Hat from Natalie and arranging marriages

Day 17: I noticed today while taking a shower that my hair is starting to fall out! While rinsing my hair under the water, I pulled my hands away and looked down at them and they were covered in hair! I rinsed them off thinking that those were all loose hairs. I did it again. And again. And again. And again. There was hair all over the floor of the shower and then all over the counter and sink in my bathroom. Inside my hat I wore today, covered in hair as well. I had to have my kids brush off all of the strands of hair on my jacket today too. I was freaking out and even put a call into my hairdresser to get a 1/4" buzz cut at 7pm. I've been told that's what you should do when you start to lose your hair so it's less tramatic and less messy. Kaelin was a bit concerned about me doing that and I wasn't sure if I was quite ready for that. So I called at 530pm and cancelled. We'll see what tomorrow brings...









This hat is from Paris' 13 year old daughter, Natalie. It's a Northface hat, very soft, warm and a great blue color that I love! I'm laughing in the next photo because when they were taking a photo of us, I bent down to get more level with Natalie instead of towering over her and then she bent down too! So we all got a giggle! Thanks for the great hat Natalie...I love it!!!!





Natalie is the same age as my son Spencer. When they were younger, they went to Farm Camp in Gaston, Oregon several summers in a row together. They are both avid readers and creative thinkers. Before Natalie retired from violin lessons (horses will do that to a girl!) they were both playing violin. They actually both have similar colorings and could probably even pass for brother and sister! Both like playing PS2 and I'll never forget Paris' 40th Birthday party where Spencer took on all the girls (even a couple of competitive dancers, one being his sister) in Dance Dance Dance Revolution and he won! I'm secretly hoping that they get married when they get older because I know that Natalie would take great care of him. Afterall, she is Paris' daughter, so it's in her genes to be a little Miss Suzie Homemaker and make fabulous meals and desserts (among other things)! And he just totally is going to need that. Sometimes I feel like he can't even tie his shoes by himself! And could you ask for better inlaws then Paris and Jim Dukes? I think not! Not sure what he's going to have to offer besides his sense of humor, taste in literature and infectious laughter but I hope I am around to see what happens.



Speaking of Natalie, we are planning on going out to lunch and a movie with her and Paris tomorrow! We're planning on seeing "The Golden Compass", which both Natalie and Spencer have already read! Thought it would be a good way to start out our winter break!



Update on Dave and the Southridge High School Girls Basketball team: They won their game today and I think they play again tomorrow. Dave said they've been busy with shoot arounds and watching game tapes. He gets home on Sunday the 23rd and then we drive up to Seattle on Christmas Eve and then drive back to Portland on Christmas night and then he has a basketball camp Wed. the 26th - Friday the 28th, 9-5pm. I think he's going to be tired!!!!




I want to thank everyone for their cards, emails, donations, well wishes, hats and support! Thank you so much for making me feel so special and loved and supported! I couldn't go to battle without all of you behind me, so thank you for making my journey more enjoyable! I've always said that I have an army behind me and it's amazing how people keep enlisting. It gives me strength! Thank you!!!!!!!!




Update on xmas prep: as I posted before, we got a head start on Christmas this year by getting our tree a couple of days after Thanksgiving, on the 25th of November. It took about a week to get it set up inside our house and then it took a few weeks before the lights were put on it. Just a few days ago (Tuesday) we started to decorate it before it got too late. We hope to finish it up this weekend. I ordered my xmas cards about the same time we got the tree and they came the next week. They are still in the boxes they were shipped in, unopened. No xmas update is written and I'm not sure I'm going to get to them for awhile. Other things keep popping up! I'll probably be my usual self and get them all out by Valentine's or St. Patrick's Day. At least you all will have more time to read our update letter then. LOL


I just started my xmas shopping a few nights ago too. And I'm struggling with my kids lists because Kaelin has asked Santa for a lap top so she can play her Runescape game and not share our computer with Spencer while he's doing his homework or with Mommy and Grannie while they're checking their emails. She doesn't want anything else and she keeps talking about how she can't wait to get her laptop. I very gently bring up the conversation about how sometimes Santa can't bring little kids those extravegant, expensive presents and her response is "I know he's going to bring me one." So what do you do with that?????? And if anyone knows of anyone selling a used laptop that would work for a child to play her online games on, please shoot me an email as I'm having no luck with people returning my emails on Craig's List.


And that brings us to Spencer's list. He wants a "Pleo". For those of you who don't know, a Pleo is some dinosaur robot pet thing. It's very lifelike and moves when you pet it etc. I'm not sure what he thinks he's going to do with it (the dog would probably just eat it) but that's all he really wants. He's even written cash on his xmas list because he's been trying to save for it and it's $350!!!! Also on his list is a Wii. Which would proably be a realistic gift that both Spencer and Kaelin could share, but #1, Kaelin doesn't want one. She wants a laptop. And #2, Wii's are no where to be found. So if anyone knows of anywhere that has gotten some secret stash in, please alert me asap!!


Kaelin would also probably be happy with a Nintendo 64, which is an old game system. Spencer used to have one but he traded it in at Game Crazy for credit to spend on XBox games and Kaelin has never let him live that down because there was one N64 game that she liked to play - Banjo Kazooie and it's only on N64. So if I could find her a used N64 and Banjo Kazooie game, that might be ok. Except #1, Kaelin wants a laptop and #2, do you know how hard it is to find a used N64? None of the game stores just have them lying around. And now I've run out of time to get one off of Ebay. It seems Christmas presents start to get so complicated as the kids get older.




Ok, so now it's 232am and I was supposed to go to bed early tonight. I guess it's earlier than 3:40am like last night.

xoxox
Shauna