Thankful

This year's Thanksgiving break was an absolute flurry of activity! We celebrated all we have to be thankful for with both of our families up at the Ranch! El maestro's parents outdid themselves with a scrumptious meal!

On Saturday, Ollie and his parents came to visit! I had the pleasure of introducing this precious, nearly two-year old to Rudolph and his glowing nose. Ollie learned how to press the button to make the nose glow with just one try--smart guy! We watched the old classic movie and every time he saw Movie Rudolph, he'd say, "Who's 'at?" or "Nose!" It was so adorable!

On Sunday, I kissed Ollie goodbye, tidied up the living, and headed out to a tree farm to help K pick out the perfect tree! When I got home, I sweet-talked my husband into going with me to get our own Christmas tree! But instead of the whole hand-saw experience, we went to Fred Meyer and got a tree on sale...And I've never had such a fragrant evergreen!

Anyway--Today I'm thankful that it's December 1st! This is my absolute favorite time of year, and I'm determined to enjoy every last bit of it! I want to sew, bake, and wrap like there's no tomorrow!!!

What about you? Have your Holidays begun?

I think I'm kinda messed up.

I came to this realization this morning as I was singing a song under my breath.

Last night was the 3rd grade music concert at school, and it went exceptionally well! However I now have a 3rd grade song stuck in my head that may never, ever leave.

The problem is not that I have a song stuck in my head...but the disturbing way that I changed the lyrics. What the kids sing is:

From all you learn here, remember this the best

Don't hurt each other and clean up your mess...

But when I was singing it this morning, I realized that I was singing:

From all you learn here remember this the best

Don't shoot each other and clean up your mess...

Notice the difference?

Where am I? Los Angeles? Chicago? New Jersey?

Maybe I just need some more coffee.

I knew it.

I've always known that I love squash. Except, I've never really eaten it. I remember once, back in junior high, I ate squash at a friend's house and it was just so delicious. The problem is that I've never been able to successfully recreate the moment.

Every fall I've tried my hand at baking squash...but it always turns out too hard, or too yucky. But this year I seem to be improving! I am right now, as I type, snacking on a half of an acorn squash, in all of its buttery, brown sugary loveliness.

I always knew that I love squash.

All is right with the world. And I've accomplished one more thing on my life-long to do list.

If you're interested in my technique, I followed Pioneer Woman's delicious recipe.

Another Try...

Remember Crazy Hair Day last year? Well I tried again this year.

This year I ditched the crimper and went for a custom trimmed dollar store headband/wig...and my students told me it didn't look real.

Of course my husband had to up the ante with crazy facial hair as well. At least, he thought it was crazy. I thought it was sick. I mean, is sick. It's still there...

I don't know if I'll even try to have crazy hair next year. There's no point.

What am I suppose to do?

Operation Christmas Child

Today I participated in one of my favorite holiday traditions! After church my husband, brother-in-law and I headed to Fred Meyer to pack up a shoe box full of gifts to send to a child in need. In years past, I've packed a shoe box with my dearest friend, and she and I always picked presents for a little girl. But this year instead of stuffed animals and Disney Princess chapstick...I learned what a 5-9 year old BOY wants for Christmas! It was so much fun...somewhere in the world a little boy will be receiving...

* a blue wind-up flashlight

*a stainless steel water bottle filled with Werthers candy

*a Spiderman toothbrush

*Spiderman toothpaste

*a matchbox car

*a metal kazoo

*a Nerf football

*a Cars coloring book

*a 24 pack of colored pencils

*a dog-shaped pencil sharpener


...all packed snugly in a Rubbermaid shoe box!

Click here to learn how you can donate to Operation Christmas Child!

Is it that time of year already?

I've found myself extremely hard to motivate lately. Illness and exhaustion are never good motivators, but I think its crazy that I don't even have energy to update my blog!

Here are thoughts I've had recently that never became the blog posts they could have:

*Toilet paper commercials. Have you seen them? I think it's totally bizarre that people go into such advertising detail about this embarrassing product. Hahaha...toilet paper....embarassing...huhuhuh...am I the only one that sees the little word inside of the big word?

*Delicious chocolate. My mother-in-law recently gave me some chocolate mint candies that are absolutely to die for!

*Sewing. I've almost finished another project! But the fact that it's a Christmas present makes it hard to take pictures and blog about it...

So, my friends, you can see that there's really not much going on in this mind of mine. And it's only the beginning of November! Usually I don't expect the mind numbing effect of winter rain until the holidays are over!

Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to tomorrow (a day off thanks to Columbus!) as a time to recharge my batteries mid-week and power through the rest of the month!

**Correction: Just kidding about Columbus. Really I'm thanking our Veterans that we'll especially honor tomorrow!**

Gosh.

I was meeting with a friend this evening. As I described to her the conversations that I have with a particular student at least three times a day she said, "Gosh, Beth! That sounds absolutely exhausting!"

You know what? It is! It is absolutely exhausting! A lot of, "When you're ready to ask me respectfully I'm sure I'll be happy to help you," and, "You've chosen step 2 for kicking the wall on step one..."

Sorry...that's kind of a lot of our school behavior plan jargon. But yes, there's kicking of the wall and scribbling of the papers and very very rude outbursts of disrespect (that's right...rude disrespect).

And I could go into the amount of times each day that I have to walk through deep puddles and rain...my cold classroom...and the possible connection that has to my frequent illness...but I will stop there. I am quitting my complaining! No more!

Because....
1. It is autumn.
B. I have very caring friends and family.
Third. I can actually breathe through my nostrils again!

Yes, it has been a long week and another bad cold. But life goes on. And God is good. So I think I'll put a smile on my face and keep living.

And thanks for letting me complain just a teeny, tiny bit. Or even a little more.