It Was Quite a Year

2010 was kind of big. Let's look back at some of the things it brought...

I obsessed over the last season of Lost. And cried when it was all over.

Tad said funny things that amused me.

We moved!!!

I fell hard for Isaiah Mustafa.

I celebrated the return of Glee. And looked forward to it every week.

I got to see Chris Daughtry!!!

I also fulfilled my high school dream of going to see THE BACKSTREET BOYS!!!

We took a massive family trip to Florida. In the middle of summer.

I got a job!!!!!

My baby played flag football. And looked precious.

I went to an 80s party... that required me to buy legwarmers!

My adorable grandpa turned 80 and we celebrated with a western party.

Hubby and I found a new obsession.

We finally got a fur baby!

And I got the German measles???

Among things I didn't blog about, I had one grandpa come successfully through surgery and he's out here visiting us as you read. My family also lost my aunt less than two weeks before Christmas. I didn't post about it here, but I received a lot of love, prayers and support on Facebook and the like. We're all getting through and I thank God for such a strong family.

It was a crazy year, full of weirdness and awesomeness. And I only hope next year can be as great. Raise your glass with me at midnight tonight and we'll toast together.

Blame Vacation

Vacation apparently throws my blogging off. Oh, and maybe that sickness from last week. Meh.

Things are getting back to normal around here. I'm feeling a lot better and even headed out to the movies with hubby today. We finally went to see the new Narnia movie. All I've got to say is "Helloooo Caspian." *rawr*

I may continue to be light on posting for the rest of this week. I'm hoping to put together a bigger post for New Year's Eve. Plus I've got a baking project coming up that I'm pretty excited about. And I'm trying to track down my own Narnia books that I believe are still at my parents' house. Hopefully. Because I haven't found them here...

So if I don't pop in before then, I'll see you Friday for some reminiscing!

Monday...

And I'm recovering. I'm not going to detail the ups and downs of my health over the past two weeks, I'll just leave it at this. I was sick, started getting better, started getting worse, started getting better, got worse again, ended up in hubby's ER yesterday morning to find out what the HECK is wrong with me. Know what the doctor said?

German measles.

Ummmm, what? Who even gets that? Turns out people with really weak immune systems. And that would definitely fit a first year teacher who tried to cram way too much in these last couple weeks. I'm already recovering now. I think the fever is already gone, but Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were no bueno. :( It feels like every year hubby and I take turns being sick. Last year was his turn, so this year was mine. Next year I'm overloading us with vitamins so we might actually both enjoy the holidays.

Now I'm hoping to enjoy my last two weeks of vacation and get back to normal. Hope everyone else was able to have a great holiday weekend.

Merry Christmas

I'm about to head off to my grandma's for some tamales, but I had to take a minute to pop in and wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Whether you celebrate tonight, tomorrow, or both, be safe and have a wonderful one.

Wow

So while perusing Twitter I came across a link that Pioneer Woman tweeted. I clicked it thinking maybe it would take me to some amazing recipe, but what I got to was so so SO much better.

Click here and read. Now. Or if you don't have time now, let me give you the gist of it and you must read later. PROMISE me you will read.

Basically, a blogger wanted to give back. So she had some gift cards to the first twenty people who commented that they really need help this Christmas. The cards went fast because so many are out there hurting this year. But then people started coming out of the woodwork. Offering money and gift cards and asking to be matched up with someone who needed some help. After a few days of total strangers showing genuine care for their fellow man, more than $40,000 in donations has been sent out to total strangers to help them have a Christmas.

That right there made me cry a little. And I'm definitely feeling the Christmas spirit at the moment.

5 Things

I'm guessing most of you have a TON to do today. Me too. So that's the list...

5 Things That I Need to Do Today (In Addition to 100 Other Things)

1. Keep wrapping presents. I want to finish already.
2. Go buy some cardstock to make gift tags... yeah, this should have been done already.
3. Go visit my father-in-law. He had surgery yesterday, all went well.
4. Start baking. Ummm... meant to start last night, but Greenlee and I cuddled instead.
5. Find boxes that will fit a couple of the larger Christmas presents.

The list could go on. Easily. What do you have left to do to be ready for Christmas?

Hello Again

Hi. Did ya miss me? I kind of fell off the radar last week. It was as crazy as crazy can get. So let's give you a rundown.

