Holiday Recovery & Thanks

Ahhhhh.... it's all over for another year!

Our Christmas holiday was really nice this year-- enjoyed our family, good food, being spoiled by loved ones, playing games, peppermint mocha coffee, watching friends and family open the gifts we bought/made for them... LOVE that. It was really,really nice this year.

That being said. I'm glad to move on! lol. Despite the enjoyment, there was ALOT going on this year and we just were hustling to get here and there and shop, and see friends and family, etc.etc. It can take the overall feeling of joy and peace of the season right outta ya! But I attempted to stay in good spirits through it all..and succeeded. For the most part!! Ha!

Yesterday we were a family of lazy loungers. It felt SOOOO good! Stayed in pj's all day, let the kids play with their new toys, grazed on leftovers all day and just lazed about all day. It was wonderful!

Today is about getting back in the groove. Cleaning up the mess, catching up dishes and laundry. Also working from home today. Wish it was like this EVERY day but as far as a work schedule goes- I've got it pretty good right now, so I can't complain much!

Here's a few pics from the last few days... Hope you all had a blessed holiday as well!

~S

PowerLess

We had a power outtage earlier- just for an hour or two. Long enough to realize that we're completely unprepared for such an event. ugh. I scrounged a few candles, one flashlight and a camp light eventually. Robert had drill tonite so the kids and I sat at the table and I read from Book #1 Meet Felicity (American Girls Series) to the kidlets while they colored. Then I thumbed through a new issue of IN STYLE (it came, Joc! Thanks Again girlie!! wink,wink) that had come in the mail and generally savored the coziness of the situation. The kiddos were a little freaked out by the noise outside (incredibley windy) but they had fun too. The worst is yet to come apparently. We got power back and the news states we're going to encounter a severe wind storm within the next hour or two. It's already been VERY blustery. Pepper did NOT enjoy his trips outside today- the wind nearly knocked him over! lol. Funny to watch...

Power is still on but flickery occasionally. Robert came home with some fast food for dinner and more candles so it's all placed strategically in case it goes out again. I'm in my pj's and robe and despite a stiff neck (slept wrong? stress? poor posture while entering hours of data entry the other night? probably a bit of all of that. LOVELY.) I'm comfy cozy.

Did anyone catch the finale of THE BIGGEST LOSER last night??? Oh. MY. WORRRRDDDDD. Those contestants completely transformed themselves!! Especially Eric. WOW. SO cool. Very inspiring! Can't wait for the next season! TOP CHEF was good too. Cannot believe a couple of them are still there...they just make for good tv and that is why they're still competing. ANYwho...

Better get my kids to bed and fold some laundry. blech.
BUT tomorrow I get to get up- go to the gym and then make some coffee in my new French press from Joc. YAY! Or should I say YUM! Then some house cleaning and running errands. That evening is the kids' Christmas program... I have a resident Angel and Joseph to get ready-- and I'm SO excited to see them perform.

Today was my day to teach art for the PreK/Kindergarten class. We made orange pomanders for the kids to give to their parents as presents. It went really well and they enjoyed making them-- so glad! Love finding projects that really "click" with them...makes all the difference!

Ok- I'm REALLY signing off now!
TGIF!!!
toodles,
~S

Survivor!!!

So I did it!!!
I survived yet another joint birthday party for the kidlets...whew!
I currently have *ZERO* pictures to show for it because my batteries were dead. WHY oh WHY on these special occasions?!?!?!?! Because my head was in a million different places and not focused on ensuring I had new batteries. THAT's why! lol. ANYwho- it was great fun- the kids had a BLAST and were completely spoiled with presents from family and friends. I don't think they need presents for Christmas--they seriously had a massive HAUL! We had 27 kids there (including 2 babies) and maybe 18 parents off/on (we encouraged parental units to flee while the going was good! Quick dinner date or Christmas shopping-whatever!) So it was complete and utter pandemonium but fun just the same! I'll post some pics when I get some from my sister!

