Is It Really Almost December?

What does this look like to you?

It helps to live on the North Side, where the Colorado sun shines. (I do think we have our own sunshine.)

Michael and Ethan shoveled the bit of remaining snow.

Off of the GRASS. Michael is eager to mow.

I thought summer was over. Thanksgiving is this week.

The boys were tired after working so hard.

Ready for some football.

Christmas Gift Ideas

A friend recently asked for homemade gift ideas for adults. She requested items that did not require sewing and not food items. That eliminates many of my thoughts, as I personally enjoy food and food related gifts. I think the best way to be inspired in gift-giving is to sit down and make up your own list of gifts you would like to receive. If you are looking to give low cost, hand or home made presents, or service gifts, what could someone give you that would be appreciated? Then take into account that persons interests and see what you can comes up.

Last year, I posted my top 10 handmade gift list. I'm including it here.

Handmade gifts often require a chunk of time, but not always. I smile when I think of some of the treasures I've received or ones I'd like to have. Making your own gifts won't always be free, but can be less expensive and more meaningful than searching the stores or internet for the perfect gift. It's too late for these to be of any value this year, but maybe if I plan ahead for next year...one of these days it's going to happen.

1. Homebaked goodies. I'm not sure why these get a bad rap. I'm not much of a baker (I blame the altitude.) A plate of cookies is delightful. A loaf of bread is nice too.

2. Recipes, especially those secret ones that were handed down from your grandmother.

3. What would be nicer than a homecooked or ready-to-cook freezer meal? It's the perfect future gift. On one-of-those-days when I'm busy, tired, or stressed out, I can pull that present right out of the freezer. I'll open and enjoy when I need it most. Plus, my family reaps the benefits.

4. A music CD with meaningful, fun, or interesting music/songs. Personally, I love music. An incredibly romantic gift could be one song, packed full of sentiment, burned onto a CD.

5. For my younger nieces and nephews, I've always thought a fun gift would be that of a card or note once a month for a year. I'd try to include stickers, pictures, or a dollar occasionally and words of encouragement. What child doesn't enjoy receiving mail? Email is overrated in the eyes of a child.

6. A CD/DVD with a photo slideshow, especially fun put to music. Include fun and goofy photos. Perfectly posed photos become boring. Laughter & tears blended together create wonderful memories of joy.

7. The gift of time. Give a card with a date on it. It can be simple or extravagant.

Join me: January 31st, at 4:00p.m
Location: Starbucks
Occasion: A time to kick back, conversate, enjoy a warm drink & good company

To make it even more interesting, give the same gift to 2 or 3 friends and plan to meet at a time when the holidays are over. Catch up and have a great time.

8. A memory, love note, prayer, or blessing written out.

9. Kitchen/Dining things, tablecloths made to fit my extra-large table, napkins, placemats, table runners. (This one is extra exciting for me.) I asked my mom for a tablecloth this year. Have you ever tried to find a tablecloth to fit a table that is 120 inches long and 54 inches wide? Or buy 12-14 matching placemats at 6 dollars a piece? Add cloth napkins in and it isn't going to happen here. I know these aren't cheap to make either, but what a wonderful gift.

10. Service Gifts-A promise to wash a car, make a meal, sweep a floor, do a load of laundry. But don't give an empty promise, follow through. If necessary, give a specific date that you are available to do this.

So there it is. My top ten list of gifts that don't require you to get out your credit card, wander the malls aimlessly, or search the internet for hours on end trying to find the perfect gift.

I'd love to hear your top ten.

The Big Cover-Up

Saturday morning, while preparing to have 30 people for dinner, my bathroom sink spontaneously imploded. Ok, maybe I helped it a little. My usual hand washing includes a quick squirt of liquid soap, obtained one-handed. But seeing as how I was preparing food for a multitude, I wanted to get a good lathering. I placed one hand beneath the spout and tapped the soap dispenser pump with the other. How did I know this action would cause a portion of the sink to give way?

I was a little shocked and not sure what to do. I didn't have time to deal with it. I had seven extra people staying at my house and with the dinner in a few hours we needed to have this bathroom functioning at full capacity.

I wonder how many of my guests thought they'd help me tidy up by moving the strategically placed washcloth off the sink.

I'm guessing one or two overnight guests might have grabbed this cloth before jumping into the shower, only to discover this:


But it didn't faze me one bit. I pretended it never happened and we went on to have a fabulous weekend.

Now to deal with the sink...anyone have superglue?

Not What I Expected

It wasn't quite what I had envisioned, but I'm not completely sure what I was expecting. I awoke earlier than usual, in order to make the hour and half drive. I was hopeful I could make it in less time, but wasn't sure about traffic on a Tuesday morning. I hadn't counted on getting lost. Total time driving? Two hours and 15 minutes. Once inside, I met Christina. She knew I was a little undone but reminded me that I was there now. I needed to lay aside the frustrations and focus on the purpose of being there. Yes, I could do that.

