Christmas vacation!!

I made it!! Christmas vacation is finally here and I am so ready for holiday relaxation and fun!! I only worked until noon, but still had a really busy day. One of my best students is being sent to our Alternative school on our 1st day back to school after committing a serious offense this week, and I begged and pleaded those in important places not to send her, but it's one of those situations where you really don't have a choice. Currently our Alternative school stays are 45 days, but as of our 1st day back, it is changing to 90 days, which would mean this student would not finish 8th grade with her class before moving on to high school. While my begging didn't help, I was told that if I could get her enrolled TODAY and have her attend school there TODAY, then she could still qualify for the 45 day program. And yes, you know me, I somehow pulled that off! I got permission from the important people to allow this student to enroll although all of the paperwork wasn't finished and no drug test (which is required) had been done yet, then convinced the parent to meet me with the student at the Alternative school this morning before our 9am meeting to complete the paperwork, and got her in! It wasn't easy, but it's done, and the student should be back at her home school by the first week in March, assuming she doesn't have any behavior problems while she's there. It's just all worth while when you help a child! I wouldn't have even asked, but this girl wont do well at the Alternative school, in my opinion.
So, then I attended that meeting, helped another parent with an issue with her child, then went to a Christmas lunch at our main office. It was a lot of fun and we even had an ornament exchange, which was great! I got a cute teddy bear ornament. And, so, now I'm ready to let my brain rest for a couple of weeks.

I did get word today that the student will be getting the free braces!! An anonymous family donated the money and the student is going the first week in January for an evaluation to see what all she needs to have done. This sort of thing is life-changing for these kids. I am really excited for the girl and her family.

I went last night to a party at my friend, Christine's house. We went to graduate school together, worked at a hospital internship together, and now are in supervision together. She had a party for our colleagues (yes, we have to call each other big words like that now that we are professionals) and we had a great time. We did a white elephant gift exchange and I got some cute Christmasy red votive candle holders. Here are some pictures of us last night:

This is Christine's tree!

This is Aimee, Elizabeth, & Jessica

This is Elizabeth, Judith, Jessica, Jennifer, & Christine

This is Cathy & Rachel

This is me & Amanda

Tonight, I am going to another graduate school friend's party, Becky. It is just a small group of us who get together pretty often. We will have a white elephant gift exchange and some shrimp & crab bisque for dinner! Yummmmy!

I will be going by my Elizabeth's house on my way to Becky's to drop off their Christmas gifts. If you don't know my adoption story, you should read it here. Elizabeth's biological father's family doesn't want anything to do with her, but his best friend wanted to meet her as soon as he knew I had reunited with her and he says she is his niece and he tries to stay in contact with her and the boys. Today, he sent me a check for $200 to give her for Christmas! She is SOOO excited and said she could really use it, so I will bring it by to her today. I am giving her some money too, but she really wanted to be able to spend that on herself, so this will really help out with that.

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!! Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then post this on your blog and tag 5 people. Tis' the Season to be NICE!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both
2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial
3. When do you put up the tree? After Thanksgiving
4. When do you take the tree down? Pretty much as soon as Christmas is over!!!
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, especially a Cajun Eggnog daiquiri
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Probably a doll...I had hundreds of them
7. Hardest person to buy for? Walter
8. Easiest person to buy for? Landen
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Sometimes none, sometimes mail
11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Clothes that aren't my style
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? How the Grinch Stole Christmas
13. When do you start shopping? Novemberish
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Cookies

16. Lights on the tree? Have white now but want color!!!!
17. Favorite Christmas song? Blue Christmas
18.Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? dasher, dancer , prancer, vixon, comet, cupid, donner, blitzen and rudolph
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Maybe one on Christmas Eve, the rest on Christmas day
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? That we allow this holiday to become stressful by focusing on money

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Anything my kids make

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Gumbo
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Wii Fit, Cosmo shaker and glasses
26. Who is most likely to respond to this? Lesley
27. Who is least likely to respond to this? Dunno

And yes, consider yourself tagged if you want to play along!!

I hope you all have a great Friday night!!!

Counting down!!!

I am in full count down mode!! I have 3 more days of work then I am off until January 5th and I can't wait!!! My job is really cool, but the days off have to be the coolest thing ever!! It's been difficult working with the kids this week because they are all taking mid-terms and doing Christmas things, so I've been seeing them when I can. I bought some cute little Christmas bookmarks for the kids and have been having fun giving those out.

