Decorating the big tree in our living room - Monkey takes this very seriously, and Ladybug is just happy to be there.

Decorating the little tree at the farm - can you see where Ladybug hung all her ornaments on the garland at the bottom?

Lady Bug and Daddy's date to see the Disney Princess on Ice show

the most wonderful time of the year

So, the monkey is in the backyard, playing basketball. The ladybug is watching her latest favorite show, "Macisruby" [ that would be "Max and Ruby" , I am sure you could guess]
I have been working like mad to make marshmallow kebabs, truffles, and cookies. Also, since I had a bowl of melted chocolate left over, I dipped pretzels [ you never know- times might get tough, and we will need chocolate]
Tonight the future in-laws will be coming over to decorate cookies- gonna be lots of fun, I think.
Almost all of the gifts are wrapped, and sitting under the tree at the farm. We planned ahead a bit, and I am feeling quite smug about that, really. All that is left is the food for the farm and to take to 'a Mighty Fine Place' and a few heres and theres that I will need .
We are picking up Booskie Friday morning, Texas girl is coming in Friday afternoon , and the family will all be together - this has the makings of yet another fantastic Christmas!
I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas - go to church, and sing some hymns. That always puts me in the best mood. I am trying to decide which song is my favorite , but it really changes each year. I still cannot sing "In the Bleak Midwinter" without tearing up - I really love it.
Now the ladybug is playing "Mommy , come find me ' and I shall take that as my clue to get up and start running around looking for her.
Photos later today..... I promise!

and a snow day makes it extra special

Well, this is the last week of school before Christmas Holiday - big fun around here. Knowing that I had to give two exams today and had the rest of the day at school to clean my classroom was sounding pretty good, really. Especially when I knew that my second period exam was only going to be ONE student - one. So, having a bad weather day today was not the most exciting news, although it sounded pretty fantastic at 6:00 this morning. Oh well. We don't really need to celebrate President's Day, do we?
Tonight is our night to go and have a photo made with Santa . Ladybug is pretty fired up, while the Monkey is trying mighty hard to act casual about it. I know he will be the first one on Santa's knee .... he cannot fool me.
Today we are going to be making a few Christmas crafts while enjoying a day in our pajamas- we have marshmallows and pretzels to dip in chocolate, and we have family gifts to finish [ can't tell you what those are here- it will spoil the surprise next week!]
Stay warm and dry today ! It looks really cold out there!

thirteen and a half days of school left! Ta rah!

Okay, Thanksgiving week was really great - days spent cleaning the house, time to cook, lots of play time and craft time in the Hello Kitty room. Ladybug has discovered the joys of stamping. Big fun.
The husband took Ladybug on another date last week- they went to see "Disney on Ice" , and she made it all the way to intermission. The last act she saw was Beauty and the Beast [ which she has never seen before] and she said "let's go to the car. I want to see my mommy. " What a sweet little thing!
The monkey is still hunting, and we are praying every night and day that he does not actually shoot anything. Hopefully, he will discover the joys of photography or more reading, or something a little more productive than the murder of sweet woodland animals.
The countdown for Christmas vacation has begun- and I cannot wait! Advent started yesterday, we need to get our letters to Santa written, and we have more shopping to do.
I hope this month is filled with fun for everyone of you - it really is the most wonderful time of the year , you know!

Holiday week- good times for everyone

Okay, I just got in from my date-Monkey and I went to see "Harry Potter" , while Clark and Ladybug had sushi and shoe-shopped. I cried several times during the movie, which made my son really happy, don't you know. I could not help it. After hearing so many mixed reviews of the movie, I honestly thought it was awesome. Monkey thought it was pretty great, too.
Tomorrow is our cooking day - we are taking squash casserole , key lime pie, and chocolate chess tartlets. I am really looking forward to our preparations , and the rest of our holiday. Most people who know me are aware that I am not a fan of Thanksgiving , and I try to find things for our little family to do that are non-traditional. While we were tutoring last week, one of the girls [at the girl's home in town] told me that she was the only one staying over the holiday- she could not go and be with any family. I took that as a sign from God that we were to take her in this week, and we are picking her up tomorrow. She is sweet, and I think she will have a good time going to the farm .
I wish more of our family would be together this year, but I will be happy with what we get. Just think - three weeks of school, and then we are out for Christmas! After that, the countdown for our Italian Spring Break trip begins! Ciao!

Four more days of school - ta rah!!

Okay- I do love what I do , I honestly love being an art teacher. However- I think the days right before a holiday are very stressful for us all. I am always amazed at how students think they are the only ones ready for a mini-break.
In just four little days, we will have a nice, nine day break. I know the folks at this house are more than ready for it. I don't mind if we stay home in our pajamas, even.
I know it is time for some new photos on here- and I will be putting some up next week, I promise!

Super fantastic week, straight ahead

The ladybug woke me up this morning, whispering that she wanted to go watch 'tee-wee' . Of course, even though it was two hours before I had to be at church, we went to the living room. Who wouldn't do that for a ladybug?
Now she is watching some Nick jr. programs, all with a Halloween theme. I have never really been a fan of Halloween, for no special reason. Don't get me wrong- I did plenty of trick-or-treating in my day. I just don't like all the super spooky stuff . At all. I like the sweet stuff- bobbing for apples and hayrides. Maybe even a corn maze.
Ladybug has been singing the happy cake song to me for a few days now- she is practicing for this friday, when I shall officially be too old to have a two year old. . [ How old is too old? ] I am reminded of the Bible story about the older mother- wasn't it Sarah? Okay, I am not that old.
The monkey went to State's Homecoming game yesterday, and finally made it home around 11:30 p.m. I am glad he has an uncle who enjoys taking him to those games. We went to Delta State, and neither of us have much interest in State's athletics. Honestly, the fight song makes me teary still. We went to a basketball game there years ago, and I was not expecting that to be played so much. I thought it was for football only. I guess it will just take time.
The husband and I have been having some serious discussions about the education of our children. How do you decide something so important? What do you do when you are concerned about the system or the school or the teacher your child might have? We moved across the state in preparation of Monkey's adoption, and now we are starting to wonder if we made the right choice. It takes lots of prayer, I can tell you. I also keep thinking that the right choice for us ten years ago might not be the right choice now. Prayer. Lots of it.