Place Value Song For Kids | Ones, Tens, and Hundreds | 1st Grade, 2nd Gr...

Place Value Song For Kids | Ones, Tens, and Hundreds | 1st Grade, 2nd Gr...

December, at times, is the worst month of the year for me. Sometimes I wish I could just skip it altogether. Which is completely ridiculous, because I really, really, really, love Christmas. I mean, really. I love this time of the year.

My mom loved Christmas, too. She decorated every nook and cranny. But as I got older, I discovered there was sadness at the root of her enthusiasm. She was overcompensating, as her mother did, to cope with unimaginable pain.

One of the first memories I have is of grief and loss - and sadness.

I remember being with my brother and hearing Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas” over and over again in the basement of our house on Augusta. I remember it vividly. He remembers it, too. I was five; he was seven. We were surrounded by sadness because my grandmother had died. It was December, 1980.

My mom was devastated. She lost her mother and best friend that day in December. She was 34. The same age I would be, years later, when I too would lose my mother; my best friend. Also on a day in December.

Christmas was always great at our house. My parents usually went all out. My mom was a thoughtful shopper, and always knew what we really wanted, even before we did. And we would somehow receive the perfect present, at the perfect time. I never understood why she didn’t really care what she got for Christmas. Until, of course, I had kids of my own.

I remember going to Frank’s Nursery and Crafts with my mom to buy decorations. I still have some of the green floral wire she bought there. She still had some with the price tag on it when we cleaned out her house.

I remember that we always went to the mall the day after Christmas, so she could take advantage of all the deals. Dodie was a bargain shopper if ever there was one. After she died, I found a few of her great finds. Closets full of them, in fact. 😊

I remember going as a family to the Christmas Tree farm, and it was always an event. That tradition ended the year my parents got divorced, and from that year forward, they never got a real tree again. I’m not sure why they both quit getting a real tree. I never thought to ask them.

I remember going to Mass on Christmas Eve and then going to our Aunt Karen and Uncle Terry’s house for a party. We did this every year. When it was time to go home, driving home that night through downtown Monroe, looking at the lights, looking up at the sky for Santa’s sleigh - it was magical.

And like every child, I was always so excited to get to sleep on Christmas Eve so Santa could come.

I didn’t realize until I was much older, that many of those we called Aunt and Uncle - and still do to this day - are my parents’ close friends. They weren’t really my aunts and uncles. We aren’t biologically related; we are bound by love, friendship, and togetherness.

Friends that become family. I took it for granted as a child, but I cherish it today.

There is a whole gamut of emotions you go through when you lose your parents, or someone you love. Sometimes it’s easier to try to forget, and wish the memories away. Because memories can be beautiful, but also quite painful.

Sometimes I find myself crying at the most random things, but more often than not, I remember something special, and it makes me happy.

But even I get bummed out sometimes.

I wanted to share because I know I’m not alone. This is a hard time of year for a lot of people, and for a lot of reasons.

It’s okay to be sad when you think you should be happy.

And it’s okay to be happy, even when you may still be in pain.

Did you know, that it’s nearly impossible to be sad when you listen to The Beach Boys? At least it is for me. Their music is just so beautiful, soulful, and spiritual even, and it always brings me joy. ☀️

It’s true. Give it a try sometime. 😊

There’s a few lines from one of the songs on their Christmas album that I keep coming back to.

“It’s worth the wait the whole year through
Just to make happy someone like you
And I’ll never outgrow the thrill of Christmas Day.”

It’s worth the wait the whole year through,
to make happy someone like you.

I think that’s how my mom felt.
She just wanted us to be happy.
And that’s what I try to do, too.

Sending love to my family and friends. ❤️

And my sincere hope for us all, is that we never outgrow the thrill of Christmas Day. 🎄

This Is Where We Are.

These are my 4th Grader’s new Vans. These aren’t the shoe laces they came with, though. I had to replace them because our puppy chewed the ends off one of them.

When she realized they were glow-in-the-dark laces, she said, “But what if we are on lock down? The shooter will see me. What should I do?”

I was shocked. A feeling of extreme sadness came over me, but I didn’t show it.

Instead, we figured out a few ways we could hide her shoelaces if there was an active shooter at her school. We made a plan.

I asked her if she wanted me to get different ones, and she said no - they would be okay.

She seemed to get over the initial fear, and then she moved on.

Just like most of us. We have moved on. Accepted the reality.

Her reaction shocked me.

