in the glove box.  Ok how do I get in there.  I can't find the stupid button to open it.  It is still black outside and I am trying to open the door a bit to light the car up b/c of course I can't find the light button either and it is getting wet inside the car and I can't find the button at all. It isn't actually on the glove box.  If you don't have the sticker there is a chance you can't get in the parking lot at school and then if you park without your sticker you will get a ticket.  So now I am getting very mad at Jason.  So we get to school and I am able to get in the parking lot and once parked there is some light there and I finally find the black button just on the dashboard and put the sticker on- ugh so much for this car!

Jason waited about an hour at the car place only to find out that he is missing a document from the previous owner.  Luckily he didn't waste any more time there.  So now we need to find the previous owners through friends to get this done, and of course 2 of the documents we had were time sensitive so now we will need to go get these done again when he is ready to go again.  The good thing is that next time he won't need to bring the car b/c the guy said he doesn't need an inspection yet. 

So when Jason came home to get his work badge we just switched back cars, only to find when I leave a bit later that Jason has now left his phone in my car!

This morning I decided to drive to Belgium and go to Ikea.  It is only about 20 min. away, but it was raining so hard and so foggy I couldn't even see Ikea and it is of course right along the highway. 

I got some lamps, a rug and a table for behind the couch.  The table box was a bit heavy but I got it in the cart.  So when I got to the car if I knew that if I could get the seats down in the back it would fit in fine, well no surprise I couldn't get the seats down.  So I am standing there in the pouring rain trying to shove this box inbetween the back seats but it is too heavy for me to get up to the height of the seats.  So I see this younger guy walking in and I of course can't actually form a sentence but ask if he can please help me, and thankfully he is able to get it in the car for me- thank you!

Today the kids had Christmas parties and were very excited to be done with school for awhile!