TSWD 12/22/08

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FOR TODAY 12/22/08

This past weekend…Fri, I dropped Cadence off at Madison's for her 4th b/day party - where Sarah had non-washable MARKERS in the grab bags, which Cadence used to color all overself Sat (paybacks, I can't wait!), but really Cadence had a lot of fun there - who cares if she's STILL blue! Sat, Went to visit Max fka Mohawk. He's just as sweet as he always was! It was great. I love his family! Missed Dj's 5th b/day party, but dropped off his gift. Stopped by Denise's, picked up Cadence's pics, went to Selena's & visited for an hour or so. Sun, went to Church & to Cadence's Christmas party.

Outside my window…it's ridiculously cold - our shower drain is frozen!

I am thinking…how many baths does it take to remove blue marker?

I am thankful for…everything - my family, my friends, my life

From the learning rooms…Cadence is learning the real reason of Christmas

From the kitchen…baking, baking & more baking! Pb cookies, choc chip cookies, BUCKEYES!!!!

I am creating…Cadence's b/day party invitiations

I am going…to try to clean tonite after Cadence's practice

I am reading…book 2 of some books Alan got me hooked on

I am hoping…get the house cleaned tonite

I am hearing…that we'll have a heat wave on Fri - it's supposed to be a high of 38!

Around the house…wrapping paper everywhere - trying to finish wrapping gifts

One of my favorite things…buckeyes!!

A few plans for the rest of the week: wrap gifts, clean, get ready for Christmas!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

What it feels like in Toledo, OH

ONE WEEK UNTIL CHRISTMAS!

Or seven days or 168 hours or 10,080 minutes. YIKES!
Thankfully, these numbers mean nothing to me, because I am done shopping - yes, done - not one thing left to buy. Do you know how good that feels?! Done-finito…all the gifts are ready to wrap, gifts for the nieces, nephews, sisters, brothers, Dennis' parents, my mom & Mike. All done - it's a good feeling.
This past Friday, I had a pretty awesome evening. Kari sent out an invite for a small get together at her house around 7. I wanted to go, if only to get a hug & figured I'd only stay a bit, as I don't know any of her friends. However, that was not the case, I stayed until I had to get Dennis @ 9:30 & would have stayed longer if I didn't have to get him! Her friends are funny & witty & after awhile, I was showing off pictures of Noah & Lola to Janeen & Ling, while they showed me their babies.
Sat morning, we took Cadence to my work Christmas party & she had fun. Got a My Little Pony from Santa & she was thrilled. We had Kathleen babysit her for a few hours that evening, while we finished our shopping.
Sunday we went to Church & to the grocery store & home to relax.
This evening, we are going to the funeral home to pay our respects to my Aunt Sharon, Uncle Scott & Uncle Tracy's mom, Nancy. My prayers are with them as they grieve their loss & celebrate her life.
Not much else really going on this week - I did pass my Crime test yesterday - go me…
Madison's b/day party tomorrow, for which Cadence wrapped the gifts - interesting wrapping tactics she used, by the way.
Visiting our old foster dog, Max fka Mohawk, on Sat. Looking forward to seeing him! Cadence still talks about him, so I'm telling her tonite we're going to see him. She is very impatient (hmmm..where does she get that wonderful quality?) so I've learned to only tell her about things we're going to do, a day or 2 before we actually do them.
She has a Christmas party w/her teammates on Sunday - that should be fun…we'll be making some goodies to take w/us for that.
And except for wrapping presents & Church, we will be home enjoying the Love of our Lord & remembering the reason for Christmas..

"There has been only one Christmas - the rest are anniversaries." ~W.J. Cameron

TSWD 12/15/08

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FOR TODAY 12/15/08

This past weekend…I went to a get-together @ Kari's, Dennis & I took Cadence to the Christmas party at my work, then went Christmas & grocery shopping, went to Church, did laundry & cleaned the house

Outside my window...it's raining & getting ready to turn ugly!

I am thinking…how long til my ears are completely better?!

I am thankful for…God

From the learning rooms…Cadence can almost spell her name

From the kitchen…yummy goolash for dinner tonite

I am creating…a photo collage of family

I am going…to finish House season 1 tonite

I am reading…the crime book for my test at work Wed

I am hoping...to pass the test! :)

I am hearing…the excitement in Cadence's voice for Christmas!

Around the house…Christmas is in the air

One of my favorite things…is to cuddle w/Cadence & watch a movie

A few plans for the rest of the week: work on Cadence's b/day invitations, wrap presents, do some crafts w/Cadence, go to Madison's b/day party on Friday, hopefully visiting our old foster Max

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

It's raining kittens...

