Merry Christmas!

Howdy! Well, it is Dec. 24, and in a little while I will be going to finish my Christmas shopping! Nothing like waiting until the last minute! No choice, actually, as every minute of every day has been filled to overflowing! I am keeping my "cool" though, and not freaking out. I thought I would write this first, and then go out. I'll go to the mall that is very close to our house (a mile) and hopefully will find everything I need there. Only need a few things yet.

Actually I am really relaxing so far this break. DH and I went to Appleton yesterday and we bought some things for ourselves. Got a few presents, too. =-) We had finished shopping for DGD on Thursday night after picking up my car at the garage.

Oh yeah, my car... I got in my car to go to work on Wed. and I couldn't turn the key to start it. I called DH and he came to get me to take me to school. Thursday (first day of vacation) I waited for a tow truck to come get my car. The guy who came used a ball-peen (sp?) hammer to tap my key farther into the ignition and was able to start it to back out and get it in line for the tow truck. I had to pay for him anyway, so I just let him take it in rather than drive it and have to take the shuttle home, etc. It cost almost $300 to fix and cover the towing. I needed a new "tumbler" unit for the ignition. At least it works now and I keep telling myself, "It's cheaper than car payments. It's cheaper than car payments." I really do love my car! I'll keep it as long as it works and isn't costing me too much money to upkeep. I will probably buy a new car right before retirement. I still subtract the car payment money and hopefully will be able to pay for a new car and not have car payments then. We want to also have our house paid off by retirement. I am paying extra on that, too.

Tonight DH and I are going to have a fire, sip Bailey's Irish Cream, open presents and just relax and have some quality time together. That will be a nice way to spend Christmas Eve. =-) Tomorrow we will go to church and later in the afternoon travel to my sister's house for a family get together. We have a few things scheduled for next week, but basically it will be "go with the flow." I hope to be able to do some quilting!

My first day of break, besides waiting for a tow truck, I finished making some bracelets for Christmas gifts. I needed another hobby like another hole in the head, but I sure am having fun! It was people at the campground who got me going on this. I jumped in with both feet, too! The funny thing is, I don't usually wear a lot of jewelry! But I love the bracelets I have been making. I took a photo of some I made recently. Not sure how well they will show up, but will post them as soon as I have time to put the phots into the computer.

I want to get back to scrapbooking, too! I have photos to do a book for DGD about our disney trip (almost 2 years ago!), and bought a book to start to redo my sons' photos from childhood. I think that will be fun! I originally put them in magnetic page books, which are totally falling apart. Also, I put every picture in, no matter how bad it was. Like my finger is in the picture... LOL! So this will be fun to fix up for them.

Well, if I don't get off of the computer I won't get anything done, right? So I will end for now.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Angel

I wonder if I will ever catch up...

Does this sound like a continuous lament? Well, it is! I had grades due yesterday. Friday some special education kids gave me late/missing work, and since they are spec ed we have to accept it. So I was up until 1:00 Sunday night correcting it. I was too busy the rest of the weekend, Grrrr. At school I finished posting the grades and added comments, and finished just in time. Then I started to correct Geography Bee tests and finished those at 11:00 last night. Today I gave the kids a test, and while they tested I was correcting another assignment (Egyptian Coffins designed especially for themselves. The kids love it). I still have two classes papers to do, and I haven't even started the tests yet. (Take a deep breath!) So, I have decided that tomorrow they are seeing a video! I can correct while they watch. It's not the most exciting video, but hey, it'll give them something to do while I catch up! Ancient China, our next topic. I came up with some new activities to try. We are on a big literacy kick, so have lots of new ideas. Good, too.

Speaking of the "literacy kick," my partner in crime and I prepared today for our staff development presentaion on vocabulary activities after school today. We present on Monday after work hours. We have one more time to present this year yet, in February. I don't know why I keep agreeing to do these things! We DO get paid, so that is a good thing.

A magazine did an article on DH and his carving. A reporter came recently and interviewed him. The reporter hardly wrote anything down, but most of what he wrote was correct. It is pretty cool to see it. DH really is good at carving. He is down in the basement carving right now. Just a few more Santas... He isn't going to sell carvings after this year. He wants to be able to carve what he wants to carve, and let it be a hobby again instead of a job. He also will get at some things around the house. After 5 years he is finally going to wire the basement. Wooooo Hooooo! Then he'll insulate it and we'll have wall board put up, and also the bathroom down there will be put in. My sewing room will be moved down there after that. Hopefully that will be early this summer. I'll have twice the amount of space as I have now. We'll also have a guest bedroom again (my sewing room now). Our granddaughter asked if we could call it HER room! LOL

I came home tonight already exhausted. I am soon going to go and unpack a few Christmas boxes to decorate. We'll do the tree this weekend. Over the weekend we did the outside decorating. Good thing, too. This morning it was -2 degrees when I was driving to school. I HATE BEING COLD!!!!!!!!

Well, time to go deck the halls and fa la la la la and all that! Jingle your sleigh bells! Angel