Christmas Time Is Here

Christmas break is wonderful. It has proven to be a nice little cure to my stress issue.
The last week of school I managed to not only make it through a birthday but make it through all of the stuco events (successfully I might add), finals, and Christmas preparations as well. I even managed to send out Christmas cards....and I thought I couldn't do it! HA! The absoulute best part of Christmas break is being able to READ! FOR LEISURE! I only get to do that during summer break and Christmas break. I have already read three books. Looking forward to more.
I have also loved being home with the chillins. Owen is constanly saying Ho!Ho!Ho! and Emory can't get to Christmas day fast enough. Fortunately, I have figured out the problems with my digital camera so expect fun pictures from Christmas festivities.

Stressed Out!

If you have read my profile, I mentioned the word stressed. Today my stress level has reached biblical proportions. I can honestly say that I have never had a December quite this stressful. It is 11:40 pm and I was just able to scratch one of my major stressors off the list. Let me explain my week....as if you really care. But...this is a journal...I am an English teacher....jouranls help! So bear with me....

Stessor #1 - ESU!!!!! I didn't start my classes this fall until late October. I was pretty excited about having a break from August through October until I was assigned way too many MAJOR papers and projects which all were due today! I turned my last collection development project in fifteen minutes ago...it had to be turned in before midnight. Barely made it! Thank God I get another break until mid-February.

Stressor #2 - STUCO!!! We are in school 16 days in December. During those short two and a half weeks my Student Council has taken on 5 major projects.
* Can Food Drive (ended today...collected 1300 cans exactly)
* Battle of the Classes (next week...still planning)
* Semi-Formal (decorated from 3:30 to 8:30 tonight...going back tomorrow at 1:30...dance at 8pm)
* Christmas Kiddie Care (next Saturday we are providing games, activites and crafts for 3-10 year old kids while their parents finish shopping), and finally...
* Annual Fundraiser (we sold 296 Cardinal Hoodies, sweatpants, lanyards, and Book Bags and now we have to get them in and sort them on Wed. so that the kids can get them delivered on our last day of school...Thursday....YUCK!)
Sometimes I think I am an idiot for letting the kids do so much...but...it all works out. Oh, and to top off my Stuco stuff....I just signed on for another summer as a Senior Counselor for the state stuco camp. Love it...but it is so demanding.

Stressor #3 - CSHS!!! As previously alluded to...the semester is coming quickly to an eventful end. This means lots and lots of grading, inputing of grades, and making of finals. Finals start on Wednesday and I have yet to create them. Maybe I should be worrying about that a little more.

Stressor #4 - CHRISTMAS!! Christmas usually causes a little stress, but this year is different thanks to the previous three things on my list. I am not done shopping AT ALL! Every year, shopping for every single person we are related to is just way too much pressure. I have not even begun the arduous process of Christmas cards. The sad thing is that I am such a believer in them, and I probably won't get it done this year. I apologize!

Stressor #5 - HOUSE! I used to be really stressed about all that needs to be done to complete this place I now call home. However, now I am just becoming stressed that I have become so complacent about all that needs to be done to this place I now call home. It is so very sad that I could give a rat's ass about this crap. See? What is wrong with me? Oh well. If any of you are really good at home improvement and need some money, I will be happy to pay someone to finish this stupid, stupid place.

Now...not only have a done myself a favor by venting about all the things that are causing me stress, but I have done you a favor as well. How you ask? Well, now you realize that your life at this moment isn't so bad. Mine isn't so bad either really. In one week, I will get to sit back and read a good book knowing that all of this is behind me. Man, I can't wait!

Santa & Snow

We had our first dusting of snow this past week, and man the kids were excited. Emory ran out of the house ready to play in it, only to realize just how little we had and how nearly impossible it was to play in.
We also put up all of the Christmas decorations, so now we are all just ready for Santa and snow. As Emory gets older, she is more and more opinionated about everything, and decorating the house was no exception. She had to personally place every single ornament on our tree. Her reasoning was pretty cute too. Simon's little dachshund ornament had to be low so that he could see it too. After a very involved conversatoin about how Santa would get into our new house, we finally came to an understanding about the Magic of Santa. She was just so worried since we didn't have a chimney.
Here is a picture of last winter that is absolutely one of my favorites! Someday, Owen will be mad that I put Em's hat on him, but it was so cold. Still cute though.