Latkes and Applesauce

I made latkes tonight.  I was going to make some anyway.  Then Jupiter's teacher sent home a list over the weekend looking for volunteers to send items for the holiday party on Wednesday.  Latkes was on the list.  They've been studying different holiday traditions.  So I signed up for the latkes, and wondered if anyone would sign up to bring the chips and salsa and other snacks that were listed.  I suspect nobody else voluntered for latkes, because the paper came back with a big happy face circle in the "OK".

On the way home today, we had to stop at the store to buy matzo meal, because I am nothing if not authentic. 

So I made a huge batch of latkes to send to school.  With the rest of the potatos I pulled out of the garden just before the hurricane came by.

In the middle of making latkes, I lit the Advent Candles. ( I remembered to buy new Advent Candles this weekend.  So now we have all four.)

They're really very yummy.  (Latkes, not Advent Candles.  Though maybe the scented candles might be okay).  I ate several.  With applesauce.

Jupiter would not eat any latkes.  She also would not eat her canned ravioli.

Today's newspaper had a front page article about how we can now get kosher jelly donuts in Southern Maine without having to go all the way to the Boston suburbs. The article included the proper name for the jelly donuts, but I'm not even going to try to post it. I am now disappointed that I did not have a delicious jelly donut to go with the latkes.

I did, however, have a little avocado with my latkes.  Which I'm guessing is not authentic, but I'm an avocado freak.  And it made a nice color contrast.

Tonight for story we read Latkes and Applesauce, which I ordered from the Scholastic book orders back when my Mom was teaching preschool and I didn't have any kids. Back then I ordered books every  month and acquired a library.  Now I have a child and don't have money to order tons of books from Scholastic. Somewhat ironic. But we still have a library.

I enjoy typing the word latkes.  And they are delicious.

And it is past my bedtime.

Happy Hanukkah!

2nd grade contraband list

Jupiter is ahead of schedule this year.

Yesterday, digging through her school bag, I found some crinkled up paper written in adult handwriting I did not recognize.  So out of curiosity, I unfolded it to see what it was.

It turned out to be a note addressed to "Emmie" from the Tooth Fairy.

So I dig through the bag some more and come up with a star reader pencil (which I know Jupiter has not earned yet), a small Advent sticker book, and a yellow plastic barrette of the kind I have not purchased. 

Questioning Jupiter about the origin of these items in her possession, I'm reminded of the...what was it again....Something Or Other she had this morning she was supposed to bring back to school.  I ask Jupiter if she returned the SOO back to school.

She went to her room and returned with a different SOO that she'd brought home over the weekend. Instead of bringing that back to school, she'd hidden it in her room.

I hauled out the plastic bags and we sorted the items by who they belonged too or where she had found them.  SOO number one was on the kitchen table.

Then I looked in her lunch bag and found two pink lip glosses. They belonged to the owner of SOO number two.

Last night I had to email Jupiter's teacher with a list of items she would be returning to school. 

For posts regarding Kindergarten and 1st grade emails to Jupiter's teacher with lists of items she would be returning, see here and here.

So Jupiter's backpack has gone on vacation early this year.  I'd take the lunch bag away as well, but she won't touch hot lunch, and Jupiter not eating is not an option.

The last two years, this was a February behavior.  Not sure if the accellerated schedule is a good thing or a bad thing.  And I THOUGHT she was doing well with pre-holiday behaviors; but apparently they've just reformatted. 

Two more days of school.  Which isn't really long enough to fully implement the "no backpack" plan effectively; so most likely that will carry over into some part of the new year.  Six more days until the post holiday "AHHHH" of school and work vacation.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Saturday after riding, we stopped at the grocery store. Among other things, I needed ingredients to make salsa for my mother's cookie party the next day. (The salsa was for party food; not cookies. Just to be clear.)

First stop, tomatos. They're on sale. Sweet.

On the other side of the display, avacados are on sale. I don't need those for salsa, but I just like them. And they don't grow here, much to my dismay. So I got two anyway.

Cilantro. It's on sale too! It's Christmas for me!!!

Couldn't figure out why it was all on sale. Normally that happens on Cinco de Mayo, but not in the middle of December.

The next day at church (about the time I made it to the service), I hear during Prayers of the People: "Please pray for our Hispanic brothers and sisters as the celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe."

Ah-Ha! That's why all the stuff I needed was on sale.

Gracias a La Dama de Guadalupe!!

(My apologies to any native Spanish speakers who may be reading this).

Advent

So every year I plan to create extra time during Advent to notice that it is actually Advent.


