eSpecially Ben

The Chefs  This is a great activity to do next week when the kids are off from school. Set table ahead of time.   Supplies Approx a 12” x 12” cardboard or baking pan covered tightly in tin foil. This will serve as the platform for the house. If you use a baking pan, make sure it is not one you will need soon. A cardboard foundation for the house such as individual juice boxes (taped together), box from snacks, cut off the bottom of a ½ gallon OJ or milk carton. This will determine the size of your house. I recommend small. One box of honey graham crackers – any brand. Tape the foundation firmly to the cardboard.  Decorations Chewing gum – Big Red Neccos Red Hots Chocolate sprinkles Rainbow sprinkles Coconut flakes for snow Mini marshmallows Tootsie Rolls Green leaf candy Gum drops, assorted colors Red & White Peppermint candies Mini candy canes M&M’ Twizzler

Kids made this from a kit last weekend while visiting a doubly great Aunt in South Carolina.

This was the epitome of an anticlimax, but typical of how my life usually goes. I was diagnosed with bronchitis on the Wednesday before the race, and even I was thinking about ditching it. BUT the husband, who knows me well, said I better go. "You will be sad to have worked hard all year long not to finish the last one" were his last words as he nudged me out of the bed. I have a feeling he wanted more room in the nice warm bed and a few hours to dilly dally around the house. Without me around, there's no hanging lights, fixing angels on trees or making more fudge. So I got out of my warm bed, and while hacking up half a lung drove 30 minutes into the boonies. I got lost, did not have my cell phone, and most likely, I was on my last gallon of gas. Eventually, I found the location, conveniently next to a cemetery, because I was going to need it after this race. I ran the race, mostly. The route was through a Greenway in Kannapolis, NC, although mostly brown this time o

Make these special bird feeders for winter time fun.They also look cool hanging in the yard. Use pipe cleaners, wire or wooden skewers for the base. Add food such as apples, oranges, dried apricots, pretzels, marshmallows, raisins, dates, bread, grapes and cheerios. Tie the ribbon or string on one end. Then take your decorations and tie them to the trees and watch the birds feast. It took a few days for the birds to find ours, but once they did, they ate them all.

Logan's class went caroling in the neighborhood this week. They sang the song below at the firehouse and two restaurants. They were a big hit. Here are the words, just in case, you are looking to liven up your holidays with a special song: I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas I want a hippopotamus for Christmas Only a hippopotamus will do Don't want a doll, no dinky Tinker Toy I want a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy I want a hippopotamus for Christmas I don't think Santa Claus will mind, do you? He won't have to use our dirty chimney flue Just bring him through the front door, that's the easy thing to do I can see me now on Christmas morning, creeping down the stairs Oh what joy and what surprise when I open up my eyes To see a hippo hero standing there I want a hippopotamus for Christmas Only a hippopotamus will do No crocodiles, no rhinoceroses I only like hippopotamuses And hippopotamuses like me too Mom says the hippo would eat me

I am exhausted and this is all I can offer today: I had bronchitis last week. Ryan had bronchitis last week. I ran my 12th Race anyway. Ben had bronchitis and double ear infection this weekend. Video EEG postponed until January. Waiting for Santa to come... Oh and those of you who thought I made up the name Egor , I did not. That really was the physician assistant's name.

I have been behind checking Ben's artwork from school - sometimes he brings home a stack for me to sort through each week. I noticed these two turkeys...late getting to this page, but cute none the less. Click here for more works of art.