I'm Back!!!

OK, I finally got my computer back! Best Buy had it for about 3 weeks. Then I got it back and was so excited. 1 day later the motherboard died. So I had to give it back to them for another 2 weeks. So now I'm back and will hopefully get back into the blogging habit! I have missed it.


As you can see, I'm a little out of touch with the bloggy world. I have almost 500 blogs to read to get caught up!

Thanks to my mom for keeping me updated with little Harper. I'm so happy and grateful that she is home and healthy. My mom copied and pasted Kelly's blog and emailed it to my work email so I could know what was going on!

I will be back soon!

They are MINE

This is my second year as a classroom teacher. (My first 4 years I was a computer teacher.) And last year I absolutely fell in love with my first real class. So when I got back to school this year, I really missed them. It was hard not to constantly compare my current class to last year, and this class was seriously lacking!

But something has slowly occurred. I have fallen in love with this class. It happened so gradually, that I didn't even realize it. I started noticing a common theme in my thoughts about my class: "They are SO smart!" "Look how cute they are!" "These kids are cracking me up!" And stuff like that. And it took a while before I realized that I was proud of them! They are MINE and I love them!

It is such a good feeling to love the children you spend the entire day with. It feels more like a family instead of a job. It makes it easier to smile and laugh instead of get fed up and yell. It makes you want to work harder to design lessons that they will like. It makes you want to teach the same skill over. and. over. until they finally GET IT.

I'm usually a glass-half-full kind of person, so it pains me to think this... I'm going to lose them and start over again next year! At least I know what to expect for next year and I can prepare for my emotions. As for now, I'm going to focus on this connection with my kids and use it to help motivate me to do my best for them.

Inauguration + Snow

Today was a cool day at school. My kids were so pumped when they got to school. "Miss, do you know that we are going to get a new president today?" "Did you know its going to snow today?" "Obama is going to be our president!" "Can we build a snowman at recess?" This was my morning as I tried to maintain some sense of normalcy.

But around 11:30 we turned on the TV and they watched closely. The best part was when they announced, "President-elect Barack Obama!" The crowd in Washington went wild and so did my class! It was too cute! They clapped and cheered and one little boy pumped his arm in the air and shouted Oooobaaamma! Well, we had to go to lunch shortly after that. And in elementary school, you better not be late for lunch. But when we got to the cafeteria they had a TV in there and we were able to watch the actual swearing in. (Which was the part that I really wanted them to see.)

No matter who you voted for, today was an inspiring day.

As far as the snow day went, we didn't see one little flake during the school day. But the kids just couldn't understand why we couldn't build snowmen or throw snowballs. As kids who have never really seen snow in their life, all they can imagine are scenes from books and movies. I tried to explain that the ground was too warm for it to stick, but they didn't quite get it. Sure enough, about an hour after school was out, the snow started to fall. And it was beautiful! Not even one flake is on the ground, but still very pretty. This southern girl can appreciate it but I'm very thankful that we aren't dealing with it for months.

Kelly and Harper have been on my heart lately, and it seems like everyone else's in the blog world too.

I just wanted to post my support and prayers, and I want to say how much Kelly's attitude has impacted me. A lot of people would be angry at God, or question why, or even turn away from Him. I know its ok to ask questions of God and I know He would understand. But she hasn't. Her faith has been unmoved. Again it causes me to think on these verses...

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall." Matthew 7:24-27

Kelly is definitely experiencing a storm but she has a firm foundation that cannot be shaken.

Where have I been?

My computer has been broken!

And it has been crazy...You don't really realize how much you use your computer until you don't have it. And you don't really realize how much time you spend on the computer. Then you are presented with at least an extra hour a day, which really isn't a bad thing!

Best Buy has been a huge disappointment by taking 7 days just to decide what was wrong with my computer. (If they would have listened to me they would have had a head start!) When I called on the 6th day they said they hadn't even looked at it yet.

Then they called and sweetly said, "We have to send your computer away to be repaired and it will be 3-4 weeks before we get it back. Is that OK with you?"

"Sure, that sounds GREAT! I look forward to not seeing my computer for the rest of the month!!"

Sorry, I'll behave now.

Anyway, my kind madre has lent me her computer for the week because I have to turn in report cards on Thursday and I don't want to spend hours after school every day. Instead I'll be comfy on my couch and watch TV while I work. Thanks Mom!

OK well, this isn't much but I just wanted to check in! My blogging will be sporadic for a while but hopefully I'll be back to normal soon.

My homemade Christmas gifts

The original idea was to save money and make Christmas gifts instead of buying them. I don't know if any money was actually saved after all my trips to fabric stores, craft stores, and Wal-Mart. But it was fun and I think a homemade gift is always appreciated.

I made three different things: rice heat therapy bags, eye pillows for headaches, and lavender sachets. Most of my ideas came from this page on Sew Mama Sew, which is a great site if you sew or try to like me! Although some of the stuff was too difficult for me, so I simplified a lot! (They tell you to cut fabric into 2 x 7.75" strips!? So I just cut them into 2 x 8" strips and it seemed fine to me!)

