Christmas Meme

1. Hot Chocolate or apple cider?
Do I have to pick one? Okay, Starbucks carmel chocolate! Yum!
2. Turkey or Ham?
Turkey. Is there any doubt?
3. Do you get a fake or real-you-cut-it-yourself Christmas tree?
Real. I love the smell, but don't love hoovering up the needles.
4. Decorations on the outside of your house?
Nope, but we always take a ride on Christmas eve to look at everyone elses!
5. Snowball fights or sleddin'?
Sledding. We went last year on the Canida's hill. Joy!
6. Do you enjoy going downtown shopping?
Belfast is Brillant for downtown shopping. Love the cornmarket anytime of year!.
7. Favorite Christmas song?
Can't pick one!.
8. How do you feel about Christmas movies?
Okay, I guess.
9. When is it too early to start listening to Christmas music?
December.
10. Stockings before or after presents?
After!
11. Carolers, do you or do you not watch and listen to them?
Lvoe listening to them. Have great memories of going with my neighbours in St.Louis during uni!
12. Go to someone else's house or they come to you?
Normally with Mum and Dad, but this year we'll be here!
13. Do you read the Christmas Story? If so when?
At Church!
14. What do you do after presents and dinner?
Veg and let the kiddo play!
15. What is your favorite holiday smell?
Love cranberry but LUSH has a great Christmas pudding sent!
16. Ice skating or walking around the mall?
Mall!
17. Do you open a present or presents on Christmas Eve, or wait until Christmas day?
Ethan gets one gift on Christmas eve. Jammies, etc. We did this growing up, and I have nice memories.
18. Favorite Christmas memory?
My dad pulling Ethan in the wagon that he got for him (had to be just the right one) on his first Christmas morning. I don't know who was more excited!
19. Favorite Part about winter?
snow days!
20. Ever been kissed under mistletoe?
Not telling!

Happy Thanksgiving

It was the most odd feeling this morning to wake up, know that it was Thanksgiving, and have to go to work. That said, I was greeted by fellow staff members wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving and giving hugs. It was almost enough to make me cry! I got to my desk and found a lovely Thanksgiving card (my second) from my friend Joan! The first two periods I had a lovely Thanksgiving day breakfast with nine of my 6th Form girls. I provided the turkey adn dressing and the girls did the rest. I must say, they did a wonderful job! I talked about Turkey day with all of my classes and then we did a Thanksgiving day activity/writing. Still, it was a long day and a bit emotional. Tonight I am starting to cook for my Saturday Thanksgiving feast for twenty! The broc. bake is in the fridge (just add topping and bake), the sweet potatoes have been baked and will be mashed before I go to bed (I hope :). The baby potatoes have been cooked. Tomorrow night I will make the greenbeans, the corn, and boil the eggs (and make the filling). Sat. will be clean the house, assemble the food and hope that there is enough! People have been so kind that I think making a Thanksgiving meal is the least I can do.
Feeling a bit teary!
ML

Christmas (I mean Thanksgiving) Sandwich

Ah, yes, the lovely sarnie. I'm sitting at my computer having my tea while Ethan (who has already had his) is in the kitchen drawing with our neighbour Lewis. The two play so well together and are in the same class at school. But, back to the sandwich. My girls at school have been all abuzz about Christmas sandwiches. I asked what this was only to find out that it is what we would call a thansgiving one. Two slices of bread (wholegrain), turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce. Yum. We are getting ready for our first Northern Ireland Turkey day. We have three families joining us and I'm glad that we will be able to share some of our traditions as well as food with this crew who has taken us in and done so much for us! I'll post later about the menu etc. I also got a Thanksgiving day card today from Margaret. Lovely when people remember.
Michele

It's Monday!

It's Monday and I am SO tired.

Hey....tomorrow is the 20th!

