Hanukkah 2012 and Getting ready for Christmas

What a crazy and busy time of year.  It was just yesterday that we were sitting down at our dining room table for Thanksgiving dinner.  We had a very nice quiet Thanksgiving.  We did not travel and we did not have guests.  We didn't travel, as we have a new member of the family, who we cannot leave just yet.  His name is Ringo.  Ringo joined our family in mid-November.  He is a beautiful 17 month old dog...his momma is American Bulldog and his daddy is Greyhound and Collie.  He really looks like a Greyhound.  He is such a good natured dog. He is so sweet and great with the kids.  He does get into trouble by chewing things and being hyper at times, but he is a great addition to our family.

Since my last post, we have celebrated Halloween.  Morgan hung out with some friends and dressed up as Katniss from Hunger Games.  Bella dressed up as My Little Pony and went trick or treating with her BFF Becca.  Lots of fun, lots of candy!

Morgan completed her first quarter of high school and did great!  She earned As, Bs, 1 C (in Spanish).  She did well without my support!  Love it.  She is growing up so fast.  I can't believe that college is around the corner!!!!!!!!  She continues with horseback riding and has been spending about 8 hours per week (every sunday all day) at Hunt View Farm helping out on the farm and riding.  Snuck this picture of her last week when I dropped her off.  She made my heart melt.

Bella continue to amaze us, too :)  She is reading!  That's right, reading!  She not only has phonemic awareness, but she comprehends what she is reading.  Her staff at Kidsco told me the other day that she was reading a book to some of her friends.  The entire book!  I borrowed the book so I could have her read it to us at home.  Check out this video.  She is reading Marvin K Mooney from Dr. Suess.  We have never read that book before.  Tonight she blew me away reading "We're Going on a Lion Hunt."  

VIDEO WILL BE UPLOADED SOON

Hanukkah started early this year, so it is separate from Christmas, which I like.  We have lit the candles for three nights so far.  The girls each light their own menorah.  Omi, Poppop, and Aunt Joc are coming in for Christmas.  Can't wait!  Happy Holidays!

MORGAN UPDATE

Homecoming??  Morgan??  Really???  I cannot believe that my daughter went to homecoming!  I am so proud of her.  Back in the day, you didn't go to homecoming alone, you went with a date.  Now a days, kids go with same sex friends, as a group or as a pair.  I still don't think I would have gone without a date.  But my Morgan did.  She went with her long time friend Devyn.  The evening started at our house for Pedicures, hair styling, and make-up.  We then had dinner, chosen by Morgan.....Broccoli and Chicken Cheese Casserole.  Then....it was dressing and final touches, and pictures!!.  We had such a nice time hanging with Devyn, her mom (Lisa), and Logyn.  It was bitter sweet watching them walk together into the dance.

BELLA UPDATE

Bella didn't go to homecoming, although I am sure that she would have loved to.  She had fun watching the girls get ready and playing with Logyn.  I am sure it will be just as bitter sweet in 11 years when Bella goes....thank goodness I still have 11 years until that time!

This morning, Bella was Facetiming with her Aunt Joc.  She must have Facetimed for 45 minutes.  She was showing her toys, art work she has done, and just chatting.  I asked her if she wanted to read Aunt Joc a book.  She had read this book once before to her daddy.  She blew me away with how well she read this book.  Crazy!

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO SEE BELLA READING.  PRETTY CRAZY!

BELLA READING VIDEO

OTHER STUFF

I have been working with a great artist on Etsy at furryfaces.etsy.com.  Her name is Jenny.  We traded services.  I designed her business graphics and she painted a picture of Kacki for me.  I just got the painting the other day.  It brings tears to my eyes.  I sent her the picture I took of Kacki 5 minutes before she was put to sleep.  It is amazing!

                                                                                                                                      

One day, you two will look back on this and see that you did not just fight and argue all of the time.  

I wanted to comment about how grown up Morgan is becoming.  Lately, Morgan has been very helpful, without arguing...love it!  Tonight she helped me with straightening up the house and reading to Bella without a single argument.  The growth is amazing from last year to this year.  Not only in maturity, but in her physical self.  Just went shopping for a Homecoming Dress!  Hello!  She looks beautiful.  Can't wait to see her all dressed up on Saturday.  xo Morgan!

