Day 22

Yesterday, I did some shopping for Christmas presents. Today, I went shopping at two grocery stores. I bought some food for Christmas Eve and christmas Day. There were a LOT of people out for Monday and Tuesday afternoons. Thankfully everyone I met was patient and happy which makes the whole experience more enjoyable! Check out Straight No Chaser singing The Christmas Can-Can in which shopping figures prominently.

Day 21

I have finished my Christmas cards. I also wrote a short note to include this year.

Day 20

Sometimes I take advantage of a weekend morning to actually cook breakfast. Today I had French toast. I can't believe that I used to think that this was difficult to make. I was glad to find an easy recipe in my Starving Student Cookbook and now I can even add some cinnamon, vanilla or secret Lounsberry flavoring to make it even tastier. Yum!

Day 19

Today I put up my Christmas tree. When I was growing up, we always went to a tree farm, cut down a tree and dragged it back to the truck. Then it sat in a bucket of water until after my mom's birthday. Then we could cut off the bottom again and try to get it into the tree stand. After that, we half carried and half pushed it through the door into the house. The tree stood in front of a window in the family room. Once it was standing, the bolts had to be adjusted to make the tree stand up straight. Sometimes branches had to be trimmed so the star would fit on the top. Someone had to crawl under the tree branches to add water to the stand. This had to be done carefully or the water would overflow. When the tree was standing straight and tall, Dad would put on the lights. When each light was twinkling, Mom, my sister and I would put on the ornaments, each with its own story. Then the icicles were hung with care strand by strand creating a sparkly, beautiful tree.

Day 18

Everyone enjoyed our fabulous winter celebration at school. The students rotated to all the stations allowing them to experience many fun activities. They decorated scrumptious sugar cookies. Creating a foam snow globe with our class picture was fun too. Picking up Hershey's kisses with chopsticks was a bit of a challenge! BINGO is always popular, especially when you can win a Tootsie pop. Many students also painted or created a snowflake ornament. Everyone was very busy! I am always thankful to all the parents who helped by coordinating the party, running the stations, and sending supplies. It would be much more stressful without all of their work!

Day 17

Today we had an assembly at school. Our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade starter string students played a few songs. They looked quite professional in their performance clothes. Then Mrs. Childers, Mrs. Lueking and Mr. Fowler played the flute, violin and piano. The students chimed in and sang some familiar holiday songs. Finally, several staff members sang three songs: Deck the Halls, Winter Wonderland and Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree. It was fun to watch and sing.

Day 16

Day 15

We usually have a holiday assembly or two. Today, my class found a spot in the gym with the other 500 students to enjoy the music of the Lincoln Magnet School Jazz Band. Unfortunately, I had to spend most of my time looking for the substitute art teacher so I could go to our mandatory grade level meeting, so I only got to hear a couple of the songs.

Day 14

I have always enjoyed Christmas movies. This is my small video collection and now that my VCR no longer works properly, I am limited to my DVD choices! I have watched several on tv this year: Rudolph, Frosty, Santa Clause 3, Charlie Brown's Christmas, Shrek the Halls and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. I have also watched some at Dad's house on Fa La La La Lifetime and the Hallmark channel. (If I had these channels, I would never accomplish anything during the holidays!) I still need to watch Santa and Pete. This is a favorite that explains how many Christmas traditions came to be.

Day 13

On this third Sunday of Advent, we met in the Cartwright Community Center for church services. The PPHS madrigals came and sang. Then we had a lovely potluck. I made a peach cobbler and took some potato chips. After lunch, Dad and I put up the Christmas tree at his house. We also put the 3-candle lights in the front windows. Last week we hung the outside lights around the side door and on the front railing.

Day 12

Day 11

Today the PTO gifted us with a scrumptious holiday luncheon. There were so many mouth-watering soups that it was impossible to try them all! I had a vegetable soup and a slice of a ham sandwich ring. The sandwich had a really tasty brown honey mustard. I finished up with a delicious piece of cheesecake. Yum! Thank goodness the students were able to go outside today to run off some holiday excitement allowing all of the teachers a peaceful time for lunch.

Day 10

Day 8

A Warm Winter's Nap...

One year Grandma gave me flannel sheets for my birthday. I have been sleeping on them all winter for several years now. Unfortunately, they have suffered from the constant wear. So, this year I bought some new "sheets". They are fleecy so they really don't seem like the sheets that I have always known, but they are so soft and warm and snuggly. I don't know how I have slept so long without these extremely comfortable sheets!

Day 9

Grandma gave me this Spritz cookie press. So...tonight I decided to try to make some Jello Spritz cookies for the Lindsay School Cookie Walk. I beat and beat and beat to cream the butter. Then I stirred and stirred and stirred in the flour. I probably won’t be able to lift an arm tomorrow. I filled the cookie press and twisted the knob. It takes a LOT of practice to make the cookies look correct and now that I look at them I think they should have pointier petals for a poinsettia. They got really brown around the edges. They taste pretty good but I don’t think they are pretty enough for the Cookie Walk. Bad news...no cookies for school. Good news...a container full of Christmas cookies for me!

Day 7

Day 6

I love flowers! Even on the years when I have not had a tree, I have had a poinsettia. Some years they are bright, flaming red and other years they are muted pink denim, but they are never white. Sometimes they are large and sometimes they are small and they are all pretty. Somehow, I never seem to be able to keep them happy until the next Christmas, though.

Day 5

What could be more fun than a trip to the library? Try a trip to the library where you are immersed in holiday books! I went with the intent of checking out the All-I-Ever-Want Christmas Doll by Patricia McKissack. I thought this might be fun for an classroom interactive read aloud sparking deeper thinking. As I was looking for this particular book in the holiday section, I found my eyes wandering to other Christmas inspired books. Check out my holiday library loot!

Day 4

I bought this fun, triangle-shaped Santa on an annual birthday outing with Joyce and Ruth Ann. He was actually purchased as a present, but I seem to be growing attached to him. He has been sitting on my fireplace hearth and I am not sure that I can give him away now. He reminds me of the JOY of Christmas. I can't imagine looking at a triangle piece of wood and "seeing" this cute Santa!

Day 2 & 3

Tonight, I attended the annual United Methodist Women's Christmas Salad and Sandwich Party. I began attending with my mother and my grandmother several years ago. As they are both gone now, many of my traditions are changing but sharing this time with the women of my church is one that I have maintained. We always enjoy the sandwiches and salads, listen to a holiday mini-lesson and exchange prayer pal gifts. It is always fun to see what everyone receives. My gift was a devotional book about women in the Bible. (Do you think someone is trying to tell me something?)


My photo challenge for today was to photograph something warm: a bumpy red Christmas candle salvaged from Grandma's house and warm cider in a Christmas gift mug from a student.