We are Official

I finally feel official!  Our license came in the mail on Friday.  It is dated October 10/28/12-10/28/16 so that means we have been on the roster and/or in the system since 10/28.  I guess this is a bit more of a waiting game than I anticipated.  I thought we would get a placement quickly.  I need to remember that nothing ever goes the way I thought it would.

Our Friday Family movie night continues.  I had given the kids invitations along with their golden Polar Express ticket.  In the wake of the horrific events in CT on Friday I wanted to make things extra special.  I called Rich and asked him to clear the kids our of the family room and tell them they couldn't come in.  I asked him to hang some extra Christmas lights and make the night extra special.  I stopped to get the pizza on the way home, I had planned a few Christmas games and a sweet Christmas treat.  It was a very fun night and I love making these great memories.  The Christmas games were quick and easy as was the treat.  I would love to share so that you may organize a fun event for your family as well.

Christmas games
Fill a tray with random Christmas items.  Stocking, candy cane, pinecone, chocolate chip, candy, ornament, snowflake, santa and some regular items...a watch, a spoon, a red pen, etc.  Give your family 30 seconds to see the tray and remember all the items that they can.  Then remove the tray and give them pen & paper and tell them to write all they can remember.  We also did a word scramble like this one...http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/quizzes/wordscrambles/christmas.html.

Christmas Treat
Before we ate we lined a bar pan or cookie sheet with gram crackers, melted 1 cup of butter and one cup of brown sugar in a pan and brought to a boil.  We then poured the mixture over the gram crackers and baked in the oven for 8 minutes.  We let that cool while we watched part of our movie.  We then melted two large Hershey bars in a glass bowel in the microwave and poured that over the cooled gram crackers.  We played a game and set that in the fridge to cool.  We watched more of the movie then returned to play the other game and eat our delicious snack.  Very easy and a very inexpensive night.  Tis the season for making memories.

December

How in the world can it be December? How did I miss November? I can't believe that the Christmas Season is upon us already! 13 days till Christmas?? Less than two weeks?? Wow! I need to get my Christmas butt in gear! We hosted a Vendor Open House at our house during the Delavan Christmas Tour of Homes and my life has been consumed with that for the passed few weeks. Our kitchen project was slowly moving along and wasn't finished until 2 days before the event when it was supposed to be finished two week before!! Last week consisted of much rushing and decking the halls! Alas, Saturday came and the Open House was successful. Pictures to come. Now, my brain is clear and my plate has been cleared with a new one put in front of me to fill. Kinda like a holiday buffet if you will. 

Last weekend we went on a hunt for the perfect tree.  We usually get a short needle tree (the kind I like) but the kids begged to get a long needle this year so I compromised.  I had this scene in my head about how our tree hunting would go, and the scene that played out and the scene in my mind did not quite match up.  I guess we all strive to be "that perfect family", well at least I know I do.  The one with the happy smiling faces and the matching sweaters all strolling through the tree farm hand in hand singing Christmas carols...well that was not quite how our tree adventure went.  The kids were fighting, and yelling and talking to loudly.  One wanted this tree, one wanted that tree and I wanted the other tree.  We couldn't agree and there was just grumbling and grouching.  Things did not improve when we got home to put up the tree.  It was not a picture perfect event, but I took the pictures anyway. :)



Kait was determined to cut the tree this year.

 

The end result was a beautiful tree, if not a beautiful memory.  I think it's important to give ourselves a break every once in a while.  It's ok to have off days and it's ok if every memory isn't perfect.  It's what makes us a family and I am thankful for mine, even if I have two moody teenage girls and a preteen with ADHD who tests my limits every day.

I have had the opportunity to watch my very favorite Christmas movie...

ELF!  I love this movie!

Rich & started to watch this classic, but were interrupted.  I'll catch that one yet this year!

Foster care update...things continue to be unorganized and frustrating.  We got the call about possibly taking the almost 3 year old boy and never had confirmation on the status of the placement until five days later.  Foster mom changed her mind and didn't want him moved after all.  That seems to be what is best for the boy at this point, and I knew it would be a difficult decision for the foster mother and I prayed a lot for her.  I was ok with the news and trust that God has a plan for us.  It was still frustrating that the agency hadn't spoken with the foster mom before they told us about the possible placement, but I'm coming to expect this nonsense from them.  I did ask for a call from the actual case worker to go over the outcome, and she never took the time to return my call.  I called today and spoke with our licensing worker and expressed my need for better communication. I feel that she heard what I was saying and can feel my frustration so I hope that will improve the communication.  She did confirm that our license is actually in the system and approved and said we would get a copy in the mail soon.

I'm trying very hard to slow down over the next few weeks.  Do some crafts, bake some cookies, flip through a magazine, watch some movies.  I hope that you will take the time to do the same.  Enjoy the Christmas season with your loved ones.  Be blessed.