Speaking of midterms, I found out today that Cameron doesn't think he has to do his work in his speech class because it is not a core class. He decided not to do a mid-term paper that counts for a double grade and now will have an F in the class! Yow! He's never made an F on a report card before, so that is something new to deal with, and not because he isn't capable of doing the work, but because he chose not to do FIVE assignments, plus a double grade midterm exam. I talked to his dad tonight, but he is not likely to give Cameron any consequences. It makes it really hard for me, since I have him every other week, but he will be facing some consequences when he comes home.

I went to one of my schools to help with "literacy night" tonight and it was a lot of fun. Most of my schools are in a very impoverished city and it is awesome to see the school and the parents team up together and do something to help. I wasn't expecting to go since nobody mentioned it, but my supervisor called me around 4 (after I got home, put on my warm ups and slippers) and asked if I'd go with her, so yeah. I am glad I went, but it wasn't easy to get myself there!!

We had a crazy thing happen in the neighborhood this week. Walter is the president of the homeowners association, so we get calls about all the neighborhood happenings. Someone called yesterday to say that someone had vandalized one of the security cameras at the front of our subdivision. We have 4, but only 1 is really low enough to notice. So, we went to check the video on the cameras and could see the guy walk up with a GIANT stick and just smash the camera!! It was at 5:30am when it was still pretty dark, but you could see the guy pretty clearly. We called the sheriff's department last night and an officer came out to file a report. We found out today that a neighbor who watched the video of the incident recognized her brother who was drunk and angry when he left her house because she took his car keys away! She is planning to pay for the camera and doesn't want us to report him to the police. Can we say ENABLING??

And yeah, I had some good news today!!! If you've been coming here awhile, I found a church who was offering to provide free braces to a needy child last summer and referred one of my students, who was chosen! His teeth were really bad and he was teased a lot, and now, his teeth are wonderful and not even an issue anymore. Well, a teacher talked to me about a student at a different school who has really bad teeth, so I emailed the church again last week. I got an email today saying an anonymous family had asked them to find a needy child to provide braces for!!!! I just have to get the mom to agree and to make sure they have transportation there. How cool is that?

And thank you for all the comments yesterday! I wasn't ranting about those of you who leave comments sometimes and sometimes don't. It is more about those who read blogs and never comment. I want to know you are here, so please leave me some love so I can visit your blog too!

50 random things about you! If you opened this, FILL IT OUT! Learn 50 things about your friends, and let them learn 50 things about you!

1. Do you like cheese? Yes

2. Have you ever smoked? Yes and thank God I quit about 8 years ago

3. Do you own a gun? Yes, a 357 magnum - I got it when the Baton Rouge serial killer killed a girl on my street - and yes, I can use it

4. Do you like listening to Christmas music? Not too much

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? No

6. What do you think of hot dogs? Yuck!

7. Favorite Christmas song? Blue Christmas

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Diet Dr. Pepper

9. Can you do push ups? No

10. Who is your favorite Grey's Anatomy Character? I've never seen it

11. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding rings

12. Favorite hobby? CoMpUtEr!!

13. Do you eat "exotic" foods? No

14. Do you have A.D.D.? No

15. What one trait do you hate about yourself? Impulsive

16. Middle Name? Cecile

17. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? I'm tired, there's a mosquito inside, I love my white zinfandel

18. Name 3 things you bought yesterday? Sensation salad, Christmas present, Christmas present

19. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink: Diet Dr. Pepper, Wine, Coke Zero

20. Current worry right now? JP

21. Current hate? Hate is a very strong word

22. Favorite place to be? Pensacola, FL

23. How did you bring in the New Year? Home with Walter

24. Where would you like to go? Cozumel, Mexico

25. Name three people who will complete this? Don't know!

26. Do you own flip flops? Yes, a pair to match each bathing suit

27. What shirt are you wearing? Jammy shirt

28. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No

29. Can you whistle? Not really

30. Favorite color? Blue

31. Would you be a pirate? No

32. What songs do you sing in the shower? Only take baths

33. Favorite girl's name? Katelyn

34. Favorite boy's name? Cameron

35. What's in your pocket right now? No pockets

36. Last thing that made you laugh? Text from Christine

37. Best bed sheets as a child? Flowers

38. Worst injury you've ever had? Broken arm

39. Do you love where you live? Yes!!!

40. How many TVs do you have in your house? 4

41. Who is your loudest friend? Dana

42. How many dogs do you have? ZERO

43. Does someone have a crush on you? My husband does

44. Hmmm.. there's not a 44.

45. What is your favorite book? Anything by Danielle Steele

46. What is your favorite candy? Hershey bar with almonds

47. Do you know all the words to the Fresh Prince theme song? Yes!!

48. What song do you want played at your funeral? High by James Blunt

49. What were you doing 12 AM last night? Sleeping

50. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? THREE MORE DAYS!!!!

