Christmas Morning!

O.k. the pic of Boyd with Reiko is not from this morning. LOL But is was so cute with him and Reiko. The rest are from this morning. The morning started at 2:30 am. Yes, you read that right. 2:30 am Kali comes in to wake us up and tell us there are presents! My exact words were "I don't give a damn if there are presents, GO TO BED!"
Well, here is what happened according to the kids.
Kali woke them all up and brought them out to see the presents, then tried to wake us up... (I don't think so). So, then they came out and started sorting all the gifts out. Then they got hungry, so they cooked Ramen Noodles and ate at 3:00 am.. (I didn't smell the noodles)...
Then they decided to fall asleep surrounded by presents. When I got up at 8:30 am.... I found them just like in the last picture..... No early morning picture of all the gifts under the tree.... darn. Oh well, they had fun! The girls have their new bed in a bag sheets on their beds... Qijia went back to bed and I think he is awake now.... not sure...
Kole has been playing with the Mario Kart Racing Wii game as have the girls. But Kali's all time favorite present this year was the used Samsung Eternity phone that Boyd found for her on Ebay. She didn't even get excited about the punching bag that she has asked for two years in a row! LOL Kali apparently had only slept for about 30 minutes last night.... the turd... Next year, I think I will cancel Christmas unless they keep their behinds in bed and get some sleep. I know some kids that are napping this afternoon! Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing all our friends and families far and near a wonderful merry Christmas! May the magic of Christmas be with you tonight and through the next year.

I have sat and thought what I could write about on the blog that hasn't already been said. Then I thought, maybe, I should put down my feelings this Christmas.


First, it has been a really tough time trying to get into the spirit for Christmas this year. I had tried all the things I normally do and just hadn't quite done it. I remember seeing Christmas decorations up in October this year! What the poo! Maybe the retailers started it too early for me. But then I am finding out that many of my family and friends are finding it very hard to get into the Christmas spirit. Maybe it is too commercial for me this year. I felt that I would have really rather helped others than buy a bunch of presents that will end up in the back room never to be played with.... We purchased gifts anyway, but not in the spirit that we would in the past. The kids will have nice things, and we will too. But where is that spirit I have been looking for. I think I know what it is that I will be doing. I have decided since I already donate to 4 charities year round that have to do with facial differences, that maybe I should be helping out in other ways.



Second, the kids have been good this year. Extremely wearing in some ways. We have Qijia staying with us. For the months he has been here, I have heard nothing from the kids that seemed to be positive for our family. One complaint after another, then we realize he just isn't getting into the life of an American Teenager. O.k. maybe that is good in many ways. But you know, it would be so nice to see him have friends and go out with them occasionally and get phone calls and not listen to the whining... Of course it comes from my other half as well as the kids. So, the agency is on a mission to find him a new home that is more accepting than my spoiled rotten kids can be and maybe he will find the atmosphere he needs.



Third, work has been very stressful. One of the people I have worked with for most of 20 years is retiring and moving away. He is brilliant on the applications we program and maintain. Now that job is falling onto my shoulders with the assistance of two others. It is a sadness that has set over me because not only am I losing a co-worker, he is a birthday buddy and without realizing it we have become good friends. Knowing that we won't hear "Enjoy" as we are leaving, or getting the " I think you need to research this" for something that is a once in a lifetime problem. LOL



Fourth, Boyd has been laid off for several months and is on his second extension of unemployment. He has been bothered by not being able to find work and the older he gets the harder it is to find a job. He did have an interview this week, so maybe we will have a Christmas miracle of a new job for the beginning of the New Year for him. He has really stepped up to the plate this year with the kids and they have noticed the difference.



Let's see, we have had to replace the microwave and now we need to replace the washer. We had to replace the dishwasher earlier this year and the dryer just a few months ago. Time to start saving for a new water heater too.



All in all we have had a good year. Busy, but good.

Christmas tree is decorated 17 days til Xmas

Tada! They are done!

Thanksgiving is over and on to Christmas

We had a very nice at home Thanksgiving with my mom and our family here. It was funny watching the animals all trying to help.. LOL The end of the second term of school and our first semester is over in a couple weeks and then Christmas break starts for the kids.

We have been busy with all the normal school stuff and being sneaky about Christmas shopping.

I need to the take the kids out to shop, but that will need to wait until next weekend. I did some black Friday shopping and started at the more reasonable hour of 8:30 am. I did very well and got some pretty good deals. Enjoy some pics from Thanksgiving and putting up the tree. We still need to put the other decorations on...

Forgot something on the last post

Kali also participated in IMEA Music Festival. These are Jr High students 6 - 8th grade

Wow been a long time since I posted last

We have had a lot going on! Kali got her braces on and Kole had his checkup for his nose revision and my brother Pat married his soul mate Patty. Thanksgiving is just around the corner actually in 3 days! But who's counting!


Here are some pics from the past few weeks.

I have fallen behind!

The school year has been very busy this year. Between Band, Dance, Cub Scouts, and just plain every day life stuff it gets busy. We have Qijia in Art Club and Drama Club. We are hoping that this will help him make and meet new friends. We have been pushing him very hard to get his greades up in English and American History. He thinks he should just take different classes! LOL These are required classes that he has to take. Kali was straight A's this first quarter and Kaci had all A's and 1 B. Kole is doing great with his V and S+ grades. He just needs to learn to focus and not talk in class when he is not supposed to. Kole does participate regularly and the teachers are very impressed.

Halloween was fun. I stayed home and handed out candy. I sent the kids (minus Kali) alone. Well, they wouldn't go... so Boyd loaded them up and took them. Kali was sick for HAlloween night and was finally better on Wednesday to go back to school. Then Thursday she had spacers put in between her teeth in preparation for braces going on Veteran's day. She has been in a lot of pain with the spacers. It has made it very hard for her to eat.

All the kids that went enjoyed trick or treating with their dad. He took them all over Athens. I just take them in a couple neighborhoods..

Kole has been sick now since Wednesday.. low grade fever and irritating cough. He survived last night on the Robitussin... Yay!

Kaci has turned 10! We did not do much except she had a friend over and we had cake. She wanted her presents really early and there wasn't much there. But she was o.k. with that.

I had to go through my yearly physical and blood work and again have impaired glucose. I have to remember to stay on top of it and stick with the lifestyle changes no matter what anyone says or offers. It is going to be so tough to do... but I have to for me and my family.

Below are some pics from Halloween, Kaci's b-day and ICASP Fall 2009