Yes, I know that Hey.....tomorrow is the 20th! is not a good title-oh, well, it is my blog! Yes, I am feeling a bit snippy today. It is Sunday and tomorrow I have to go back to work. Don't get me wrong. I like my job. I like my students. I am just in mid-term funk. It happens every year. So, as a way of making due, I decided to go shopping today-BY MYSELF! I got DS's Christmas finished-minus a lego kit. I still have to get a Leapster for his DBB (dear birth brother), and get it into the mail. so, I got into town in time to see the big city hall Christmas tree go up. Very cool. Actually it went up when I was in a shop. Oh, well, still pretty cool. I can't wait to go to the international market that is held round city hall at Christmas time. I got into town today, and had an hour with a magazine and a hot chocolate at STarbucks. Oh, and a Christmas sandwhich and a toffee bar. NOt low cal but oh well! I am trying to be good this Christmas as I will have to pack everything up in a month! I'm following a poem: something you want (lego kit), something you need (Muzzy French), something to play with (pirate ship and pirates/bowling) and something to read(easy readers, Mary Poppins, and a Charlie and Lola book). Stocking will feature: Charlie and Lola 4 DVD, Tweenies Christmas DVD, chocolate coins-a NI tradition, an apple and orage (also tradition) and a few yet to be known (even to me) things! The rest of my shopping is also done. The only thing to do is send a box via LandsEnd to my folks in Indiana. Nice to have it finished and be able to focus on the real meaning of Christmas. I have a neat Advent study for E and I to do this year together. I'm looking forward to that.
In other news, it looks like we will be homeschool next term. The plan was to send E back to school in Indiana with the K class. That said, his school here has bypassed that info in the first term, AND I don't like sending him to school with kids 1-2 years older than he is (and having him know all the material). I asked him a couple of weeks ago: Do you want to go back to Edith's or go to K. He told me that: " I liked it better when I went to Edith's and you taught me at night, at home". I love HSing him and we've got a great support group for both parents and kids. So, I'm putting together a K curriculum for my kiddo. At presetnt: We will finish up JOlly Phonics (what they use here) with some easy readers. We may or may not pick up with 100 EZ Lessons or TOPGTTR after we are finished. We will use Singapore K or Horizons K math. For handwring we will use the Jolly Phonics program. A friend on the FIAR (www.fiar.com) boards suggested the BEST Bible program: First Steps (www.unitstudy.com) and we are in our second week and loving it. It is very much on DSs level and very well written. There is also a colouring sheet/activity for almost all the areas. We will also do Muzzy French Level 1. I was thinking about Latin or Greek, but as DS has bio-family in France, we will start out with French and add Latin/Greek in 3rd grade. I know it sounds silly from a PS teacher, but I have always felt called to HS, and I am so glad it is working out for us.
Oh, and back to the title of this post. Tomorrow is the 20th of November which means we are two months away from going home!
xoxo,
ML

Paris

We had a wonderful two weeks with my Mom and Dad, who are now at home in Indiana safe and sound! More on that soon, but I want to talk about our weekend trip to Paris!
Late on Friday afternoon our neighbour Louise took us to the airport to catch our flight into CDG. We had a short and easy flight and were met at the airport by E's bio brother and his adoptive mom. I was a bit worried about the meeting, but it went very well! (PTL!). E's BB had a classic kids book about a little mouse living in Paris and a little frog for a gift. We took the RER and then the metro to their apt. in the 3rd. They have such a wonderful apt and the area is amazing-very busy and lots to see! That night we had a yummy tea made my H's dad and then we sent the kids off to H's room to play while the grown-ups talked. There was an ease to our talking, which was great. Got the kids ready for bed, read stories and then turned out the lights. They stayed up til 1AM talking! The next morning H said " I liked the part where we hugged". Talk about making a Mom cry :) (Happy tears)!. Sat. morning we got up to fresh bread and many types from the local bakery. Yum. Off we went to Notre Dame while H had his dance class. We had forgotten that it was a holiday (memorial day) so the class was canceled. We met them at the playground near Notre Dame where H's dad had gotten a book for both of them. E's is a kids book of famous sites in Paris! Great gift! We went to lunch at a Pasta/Pizza place where H goes every Wed. with his Mom. It was very special to see the places that are a part of their daily lives! In the afternoon we took the boys on the Paris boat trip, which they enjoyed. They played a game with each bridge, and enjoyed seeing them! I am amazed at how much E remembers! Home again, to have a yummy roast and veg. The boys were up late again, as were the parents! Sunday morning we had hommade crepes (yum!), and then went to see the Eiffel Tower. The line was about 30 minutes long, but the boys were very good! They did decide that the tower was more fun from the ground! To lunch at a yummy seafood place with awesome food! Oh, and more wine! Home to the playground, and then the apt. for more play time. Soon it was time to head to the airport. Our hosts were amazing and lovely. We had a blast!
Michele