Happy Holidays Is What Terrorists Say . . .

Merry Christmas!!!
Love, The Woolners

Happy Meal Christmas

Every Saturday growing up, My Grandma B. would come visit us and buy us all McDonald's for lunch. She never missed a Saturday. As a result, I had quite the collection of Disney toys, trick-or-treat pails, and ornaments. These little fellas were from 1988 (I was ten years old) when the Disney animated animal version of Oliver came out. Squeeze their tummies and they play Frosty the Snowman and Jingle Bells. Not only have they survived for 22 years, but they still play music. How crazy is that?

Oh Snow You Didn't!

These pictures are early on, but we got several inches of snow a few weeks back. Snow is great for Sam. He'll happily bundle himself up and play out there for a good hour or more. On the other hand, I bundle Noelle up and she steps outside for 9 seconds, decides it's too cold and comes back in. She is now refusing to go out in the snow. I'm happy to have her stay inside an help me with Ruby.

Sam with our driveway snowman (snow from shoveling the driveway). The kids and Chad made a gianormous one out back, but I was gone getting groceries, and if I'm not there to take the picture, it doesn't happen. The next day it had been blow down by the wind.

The first snowball of the season.

9 seconds.

Ruby's first snow. Pay no attention to the woman with the Sunday nap bed head.

While I was in radiation, I kept myself locked in my bedroom from Wednesday afternoon until Sunday morning. It was hard on me to hear everyone but not be able to see or touch them. In the evenings, we would Skype. That was nice. In the day time, the kids were very busy making little gifts for me to send under the door. I took some pictures of them. There were far more than these, but these were some of my faves . . .

Sam wrote me notes all day long. This one says "Mom" and "Sam" with a heart.

The kids put together these snowmen with the help of Grandma. I lined them up on my bathroom counter and they made me smile.

The cut out flowers and other pictures and glued them to cards and wrote their names--Noelle even wrote her name.

Sam's very Pollockesque drawing. How does it make you feel? Aren't my kids wonderful?

Thanksgiving With a Helping of Sap & a Side of Tribute

See this family? (I stole this picture from their blog; hope they don't mind.) For privacy's sake, we'll call them "The Higgidy Diggidies" (which is what I call them for reals). The day before Thanksgiving I had surgery to correct a deviated septum and over-enlarged turbinates which were restricting my nasal breathing to 20%. Plus, I just can't get me enough surgeries. These folk drove nearly 400 miles the day before Thanksgiving to come celebrate with our family, but really, since I was pretty much in a coma for all of Thursday, Friday and Saturday, they came to help out while I recovered. I am thankful for a lot of things in my life. You know, the general stuff that we all are grateful for (family, health, etc etc etc) goes without saying (but I just did, so there). But this Thanksgiving, I was ESPECIALLY thankful for the Higgies. Let's just say, they were Heaven sent. They cooked the meals. All of the meals. They cleaned. They did my laundry, folded it AND put it away. On Black Friday, Chad had to work. I could hear my baby crying, but literally, could not go to her. In my anesthetic haze and through swollen, purple eyes, I saw my friend (we'll call her "Mrs. Lady"), dash to Ruby's room. I know she fed her. I know she changed her. I know she played with her (as well as her own 4 month old). I know she rocked her and put her down for a nap. This family loved me is spite of my appearance, my ineptness, my general blahness and boringness. So here, my wonderful friends, is my tribute to you.

P.S. (Post Sap): Now, in case my other friends are feeling left out, I also express my deepest, undying gratitude to you. You have watched my kids a bagillion times while I have had many a doctor poke and prod and pick at me. You have brought meals and made goodies. You have called and let me vent and listened. You have offered to run errands and fix things. You have seen me breakdown and cry over pretty stupid stuff when I was feeling overwhelmed. You have given monetary gifts (some anonymously). You have had garage sales on my behalf and hat sales and candle parties. You have prayed for us. you "like" me on my facebook page. I cannot tell you the peace that I feel because of your friendship. We cannot possibly thank you all the way we wish. I can only try to pay it forward. I will never forget.