Christmas Vacation

I just LOVE vacation!

It's my favorite time of year...Christmas cards adorn the walls of many homes, sparkling Christmas lights can be seen in every neighborhood, Christmas carols are heard everywhere you go, and family members get a day or two off (usually) to spend more time with their loved ones.

This Christmas was particularly memorable because it was the first Christmas for Steven & me. Having heard of the hardships that could arise between couples trying to spend equal amounts of time together, I really tried my best to spend time with both families. And today, I can sit here and say "I had the best of both worlds"...

Christmas Eve was spent with my family during the day, and when the evening came, we went over to the Lambson home to join in their Christmas Family Traditions...it was a night filled with driving around looking at Christmas Lights, Singing Christmas Carols in the car (and man, we sure did have quite a Choir going on in Steven's car), and watching Scrooge to end the evening. Well, almost watch Scrooge...I ended up falling asleep and we had to leave early!

Christmas morning was spent at the Wiles house. We ate a heartly southern breakfast filled with eggs, country ham, biscuits, and...did we forget the fried potatoes this year? Yummmm...it was so delicious! Then, we opened gifts one at a time...I mean, my niece and nephew (Gavin & Lauren) opened our presents one at a time. What fun it was to see them so excited about opening gifts! Then, we started making lunch which consisted of smoked turkey, homemade sranberry relish, potato casserole, sweet potatoe casserole, green been casserole (yep...we love us some yummy casseroles in the south!!), roles, green jello, fruit...and I think I'm missing something, but there was so much food I just can't remember it all!

Christmas Evening was spent at the Lambson home. We went and opened gifts once again! That was fun...getting to open our own gifts this time and just getting more gifts period. That was fun! Then we snacked on some cookies and just hung out with each other. It was nice to see his family, play a few new games we'd gotten for Christmas (Domino's...Mexican Train version of course, & SLAP...the most funnest card game ever!)

So, this Holiday season was well spent and in dang good company, too. I'll take another one of those anyday...How about tomorrow, too?

I hope everyone of you had a safe Holiday and that it was filled with as much joy and laughter as your homes would have room for. I love you all, and appreciate you taking time to read and comment on my blog...it means a lot!

Merry Christmas (belated as it is)

Happy New Year (may it be filled with lots of bubbly goodies)

Happy Hannakkuh (don't burn down anything)

Happy Belated Birthday (to a few of you who recently had one around Christmas time...yes, that's you--Beesley & Nielsen...& yes, I know you're both married...I just wanted to do it for old times sake and for a good laugh)

Memories & A Shout Out...

I went to one of my friend's wedding reception this Saturday. When I moved to Columbia, she was the first person to say HI to me at church. She was my first friend, and the first one to give me a calling....uggghhhhh! Just kidding. She happened to be the RS President, and how lucky was I to get to know her! ha ha

Anyway, it was a very cute and simple reception a few nights ago. She was all wrapped up in her new hubby, John. How cute they were, and how in love both of them seemed! It was great to finally see her get married. I know well of the frustrations and feelings of loneliness and wondering if you would ever find "Mr. Right."

I remember just how frustrating it was trying to find "the one" and getting nowhere, and having no luck. I would find great guys, and even go out on a few dates with them; but I always ended up heartbroken one way or another. It seemed as if I was doomed to live the life of a single young woman.

Then I moved to Columbia, MO. And things took a drastic turn for me. Not only did I find a wonderful job, but I found a man that would love me forever. That is more than anyone could ever hope for! I am so blessed to have someone in my life, and I'm grateful to have gone to the reception this weekend (even though there was quite a blizzard going on around me), and be reminded of the past. I was the last one to get married and have my reception in the same building. Shannon Bell (now Hufford) was helping my mother and a few other gals prepare for my reception. This weekend it was my turn to help her out, and I was glad to do so.

And last, but not least...a SHOUT OUT to my husband who is at home sleeping soundly in the bed with an aching foot. I am so glad that I found him, and that he asked me to marry him. I am excited for our future together, and look forward when we will one day be parents and have our own children to teach, and watch them grow. What an exciting thing it is to be married. It has its ups and downs, just like anything else in life. But having someone there to hold you when you need it, rub your feet when they are aching, and someone to worry about you, and smile at you, and support you...well, life just doesn't get any better than this! Steven, I love you...and thanks for being you! I hope you feel better soon (can we cut off your foot yet?)!

