December

CJ had her first School Choir performance.  It is nice that she is at my school and I do not have to miss any of her school performances.

December started off with a scare.  One morning CJ want out to feed her Cat Willy and he was no were to be found.  He never come home all day and did not eat his food.  We looked everywhere for him and could not find him.  Jay was cleaning the driveway and at the end of the driveway her found a big pile of blood and a piece of a car.  Jay thought that Willy had been hit by a car and the neighbor had taken care of the body so that CJ would not see her dead cat.  Jay told CJ and I that Willy had been hit by a car.  He was not going to tell CJ but I did some research and everything said that for a child's mental health it was better to tell them about the death of an animal rather than hide it.  CJ cried and for the next day it was rough.  She was very upset and would be ok one minute and when crying the next.  Sunday night CJ went to take her bath and get ready for bed still very sad about her cat when Jay went outside and heard Willy mow.  He came walking out of the woods.  We have no idea where he had been for the past couple of days, but he was back.  Jay grabbed him ran inside told CJ to cover up and took the cat to her in the bathroom.  She was so happy.  She held that cat all night long and then cat sat on her lap and did not move.  The next day they made him a new house were he could sleep next to the house.

 We had nay fun activities and got to spend time with some new friends. CJ's friend from Choir joined Hebrew school and Elena and CJ have been hanging out a lot.  I really like Elena's mom so we have been hanging out as well.  CJ does everything with Elena at Hebrew school.  I think with them both being in Choir and only children they have a lot in common.

CJ went to the annual American Girl Tea party.  We were trying to find a dress that fit her for the party and could not.  So I took CJ to my closet and pulled out one of my formal dresses.  It fit her.  The top was a little big but a good sweater covered that over.  She enjoyed the tea party but she say that she thinks she is the oldest there.  She loves American Girl but she does not what to feel that she is the oldest.

CJ had her first piano recital with the other students from Ms. Greggs program.  They preformed songs at a local nursing home.  I thought that was such a great idea.  It was fun to listen to the other students.  I was very surprised at CJ's performance.  Ms. Greggs had CJ go last.  The other students played one or two songs but CJ played 3.  Ms. Greggs also had CJ end the show by just playing want ever she wanted to while people were leaving.  I was one proud mommy again at how well she played and I could not believe how good she was.  I just did not know until I heard others play.

   School got out for Winter break and CJ and I filled our time running around with friends..  Uncle Tom wanted CJ to come up and go tubing in Maggie Valley. So I had one of CJ's new friends from school spend the night and the next day we went to Biltmore to see the Christmas trees and then sliding. While we were at Biltmore I wanted CJ to see Santa, she would not her friend Milly talked her into at least going with her to sit by him.  I guess this will be my last Santa picture. The girls had such fun sliding.  I was glad that it was not that cold of a day because standing in the snow for 2 hours while they sled was very cold and I thought my feet were going to freeze.  Uncle Tom never come out to see the girls slid but we stopped by his place for just a minute to check and make sure he was ok. It was a very long and tiring day but one I think the girls really enjoyed.

The next day we went for a lunch and a short hike with Elena and her mom.  It was another warm beautiful day and we had a good time laughing and talking.  Jennifer and I have a lot in common and it was fun to have a friend to hang out with.

Friday we got ready to go to the beach.  We decided to go to Huntington Beach for Christmas/Hanukkah.  We stayed 4 days and it was the best.  The weather could not have been better.  I think that it was warmer then when we were there in November.  Jay went fishing but did not catch anything this time.  I had gotten a small tree for the camper and CJ set it up and decorated it.  Jay hated the tree because it was full of glitter and the next day after Christmas the tree went in the trash.  CJ got lots of BB8 stuff and music stuff.  I think her favorite gift was the music note hat.  She did not take it off even for bed.  She whole trip she only took it off she wash her hair.  We had one day of rain so that day we went out of lunch at Friendly's and to the movies.  Jay got me a new GPS that all you do it speak to and it will find stuff for you.  So we found a movie theater and went to see Rogue One.  CJ was so happy she just loves Star Wars and could not wait to see the movie.  She now can not wait for the next one to come out.  Jay wanted us to walk down to the pier so that he could try fishing.  It was a great walk and we saw these really neat shell trees people have created, so we go to add shells to the trees.  On the way back I had to go to the bathroom really bad and so did Jay.  Being a guy he was just going to go in the bushes.  I told him that if I had to hold it so did he.  He told me I was torching him for no reason.  The reason was if he had to go to we would not stop to look at things and I need to get back to find a restroom fast.  It was a very long walk back to the rest area.  We walked very fast in the that sand.

 The trip was so fun but almost to short.  On the way home I got really sick and spent all of Thursday in bed.  I could not eat all I wanted to do was sleep.  I was throwing up and just felt so bad.  Friday I wake up at 4:30 in the morning and was feeling so much better, but Thursday was gone.  Friday we cleaned house and CJ and I went to the Hanukkah dinner at temple.  Before Temple we went to visit a elderly friend of ours.  She had presents for CJ and I am it was nice to spend a few minutes with her.  We stayed to long and was late to the dinner but it was ok.  Mrs. Margy enjoyed the company.  The bracelet that she gave CJ gave CJ hives on her wrist.  Before CJ could wash she touched her face and got hives on her face.  I ended up having to give CJ a Benadryl to stop the red and itching which made CJ thirsty, tired and not wanting to stay for services.  It was a short night.

Today is New Years Eve.  We are going to have a peaceful evening.  This year has had its challenges with the Heat Pump going out and not having air or heat in the upstairs, the water heater going out, the truck getting stolen, CJ getting pneumonia, and many other little things, but no one had surgery and as of today we are together and healthy.  I hope that 2017 will be a great year with us all together and no losses.  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!