Crafting Christmas

Is it bad that I wore pajama pants all day Saturday? I don't even know what the temperature was like because I stayed like this from 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.

*See me being a good SITS girl and leaving some comment love? Holy Cannoli there are a lot of you to visit!

Now how could you turn down snuggle time like that? In reality, after about 10 minutes my arm starts to go numb from the weight of the cat, and she periodically rubs across the keyboard causing me to lose everything I typed. But I decided that after the mental, physical and emotional drainage of the past few weeks, I needed a day in bed. I gotta admit, it felt good to be lazy!

By Sunday, I had done all the "nothing" I could do and talked the boys into a coffee shop run for a peach smoothie, a blueberry scone and a bite of pumpkin muffin (the young un can never quite finish). My favorite coffee place has a fireplace, big comfy chairs and plenty of eye candy (no not that kind, this kind). I would have taken a picture, but we were having a technology free morning :)

I have been a bit worried that I haven't gotten caught up in the whole Christmas Spirit this year. Thanksgiving was just a blur and it's thrown me off my game. I feel a little Cindy Lou Who.




The young un proudly announces the countdown each morning when I wake him up, and I feel bad that we don't even have a tree up. So off to the storage building we went. I think someone must be sneaking in there and leaving stuff, because there is no way it should take two trips with a packed car and still not get everything! Since I had spent a lot of time blog stalking Saturday, I started to tackle some projects that inspired me to get my Christmas self together.

First, we tried our hand at these. Out of 2 boxes of ornaments, I was quite impressed there was only one casualty. I think I may use some of these on our garland and some for gift tags.

Then I broke out my Cricut, my endless supply of scrapbook paper and anything "winter-y" in my stash.

** mom these little happies are headed your way.**


This is what the kitchen table looked like after about half an hour... and will continue to look like for the rest of the week. We just kind of make a place to eat amidst the rubble. Oh who am I kidding... we don't eat at home that much.

At the end of the day I felt some of that holiday happiness creeping back in. I also felt the aches in my back from being hunched over at the table all day. Crafting is not glamorous work!

I have one finished project to show for my chaotic crafting. It's already claimed a spot in the living room.

Oh, and I brought a little Holiday to the young-uns shower too!

P.S. Kelly, my super fabulous blog makeover maven is having a Fabulous K Creative giveaway. The winner will receive a complete blog makeover using a kit of your choice from her designers. How much fun would it be to start the new year out with a new look? Go visit her to get entered.

Fridays are my favorite!

Some mornings when you wake up you just know it's going to be a good day. That was today: featured blogger, 100th post and a phone call from my brother saying they are moving him to a hospital closer to home. It's enough to make a girl giddy. And just to make sure my students understod the importance of the day, I gave a test on the constitution. Ahhh, such blissful silence for 4 solid hours :) I even managed to sneak in a few comment peeks, but like always, got paranoid that the school was tracking my computer usage and didn't want to see the comments they would leave...

I have to say it's a totally different experience on this side of the comment box. I was blown away by the visitors and all the witty comments! (And I should totally have given a disclaimer to not eat or drink anything while reading the google post. I had to clean up a few spills from that one!) I am looking forward to visiting everyone that visited me, and have made a pretty good dent since I finally tore myself away from a desk full of scantrons. I may even get in the Christmas Spirit and decorate this weekend--and by decorate I mean get the plastic bins out of storage. The young un has been lusting after light displays our neighbors put up this week. He even offered to buy lights at Hobby Lobby today. He would have had a deal too, if he had offered to also pay the guy to put them up for us!

So now as I sit here with my diet coke in one hand and a lovely bottle of wine in the other I am off to spread the Friday Feature love with my fellow SITS bloggers.At least until my finger tips go numb. Then I'll pick back up tomorrow (like I need another reason not to do the dishes!) But one more shout out before I go---Fabulous K, this blog looks fantabulous! You are one talented girl and I'm glad you are joing the SITS community!

Thanks for making this Friday my favorite!