But I guess it shouldn’t have.

I had never really thought about how scary it is for kids to have to worry about an active shooter in their school.

And how truly terrifying it is for them to actually practice it - go through the drill, figure out what they will do and where they will hide if that ever were to happen.

I assured her that she was safe at school, and her teachers would protect her, and she should listen to the adults if anything bad happened.

I love her school.

I know she feels safe there.

I am sure she is in good hands.

But I couldn’t shake that moment, or rather, how I felt in that moment. 

A few days later, she woke up in the morning, crying.

I thought she had a nightmare. Told her I was here for her. Told her it was okay. She said, “I’m sad because of pollution, and because soon we aren’t going to have an earth.”

So I guess it was worse than a nightmare.

Every day it seems, another animal is nearing extinction, there’s garbage in the oceans, turtles are dying because of plastic straws, the birds are vanishing. We hear about these things all the time. But kids are listening, too.

So, of course they want to do their part to help. And we are so proud of them for being good recyclers, and reminding us to bring our reusable straws with us. 

But maybe part of the reason they are environmentally responsible is because they know they have to be. 

They are actually scared not to be! They know we all have to do something about it.

And, once again, I didn’t realize how much it weighed on her. That is pretty scary stuff to process as an adult, never mind a 9 year-old!

I don't remember much about being nine, but it should be wonderful, and fun and carefree.  

Elementary school is hard work. In fourth grade, kids at our school get letter grades for the first time.

But Elementary school can be stressful for kids, and my daughter is no exception.

She wonders if the friend she had yesterday will still be her friend today.

She wants to be better reader, and be faster on her timed math tests.

She thinks about what t-shirt she’s going to wear, and where she is going to sit in class.

She’s working really hard to be quieter in class, and not goof off as much.

Typical kid stuff.

But she’s also worried about the environment.

She’s worried about pollution.

She’s worried about lockdowns.

She’s worried about active shooters in her school.

I’m going to do all I can to help her not to worry about these grown-up things, and shield her more, and talk about it more, and I’m doing my best to make her feel more at ease.

But I’m worried, too.

About all of it.

And more.

A lot more. 🖤

My sweet angel baby.

Our first baby girl was born 15 years ago today. Her name was Bree. She was perfect, and beautiful, but so very tiny. Too small to survive. I don't know if she had blue eyes like Brady, or green like Lauren and her dad, or brown like Brooke. Or maybe she would have had hazel eyes like me.  I don't know if she would have loved music, or sports, or reading, or animals or art. I do know that she had the cutest feet, and I'm sure she would have had little dimples on her lower back, right above her butt, just like the other kids.  I also know she was loved. We loved her with everything we had, and wanted so badly for things to have worked out. But I knew in my heart and in my head that they would not.  I am so very thankful I had two weeks to prepare for her birth, knowing it would also be the only time I would have with her. 

Having this experience taught me many things.  Life doesn't always go the way you think it is supposed to. Life can seem very unfair.  You also never know what others are going through at any given time.  Because when stuff like this happens, the world doesn't stop. It seems like it should, but everything else and everybody else just keeps going along with everything. So at any given moment, there are people in turmoil, or experiencing grief - either loss of a person, or maybe the loss of what they thought their life would be like, or just struggling in general to get through the day, and many of us never know it, so I always try to be kind and understanding at all times. 

I really have the most wonderful life. I know this.  Through the grace of God (and skilled doctors and cervical sutures), we now have Lauren and Brooke, too.  I get to be home with my kids, and I am very grateful.  They drive me crazy at times, but that's their job. 

So, happy birthday baby girl.  See if  Grandma Dodie will share a Coca-Cola with you today.  Tell her I said it's okay.

A little Christmas.

Decking the halls.  

These are our white trees.  I got the idea when my older daughter was in elementary school.  After Christmas break, the school set up white trees. They kept them up all of January.  So I bought these trees after Christmas, and all the decorations.  I might have $50.00. Invested.  I love them so much. 

At the parade.  Brooke loves watching Brady.  He's such a good big brother. He even waved to her. :)

Empty coffee.  I love my cuppow lids. They are as much for me as for the four year old.  I have been known to have spilled my fair share of coffee on my own. 

Crafting.  No preschool means no ornaments unless we make them ourselves.  

Some of our favorite ornamental memories.  

Keeping it classy!

Is it too early to watch this?

It's never too early. 

Around the farm.

Some recent photos from the homestead.