Student Teacher? New Blog Fodder Alert

Holy Crap, Batman. I open my e-mail and find one from my student teacher. Student teacher? Oh, yeah. In my valient attempt to become teacher of the year, I reluctantly agreed to take on a student teacher.

All I can say is, poor girl. Poor, poor girl.

She wanted to verify when student teachers reported.

Like I have that information. I am in my pajamas, on VACATION, with no children, parent, sister, or in-laws around. No lesson plans written and none on the horizon. Again, VACATION. I am going on a hunt to the local TJMaxx's to find Johnson Brothers Rose Chintz, which I found yesterday for $2 per plate. Did you hear me? TWO DOLLARS per plate. I was ecstatic!!!

So, today, it is hair, join the gym and hunt for plates. Lesson plans and student teacher worries? Not on my to do list.

Christmas Eve Update

This time last year, ShoeKing and companion, Mother-in-law and Father-in-law decided to bag Christmas Eve church and go to some "gala". So, being unChrist-like, we decided to bag the rest of our traditions, and, after church, go out to dinner with some good friends. Enjoy a margarita. Enjoy some good times.

Found out there wasn't any "gala." Just a made up story by the mother-in-law, so she wouldn't have any explaining to do.

Fast forward to this Christmas.

Mother-in-law has been enlisted to play flute for the choir; what to do with the rest of her house guests, as ShoeKing and companion are again in attendance this year?

Coming to church.

Can't wait to watch, as I will be in the choir loft. Usually the safest place to be to watch the fireworks.

As a child, I didn't realize how much drama a good Christmas could produce. And I had some Jewish cousins.

Merry Christmas, y'all.

The Stockings Were Hung ...

The only thing I haven't done is the cards. Maybe I'll do New Year's cards. Maybe I won't. We've received more Christmas cards this year than I can ever remember. I feel guilty for not sending them this year, but that is Snapfish's/Walgreen's fault this year. I had 100 cards in my hands on Saturday, but the photo finishing was terrible. I declined to purchase them because I wasn't sending atrocious pictures of my beautiful girls across the countryside.

I need the economic reporter for the Today Show to make an appearance in the Atlanta malls. She was bemoaning the fact that there were no people in the malls in the Northeast - hello, blizzard? - and dooming and glooming the economy. I personally dodged my fair share of people in several malls, fought traffic with the best of them and stood in amazement as I watched customers four and five people deep at the counters of Tiffany's.

Prep seems to think she's going shopping tomorrow. I'm not sure why or for what, but I don't think I'm going to be with her. I'll be looking for a red velvet cake.

Finding That Holiday Spirit

As promised, said holiday spirit has returned. All it took was the ringing of the final bell yesterday. Amazing.

BrownBear had an outing with a friend last night, so Prep and I watched the TMC Christmas movies last night, starting with "The Bishop's Wife." That sweet child had never seen it and, really, I don't think she had ever seen a Cary Grant movie.

In the middle of the movie, the doorbell rings - BrownBear returning? I throw open the door and standing there is an assortment of students from my school. The fifth graders have made it to the front and they sing and sing and sing carols. There are parents down in the driveway and - hello, holidays!! A most perfect beginning to my holiday!!

I told you I'd find that old holiday spirit.

Now all I have to do is get everything ready for Christmas.

My Own Personal Hell, Revisited

The last week before the Christmas holiday, with the girls' exam week thrown in. Add a party day on Friday, throw in a few tests and a million letters the children are writing (I use the term writing loosely) and hell breaking loose on all fronts.

People wonder where the Christmas spirit has gone. I'll find it Friday afternoon.

I promise.