Archive for December, 2008
December 31st, 2008, 1:14 pm by Michelle Reese
If you, like me, are planning a low-key night with young kids, I have a few ideas I’ve stolen from stories I’ve read in the past few years. (I would give proper attribution, but I can’t remember where I read these ideas!)
1) Plan a night with friends where the kids get to play their new video games with their counterparts. Bring pajamas just in case they get sleepy. Kids have fun while the adults can visit. And bring blankets in the car for the ride home.
2) I don’t expect to make it to midnight - but since New York is there before we are, we’ll do our “countdown” with New York City!
3) TACO BAR! My son asked last night for tacos. So, I’m hoping to set up a taco bar tonight. It’s easy and everyone in attendance can make their own.
4) I’ve also heard of movie night. Pick a favorite from the past year that’s now out on video (for us, it’s “Kung Fu Panda,” the film we saw on my son’s sixth birthday). For pick a theme (We’ve done “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones” and “Tomb Raider” in the past.)
5) Memory tracker: I’m going to break out paper, pens and a few photos from this year and have the kids help me write down their favorite memories of 2008. Heck, if I can pull it off I’ll even put it in the album tonight!
Several Web sites also have ideas if you haven’t put anything together yet: Fondue night, sundae bar, burger bar or even pasta bar are a few that would be easy to pull off and you may even have the ingredients at home.
What are you doing tonight?
Have fun. Be safe. And Happy New Year!
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December 26th, 2008, 10:47 am by Michelle Reese
 My daughter as Mary once we got home Wednesday night. Well, I guess if anyone could top last year’s Christmas Eve rendition of “Where is baby Jesus?” during the entire service, it would be my daughter. (Writer’s note: My son probably would have been just as entertaining except he had a cold.)
So Wednesday evening we went the 4 p.m. service with my husband, his sister and her family, and my in-laws.
I knew I was in trouble when, upon sitting in the pew, I told my nearly 4-year-old daughter, “Now, you need to be good. Santa is still watching.”
“When’s he gonna leave?” she replied.
My daughter loves to sing. And since she attends a church daycare, she’s familiar with all the Christmas songs.
So when the children’s choir started the holiday pageant and one little girl was giving a solo of “Away in the Manger,” it turned into a duet loud enough a few of us to hear. Prayers were just as fun. We got on our knees and started her “God blesses,” as in “God Bless mommy. God Bless daddy. God bless brother. God bless cousins.”
After saying “Amen,” she said loudly, “Oh I forgot! What’s my teacher’s name?” And the blessings of teachers, friends and the family dog began anew.
At this point, with me just about jumping out of my seat, my husband smiles and says, “It’s OK. She’s worshipping in her own way.”
I wasn’t sure. I didn’t want to interrupt anyone. But no one was complaining.
Then when the only voice to be heard in the church was the priest preparing for Communion and my daughter yelled, “I need a drink!” it was time to get out of the big building for awhile.
I should have stayed put.
We filled her cup in the back foyer and she noticed the doors open to the outside. I don’t know how it happened. I swear I didn’t take my eyes off of her.
But she ended up face front into the small water fountain. Drenched from neck to waist (she managed not to get her hair wet), she said, “Mommy my dress is wet.”
Yea, no kidding.
I dried her off with towels and we went back into the big church for the last blessing.
“Amen” I said when it was done.
Posted in: Michelle Reese • holidays | 1 Comment »
December 24th, 2008, 12:45 pm by Michelle Reese
 Photospin With words of appreciation to Clement Clarke Moore:
‘Twas two days before Christmas and in the Reese home, we were wrapping up presents but we weren’t alone.
The kids sat beside us picking each paper, hoping to thrill each gift taker.
There were books and shirts, gift cards and more. The kids enjoyed it as the paper they tore.
For Boppie and Grammie, for Meme and Papa, they folded and taped them carefully all.
When all of the sudden my son exclaimed, “I want to play on the computer a game!”
So upstairs they went and the moment was done, but at least we had our memory of fun.
I hope you all have a chance to make a special memory this holiday season.
Posted in: Michelle Reese • fun with kids | Post a Comment »
December 23rd, 2008, 12:40 pm by Michelle Reese
 Photospin I’m writing a story on how churches prepare for Christmas Eve services. Tomorrow night my sister-in-law and mother-in-law have offered to take my kids to 4 p.m. church so they can hear their cousins sing in the choir. I’m hoping to join them, but have no idea when I’ll get out of the office. I didn’t think it a problem until I remembered last year’s visit to their church on Christmas Eve.
We all entered the church, found our spot and my kids - then 2 and 5 - started looking around for their cousins. Then the service started and they would hardly sit still. Then the children’s group gave a presentation of the Christmas story and afterward my two kids - in loud booming voices - were yelling, “Where’s Baby Jesus?” I suppose it’s better than the year before when they ran - rather than walked - down the aisle for the children’s message. In recent weeks my kids have been going to Sunday school classes rather than coming in the big service with me for church and it’s not something they’re used to. But I’m hoping - and praying - it’s an uneventful service. Well, if not, I guess I’ll just have more to scrapbook about!
