Happy New Year's Eve!

What do you do on New Year's Eve?  I have never done anything too exciting, and the older I get, the less I do. I do try to watch the ball drop in New York.

Tonight, we had dinner with my Great Aunt and cousins.  We had a great visit before running to the store for cabbage and cornbread mix.

Stay safe!

Quirks

Have you seen this blog post?
http://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2011/12/12/quirky

She blogged her top 5 quirks back in 2011, and she has some hilarious comments.  Someone started sharing it again via Facebook.

Her post made me think about my ideas to her quirks as well as my own.

1. I found it interesting she was more interested in sleep and body temp than danger.  A child's sleep is important to me too.  I think all children need 8-10 hours of sleep each night.  I know things happen to make that possibly not happen, but it is a goal. I hadn't really thought about body temp.  Well, I don't want kids to overheat or not be warm enough, but I certainly don't panic about it like this blogger.  I am fine with children taking risks, but I don't want them to put their lives on the line or anything.

2.  Music choices are very much representative of my mood.  On Criminal Minds, I heard something about the music that makes the biggest impact on you is that which you listened to when you were 14.  Well, I listened to a lot of things at that age.  My dad was a record collector.  He would spend Friday nights at Collectors Records searching for all kinds of things from the 1920s to the present.  Well, not really the present.  More like the 1970s.  He had R&B, Rockabilly, Classic Country, and more.  He was not into Opera, Rap, or the Beatles.  (I wasn't allowed to listen to the Beatles until I bought a tape my Senior year of high school when our marching band show was Beatles' music.)  Now, I love all kinds of music.  Not Rap so much, but I love all kinds of music.  The music I listen to on my way home is very dependent on how my day went.

No matter what the song or station is, I cannot listen to it as I fall asleep.  I sing and sing and there is no going to sleep at all.  When a song comes on the radio, 9 times out of 10, I can sing the song even if I've never heard it before.  Not sure why that is, but it is.
Also, when I am very focused on work, I like to have my ear phones on listening to music. 

3.  My ears are sensitive to noise levels.  There are moments that my classroom or house can be full of sound and chaos.  The next minute, my ears go crazy, and I need all noise to stop, which is kind of weird since I hate a silent classroom.  There are times that I need to just sit in the quiet. I can't stand the radio or television being too loud either.

4.  I love to laugh, but I don't find most things funny that others do. I don't like gross humor or dirty jokes, and I cannot stand pranks or hazing.  Once, my friends toilet papered a house, but I didn't go b/c I absolutely hate cleaning up toilet paper in the yard.  Once, I was a chaperone at a birthday party where all the children were divided into groups to carry out different tasks.  My group toilet papered a house, we took pics, and then I had them clean it all up before we left.  I do not like teasing or people being mean to others either.

5. I am pretty OK with "good-byes" (except with my niece and nephew), but I am not OK with public acknowledgement, public "thank yous," or with opening gifts in front of others.  I greatly appreciate being appreciated and I do need to hear it, but I get unbelievably embarrassed.  When someone gives me a gift, I would much rather open the gift later when I'm alone and send a "thank you" card.  When someone does acknowledge me or gives me something, I tend to say "thank you" a ton of times. 

6.  I cannot stand wet bathroom floors and bath mats.  I just can't stand it.  Wet bathroom floors and bath mats truly gross me out.

7. I expect there to be at least one pitcher of tea in my refrigerator at all times.  When I come home from work or a trip, I don't want to have make a pitcher.  I want to be able to pour me a glass and relax.

8. When I get to work, I like to have a few minutes to get acclimated to my classroom or office before being bombarded with questions and needs.  It just helps me prepare for the day.  I like the time to think in the quiet and prepare.

I'm sure there are others, but that is all I have at the moment.

