Nov. 19th

Josie: My pets. They love me but not Pogo he only likes dad.

Me: Today I am thankful for the time to take care of myself. With the first day of vacation I decided to do things for me. Started with a great workout at the gym including time in the steam room. Off to get some shopping done for Christmas (I don't like shopping but this is the only time I have without Josie to take care of her gifts so...). Then off to Lisa for a massage. Lisa is the greatest gift I give myself. I have gone to her for 13 years and we have been through a lot together. Home to do some lesson plans (yes, that is fun for me) and a bit of junk talk show t.v. All in all it was a nice day.

November 18

Today I am thankful for the HUGE 100 year old tree in our front yard. This tree shades us in the hot summer, houses birds whose song we enjoy, and adds character to our house. Usually I curse it this time of year because since it is so huge it drops A LOT of leaves. Today however I see it differently - I thank the tree for the excellent work out I got today raking all the thousands of leaves. I am healthier for it. As I look at the tree I see there are still thousands left to fall and I still may be cursing it this season but today I really appreciate the tree.

Josie: That I got McDonalds for dinner.  *Oops - I am creating bad habits.

Me: Fell asleep yesterday without a thankful note so here are two today.
First, I am thankful for the warmth of a raging fire in the fireplace. It is COLD and rainy here and the fire is fantastic.
Second, I am thankful for McDonalds. I know this is really bad but I have to be honest. After getting Josie at 6:00pm and realizing there was no plan for dinner at home I gave in. Tomorrow it will be a homemade meal but not tonight. The fries were good though.

Day 14

Josie: I am thankful for my friend Clayden.  We like to play together.

Me: Today I am thankful for the moment at the end of the day when I get to lay down with Josie and cuddle while she falls asleep. Many of you know I am sometimes frustrated that she does not go to sleep well but if I am really honest I love the excuse to lay with her and cuddle her and just be still together.

Day 13

Josie: I am thankful for my cat Weezie.  I love her.

Me: Today I am thankful for two things and since I started late I figure it is okay.
First, I am thankful for Maria. She comes every Tuesday to clean the house and she goes way above and beyond. Just today - she cleaned the cat box (she deserves a bonus), saw the dishwasher was not run and ran it then put everything away, and she put the flannel sheets on the bed. Maria is an extraordinary gift and makes my day every Tuesday.
Second, I am thankful for the wonderful people at Merryhill especially Ms. Paulina. I know that Josie is loved and cared for while I am at work. Today I left her off at 7:30 am and picked her up at 5:55pm. I hurt for leaving her there that long but knowing she is having fun and is taken care of helps.
Maria and Merryhill- two things that lighten my burden and for them I am thankful.

Day 12

Josie: I am thankful I got to stay home with mom today and do projects together.

Me: Today I am thankful for our dog Ernie. I am thankful for the comfort and love he shows when one of us is upset. I am thankful for the longing gaze he gives that compels us to get up and walk. I am thankful he is teaching Josie the responsibility for something other than herself. Ernie you have been a great dog these last 9 years.

Day 11:

Josie: I am thankful for your ipad so I can play ABC Mouse.com. I like it.

Me: Today I am thankful for my parents. Our house growing up was a loving, crazy, and happy place. They offered me experiences, opportunities, and advise that have made me what I am today - strong, educated, resilient, determined, and happy. Thanks mom and dad!

Day 10: Josie

I am thankful for Scoobie Doo cartoons because I like them and they remind of my daddy.

Thankful: Day 10

I am feeling very scattered lately and reading what people are thankful for got me thinking... I like what Kurt said yesterday "I could use some perspective and catharsis." So, I will begin sharing what I am thankful for too each day. No special order just what is on my mind. Since I am behind today I will share two.
Day 10: I am thankful for my daughter and my husband. Josie is a joy. She is creative, energetic, thoughtful, and silly. She is becoming a fantastic person. Jay, you put up with a lot from me and yet you continue to support and love me. Remember Kurt's words -"Good luck with my sister." You are a wonderful husband and father. I love you.
I am also thankful for the technology that keeps our family close. With Jay half way around the world I am glad to have Skype and Facetime. Seeing him makes all the difference for Josie.

To Do List

Josies was diligently working on something this morning.  When I asked her what she said, "I am writing my list of things to do today." Oh what music to my ears.  Another good habit taught young. :)

The list says: breakfast, lunch, BOSU, church, nap, supper, play

The BOSU

I decided that I would buy a BOSU so I could excercise more effectively at home - well basically excercise at home at all- and Josie is completely in to using it.  She wanted to practice each of the excercises on the box. She even put it on her to do list of things to do in the day.  Teaching good habits young. :)

The Blue Chair

When I was pregnant Jay and I went looking for a chair for Josie's room and I fell in love with a big blue chair that had a soft fabric and big puffy back.  It reclined and rocked and it was fabulous.  I spent many nights asleep in that chair with her, as did Jay, but he never really liked the chair.  I LOVED it! Anyway, I finally came to grips with the fact that the chair needed to go - we don't really use it and we needed the space in her room.  Both Josie and I feel good about the fact that the chair went to a friend's sister.  When the chair was on the front porch Josie wanted to sit in it until they came to pick it up. 

