WOW!

Good bye 2009. Hello 2010!

I don't have anything excited to report of the past 12 months that hasn't already been posted-so no year-end review from me. I am not good @ resolutions so I am not sure I'll go there. I guess I'll just post about my One Little Word. 2008 my OLW was FOCUS. FOCUS on the here & now. FOCUS on the end result. FOCUS on me. FOCUS the camera. then 2009 I used APPRECIATE. & often listed 3 things/people that I APPRECIATE in blog postings. I APPRECIATE the sunshine. I APPRECIATE the changing seasons. I APPRECIATE my Husband. I APPRECIATE my job. I APPRECIATE my blog readers. I haven't given 2010 OLW much formal thought. I have had fleeting thoughts of 'what should I use?' "what is ME?" "does XXXX word work?" I usually start w/a small list of options then pick one from there. I haven't done that yet. WOW maybe I am a bit behind my own schedule!! thinking.. thinking.. thinking.. I'll have to get back to you on that.

Twilight. I am blaming Twilight the book on being so far behind around here! I have done NOTHING besides, eat, sleep, work & read Twilight since Christmas Eve when I opened it. I had no idea what I was getting into! I have heard & read all the hype but I am not a sci-fi girl. If it can't happen, hasn't happened or I haven't heard of its real possibility that it COULD happen, I don't 'get it'. Twilight sucked me in & I am hooked!! So now that I have completed Twilight (in under a week) I am making myself complete my December Daily book & shampoo some carpets around this place before I venture to the local library to check out New Moon. (thinking if I take it easy tonight, I should be able to tackle both tomorrow & hit the library Saturday morning haha)

Goals:

Ok so I said I wouldn't do resolutions, I call them goals. same thing? probably. but here we got anyway!

*I will get my foot fixed so I can run again

*I will get on a daily schedule of running

*I will shrink my size to need new clothes

*I will continue to appreciate my child care families for their independence, individuality & not just their check book as I felt was implied today

*I will get more structured in my child care home

*I will get my completed scrap pages organized into albums so I know what I need to do next

*I will continue to appreciate my husband for all he does & is learning to do

*I will continue to love my child care children as I do & remember I am in this occupation for them

*I will get back to eating better & taking better general care of myself

*I will end this list before it becomes a post of its own!

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE!!! 2nd year in a row we've not had big plans. *sigh* not that we NEED big plans but OH THOSE WERE SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!!! fancy hotel, 'free' food, rocking hairband, 'free' champagne toast @ midnight, 'free' party favors, great fun, great friends, gret memories *sigh* I miss those parties! as of now, & it possible to change in the next 5 minutes or hours, we are planning to hit a party @ a friends' house tonight. Some friends we don't see often enough but thoroughly enjoy their company when we do see them. Great time no doubt!

I hope the next time I post I will be able to say that the Christmas goods are all packed up & the house is back to 'normal' w/the addition of clean carpets! Have a Great night everyone & I hope twenty ten finds you happy, safe & healthy!

AND just to not end the post w/o a photo:I am so ready for the appropriate IOWA weather to enjoy these babies again!!! mmmmmmmmm but for now they are in my cocoa :))

surprising obsession :)

I so totally never expected to be THIS obsessed w/this series!! its REALLY fun to read!! I resisted thru alot of online friends going AWOL from the net while they were sucked in. Then when the latest movie was released a few local friends & child care parents raved the series so I added the books to my Christmas wish list & Tim pulled thru :) he even thought so far ahead to couple the book w/an amazing bath pillow! *sigh* he's good!!! So I am 1/2 way thru the first one & LOVING IT!!!!!! Please excuse any absence in the next few weeks as I might be wildly on the hunt for the rest :)

quick Christmas weekend review:

the Horton Christmas:

Christmas @ the Jackson's:

My garmin: From my Child care families:

more DD pages......

7. highlights of my snowman collection:

10. Snow day cookie marathon:
11. Random Snow pics:

12.1. Recipes of my weekend baking marathon:

12.2. close up of the back of the file folder photo of the neighbor gifts:

12.3. inside the envie is the printed copy of recipes new this year:

14. photos of our christmas music collection & a list of songs:

17. Niece L's preschool Christmas Program:

w/our plans for tonight cancelled & no plans till tomorrow evening I am hoping to catch up. to share after the weekend!!

Have a very merry & safe Christmas weekend!!!

I DID IT!!!

I ACTUALLY COMPLETED A CHRISTMAS CRAFT!!!!!!!!!
:)

I am way excited to share it!!!!!

as seen here, here, here, & here.

I went w/the foam cone, satin pins & ribbon from my stash!!

arg!!!!!!! just a vent!

I am frustrated w/all the negative nellies this week!!!!!!!! ok so we are possibly looking @ some winter weather right at Christmas time. yes it stinks for those planning to travel. why get all upset about it ALREADY? What if they are wrong?! Meteorologists are never wrong?? use the power of the Secret & encourage it all to work out. if not be prepared to take what comes. GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA THIS IS NOT A GOOD WEEK for me to TRY to tolerate whiners. :) I could be whining about the weight I've gained in the last month, the lack of running due to an achy foot, the pain in the u know where child care moms I am dealing w/instead of booting to the curb, the lack of creativity toward my job, ...... seseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee I have a whiney list too.. you are NOT the only one that life doesn't flow perfectly for. I just chose to find the silver lining & make the best of the crappiness most of the time. if you don't, please don't expect me to sympathize w/you. :)

Thanks! have a nice day :)

Ready! Set! GO!!!

So we had our shopping day Saturday! FUN!! but people are CRAZY!!!!!! I think we'll try to go earlier next year.

HIGHLIGHTS:

US @ Lunch:

Then @ our Ice cream break :)

Then we got visitors w/gifts:

OH then some fun time w/Friends! GREAT WAY TO FINISH OFF THE DAY!!!ANDIE telling her daddy which puppy she wanted :)

Now we start Christmas week! Doing my best to make as stress-free as possible here @ child care!! Have a Great Monday!!

ITS COMING

It snowed. ALOT.
The pink poinsettia came.
We have listened to every Christmas CD twice.
we baked & delivered to the neigbors.
there are gifts under the tree.
we've watched every movie in the collection atleast once.

soooooooooo

I have so much running thru my mind today that putting together a cohesive post would take way too much WORK. so instead, I'll just share my completed DD pages. (click to enlarge)