Day 8, Movie 8 A Charlie Brown Christmas
I think I’m feeling pretty nostalgic today! I have seen this movie a countless number of times! I showed it to all of my classes for probably 10 or 11 years. Is the perfect length for a half day class just before Christmas. I always gave my students their choice of a Tootsie Roll Pop. That was my thing. Charlie Brown movies remind me of my teaching days and when I used to participate in the world. I watched it twice.
Day 7, Movie 7 The Polar Express
I have never seen this movie. I found it odd that I have never seen it but it was a little bit familiar. I asked Sean if we saw it at the movies and he said that we did but about halfway through it, I couldn’t remember it!
It took me a minute but then I remembered that Sean went to the IMAX with his Kindergarten class to see The Polar Express. My Mom went on the trip with him because she was one of the teachers when he was in Kindergarten.
I also remember at one Christmas Eve mass, the pastor give his normal holiday homily. He called all of the kids up to sit with him at the altar and Sean may have been in fourth or fifth grade but he wanted to go and sit with the other kids. I’d let him and father Jim talked about, “Believing” and its importance around Christmas time and all year as a Catholic. That year, he handed out bells to the little kids but they ended up running out so Sean didn’t get one because he was one of the older kids.
Now, it all makes sense! Since Sean went on the field trip with his class, I didn’t need to take him to see the movie. That was out thing back then because I could still drive and we went to the movies often. Now that I’ve seen The Polar Express everything makes sense about Fr. Jim’s homily from years ago. I actually am glad that I saw it even though I am passed the kids’ age of “Hearing the bell,” I like that I’ve finally seen it! The kids’ eyes ARE a little bit weird but I was okay with it!
So, I know it has been a minute since I updated my tree progress but a strand of lights burnt out and after discussing it with my Mom, it just has to say dark because she would have to take the beads and the ornaments off to fix it. Also, I can’t find my tree skirt?!
This morning, when I woke up, I noticed my Mom put my star on my tree as I made my way to the living room.
And there is a bonus, “Merry Christmas wreath” on my door! I have to have my wreath on the inside of my door because the space between the door and the storm door is too thin and it won’t fit my wreath between them.
Christmas tree progress is therefore at Phase 4.33 complete. Putting our stockings up and my tree skirt on will complete this phase but I don’t know where my tree skirt is!
Day 6, Movie 6 The Holiday
I decided/admitted yesterday that I am a cheeseball when it comes to Santa Claus. Today, I just wanted to see a cute holiday movie.
Graham Simkins!!! 😍😍😍 He could edit my writing any day of the week! Jude Law is my fave in this one! I have known some Jasper Bloom’s in my life and I’m grateful I no longer know them. Overall, this one is a real good holiday movie for me!
At the end of the Christmas Chronicles movie, after spending the night delivering presents with Kate and Teddy Pierce, Santa tells them that, “ They what is the best [human helpers) he ever had.” Even though it is not a holiday themed, I still thought of this song!:
I have already posted that I am a cheeseball!
Day 5, Movie 5 Christmas Chronicles
Yesterday, I found it odd that when I watched Elf I found myself smiling and getting giddy when Santa gets stranded in Central Park. Seeing him in his get up and seeing all of the reindeer really made me excited! It reminded me of working at Fairlane mall and the first year they had the real Santa there to take pictures. I’m pretty sure I was 16 years old at that time.
I will never forget walking through the mall with Donald and being on the second floor and seeing Santa getting set up and sitting in his chair. I thought it was so magical that I ran to the glass banister and yelled out, “Santa” as i frantically waved my hand over my head so he could see me. When he looked directly at me and gave me a slow wave, I lost my mind! When I tell that story, my Mom says that he probably thought I was “special needs” but I don’t care!
However, when I took Sean to see Santa each year, I never got enamored with the magic of seeing Santa. I was just so excited for my son! We went to get our Christmas pictures taken in 2016 and just after I was injured. I think that was the last time I left the house for a really long time! I didn’t even send out Christmas cards that year! I haven’t sent them since then either. That really bums me out but I appreciate getting all the cards I still do receive.
Sean was 15 then and pushing me in my wheelchair but when I saw Santa talking to someone and being in the same level, before I even knew what I was doing, I waved my left hand over my head and exclaimed, “Santa!” This Santa also smiled and waved back to me and I was excited the entire time we ate our dinner at Olga‘s.
