Playing Catch Up!

We had a great time visiting Mike in the Carriage House at the Watermen's Museum this week!

After two snow days, Friday and Tuesday, we were running behind when we began this week on Wednesday!  We spent our three day week scurrying to get things done including decorating, making projects for our family gifts bags, arranging flowers for CSL, and working at the pet store.  We also had a joyful time with Mike at the Watermen's, but had to reschedule a couple of other outings.  All in all, it was a wonderful, but very busy, week!

Tuesday

What a lovely snowfall we had on Monday that led to another snow day today!  We're not used to this in December!

Haley and Jordan bundled up and had a blast playing in the snow! 

Wednesday

Not long after we arrived this morning we got a call saying GCOC didn't need us today and as much as we missed working with our friends there, we were grateful for the extra time since we had a lot to get done!  

First, we volunteered at the JRES Library.  The school was celebrating "Sparkle Day" and we thought Mr. Nonnemacher and Mrs. Ortega looked great in their sparkly outfits!

Trader Joe's donated lots of colorful flowers this week that we used to make pretty arrangements for the residents at Commonwealth Senior Living.

Bryan and Erik opened the packs of flowers.

Kate checked the quality of the stems, and removed excess leaves.

Alexis carefully put "about 1 inch" of water in each jar.

Allison and Gail inspected the tags we put in each arrangement to announce that they are made by us.

Xavier helped fill jars and then proudly showed us one of the arrangements.

We were THRILLED that everyone was here (except Tessa, of course), AND in holiday colors!  We grabbed some great outside shots before the snow melted away.  Here's a tiny sneak peek of what you'll see on our holiday card for 2025!  (With thanks to Tessa's mom, Michelle, for sharing a perfect photo of Tessa for us to add!)

The rest of the day was spent working on projects for our family gift bags.  We always feel like Santa's elves this time of year!

Thursday

Today's highlights were putting the finishing touches on our Christmas tree, and visiting Mike at the Watermen's Museum for a jolly good holiday time!

Kate and Bryan assisted with adding garland to our tree.

This will be the last tree we "decorate" at Abram Frink Community Center.  We love how it turned out, but we're also wondering what kind of tree we will make next year at the new building!

Each December we look forward to visiting Mike to learn about Christmas traditions, make sweet-smelling pomanders, and sing!  Today was so much fun!

If you want to learn about holiday traditions, where and why they originated, and fun facts relating to them, Mike is your guy!

Long before air fresheners and cleaning wipes could be purchased in stores, people used to make pomanders using fruits and spices.  These would be hung in houses to "clean the air" and hopefully ward off germs and bacteria.  We used lemons, limes, cloves, and fresh greenery to make our pomanders with Mike.

While we worked, the room smelled delightfully fresh with the scents of fresh lemons and limes.  

We also sang while we worked!  Thanks, Mike, for another amazingly fun and engaging time with you!  We thank you for our times together, and wish you a Merry Christmas.  See you in the new year!

There's an old sea shanty called "Soon the Wellerman Come," but Mike rewrote it so the Santaman would come!  

Fa-la-la-la-lahhhhh!

Mike's songbook has over 40 songs in it, and the requests kept coming!

So much fun when we visit with Mike!

🎄🎄🎄

We got another great update from Tessa's mom.  We're so excited about Tessa's steady progress.  Michelle says they are out and about every weekend and Tessa is enjoying the holiday season...something she missed last year.  They have visited the Botanical Gardens to see the lights in Norfolk, the Battleship Wisconsin for a holiday event, and the German Market at City Center.  Enjoy these fun times, Tessa!  Each outing helps make you stronger and gets you closer to returning to the Arc of Abilities!  We'll see you next week when we visit on Wednesday!

Friday

It seemed like Friday got here quickly!  Must have been because Tuesday was a snow day!  It was a busy morning for all, as we worked at Pet Supplies Plus and prepared lunch.   We also had a surprise guest!

Our PSP Team consisted of Gail, Bryan, Kevin, Kate, Alexis, and Devin.  From folding towels to stocking the shelves, they worked steadily and efficiently!

Gail folded and then rolled the clean, warm towels for the grooming area.

Bryan double checked the item number before placing it on the shelf.