Sunday

Well, here I am again, finally. I've reached a point where my blog isn't working for me. I'm a very honest and open person, so while I don't want to offend anyone, I do want to be honest about how I feel. I want to continue blogging, but I feel like I'm sharing myself, my world, and my blog with all who want to see, and not getting much back in return. Sure, there are those awesome 10 - 12 people who will actually take the time to leave a comment showing me that they were here, they care about what I have to say, and offering me the chance to know who they are and check out their blog. And then, I see that I am getting 60+ people a day coming to my blog. What's up with that? Why would you read a person's blog daily, just to move on and not let them know you are there? I am tempted to make my blog private so that I'm only sharing myself with those who are willing to share with me. I'm not at all concerned how many comments I get, but good lawd, if you're getting to know me, let me have the chance to get to know you! And here's something else. I was trying to read and comment on all the blogs on my list and it was like a chore keeping up. Then it hit me. Why am I going through all that trouble and stressing myself out trying to "be there" and let people know that I'm reading their blogs too. I started out only worrying about commenting back on those who comment on my blog, then get to the rest if I feel like it. I found that was much more satisfying, so that is what I'll continue to do. And at that point, I was only really reading 8 - 10 blogs, but hey, a relationship is a 2-way thing and I chose to go that route. With all that said, I would love to have anyone visit my blog, but would greatly appreciate the chance to know who you are and visit your blog. Anywho, I'm going to try to come back and do what I was enjoying - blogging and getting to know people. And I know I am preaching to the choir, because those of you who are going to leave a comment are likely the ones who do anyway! Just think people about why you're here. Why not let the rest of us know! And I'm not talking about my friends who come here that don't have blogs of their own. I know you're here and am glad you enjoy my blog too.

So, for the first time in 10 or more years, we got snow this week! And for the first time in my whole life, we got A LOT of it. It was very beautiful, but also very dangerous for us here. We are not equipped for snow here and don't know how to do anything in it, like drive. I attempted to go to work Tuesday during the snowfall, and my car skidded on ice on a small bridge and hit the side of the guard rail. I wasn't hurt and my car only got some chipped metal on the wheels, but it shook me up enough that I just drove home and didn't leave again all day. Cameron's school was closed the whole day (he goes in a different parish than I work in) and my schools closed at 11. His parish was on top of that and did the right thing, in my opinion. It was dangerous to get all those kids out in busses, and then turn around and bring them back home in that mess.

I've almost finished Christmas shopping and I do nearly everything online. I hate the crowds and discovered the wonders of online shopping and free shipping years ago. There are a few things that I'll have to go out and get, and I'll do that this week. My family has decided to only buy gifts for the kids and grandkids, so that equals 5 gifts, and Walter's family draws names, so we have 3 gifts to buy there. That is SUCH a nice thing, considering we usually buy something for everyone in my family (11) and something for all of the kids in Walter's family (lost count, but at least 20). Sean & Cameron really just want money, so we'll get a small something for them to put under the tree. I save JP's money in our account so that when he gets home someday, he will have some money to get a used car or something. Then I have money for Elizabeth & her boyfriend, unless she tells me something she wants. Sometimes she will, but so far not this year. I've bought gifts for Landen, Bradley, & Mack, and I think we're done except for Walter & I getting each other's gifts. I have bought all but 2 things for him, but he's a wait-til-the-last-minute kind of shopper, so I have seen one thing under the tree for me so far! There really isn't much I asked for, so it will be fun to be surprised!

Speaking of JP, he is doing really well. He usually goes through a depression when the trial is reset, but seems to be fine right now. He is writing to friends a lot and has been drawing like crazy. It's so neat to see him rediscover something that was so important to him when he was little. He is sending out personalized drawings to different people, and it's really helping him to have that to fall back on. The trial date is now 4/27, so we'll just hurry up and wait some more. My friend, Lesley, & I are planning a trip to visit him Jan. 9 - 11, and my sister says she will visit him this week. I'll keep my fingers crossed on that!

