Card exchange

Christmas is a time of year to be thankful and be around family and people you care about.

But I have some family and some people in my community that I have never even met!

 

So, an extremely smart and creative woman I know decided to do something about that!

With a Christmas card exchange!

 

Cassie collected 72 names and addresses and divided up all the names to make everything fair.

 

So I got my writing hand all ready and warmed up, and I thought about what I wanted to say.

And just wrote...

 

and wrote...
and wrote...

Then I had to go out and buy a bunch of American stamps! (And some Canadian ones)
I think I ended up with 37 cards I mailed out all together!

Now I just have to sit back and wait for our own cards to come!
(And maybe give my writing hand a break for a while)

Santa Baby

Writing, writing, writing!

After we visited Santa Katheryn wanted to write a letter to tell him what she wanted.

Her lists wasn't very long (she only says she wants one thing).
So we worked on an actual letter and not a wish list

 

She was so proud of her first ever letter!

 



 

She wrote every single word (no spaces), and just asked us about spelling (and sounding it out).

 

I think Katheryn tried to soften him up a little bit first (Santa-dear)

Santa Dear. My name is Katheryn. I like Tinkerbell for Christmas please.
I have been good all year.
From Katheryn.

Her letter (after I scanned it to save it forever) is already in the mail for Santa.

Santa Claus is coming to Town

All dressed up, and we need to see a man with a reindeer!

 

The kids distracted themselves in the line up.

 

And there was a play area with colouring and movies

Or played with the Leap Pad (which goes everywhere with us!)

And got a family picture with the big man!

Katheryn was very excited - but still told us she wanted to sit on Daddy's knee - not Santa. Nickolas took one look at him and grabbed me. But no tears or crying.
Katheryn even talked to Santa and told her what she wanted for Christmas!

Trimming the tree

We got our Christmas tree super-early. But that meant that we could take our time getting it all trimmed!

 

Katheryn, as the electrician daughter (and grand-daughter) wanted to help with the lights!

And Katheryn was fascinated when we found our reindeer light glasses!

OK, maybe mommy was fascinated too!

 

Of the good things about having the tree up early is to get those pictures done!
I was very excited!

The kids, not so much!

But they eventually got into it (it's blurry because Nick is trying to push Katheryn in the chair)

Someone might be getting a little loud in his excitement!

After a bit of begging (please! just look at the camera and smile and I won't take any more pictures!)

I got 2 that I was happy with (the above one didn't really count because it was on my phone.)

OK Christmas season can officially start now!

Using our hands

Katheryn is exploding! She is writing, she is reading
She loves school - and she makes lists of everything that she likes (Mommy was on that list - along with flowers).

We had our parent-teacher interview and some of the things that Katheryn has to work on; writing with the correct grip, and cutting.
Perfect!
That is our homework with Nickolas from OT as well.

When we had our reassessment of OT at the beginning of the month he was still within normal range, but hadn't made any progress since he was assessed in the spring. So we started a block.

Nickolas has been working at OT - and not really realizing that he is working.

He gets to do mazes!
With his 'birdy fingers'

And cut things outs
He's made improvement staying on the lines

And at the end of the day he has his very own craft he can take home to Katheryn!
(we've  made a robot, garbage truck, penguin and now the pig this month)

So we have a bunch of fun crafts and stuff to do at home with both kids together.

At the beginning of the month I discussed applying for Cambell's school. We started our application for it as well. It is a written and video application. I'm happy with this decision. If we get in I'll be glad, if we don't I'll be fine with that decision too.
But we have our options all lined up!