Letters to Santa

Olivia had her Christmas list ready about a week ago.  She's been chomping at the bit to get it out to Santa. Her list included Flipeez (ridiculous winter hats you can only buy at Walgreens), Mooshka doll, doll stroller, shopping cart, a cash register and scanner.  

So I told Juliana that we needed to get busy and write her letter so we could get them in the mail.  Without missing a beat, she tells me on her computer, "That is too hard.  I need help.  How many?  That is too hard."  I told her we would work on it together but I needed her to start thinking of something she would like.  

So coincidentally, the next day, guess what her school team decided to work on.  So they started it off as a shared writing.  They asked her, "How do you want to start it out?  Have you been good? etc" So they wrote this part together.  Then they gave her the sentence starter "I want a _____" and then using her alphabet flip book, she spelled C-A-R.  They asked her if she was done, thinking that she couldn't possibly be spelling car, right?  Maybe she meant C-A-R-D-S, like goldfish or something.  She responded with a nod - yes.  So then they asked her if she wanted a small car, a minnie mouse car, a remote control car - to all of which she responded NO.  So then Mrs. Broome (OT) asked, "OH! Do you want a power wheels so you and Olivia can go riding around?" to which she smiled and nodded a huge YES!

 I'm really hoping Santa has it in the budget to get this girl a car.  She has been a VERY GOOD GIRL!

Team Juliana Up-Cycled

So I have been hoarding a few t-shirts for several years now.  Most of them were our original "TEAM JULIANA" Shirts.  We had these shirts made shortly after we got Juliana's diagnoses and was really the spearhead that brought us out of depression and into action.  We assembled a team of close friends and family that were all feeling helpless with Juliana's diagnoses and TEAM Juliana was born.  We wore these shirts at all our fundraisers and they became sort of like our uniform.  Well eventually the girls outgrew the shirts and ours became worn out, but I couldn't bring myself to get rid of them.  They had TEAM JULIANA on them and it just felt sacrilegious to throw them out or donate them.  So they sat for years in the corner of my room in a paper sack, all the while knowing I would find something great to do with them.  

Then, fast forward about 5 years, we meet Claire Oliver, our new assistant principal and basically jack of all trades.  The woman is amazing, she does iron man triathlons for crying out loud and in her spare time apparently she sews.  So saying all that, Claire created this beautiful blanket out of all of my Girl Power inspired t-shirts.  It will keep us warm both on the outside as well as my heart!