So, it's been a while since I last blogged, huh? There's just something about being a working mom that sucks the time and energy out of your day. It feels good to have a 3 week break only beginning today. It feels like the possibilities for these next 3 weeks are endless. But we all know I will "squander" away the time playing with Shannon and trifling around the house. I suppose sometime around the beginning of January, when the 11th is looming closer, I will get a bug up my butt at actually grade those writing assessments, redo my math wall, organize my math sponge worksheets, et cetera. But for now, I'm taking full advantage of my time off. Know what I did today? I took S to Irene's, went to the commissary, then dropped off some rental DVDs, popped into the Post Office to mail out most of my Christmas cards, wrote MORE Christmas cards to the people I forgot about but sent us cards, returned a sweater at T.J. Maxx (and consequently spent 3 times as much on stuff for myself. What's that you say? Christmas is a mere 4 days away? Whaaaa?), then marched on over to Michaels to pick up some gingerbread house essential, worked on some forms for BTSA, picked up the munchkin, put her down for a nap, piddled around on FB, picked up dinner at Quizno's, and took it to the boat to have dinner with Mikey. I was a busy little beaver! But it was a good day to get all that done. The water was shut off from 7am to 6pm for water main repairs (completely necessary for San Diego's infamously exploding water pipes!).
Last night, we took a trip down to Chula Vista to the new church site, where I was *ahem* the
lead angel in our living nativity
. Yes, that's right, the
lead angel. Jealous, aren't you? I got to stand on a "platform" (also known as the top of a ladder) above the stable, looking angelic and statuesque, as the preschool childeren acted out the story of Christ's birth. It was pretty fun. Especially when one of the preschoolers looked up after I had been up there for 20 minutes, and yelled "Hey look!! An Angel!! Be good!" {smirk} Shannon got a kick out of the sheep and the donkey. I am pretty sure she thought the donkey was a big dog because she marched on over to pet it and yelled "Go! Go!" at it. Where was it supposed to go? It was tied to the stable!
Speaking of Shannon, it's time for baby brags! She is soooo big and soooo smart! She is flushing the toilet (um, yay?) and giving hugs and kisses of her own volition, and she is even starting to sing. She sings "aaaa, baayyyy" and then I have to finish the rest of the alphabet for her when she yells "MAS!" at me. So, I'm raising a dictator, I guess. Her favorite word now is "no," which I think is hilarious because I know she doesn't mean it, she just says it because it means something. The other morning, I went in to get her up, and she said "Momma, Momma, Momma, Momma, Momma, I pretty!" You sure are!! And yesterday, she woke from her nap, saying "Katie, up!" Kid can call me Katie all she wants. I ain't answering till I get Momma! Though it does make me giggle inside. Irene tells me that Shannon likes to take things from the other kids and run away with them, taunting them to run after her. {giggle} She learned that by playing with Dargan. The only boy, who is over 2, is afraid of her because she is Miss Alpha Dog now, and demands things of everyone there. She and the oldest girl scrap like sisters, but when one is lagging behind on outings, the other runs back to help her keep up. Very sweet! She may be opinionated and stubborn (Um, she gets that from Mike.... {crickets}), but she is extremely loving and gives hugs and kisses and snuggles to everyone she knows. I ask her all the time if she loves so-and-so, and if she can say their name, she does, but if she can't, she just says "yesh."
Picture time!!

Trick-or-Treating on Halloween in Old Town. Mike is Herman Munster, not Frankenstein! "There's a difference! Geez!"

Helping daddy open presents on his 30th birthday!

Taking music lessons from a man with no musical talent whatsoever.

Loving Aunt Lyz and Uncle David's singing Christmas trees.

Taking a walk on Thanksgiving.

My 10-year class reunion, which left much to be desired. Thank god for BFFs!

Best toy ever: floor-skimming curtains.

A day at Balboa Park.

Our Christmas card for 2009

Curled up in her favorite chair with a good book, a bottle of warm milk, her blankie, and some Goldfish. Life can't get any better!