Purging and Organizing

Today, we tackled the stuff in the play room.  I took everything out of the closet & looked through it, and while I put some things back inside, I created two big containers for stuff to donate to my school's Science Dept. I have a big stack of stuff to let my sister-in-law look through and a few bags for donating.  The camping bedding found a home in the closet, and we were able to put away things we have already brought over from Granny's.  We did all we could do until we bring the bookshelves over from Granny's.  In order to do that, we have to unload them, and that will take some time. Not sure if we will start that tonight or tomorrow or after the 1st.  I guess I'll find out.  Once the shelves are in and the items from Granny's are relocated here, then we can finish arranging the furniture and choosing pictures to hang.

I love the idea of purging and organizing.  I run into problems when I am cleaning out and can't give up something. I go back and forth between--"It hasn't been used in a year." to "If it is tucked away in the closet, is it really needed?" to "I can't give this up b/c it belonged to Granny." or "I can't give this up b/c I want my niece/nephew/unborn children to have it."  If I would just stick with "It hasn't been used in a year, get rid of it," I would probably get more done and have more space.

Again, I am too old for all the lifting and moving.  I think my left hip is now out of socket.  Gosh, it really hurts to put weight on, stand, turn, bend, and more.  If I work through my aches and pains, we can get more done.

I need to tackle another room in my house, but I think it is going to have to wait.

I'm Too Old to Paint a Room

Today, Mom and I painted half of our play room.  When I was little, my parents turned the garage into a play room, and the walls were covered in a very dark paneling. Over the years, it has been Dad's Man Cave/Music Room and family Library, a bedroom, and a storage room.  Now, it will become an extra bedroom/sitting room with Dad's music and various items we need to bring over from Granny's.

At one point, we painted the walls not covered with floor to ceiling bookshelves to help brighten up the room.  When the room became a bedroom, we moved the bookshelves.  We have just now gotten around to painting the last of the paneling, and the room is so much brighter.

While I was organized and Mom helped so much, I realized that I am getting too old for painting rooms.  My body is sore, and I am tired.

No Signs of Christmas

Today, after returning from my niece and nephew's, I immediately began putting away the Christmas decorations.  In about an hour, everything was put away and ready for next year.

How long do you keep your Christmas decorations out? 

Mom, who is very superstitious, believes everything must be down by January 1st.  We normally get it down by the 30th or 31st.  I had the energy and the time and I knew we were going to start painting, so we just got it all done quickly.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

We had a good day together.

I don't think children are ever too old for playing with boxes. Ha ha!  My niece was obsessed with this box and sat it quite a bit when we watched movies.

Look at these sweet, sweet, amazing gifts I got from my niece and nephew!

Gosh, I love those two!

Christmas Eve

How did you spend Christmas Eve?

My entire life, we went to Granny and Grandpa's house, had sandwiches, chips/dips, and pie, and opened presents.  Most years, my aunt, uncle, and cousins were there too.  The last few years, we may have opened presents with cousins a different day, but we always went to Granny's on Christmas Eve.  Last year and maybe the year before, we brought her to our house, but we still ate and opened presents.

This year, Mom and I went to my brother and sister-in-law's house.  We had our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve.

My niece wanted a new comforter, so we bought a plain white one for her to paint.  She did various designs in the squares, and the flowers all glow-in-the-dark. (Sorry the pic isn't better.)

Since we didn't think that was a "guy" thing to do, my nephew got a t-shirt to paint.  He has his own logo and did a great job.

Annual Christmas Pageant

The annual Children's Christmas Pageant was postponed due to the ice we had several weeks ago, and it was rescheduled for today.  I'm glad b/c I wasn't going to get to see it when it was originally scheduled.

The children reenact and tell the Christmas story, and they do such a great job.  Throughout the story, we sing Christmas Carols, which I love. My BFF's children were adorable.

The thing that makes me sad is thinking about my niece and nephew not having the opportunity to experience a children's or youth group and being able to perform in programs like this.

Secret Santa

I LOVE participating in Secret Santa!

I just realized that I didn't take pictures of any of my Secret Santa gifts.  This year, as we gave our gifts, we were to put a clue about ourselves.  I did a terrible job with the clues about myself.  I loved the clues the person giving to me wrote, and she kept me guessing all week.  I had no idea who it was right up to the unveiling.

