Dear Santa:

I have finally figured out what I want for Christmas. No, not my two front teeth. No, not a shiny new car parked in the driveway with a big, red bow on top. No, nothing that costs a lot of money. The thing that will be on the top of my Christmas list this year? One day without drama. Just 24 hours, from midnight to midnight, with everyone coexisting in the same house, with no tears, yelling, screaming, slamming doors, and everyone talking the entire 24 hours in a normal tone of voice. Too much to ask, you say? You could probably just go ahead and go shopping, 'cause this one wish even you can't grant. Why such an odd request, you ask? Walk with me back through the past 72 hours of my life...

Thursday was the Christmas parade in our neighboring town. We've never been to that one, because we always go to the parade in our town. But Oldest Child's dance team was dancing in the parade, and being the supportive mother that I am, I had to go watch her. So off we go, only to discover that the only route I know has the roads already blocked. Uh, oh. Don't know a plan B. Oh, wait...somehow we've found the back of the building where she needs to be. Of course, that wasn't good enough. That wasn't where she wanted to be dropped off. I should have known that was my warning of what was to come. By the time the parade got to where we were standing, all of the girls looked angry. And noone was, hmmm, dancing. Should have been clue #2. So when the parade was over, we waited for OC to come find us. And waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, we decide to go walk and try to find her. At long last, we meet up. The scrowl on her face should have been clue #3. I knew better than to ask her how it went. Every ounce of my being told me not to ask her how the parade was. Unfortunately, I didn't listen. You got it...I asked. And she proceeded to tell me how horrible, awful, rotten their performance was. The drama that ensued on the trip home is not even blog-able. Use your imagination.

So today was the Christmas parade in our town. Again, the dance team was scheduled to perform. After the fiasco that was Thursday's parade, the dance team decided to ride on a trailer and throw candy. Personally, I've dubbed it "the dance team that doesn't". They didn't dance, but they were speaking at the end; does that mean we call this a win?

Then fast forward to our house after the parade. Youngest Child casually asks, "Why is the cat dish outside?" Then starts bawling. Nevermind the cat bowl has been in the same exact place on the deck for the past week. Nevermind that Youngest Child hasn't asked about the cat since at least Sunday (how do I know, you ask...because that's when Dear Hubby put the cat outside). But for some strange reason, she chose today to inquire about the cat. We have been debating this drastic relocation of the cat for some time. We have tried everything we know how to try; we have used every remedy our vet suggested. But the cat still insists on marking his territory in my house but outside of his litter box. I kept trying to side with the cat because he really is a sweet cat. And Dear Hubby and I have seen the cat everyday this week, so we know he's still here. But when we came home from Thanksgiving and every bedpost in the house had been marked, that was the last straw. I, being the supportive mother I am, made DH do the dirty deed. I merely set the bowl outside; he did the rest. But today, for some strange reason, YC decided to inquire about Reggie. She has been in tears since. She missed a Sunday school Christmas party because she couldn't bear to leave looking for the cat. She only looks forelornley out the back window...and cries.

So you see, Santa, a day with no drama is all that's on my wish list this year. And if you could find that in your bag as you land on my rooftop on Christmas Eve, I will be forever indebted to you.

Sincerely, your BFF,
Fabthemayor

The Irony of it All

Kudos go out to my neighbor, B, who won his school's spelling bee today. When I heard he won, my first thought was, "I need to go to Bruster's and get him an ice cream cake to celebrate". My first thought for almost anything that needs celebrated is, "I need to go to Bruster's and get an ice cream cake". So after school, I ran a couple errands, and stopped by to pick up the cake. Yes, they had Oreo cookie cake already made up...life's looking pretty good right now. So the nice high school girl asked me what color I wanted the writing in. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Now having only girls to buy for, the colors pink and purple immediately came to mind. But being a boy, B may not appreciate said colors. Then I thought blue...blue is a boy color; too generic. Oh, wait...I know...his school color is green. So I decided on green, and all I needed to say was "congratulations". Simple, right?

WRONG! It is my hope that tonight was Miss High School Girl's first day on the job. After she found the green icing, she was trying to figure out how to make it write on the cake. Uh, oh. I think we're in trouble. That thought was confirmed when Miss High School Girl asked the "manager" who was a couple years older, how to spell congratulations. Oh, my...and my students wonder why I get so upset when they can't spell correctly.

So after they discuss the correct spelling of the word congratulations, she starts writing it on the cake. I notice there is much discussion occuring around the cake; I also notice how wobbly her hand is as she is writing. I really didn't think stopping by picking up an ice cream cake would be this difficult. I wait, and I wait, and. I. wait...

"Wait", I say. "How 'bout we just keep it simple and make it say, "Congrats". I really didn't mean to stress the poor girl out; I was simply trying to do a good deed. "No", came the reply. "she's almost got it". Oh, my goodness. Perhaps spelling should be added to the employment application for Bruster's. She was so proud of herself; she brought the cake over (we won't even go into the trouble she had trying to figure out how to unfold the box and fold the lid flap over...you can only imagine). I looked at the cake, paid for it, took it from the counter, and walked away shaking my head. After all that, I presented my neighbor with a cake that proudly said, "CONGRATULATION".

You can bet your bottom dollar my students will be focusing more on spelling in the coming weeks; you never know, they may work at Bruster's one day. Congatulation, B, we're proud of you!

P.S. Remember you have until December 3rd to vote for Susan so she can take her son to the Barth Syndrome conference this summer.

