Just A Quick Thought....About Grammar

So I'm currently visiting family through the end of the year.  Hence, no new posts, not that you probably noticed since any attempt at keeping a posting schedule has been obliterated by writers block and life in general.  Anyway, this has provided an interesting conversation that I thought I would take a moment to muse on with you all while my kids are being entertained by Grampa.

So every year I write a Christmas letter for family and our closest friends, I don't send them to everyone, but I do post it on facebook so I guess I really should, maybe.  Sending a Christmas letter really isn't an option in my family, I mean my dad's relations are all descendent's of Shakespeare and cousins to Mark Twain, and like whatnot.  Anyway we all write!  My uncle even does it for a living.  So, we all send Christmas letters and the challenge is, to keep it shorter than a novel.  Generally, the rule is two pages or less (front and back), but if you are truly skilled, or had a really uninteresting year you can shave it to a page or so.  I try to stick to one page front and back, because all my family and friends who aren't from that branch find it overwhelming.  I've even got  some relatives that write in limerick, couplets, or to the tune of popular songs.

Merry Christmas to All!

May you all be blessed by his presence in our world!  Enjoy this day of rest, rejoicing, and celebration!

Best of Wishes from all of my family here at the Edge of Insanity.

A Couple Christmas Distractions

Ok, I haven't been completely diligent on any of my tasks --- so you get a bonus blog ---, and if your family likes Santa (I do because I grew up with it, but I know that's controversial and it's been really hard for my husband to grow accustomed to, etc).  Anyway!  Here are a couple fun "Santa" things you can do by yourself, with the kiddos, or whomever!

Photo from PNP TV linked below

Portable North Pole TV  and NORAD Kid's Countdown

A Week w/ A Plan

Ok, so it's officially been break week for the schools and I had this glorious idea of what all I'd accomplish this week.  As usual I planned a practical set of goals for the realistic time and then added other 800 things I want to do.  Which leads us to where we are now at the midpoint (or rather over the midpoint since Friday and Saturday will be spent in holiday cheer, most likely.)

My original goal for the week was simple, get caught up on work, clean out my closet, and to make treats with the kiddos.  Of course I also want to spend time relaxing with my family, watch a couple Christmas movies and the like, maybe do a craft or two that's been piling up on the craft with an adult shelf.  Oh and I wanted to go to the library on Wednesday with everyone (check this off right now, that's where I am).  Oh and we have to go see Santa because my oldest daughter blew it and didn't get to go when I took the other kids.  Oh and then there's this other thing, and this thing, and man I really seem to need to catch up on my sleep, because I've been seriously tired!

I Got Sucked Away w/ A Girl Who....

I'm sorry I haven't been writing, especially last week, you see I wasn't really doing anything, I was reading.  While I'm nursing I can't do much.  I used to be able to play facebook games with my mouse, but now it just doesn't work, and there is absolutely no way I can type.  So I've been reading.  Since we already go to the library once a week with the little kids (or rather my husband goes, now I'm stuck at the school for lunch stuff).  Anyway, it doesn't really matter because I have to request or reserve anything I want to read for some reason.

Well, upon the recommendation of others, and the hype I reserved and read all of Stieg Larsson's Millinium Triology (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest).  Actually, I think the first book was in, in Large Print, so my husband grabbed it with a handful of other stuff because I was burning through juvenile fiction like mad.  Anyway, I put it in my stack and gave it a go.  I suppose you can guess that since I read all three books AND it kept me from posting on here last week, that I did enjoy them, but it's not all roses and sunshine.

Dear Katie

Dear Katie,

I am sure by now you know that thousands of people think you are a very amazing girl.  We are so proud of you for admitting to your mother that you were being picked on by the boys.  Geeks everywhere are so thankful for your continued love of Star Wars, helping to validate our interests into the next generation of geeklings.  With you in mind I dug out my Star Wars (episode 1 - sadly) shirt and wore it to my daughter's (she's a kindergartener) school while I helped in the cafeteria during lunch.  Her school is small, but has classes through 6th grade.  I would like to share the comments I received, and assure you that I took the message of tolerance and acceptance to the place it really needed to go..... back to the school yard (and the cafeteria even).