Kevin worked carefully as he hung grooming tools.

Great teamwork from Kate, Alexis, and Devin to correctly stock a basket full of dog food products.

Our PSP Team, along with Roxanne and Scott, is highlighting holiday toys for all the good little pets!  Scott is holding Buddy, the ferret, who is also for sale if you'd like a live "toy" this year!  Happy Holidays, Scott and Roxanne, and thank you so much for another outstanding year of vocational training and work at Pet Supplies Plus!  We appreciate your continued support of the Arc of Abilities!

While the PSP Team was working up an appetite, the Cooking Crew was busy at the center preparing lunch.  On the menu today:  Hash Brown Casserole, Ambrosia Fruit Salad, and Homemade Hot Cocoa.

Erik browned the sausage and then he, Abraham, and Drew gathered the rest of the ingredients and put together the casseroles.  Don't the guys look great in cooking mode?!

Michelle, Liz, and Nan put together the Ambrosia Salad.  Today is National Ambrosia Day.  We learned that "ambrosia" was considered "food of the gods" in Ancient Greece, because fruits like pineapple and oranges were rarely available.  Our recipe included pineapple, oranges, and cherries, along with a few marshmallows that was all mixed together with sour cream and whipped cream.

We saved some of the marshmallows to put in our homemade hot cocoa so we could celebrate National Hot Cocoa Day, which is tomorrow.  Laura and Annmarie prepared the cocoa so we could warm it all morning in the slow cooker.  They added just the right amount of cocoa, sugar, milk, and a pinch of salt.  It was so good!

While making pretty napkin rings, Patrick and Thomas pulled up some holiday tunes on their phones for everyone to enjoy!

Once lunch was in the oven, we had time for indoor movement.  Thanks, Liz, for pulling up some fun You Tube holiday workout segments!

Everyone was surprised when Heike arrived around lunch time!  Lisa set it up yesterday and didn't tell us!  She brought us German butter cookies and sweet mandarin oranges, and hot chocolate mix (that we will save for another day).  She told us how much she loves working at the Rec Center on Longhill, and how happy she is.  We're very happy for her!  

After our lunch visit with Heike, we enjoyed Choice Time and read aloud.  We also met a new family, Greg and his dad, Johnny, who are interested in the day program, so we told them how we roll and invited Greg for a preview visit in January.  After that, it was time to call it a week!  To say we are excited about next week would be an understatement...the holiday spirit is strong with our guys!  Here are our plans for the last week of 2025 before we go on Winter Break:

Tuesday:  We were able to reschedule our visit with Christina that we missed on last Tuesday's snow day, so we will go to The Art Museums of CW to see all the decorated Christmas trees.  We'll also stop by the Williamsburg Lodge to check out the huge gingerbread house, and finally make it to the Stryker Center to see the Night Before Christmas exhibit (also postponed from last week).  Note:  We will be departing for this outing at 9:05!  We'll do all that in the morning and then put finishing touches on our family gifts after lunch.  Lunch on your own.  JRES Cafeteria is serving Soft Taco, Taco Salad, or Pizza.

Wednesday:  We'll celebrate the season with our therapy dog friends this morning with reading, holiday games, singing, and refreshments.  After lunch, we're going finish our read-aloud book and visit Tessa at her home!  Lunch on your own.  JRES Cafeteria is offering Asian Chicken with Rice or Flatbread Sandwich.

Thursday:  It's Holiday Party #1 today as we travel to Carol's house for a movie, lunch, games, and fun!  We'll have subs from Jersey Mike's along with chips, fruit, and fizzy beverages, and we'll decorate our traditional Christmas tree brownies for dessert.  Thank you, Carol, for welcoming us to your home once again.  This is a beloved holiday tradition that we cherish and enjoy very much! 

Friday:  It's Holiday Party #2 as we celebrate at the center with music, games, party buffet, and our Secret Santa gift exchange!  Wear your holiday colors and prepare to have fun with your friends all day!  Lunch menu still in progress but it will include meatballs, grilled chicken nuggets, mac n cheese, fruits, veggies, and Grinch Punch!  Don't forget to bring your Secret Santa gift!

Have a great weekend,

Lisa, Carol, Nan, and the AoA Gang