Friday's Letter... TO SANTA

Dear Santa,

It's me again.  One of your loyal subjects, devoted to preserving a magic set forth at Christmas time by you.  I wrote to you last week asking that you try your best to spread some magic in the households of each of my students.  I have to say that I'm pretty upset that I got an email this week telling me that the small Christmas presents I ordered for each of my students are now on back order and won't be available until after Christmas.  Not really a great way to help me out there, Big Guy.

I know it's not your fault, and you can't possibly control the goings on of a company - but now that they won't be getting that little something from me, it's even more important that you help me out with that request I sent you last week.

This week, I do have a few small things I want to ask for completely for myself.

1.  Please make time go by faster!  This week has been the longest week ever and I just need to you to push the fast-forward button a little next week so that the first three days of the week fly by and put me on Christmas break.

2.  Please send me an elf to borrow to wrap gifts.  Wrapping gifts is fun, for a while, but it soon gets kinda boring.  I would love a little elf helper that can come and get it all over with for me.

3.  Please sprinkle some Christmas spirit over my children so that they stop arguing with each other and get along...even if it's just for the short time between now and Christmas.

4.  Please sprinkle some of that Christmas spirit on me at work and help me get out of this funk of dragging around the school looking like someone just stole my puppy.  Everyone knows I'm tired and I'm ready for Christmas Break, but I don't have to be so obvious about it.  I need to buck up and make the most of the last few days - and have fun.

5.  Read my letter, have a little chuckle to yourself, do what you can, but don't take any effort away from helping out with my last letter.  Seriously, I'd much rather go on with days that last forever than to take one second of your attention away from making a kid's Christmas special.

Writing these little letters to you really helps remind me what I have in my life, and what I need to be thankful for each and every day.  Boo-hoo I want it to be Christmas break.  Doesn't everyone?  I should be thanking all things holy that I even get a Christmas break and have plenty of time to spend with my family.  Many people aren't that lucky.  Some won't even get Christmas day off to spend with their loved ones.  Who am I to complain, whine, or ask for anything?

Alright, I need to go and get ready for work.  Thankfully, there is a giant Christmas celebration going on this afternoon...so that is bound to keep me excited and full of Christmas spirit.

Thanks for taking the time to read this - I know how busy this time of year is for you.

Ten Things Thursday

1.  Getting an email stating that your student's Christmas presents are on back order and probably won't be delivered until after Christmas SUCKS!  It's enough to completely ruin a day.  I was so looking forward to giving them something other than a pencil and an eraser for Christmas.  BLAH!

2.  Somehow, going to work an hour later than I should makes the day seem ten times longer.  No joke.  Yesterday, I was absolutely EXHAUSTED by the end of the day...for no reason whatsoever!  I guess an extra hour of sleep got to me, put me all out of whack, and made the day drag.

3.  I'm in crochet crazy mode right now.  The temperatures have dropped in to "winter range" and now all I want to do is sit on the couch and crochet.  I'm LOVING the challenge of making infinity scarves...and I've had several people at work approach me about making stuff for them.  I just really wish I had started this a couple of months ago.  I might have been able to make some extra Christmas money had I really buckled down on it back then.

4.  Pre-teen relationships boggle my mind.  When I was in 7th grade, I had boyfriends.  I remember being pretty boy crazy.  I don't remember being so stressed out having a boyfriend, deciding he's probably not right for me, breaking up with him, and then wondering if I'd made a terrible mistake and taking him back... over and over and over.  It makes for one grumpy, moody, and depressing pre-teen. 

5.  I was actually asked by my administration, yesterday, what they could do for me to ensure that I stay with them at the end of the year.  I had to laugh.  Seriously.  Two people that took a chance on a complete stranger and offered them a job when she started to think there wasn't a school out there that would do that, asking me what they could do to keep me?  Urm, give me another contract for next year?  After what I went through to find a job there just wasn't words for me to tell them how crazy of a question that was to ask me.  Besides, I'm pretty sure my kids would disown me if I even thought about trying to find a job in another school.  

6.  Not only is my job proving to be the best fit for me - but it may appear it's also going to help me get back in shape.  My assistant principal is a fitness guru - of sorts - and he's started perking my interest to try the program he does.  

