A Whole Lot of Christmas

I have a whole lot of Christmas to write about...but the first thing I want to tell you about is another great giveaway! My church has a blog... written and maintained by my friend Megan at Life is Good but the Best is Yet to Come...The church blog is titled Living A Year Out Loud and you can check out the giveaway here! If you want to feel uplifted I encourage you to check it out!

This weekend was super busy. We barely had time to catch our breath in between all the events. Friday was pretty mellow. I say that because our busyness was totally at home. We decided to put up our Christmas Carol Village this year. My mom gave me her set and the thought of setting it up was daunting...but we managed to set up a small portion of it... We had to move in a table from the garage, rearrange furniture, unwrap many pieces, check the lights...but the effects of working together were well worth it. After we had it all set up we wanted to watch a Christmas movie...but you can't have a movie night without snacks...right?? So first we did a Target run and got some red and green tortilla chips and salsa... We then came home and watched A House Without A Christmas Tree. I think I started watching the movie when it first aired on TV in 1972 and loved it...About 5 years ago I did an ebay search for it and bought a copy. Lydia and I and whomever else is around watch it the night before we go to get our tree... Which brings me to Saturday...

We got up and headed out to a fundraiser. The local Lutheran church was doing a cookie walk. For $12 you were given a box to stuff with cookies. Each person going on their mission trip was required to make...get this... 500 cookies... I think we were able to get about 4 dozen in our box! Then we decided that because I don't like to make sugar cut out cookies and that because Lydia loves them that we would get another box... yummo! Shortly after that we headed out to get our Christmas tree... This always turns into an adventure. Every year I state what type of tree I want...long or short needles...tall or short...etc and I usually end up with the opposite! This year was no different... We have a short fat tree... I was looking for a tall thin tree! The hunt usually takes about 30 minutes...and requires that Bo stands by various trees so that we can go back to look at it and compare..he doesn't seem to mind... After finding it we cut it down and the tree farm workers shake and wrap it! We calculated that this was our 25th year of cutting our tree down... We always eat lunch out... and this year was no different


After getting it set up at home we decided that we wanted to do a little shopping...so we did! I was super tired when we got home, but wanted to finish making some cookies...which I did...I felt very accomplished..

Sunday brought me about feeling a bit worn out and feeling sort of touchy ...in other words crabby! Lydia was upset with something that happen and wasn't able to control her feelings so we left church and did some retail therapy. She then went bowling with her Sunday School class and I went home and cleaned a bit!

Lydia has a big project that includes shopping, making a meal and cleaning up...plus other items that is due on December 16th. Because we are so busy this month (who isn't) we took advantage of the Vikings playing at night and got that part of the project completed... She did a great job! I am proud of her...

So how does that sound for a busy weekend???

Re-Binder Giveaway!

On the blog Mommy Has To Work, there is a giveaway. The items are from a company called Re-Binder... They are school supply items that are recycled! This is right in time for the change over of trimesters and semesters. Go check it out and sign up for the giveaway! If you win you can share with me!

Feeling Like Christmas

Yesterday we began to put out our Christmas decorations. In past years our house would look like a winter wonderland. I am not so much into that anymore. I do have things for just about every room, but my favorites are Lydia's Nutcracker collection and my nativity scenes.

Enjoy!

Several years ago I bought Lydia a Nutcracker storybook and a Nutcracker. She fell in love with them..since then we have added to her collection...mostly finding them at 50% or more off! We even have some Halloween ones!
This Navtivity set I purchased at Target after Christmas...but I first saw it way before that! I was hoping that I would be able to get all the pieces on clearance and I did! I love the simple clean lines...but it is super heavy!
I found this one at a garage sale this past summer for a whooping $2! I great find if I do say so myself! The faces of the characters are chubby and sweet! I love it!

This one belonged to my mother. Many moons ago I had an Interior Homes party. She splurged and bought all the pieces. It is (was) worth many dollars...up until I dropped the cow! So sad! I still really like the set. It is very pretty. The picture doesn't do it justice!

Have you decorated yet? What are your favorites? I have a Christmas Carol village to set up. It is alot of work...but so much fun!

Many Thanks

It seems barely a day goes by that I am not giving thanks. Thanksgiving is a wonderful opportunity to give thanks. Of course I am thankful for my family and my health etc...but I am thankful daily for so much more...

I am thankful for my faith community that has helped me to open my heart and mind to others:

On Thanksgiving morning14 members of St Paul's UMC walked to end hunger in MN... It was not only fun, but eye opening. We raised together over $1000!

I am proud of my family and give thanks for their integrity, but I also admire the Early family...because they have hurdled so many challenges in their dd Emmy's life and yet they raised money and completed more laps than my family. I give thanks for them. And then there is Mike and Megan...wow...they are so energetic and loving people. They motivated those that did the walk with their energy and love for helping others. Thanks to all of you!