Each day, she gave me a glittery ball ornament with a clear, glass ornament filled with "snow" and made to look like a snowman head wearing earmuffs. Throughout the week, I got 2 bottles of Coke Zero, a package of cashews, hot chocolate, candy jar with candy canes, a snowman coin purse, two snowman kitchen towels, Taco Bueno gift card, breakfast burrito/orange juice, and more.  Great gift ideas!

I gave my person a family picture frame, Christmas ornament that holds a picture, Christmas socks, necklace with earrings in our school colors, kitchen Christmas hot pads and towel, Santa salt/pepper shakers, creamer shaped like Santa, stacking mugs to look like Santa, her favorite drink from Sonic, kettle corn for the microwave, glittery cup with lid/straw filled with chocolate, bag of notepads and colored pens, and chips/salsa and a gift card from a Mexican food restaurant.
In turn, she gave me a Sonic gift card and two flameless candles.

Last Day Before Christmas Break

Our students had a half day again today.  Do you know what it is like to corral students before Christmas Break the week of a Full Moon and with weather changes, rain starting, and barometric changes occurring?  If you don't, you should give it a try!  Ha ha!

We had specific lessons planned for all students around our school positive behavior plan, and I think the day went fairly well.

After all the students left, we had our faculty Christmas Party and Secret Santa gift exchange.

Almost the Last Day for Students

Today was a half day for students, and teachers stayed full day to have Professional Development after lunch.  It dawned on me today that at the middle school level, we don't have school/class parties. In the elementary world, students gear up for Winter/Holiday/Christmas parties, and they are so excited.  We don't do that.  I wonder why.  We weren't testing.  Some teachers used the day to continue teaching their content.  Some classes had a little celebration for how students had done on a district test. Some used the last day before more bad weather hit to do some learning outside the classroom.

Any middle school teachers out there who do have Winter/Holiday/Christmas parties?

Christmas Tree

How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Is yours huge, small, sitting on a table, in front of a door/window?

This particular tree was bought for $10 after Christmas many years ago.  At the time, we thought it was about 7 feet tall and full.  What we learned the next Christmas was that it is just shy of 6 feet and fairly skinny.  Oh, well!  We have used it and loved it ever since.

My parents have blue glass ornaments that they have used since they got married.  When we use those ornaments, I prefer white lights and silver tinsel.  If we use all the various ornaments collected over the years, I prefer to use multi-colored lights and gold tinsel.

You might notice we have a star on top, but it is not lit.  It is silver, to go with the tinsel, but it has multi-colored lights, so I didn't plug it in.  We need to get a silver star with white lights.

Even when we choose the blue ornaments with white lights and silver tinsel, we choose a few special ornaments to add to the tree.

We used to put it in the formal living room in front of the window, but the last few years, we have put it in the den/living room in front of the back door.

Christmas Paintings

I love to paint.  I considered doing paintings for Christmas gifts this year, so I started with these two.  While they look OK, I was too nervous about giving them as a gift, so I just hung them on the wall in my living room.

Doll House Christmas Tree

When I was in the 1st grade, I got the Chicken Pox the last day before Christmas Break, and I had to go home early.  Of course, I stayed with Granny and Grandpa until Mom and Dad got off work.  We also stayed there while they were at work or finishing up Christmas shopping.  I didn't realize it then, but my Christmas present had to be moved and hidden in the garage. My grandparents made me a doll house.  They built it, decorated it, and filled it with some store bought items and some homemade items.  It was amazing!  I wish I could find a picture of it.  Any way, one room in the 3rd story had a Christmas Tree. 

I decided that my niece, who has her Barbie house readily available again, needed a tree, so I took her a tree and all kinds of little things that could be ornaments.  This is what she created.  Simple and beautiful!

Holiday Ceramics

Each year, we do some sort of craft.  This year, my sister-in-law got ceramic things that light up or are banks.  My niece, nephew, and I painted these the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The paint brush was too big and weird to do these justice.

Nativity

Growing up, we always had a Nativity.  It was the one my mom got her Freshman year of college to put in her dorm room.  She has put it out every year until this one.  This year, we brought Granny's to our house.  Granny painted every piece, and Grandpa built the barn for it.  (I am not sure why she never fired the pieces.) It has always been so special to me.