For Christmas, Cadence would LOVE to have a kitten. Our cat Sativa hates Cadence…Sativa is almost 7 yrs old, she's got seniority on Cadence. I'm worried that one nite, while Cadence is lovingly FORCING Sativa to sleep w/her, Sativa will seek revenge & suffocate Cadence.
Yesterday I found an ad for free kittens. I drove to Wauseon to pick one up. My friend Amy is keeping it at her place until Christmas eve so that Cadence gets the kitten as a gift. Well there were 2 left, so I took them both. The gray one is sooooooooo loving & the whitish one loveeeeeessss to play!! They are adorable & I'm going nuts wanting Christmas to arrive so I can give them to her.

Noah chillin'

Noah on the left, Lolabelle on the right & Annabelle (Amy's parents dog)

Noah again - hmmm...I think Amy has a favorite...

Cadence & I baked cookies Tuesday - that was fun. She loves to help cook - it's always so much more mess, but really - isn't that what kids are about?
Looking forward to heading over to Kari's tonite. Just got an email she's having a little get together. Probably won't be able to stay long - I'm going to have to beg, borrow & steal to get a sitter, but I MISS Kari so much - it will be totally worth whatever I have to do to get a sitter!
I'm also going to stop by Denise's to pick up Cadence's Christmas pictures.
The kids Christmas party at work is tomorrow. Cadence will be excited to see Santa again. After that, we're going to do some Christmas shopping & then we should be all done for Christmas.
Have a great weekend!!

The Simple Woman's Daybook 12/8/08

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FOR TODAY 12/8/08

This past weekend...we mailed out our Christmas newsletters, made Rice Krispie snowmen, finished the house, watched NCIS, went to the store for MORE baking items, tried the Olive Garden fettucini recipe - it was pretty yummy & tried to make a gingerbread house - we weren't up to code & it collapsed!

Outside my window...it's cloudy & cold

I am thinking...I could have used an extra hour of sleep

I am thankful for...a child that loves to learn

From the learning rooms...Cadence is working on writing & spelling her name - she even helped write her letter to Santa - who cares if her portion was all circles!

From the kitchen...lots and lots of baking! Chocolate chip cookies, pb cookies, Rice Krispie snowmen, PB bars!

I am wearing...clothes - not pajamas and slippers - which is what I'd love to be in right now!

I am creating...a list of crafts for Cadence & I to do in the evenings this week

I am going...to work on Cadence's Christmas list tonite

I am reading...the Crime book for work - test next Wed!

I am hoping...to pass the test! :)

I am hearing...that there are going to be a lot of storms this week

Around the house...we're still finding powdered sugar from the snowmen we made yesterday for Cadence's friends

One of my favorite things...is to sit in the living room in the evenings w/the lights off & the Christmas tree lit up - so pretty!

A few plans for the rest of the week: do some crafts with Cadence, study for my crime test, finish House season 1, work on writing w/Cadence, Christmas shopping this weekend, sleep in!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Happy Friday!

Oh how I've longed for this day. Monday morning @ 7 am, when I woke up, I was dreaming of Friday. Friday @ 4:30 would be better, but I'm not that greedy - just Friday is enough for me right now! In 4 hours I will be home ready to enjoy my weekend. We're even supposed to be getting snow - so I WON'T be able to go anywhere!
The last few days have been pretty quiet, although I didn't get my "Simple Woman's Day" hope of having the house done by Wed. I've been so busy, I get a little down each evening, but tonite is the nite! The house WILL be done!
In other news - we're finally getting into a bedtime routine w/Cadence. It's been difficult b/c of the moving around & everything, but she's finally getting it..well she's at least getting to the part of sleeping in her own room. Now, if only she'd quit fighting sleep & go right to sleep!
Any ideas on how to get her to fall asleep quickly? I'm desperate!
After finishing cleaning up tonite, Cadence & I are going to bake chocolate chip cookies! Mmmm..

I also saw a gingerbread house kit on sale at Walmart yesterday & am seriously considering buying it tonite, to make this weekend. I think they're so cute & I know Cadence would love it! Dennis wants to do it from scratch, but dang…that's A LOT of work & more expensive than the $9 kit at Walmart!
We'll see..have a great weekend & be safe & Andrea if you're reading this - I'll always dial 212 before I call you - even if I'm calling NYC!