I have been busy helping other people with Christmas this year. My friends and I always adopt a family to provide their Christmas presents. I like to pick a family where the parent works but is just struggling. We have done that this year for a wonderful family, and then I got word from a youth minister that I know (who worked with JP a lot when he was younger), and she is collecting money for an adolescent group home for Christmas. These kids are homeless, throw-a-ways, or foster care children and most are reaching the age where they will have to move into their own apartments and take care of themselves. They are all working and in school and 80% of their income is being saved to help them once they graduate, so they asked us to help raise money for gift cards to give them so they can buy things for their new homes. How awesome is that? So, I've been working on collecting money for that and we will deliver the gift cards to them on Saturday. If anyone wants to donate, just let me know! It's a wonderful cause!

Walter & I went to his office Christmas party last night and it was fun. They had a band and some wonderful catered food. They give door prizes and always get enough to make sure every couple gets something. We won a camoflauge duffle bag, which we decided will end up under the tree for Cameron, since he is a hunter.

This is a picture from our night with my brother, Kenny, who was in town from Atlanta a couple of weeks ago. His original plans included attending JP's trial, but he decided to still come visit friends and family in Baton Rouge even though the trial plans were changed. He spent the night with us Monday night and we enjoyed having him here.

This is me and my baby brother. He is 18 months younger than me, but he's not all that little! He is 6'5 and I am only 5'9.

It's amazing what kids will do for others that they would never do for their parents. My brother got Cameron to put on a Sombrero in a Mexican restaurant when we went out to eat Monday night.
This is my great-nephew, Elijah. Isn't he sweet? My sister sent me this the other day, then told me that her son, who just had a baby girl with a different girlfriend, has now left that girlfriend. Yikes. At least my sister isn't having to keep the baby 3 - 4 days a week like she does Elijah, but still.

I hope that you all have a great weekend. And leave me a comment to let me know you are here!!!

Friday

I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We have enjoyed having some time off, seeing our families, and celebrating Thanksgiving. Walter is building a bird feeder for one of his sisters for Christmas and was working on it this week. Landen came to spend the night Tuesday night, so he wanted to build a bird feeder of his own.

When I brought him home Wednesday afternoon, he went out in his backyard and attempted to dig a hole to put his bird feeder in. It really looked pretty stable, but it wasn't.

Elizabeth & I went out to see it and she accidentally knocked it over! I could have chosen to try to keep her from knocking it over, but instead I decided to take pictures!!

Landen was extremely upset and again, instead of being helpful, I continued taking pictures!!

Eventually, we helped him get it to stand up again, but I'm quite sure it fell over as soon as we left!! Maybe Elizabeth's boyfriend will help him dig a deeper hole. Regardless, Landen was very proud of his bird feeder. He filled it with corn, so I'm not sure how many birds he will attract.

Here is a picture of Elizabeth & Mac. If he looks really big in this picture, it's because HE IS!!!

We went to Metairie, about an hour from our house, for Thanksgiving at Walter's youngest brother's house yesterday and had a great day. The weather was nice and we were able to spend most of the day outside. As usual, there was way too much food, but it was all really good!!! We didn't take many pictures, but here is me and one of my sister-in-laws listening intently to someone's story!

And then this is Keith - the younger one on the right. He probably doesn't look like someone who was about to have an emergency appendectomy, but yeah, unfortunately, by the time he got to his aunt's house in Baton Rouge where he was staying last night to go hunting early this morning, he began having really bad pains in his stomach and was taken to the emergency room in the early morning hours this morning. He had an appendectomy at 10:30 this morning and all is well. Walter & I visited him after the surgery and he is fine. But he wont be going hunting!

So, the only other news is that Walter & I are starting on a low calorie diet today and I'm not real amused about it. I've gained a few more lbs. lately and my clothes aren't fitting, so I will try this for a week or two and if that doesn't work, I'll go back to my no-fail low-carb diet.

Have a great evening!

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

What I'm thankful for:
A strong relationship with God
A wonderful husband who is totally a family man
JP is alive and well
Cameron is a great kid with only minor attitude issues
A great relationship with Elizabeth and her boys
My extended family
Wonderful in-laws
An incredible job
Hard earned degrees
The best friends anyone could want
My dream house
Living on the river
My dream car
Memories that nobody can ever take from me
Being financially secure
Walter's job
My cats

What about you?? What are you thankful for?

And now for the latest news. I can't really say that it's bad news, because I'm not sure that it is. I don't feel like things were ready, and I sure wasn't ready, so maybe God isn't ready. JP's trial has been reset due to the shingles outbreak, as we thought it might be. Unfortunately, any reset ends up being a long way off, so the new trial date is April 24th, 2009. JP's co-defendant signed a plea deal for 40 years in prison and has agreed to testify against JP. The guy is a scary person and I hope he spends each of the 40 years behind bars, and then some.