Monday morning I woke up with swollen lymph nodes. So I called my doc who got me in after work. Couldn't find anything else wrong with me though. So she gave me antibiotics. Monday night I got a call that no one likes getting - we had lost a family member. It wasn't out of nowhere, she had been sick, but it was still really hard. We all gathered at my grandma's that night. Lots of tears, lots of stories, lots of everything. I came home exhausted.

Tuesday was spent recovering from Monday. Plus musical practice, plus actors-only practice after school. I was ready for bed when I got home.

Wednesday was my birthday and it was a great one. I got Facebook posts, texts, cards... one of my kids even asked his mom to make me cupcakes so she did! I felt loved.

Thursday was sooooo loooooong. Last play practice and this time it was dress rehearsal with the set up on stage. The set threw off my little actors and the principal and I were so worried! But they had to do it so we just prayed that it would all work out Thursday night. Stayed in my classroom all afternoon because home is far enough from work that it wasn't worth it to go home before the play. But it ended on a great note because THE KIDS ROCKED THE PLAY. They did so good and I was so proud!

Friday was the last day before vacation so I knew that all I would be able to accomplish with the kids was their spelling test. And I was right, even that was tough when they're distracted by our impending Christmas party. It was pajama day and a half day too. Love wearing my pjs to work. :) Our party went well. I had about ten parents in the room at any given moment which was fine with me. They enjoyed themselves too and I actually got a chance to breathe.

When the kids went home I realized my head behind my ear was THROBBING. So I popped some ibuprofen and went home. Didn't get better. Took a nap. Didn't get better. Finally at seven that night I went to the urgent care at my medical group where I dealt with a kind of jerky doctor who almost didn't even give me pain medication even though MY HEAD FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS ABOUT TO EXPLODE OUT OF IT. Seriously. Like a scene from Alien. Only my head, not my stomach. She called it mastoiditis and said if I got a fever I should go to the ER.

Saturday was spent on the couch catching up on soap operas. No ER visits thankfully. And Sunday I woke up feeling a bit better. Not ready to call myself cured at all, but optimistic that I would be able to avoid the ER again.

Now I'm going to call my REAL doctor today for follow-up. Hopefully my antibiotics are doing the trick and I won't have to go through anything gross or painful. And now that it's Monday I have four days to finish presents and bake. No rush or anything...

Happy Monday.

A VERY Important List

Okay, so it's Wednesday. It's my birthday. (Go ahead, take a second to text me wonderful birthday wishes, haha.) Normally I would have a wish list. And you may just see one later in the day. But this is kind of a big birthday for me.

I'm 29 today.

This is the last year I'll be in my twenties. Do you KNOW how horrifying that is???? Now, several blogs I follow have been doing this super cool idea. They make this list called "30 Before 30." It's thirty things they want to accomplish before they turn thirty years old. I like this idea. Scratch that... I LOVE it. So I made my own. With twelve months to go before I transition to a different digit in the tens place (EEK!) I figure this list is totally doable. I'll be posting it in one of my sidebars so y'all can keep up with how I'm doing.

So here we go! My very own "30 Before 30."

1. Throw an awards show party.
2. Go to a roller derby event (we totally have a local team).
3. See Ellen DeGeneres.
4. See Craig Ferguson.
5. Grill a steak (yes, I've never actually done this on my own).
6. Go hunting (not just accompany hubby and scout).
7. Grow something that actually lives.
8. Sew something that I am willing to wear in public.
9. Have a wine-tasting party.
10. Go snow camping. Yes. Camping. In the snow.
11. Make sure at least two rooms in my house are "finished."
12. Take a vacation with hubby. A real vacation. Not something weak that's driving distance.
13. Get a Brazilian Blowout. For those wondering, it's a hair treatment that will save me tons of time in the morning.
14. Bake brownies from scratch.
15. Submit some photography in some sort of contest.
16. Drop a jean size (no, I will not be posting the number).
17. Run two miles - no walking.
18. Take a cake-decorating class.
19. Take my parents to dinner. I PAY.
20. Make tortillas.
21. Have four separate girls' nights.
22. Make a loft bed for Tad's room (hubby will have a large part in this).
23. Make a non-holiday wreath for my front door.
24. Get and learn to use Photoshop.
25. Regular trips to thrift stores (like, once a month at least).
26. Buy a new couch.
27. FINALLY go to Ikea.
28. Go one month without soda - diet or otherwise.
29. Get a tattoo.
30. Make Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls.