So, I’m still a cheeseball even though I am 37 years old! I wanted to test my hypothesis that I am a sucker for a really good Santa Claus so I watched Christmas Chronicles today after watching Love Actually OF COURSE!!!
My Mom told me about this movie last year and she has watched it all summer which is crazy because I can only watch Christmas movies at Christmastime but I am still a cheeseball and I found myself smiling, being giddy, and even (good) crying at times!
I remember telling my students that my favorite holiday was Christmas and it wasn’t because of the presents because I am the, “Santa Claus” in my house but I love the magic of the season!
That magic lived on today even though I can’t find the tree skirt for my Christmas tree and I haven’t even put the star on my tree yet. A string of lights burnt out and it just has to remain a dark part of my tree because my Mom would have to take the ornaments and the beads down in order to replace the lights. I still love my trees so it’s OK! I hope that I find the tree skirt before Christmas but…
My lips were chapped and my Mom found this Chapstick in the utility drawer in my kitchen. Maybe it’s because Joanna was singing “All I Want for Christmas” in the background or the fact that it is so different from my other chapsticks made it taste like Christmas to me when I put it on!
Hence, it is now my new Christmas Chapstick from here on out!
OK, so I have a bunch of posts I have to post on my blog but my Mom told me today that I am having more, “Bad days” than I am, “Good days.” It’s the scary truth but that’s how it is! Let me let you go all in on what I dealt with this past Saturday.
I had an MRI scheduled for November 6th and I was not able to make it and my Mom was able to reschedule it for me for this past Saturday, November 30th. I was bummed that I would not be able to watch the Michigan v Ohio State game but we took the L so…
Let me explain that I was born into the same health system I currently attend. I was born in 1982 and my Mom took me to the satellite Fairlane clinic for my entire life as I grew up. We got our glasses there and my pediatrician was there. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in the downtown Hospital of that same health system in 2000.
I started seeing a neurologist annually back then. In 2002, I changed neurologists and saw him every year until he retired a couple years ago. I have seen my new neurologist at the same clinic for the past couple of years. She wants to get an updated MRI for me. I have had many MRIs and I am very familiar with the drill.
My Mom and I headed to the Fairlane clinic to get the MRI. It is adjacent to the emergency room where my Dad died 13 years ago. Not a lot has changed structurally since I last went there but the eyeglass store is no longer there and the clinic where I had my ultrasound to find out the sex of my son has changed over to a place with a phone at the check-in desk where my Mom called the listed number to notify them that we were there to get the MRI.
It was at this juncture where things started to go badly. My Nom called the number and spoke with the MRI clinic which was located in the basement of that building. My Mom was told that I needed to go down the stairs to get the MRI done. My Mom, being my caregiver and champion let the woman know that that was not possible. I have Multiple Sclerosis and use a wheelchair. It is impossible for me to use the stairs. The woman told my Mom that I needed to use the stairs because the only elevator to the basement was out of commission.
I immediately began to see red! The only thing keeping me from the 8 o’clock news that day was the fact that the woman came up the stairs and was so apologetic to me. She told me that I should’ve been notified that there was no way for me to get to the basement. I told her that I was born into this health system and was diagnosed with MS in 2000 and started using a wheelchair full-time in 2006 after my Dad died. All of this was in the computer!
So, of course I did not get my MRI. We need to call and reschedule that appointment but what was glaringly obvious is that that building is completely inaccessible to me. It’s a hospital! Sick people go there! Wheelchair-bound people go there! How was I not thought of there of all places?!
It is such a sad commentary of our society and then it’s inaccessibility for people like me who use wheelchairs every day! I am still trying to recover from that incident on Saturday and I need to call and reschedule the appointment. Actually, my Mom will call and I will be present with her. I’m glad that I didn’t cry but I am so saddened by this occurrence!
Day 4, Movie 4 Elf
I can’t watch this movie without thinking of Phil and his Elf costume at Barwis that he wore one Halloween. I absolutely love to laugh out loud and movies and I did tonight because I haven’t seen this one for a while.
I have watched Love Actually twice so far this month! I really can’t get over the soundtrack and how good it actually is! I hope that I can keep it up like it is October and Hocus Pocus!
We will have to see!
I made this decision today after watching Love Actually yesterday and realized how awesome the soundtrack is from this 2003 flick! I watched it again today; so these songs are my December faves:
For laughs:
My heart is torn out: