Reading and Hope

Every time we go to the Dollar Tree, Hope buys a novel  or two or three.  They are a dollar so I don't care what she buys.  I can't figure out what the attraction is. She picks up a  book, examines the cover, feels for the weight, flips through the pages and either accepts or rejects it.  So many times, I have tried to steer her to a book that I would like.  She doesn't fall for it!

When we get home, she takes them to her room.  Here she will place them in a bag or put a bag in them as a bookmark.  She does not read the books.

If we go to Target, I won’t let her buy books.  They are full price at Target!!!  She has purchased from the Goodwill but the Goodwill has purses and hats and that usually supersedes a book.

She has taken the newspaper right from under my nose.

 “ Get back here, I’m still reading this!” I will shout!  ( yes I am a shouter)

“But I need it!” she shouts back.  It is the same with magazines and mail.  If I don’t watch my stuff, it goes to her room.

Hope doesn’t read.  We are going to change that.

For eight weeks this year, we are in a group of like minded students. The program is Special Reads for Special Needs.  It teaches reading through the HEART.  We are writing easy stories about Birthday’s, Shopping and Fashion.  This is very exciting.

I have tried this approach with my “typical grandchild” Harper, age 4.  She is whizzing right through.  There is a book called I See and the first story is about a bird, a red bird.  After Harper read it through several times, I asked her what the story was about.  She said, “It’s about a red bird, but actually, it is about a cardinal.”  Smarty pants!

If you are interested in checking out this program go to www.specialreads.com/blog/

Stay tuned….Reading is in our future!

Kiss Away, Hope loves Mistletoe!

Kiss Away! Hope loves Mistletoe!

My Christmas tree is still up.  Last year I didn't put one up at all.  The year Hope was born, the Christmas tree stayed up until May!

In my living room I hung garland with snowflakes dangling from them.  That was 3 years ago, I haven't even dusted them.  The mistletoe in each doorway has been there just as long.

Is this laziness? Is this procrastination? Is this apathy?

Whatever it is.....it is a conversation piece when you come to my home.  People don't know whether kissing under the mistletoe is a yearly thing or just saved for the Christmas season.  I say..."GO FOR IT! KISS AWAY!" There is no reason to be confused!  JUST DO IT!

The year we remodeled all the bathrooms, my 10 foot tall plumber hit his head on the mistletoe every time he walked under the door ways.  It really made me giggle since he and I were the only ones in the house.

I had a luncheon with my mom's friends and one of the ladies just stood under it hoping that some good looking man would appear from nowhere and kiss her.  Tom wasn't going to be home for hours, so I told her sit down.

When I cleared out some of the many toy totes in the garage, I found an extension pointer.  You know the kind of pointer important people use when they point at a black board, white board or screen.  It wasn't until I went to an after Christmas sale at Tuesday Morning that I found out it was actually a Mistletoe Dangler!  Yes, a Dangler.  You put the mistletoe on the end that has a loop,dangle it over someones head and kiss. This would be a forced kiss or a tricked kiss but a kiss just the same!! Marvelous invention wouldn't you say? And I had no clue that we owned one.  I am sure it was one of Hope's purchases at the Dollar Tree at some point.  She loves Mistletoe and she knows how to use it!   The Dangler is at the cabin, I hope that I remember to use it next Christmas,after all, it is a seasonal thing!

I'm not lazy, a procrastinator or apathetic.  I just think, who is it going to hurt if Christmas Joy can last forever or at least until the Mistletoe falls off the door frame because the tape is 3 years old.

Pretty strong tape, may stay up for years!!!

Hope turns 18 on Friday

I cannot believe Hope is turning 18.  She can vote! She can buy cigarettes!  If I went on and on about the things she can legally do, I would have to be sedated.  I sure hope that she doesn't want to smoke!

Birthday's to Hope are just like Christmas....PRESENTS.   Over the years we have lavished her with toys, books, clothes, hats and wigs.  What we have learned through these years is that she is really very easy to gift.  She loves gift bags and wouldn't even care if there was nothing in it but tissue.  Yes, she is that easy to buy for.  The more cards and gift bag, they louder she squeals, " Oh Thank you!"  PRESENTS....Hope loves them.

We started a tradition of going to Build-a- Bear on her birthday.  She always names it Cindy!
Yesterday would have been a perfect day...no school.  She just wanted to stay home in her room.

Every year we ask, "Where do you want to go eat for your Birthday?" She throws her arms in the air and shouts, " IHOP!"( it looks like her name)  We convince her to go elsewhere but she always wants IHOP.   We don't!  She is that easy, we go to CLEAVERS and she orders chicken.  One year, she talked about going to RED LOBSTER.  She even mentioned that this year. I'm ready, I have gift cards.  She will change her mind to IHOP and we will go to CLEAVERS and she will order chicken.

For the past 3 years, she has asked for a pinata!  That would be fun.  I think it just may happen this year.  You realize that she will just put it in her room and no one will ever hit it!  That is just the way it is.

Bissy and I went to a party that had a "Dirty Santa" exchange.  We both got things that Hope would love, I have them saved for her birthday.  Gift bags with stuff...A good thing!

Hope loves birthday cake, candles and Ice cream.  The more frosting the better!  This year, I plan to get an ice cream cake at Lic's.  Mainly because when Bissy turned 30 in September, she asked for an Ice cream cake and didn't get it.  Happy Birthday Bissy through Hope.

I remember my 18th birthday, I started college and the drinking age was changed to 18 in the state of Iowa.  I think maybe that would have caused any parent to be sedated!!

What did you do on your 18th birthday?????

Hope was 10 the first time she went to Build a Bear.