Looking at that list it's really easy to say, "Ooh! I can knock out at least three of these over break!" But I'm a procrastinator so we'll see if that actually happens. I'll check them off as we go through the year.

Well, I'm off to celebrate my birthday... by going to work. And doing yard duty. And play practice. But no church tonight! So I believe hubby, mom and maybe my brother are going to dinner with me. And Chronicles of Narnia maybe? We shall see...

Monday Coolness

I LOVE Michael Buble. LOVE him. So when I saw this last week I had to share (sorry, but he has some potty mouth).

He pulled a kid up on stage because he just had a birthday. And then it turns out the kid can SING. Just an adorable video for your Monday.





Happy Monday!

Monday Coolness

It's Monday! And it's my last week before vacation. I'm actually not totally thrilled. I have a lot to do this week. And a lot to do next week. Ya know, for Christmas? Because it's totally almost here.

Yeah.

So if you like me on Facebook (and really, you should by now), you saw that I teased today's post by mentioning an addition to the family. Well, forgive the less than stellar pic, but here ya go...

That little furball in the bottom of the screen is Greenlee! She's my new baby. Tad was in HEAVEN all weekend playing with her. Doesn't she have the cutest little face ever?! She was wandering around my sister's for awhile so we decided we should adopt her. So far so good. Since I start break next week we'll have a lot of time to work with her on house training and such. If you want to come play with the cuteness all you have to do is call me. :)

So happy Monday! I'm going to work then go home to snuggle with my little Greenlee!

hee hee

Guess what?

That picture totally isn't my house. ;)

We drove by it the other night and I was so amazed I made hubby turn the car around so he could experience it too. I'm not keeping my neighbors up with my lights. No worries.

haha

Happy Friday!

Friday Photo

Happy Friday!!! I should have a birthday post up, but I'm hoping to get a picture with the birthday man later so... check back.

For now, I just have to share my Christmas decorations with you. I've mentioned several times how excited I am to finally have a HOUSE to decorate instead of an apartment. We may have gone a little overboard though. What do you think?

Just call hubby Clark Griswold. And if you don't get that... I just don't know what to tell you.

Yeah, it's slightly obnoxious, but I figured since our neighborhood went all out for Halloween, maybe everyone goes all out for Christmas. We're totally winning brightest house at the moment. I defy a neighbor to outdo our display.

Be back later with a birthday post. For now, have a happy Friday!

Yay!

My grandpa is flying in from Alabama today! Haven't seen him in FAR too long so I'm pretty stoked!

We're celebrating his birthday tomorrow night. I get to make German Chocolate cupcakes. Mmmmm... so glad that's his favorite and so glad that I've gotten decent at it.

So that's my good news for the day. I could really use good news this afternoon at play practice. I need all my kids to memorize their parts! Eeek! Send your happy thoughts!

Happy Thursday!

So Sorry

I totally goofed and didn't make a gift list for today. I knew this earlier, but my day was the kind that I seriously had ZERO time to even post.

I'll give you something good tomorrow to make up for it.

**Edit**

Okay, coolness will have to wait for Friday.

5 Things

Hey there! It's Tuesday and it's going to be a busy one for me. Singing practice with my kids, I get to do my acting coach thing after school, then I have to come home and prep for cupcakes. Because I have some Glee themed cupcakes to do for one of my girls tomorrow.

Did I mention we got our Christmas tree last night?

Do you love it? In all it's Charlie Brown-ness?

Okay, so that's not our tree. Hubby made it for me while he was trimming the real one.

There's our real one! It's huge. I had to do huge, we're fortunate enough to have high ceilings at our house.

Just had to share the goodness with you. Let's get to our list today...

5 Things I Love About Christmas at Our House

1. Um, kinda mentioned it, but our high ceilings allow us to get a tall tree. Me likey.
2. I have a porch that's fun to decorate. I hung ornaments from the planter hooks. And filled a standing planter with lights and colored mesh.
   
3. Our mantle. It's way cute this year. I'll take pics at some point.
4. I'm not constantly afraid some ghetto person will come steal our wreath.
5. All our Nightmare Before Christmas decor. Ornaments, wreath, the man-eating wreath that's a work in progress, throw blanket, snow globe, dessert dishes... we have a lot. I love it to pieces.

So what do you love about your Christmas decorations?

Happy Tuesday!

