Christmas Diaries days 8 & 9: To-Do

Wow, I don't know what happened to me, but I am just running out of blogging inspiration! I didn't write yesterday, and have had to talk myself into posting today. I guess it's because not much has been going on around here. Which is fine with me...it's been a peaceful week. But it doesn't leave much to write about.

Luke did finally email me a picture of our first snow, so here it is!

This was taken just a few minutes after it sarted. We've gotten a lot more since then. It's been snowing off and on for a few days, and we've had crazy strong winds. Our electricity has gone out a few times but luckily it didn't stay out for long. The snow is making everything outside look so beautiful and Christmasy! I love it (for now). Now if only it would just give us a snow day ;-)

Unfortunately, I still haven't gotten much of my Christmas to-do list completed. So yesterday and today I've been deciding what needs done and how soon.

I still need to:

1. Complete and send my Christmas cards (This weekend or next Monday).
2. Do Christmas shopping for about 7 people including a White Elephant gift (I would like to have all shopping done by the end of next week).
3. Bake Christmas cookies! A lot of them. (This weekend and next week).
4. Finish decorating (finished yesterday! Okay, so I just included that one so I could say it was completed. I gotta be ready for the Christmas tour of Homes!!)
5. Watch the big 4 Christmas movies: Elf, It's a Wonderful Life, Christmas Vacation, and A Christmas Story. (Anytime before Christmas :-))
6. Purchase some hot chocolate packets (Tomorrow). Seriously, you HAVE to have lots of that around Christmastime ;-)
7. Decorate my classroom for Christmas (Monday...this should have been done 2 weeks ago :-P)

And I think that's about it :-) Doesn't sound so bad when I type it out, I guess. Plus, those are all really fun things :-)

I love Christmas, but this year I seem to be really stressing myself out. I'm letting the maniacal nature of the season get to me. I need to stop, and remember the real reason for the season.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Diaries Days 7&8: Panic Sets in

I really don't have much to write about tonight. Yesterday I was going to do a quick post about how it SNOWED for the first time yesterday!! Yay! Luke took a picture on his iphone at work yesterday because I didn't have my camera with me (gasp!) But he has yet to email me the picture, so I guess I won't post it!

Today I finished printing my Christmas cards and they should be ready to be sent in the next few days. But I can't share those because I don't want certain people to see them yet.

So I guess as far as Christmas goes, I don't have much to write about.

Except for the panic that I'm experiencing, that is. I haven't been feeling great the past few days again, so I haven't done a whole lot. And I'm starting to panic. I had so many more decorating ideas and I'm running out of time to execute them all! I have barely even begun my shopping! And I haven't made a single Christmas cookie! Yikes, I better get going!

I'm still enjoying this time, though. Luke and I have found ourselves in a sort of situation with some people lately. I wish I could write about it, because I know all of you blog buddies would shed so much light on it and make me feel 100% better! I can't really share, though, but I will say that it has brought us a lot closer together. Instead of spending our nights busy running all over the place we have spent a lot of them at home together, working on projects, eating dinner together every night, laughing together, watching lots of Office reruns, and just being together. Although the situation is not fun, and very frustrating, I'm so glad that this time has brought the two of us so much closer together! I can truly say that Luke is my best friend :-)

All that to say that this Christmas season has been extra special for the two of us, I think. I'm so glad I have him in my life. And I'm so glad for every minute we get to spend together. I've always been the sort of person who stresses out over everything and takes life WAY too seriously. I can thank Luke for bringing a lot of humor and silliness into my life, and for making me realize that it's okay to relax sometimes and not be a constant ball of stress.

So this post was all over the place, but I hope to have a better one for you tomorrow :-) Have a great Tuesday!

Christmas Diaries Day 5&6: Preparations and Festivities

I thought I'd roll my whole weekend into one big post. It's been a great weekend, and I can't believe it's almost over already! Where has all the time gone??