Have you ever asked the question…

Are the clothes in the dryer clean? I figured you didn't b/c, well the answer is obvious. However, Dennis called me at work today & asked that very question. So of course the girls & I were laughing about this and one of the other lady's said, "My nephew & his g/f moved in together when they were about 20, the g/f called my sister in law & asked 'how do I know which one is the washer & which one is the dryer'".
So, I guess this girl beat Dennis, but still..are the clothes in the dryer clean? Really??
Sticking to my "Simple Woman's Daybook' statement yesterday of "I am going to….finish Cadence's room", I did! She was helping of course, which made it so much longer, but that's ok, she's a good helper. I even walked in while she had the hammer & a nail in her hand to hammer into the wall - I can only see that ending badly, but I was there before she started to beat her hand bloody!
Last nite she was in her bed, asleep (or so I thought) and I was quick to fall asleep as well. Bella woke me early this morning to go outside, so as I entered the living room, I was quite surprised that it was so bright, being 5:30 and all. The brightness was due to every light in the house being on..hmmm..now how did that happen when my innocent little princess was asleep?
So, I put the dogs out, turning lights off as I passed. I go into her room and she's curled up in a ball w/her silpy covering her & her blanket on the floor. I realized how cold she must be, so I covered her up & laid back down until the alarm went off.
When I got up an hour later, I entered the bathroom to take a shower & what praytell was laying on the bathroom floor? Her pj's & pull-up. I realized, she must be completely naked! KIDS! Now, she hasn't slept in a pull up in 2 wks & when she was in her pull up she hasn't wet in it, since…I don't even know how long - 6 mos or so, but I knew, that today would be the first time in that 6 mos that she wet overnite and I wasn't disspointed. When I woke her little naked self, she was laying on a wet bed.
She was crying & tired b/c, who knows what time she went to sleep and now she had to get up and take a bath. It was not a good morning in the Stacey-Dell household, but after 20 mins, she was smelling good & warmly dressed.
Dennis had a class first thing this am, but was able to go home btwn that class & his 11 class, and get the blankets in the washer, which leads me to the original question…
Are the clothes in the dryer clean?

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~ December 1st

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FOR TODAY 12/1/2008

Outside my window…is proof winter is here

I am thinking…that a 4 day weekend wasn't long enough

I am thankful for…my life

From the learning rooms…Cadence is learning to write

From the kitchen…yummy cupcakes

I am wearing…work clothes

I am creating…a Christmas wonderland in our livingroom

I am going to…finish Cadence's room TONITE!

I am reading…the same book as last Tuesday - haven't done much reading lately - lots of unpacking!

I am hoping…to be completely & totally unpacked, put away & cleaned up by Wed

I am hearing…that you can make some decent $ selling stuff on Craigslist - looks like less work than ebay

Around the house…there are NO boxes!

One of my favorite things…is looking at the Christmas tree all lit up in a dark room

A few plans for the rest of the week: finishing Cadence's room, putting away laundry, cleaning up the last bit of unpacked items, helping Cadence write a letter to Santa & possibly selling old clothes of Cai's on craigslist for a little Christmas $$

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Thankful..

A little late - but so grateful, wanted to share…
I'm thankful for my beautiful 3 year old (4 in 28 days!), temper tantrum throwing, foot stomping, loud screaming, alphabet singing, Dora watching daughter. Because to be throw those tantrums means she's strong willed - a great asset for a woman & strong women start young. To stomp those feet, she's able to walk; to scream means she has a voice & can speak; to sing the alphabet means she's learning; to watch Dora means she can see - and there's nothing more that I could ask for from God for her, than those wonderful senses.
I'm thankful for my 2-job hating, fun loving, overly-helpful husband. Thankful b/c not only does he have ONE job in this economy, he is blessed w/2 (even if he doesn't see it as a blessing some days!). Fun loving, even when his humor gets on my nerves b/c at least he isn't cold & gray. Overly-helpful b/c even though he wants to stop for every broke down car & help family as much as possible, he could be lazy & selfish & want to sit at home & take care of only him.
I'm thankful for my health, b/c even though I'm on blood thinners and heavy it means, that I'm at less risk for a blood clots & being heavy means we have plenty to eat.
I'm thankful for my dogs & my cat b/c even though they get on my nerves sometimes, they think we're perfect & sometimes, it feels good to be perfect in SOMEONE's eyes!
I'm thankful for my job b/c this economy is bad & my job provides for my family.
I'm thankful for my apartment b/c even though it's not in a great neighborhood, we have somewhere to live all our own.
I'm thankful to my family because no matter how much drama they bring, they are who will be there in the most important time.
I'm thankful for my friends because they are great listeners & advisors. I’m especially thankful for Michele, b/c it's good to have someone you see every day that understands it all & even if she doesn't understand it all, she's listens.
Mostly, Lord, I'm thankful for this life & Your love. May you continue to bless us as we enter this joyous season, celebrating Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Please continue to open my eyes to Your love & bless me with the knowledge of Your presence.
Please watch over my family and friends as we continue on through the lives You have given us.
Thank you!