7.  Yes, I'm thinking about getting back in to the weight loss game as soon as Christmas is over.  I know all the weight loss people out there will cringe when they see that I'm waiting until after Christmas... but I am.  There will be weight loss, working out, and the works once I get through this holiday.

8.  I'm ready for Christmas break!  Big time!

9.  I wish I had a helper from the North Pole to help me with the wrapping.  I love it at first, but then I soon get bored with it.  I wish someone would come and do it for me.

10.  I better go and get ready for school.  I'm hoping that today goes by WAY faster than the past few days.  I'm ready for the weekend!!

The Christmas Gift of Sleeping In

Right now, it is 6:25am.  Usually the time I'm rallying up the kids to head out the door for work.  But not today!  Today, I don't have to start the rallying process until about 7:45.

Why am I going in to work so late?

Well, because I have an amazingly awesome administration at my school that has given each teacher a day to sleep in late and not go in to work until 8:45. 

I'm normally at work between 7:00 and 7:10 each morning, so it feels really weird to not have to worry about getting there until an hour and a half later.

Last night, I set my alarm for an hour later than I normally get up.  Got up this morning, jumped in the shower, moseyed around on Facebook - and I still have almost an hour and a half before I have to leave.

Isn't it amazing how some of the Christmas gifts that don't cost a penny are the best gifts?  There's just no greater gift than the gift of more sleep...especially for someone that gets up so freakishly early every morning.

I even made sure I went to bed last night at my regular time, so I could actually feel the benefit of a full extra hour of sleep. 

I'm assuming it won't be long before I start hearing the kids rush out of their rooms wondering what on earth is going on - because they will forget that I told them a bazillion times that we'd be going to work late this morning.

Being a teacher's kid has it's perks... because the kids get to be excused this morning so I can enjoy my gift.  It won't affect their attendance - which is a big deal to Peanut.

This has really felt like a long week, so this gift couldn't have come at a more perfect time.  There's just 6 more days of school left... but I already feel like I've been at work for 8 days this week. 

Today is Hump Day, though, and it begins the downward descent to Christmas Break.  Tomorrow we have the end of year assembly, Friday we have a Fall festival in the afternoon, Monday and Tuesday we're testing, Tuesday night is the Christmas concert, and Wednesday is PARTY day!  Something fun going on each day - minus the testing, that is.  Now, that's what I'm talking about!

I'm going to have my work cut out for me this weekend, as I try and plan for our Christmas party at school on a very limited budget.  Being this close to Christmas has me on a very short list, monetarily speaking, and I still have gifts to buy for my secret pal.  And, of course, my next payday isn't until the day AFTER we break up for Christmas break.  Typical. 

Well, that's about all I have to share this morning.  Think I'm going to spend a little time looking around Pinterest for some crocheting ideas.  I'm almost finished with my first infinity scarf, and now I want to look for some different patterns.

HAPPY HUMP DAY!

True Traditions Tuesday

Last year, I did this type of post during December instead of Truthful Tuesday.  I really enjoyed it.  Now I have some new followers, I'm going to do the same thing this year.  I'm just going to share some of the traditions we have in our house for Christmas.

Since the the last week of November, we've watched a Christmas movie almost every night.  This is a new tradition that has been started by Jelly.  Already this year, we've watched The Grinch (twice), Polar Express (twice), Elf (twice), Arthur Christmas (twice), A Christmas Story (twice), A Christmas Carol, Santa Paws, and The Santa Claus 1 & 2.

Our Christmas tree is put up the night of Thanksgiving, and is decorated with homemade ornaments that the kids have been making since they were in preschool.  You might see a couple of store bought ornaments and balls that I've accumulated over the years as gifts or picked up along the way, but the majority of the ornaments are all handmade.  I have hand prints, foam cut-outs, cotton ball stockings, beaded candy canes, and reindeer.  All have been carefully preserved each year.  And the tradition continues this year as Jelly brings home ornaments from school and church to continue decorating with.

There are no gifts under the tree until Santa brings them on Christmas Eve, with the exception of the gifts that have been bought for family members.  I don't do the empty box thing, or the thing where I buy gifts and then Santa brings some to add.  Nope, the Big Guy brings all the presents on Christmas Eve so that the kids have absolutely no idea how much stuff is waiting for them on Christmas morning.  And this year, because of the addition of our cats to our family, there will be no gifts going under the tree AT ALL until Christmas Eve.  And, I'll probably have to stand guard Christmas Eve night on the couch - so that the gifts remained unopened for the kids come Christmas morning.

We have three Christmas celebrations each year.  Christmas Eve at P-Momma's, Christmas morning at our house, and Christmas day at my parent's.  Three times the celebration, three times the presents, three times the fun.  

Christmas Eve used to be the longest day of the year for me, but now that Christmas Eve is spent taking a trip to Steve's parents and ending up at P-Momma's, it's a fast day...and I LOVE IT!  We eat, exchange gifts, laugh, and have a great time while the kids burn some serious energy so that they'll go right to sleep that night.  When we do finally make it home, it's a mad dash to make cookies for Santa.  Apart from the gift opening, this is by far one of my most favorite traditions. 

Santa always gets handmade cookies and store bought eggnog left for him.  Also, Jelly has insisted the past couple of years that we leave some form of oatmeal mix for the reindeer.  Christmas Eve ends with watching Elf or A Christmas Story, putting out the cookies, hanging up stockings, and me tucking each child in to bed.  Last year, I also read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas to Jelly - and I'm hoping she'll want me to do that again this year.  

The kids are not allowed out of their rooms on Christmas morning until they have been summoned by me.  A strict rule/tradition that's adhered to very seriously in our house.  The kids can have at whatever they want from their stocking while they are waiting - but there will be no sneaking a peek at the tree until I've come out and called for them.  Thankfully for them, I'm usually the first one up each year - so they never have to wait very long.

Breakfast on Christmas morning consists of chocolate and cookies.  A tradition that has been in my family for as long as I've been alive - and I couldn't wait to pass on to my own children.  It's the one and only day of the year that the kids can wake up as early as they want and start eating the treats that Santa has left them in their stocking.  Then, once the gift opening has started, a platter of cookies is set out for everyone to enjoy while gifts are being opened.  Yes, it may explain why my rear continues to get bigger each year - but it's a tradition I'll never give up.

Christmas gifts are opened up one at a time, one person at a time.  I didn't spend weeks, months even, preparing for that special morning for it to be over in the blink of an eye.  I make the process last as long as possible.  Each person gets a gift - in turn - and then everyone sits and watches as that person opens the gift.  Pictures are then taken.  Rinse, repeat.  Rather than gift opening taking all of 20 minutes, I make it last out to at least an hour...usually longer.  The kids hate love it.


And there you have it.  Some of the traditions that are held strong in my house this time of year.  I can't believe that in exactly two weeks, at this very minute, I'll be making preparations for the big event to start.  No doubt, I'll already be up - at 6am - with a cup of coffee in hand waiting for the kids to start waking up.

I can't wait!

My Last Full Week of Work for 2012

So did not want to get up this morning.  Mostly because I stayed up until 11pm last night crocheting.  Never a good idea to stay up until 11pm when your alarm is set for 4:30am.  I hit the 'snooze' button several times before finally dragging my behind out of bed.

I've found a new crochet item I'm trying - and so now I'm all hooked on crocheting again.  I've started making an infinity scarf.  They look like this...

P-Momma told me on Saturday that she really wants one - but they sell for $15-$25 in the stores, and she's not really wanting to pay that much for a scarf.  Yeah, guess who's making one for a total cost of $4... the price of a ball of yarn?  Yep.  That would be me.

And if I'm able to make them and they look as good as I think they will - I'm selling these bad boys.  I could sell them for $10 and still come out with over 100% profit.  It amazes me how much crocheted items sell for in the stores.  Thank goodness I took the time to teach myself how to crochet.

Anywho, I woke up this morning with the realization that this is my last full week of teaching for 2012.  My first year of being a teacher is half over.  It's crazy!

It's hard to think that this time last year, all I really wanted for Christmas was a teaching position.  My own classroom.  My own students.  And I got all of those things and so much more.  It just blows my mind that I have only eight days left of teaching for 2012.

This week, I really want to carry with me how blessed and thankful I am for what I have in my life.  I want to celebrate how far I've come and the struggles I've overcome.  If there's anything I can share with my kiddos this week, it's the story of them all being a very late Christmas present for me this year.

Well, that's pretty much all I've got today.  Sleep deprivation tends to do that to me.  I'm sure I'll have plenty more to say the rest of this week.

Happy Monday!