Yesterday Luke and I stayed home all day just getting projects done. It was a pretty productive day. First of all I worked on my Christmas cards for my co-workers
Then my mom helped me figure out how to print my Christmas cards for everybody else. I can't show a picture, because I don't want to spoil the surprise for anyone who will receive one ;-)

Most of the day was spent painting the trim in the attic. We are almost totally done now, and ready for new carpet!! Yay! Here is a picture from when the walls were all painted and we had just applied primer to the trim. I really think I'm going to like it when it's done!To reward ourselves for our hard work, we ordered pizza and wings for dinner (yum!), and I then spent hours last night creating a photo book on Snapfish of our first year of marriage. My goal is to create one album every year. I stayed up until 1:00 AM working on it! It was just addicting. I could see myself totally breaking the bank on these when we have kids! I'll have to try and restrain myself. The one I plan on ordering was only about $28 for an 8"x8" custom photo book with 20 pages. I didn't think that was too bad! And I got to design every element of the entire book. It was pretty cool! I'm glad my mother-in-law enlightened me about Snapfish. The album is now done and ready to order...I guess it's a Christmas present to myself, LOL! I will definitely show pictures once I get it :-)

Moving on to today: day 6 of this wonderful month. Since we worked so hard yesterday, we took it pretty easy today. We decided to go on a festive Christmas date this evening :-)

We began the night at IHOP. Believe it or not, I had never eaten there before! (which helps me out with one of my lists too, as one of my goals is to eat at 5 restaurants where I have never eaten before). I had seen the commercial for their holiday hotcakes a few times, and had been dying to try the gingerbread one.
It was amazing! It was like eating a giant gingerbread cookie with whipped cream and sprinkles :-) I couldn't finish the whole thing, because it was even too sweet for me! It was great, though. I hope to try the eggnog one next time. Luke had chocolate chip pancakes, and the pancakes themselves were chocolate. I was slightly in awe :-)

After our pancake dinner, we headed to Tinseltown to see Disney's A Christmas Carol in 3D. I had never seen a 3D movie before, and was very surprised at how great the animation was, and how not lame the 3D was! :-P The movie was great. It was a little more intense than I was expecting! I could feel the tenstion in a few of the scense, and definitely would have been scared of it if I were little. I thought the whole thing was really well-done, and enjoyed every minute of it. I don't know if my husband would say the same. I had to give him a light kick during the Ghost of Christmas Present part because he had fallen asleep! I can't believe he paid $13 for a movie, and then slept through some of it :-P The movie is a must-see, though, especially in 3D!

That brings us to now. Now we are sitting in in front of our tree, trying to savor the last few hours of our weekend.

Be looking for posts this week on: Christmas shopping (we haven't even started!!!), Christmas cookies (I hope to spend the week and weekend planning and baking lots of Christmas treats), Christmas movies, and more.

Christmas Diaries Day 4: Discovering Pandora

Every once in awhile, the substitute teacher coordinators at the school where I work have a teacher who calls off late, and they don't feel like trying to find a sub can't find a sub. There are three women where I work who are qualified to sub and who don't have a whole classroom of students: the Title 1 Reading teacher, the gifted teacher, and me, the special ed. math teacher/Wilson Reading teacher. One of the three of us will sometimes get pulled from our normal job to fill in as a sub. It would make the most sense for the gifted teacher to get pulled in my opinion, because her students aren't struggling, and could do okay without her. I think next it would make sense to pull the Title I reading teacher, because her students are in the regular ed. classroom without help all day except for the 40 minutes a day that she is working with them. And I think it would make the least sense to pull me, because my students are some of the most severely learning disabled students in the school when it comes to math. I am their only math teacher, and they really need me every day.

