Obligatory Christmas Recap

Headed up to Chicago to watch a Christmas play with some friends..... Oh what was it called?  Something about the Secrets of Jonathan Toomey?  Ring a bell with anyone?  No matter, it was a cute play.  And someone came VERY prepared for any toll roads we might encounter:)

 

 

 

Singing Christmas carols on the street corner by the restaurant we ate at while waiting for our table to be ready- might have been my favorite part of the night!  Well, that and the cupcake shop we went to right before closing.  She gave us some cupcakes for free since she was just going to have to throw them out!  And they were goooooooooood cupcakes.

 

Supper out with Erin and Lisa- usually we end up at Olive Garden but we changed it up a bit and did Chili's this time.  Judging by the reaction one of our stomach's had to the food, we might be back at Olive Garden next time!  But we had a great time as always, catching up on life and laughing together- a lot.

 

A Caroling Extravaganza!!!  Where some bedazzled themselves in Christmas attire and some did not, but a good time was had by all anyway:)

 

I don't have any pictures to show for big family gatherings this year, just our little one.  I always love the shot of grandpa reading the Christmas story to his girlies.

 

A regular stocking would not do this year as mom decided to make blankets for the girls.  They thought these giant ones were pretty cool!  And they loved the blankets that came with them.

 

Not a ton of pictures, not a real detailed recap, but a recap nonetheless.  We are blessed indeed.

Sunday School Disaster

Yesterday in Sunday School I planned to have a birthday party for Jesus with my 3 year olds.  My mom had made cakes for the nursing home and had one left over so I frosted it asked mom to frost it for me (she even added colorful sprinkles) and took it to church.  I was feeling so organized for once.  I had everything I needed all in one bag that I could carry in with me, rather than a stack of things flying everywhere like I normally do.  Plates, spoons, knife, candles, little presents for the kiddos..... I was set.  We had our story and did our paper, then we lit the candles.  And then sparks started flying off the candles.  I accidentally grabbed trick candles!!  All but one of my kids freaked out, one of them so bad that she went back upstairs to her parents!  The others calmed down pretty quick.  All I could do was laugh.  If you've ever had trick candles, there's nothing you can do except keep trying to blow them out until they die.  I would blow one out then lick my fingers and touch the wick to try and get it to stop.  Over and over and over again.  Thankfully one of my kiddos had brought his grandma to visit for the day so she helped with the crying children and went to the bathroom to get wet paper towels for me.  We doused the candles and that was that.  The cake was dispersed and the kids were happy and said it tasted really good.  But in all that commotion we never did get around to singing "Happy Birthday"!  Maybe next year?

Professor Plum, Library, Candlestick

A long time ago I went to a mystery dinner and have wanted to host one ever since.  And when I say a long time, I mean years!  So I convinced a couple of my besties to join in and host with me.  Emily helped with the food and Katrina provided the place and awesome decorations!

 

 

Now, this wasn't a whodunit supper.  The menu items were all written in code names and the guests had to order everything in advance, not knowing for sure what everything was.  But just in case something went awry, Colonel Mustard and Miss Peacock showed up to help solve any potential mystery cases:)

 

Katrina had the idea of dividing everyone into teams and have a contest.  The contestants had to build a nativity scene out of graham crackers and other goodies.  So fun!  Here's team 1:

 

Team 2:

 

Team 3 (who won the contest):

 

And team 4:

 

A closer look at the winning nativity scene.  We all got a laugh out of their HUGE sheep!

Thanks to everyone who made it a fun night.  We had a great time!!

Christmas Break?!?!?!?!

Hard to believe, but tomorrow (which will be "today" in about eight minutes) is my last day of regular class for the semester.  HOW is that possible???  Tomorrow I have two different presentations to do.  Monday and Tuesday are test days, but only one of my three tests is a comprehensive final.  And then break!!  Well, sorta.  I'm taking a minimester which I'm kind of dreading, but I'm doing it for the sake of having my summer completely free (same reason I'm taking 18 hours in the spring sememster) so I think in the long run I will be glad for the minimester.  But it's math.  And I haven't had a math class in about 12 years.  And the last one I had was the lowest level I could get away with.  This class is just a 110 level but it's been so long that I'm a little nervous.  I'm hoping that because it's a minimester the teacher will be easy on us.  If not I guess I'll be living in the math lab over break. 

 

When I think back to August and how my world was kind of turned upside down in a matter of hours...  I don't think I would have really been going against God if I would have decided to say no to the program.  But if I had said no, I probably would still be feeling the same way I was back then- not really knowing where I should be, still trying to find my place.  But in deciding to do the program, I have found that even though it wasn't really my plan, it's right where I need to be.  There's been so many things that have confirmed and reconfirmed that.  Mostly I guess I'm thinking about right after I accepted the spot in the program.... I only had a short time to get registered and get things ready.  And everything, down to the tiniest details fell right into place.  Things that should have caused huge headaches went so smoothly.  When God opened up the doors for school, he opened them up W-I-D-E.  And I believe he has a reason for putting me in there.  I love all my classmates.  If any of them are reading this they'll probably think that's really cheesy, but it's true!

 

Anyways.  It will be nice to have a little breather.  And just for the sake of posting a picture, here is cousin cookie baking night.  We did it about a month ago but I never posted about it.  When my grandpa was alive, he would have the granddaughters come in sometimes to bake cookies.  Always peanut butter cookies and ranger cookies.  We started talking about it awhile back and decided it was high time we start that up again.  So here we are.  Love them!