Why do I have such a hard time keeping up with my blogging?  I want to blog so that my girls can have a chronicle of their childhood.  If they have their mother's memory, they will need it ;)

So, March 3, 2012 was the last day that I blogged???  I guess I have some catching up to do.  Let's start with Morgan.  14????  Really????  A full blown teenager, for sure!  Since March, Morgan has:

• continued with horseback riding and loves it.  This summer she attended a week long horseback riding camp in Poolesville.  She fell in  love with it out there and has decided to switch there to have her lessons.  She was taking lessons around the corner from our house.  This new place is 45 minutes away each way !  But worth it if she loves it.
• started HIGH SCHOOL!!!  Do I really have a high schooler?  When I was a high schooler, I felt my parents were old (sorry mom and dad).  I don't feel old.  But she thinks I am.  She is taking an honors history course, geometry, spanish, orchestra,english.....She says she likes high school much better than  middle school.  I am so happy for her.  She is also part of the Science Club at the High School.  Her grades are As and Bs and we could not happier for her or more proud!
• been battling an unexplained illness :(  She gets periodic fevers and feels overheated and sick more frequent than is normal.  She is seeing all kinds of specialists to figure out what is going on.
• spent four weeks in the summer as a Camp Counselor (2 weeks in training and 2 weeks as a junior counselor).  She loved it and plans to do it again next summer.

Bella is 4 years old already!  She is in her actual preschool year at school and starts kindergarten next fall!  How can that be?  How did it go so fast??? Since March, Bella has:

• flushed many objects down the toilet (thank goodness that phase is over)
• pushed every button she can find on Morgan
• recited all of her letters, letter sounds, and is able to sound out three and four letter words!
• shown a love of coloring, doing puzzles, playing with playdo, riding her bike, riding her scooter, and playing with her friends.
• kicked her afternoon nap!
• is working on potty training during the night time.

Sadly, we lost a very special member of our family since my last blog.  Kacki, our beloved dog, passed away in August 2012.  She lived almost to the age of 16!  We miss her dearly and think of her daily!  It is just not the same without her.  I never thought I would miss her as much as I do.....but I am sure she is up in heaven having a grand old time with Natie!

The adults of the McNab household have never been better.  Greg and I have been through ups and downs and very windy roads.  Our journey, thus far, has made who we are as individuals and as a couple.  I have never been more happy!  Oh, and we celebrated our 16th anniversary this August.  

 

I want so bad to blog again...

I guess Facebook keeps my from blogging, since I post so much there. But I have to remember that I cannot keep my Facebook forever, but a blog I can have printed into hard copy and bound to keep for my girls. So......I am vowing to blog here more often :)

I see my last post here was at Christmas and Hanukkah time. Geeze! That was more than 2 months ago. Let's play catch up.

Morgan celebrated her 14th birthday last month. 14 years old?????? How did that happen? She opted to not have a birthday party this year. Instead, she is going to NYC next weekend with her friend Abby and me. We are going to take a bus, visit Joc (who now lives there), and see a show. We will stay from Friday night through Sunday afternoon. Looking forward to it! Morgan and I took a bus trip for the day after Christmas to NYC. It was her first time and we had so much fun, despite yucky weather. We went to the site of the World Trade Center, took a Ferry to Statue of Liberty, and had dinner with Joc.

Morgan continues to love horseback riding. She rides on average two times per week and volunteers a few times per month at the stables. I love seeing her with the horses. Morgan is also in her drama club at school. This is the first time she participated in drama. She is in the chorus :) Her show is in May! She loves it, too :)

Bella keeps us on our toes. So different from Morgan. Morgan always listened and could be taken anywhere. Bella, on the other hand, no! Let's see, she has flushed toothpaste and her panties down the toilet, takes things and hides them in the house, and is little miss independent. We love her! She continues to amaze us everyday with her smarts. She is a very bright little girl. It is scary sometimes, how smart she is. She takes gymnastics class once week and seems to really enjoy it. Swim lessons are around the corner, for the little miss.

Me...I just keep adding things to my plate. I have two Etsy shops (Honeysuckledesigns and Adapted-4-Autism), 1 eBay story Adapted-4-Autism), my bentos, and now I am a Scentsy Consultant. Busy busy busy.....Greg is doing Awesome!!!!

All things with the McNabs are great!