Whoopie Pies

 Josie and I finally made the whoopie pies that Granpa OD and Granma Tup brought back from their trip to Maine.  They were sooo yummy.

Family Portrait

Josie drew this the other day. She did all the spelling by herself!

Apple Pie Oatmeal

Grama Joan has signed Josie up for a subscription to Highlights magazine for preschool age kids.  She loves to get the magazine and the first things she looks at are the craft and the cooking project.  We have made many of the crafts and some of the food.  One of her favorites is the personal face pizza.  Well the recipe a month or so ago was Apple Pie Oatmeal.  She was very excited to make it and once we did it was FANTASTIC! Watch for more recipes.  We will be making this months recipe - Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding - soon.  (We were going to make it this weekend but we ate most of the cinnamon raisin bread during the week.)

A Lazy Saturday Afternoon

So the other day I come home and there is a note for me that reads:
Josie wants to ask mom to go swimming.
After clarifying where - she wanted to play in her pool in the backyard- I told her we would do it on Saturday.  After all it has been 94 degrees  or higher each day this week.  She was ready to go in the pool but when she saw me with my magazines, soda, and snack she decided she wanted to sit and read also.  She got her books and sunglasses while I got the soda and snacks.  She sat down only to say, "I can't really read yet so I will just look at the pictures."  She did eventually go in the pool after "reading" a few   books and eating some Skittles.

35 POUNDS!

Josie has been wanting to climb the rockwall at the gym for nearly a year.  You have to be 35 pounds to climb and she has been waiting and waiting.  As she got closer she got more excited.  The other day she was finally 35 pounds.  She did a little dance and Jay told her she could climb on Saturday when we went to gym.  On Saturday morning the first thing she did was weigh herself and she was only 34 pounds.  She was heartbroken.  We told her to eat a big breakfast and heavy clothes.  After breakfast and in heavy clothes we weighed in again and wouldn't you know it she was 35 pounds.  She did not know what to make of it in the end but she did climb a couple times.

A fruit and a vegetable

So as I have said before Josie is growing a garden.  Not much to it but she is having fun. Today we picked another tomato (there are 18 more on the vine) and the ONE carrot that grew.  Josie was so excited she ate it right away.  She announced - "Look, I have a fruit and a vegetable." 
By the way- do you love the cowboy boots and the pjs?  She loves those boots.

Habitats

Josie is very interested in animals.  A new favorite show is The Wild Kratts on PBS.  One of the things they talk a lot about is animal habitats.  One day while playing with her stuffed animals she decided that she would categorize them by habitats.  She decided that she had the following habitats: forest (woods), ocean, rainforest, African savanah, farm, and castle (okay the last two are not technically habitats  and as you can see there is a unicorn the farm but she is still only 4 years old).  I made her signs to put with each habitat and she had fun sorting for quite a long time.  My favorite part of our conversation is when she got to her Mickey Mouse and said that mice are in people's houses so she would put him in a castle with Belle.  Of course Ariel had to be in the ocean habitat. Here are a few examples for your amusement.



A Budding Artist

At the Pear Fair this year a local artist had a tent set up for art lessons or just painting.  Josie loves to paint so she wanted to participate.  The artist (Martha) asked her what she wanted to paint and Josie said a pear.  Martha offered to draw an outline for her to follow but Josie said, "No, I can do it myself."  The day before she and I had painted some pears and we had talked about mixing colors and the shape of pears so she was ready to try it out.  I think for the $5.00 it cost we got a pretty great paining.  It is now framed and on the mantle.

A Strawberry!

Josie and I have planted a garden.  While we have not reaped much yet (there will be a lone carrot and at least 10 tomatos) we did get one great strawberry.  According to Josie it was "delicious, sweet, and just wonderful".

Tattoos

When I went to get Josie after her nap the other day I was surprised to see not only her in the bed but also a small collection of markers and some paper.  I asked her what she was doing and she said projects.  It wasn't until I went to pick her up that I noticed her arms.  I said, "What is that?" Her response, "What? They are just tattoos.  See this one is polka dots and this one is a rainbow."  All I could do was shake my head.  We have since had the discussion that markers are for papers and not for arms. Also, that tattoos are for grown ups.