Angels, Santa, and Grammy! Oh My!

What an amazing day we had yesterday.  A day full of Christmas and Birthday festivities galore.  And, yes, I'm fully aware that Jelly's birthday was Wednesday... but she celebrates her birthday like we celebrate Christmas... over a long period of time.

We had a lot of fun going to the Noel Christmas parade.  There were so many people there, but we were front row and center - and Jelly and Butter got a nice stash of candy.  Peanut was marching in the parade - and she did a wonderful job.

Butter and Jelly looked on in excitement...

After the parade, it was Jelly's turn to perform.  She was an angel - literally.  She sang Christmas carols with her preschool.

She decided after the first song that she really wasn't "feeling it" and just stood on the stage for the rest of the performance.  But she did a fantastic job singing "Jingle Bells". 

Once caroling was over, it was a quick change ready to go and visit Santa.  Thankfully, there wasn't a line waiting for the Big Guy so we managed to get right in there.  Jelly was so excited and had no problems telling him exactly what she wanted for Christmas...

After some time with Santa, it was off to Grammy's house for a late birthday dinner, cake, and presents. 

Can you tell she was excited about this one?  It's something she'd asked Santa for.  She loves this game... and it was Grammy to the rescue to make her day.

And after two birthday cakes that didn't have her name on it, she was more than thrilled to see this come out of the freezer...

Mint chocolate chip cake from Cold Stone Creamery

A little bashful as we sang Happy Birthday

She couldn't wake to snag a piece of that chocolate

It was such a fun day.  I'm just glad I actually remembered to take pictures... something I've been pretty bad about lately.  

Now, Peanut and I are going to go out and do some Christmas shopping.  Just the two of us.  Girls day out, here we come!

We're Off to the Christmas City to See Santa!

If you've read my blog for some time, you'll already know that I'm a big believer in signs.  Not the ones that tell you where to go or how to cross a street.  No, signs of life.  Things that happen that make you think - and then realize that there was some purpose or plan in store all along.

The rollarcoaster ride I took while looking for a teaching job was full of signs and signals.  I did my student teaching in an upper class school district - leading me to believe that I might get a job there.  I didn't.  But I gained a lot of experience working with kids that come from families that are super involved and have the means to financially and physically support the school.  Then, I took a job working as a Title 1 aide in a school district that had a very diverse and lower income population.  I loved working with kids that came from all kinds of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.  I thought all signs were then pointing towards me working in that school - with those kids.  Little did I know that all of those signs were actually leading me to where I was supposed to be.  I had to gain the knowledge and appreciation for the kids that I now work with...and now it all makes sense.

And if all of those signs just weren't enough, I ended up working in a town called Noel.  Yes.  Me.  The person that loves Christmas more than anyone I know ended up working in a town that has a literal meaning of "Christmas" in France.  On top of that, the school celebrates the Christmas holiday - all holidays in fact - which is getting rarer and rarer in today's world.  Oh yes, this is the town I was definitely supposed to be teaching in.

For weeks, I've been waiting in anticipation for the Christmas City to transform in to the winter wonderland I've been told so much about.  Each week, I would drive to work to see some new fixture.  Lights on stores.  Then lights on posts lining the streets.  Then, a little Santa's workshop decorated.  Then, a small nativity scene.  And last night, I noticed that a real barn like structure had been put in place ready for today's festivities.

Today, the Christmas City comes to life!

Starting at 2pm, Peanut is marching in her school band for the 125th annual Christmas Parade.  At 3pm, Jelly will be dressed as an angel and will perform in a real life nativity performance right on Main Street.  At 4pm, Santa arrives in a fully decked out Christmas Train.  And we will stand in line, probably for hours, just to walk through the train and give the kids a chance to see the big guy.

After all of the Christmas festivities, we're off to P-Momma's house for a mini late birthday celebration for Jelly's birthday.  And I couldn't think of a better way to end the day.

It blows my mind that there's only two Saturdays, after today, left before Christmas.  That means there's only eight school days left.  And only 17 actual days between now and Christmas.  That's just over two weeks, people!

I don't even mind that my calendar is jam packed for most of those 17 days.  The events are pretty much Christmas related, so I'm going to just go with the flow and soak it all up.  I'll get sleep during the summer next year.  HA!

Enjoy you're Saturday, everyone!  I know I will.