It's beginning to look a little like Christmas

the lights are on the outside of the house, the decorations are up and we do have a tree-it just isn't decorated yet.

We took Schwen to church for the first time-she did OK...not great but ok and we did not have to leave the service. I will take them to the christmas cantata on Sunday but not even attempt christmas eve services b/c they do not begin until 7:30 and it is way too crowded, plus I will not get home from work until 6:00 or so. We will do our traditional appetizer dinner on Christmas Eve and then drive around and look at the lights.

Last weekend was a busy weekend-way too busy. Beginning in January things ARE going to slow down and we will turn down many opportunities. The girls go to school during the week and we only have two hours from the time I get home to eat, do homework and get ready for bed. We need to start spending QUALITY time at home with just the four of us. Beginning in 2010 we will only do ONE activity a weekend,if they have chinese class on Saturday then that is it..we will not do nothing else other than church on Sunday. Life just has to slow down for us..it's going by way too fast.

On a humorous note..Schwen walked into the bathroom with a necklace and bracelet and asked if she could wear them to school. I said yes to the necklace but no to the bracelet (it was one she got in China) and told her I was afraid she would lose it at school. She walked into the other room and Adam asked where her bracelet was...she told him "Mama loser"...ok that is what is SOUNDED like...he was cracking up...I then explained what had happened...her english is coming along but still not 100%...what she actually said was Mama lose ah meaning I said she would lose it...oh well.. I'm sure in 10 years she will actually be saying Mom is a loser...and Dad too!

All I want for Christmas.....

is a cookie..yes, this is what Schwen told Santa...of course she had NO idea that Santa actually brings TOYS...Christmas will be so much fun this year with both girls. Jia is such a sweetie...she only asked for Littlest Pet Shop and Ponieville toys and a Buckeye Valley (her school) sweatshirt. And, as you can see from the picture...Jia lost her first tooth...she was SO excited.

Have I mentioned that working full time stinks? Of course I have...I hate that I don't get home until 6:00 pm. Luckily Adam is home and can have dinner close to being ready when I get home and we are usually sitting down to eat by 6:20...dinner is finished at 7:00 then it is homework, showers, etc. Jia's teacher wants her to read out loud a minimum of 15 minutes a night, plus she has to practice her lines for the play...just never never enough time. It's already December 8th and the Christmas decorations are NOT up yet and of course NO tree yet. I'm hopeful that it will all be taken care of by this weekend...and if you come over to our house in the month of January and the decorations are still up you now know why.

December

Happy December! I decided I would try to update at least 1x a month...it's getting harder and harder to do so. It 's been so long since I've been on the blog I forget how to change the colors so bear with me.

November flew by. We had Thanksgiving at our house with Justin and Jill, Adams Mom and Dad and his brother Dave. The girls really enjoyed having everyone over and it was a nice day. I did end up going shopping on black Friday and was able to get most of the items for the girls for christmas. This is the first time I've had my shopping done this early. It may be the only thing I get accomplished early! We brought all the boxes of christmas decorations up from the basement and they will sit until sunday. There just is not enough time during the week to get anything done. I need a day off but have used up all of my time off for the year and we cannot afford for me to take a day off without pay.

I'm trying to get into the holiday spirit, especially for Jia and Schwen. I want to bake cookies with them, I want to make christmas ornaments with them, I want to make their teachers presents, I want to take their picture and send out christmas cards. In the end we'll be lucky to do slice and bake cookies and that will be the extent of it. We do have a few upcoming fun events. This week is the COFCC Holiday party and then the girls, Nei Nei (Adam's mom), her friend Nancy and I are going to see a production of The Nutcracker. After having been the the Balletmet's production of The Nutcracker the past 6 years I had decided I was taking a break. Then we had an opportunity to see a different production for half price, plus the role of Clara being performed by a girl from our COFCC chapter. Our only other holiday event (other than dinner for my work) is that we are going to see the holiday production at the Marion Palace. We have friends who will be performing and I think the variety of the performances will keep the girls (and us) entertained.

I have a love/hate relationship with the holidays. It is difficult b/c I no longer have my parents. It is difficult b/c there is so much to do. It is difficult b/c there are usually additional demands made on our time. But then there is the joy in giving and seeing the happiness all around. I am goign to have our family sponsor a family this year and Jia's school is having a week of giving to People in Need. This is a good opportunity for teaching.