'Tis the Season.....

First of all, I just want to say that this weather sucks. It is very hard for me to get into the Christmas Spirit when the temperature is in the 50's and it is pouring rain out.

Now where was I......

'Tis the season for giving. This week has been filled with long nights for me. I gave these pieces to the people at work. I also gave one to each of the sprouts teachers and the daycare provider and her sister who picks up my sprout from school everyday.

I made these 20 pieces last night. I made 4 of the same things on Wed. night. Both nights were all nighters for me. I even started this project on Tuesday night. I am glad I did get them done though. They turned out great. To give you an idea of the size of each of those, that bench is only 23 inches in depth and those fit nicely into a half fold greeting card envelope. Which is how I delivered them today with the card that I designed as well.

Everyone loved them. I even gave one to the two ladies that seem to think that they are my boss as well. They, however, will not get to see them until the first of the year because they are on vacation now. It is the thought that counts. An olive branch? I doubt it.

Speaking of the thought that counts. I dropped off the sprout at preschool on Wed. and they were going to have a little concert when we picked them up so the parents might want to come early to hear the 3-4 songs that they have been singing this month. Since the sprouts dad NEVER picks her up from school but was on duty right across the street that day, I decided to call him and let him know just in case he might be able to walk across. He was walking out as I was walking in, apparently he had to go because of his job. I tried.

The sprouts and I finished up some Christmas shopping this week and they got to pick out something for their dad as well. As much as I cannot stand him right now, it is still my job as their mom to make sure that they have a gift for their dad.

He sent me an email sometime Wed night and wanted to know if he could have the sprouts the next night for a birthday party that they were invited to. Mind you the party was for his wife's grandson, so I am pretty sure that this was not a last minute planned party because they had to travel 40 miles to get to the place for the party and the kids. After emailing and text messaging back and forth to get the details...when do you need them, when are they going to be home, etc. I finally decided to let them go. I did have plans but I put them off for a bit. The sprouts had a good time and we finished the stuff I had planned when they got back.

His wife sent me a message on the computer this morning thanking me for letting the sprouts go last night. I figured she was going to complain to me for not letting the sprouts spend the night with them. That is usually the way that conversation goes, but 'tis the season.

I hope everyone has a blessed Christmas Holiday, and a Happy New Year!

The Christmas Program

The childrens Christmas program at our church was yesterday afternoon. The kids have been working on this program since before Thanksgiving. I had to ask the sprouts dad if they can be in the program because it was going to fall on his weekend. He did not have a problem with them being in the program. I had recently asked him if I could have them all day yesterday so that they could attend church in the morning which would be their final practice as well before the program in the afternoon, since they would not be able to attend the dress rehearsal the day before because he had things planned for the sprouts. He agreed to let me have them and I offered to trade a day with him as well for that time, and he took me up on that. This whole time I was assuming that he was not going to attend because he made no effort to take the sprouts to the program and he traded the day for me. He also had never attended a church program the sprouts have been in either. I did ask him in email to reconsider he attendance to the program this year. The oldest is excited about her part in the program as she had three speaking parts this year. I got no response and left it at that.

I picked up the sprouts from his house yesterday morning and he had no mention of showing up. The sprouts had their hair all done up and ready to go. I asked them if they knew if their dad was going to come to the program and they said that they wanted to but didn't think so because they thought I would get made at them coming to the program. I told the sprouts that I would not get mad, that I kind of have been trying to get them to come as well. The oldest wanted to call them to ask them to come. We tried three different phone numbers and left messages on all three numbers. He called me a short time later as we are getting ready to head to the church. He wanted to know what time it started, because he was at the church already. I was surprised at that, but glad he was there. I guess putting the time on the calendar that we use together for the sprouts events was worth putting it in a half hour early.

So, all went well. He even brought his parents to the program as well, which really surprised me. I could tell when the sprouts spotted their dad in the crowd because they got a big smile on their face, and even did the sneaky wave to him as well.

He and had chatted briefly and it was a pleasant conversation at that. There was a few awkward moments with his wife and I passing at times, but everything went well. I am just really glad that he decided to come to the program.

The busy season....

...well only if you procrastinate a bit. Once again I stayed up to complete a stainglass piece last night, because I have to deliver it tonight. I have known about this piece since about Spring time. Why rush into things. I did get it done, and even got a nap in as well. Here are some pictures of it. Yes, it is similar to one I have done before.

I took the sprouts to visit santa last weekend. The youngest wants talking furniture type stuff. Not sure where that is going to go. I asked why, they already have a kitchen to play with. The answer I got was "But, it does not talk to me" Great I talk to them and they do not it when I do talk to them.

A quick note on my legal issues with the ex. I finally received a copy of the proposal from him, and he has switched everything around for the visitation schedule, and has not addressed any of the issues I had, which are the reason for the legal battle in the first place. Him changing the visitation schedule is only done because I filed court papers on him. All I want is the money I suppose to have according to our divorce decree. My lawyer modified the proposal again for me, and I am in a holding pattern again. Been holding since July when I filed the papers. I am not in a hurry now to sign anything until the main issues are resolved.

Another busy weekend is ahead for me. I have about 5 more stainglass pieces to do, hopefully I can get some of them done this weekend. The tree still has not had a home found for it yet, so that is at the top of the list. Hopefully sleep is in there as well. The sprouts have their church Christmas program on Sunday. That should be interesting. The oldest has speaking parts, and during rehearsal said them as fast as she could and as quiet as she could as well. The youngest gets to sing three songs, of which will probably only do the motions to the songs and not sing along.