 

Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, Wise Men, donkey, sheep, and angel

 

Shepards

 

Camels

December Girl Scout Meeting

Tonight, we had a small group.  We sure did miss all our friends who were sick, in church performances, or having cookies with Santa.  We went Christmas Caroling at two special houses.  The girls did a great job and even inspired a dog to sing too.  They also worked on the Detective Badge, enjoyed hot chocolate and lots of sugar, and created Christmas crafts.

Merry Christmas from our Girl Scout Troop!

Gingerbread Creations

We don't always make gingerbread houses, but we did this year.  I have the privilege of making them with my niece and nephew the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  She created the house, and he created the train.  Pretty good if I do say so myself.

Family Christmas Tree

Many years ago, my aunt gave Granny a lit Christmas Tree on a 2' x 4' that had a large star that said, "My Great Grandkids," and had 5 red ornaments, each with a great grandchild's name.  We didn't know what to do with it, so we repainted the star to remove the words.  We then repainted the ornaments, and put my name and the names of my brother, sister-in-law, niece, and nephew.  She even found 4 little starts that I painted yellow and we wrote the names of all the pets--our 1 and their 3.

Talking Santa

Every year, we went to Granny's on Christmas Eve.  She had a talking Santa hanging on her front door, and it would talk/sing all night.  Finally, someone would have enough and go take the batteries out.  Mom decided to hang ours up this year, and after a few minutes, we took the batteries out and hung it on a different door.

Christmas Cards

When I was in Kindergarten, my Brownie Girl Scout troop made Christmas card holders, and it is one of my favorite things to hand each year.  It has 3 ribbons, and each ribbon has 3 clothes pins.  We hang all the Christmas cards we receive from the pins, and we normally have quite a few cards on each one.  I even had my Girl Scout troop make one several years ago b/c it is such a vivid Girl Scout memory for me.

(Excuse the GS calendar behind it.)

A Good Weekend

On Friday, when the ice started and school closed, Mom and I headed south about 3.5-4 hours to spend the weekend with my niece and nephew.  She sat in the dance convention with my sister-in-law watching my niece while I hung out with my nephew, doing whatever we found.

I found all kinds of things for us to do outside, but it was below freezing, and the wind on Saturday was horrible.  Also, many things closed. So . . . we had to figure out what to do indoors.  We found a movie theater that also had a bowling alley, black light mini-golf, and an arcade.  He loved it!  He enjoyed it so much, we did it again today.

I had an amazing time spending time with him, listening to his music, and talking!

This is a dancing princess!  She spent all weekend dancing, dancing, dancing.

Christmas Scenes

Granny collected all kinds of little houses, people, trees, benches, and so much more.  She had them on her mantel, hearth, in front of the fireplace, and on the other table top like surfaces of her living room. We have not had those types of things at our house.  This year, Mom decided she wanted a scene or two on our piano.  This is what we created.  It is even lit, which is a first for each of the pieces.

Ice Day and Christmas Light Stroll

Today, we received an unexpected Ice Day, so no work or school for much of the northern part of the state.  Normally, I would either lay around, clean, do school work, or read.  I would not get out b/c I would heed the warnings and stay inside.  Not today!  Mom and I braved the ice and cold, defrosted the truck windows, which took nearly 30 minutes, and headed south.  (I'm still not sure why we never put the truck in the carport to protect the windows.  Oh, well!) The roads were slushy, wet, and somewhat icy near home, but once we got about an hour from home, things starting clearing up.  Once we were 2 hours away, things were significantly better.  Now that we have arrived to our destination, the wind is gusty and freezing, but the roads are dry.  Can't wait to have a fun weekend with my niece and nephew!

While the ice is so bad for the trees, they sure were pretty covered in ice.  These are pics I took as we drove.

 

After dinner, my niece, nephew, and I spent a short time walking along the Colorado River lookng at Christmas lights and scenes.

