These guys hang out in our butler’s pantry every holiday season & never fail to bring the cheer every time I reach for a bowl or a drinking glass.

Casa Hickju holiday moment: All 4 children sitting on couch together, watching “Elf” for millionth time while attempting to prevent G from gaining access to popcorn bowl.

A debate heats up among the quartet over which of them is most likely to get only lumps of coal from Santa this year. C initially votes for E, but final tally goes G’s way. She immediately celebrates her big win by attempting to break yet another Christmas decoration….

Cubicle o’ mine after my exuberantly irrational holiday festooning.

If you have a special needs child in your life – whether you’re a parent, grandparent, auntie, neighbor, coach or teacher – you won’t want to miss this really incredible Special Needs Holiday Toy Guide from my friend Ellen Seidman at her blog Love That Max.

Ellen has spent many, many hours reviewing toys for special kids of all ages, and she’s culled through them all to pick the best of the best at a variety of prices, ranging from very inexpensive to super deluxe.

Please help get the word out about this wonderful holiday resource for anyone who will be buying a gift for a special kid this year.

Maybe it’s silly, or sad, or pathetic even. But I can’t not hang my baby’s stocking this year. I know he’s dead 18 months now, but it’s Christmas.

My grandmother knitted his stocking for him while I was still pregnant.

To be honest, I think I will always hang his stocking, every year.

I need to buy a new laptop or netbook as my lug-everywhere, daily workhorse/companion. Here’s what I am looking for:

-Windows based

-Cheap (preferably $350 or less)

-Very small and light – netbook sized even if it’s not technically a “netbook.”

-Good to excellent battery life

-Mostly it just needs to get me online reliably, but it does need to  be able to run MS Office, including PPT, Word and Excel.

-Did I mention small and light?

-It can be reconditioned or recertified, but I don’t want to deal    with eBay buying or anything like that. Need easy online buying with fast shipping.

 So do y’all have any specific recommendations for me? Are there any great sales out there at the moment that I should take a look at?

All feedback and input very welcome.

Thanks!

Katie

When I get time, maybe later tonight, I will be writing more about the incredibly emotional experience our family had this morning, when we we had the opportunity to meet en masse with Knoxville Police Department Chief David Rausch and some of his officers. I also have more photos of the kids to share, taken at KPD HQ this morning. This was a special occasion that none of them will ever forget.

But here are a few snaps for now. And here is THE LINK to WBIR’s coverage of our meeting with KPD this morning, and the announcement from Henry’s Fund of the $5,000 “Knoxville Police Department Heroes’ Gift” being made to Helen Ross McNabb’s Gateway Adolescent Treatment Program.

Cousin Eleanor (age 13) holding Danger Baby in front of the KPD podium. 

Henry’s little sister Jane gets a hug from an undercover KPD officer who plays a key role in the department’s aggressive efforts to successfully investigate, arrest and prosecute drug dealers selling to teenagers like Henry. The other kids are lined up to get hugs and to present the letters, cards and drawings they created for KPD Chief Rausch and his officers.