Please Read and Participate on FRIDAY

Unless you've been in a net hole (or you don't read any of the same sites I do) then you know about the girl who was the subject of bullying do to her interest in Star Wars.  Here's the original post by her mom.  This has been picked up by many groups and there is a movement in effect to have tomorrow (Friday Dec 10th) be Star Wars Pride Day, to help break down barriers and stop bullying.  If you can please where something geeky or Star Wars, or carry a cool water bottle.  This is for a 1st grade girl named Katie, who was teased because of her choice to be who she is, a girl that loves Star Wars.  Here is the facebook event page you can join if you do that sort of thing.

Why do we have to break things down into 'boy things' and 'girl things'?  It just drives me nuts.  I hate pink, I always have.  My first boyfriend absolutely LOVED the color.  He wore it whenever he could, but it sure didn't make him popular with the other guys.  No, he didn't turn out to be gay either.  I love geeky stuff.  Star Wars was my favorite film growing up, but my kids are somewhat hesitant to like it because it's not a "princess movie", seriously?  You have to have that requirement?  It's just frustrating.  I've had several conversations with my daughters about there not being "boy colors" and "girl colors", but I don't think it has stuck.  We still battle it everyday.

The busiest week of the year

And leaving ninja day behind (sorry I didn't mention it, it snuck up on me and I didn't see it coming at all!) we plow headlong into the busiest week of my year.  I think the fates have conspired against me this year because in addition to holiday stuff, my oldest daughter's birthday (12/11/10 - how cool is that!), and life in general, this year there are also school holiday stuff (2 for just my oldest daughter!), helping my husband on his exciting project, and trying to wrap up my work stuff - I WILL get the buffer code working!

This weekend, I built rockets for the party, got a launcher from a friend, treated my family out to an in town holiday party, and went to a very cool jewelry/garden party where I actually bought a pair of earrings for me.  Now, I never wear earrings except once or so a year.  I've already worn these for two days, I love them!  I'm not a jewelry person, but I saw many things I liked and could easily wear, for me that's rare (if I had her link I'd totally give it to you, check back I may find it!).  Then I brought home the hostesses daughter for an impromptu sleepover, surprising and delighting my kids.

Wow, Just Wow -UPDATED

I like to wear different stuff to school during lunchtime.  I think most of you know that I volunteer at the charter school where my oldest daughter is a kindergartener, during their lunchtime.  The school goes through 6th grade and the interests of the kids are varied.  It's a small school which for the most part only has 1 class per grade.  After Harry Potter came out I wore my cloak to school (which was great because it had snowed and the cape kept the wind of my legs and kept me from freezing), but mostly I wear different graphic t-shirts, mostly from shirt.woot.com.

Today I wore my "Hello I'm It (run)" shirt.  It's an old one and it's really just a simple joke about playing tag, a game that even the sixth graders still play.  Because it is written with capital letters sometimes people think it's an equally appropriate Information Technology joke as both my husband and I have worked in IT.  Most of the kids got the tag reference and some I tagged on the shoulder as they tried to scoot away.  However, one sixth grader had a very different interpretation of what it means to be "it".

I Love Winter

We are finally having what feels like a real winter, and I'm loving it!  Snow is covering the yard (best my yard looks all year!), the fire never dies, and the hot cocoa is plentiful!  What's not to love?  The kids thrive on running in the brisk air kicking snow all over, making snowmen, and sledding down the big hill (probably this Friday).  Soon my whole house will smell of Christmas Tree (although I did have to get something other than my traditional Scotch Pine - it's still a pine of some sort so it should smell good right? - yeah botany wasn't my best class), it will glisten with it's new LED twinkle lights - in the proper C7 size even!  (Our old lights were, well, you had to keep shaking them to keep them on.)  

I wish we weren't so busy though.  I mean it feels like we run and run and run all fall and winter.  School starts, we have Halloween, friends' birthdays, Thanksgiving, my oldest daughter's birthday (can't believe she'll be 6 in less than 2 weeks), Christmas 2 weeks later, another trip to visit family, a get together with my best friend from high school and my college buddies (one of whom he married), New Years, and then school.  This year we are adding my son's birthday to January. . .  probably the only good thing from the month of contractions I had last year is that his birthday landed near the end of the month, instead of at the beginning.  Maybe we can catch our breath beforehand.  

Still I have the most wonderful memories of building a snow fence and snowmen with my dad.  I know I spent many wintery hours playing in the snow with my sister, and as there has been less and less snow every year it's so nice to see it come back.  I do hope it lasts until Christmas.