Christmas Time

Christmas is just right around the corner! Every year it seems to come & go so quickly! I look back on the times when I was a child and can remember how much fun it was to get presents under the tree (especially the BIG ones). But today, I sit here and think just how little presents really mean to me today. Don't get me wrong..it's nice to get a gift, but I really find more joy in giving a gift to someone else, and I get even happier when I'm deciding how to decorate the package. I love putting bows and ribbons on presents and making them look attractive.

I love looking at Christmas lights, hanging stockings, and all the little fun stuff that this wonderfuly holiday season allows me to do. I can't wait to get my own place where I can decorate and stuff up. I've decided I'm going to make our own stockings with my new sewing machine that my mother-in-law gave me. I'm not too much on making my own patterns, so I'll need a bit of help. Any one found a cute stocking that isn't TOO DIFFICULT to make, that would be something that I could make a few different styles of? I mean...I want them to all look similar, yet everyone's needs to be different. I'm not sure how many kids Steven & I will have, but I plan on making 5ish (maybe one more...you never know) and hopefully that will be enough. I'm kind of picky about what I like, though. Here are some samples of what I think is TACKY...

There are a FEW things I've found that I could consider, but nothing has really jumped out at me. What about something like these? I like a more modern type of stocking. I really detest the ones that everyone has...the typical red & green look with fuzzy stuff on the top. So, here's a sample of what I've found so far...I like them all, but I can't really decide how to do any of them AND I don't really have a clue how to start....any advice?

YIKES...I got elfed!!

Check us out!

It's a SNOW day...

Look at my cool 'lil snowflake....& make some of your very own!.

http://www.popularfront.com/snowdays/

Here's my snowflake # 5497052 , #5733470

Happy snowflaking!

Here Comes The Snow...

Winter is DEFINITELY on it's way! Today, there is a wind chill like no other. I've forgotten just how cold my trailer can be to teach in, when the weather is so extremely cold! One of the students opened up a window this morning and suddenly a gust came from nowhere and blew papers off of several student's desks! It was crazy!

Bundle up, folks....'cuz here comes Jack Frost nippin at your nose. He certainly has nipped at mine already. I can't wait to get out of school for a day and cozy up to Steve by the fire (oh wait...we still don't know how to work it just right...bummer!).

Monday evening

So life is pretty crazy right now. STRESS, STRESS, & more STRESS! Did I mention that I have tons of STRESS right now? ha ha So, if you are wondering why I haven't written in so long on my blog, it is because of that. I am trying so hard to be a good teacher, a wonderful wife, an acceptable cheerleading coach, a wonderful friend, and a hard-working counselor. Needless to say, I am failing in almost all of these catergories. I mean, I just can't seem to get my act together and it really is bothering me that I have so MUCH to do, and I never seem to have time to make any of them better!!! It is really a struggle for me.

So last night, for FHE, I had a great idea. Usually, Steven & I just sit around the house watching a movie, eating, or playing a board game (Scrabble, Skip-Bo, Sorry, or Domino's). But yesterday, we were both in the Christmas mood so I wanted to go shopping. We looked around Wal-Mart and shopped for our "future tree." It was lots of fun. This year, since we are still living with my parents, we don't have to worry about spending money on a tree, stockings, lights, etc. We are just bumming off of them. But, we went and asked questions like..."how do you feel about Nutcrackers, babe? ... If you were to pick one of these stockings to buy, which one would it be and why?" We discussed everything from styles of wrapping paper to types of trees we want to buy (I'm allergic to real trees, so it must be artificial, anyway!). One thing we both agree on--absolutely NO nappy blow-up objects in the front yard! ha ha

The best part of the night was going to the dollar store. We each had $2 and a quarter for tax. We bought one serious gift, and a funny gift. Then, we went home and wrapped them up, wrote a letter to go with them, and exchanged gifts. How much fun we both had! Steven gave me a knight's sword (to beat him up with when he gets on my nerves...the thing is HUGE) and some Christmas cookie cutters (so we can bake cookies together, make fun icing decorations, and deliver them close to Christmas...exciting, I know!). I gave Steven a hamburger-mallow! Ya, it's just as disgusting as it sounds! His favorite food is a hamburger, and they had a huge marshmallow shaped like a burger...he even took a bite of it...so gross!!! Then, I got him a 500 piece puzzle of a wintry scene; something we can do together instead of playing the same 'ol board games...he LOVED it!

We had so much fun last night. Ok, so Steven had a limp b/c of his leg hurting. But he was a good sport overall. Check out his blog later today...we took some pics and he's going to upload them later today! You should definitely check out his blog (there's a link on the right)...it's quite hilarious, and of course his version is a lot different from mine! :)