Next Year

I was called to meeting on Friday the 18th right after the buses left school. Kathy (the other sped teacher at Lacey that I share a room with) and I had to report to the principals office. We were told that Lacey was losing an LD teacher next year because of sending so many kids to middle school and not enough coming our way to keep two teachers. We were to get the news so that we would have time to fill out our intent forms that are due January 15th. Donna (my principal) was directing the conversation to both of us, but I knew it was coming to me. Kathy has been at Lacey since the school opened 20 years ago, she has seen many 2nd teachers come and go. What a great Christmas present! I've tried not to think about it to much over break. I should be teaching in the county somewhere next year, but who knows where. I'm going to ask Donna when we return on Monday to call the director of special ed and see what he knows as far as any openings go. I know with the new high school opening next year there will be jobs in the county, but I just worry about where. I hate the thought of having to find a new babysitter. But that was my wonderful news to start Christmas break, I couldn't get out of that school fast enough that Friday afternoon. I was so mad and upset. I just hope my new home will be as good.

A blur that I think was Christmas

Christmas at grandma's house. They sure can make a mess.

This was the final mess. I think my mom got them to much.
Opening their stockings at our house Christmas morning.

Billy went shopping for them. They were opening their baby dolls from daddy.

On December 18th the thought of 2 weeks off for Christmas sounded wonderful. What would I do with all that time. We got out of school an hour early because of the coming snow, I got some yucky news, (that's a whole other post) packed up lots of school work and headed home. Two weeks off, what ever would I do with all that time. Now I sit here and ask myself where that time went. We got the crazy snow storm my first weekend off, but we still managed to do a Christmas dinner with mom and friends Sunday the 20th. Then we woke up Monday morning and decided at the last minute to follow through with our plans and head to Monterey for a few days. I was packing, the girls were making a mess, and Billy went to H'burg to finish shopping. It was craziness. We were in Monterey from Monday afternoon until Thursday morning. Then we came back to do Christmas Eve at my grandma's, then a visit to the Knupp's, Christmas morning at home, then back to grandma's then the rest of the day was at Mom's. The girls ended up spending the night with mom so that we could get a little rest and go find some bargains on Saturday morning. Sunday we actually made it to church, and then ran around in the afternoon while the girls napped at mom's. Monday I went to school to work for about 2 hours with some other teachers and then we had lunch at Taste of Thai. Lunch was the best part! Tuesday we visited the doctor's office again and then Billy and I went back to school in the afternoon while the girls napped. I didn't realize how much school work I had to do. Finally yesterday we got to stay home all day. Again today we are home until we head out for dinner with the family tonight. Nothing special. I think it will be the Wood Grill. It's hard to go anywhere nice with the girls being the age that they are. Buffets are good because it's ready and we can find something that they will eat. Christmas was such a blur that I didn't get many pictures of the girls. Part of the problem was that they ripped open every package in sight, didn't matter if it belonged to them or not. We had to keep our eyes on them. We left my grandmother's house not knowing who gave them what because they ripped into everything the moment it was put before them.

Christmas PJ's

Please remember as you look at the expressions on their faces that we were almost a hour late getting to bed tonight. Plus to get them both to stay in one spot and look the same direction and smile is impossible. We got 2 out of 3 so I can't say to much. Matching Christmas Eve PJ's 2009.

Opening their PJ's.

Once again it's a tradition I've borrowed from the Knupps. The Knupps were my second family as I was going through high school and college. I started babysitting before I could drive. They were my second family. I grew up with them as well as watched their girls grow up. I can remember from all the time that I spent with them that every Christmas Eve the girls got to open one present. It was always matching PJ's for all. I have started that with the girls. Last year we did it, and again this year. I know that they are to young to understand, but as they get older I hope they will look forward to opening their PJ's every Christmas Eve.

Snow in Monterey

Sledding in the drive way.
Sledding down the hill from the garden to the house.

Getting ready to head down the hill.

Walking with daddy.

She needed a rest.

We debated and debated about what to do. We had planned to get up and go to Monterey to do Christmas with Billy's family Monday morning and come back Wednesday evening or Thursday morning. The weather put lots of question marks on what we should do. As Billy got ready Monday morning to go to Harrisonburg to finish Christmas shopping we decided to go. While he was shopping I was home packing and trying to keep the girls out of stuff. We made the trip and enjoyed the time with family and the snow. The girls had hills there that they could go sledding on. It was nice to visit with them, but it will be nice tonight to sleep in my own bed and feel more at ease being back home. Just a few pics of the girls playing in the snow. At first Emma didn't know if she should like riding on the sled. She would cry one moment and laugh the next. Ali thought that riding in the sled was her time to lay down and relax.

Reindeer Food

Feeding the reindeer.

Once again I have to thank the Knupps. The traditions that I have "borrowed" from them are just awesome. Today we came home with 2 bags of reindeer food from the Knupps. We got out of the truck and dumped it on the drive way. Hope the reindeer enjoy! Once they get a little older and we put out reindeer food we will have to remember to go out once the girls are asleep and mess it up so they know that the reindeer ate some.

Twins

This is something that I am quickly learning about having twins. Wait a second they are now 21 months old, so I don't think I can use the word "quickly" in my first sentence. Let me start again.

There is something that I am learning about having twins. When one is sick the other one is sick and my patience quickly fades. Emma was up most of Friday night crying. I knew something had to be wrong, she doesn't act like that. Saturday morning in the light I noticed that her ear looked totally disgusting. So after an hour at the doctor's office we leave with 2 new meds and an ear infection. Last night (Saturday) Ali was up most of the night fussing. She threw up 2 times in our bed. Thank God for the waterproof mattress pad. This morning they both were so whinny. They both wanted to be in my lap, didn't want to share me, and it I had to get up to do anything Emma just lost it. They refused to eat lunch, so in my harsh voice I got them down from the table and sent them to bed. They were out in no time. I'm sure when you are little like that being sick is horrible because you can't share what's wrong, but it's also horrible on me. I am using their nap time today to do much needed school work and venting here. Hope when they wake up

we will all feel a little better.

What will they think of next?

After helping to empty their hampers they decided that they would be great to play in.
Falling down after attempting to hop around in them.

Then they decided to wear them on their heads.

Running around the house with the hamper over head. How safe is that?

Picture with Santa...if you can call it that

This is not going to be a good year for getting our picture taken with Santa. They won't stay still.

Breakfast with Santa

The girls got to eat breakfast with "HoHo" as they call him. What a perfect morning to go see "HoHo" when there is snow falling. As Santa was walking around Ali and Emma both wanted to wave and see where he was, but either would stand/sit still long enough for a picture. And of course they were the only ones that didn't sit still for the story.