Here's my little set up with my ironing board on the floor and laptop readily available. I was making my first rice heat therapy bag cover.

And here is the bag that goes inside with rice.

I put these on the floor to take a picture and Toby thought they were pretty cool. They close with Velcro. (Yeah, I sewed Velcro!!)
Then I started cutting about 100 fabric squares for the sachets. Okay maybe not 100 but it felt like it.

Here are the finished sachets. I was pronouncing them "sash-ets" until I told my little sister Karlie and she sweetly said, "um, do you mean sash-ays?" Oops. I wanted to put real lavender in them and I went to florists and everywhere I could think of but no luck. So I ended up putting batting inside and then a couple drops of essential lavender oil.

As an afterthought I whipped up these little headache pillows. You are supposed to put them in the freezer. (Don't you like how I say "whipped up" like it was no big deal?!)
I don't have a picture of this but to finish off the gifts I put a little tag tied with ribbon to each of them. It gives directions on how to use them (heat the rice therapy bag in the microwave for 2-3 minutes) and says "Homemade with Love!"

I will definitely be making gifts again. Next time I probably won't wait until 2 days before to get started!

Backdoor makeover

So much to blog about...but I'll start with this. Here's my backdoor before. Nice, pretty, maybe a little bland...

And now...
Nice, isn't it? I'm so happy with the change. It really looks better in real life than it does in this picture. I love the rich colors! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

Sew Katie Sew

I've been frantically sewing up a storm due to my crazy procrastination skills. Seriously, I sewed for about 4 hours straight last night. I am dying to post pictures of what I'm making but then 4 out of the 5 people who read this will know what they are getting for Christmas!

And if you read that you might think that I actually know how to sew but truthfully I have no idea what I'm doing. But I'm having fun and it is cool to see something come together that I made!

But don't you fret, I will tell you all about it after Christmas! And now I am out to do one last minute shopping run.

Why are you...?

This is what God is asking me today...

Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let Me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell Me where will you run
To where will you run

Cause I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
So please don't fight
These Hands that are holding you
My Hands are holding you

"By Your Side" by Tenth Avenue North

Thank You, Lord, for this reminder today.

Gifts? What Gifts?

I seem to wait until Christmas break to actually do any real Christmas shopping. Or thinking about shopping. Or planning what to buy.

Problem is, this year we are getting out later than usual! Tomorrow is the last day, and then I'll only have until Tuesday to shop. Right now I have a whopping 3 presents under the tree. Somehow I don't think that's going to cut it!

So I know what I'll be doing this weekend! Also, I bought some crafty supplies to make some homemade gifts, so that's on my to-do list. I wonder, will I ever be one of those people that have all their shopping done at the beginning of December?

One more thing, so many people are telling me, "Don't worry about buying me a gift!" And they actually mean it, because they know I'm saving up money for my Thailand trip. The problem is, I just love giving gifts! I love watching people open them and making them smile. It is so much fun, especially with the people I'm closest to. So, money or not, they'll be getting a gift! So there!

Christmas Tour

This is the first year that I am participating in the tour of homes. This is where I found so many of my new favorite bloggers last year, like Kelly's Corner and Jessica McCash. So I'm so excited to be taking part this year!

Here is my tree!

Here's Santa peeking through the branches.

I love these two ornaments with dangly legs.

Here is the reason I live!

This little poinsettia wreath makes me so happy! It adds color to the blank wall next to my tree.

I don't have a fireplace, so this little ledge is where I hang my stockings. The little one is for my dog Toby and the big one is for me of course!

I like a simple coffee table without a lot of stuff on it, so I put a ribbon here with these tealight candle holders. (Just be careful when you put paper next to the candles - whoops!)
This makes me happy too! Berries and snowflakes on my kitchen light.

My fun centerpiece

I couldn't end my tour without a picture of the best Christmas decoration in my house:

Girls Weekend 2

Just call me party central

For a low-key, laid back person I have a lot going on lately. So does everyone, right?! Something about the Christmas season just makes me want to extend invitations to everyone I know to come over to my house! Last night, I had a little party for my Bible study girls. We had some soup and brownies and ice cream, and then we played phase ten laaate into the night.

And tonight I'm hosting the party for my church group. But its much easier (in some ways) because everyone is bringing something so I'm just providing the place and the fun and games!

And tomorrow my 3 little sisters are coming over for dinner!

And, next Saturday I'm having a family party at my house!

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT! But if you see me wandering in circles around Wal-Mart (for the 3rd time in one week) with a glazed look and mumbling to myself you'll know why.

Bow-Making 101

This is what happens when you decide that your bows from last year are way too wrinkled to hang up. And when you learned how to make the bows about 5 years ago and have no clue how to do it now...

But, after much trial and error, I was successful!