Yesterday at Children's Chapel, when we rolled in late because I had to buy gas on the way to church or risk running out of gas on the way to the gas station after church (uphill all the way, no less); Emily was asking the kids if they were doing anything special for Advent.

I turned to the adult next to me (the priest's wife) and undertoned: "Running around like a crazy person. I think I'm missing the point."

Emily asked if any of the kids had an Advent Wreath at home.

I turned to PW next to me. "Yes. We have one. It's even on the kitchen table. But we can't see it because it's buried under everything else on the kitchen table. Again, missing the point."

Emily asked the kids how many candles they might be lighting on their Advent Wreath.

This time I kept my own council. Well, we would light three today. If the wreath were visible. And oh yeah, I lost the candle for week one of Advent, so we could only light two anyway. I really have to remember to get more candles.

Emily asked the kids if any of them have a calendar.

Jupiter looks at me questioningly from her place on the rug. I nod at her. We do have a calendar. And it's even up to date. Entirely Jupiter's doing, I might add, that the calendar is up to date.

It's not like I don't know it's coming. Obviously I need to prepare for Advent before Advent actually gets here (21 weeks of Pentacost to prepare for Advent should be plenty of time, right?) so I don't blink and miss the whole thing.

I am prould to report that we remembered to move traveling Mary and Joseph closer to the stable (before church even). They've made it from the windowsill to the mantel shelf now. Non traveling Mary and Joseph, baby Jesus, wise men and camels are in the dining room closet, waiting for their turns.

So now would be an excellent time to dust that windowsill.

Then on Christmas Eve, we could put the Wise Men and Camel on the windowsill and remember to move them for 12 days to January 6th. I'm trying to convince Jupiter that the 12 days of Christmas are actually AFTER Christmas, but she's covinced I am wrong. Maybe that would help.

We also remembered to put the Little People Nativity under the tree this year. Last year I found it in Jupiter's closet in February (probably about Ash Wednesday) and was mad I forgot to bring it out with the other Christmas things.

Next weekend should be less busy than the one we just had. I'll try again. I have four more days to prepare for a non hectic weekend. The four days, on the other hand.....

The telltale scent of Sharpie's

So tonight, after a busy, action packed weekend, Jupiter and I settled in bed to read. At the same time, she was going to style my hair. We found the brush and the parfait cup that holds the hair ties.

So I'm reading. She's brushing, and braiding, and putting hair ties in.

And then I smell the Sharpie.

My hair now has purple and blue ends.

She informed me that you can't even see it.

Which isn't entirely true. You CAN see it. I'm not sure how visible it is if you're not looking for it. But it's definitely there.

Jupiter's logic: "Well, it's not like I colored it GRAY."

Thanks for that.

So of course on Tuesday, I have to go to a one on one meeting with our Senior Manager from NJ. This would be the same meeting that last week I went too two weeks early. Which was about six weeks after I called him by the wrong name. Immediatly preceeding a three day kaizen event. So this time, I can go to the meeting (on the right day) with multicolored hair. Good think I work for a bank. We're all for personal freedom of expression and all.

Jupiter is definitely all for personal freedom of expression.

Today's Homework

Directions: Choose twelve words from the spelling lists (five seperate lists for unit 2) that you have a hard time spelling. Copy the word neatly. Say the word. Write the word again.

Jupiter: I don't get the directions.

Me: Read the directions to me. Out loud.

Jupiter: But there aren't 12 words that I have a hard time with.

Me: Then just choose twelve words.


Jupiter: This is too easy. It's boring.

Me: You still have to do it. If it's easy it shouldn't take too long.

Short while later:

Jupiter: I can't find the other (word list) paper.

Me: Then look for it. I'm not getting involved in this drama.


Short while later:

Jupiter: There's a big mosquito in here.

Me: It's December. I'm sure there is not. If there is a bug, it is microscopic and will not bother you.

Jupiter: Don't you believe me?

Me: Nope.

Short while later:

Jupiter: It's all done now.

Me: I knew you could do it.


Math homework:

Cut out the shapes. Fold the dotted lines and tabs. Tape together to make pyramid shapes.

Jupiter: I don't like tabs.

Jupiter: I'm good at cutting.

Me (in my head). I know you are. You cut everything. Your hair. Doll hair. Your clothes. Doll clothes. Including the skirt of your Russia Barbie. But yes, paper too.


Jupiter: Will you help me fold the tabs?

Me: Yes. When you're all done cutting the paper.


She's jumping on the mini tramp now. With enough attitude for a u-haul.