Playing Catch-up

It's been a few days since I last posted but I've been busy and incredibly sad and haven't really felt like blogging. Anyway, here's a quick catch-up of what we've been up to since last Thursday...

On Friday it was the holiday shop at Jack's school. We (the PTA) buy inexpensive small gifts for family & pets and the kids come in with money and buy presents for their family. We help them shop and wrap their gifts. It's so magical to help the kids, especially the younger ones and the kids in wheelchairs. One little boy in a wheelchair who couldn't speak held my hand the whole time we shopped together. It's such a wonderful thing. It makes you a bit sad too, especially for the kids that have no money. We give them Santa cash and let them shop too. I was at the school from 9 till 5 and didn't stop to check the news or anything, so didn't get to find out about Newtown until afterwards.

Parent volunteers at the holiday shop

 Early Friday night was spent watching the telly and crying. Much like everyone else I imagine. I have my opinions on gun control (no need for anyone to own as assault weapon for example) but it doesn't seem like the right time to talk about it. The whole thing is just too big and heartbreaking. As the weekend went on I got more and more upset with the media too. During an interview with the medical examiner who had just been with the children, one journalist asked what the dead children had been wearing. I nearly died! What an absolute crass and outrageous thing to ask! So the telly got turned off and I've tried to avoid it since.

Later on Friday we ran over to my English friend Maureen's house for a party with the Brits. I love Maureen I really do. She is going home for Christmas then we'll be celebrating her 60th in the new year.

On Saturday we took the boys and dogs on a BIG hike. I have a few words of caution that I am writing to myself should I think this is a good idea in the future:
1. Kids will spend the first mile exploring and the next two whining. The whining starts off low and by the time the hike ends will be at tornado siren level, where you just want to put your hands over you ears and run away to a silent place.
2. Having to carry a big nearly-four-year-old on your shoulders for half the hike is miserable
3. Going hiking in the woods during gun-season weekend is not a very bright idea. Seriously, wtf were we thinking? When we got back to the car a truck full of hunters jumped out and walked in where we just came from (gulp).
So you can surmise that instead of being a pleasant family jaunt it was in fact torture. The dogs thought it was great though!
A quick story about Daniel on the hike; I kept hugging him close (who didn't this weekend?) and at one point he said to me "Moma, do you know about personal space?"  Cheeky monkey.

On Sunday Craig made pork pies and did a fantastic job! The best pork pies I've ever eaten.

Then we had a party at a neighbour's house. They invited all the immediate neighbours and we all got along great. Some I knew and some I didn't. The new neighbours that moved in opposite us came and we got along really well. We are now Facebook friends and our 4 boys (more or less all the same age) got along swimmingly too. It's going to be so nice having them so close.

So that's it. It was another busy weekend but one filled with so much sadness. I still cannot fathom why he did it. It is so horrible for the parents that I can't even begin to imagine how they are coping. I hope they get all the love and support they need for the foreseeable future.