Unfortunately, the school does not seem to share my logic on this issue. I am always the first to get called. Not because my students don't need me (because BELIEVE ME, they do). Instead because out of the three of us, I'm the biggest pushover. I don't say "no" to anyone, especially my boss. Next in line is the Title I teacher, and last to ever get called is the gifted teacher. This is because the principal herself went to school for gifted ed. and apparently thinks it's the most important thing that anyone could ever teach. Never mind that my students normally just sit for an hour and a half playing math games on the computer when I get pulled since they can't keep up with the regular ed. math class. They will apparently do better on their own than the gifted kids according to the principal's logic (can you tell it frustrates me?? My poor students HATE IT whenever I get pulled to sub. I feel bad for them).

Anyway, I went off on that little tangent that probably didn't need to be said, but I got started and couldn't stop. All that to say that yesterday must have been a very crazy day, because not one, not two, but all THREE of us possible sub fill-ins got pulled to sub yesterday!!

Normally when I get pulled to sub I hate it. I hate leaving my kids, and I hate being the sub. Kids really aren't easy on subs. It's like a fun chance for them all day to see how much they can get away with. I usually would much rather do my everyday job.

However, yesterday was different. Yesterday I got to sub for the 4th grade special ed. teacher. There are a number of reasons why this was a great thing. First of all, this is the classroom I had worked in the two previous years. It is such a comfortable place for me. I do like having my own classroom MUCH more than I liked sharing that classroom with a somewhat crazy teacher for two years. But it's still fun to come back (especially when said crazy teacher is not there :-P). The second reason I was excited to sub there was because I had worked with all 8 of the students in that room all year last year. They are one of the best groups of kids I have worked with, so eager to please and just plain adorable. I was very excited to be working with them again. And the third reason was because the classroom has an aide. We really get along, and work together everyday since one of her students usually comes to my room for math everyday. I guess we aides have kind of a special bond(yes, I'm considered an aide even though I teach so that they can get away with not paying me as much. I recall mentioning earlier that I'm a pushover). We all know what it's like to be looked down upon, not paid much, and we know what it's like to be barked at like we're dogs by the teachers. (not all of the teachers do that, but there are always those few who do. It is really degrading, and has caused me to run to the bathroom and hide while I CRY more than once). so anyway, all that to say that I really enjoy working with this particular aide.

Yesterday ended up being such an easy, great day in that classroom. Seriously, I probably did about 10 times less work than I do on a normal day (hmmm....and I'm the one getting aides pay. grrr). For half of the afternoon, the teacher's lesson plans said to "color Christmas pictures." Umm okay, I'm not going to argue with that! So the kids colored Christmas pictures to decorate the classroom while we listened to Christmas music put on by the aide. After awhile, I noticed that there were no commercials in the music, so it couldn't be a radio station. I didn't see a CD player anywhere either. I felt silly, but I had to ask where the music was coming from! It was such delightfully happy Christmas music. A good mix of classic old songs, religious songs, fun songs, and even a few pop Christmas songs.

The aide's eyes brightened when I asked her, like she couldn't wait to tell me. She told me the music was coming from the internet, from Pandora. I had never heard of this Pandora before. She explained to me that you simply go to the website, type in the name of a song or artist that you like, and it will create a radio station for you. For example, we typed in "All I Want for Christmas is You" (one of my favorite fun Christmas songs). The website found songs that have similarities in sound, genre, lyrics, etc. to that song. And my radio station was born. I thanked the aide profusely for introducing me to this wonderful website!!

I came home and listened to Christmas music like it was my job. Just from one song I typed in, I got songs on my station by Bing Crosby, Jo Dee Mesina, Natalie Grant, Mariah Carey, Michael Buble, The Ronettes, Chris Brown, I even think there was a song by Britney Spears on there! And so many more. Such a good variety of artists, I could never get bored with it!