It was my day to observe Ethan's class. Ethan attends a private autistic school. Not having much experience with autism, I wanted to see what a typical day is like in a setting where ABA therapy is applied. My goal was to glean ideas and effective means of reinforcing the progress he's made this past year. I hoped my presence in the class wouldn't interfere with his learning or be too distracting for him. I shouldn't have worried.

When he finally noticed me, his brow furrowed. I waved. He looked blankly, as if looking at a stranger. He saw his mom and I think he thought it must be time to go home. He headed towards his cubby to get his backpack. His teacher redirected him.

I spoke to him and explained the he wasn't leaving, but that Gramma wanted to see him at his school and watch him learn. I think he understood, but I'm not sure he liked the idea. A grandma is supposed to be at her home where he can go visit. Teachers and classmates go to school. Mixing the two didn't seem right. So off he went to play outside.

It was strange to feel like an outsider. I am Ethan's grandmother. I wanted to hug him, encourage him, acknowledge his success, and cheer him, especially when I saw him jump for the first time ever. But his communication told me, I was merely a spectator. I am not a part of his classroom world. I felt a twinge of sadness at not being an active particpant.

Consequently, I observed autism in its raw, unpretentious form. I witnessed the amazing effectiveness of ABA therapy. I watched Ethan interact with his peers. Understanding teachers helped him relate to his friends. I saw joy, frustration, curiosity, fun, and acceptance. I learned firsthand how much Ethan enjoys his school community.

And I am grateful.

Reminiscing

I'm reminiscing a bit. On this day last year, I flew to Arizona to celebrate my Mom & Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary. It had been a wild ride with my mom's health and we weren't able to plan a big to-do as my parents had done for their 40th. For that anniversary, we all went on a hot air balloon ride.

Not knowing when mom's health would improve, they chose to put off the celebration for awhile. I was sad. I did not want their special day to come and go without some sort of recognition. Fifty years of marriage is quite an accomplishment. I decided to fly down and if nothing else, make dinner for them, and we could share a quiet meal together. I informed my sisters and brother of my plan.

Amazingly, a plan was birthed. Like a fine-oiled machine, each one of us did our part to pull together what normally would take more than 2 weeks. We worked with incredible teamwork and had a very nice get together. Mom later said the very best part of the gathering was seeing her 4 kids having so much fun putting it all together. And we did. Each facet of the party was expertly accounted for as we used our creative talents.

Greg offered his home and boy does he have a knack for cleaning. Meticulous & detailed, he doesn't miss anything. I wish I could hire him to clean my house. His home is so very welcoming. I was equally impressed at the organization and creativity of his wife and my 2 sisters. Big and little additions that never would have crossed my mind, made the evening special. We shared the cooking, decorating, & clean-up. I put together a quick slideshow of past and present photos.

All of the grandchildren couldn't be there, or Michael, but all of us kids were there. It made for a smaller gathering, but sometimes that can be much more meaningful than the crazy chaos of a big family. There are 29 of us officially, but opportunity to expand at any given moment.

Someone thought to sit my parents and their 4 kids at one table during dinner. Talk about flashbacks from growing up. We laughed and remembered. It was great to reconnect. Not that we didn't miss those who couldn't attend, but we cherished the connection of 4 siblings and our parents. It brought great joy to all.

I hope my own children, no matter where this life leads them, will always share a special bond with their siblings.

Good

Good Monday morning or good morning Monday. I love the start of a new week. It is a blank canvas, waiting to be filled with beauty and all things good. Collosal color, tantalizing textures, savory scents, soothing sounds, breathtaking bites. Wake up to a good morning.

How Bad Was It?

The first morning back, after two snow days, I received a text message 45 minutes after Hilary left for school:

"I barely made it. Scariest and worst drive ever in my life."

Not really what I wanted to hear.

Well, except for the part that she made it, and is alive to tell about it. A little later, another text.

"Oh yeah, and my door blew open on the freeway cuz it was frozen so it wasn't latched completely. I almost died."

Holy cow! I'm so glad she didn't die. But she may have been traumatized for life. Feeling a little guilty now. The night before she asked if someone would drive her to school because she was afraid to drive in the snow. We assured her that we had complete and total confidence in her driving abilities.

Maybe next time, one of her parental units will drive her. I don't want to receive another text telling me she nearly died.

Can I Go Back?

While Michael and I were on our fabulous trip, we had the pleasure of meeting this group at Disneyland and California Adventure.

My very generous mom and dad wanted to take Ethan on his first trip to Disneyland. Elisabeth went along to help Christina. I'm so glad we coordinated it so we too could experience Ethan's laughter and fun.


Talk about one happy little boy.


It was hard to eat with so much to do and see.


But eating was the best time for photos. I have many more to share.

The only thing that would have made it better is if we hadn't left Hilary

and Sarabeth at home.

And if Christopher and Lauren could have joined us.