Later in the day we went to my mom's house. Talk about a woman of strength. She can't straighten her leg due to it being broken and operated on and yet she was able to cook the entire Thanksgiving dinner...I am so thankful for her willingness

My extended family has had challenges. We , as a family, did not handle them very well. For many years we couldn't even be in the same room without being angry. There are still some angry feelings, but I give thanks for my brother Brad and sister in law Judy... Their daughters are beautiful and I am looking forward to getting to know them better...
I give thanks to my husband...for more than just the usual...He had the foresight to add our furnace onto a monthly program that covers the cost of repairs... We are now toasty warm.

I give thanks for my sister Brenda and her willingness to try new things..even when we are in unfamiliar places.

We had a great weekend...lots of opportunity to give thanks... How were you able to give thanks today?

Hard Week!

This week has been hard. It. Has. Been. Hard! I think the holidays conjure up many mixed emotions for me. I am just sitting here trying to make sense of it all. As a child I loved the holidays...of course..whats not love...household full of people... great smells from the kitchen... decorated trees...etc... The last few years as the days approach I get a knot in my stomach.. Something that makes me feel hungry and then nauseated and never really goes away... until I ask God for help. Then is subsides for awhile and comes swooping back at a moments notice. So... back to it being a hard week.. I knew the kids at school were going to be antsy and they were sort of the brightside to the week. I have happened onto some great kids this year. On Tuesday I lost my wallet...now,... some of my readers..ahem ...friends have heard that come out of my mouth on different occassions...but this time...I really lost it...like it is gone... Thankfully I have some marvleous people that surround me each day. They encouraged me to take action immediately...covering my classes. They helped me make phone calls to the store where it happen.... getting the security to check the cameras... and they did...tracking my wallet in my hand and then in pocket until out of camera range..which means it fell out somewhere and thankfully when I called the bank the next day no useage had been made with my check card...and then I found out it was quite easy to get your license renewed and such...

But back to why the week was hard...emotionally the lost wallet seemed to be a symbol of the loss in my life..my identity was gone just like that. This week I just felt like a no body... I found myself feeling sad and bitter... Not sure what end was up.. or down! I went about the motions to filling in spaces... I went to church, I watched football, I went to work, I ate lunch, I made dinner, I dealt with my missing wallet, I picked up my daughter, I cried, I gave a test to my students, I cheered on Joe, I laughed..but I also cried!

The memories of holidays past bring up inadequacies I feel in myself. I dwell! Let me repeat that I DWELL... I question myself... am I doing and giving enough... am I doing or giving too much??

Today was the last day of school. To be honest I was dreading the rest of the week. I love my family but because I was feeling depressed I didn't really want to drag them down. But the moment I got home (after Laura graciously hauled me to the license service center) I felt better..like a weight had been lifted!

Tomorrow my family and I are going on the Walk To End Hunger at the Mall of America. We are then going to watch the parade, make an appetizer, enjoy dinner at my moms and maybe go to a movie. It will be good.

It. Will. Be . Good

Today I am thankful for:
the power of prayer!

Teaching Thankfulness

Our theme at church this month is generosity and thankfulness. Each Sunday (and other times while in church groups/meetings) we have been asked to write something we are thankful for on a chain link and we are making a large chain... it has been fun...something EVERYone can do....

It got me to thinking... I teach at a Junior High...special ed students to be specific...learning and behavior mostly. On Thursday I got to thinking about my students while I was at a church meeting writing on chain link...I was thinking "I wonder if my students would be able and WILLing to do the same activity...

I thought about it for awhile when I got home. I didn't want them to perceive it as a "baby" thing...as Junior Highers often do....I tried to come up with a clever poem to read to them...but I couldn't... I tried to come up with some things I am thankful for...but I just thought they would ignore me...

It was then that I spotted my Turkey.....
and thought...ah ha? I will offer them a sucker if they play along! And play along they did! I am proud of them... many came up with several things...some didn't want too...many passed up the sucker and some asked "can we do this again?" So...I will keep it up as long as they want to play! I think it is good for them!

Friday Five

Susanne at Living to Tell the Story continues to host this lovely Fabulous Friday Five...I use it as a time to reflect and find good in my week...you should join along...

1. The weather in Minnesota this past week and all last weekend was delightful! Here is my post about it! It will helped me relax, be productive and just be appreciative!

2. Last Sunday I made a wonderful Lasagna out from Pioneer Woman's new Cookbook. Here is a link to her site...check it out. The lasagna was wonderful and her cookbook is fun. I bought it as a gift for myself.

3. I am continuously thankful for my friends from church and particularly... Megan, Melissa and Carol. They brighten my day... and don't let me have lame excuses to not attend book group.

4. Naps... I afforded myself a nice long nap yesterday. It felt so good. The best part was that I wasn't really that tired...

5. Crispitoes...my favorite school lunch. No pictures are available and they are not good for you...but oh my they are good!