Have you discovered this website yet?? You probably have, since Luke told me I was probably the last person on the planet who hadn't heard of it yet. I love it!! I'm pretty sure it has moved itself up to third place on my "favorite websites" list. First place is obviously blogger, and second place is facebook, in case you were wondering ;-)

Let me just tell you some of the things I love about this website. First of all, for every song that plays, a picture of the album cover, and all the song information pop up on your page. After you listen to a few songs, you have a little stream of all the previous songs you've listened to going across your page. So you can go back and listen to a song again if you just didn't get enough (as I did with Baby it's Cold Outside earlier this morning :-)). You can scroll back and see all the songs you've listened to on that station this session, but you can't scroll forward. I love that it's a surprise what song will come on next ;-) Also, if it's a song you really don't feel like listening to, you can fast forward to the next one! You can also pause the music and come back right where you left off!

I'm in love. I will use this website all year round! Now if only I could use it in my car. It's completely free, and you only have to sit through a few ads here and there. Nothing like having to sit through commercials on a real radio station.

So what is your favorite Christmas song? I have so many. But my absolute favorite has always been "O Holy Night," same as my dad's. I think my favorite version of the song is Martina McBride's. I also love every single song on Josh Groban's "Noel" CD. He has the most beautiful voice!

I also completely love Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Christmas music. But I feel like they are in a completely different category than anything else, and will be doing a completely separate post on them when we go to see them in concert for the sixth year in a row on December 20th! It's probably our oldest Christmas tradition as a couple. And our most expensive :-P

I'm sorry that this post is completely all over the place, and really long. I honestly think I've just been writing a lot so I could keep listening to this wonderful Christmas music on my computer! I'm currently listening to Santa Baby...ahh, I love it!!

I hope you're enjoying lots of Christmas music this month as well :-)

Day 3: Christmas Cooking

Welcome to day 3 of my Christmas Diaries :-) I hope you are enjoying this month as much as I am!

Luke and I got our first Christmas card yesterday! I love Christmas cards. This was so exciting to me, and yet caused me to panic, because I have not even printed mine yet. I will be busy with that this weekend.

Anyway....

What is it about Christmas that puts me in the mood to cook? We all know that I'm always in the mood to bake desserts. However, it is a rare occasion that I am in the mood to cook a meal. This year the Christmas season has mysteriously caused me to tap into my meal-cooking side. If I have one :-P

I wanted to make a special dinner for Luke sometime this week. Lasagna was sounding so good to me. I decided to be adventurous and attempt to make my own homemade lasagna. This is something I've never done before, because usually the thought of making homemade lasagna causes me to break out in a cold sweat. But as I said, it's Christmastime. I might as well use this new (inevitably short-lived) excitement for cooking, and just go for it.

I pulled out my trusty, ginormous "Taste of Home" Cookbook, and found a recipe for traditional lasagna.
To my surprise, it actually didn't sound too difficult. I followed the directions and had no major catastrophes! I'm even going to go as far as to say that it was easy! I don't know why I've been so scared to make it all this time.

It did, however, take FOREVER. Having never made it before, I didn't realize it would take two-and-a-half hours from start to finish. So we ate dinner at 7 last night.

I took my cousin's advice and added lots of extra sauce and cheese.
I think I may have gone a little too far, though, because once we cut the lasagna, it no longer held it's shape, but just spilled all over the plate. I think I'd rather have that than dry, hard spots,though! I was trying to avoid the dry, hard spots and I think I overcompensated. (Update: Once it cooled down a little bit, it held it's shape quite nicely! I think it just needed to sit in the baking dish a little longer).

It may not look like it's supposed to in a perfect, tall, layered square. But I'm not going to lie...it was GOOD. Probably the best thing I've ever cooked. Not that that's saying much. But I was excited that it turned out okay!! Good thing I didn't mess it up too bad, because I'm pretty sure if we freeze some of it, it could feed us all winter :-P Luke laughed when he walked out to the table and saw how much I had made.

Also, the sauce was so good and easy to make! I'm definitely going to make it next time I make spaghetti.

And I can't forget to show you these lovely Christmas glasses from my grandma! She found them at an auction, and they just make me feel festive. Never mind the fact that they are so small we had to refill them three times during our meal.

To make a pretty great meal even better, we had my absolute favorite dessert of all time...