100th post (1 post later)

100 posts? Who would have thought? In all the craziness of the past few weeks, I didn't notice how close I was to the magic number. And, now, here I am at 101! To honor my 100th post, here are 100 things about me:

1. My first teaching job was at the same jr high that I attended (with some of the same teachers).


2. I felt weird to be in the teacher's lounge with them.


3. My first "real" job was at Baskin Robbins.


4. I awarded myself the title of "Super Scooper".


5. I also had to sample pralines & cream every time I passed the case.


6. I drove a huge blue & silver suburban in high school.


7. I got it stuck one day "mudding" with some friends after school.


8. In 5th grade my finger was nearly cut off by an exacto knife.


9. 4 weeks later I nearly cut off two more fingers when a ceramic bowl broke in my hands.


10. My right hand looks like something from Frankenstein because of all the stitches.


11. I joined 4-H in 3rd grade to show horses.


12. I won a sew with cotton contest in high school with a snazzy pair of sacks and a trapeze/swing type blouse.


13. I mooned a boys dorm at my baptist college. (Sigma Love!)


14. I played JV basketball for one season at the same baptist college.


15. I was a cheerleader my senior year of high school because I wanted to travel with the basketball team.


16. I dropped out of high school early in order to start college early.


17. I have an aversion to anything math related thanks to my high school geometry teacher.


18. I saved all my college math courses for my final semester as a senior (not a good idea!)


19. I took my statistics final 4 days after my son was born.


20. I nearly got into a fight with a referee at my brother's high school soccer game.


21. I was 8 months pregnant at the time.


22. I love pineapple pizza.


23. I hate celery.


24. I make a mean creme brulee.


25. I took a cake decorating course, but should have taken a cake baking course.


26. I have 23 pairs of shoes.


27. I wear my leopard flip flops everyday. (even in the winter)


28. I grew up at dirt tracks watching my dad and brother race cars.


29. I sang the national anthem before a race.


30. I was on the "pageant circuit" in high school.


31. I fell of the stage at one of them.


32. I can take 3 hours baths.


33. Spellcheck is my BFF.


34. I have 2 tattoos.


35. I drove 4 hours to get one of them because tattoo parlors were illegal in OK.


36. I have lived in 3 states: LA, OK and TX.


37. I like TX best :)


38. but I still go back "home" whenever I can.


39. I have one brother.


40. He is finally awake after a near fatal collision two weeks ago.


41. I cried when I talked to him.


42. I collect dancing hamsters.


43. They live on a bookshelf in my classroom.


44. I am a cold weather wimp.


45. I have seen snow less than a dozen times.


46. I wish I could be a travel journalist


47. Or a costume designer.


48. Or a philanthropist.


49. I hate to cook.


50. Because I always burn stuff.


51. In college my roommate and I hosted "The Bachelor" viewing parties.


52. We also made a "drink of the week".


53. My favorite was Apple Martini Monday!


54. I adopted a stray cat in college.


55. It lives at my mom's house (10 years later).


56. I prefer Lettermen to Leno.


57. I love to read.


58. I can't pass the book area of any store without buying one.


59. I play Wii instead of grading papers.


60. My wii fit age is 37.


61. My real age is 30.


62. I started Crossfit this year in an effort to get in better shape.


63. I surprised myself by sticking with it.


64. I'm better shape now than I have been in the past 5 years.


65. I am a huge Astro's fan.


66. I jumped in Jeff Bagwell's truck to take a picture one night after a game.


67. The truck was moving.


68. I played the flute for 3 years.


69. I can still play the batman theme song.


70. My dad was the drummer in a country band when I was little.


71. I used to dream of starting my own band.
72. I sang in an all faculty rock band called "Old Skool" at a Battle of the Bands.