We've Almost Done It!

OK, let's face it. I've accomplished absolutely not a whole lot tonight. I wanted to show a clip from YouTube to my classroom tomorrow, so I went to my "technical support" and played with the triplets while she worked her magic...except her magic failed me this evening. Only I was ready to give up the ghost long before she actually gave it up. I should be logging on to the online gradebook checking Oldest Child's grades to see if, in fact, she has turned in everything like she says she has (gee, wonder why I have to follow up on that one!?!?). But instead, I have been totally productive and I just checked the voting for free air miles (see previous post) and Susan is running neck-and-neck with the first place person...she is within 1% of taking her family to the Barth Syndrome conference this summer! Come on, internets, you can make this happen for her. If my Sunday school class can raise enough money to send one family to the conference for a week, you can log on to vote and send Susan and her family to Florida for this invaluable experience. Remember you have until December 3rd to send her to the conference!

Susan Needs Our Help!

...and time is of the essence. If you don't know what it is, please go read about Barth Syndrome. We have very close friends who have a son, William, with Barth Syndrome. With the season of thankfulness in the air, they are thankful that he is one of the healthiest boys in the world with this genetic disorder.William is in an elite group. There are only around 100 boys in the world who have been diagnosed with this disorder. One of the other elite members in this group needs your help.Susan Hone's son also has Barth Syndrome. The Hone family lives in Canada and they are trying to win airline miles to be able to attend the Barth Syndrome conference this summer in Florida. This conference is very important as many physicians across the world attend. The boys are seen by the top docs in this field.Please take 2-3 minutes and read about their family and vote for them to be able to go to the conference. Voting ends December 3rd! And say a little prayer for all of these boys.

I found out tonight through my Sunday school prayer chain that one of the boys, Aldo, received a heart transplant on Thanksgiving day; talk about a family being thankful. I have been monitoring the rankings since Juju sent me her e-mail, and Susan is catching up. It would mean so much for her family to be able to attend this conference. So right now, I need for both of you who read my blog to go to the link and vote for Susan. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Christmas is in the Air

I'm really trying to get in the Christmas spirit. Really. I look at the calendar and see how many (or how few) shopping days there are 'till Christmas. I have the place picked out for the Christmas tree...once we get it out of the attic. I sit here waiting for the Christmas tree fairy to come decorate my house and I'll be all ready for the holidays. In the meantime, I found this wonderful new Christmas CD to listen to. Perhaps the Christmas tree fairy will hear it and come running!

Hey, I Know You!

I was doing my favorite thing in the whole world today...grocery shopping. Me and many, many, many of my best friends we shopping for Thanksgiving dinner today. After making my list and checking it twice, everything was loaded in the truck, chocolate and fountain Coke within arm's reach; ready to head home...to do my second favorite thing in the whole world. Unload the aforementioned groceries.

I am trying to adopt BooMama's philosophy of listening to Christian music in the car for two reasons. (1) It is difficult to bless other drivers out when you are singing along with 104.7 The Fish...sorta sacreligious dontchathink. (2) It is difficult to yell at Oldest Child and Youngest Child when singing along with 104.7 The Fish. And coming from someone who drives approximately, hmmmm, 7 minutes to work, I don't do traffic. Imagine my surprise when I turned my truck on and The 21st Time from Monk & Neagle was PLAYING. ON THE RADIO. NOT ON MY FREE CD THEY SENT ME (see my sidebar). I sang and sang and sang...right along with the radio. I'm telling you you will not be sorry if you go buy this CD; every song on it is absolutely fabulous. Then when you hear The 21st Time come on the radio, you, too, will be able to sing along.

Among the Living

Yes, I am still among the living, reading various blogs on a daily basis. Been keeping up with BooMama, Big Mama, and Rocks' wild weekend in Birmingham. Already logged in with Lynne at And Babies Makes Six so she can get some Ebates thanks to me. But that's about all I can muster.

I could tell you about going back to school after being off a week for Fall break and how I enjoyed my week off tremendously. And how Oldest Child went to Kentucky with Lynne and the babies.

I could tell you about trick-or-treating with my Sunday School class and what fun we had. It was even a great outreach ministry because of another occasion that was going on at our church during that time. Got to meet people I wouldn't have otherwise gotten to meet.

I could tell you about celebrating The Dude's 23rd birthday with him on Friday and how it is his first actual birth date since he was four that his dad has gotten to spend with him and how we took him and his favorite cousin out to eat Mexican. I could tell you that I originally set it up to meet at 6:30 for dinner. That would have worked perfectly except for one, small, tiny, minute detail. The resturant was 30 minutes away from the house and The Dude doesn't even get off work until 7:00. Guess he'd actually like to be there for his own party, huh?!

I could tell you how excited I am to be working out the final details of my aunt and uncle from WV coming to visit next Monday for dinner. Oh, by the way, it is an aunt and uncle I haven't had any contact with in the past, oh, say, twenty years...give or take a few years...That could lead into a whole 'nother discussion of the relationships that have rekindled in the past month since my father passed away.

These are the things I could tell you if, indeed, I had the energy to do so. But the truth is, I'm exhausted. I'm enoying reading the blogs and laughing with you. But between work, and homework, and housework, and life in general, I'm too exhausted to be witty right now. But alas, I wil prevail and I will return. The dance team is working on a new dance and you know you wouldn't wanna miss all the drama that entails. I think I hear a bubble bath with my name on it.