Connections

I love how the mind of a youngster makes connections.
Josie: Mom, can I have the grilled chips?
Me: What chips do you want?
Josie: The chips that are grilled.
Me: I don't know what chips you mean. Show me.
She points to the barbeque chips. Oh right, the grilled chips. 
Sure you can have those.

159 1/2 Primasing Ave.

Josie has a new dwelling out back and she LOVES it!  Uncle Mike and dad put it together for her back in the beginning of May (yes, I am that far behind). Anyway, she plays kitchen for long periods of time.  One day she announced that it was a great house but it was missing a barbeque.  Well, she didn't really need one but I thought it would be a cute addition so after a week of having good days at school and doing all the things she is supposed to so we can get out on time in the morning we picked out a barbeque. We also added a garden off to the left.  Nothing is growing yet but we have high hopes. Regardless she is now all decked out and ready to entertain.

Because You Love Me

Tonight Josie and I were discussing what book to read:Me: It needs to be a short book because we are running late tonight.
Josie: How about you read a piece of a long book?
Me: Okay, that sounds fair. I will read a part of a long book.
Josie: Well, I have an idea. How about you read all of a long book because you love me.

How does one respond to that?
Conversation continues:
Josie: I want The Little Mermaid. 
Me: I don't want to read that one again. I am sick of that one. Let's pick one we have not read for a while.
Josie: No, I like this one. You come back later after I read it to myself.

Problem solved. :)

So Sweet

The other night while Josie was taking a bath I put my feet in at the end of the tub.  She asked why I did that and I said, "my feet are tired and the warm water feels good."  She then got one of the washclothes and some soap and began to wash and rub my feet.  She said she would put lotion on them later.  I sat there with tears in my eyes giving thanks for such a fantastic kid.

"Oh Darn It"

The Scene: The end of church last Sunday
Josie: Mom why is everyone saying Alleluia so loud?
Me: Because today is the last day we say Alleluia until Easter.
Josie: Why?
Me: Because now we start Lent - the time when we learn about why and prepare for Jesus to die on the cross.
Josie: WHAT? Jesus is going to die - oh no.
Josie to Jay: DAD! DAD! Did you know that Jesus is going to die?
Josie slapping hand to her forhead: OH DARN IT! Jesus is going to die.

The Scene: Coffee hour after church
Nice elderly woman leaning down: Good morning, aren't you cute today.
Josie - still upset: Jesus is going to die.
Nice elderly woman stunned into silence.
Jay: yes, but then he will come back and things will be okay right Josie- (to the woman) she just learned about Jesus dying.

Some Josie Photos

Here are a few photos of what Josie has been up to lately. Enjoy!

Tea parties with mom's tea set from Mrs. Jones.



























Wearing her princess make up and the bow from the chocolate strawberries daddy got her for Valentine's Day.








Dressing up in her pilot uniform.























Flying her "plane" with her passengers.

Strike a Pose

Josie got a new dress from Grandpa John and Grandma Sherry and she LOVES IT! She has worn it three times since she got it last week. She is also very proud of the fact that she can now get dressed all by herself. Each day we put out her clothes and she gets dressed - socks and shoes included. Sometimes we have to turn her dress around or remind her to double check her shoes. The other day she wanted to take a picture to show how she got dressed by herself and to show grandma and grandpa what she looks like in the new dress. Enjoy!

Me and My Big Ideas

Josie was at birthday party last week and she was excited to play a game they had on the wall for the kids. However, the time ran out and they did not play the game. She was very upset and did not want to leave until she got to play. I told her that we would make a game for her to play when we got home. We started with the idea to make a Cars game where you get points by putting wheels on the different cars. She had fun getting blind folded and spinning around then trying to get the most points. This fun lasted a short time before she decided she wanted to make other games. We made a Princess game, a zoo animal game, and a Lion King game. She started writing the names on her own by the third game. Thank goodness we ran out of glue so we had to stop making games last weekend. She has been asking this weekend to make more games - we'll see.

A Nightgown!

Josie loves flannel pajamas - she says they are cuddly wuddly- so she was very excited to get some from Grandpa John and Grandma Sherry for Christmas. Better yet they had Minnie Mouse on them. However, when she realized they were "dress pajamas" she was out of her mind with excitement. By the way she is really into dresses now which explains this reaction. She had to wear them that night. After the first night she decided that she is in love with nightgowns except for the fact that her legs get cold. (She kicks the covers off like her father) To fix this she has decided that she needs to wear leggings to bed with the nightgown. Here she is enjoying the nightgown yet again.

New Bike!

Thanks Uncle Mike for my new princess bike. I love to ride it and I am getting very good at turning corners and braking. I like to take my Cinderella doll along for the ride. I can't wait for the weather to get warmer so I can ride it more often.