It's almost here!

Vacation that is! Tomorrow is the last day, FINALLY. Today we went on a field trip and OMG note to self, think twice before scheduling a field trip the day before a vacation/party day and also reconsider taking a "few" gems on the field trip next time. I swear field trip days are more exhausting than any normal week at school.

I've given the office staff their gifts yesterday. I gave my custodian his scratch-off lottery tickets tonight so I wouldn't forget. I'm done wrapping the student gifts. For a few friends at school, I've made Buckeyes for a small little gift. What you don't know what buckeyes are? If you do...you're Ohio State fans, I'll post the recipe below. In the mean time, here is a sneak peek. Now we believe that a real buckeye candy still has the hole in the top! ;) I have all my gifts boxed, and they are ready for the giftwrap. I just need to get a huge burst of energy tomorrow night so I can get wrapped, get the laundry done, and get all packed before we leave for Wisconsin on Saturday morning.

This is our first year that we've not spent Christmas with our families. Don, the boys, the dogs and I are headed to a chalet cabin in Northern Wisconsin. We were hoping for a bunch of snow but we've heard there isn't any. Bummer, the kids were really looking forward to snowmobiling.

Well I think this will be my last update until after Christmas. I really hope that you have a fabulous holiday and that Santa brings you everything you've wished for.

Have a Merry Christmas!


Buckey Candy Recipe

CANDY:

1 stick softened butter
1 3/4 c. (1 18 oz. jar) creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
About 1 lb. confectioners' sugar

CHOCOLATE COATING:

1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp. vegetable shortening

Cream butter, peanut butter, and vanilla together, adding confectioners' sugar until proper consistency is reached. Roll candy into 1-inch balls and place on wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Melt chips and shortening together in top of double boiler. Keep chocolate mixture in double boiler over low heat while you dip each candy. Using a toothpick, dip each ball, covering about 3/4 of candy. Place candy on sheet to cool.

Who wudda thunk

that snowflakes are so darn addicting. It's a creative thing I just know it.
Snowflakes are ultra creative outlets.

I've found this terrific site called make-a-snowflake

I've made about 20, no maybe 30. I've even gotten Don addicted.

Here are just two samples of what you can make.

Yea!!! The fun has been moved to another site!

You've got to check this out for a smile.
It will help eleviate a bit of stress in
your busy hectic schedule.

This is the link..check it out!

Another day closer to break!

Only 7 more days until that elusive winter break!
I can't wait!

Got a bit more Christmas shopping done tonight.
Not done but I can see that there could be an end in sight.

So far this week I've accomplished a couple important things:

Finished my class, yesterday.
Made it through the writing presentation, today.

Still to come:
Choir concert tomorrow
Volleyball tourney Saturday/Sunday
Volleyball luncheon Saturday
Wrap gifts, finish shopping, laundry, etc, etc, etc. Sometime between now and 12/22.

That link for the song that makes me smile was taken down. I think too many hits and it might have crashed the server. Too bad it was seriously a cute thing.

Thanks for reading!

For a little enjoyment and your viewing pleasure!

You've got to check this out!

This is the funniest thing!


You'll smile if not laugh.

Have a great night =)

We think we're getting an acceptance letter!

Some of you know that I'm almost finished with my master's degree in reading from Northern Illinois University. Well my son is a senior and we've been going through the college application process. Let me mention that he put this off until the last minute too! I think it's a boy thing. Well because I know a little about maneuvering around the NIU website, I found a link to check on freshman application status. We've been watching because we had to have the application in around Halloween. Every other time its said application incomplete. We figured they were making the determination, entering things into the computer, waiting to see if a better ACT score came through, things like that.


Well today when I was checking on information for my class, I decided to hop over to that page and check the status again. Well today it said ADMITTED Incomplete. Which after looking it up means you've been admitted, but your paper work is incomplete. It also probably means they don't have final transcripts and of course $$,$$$!!!

So although Doug is not one to show much emotion, you can tell he's just a tad bit excited. He HAD to retake the ACT and had to score at least 3 points higher. He did and now it looks like it's paid off. He's waiting to see if he gets accepted into Eastern Illinois too before he makes his decision, but for now, he'll be stalking the mail lady every day.

Now I can be just a little relieved and whisper...
go huskies!

Two weeks and counting!

I've got 2 weeks and counting before we leave on vacation. We are going to a chalet (cabin) we've rented for Christmas. I've also got 2 more weeks of school before our break. Most would think I'm like ARGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH but believe it or not, I'm relatively calm. I do have lesson plans written for 2 weeks. I should be productive and write for the week we get back too. I have not shopped at all. I don't even have the lists sent to relatives. Tonight we have our small group for church, tomorrow the boys have a volleyball tourney tomorrow...luckily and finally at the same location!

Today I've cleaned a bit, swept and mopped my living room floor and kitchen floor. The kids helped with the dishes and the bathroom. I also worked on a scrapbook page. This is a new kit called Carol's Calm by Cindy Simon available here at NDISB.

So here's my newest page. It is a photo from my spa trip at Miraval. Miraval is a spa where celebs hang out! I'll let you in on a little secret......I won this trip when I was on Oprah. Maybe I'll elaborate more in another post.

Christmas Questions

I've been tagged by Angelina. Thanks Ange :)~

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wrapped.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? House none. Large tree-colored, but this year is a small tree, I want it white.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No

5. When do you put up your decorations? When ever we get around to it.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Cheese ball

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? I remember always drinking 10 cups of water on Christmas eve because then I was guaranteed to have to get up and to go to the bathroom and be able to see if Santa had been there yet.

8. When and how did you learn that Santa isn't real? Hmmmmmmmm I'm a firm believer that there is a Santa, in someway shape or form.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes. Just one.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lights first, then ornaments in random places. It is a lot of different ornaments, then the little heart ornaments get to fill up all the tiny spots.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it while it's falling and there is that peaceful "snowy silence" but could live without it.

12. Can you ice skate? Nope.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I remember the Barbie town house, a Care Bear most of all.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Seeing the excitement in my kids eyes.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I love a lot of the cookies my mom makes, Anise drops, homemade carmel, buckeyes, Lebkukhian(sp) a German cookie, Pizzelles.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? When our kids were little we started a contest with my parents. It is called the decorated car contest. We start at Thanksgiving and go until Christmas. We count decorated cars, those that have bows, wreaths, Christmas lights etc. The winner gets a little trophy for the year.

When we were young, we used to draw names and you would have to keep it a secret who you got. Your job was to do nice things for that person without them finding out. As you did nice things, you would put a piece of straw into the manger. The goal was to fill the manger with straw before the birth of Jesus.

17. What tops your tree? A old fashioned looking santa

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving gifts? Not sure, depends upon the year and to whom

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Sleigh ride and Chestnuts roasting by an open fire. They must be the Johnny Mathis versions. Although Rob Thomas and BB Wyans have a really great duo too.

20. Candy Canes on the tree? No

That's it for me! I'm tagging Ursula, Christine Smith, Mary Canavan

SNOW DAY!!

It rained, it sleeted, it thundered and there was lightening, and it snowed. It is that very heavy snow and I had to shovel as much as I could because the guys left for the airport at 6:30 this morning. Well if you've heard the news, they said bad! It was bad. It is bad! So I didn't get all of the drive way shoveled.

My family is just landing in Philadelphia. The first flight was 9:35 am and they are finally arriving at 9:46 pm central time.

Anyway, here is a page I worked on tonight. Al elements are from Krafty Girl from Christine Smith available from the Digichick.