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We are recovering from Christmas and our Tahoe trip! P is playing across the street at a friend's house. We have a fire going, E is dismantling the tree and I'm trying to make sense of our laundry, etc. E just entered our room, and said in mock shock, 'Ack! I can actually move around!'
Before I tackle the big day, I want to commemorate P's class holiday party. I was across the way, leading my own class's 'snowman celebration,' so I missed the whole thing. I thought I'd be more sad. But you know what, I was fine. E was there as the requisite parent, so I was happy. It's interesting, I think its a combination of the fact that I know P's teacher and her party routine pretty well, and I've done so many playgroup celebrations with P, that it is almost a little 'been there, done that.' I was thrilled to get the pictures though!!!
Here's our girl on the right with a couple of friends. There is such a fun group of kids in this class.
The class. P's class is a rainbow, with Chinese, Hispanic, French, Scottish, and Indian students. Miss P is mostly Irish. I'm sure I'm leaving out some other ethnicities as well. 
Game time.
sweets, treats, and coloring.
Ho, ho, ho. Kindergarten is toooo cute!
Kids did a version of a yankee gift swap. (No stealing allowed!) Miss P gave a fab Melissa and Doug Grinch puzzle with those nice, thick pieces. She 'got' a nice fleece snowman blanket. A fitting end to the festivities.
I left my classroom cleaned up, but still halfway in holiday form, in my eagerness to get outta town and start vacation! Came home and promptly went to sleep on the couch. We had my family's holiday get-together and then E's over the weekend, hosted my brother and sister-in-law and their kids one night. Monday and Tuesday we caught up with friends, wrapped gifts, made our trip to-do lists, and shopped for snow gear, and did laundry.
Coming up- Tahoe!!!
Last weekend in the midst of the holiday busies, (is that a word?), my mom, E and I had a fun day/evening. We saw this much anticipated movie (I'm talking, we've been waiting about a year for it!), and did dinner out at Pizza Antica at Santana Row, with some shopping in between. All of our favorites!
Today is a big day. We have ski clothes shopping, wrapping, packing for Tahoe (leave tomorrow), and host our awesome friends tonight for gift giving and fun. (Hosted other awesome friends for dessert last night!) 'Tis the season....
So this is, what, maybe the second night this week I've been up until the wee hours? Christmas preparations are taking up every minute, but I love it! I'm doing my 'general December holiday' thing for my classroom, and all the christmassy stuff for our family. Let me toot my horn a bit! Above and below is the 'joy journal' my students made for their parents as gifts.
Now, here are maybe half the gifts I had to make, prepare, and wrap for colleagues, parent volunteers, student teacher, etc., etc.
A peek into my classroom...our little Christmas tree and Hannukah menorah and dreidels
I'm very proud of my Kwanzaa wall!
Cute handprint menorah...
I'm 95% done with my personal shopping, and just have the wrapping and card mailing to handle.
I have a post in my head I'm mulling over about my experiences working this year. Occasionally, I have the opportunity to feel proud for pulling off the 'full-time' working mom thing! School is out tomorrow, but our days are already plotted until the 28th. Yikes! I am dreaming of a massage.....
Happiness is singing a duet of 'O holy night' with my dear miss P. In my old age, I find myself so much more caught up in purely the religious meaning of the holiday. What a song that says it all!
I heart magazines.
In our house, magazines are referred to as 'pretties,' when they arrive in the mail. As in, 'ooh, we got two pretties today!' (Bills are referred to as 'uglies.')
When the pretty arrives and I have a free moment, I indulge in my little savoring ritual. I cozy up in a comfy spot, often with a drink of some sort in hand. Blanket, or fire in the fireplace is a plus! I look at all the headlines on the cover and rate how interested I am in each feature. Then, I go through the whole 'zine and pull out all the ads and perfume inserts and recycle them, until the magazine is nice and clean. At this point I go line by line through the table of contents and figure out what I want to read first.
I love to read, and when I'm tired and don't want to think much, the short and snappy pieces in magazines are just right. I enjoy all the glossy photos as well, although I don't give a flip for the fashion pieces. I have been known to eat chocolate while reading health magazines and perusing the workout routines.
Lately, I have taken extra solace in my simple downtime habits. What's yours?
Thanksgiving update coming soon.....
Here's our girl on the right with a couple of friends. There is such a fun group of kids in this class.
The class. P's class is a rainbow, with Chinese, Hispanic, French, Scottish, and Indian students. Miss P is mostly Irish. I'm sure I'm leaving out some other ethnicities as well. 
Game time.
sweets, treats, and coloring.
Ho, ho, ho. Kindergarten is toooo cute!
Kids did a version of a yankee gift swap. (No stealing allowed!) Miss P gave a fab Melissa and Doug Grinch puzzle with those nice, thick pieces. She 'got' a nice fleece snowman blanket. A fitting end to the festivities.
