Vacation stuff.

Tom and Tara at my dad's house. I like this silly photo.




The tree after it came down.




My favorite gift. A set of dishes.

The tree banging on the house. It was the one in the previous picture that is no more.

Christmas with Tom and Sheri (after Christmas)

Inside the Christmas Story house. Near the bathroom.

The house and the crowds!

The fam

It's been fun. We've gone to the Christmas Story house in Cleveland. I've seen my friend, Debi and we attempted to learn to crochet. Well.... I can do it but get stuck knowing where to put the hook when I do a second row. They tell me it gets easier. I don't know. I want to be like my grandparents and mom, who could make afghans.

I've been hampered by an ear infection that just won't leave me. I am beginning to worry that it's my jaw and not just an infection. That scares me.

The Christmas house was just too fun. It was really crowded but I managed. There is the original house from the movie, which has been set up to look like a 1941 house inside, very much like the movie. There is also a museum and a gift shop in separate houses

Emily is turning 10 this Monday, Jan. 5th. She wants to get her ears pierced AND go to the toy store. She's on the precipice. Not yet a woman, not just a little girl.

One of the trees is down. It was contracting in the winter just enough that when a gust of wind came, it would slam in the house with a sound of 10 doors slamming. This happened day in and day out. One down. Yipeeee!

I have pictures from Christmas that were cute. Maybe I'll post them on another day.

Mom is home!

Mom got out early. Yipppeeee! She is home now on oxygen. She's a real trooper. My dad bought her the little ostrich and it is so cute.

Merry Christmas!

no Christmas cheer for my mom

My mom is in the hospital with pneumonia. She had been sounding bad for some time and my dad tried to get her in to the doctor. They said yesterday that they could get her in on the 15th. He knew they had a cancellation because his friend, who goes to the same doctor, couldn't make it that day. "Oh we've filled that spot with 4 other people." That's bull; no one's that busy. They told my dad if she's so bad to take her to the hospital and that's what he did. She'll be there through Christmas. Poor Mom.

I'm going there today to see her. Pneumonia is so dangerous for normally healthy people and scary for people like my mom.

Then I tried to call my dad last night and he accidentally took his phone off the hook again. Poor dad, too. He's so tired.

Christmas Tree & Exhausted Dog

I'm not sure why Millie is so sleepy, she didn't really help set up Christmas decorations.

When life is busy, I should let sleeping animals be a soothing sight. But it's not. It only creates envy. I envy how animals can sleep and not have a care in the world.

But it's an even game: they're usually envious of our meals.

TV and Musical

Today was a weird and wonderful day. Wonderful because I am gainfully employed and I really like the work. Now here's the weird part. I was asked by the assistant superintendent to do an on air interview for the cable access channel for my district discussing my job. I agreed. Then I got nervous. Today I showed up and the room was a real studio with all kinds of lights and cameras and an interview couch- the whole nine yards. The guy running it couldn't have been nicer which put me at ease--- a little. The only thing was that he said that there were no retakes. One and done. So I got my microphone on and off we went. The assist. super. started reading the prompter and then turned to me. My first thought was, What if I open my mouth to speak and nothing comes out?!!! Well, I did OK. I didn't appear nervous, I don't think. I was asked couple of questions about how I would change things in my program and I think I got a bit repetitious but otherwise I sounded moderately intelligent. At the end, she wrapped up speaking and we were to remain "chatting" while the video went to black. I felt like I was on the View or something. hee hee. I'm going to be on the cable access for a month. Oh, the poor citizens. They are going to get really sick of me.

Tonight's Emily's Christmas play/musical.

They say there may be a snow day tomorrow due to the weather. WOOT!
I mean, darn, I really want to impart knowledge to the children. :)

tagged

Oh boy! I have been tagged. I have never been tagged. Since we got a new computer lately the files were buried but I found it! The 4th picture from the fourth folder is Tara 4 years ago in a restaurant after visiting Santa.
I tag Amy and Bookgrrl.

Graduation!!!!

I did it!!! I finally graduated. I had a heck of a time last night figuring out how to wear the hood over the gown. Then when I got to the ceremony and we were all waiting to line up, I ended up helping two other graduates with their hood.

The day went smoothly. Although, they gave us this card to give to the announcer with our name spelled phonetically. Well, when I got up to the announcer, she asked me my name. So I told her Joann Marie C. Well guess what? She called me Joann RAY C. Nice. Oh well. She messed some other names up, too so I was in good company. :)

My family came and I spotted them in the crowd rather quickly. My mom and dad had very close seats since my mom is in a wheelchair and couldn't be in the stands.

My goodness I feel relieved and happy that my seemingly never ending studying is over!!!!

We all went out to eat afterwards and had fun. I got wonderful graduation gifts of beautiful jewelry from my dad and aunt and uncle.

Here are a couple of the pictures of one of the best days of my life.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOANN! DECEMBER 5TH

Hey everyone, it's Jay sneakin' in on here...

I've got a little secret to tell ya... Today is Joann's BIRTHDAY!! She is waaay too modest to post it herself, but today is her actual birthday. She'll be at work all day, then she has to make sure the kiddos are off safely to scout camp tonight. No rest for the weary.

Anyway, I know she is very grateful for each and every one of you reading her blog. So let's at least use this moment to give her some virtual birthday cheer.

yay!