Tonite was the Christmas banquet at church and it was SO fun!!!!! LOVED it! Didn't have to hostess a table afterall this year- so I got to sit at a friends and just enjoy the evening. The food was wonderful (roasted turkey, roast beef, party potatoes, candied yams, green beans w/bacon & onion, salad, jello, rolls, etc. YUM.) Christmas carols, door prizes, fellowship and our own version of DEAL or NO DEAL. It was GREAT! So fun!! Can't wait for next years! I have a few pics but I'll upload those tomorrow. Also- Aunt Peg- if you're reading this- I felt like you were sitting at the table next to me because there was a woman that looked SO much like you- little mannerisms, bone structure, dark curly hair and ALL! SO weird! Even Robert noticed! So I thought of you throughout the evening! ;)

Love to All!
~S

PS: TO DO list Update= Angel Costume found. Props for play are half done. Still looking for Christmas outfit for Matthew. Lights are strung up outside the house. Tree will be up and decorated on Wednesday. Field trip done and enjoyed! Birthday party a smashing success! I think I'm on a rollllllll..... coolness!

Serious Case of the Mondays....

Ugh.
I was FINE. Until I had to roll outta bed this morning. Tried to get up in time for a new class at the gym at 5:45am but I missed it by 10 minutes- didn't want to walk in late so I opted for the elliptical instead. Watched Joyce Meyers on tv while I was there and learned that since WWII, the percentage of youth who call themselves Christians has dwindled from 64% to 4%. You read correctly: 4%!!! That made me SO sad. What a bummer way to start my day! But at least I got my workout in. SOMEthing to feel good about, right?!

Went home, fixed the kidlets some waffles for breakfast (NOT from scratch, but a good ol' EGGO box) and got the kids to school on time despite sloth-like behavior on their part. FRUSTRATION on MY part. grrr. Get to Dutcho Bros. for a coffee and patiently wait in a LONG line of cars- watch this car whip into the lot, parking RIGHT in front of where the other cars are supposed to exit-totally blocking it. She storms out of her car, slamming the door dramatically and stomps over to the walk up and slams the coffee down and procedes to YELL at the guy that it wasn't nonfat milk in her drink. She could TELL it wasn't and was TICKED. AND he didn't stamp her frequent buyer card. She COUNTED and it was still the same number of stamps as before! How DARE they?!?!? Oh my...what can you do but shake your head...

Then I get to work and all is calm. all is well. for a while. And then someone blows in and throws us all in a flurry and it was just UGLY. Then I overhear someone trash talking a pastor and God...using the F-bomb in the mix. I just wanted to pack up and go home. It was SUCH a crappy day there. ugh.

Now I'm home. TONS of stuff on my TO DO list for the next week or two and I just need to sit, regroup and create a timeline for myself- when to do what- so I don't forget anything. We've got an Angel costume to find/buy for Christmas program, scratch any nice Christmas dress because she'll be in costume the whole time. Find a sweater vest for Matthew for Christmas program. And button down shirt. Practice poems and play lines with kids, Field trip to Storybook land, Bible Study, Trip to Home Depot for "lumber", paint,etc. for stage props for play- to be completed by the end of THIS week so they have it for dress rehearsal all NEXT week. Paint and construct props. Pass out birthday invites at school, get party stuff, pizzas, cake,etc for party on Friday. Saturday is the church Christmas banquet- go early to decorate table, hostess said table that evening. Find outfit for banquet.Still have to find sitter for kids. Put up our Christmas tree sometime after kids b-day party. Hang lights outside. Christmas presents (handcrafted) finished and wrapped for teachers. Go Christmas shopping for our family- haven't even STARTED yet. How bad is THAT?! And I'm sure I missed a few things in that whole slew of stuff. And in the midst of all that- I have to maintain a happy, positive attitude about it all. Enjoy it. Which wouldn't be bad really, until you throw work into the mix to put a sour side to it. It's hard to bounce back after leaving there feeling depleted of energy and joy. Totally sucks right now.

And I'm done whining and moaning about work and my TO DO list. It's buckle down time! I'm determined to get through it cheerfully to prove it's possible! lol.

How about some fun stuff? Fluffy, unimportant, materialistic SCHTUFF! LOVE this calendar/planner. Going to splurge and buy it for myself for Christmas this year. I'm SUCH a sucker for a good, fun calendar!


It's from SEE JANE WORK. Isn't it cute?!

How about this?


The Kate Spade Work Bag in a funky apple green. LOVE that green.

And..if I had this girls legs/ankles I'd SO be wearing this! SO cute!

