Happy Christmas Eve

When my children were very young my now ex-husband and I started a tradition of giving them a Christmas book that they could open on Christmas Eve.  This gave us good holiday reading material before bed.  We wrote something inside and dated them.  My daughter has continued with the tradition.  I believe she never stopped it, that even before they had Gideon they exchanged a Christmas book on Christmas Eve.  Two years ago (maybe 3) she wrote a Christmas book for her husband.  Today after all the wrapping and last minute Christmas gift making and such we sat down to open a few gifts and the Christmas Eve books.  This year my book is Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas by Russell Hoban.  As stated in my December 8th post, this is one of my favorite Christmas movies.  I had never read the book and I am looking forward to finishing it tonight before I go to sleep.  I cried when I opened it.  This is today's happy.

The inscription:

I cut some of her hair this morning. 

The tiniest present.↴

 A key.↴

☮

🌎

December 23-Saturday

This morning my daughter told me that there is supposed to be a snow storm on Christmas.  I have been planning to hike part of the day and she doesn't want me to because of the snow.  There are 10-11 miles that I have planned out on rail trails that will have to wait.  Most likely I will not go hiking but I am hoping to still walk around the city some.  Unfortunately she is most likely right about not doing the rail trails with the weather bad.  I still haven't found all of my winter things that could be useful in the snow.  I was also relying on them to drop me off and pick me up and don't want to be the reason they are on the road.  There will still be driving, but it won't be because I am cold and wet on the side of the road and someone is rushing to get to me.

Several years ago (sometimes it feels like a different lifetime) I lived in Texas.  There is one friend that we try to call each other around this time of year.  She called me on my birthday and left a message and so I texted her yesterday on her birthday and called her tonight.  Almost 2.5 hours later and my cheeks are sore from laughing so much.  I really should try to get to Texas sometime.  Catching up with old friends is my happy for today.

Poor pictures of the ice and snow tonight.

I was the passenger.

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Friday the 22nd of December

The holiday break is here
School is out until next year 
Made a list of things to do
To see the vacation through

Snow is falling to the ground
Down it falls without a sound
Covering the earth with white
So even the dark seems bright

No parking along the street
Garage then home on our feet
No more tonight will we roam
For now we are safe at home




Today my happy things are school vacation, being home safe, laughter and Gideon snuggles.

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Happy Winter Solstice!!

It was ugly sweater day at work today.  I wore a holiday sweatshirt that I inherited from my grandmother that I don't particularly care for-it is just a little busy.  It got compliments.  There was a faculty meeting that the para-educators were invited to that turned out to be a holiday party.  It was actually a lot of fun.  There were some silly games and prizes and lots of food.  I have some pretty grandiose ideas for a Christmas outfit for next year if I decide to stay.  How many different holidays from different cultures are in December??

After dinner my daughter and I did some grocery and Christmas shopping before the storm predicted for tomorrow.  We had fun.  It was a pretty good day.  My happy for today could also be considered a sad.  On the way home from shopping we stopped at Dairy Queen for some ice cream  (because 20 degrees Fahrenheit isn't cold enough?).  When the lady on the other side of the ordering speaker asked if we wanted anything else my daughter just said something like: just for you to have a happy holiday season.  The employee thanked her, sounding happy, and had us pull up to the window.  When we got there 2 people were at the window and they explained that this was the first time anyone had wished ANY of the employees a happy holiday yet this season.  It was really nice to have been part of that, also kind of sad for the employees.  They gave us free extra toppings on out sundaes. 

Sunset

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Wednesday, December 20th

This has been and will continue to be a long week at work.  The students feel that there shouldn't be any real school work this week.  I was a little surprised to learn that very little school work will happen on Friday because of the holiday.  They are looking forward to the break and holidays.  On a normal day most don't want to be there, before a break things get more crazy.  That said, I still like my job.

We are learning about the body systems in Science.  I don't know them as well as I thought.  Or at least not as in depth as I need to know.  I will be watching videos before sleep tonight on the circulatory system and nervous system and others if I don't fall asleep in the first 5 minutes.  😴

Something odd happened tonight.  As I was preparing for bed I realized that I didn't have my cell phone.  I had been sitting downstairs watching TV and having dinner and doing school work for 3 or 4 hours and I hadn't missed my phone.  I did have my laptop and that is media, but I was connected to my phone with the old job.  It is important to me to have my phone with me at school, but I am under no obligation to check it during the day.  It generally stays in my pocket and only sometimes comes out for break or lunch.  I've used it for pictures as well, but it is not the chain it used to be. 

No phone, so I missed a call from a friend in Texas for my birthday.  She left a singing message for me.  I will call her back Friday for her birthday.  Hearing from friends from afar is my happy for today. 

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It's My Birthday.

Since toady is my birthday I decided to try a different route to get home.  Figuring that it wouldn't take too much extra time I took a right and headed for the back roads instead of  left toward the highway.  The GPS rerouted and all seemed to be well.  Then the road became dirt.  There was a sign that said 'Pavement Ends' even.  I saw a nice farm with random foul in the street.  The GPS didn't suggest I turn around.  Soon the road sort of ended.  Just a pile of dirt and snow the plow left from the snow last week.  So I turned around and went back to the highway.  It was a nice little adventure for my birthday.  Other daytime highlights include a present of earrings from a a coworker, some texts and bunches of birthday wishes on Facebook and a nice conversation with my son in Texas.  🎔

At home I finished watching The Force Awakens and then we headed to the theater to watch Star Wars: The Last Jedi.  We all enjoyed it.  My daughter was pretty much at the edge of her seat the majority of the movie.  For whatever reason, I don't tend to become as emotionally invested in movies as many other people do.  This is not to say that I didn't laugh and cry at the appropriate times, just that I rarely enter into a movie as deeply as others.  When I try to figure why I can't quite put a finger on it.  I want to blame it on being in Hollywood for a while and seeing some behind the scenes sort of stuff, or at least talking about it, and that some of the magic was lost for me.  However, even as a kid I'm not sure I really attached myself to one character, book, show to the extent that others did.  I remember a bunch of friends crushing on Michael Jackson and Donny Osmond and I chose one of them just to seem more normal but I just didn't get it.  I was probably 6 or 7 though.  Eventually I did get it to an extent.  I loved The Donny and Marie Show.  I'm not sure how much I crushed for Donny or if it was wanting to sing like Marie!  Enough rambling. 

After the movie we went out for ice cream and met Gideon with his other grandparents who had been watching him while we were at the movie.  We had a nice visit and end to my birthday.  All in all a good day and it was a happy birthday.

Sunrise

 Farm fowl

🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 

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The 18th of December--just the happy

My house/cat sitting adventure has come to an end.  After work today I went and picked up my things and visited for a bit before heading home.  Tonight I received Gideon snuggles while we watched the 1st half of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  Tomorrow we plan to go to the theater to see the newest Star Wars movie so there is some memory refreshing happening tonight.  I figure we will watch the other half tomorrow afternoon.  Since I am falling asleep sitting here it must be time for me to go up to my own comfy bed.  Gideon snuggles are today's happy. 

😴

☮