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Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Feeling festive

We were having trouble keeping our glasses straight before lunch when I remember that my mom had these cute glass markers - we've never used them before, but the were perfect for today!

Monday, December 24, 2012

Christmas cheer!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Merry Christmas to me

I hope you all enjoyed your pre-Christmas weekend, but now it's time for the fun to really start. For me, Christmas officially begins when I wake up on Christmas Eve day. The morning is traditionally filled with running around like a chicken with my head cut off, and loving every minute of it. Then towards dinner time, things slow down a bit and I get to just enjoy.

Today has been no different. I put ribs in the crock pot for dinner and made some homemade ice cream, stood in line for an hour at the bank and the post office, and finally got to pick up my Christmas gift from my husband, and may I say he was very lucky that it got here before Christmas, but somehow it always seems to work like that for him.

Now I am eating what may be the best Christmas Eve lunch that I could think of - Taco Bell, and running to Target to join the crowds and spend my gift card before Christmas :). Then I'm going home to put in one of my all time favorite Christmas movies - the Muppet Christmas carol (if I can find our VCR) and make some chocolate chip cookies, which was the only thing that my husband requested for dinner... I wonder about him sometimes...

Merry Christmas! I hope you have a wonderful couple of days!

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Lazy Sunday evening

I've decided to embrace the opportunity to do nothing for a few hours. This is how I'm spending my Sunday evening; hanging out on the couch in my PJs, giant mug of my favorite white hot chocolate (how can than cute snowman mug not make you smile?!), watching garbage television, and enjoying my pretty Christmas tree!

Here's to hoping that your Sunday was great, and that the next week, as we prepare for Christmas will be full of celebration!

Just one of those days

It's 6pm and I am on the couch in my PJs, because it has just been one of those days. It was gross, and rainy, and cloudy today, and that is always gonna put a damper in my day, I swear I have undiagnosed seasonal affective disorder, seeing as we are a month into Ohio winter, I'm feeling it.

That, on top of ridiculous other little stuff - I ruined a cute sweater in the wash, couldn't find what I was looking for at the store... It was just a blah day.

So now here I am, ready to be comfy and do nothing. That's how Sunday night should be. I could really go for some ice cream too :)

Friday, December 14, 2012

A little reflection

I was all set to post the Christmas cookies that I spent the day frosting, and how much I enjoyed my day off, then I turned on the news.

It's a hard day to be a teacher, and yet, I wasn't with my kiddos today. Monday can't come soon enough, so that I can give them all a few more hugs and be thankful that they are safe, happy, and too young to be afraid of the things on the news. Every Ike that something like this happens it makes me think about my job just a little differently. I can make sure that they can count to 20 and write their names, but there are plenty of things that I, that no one, can control.

My heart goes out to all of those families, and to the teachers, who will never be able to get this day out of their minds.

Newtown CT 2012

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Check, check, and check

And so the Christmas-prep checklist continues. Here is what I've managed to accomplish this weekend:
Paid Black Friday credit card bill
Attended company Christmas party
Baked sugar cookies to be frosted next weekend
Addressed Christmas cards and ordered stamps
Battled the crowds at Kohl's - note to self, next year buy new pillows BEFORE thanksgiving, it's not worth fighting the holiday shoppers
Made my Christmas baking list and started the grocery list
Wrapped a few more gifts

There may have been some sleeping in and complete relaxation, along wit dinner out and checking out Christmas lights thrown in there too. I learned my lesson last week, if you don't chill on the weekend, the week is that much longer!

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Not so formal-wear

Ahhh! I scored these adorable rose gold metallic flats for $6 at the Gap outlet, and they absolutely MADE my outfit for the Christmas party.

We don't go formal, but we all recognize that any excuse to dress up just a bit can be fun. I was planning on wearing boots, but when the temperature hit 60 degrees I felt I needed to seize the opportunity to go sock-less one last time! They were super cute with my skinny jeans, but I'm afraid ill have to wait until next April to pull off this look again.

Christmas Party Time

I'm hosting part of our annual teacher and staff Christmas party tonight! You read that right, I'm only hosting part of it. We are going to attempt a progressive dinner, so we are meeting at school for appetizers, then going to one house for soup and salad, and another home for the main course. We are going to end at my place for dessert and drinks.

I love hosting because it give me the perfect reason to scrub my house from top to bottom. Right now my house is spotless, it looks like something out of a magazine, and I love it.

The girls clearly know me well because they assigned me dessert, and I may have gone just a little overboard. I made red velvet brownies, cranberry chocolate cookie bars, molasses cookies, and pumpkin hand-pies. And of course I had to try everything, so who knows if I'll have room for all of the other courses!

Here are some photos of my cute table!











Saturday, December 1, 2012

To get you in the Christmas spirit

Thanksgiving is long gone and my week has been all about getting ready for Christmas!

Last night we took the kids in my class, and their families, to the Lights Before Christmas at the Toledo Zoo. The Lights are always a magical experience, but it is so much better when you attend with kids. Not only were they in awe of the sights an sounds, they were amazed to see each other outside of school.

I didn't take too many photos, I was too busy corralling kids and parents, but I got a great shot of the famous Toledo Zoo Christmas Tree!