Monday AMAZINGNESS

So there are these two boy bands... and they were pretty much my favorite bands on the planet growing up. I still remember the words to their songs. As well as the choreography from some of their videos. And they're kind of touring together in what I would like to think will the the most fantastic show EVER.

Yup. NKOTBSB. For you poor souls who have no clue what I'm talking about: New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys. TOGETHER. Making girls scream. They performed on the American Music Awards a few weeks ago and I pretty much turned into a squealing mess on the couch. SO glad hubby wasn't here to witness it. There was also some singing. And possibly some dancing.

Don't judge.

Just enjoy the performance.





Happy Monday!

Friday Photo

Holaaa! It's Friday! This week totally flew by. I remember dragging my butt out of bed Monday. I was cold, tired, and ready for more vacation. And now I'm already through another week. Wow.

So unless you're totally oblivious, you've noticed that I changed up my blog a bit. I was bored. I also made a fan page on Facebook. That was more of a joke between myself and the pastor I work with. But it's there now, so feel free to like me if you have a Facebook.

So on this fan page I needed a profile picture. I picked this one.

Photo courtesy of my little manlet, Tad. I love that you can see his reflection in my sunglasses. I also kind of love the picture, haha.

So what are your plans for this fine Friday? I'm going to head home after work, put on sweatpants, and hopefully do some sewing. Or Christmas crafting. I'm really not sure yet. Maybe both. If anyone wants to join me for a night of crafting and wine, hit me up. I love crafting, I love wine, and I love friends.

Happy Friday!

Let's Count

Counting today there are...

• 4 days until I get a free upgrade of internet and cable. Oh, and we're getting our first ever house phone number. No phone yet, but we'll have a number.
• 7 days until my grandpa flies in from Alabama.
• 8 days until my grandpa's birthday. I'm making German Chocolate cupcakes. (What is it that makes them German, anyway?)
• 9 days until we host UFC and I get to watch my man Georges St. Pierre whoop on Josh Koscheck.
• 12 days until we probably do the walk down Christmas Tree Lane. Thus beginning my multi-day birthday celebration.
• 13 days until my birthday!!! I'm not taking off work, but I do believe we're going to dinner and then going to see the new Narnia movie!!
• 14 days until our Christmas program at school. Did I mention I'm kind of an acting coach? Anyone who knows me will find this hilarious.
• 15 days until our last day before break. I'm pretty excited for the party for the kids.

I won't count down to Christmas. We don't actually want to see that small number, do we?

Happy Thursday.

Wednesday Gift List

I went a little crazy today. Because I decided that a list for the wee ones was in order. And I tend to get carried away when it comes to kid and baby stuff. So let's get started.

Tad actually has this shirt. It's getting a little too small, which makes me sad. But I'll keep it for my own child one day. Because it's just as adorable in person. (via DogboneArt)

I fell in love with this skirt. Isn't it cute? I want to find that whale fabric and make it for my niece. And every other little girl I know. (via kiddyup)

These are just awesome. Lego Man crayons???? Can I have some? (via LilDoodlers)

Can't remember if I posted one of these at some point last year. But I still love the idea. And I'm pretty sure if I'd just quit farting around I could make one of my own for each kid. Someday... for now I love this one with its cute fabric. (via HappyBabeeandBeeyond)

This little robot is darling. I think Tad would like him on his wall. I think any little guy would enjoy such a happy robot on his wall. (via icanfly)

Are these the coolest shoes ever? Possibly. Especially if you have a little girl around who wants to be a superhero. Go check out the whole shop. There's mucho cute stuff. (via smallfly)

This made me laugh. It just sounds like something a little boy would say. (via RockRiverTees)

I kind of love these in a big way. For a playroom? I would put these up in a second. Yeah it's a little bit like nagging, but I love them anyway. (via johnwgolden)

This isn't so much a toy. More of a cute, original gift for a new mom. Personalized with a little one's birth date and stats? Adorable. I might have to try my own version for a friend who's due soon. (via elephanttales)

I want a plain toy chest for Tad's room so badly. Something good that can be used for more than one kid. Of course if you go to big box stores you only get stuff with cartoon characters and the like. This one is infinitely better. I'll take it. (via natureinspiredcrafts)

Hopefully I gave you some good ideas. Of course, if you're anything like me, kids are the easiest to shop for and it can spiral out of control quickly. Like I may or may not have done on Scholastic's site last night... (book orders are trouble when you're a teacher!)

Happy Wednesday! Counting today you only have four Wednesdays until Christmas...