I went running errands and visiting some friends yesterday. I wanted to see my co-worker's new baby and she is precious!! I visited a little bit, then picked up Landen from Elizabeth at work around lunch time. We stopped to visit my friend, Lesley and her sister, Lauren. We had a a fun visit with them and their kids, plus a few others! Then we came home and ate some delicious potatoe soup that Cameron talked me into making! I cooked it in the crock pot and it was really good! Cameron & Walter did some fishing and this morning are building bird feeders! Walter is making one for a Christmas gift, so Landen wanted to make one for Elizabeth. Here are some pictures. It is hard to ever get Landen to make a normal face! These are the best I could get!



I am taking Landen home in about an hour, then Walter & I are going to dinner with Cathy & Brent. We aren't sure where we're going yet, cause Hilltop is closed!!

I'm enjoying my week off a lot. I really haven't done very much, but being lazy is just what I was looking forward to. We are going to Metairie (close to New Orleans) to Walter's youngest brother's house for Thanksgiving, so I didn't have any real pressure to clean the house or anything!! My mom & step-dad are going to Houston for Thanksgiving with my sister now that the trial is off. We were figuring on a late Thanksgiving/early Christmas while we were all in Houston next week.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Monday

I was tagged by Kristin at A Family is Forever to share Eight Things About Me. So, here you go!!

8 Favorite TV Shows
*Everybody Loves Raymond
*Seinfeld
*Curb Your Enthusiam
*Friends
*Super Nanny
*Wife Swap
*Intervention
*King of Queens

8 Things I Look Forward To
*Sleeping late
*Knowing JP's outcome
*Eating at a restaurant
*Weekends
*Working with kids
*Spending time with my family
*Playing on my computer
*Reading

8 Things on My Wish List
*To bring JP home
*Clinique Happy perfume
*Cameron to be more motivated in school
*Clothes
*Help others
*Win the lottery
*To stay as happy as I am right now!

8 Things I Did Yesterday
*Helped Walter cook gumbo
*Had friends over for gumbo
*Laundry
*Played on my computer
*Cleaned the house
*Emailed last minute things at work before having a week off!!
*Decided it looks like I'm living out of my car
*Thought about cleaning my car

8 Favorite Restaurants
*Chilis
*Hilltop
*Albasha
*Texas Roadhouse
*Brewbachers
*The Great/Grand Wall
*Las Palmas
*El Meskal

8 People to Tag:
You!
You!
You!
You!
You!
You!
You!
You!

I am so excited that I have the whole week off from work!! I am really being pretty lazy today and I'm ok with that! Cameron should be coming home from his dad's today, but there is a chance he'll stay through Thanksgiving since he wants to go hunting with his dad.

Last night, Walter cooked gumbo for some of my graduate school friends. We had a great time and it was so good to get to spend some time together.

I haven't heard anything back from JP's attorney yet, but I'm really wondering how being exposed to the shingles would require you to be quarantined. I may have given the impression that he is still with the guy who has it, but that guy was taken out of the "tank," but the ones left inside are supposed to be quarantined for 21 days, so we'll see what happens. From what I've read, if you have never had the chicken pox, then you can get it from being exposed to the shingles. Other than that, I don't think you can carry the shingles virus by being around someone who has it. Tomorrow is the date for JP's pre-trial motions to be heard, something we've never had scheduled before, so I will know more by what happens with that. I'm pretty nervous about the whole thing! I'll keep everyone posted!

Have a great week!

Saturday night

Sorry I haven't posted anything in a week! Not too much has been going on. I had a really busy week leading up to having a week off for Thanksgiving. I am SO glad for the week off and plan to really enjoy it!

Today, I cooked vegetable beef soup in the crockpot and we had that for dinner. It actually came out pretty good! I have never made it before, so I was glad. Tomorrow, we are having some friends over for gumbo, so I'm excited about that and getting the house cleaned up.

I have heard from JP a few times lately. He is doing good. He called me tonight to say that someone in his "tank" was found to have shingles and the rest of them are on quarantine for 21 days. He is worried about what that will mean for the trial because they said the inmates can only leave the tank for an attorney visit or to go home (too bad you can't just pick that one!) I emailed his attorney tonight to see what that will mean for the trial.

I'm almost finished with my Christmas shopping and I'm glad about that! I don't have nearly as much to buy this year because my family wants to just buy gift for the kids/grandkids and I'm fine with that. I've also been shopping for the family I chose to help with Christmas this year. I always collect money and help a working family that is having trouble making ends meet, and that is a nice feeling!

I'll try to come back sooner!! I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!