Ok...better get moving on my list! I feel better after venting and dragging you down with me...ahhh. MUCH better! lol.Hope you had a much more enjoyable day than I, my friends!
~S

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. ~1 Corinthians 15:58

Creative Endeavors and...stuff.

Wow! A second post in a matter of days! What is UP?!

Hope you're all enjoying a lovely weekend! So far, I am- it's been great!

Yesterday I got up early, went to workout then came home, folded clothes- sipped on an eggnog latte and watched Thursday's GREYS (LOVE my good ol' DVR! With our schedule we work this baby to the MAX!). GREY'S was goooooood. Poor Georgie. Who knew he could be so cold and cutting! Sheesh! I hope he softens up soon because I'm beginning to dislike him... ANYwho. Got the kids fed and dressed and we headed out to do some shopping. We strolled Target for a while and the kids were complete ANGELS. Target or Ross and my kids-- it's like oil and water typically. But we went BOTH places and they were AMAZINGLY well behaved and dare I say- we ALL enjoyed poking around together. We took a lunch break and we all giggled at Matthew's determination to eat crunchy tacos while sporting a dangling loose tooth (we're talking dangling by a THREAD here, people. For a few days.). We left, him with tooth still intact (barely) and headed for Old Navy. I let the kids break open the gingerbread men PEEPS we bought at Target and Matthew started gasping in the back of the car...

"I don't have my tooth! My tooth is not on my front anymore! I don't have my tooth! I think I swallowed it..." insert child immediately beginning to dry heave upon this possibility. I calm him down a bit, and inspect- sure enough- the dangler is no longer there. We checked his mouth, we checked his lap...nowhere. We figure he MUST have swallowed it. He accepts this with disgust and goes to take a bite of his gingerPEEP and there it is- stuck in his PEEP. We laughed SOOOO hard- all three of us. I'm grinning like an idiot just writing about it- it was just so cute! A memory to treasure. Very cool. So my oldest is officially eligible for singing "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth". Can't BELIEVE that. Both permanent teeth are already growing in- his teeth come in amazingly fast!

So after the tooth incident- we went in to Old Navy and ran into my little sister, Anna! We chatted for a few minutes, Matthew showed off his tooflessness and we parted ways. Headed home and I packed up a birthday present for Austin's party, packed up my scrapbook stuff, got changed and once Robert got home- we headed out once again!

My nephew Austin turned 8 years old on Friday and had a pizza party at a placed called "Pizza Factory" here in town. The kids loved it because they have video games, a pool table, candy machines,etc.- so they run around like sugar-hyped freaks flicking quarters in machine after machine! lol. I left a bit early because I had a church scrapbook fest to attend that night too! OH MAN. It was SO fun!!! We hadn't gathered and scrapped in a LONG time and so we were all happy and feeling festive. We did a baked potato bar, desserts and had a gift exchange too. LOTS of fun! I got some scrappin' in- started a few presents... I was on a roll!!!!

Speaking of scrapping... I got a couple requests to see the haul I got from my CaliGirl , Christy. So here ya go. I'm LOVING all this stuff! The "S" and "F" letters are painted and I put them up in the house for fun decor. Love 'em!

And here's the layout that got lifted, Court. ;)

Here's what I got accomplished last night

This is what happens when you don't take a measuring stick to your paper and properly formulate how much room you'll need for your alpha stickers. doh! I left it because- well- it just grew on me, and now I kinda dig it.

I think I've scrapped this pic 4 times or so! lol. Just love it. Using up old scraps on this one.

Hey- what's NOT to love?! This gnome was a gift from my BFF Joc. LOVE, Adore, LOVE him. Speaking of love, this paper ("simply wonderful" from Cosmo Cricket ROCKS. I'm in love with all COSMO CRICKET right now. Utterly & Completely.

Heee!!! LOVED this shot of miss.T coppin' some 'tude...totally hilarious! I put a flower in her hand to make her seem more forgiving. j/k- I really just wanted to cover up the glaring "brass" doorknob in the pic! lol. My scanner chopped this off for some reason...

PLUS 2 gifts that aren't QUITE done yet for teachers. Yep. Feelin' mighty accomplished right about now. Until I get out of my chair and go look at the dishes in the sink and the laundry waiting to be washed, dried and (gasp) put away. ~le sigh~

Ok. Enough posting for now.
Does anyone even come here anymore, I wonder?!?!

~S