Apple Dumplings!!
(That is a miniature spoon, by the way. They weren't as monstrous as they look in the picture!)

I, unfortunately, cannot take credit for these. Although I did make the sauce. We ordered the dumplings from Luke's grandma. Her church was selling them as a fundraiser. They were still steaming when we ate them with vanilla ice cream. Is there anything closer to heaven on this earth than warm apple dumplings and vanilla ice cream?? ;-)

These are my favorite times with Luke: just spending time at home, enjoying each other's company and good food :-) I don't need a fancy date to make me happy!

Day 2: Kettle Corn, Candlelight, and Claymation!

Welcome to day two of my Christmas Diaries. This month I'm only posting about Christmas activities, decorations, movies, recipes, scripture, etc.

Last night I had Bible study, and then when I got home from Bible study, Luke had to go to the church for band practice, so I spent most of the evening alone.

I had been feeling a little stressed all day yesterday, so I decided that I'd just spend my evening alone relaxing and NOT letting myself worry. So I turned out the lights, lit my favorite Christmas candles...
Popped some delicious kettle corn that Luke brought me home yesterday... (Thanks, Luke!)

Turned on the TV, and was completely delighted to find that the Claymation Rudolph was on CBS!! We had this movie on VHS growing up, and watched it every Christmas!
Oh my goodness, I don't remember it being so completely adorable when I was little!! This is definitely one that I hope my own children will enjoy someday :-)

It was so nice and relaxing, and I think that I really needed a night like that. It was great to just snuggle up with Ellie and watch one of my favorite childhood Christmas movies :-) Except Ellie kept trying to eat my kettle corn!

Don't hold your breath, Ellie. You are not getting a piece ;-)

Gabby chilled with us too, but she just sat nervously behind us on the couch, like usual.

What are your favorite childhood Christmas movies or specials? I loved the Claymation Rudolph, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Home Alone, and A Muppet Christmas Carol. Oh, and I can't forget about A Charlie Brown Christmas! I have lots more favorites now that I'm older, but I'll save those for another time :-)

Day 1: Christmas Lights

Every year during December, my mom kept a calendar on the refrigerator. We would write all of our Christmas plans on the calendar. She has kept all of the old December calendars, and I love to look through them now to see all the fun things we did during each Christmas season when I was younger. It brings back a lot of memories.

So I decided that my blog would be my own version of mom's old calendar pages. This month I'm going to write every day about all the Christmasy things I've been up to. Sorry in advance for the Christmas overload, but for the next 25 days there won't be much talk on here about anything but Christmas :-)

Yesterday was day 1 of December. There is no doubt that the Christmas season is underway now!

Last night was a fun night for me and Luke. We had to go grocery shopping, but Luke decided to make it fun. He works for the parks department, and he loves Christmas just about as much as I do. So this year, Luke set up some Christmas lights on the little duck pond at one of the parks. He drove me to the park to see them. Although we had some technical difficulties, and only part of the lights were working, I thought they were really pretty! I love how you can see their reflection on the pond.
We drove through the streets, looking at all the Christmas lights on the houses. And of course every town has their own Griswold home, and last night we went to see our town's :-) We go to this particular house (mansion is more like it) every year. You can't actually see the house from the road, but the yard is pretty spectacular! I didn't get a great picture because there is constantly a stream of cars rolling through, so Luke didn't exactly want to stop and take pictures. But you get the idea :-)These pictures resulted due to slowly coasting car, a very slow shutter speed. I thought it looked kinda cool :-)

We came home later and relaxed in the living and watched Scrubs while the tree glowed in the background. Okay...and I fell asleep since I have apparently become narcoleptic :-P (just kidding).

I can't wait to see what the next 24 days will bring! Have I mentioned that this is my favorite time of year? ;-) the only thing that could get me more in the mood for Christmas is if it snowed. The 10 day forecast is calling for flurries on Saturday!! Yay!