73. I once shared an office with 2 copy machines, 9 teachers and a crazy copy guy/advice giver.


74. I have taught English III, 8th grade Lang Arts and 8th grade US History.


75. I'm thinking about teaching at the local community college.


76. I have 4 boxes of photographs and not a single scrapbook.


77. I buy scrapbook paper every time I go to Michael's.


78. I prefer texting and emails to talking on the phone.


79. I have a mild fear of flying.


80. I miss my Dallas friends.


81. I drive like a mad woman all summer long.


82. I don't like to just "sit".


83. I have asthma.


84. It gets worse when it gets cold.


85. When I'm sleepy/angry I have a noticeable southern drawl.


86. My favorite movie is Steel Magnolias.


87. Followed closely by the Indiana Jones Series.


88. I drink diet coke instead of coffee in the morning.


89. My husband and I met at a Human Resources Orientation.


90. He had been in town less than 24 hours.


91. We married 2.5 years later.


92. On the top of the stratosphere.


93. In Las Vegas.


94. I did not miss the stress of planning a wedding.


95. I have never watched "So You Think You Can Dance".


96. I can't miss "One Tree Hill".


97. Wrigley's spearmint gum reminds me of my papaw.


98. I love to play trivial pursuit.


99. I want to try-out for Jeopardy.


100. I have the best, most supportive friends (in real life and blog) to get me through the good times and the bad.

So there you go. All the little things that make me, well, me. If you stuck through this entire list, then I feel honored. leave me some random facts about yourself in the comments. I love to find out I'm not the only one this side of normal :)

Making a list...

You know how much I love a good list...

Well the young-un has just put the finishing touches on his, and I quote, "More than 6 page Christmas List" Now rest assured he does not get that much for Christmas, but we have 2 sets of grandparents to send lists to, plus Santa gifts, so this gives us variety. He was especially careful to include the price with each item as well :) I'm sure he could find a way to spend that Target gift card!

Things to do in 15 minutes

In 15 minutes I can

1. Paint my nails "sheer" your toys or brand new skates from the OPI Holiday in Toyland line.
2. Straighten my hair.
3. Complete a Crossfit W.O.D, maybe "Fran"?
4. Enjoy a salted caramel hot chocolate from Starbucks.
5. (According to my husband) spend $200 at Target.

And, thanks to the fabulous ladies at SITS, now I'll have a chance to try that last one! Yesterday I took part in the first annual Merry SITSmas Party. It was so much fun visiting new blogs, and I know it's going to take me a few days to get to all 305 blogs, but I made some steady progress. I was up till well after midnight clicking and commenting and getting caught up in reading all the great posts, only to awaken 5 hours later to the news that I.Won.The.Grand.Prize. The $200 Target gift card and a Friday Feature! Seriously!? Can a Wednesday morning start any better? I think not. Thanks to Tiffany & Heather for hosting yet another rocking comment-love party, and their fantabulous sponsors for providing some very drool-worthy prizes!

Now I'm off to get spiffied up for Friday....oh the pressure!!!!

At least the door is done...

Just wanted it noted that I have put up one Christmas decoration... my sweet Canton-purchased wreath!

I even added a bow.

Merry Sits-mas!

Those girls over at The Secret is In The Sauce are at it again. It's SITS-mas in the blogging world and they've got some great presents to get you in the giving mood. While recent events have not been conducive to a holiday vibe, I need to take a break from reality and get caught up in the happiness and joy that is the holiday season. I haven't decorated for Christmas yet, but when I do, you can be sure I'll be looking to these bloggers for inspiration:

Saucy- Have you seen her Christmas Charm bracelets? And her blog template uses stills from the old claymation cartoons, how cute is that?! If I only lived in her neighborhood..who am I kidding, I wouldn't last for 30 seconds in those temperatures!

Kimba- I have been obsessed with her Holiday Tablecloth/runner. I can't wait to see what else she has in store.

Corrie- This girl has totally whipped her house into holiday shape. And did you notice her fireplace?

Thrifty Decor Chick- I would pay her to spread some thriftiness and decor into my house this holiday season. Oh please fairy Godmother :)

So when I finally drag myself over to the storage building (and put away the Halloween doo-dads) I hope the spirit of inspiration will allow me to do half of what these talented bloggers have done.

For those that have been praying for my brother and my family during this time, Thank You! The progress my brother has made has been miraculous and I know it's because of the prayers lifted up for him. It is a comfort to know that there are so many people that know him, and even more that know him only through this blog, that have lifted him up in prayer.