 

Church and Wise Men

Ever since I was little, we have put out these wise men and this church.  We always set them up so that the wise men are walking to the church.  I have no idea why.  The wise men are actually candle holders, but they have never held candles.  This is the first year we have ever put a light in the church.  Usually, these items are on the mantel or heart, but this year, we put them on the piano stool.

Holiday Boots

When I was little, Granny was really into ceramics.  I think she even took a class, and Mom even joined her at times.  Mom made these two boots one year, and we put them out every year at Christmas.  Sometimes, they sit under the tree.  Other times, they sit on the hearth.

Advent Memories

My second favorite thing to decorate with during the holidays is our Advent Calendar, also made by Granny.

The whole thing is made of felt.  The tree is trimmed with sequins.  Each of the 24 pockets has the date sequined on it.  There are 24 different ornaments, all sequined by hand.  There is an angel, as you see, a star, various shaped ornaments, a drum, gingerbread man, toy car, and more.  The Santa head goes in 24 every time.  Once we get all of the ornaments pinned on, I will post again to show you the completed tree.

On December 13th, I had a Girl Scout catch up. This is how she decorated it.

December Means Holiday Memories

I have decided that I will share pics and memories related to Christmas throughout December.

Today, I begin with stockings.  I love my Christmas stocking.  I always have!  Granny made sequined stockings for all of us to hang at her house.  I love looking at them every year.  Mom made a set, slightly different but of the same pattern, to hang at our house.  The first thing I like to decorate is the mantel and hanging the stockings.  On Christmas morning, the first thing I like to open is my stocking.

All the sequin work was done by hand.  Several years ago, Mom decided to add some new items, so the school items on the left were added since I am an educator, and the mustang on the right was added to represent college. Our names are sequined at the top on a little cuff.

December, Already?

How did December 1st get here already?  I just can't believe it is already December.  It seems like the last few months have zoomed by.

I was so busy today.  I began the day with church.  Always a great way to start a Sunday!  I joined my BFF and her family for a quick lunch before heading back to church for CPR/AED training.  After training, I ran some errands in preparation for the Ladies' Red Stocking Party and Ornament Exchange.  Because I had been out of town, I needed to pick-up some food and an ornament.  I ended the evening with a great group of ladies visiting, eating wonderful food, and exchanging ornaments. 

While it was a busy day, it was a great day!

What ornament did I receive?  I got 2 crystal snowflakes.  Beautiful, they are. (I'll have to add a picture later.)

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope that you had a blessed day filled with family and memories. 

I had the opportunity to spend the day with my niece, nephew, Mom, brother, and sister-in-law.  It was our first year to not spend it at our house b/c we traveled to their place.  It appears our traditions are slowly changing, but as long as we are together, I guess that is all that matters.  It was a good day with great food, good conversation, and relaxing time together.

How did you spend your day?

And . . . because an educator's job is never done, we spent part of the evening working on my nephew's Science Fair project.  Yep!  We know how to spend a holiday. 

Busy November & a Science Conference

The last two weeks have been quite busy.  The weekend after Halloween was slow and restful, but then it got busy.

I spent the evening of November 5th through the afternoon of November 9th about 4 hours south of my home at a state Science conference.  I was blessed to hang out with some great people, learn a lot, get a little exercise, and enjoy a little time away. We were really busy, but it was also relaxing and a really wonderful time.

While at the conference, I had the opportunity to hear Adam Steltzner. He was great! He played Bass in a Rock Band at 21 and was a Rocket Scientist at 30.  Amazing story on how he became interested in Science and started on his path toward NASA.  When he finished speaking, I still wanted to know more.

Adam Steltzner

"Adam Steltzner, the lead mechanical engineer for the crucial entry, descent and landing events when the rovers reach Mars, agrees. On top of being an award-winning teaching fellow at the University of Wisconsin, Adam was also in a rock band. And he loves his job at NASA.

"'It's certainly been the high point of my career. . . working on this essential phase of the mission," he said. "It's been an absolutely incredible experience, very gratifying.'"  Retrieved from http://marsrover.nasa.gov/spotlight/marsapalooza02.html on November 16, 2013.