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December 22nd, 2008, 9:21 am by Michelle Reese
On Friday, I was greatly anticipating my weekend of doing NOTHING. No football games. No soccer games. No holiday events to attend. I just planned to hang at home, maybe get some gifts wrapped, and perhaps make some cookies.
Well, some of that happened.
We have had a leaking shower for a while and, well, we tried to fix it ourselves. Did you know that the calcium in Valley water and make pipes stick together? And if you twist too much they break?
So, Saturday night when we didn’t have water at the house I packed up the family - and the cooking making supplies - and went to my in-laws. They live just down the street and the kids couldn’t wait for a “sleepover” at Grammie and Boppie’s house. We still made cookies, but the wrapping isn’t done yet. We spent Sunday afternoon at home with the plumber (a very nice guy who didn’t mind the mess everywhere). Guess it’s going to be one of those years we do it Christmas Eve!
Posted in: Michelle Reese • home life | 1 Comment »
December 18th, 2008, 2:02 pm by Michelle Reese
OK, so despite my attempt to do a little at a time - and my success - I managed to miss one major step. At least, in my book, it’s major.
The kids made cards for their friends at school. And we made chocolates. We delivered the chocolates today. But I never did get the kids around the addressing the cards! Today is my daughter’s last day with her class and tomorrow is my son’s. I know we can get his done tonight (except my daughter has a soccer team party!). Well, I had good intentions.
I wasn’t feeling frazzled at all by the holiday until today. I’m sure I’m not alone!
Posted in: Michelle Reese • Being a mom | Post a Comment »
December 16th, 2008, 1:41 pm by Michelle Reese
I didn’t get a chance to update my attempt to add a little holiday magic to each day. Without fail, it’s working. And I don’t feel nearly as stressed as usual nor do I feel like the holiday is slipping by.
So what have we done this week?
Sunday: Truffles!
Monday: Mailed packages and got cards ready to mail
Tonight: Finish Truffles — get them ready to deliver to neighbors
Wednesday: Muppet Christmas special on TV; deliver gifts to neighbors!
Thursday: Both kids have holiday parties at school.
Friday: My son has another holiday event at school, but I think we’re going to break out “The Santa Clause 2″ at home that night.
Saturday: Grandma and Grandpa bake cookies with kids while Mr. and Mrs. Claus (aka my husband and I) wrap presents!
Posted in: Michelle Reese • Holidays with kids | 1 Comment »
December 16th, 2008, 1:36 pm by Michelle Reese
   
This weekend while the kids slept, Mr. Reese took the holiday decoration boxes from the garage. While the kids and I rested, he put up the tree. When they awoke, both jumped at the chance to unwrap (perhaps too quickly) the ornaments. Ok, so one got broken. Not bad considering how many we own.
But after the tree was decorated, I scoured through the nine boxes (yikes, nine!). I’m paring back on what I actually put up this year (as I’ve heard others are doing as well since it’s only nine - yikes, nine! - days until Christmas). Finally in the next to last box, I found them: Our Christmas books. These are my joy - and I share my kids’ enthusiasm at the titles: “The Snowbelly Family of Chillyville Inn,” “Bear Stays up for Christmas,” ”What Snowmen do at Night” and, of course, “The Polar Express.” I received two new ones last week, but there’s just something comforting about the titles we read last year, and the year before that.
So Saturday night the reading began. The kids each picked out one title. I wanted to read two last Sunday night as well, but they fell asleep. So I read one to myself. Now if only my vocal cords will keep up my enthusiasm.
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December 15th, 2008, 1:15 pm by Michelle Reese
I tried to do too much this morning.
Upon going downstairs this morning at 7:15 a.m., my daughter and I put powdered sugar on the truffles we made Sunday. Then I melted chocolate, burnt it, and had to put off finishing our treats.
While that took place, I baked hash browns in the toaster over and bacon on the stove. When that was done, I took the bacon came off, cleaned the pan and the eggs went in. Something clearly went wrong there because my son wouldn’t eat the eggs.
Shoes on, socks not, my kids were ready to go a few minutes after the bus arrived. But I still needed a shower. I heard some game of “I have your juice box” going on and lots of screaming and laughing while I was upstairs. I think I forgot to rinse out the conditioner from my hair in my rush to get OUT of the shower.
When I was ready, I loaded the kids in the car. But then I remembered I was going to pick up Christmas stamps to get my cards in the mail. Since I was going to do that I thought I might as well grab the two boxes of baby clothes in my garage to mail to my sister in Minnesota. Five minutes later (or was it 10 - I had to sort the clothes to make sure I had the right sizes. The kids watched me from the car where they were already belted in), I started the car, shut the garage door and drove my son to school.
Or did I shut the garage door?
Sure enough, we were three minutes late to school and he had to go get a tardy slip from the office.
I called to take the blame. (Forgive the grammar in this posting - clearly my brain is reacting to my morning.)
Posted in: Michelle Reese • Being a mom | Post a Comment »
December 15th, 2008, 1:00 pm by Michelle Reese
Call now to register for the spring Community Education Prekindergarten program. Call Mesa Unified School District at (480) 472-7257. Classes are Jan. 12 through May 14. The tuition-based program is located at 13 sites throughout the district. For this and other preschool options, logon to www.mpsaz.org, and click on “Schools.”
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