CHRISTMAS PHOTOS

Here are some photos to show how we spent our Christmas!

At our house BEFORE

At our house AFTER

A little "LOVE" note in the box the varsity jacket was wrapped in!

2 More School Days Until Winter Break!

We FINALLY got the Christmas tree up tonight. This week has been very busy. Last Friday I went to the staff holiday party held at my friend, Mary's house. We went on the Naperville Trolley as a group and saw all the top notched decorated houses throughout Naperville. Then back to Mary's were about 35 of us gathered for a catered dinner. I'm so glad I went it was a lot of fun! Although I was careful on what I ate, I did have the worst glucose reading I've ever had!!  Then on Tuesday I went to dinner (Front Street Cantina) with some of my former coworkers from GOGO. (At 10:15 we realized the restuarant must be closed; as we were the only ones in there and they started turning off the lights - we asked when they closed and they said 9:00!!!) Listening to all the garbage they are dealing with right now makes me sooo happy I'm not working there!

I was asked to make a DVD for a teaching assistant who will be moving away during Winter Break after working at Brookdale for 12 years! I've put in close to 12 hours making digital scrapbook pages with "shout outs" and staff and student pictures - I am very happy with how well it turned out. If you'd like to take a peek at it - you can do so here: http://vimeo.com/17944864

I am SO close to being done Christmas shopping and wrapping. I have purchased 143 items to be wrapped- for a total of 26 people (plus 23 students) The 143 items does not count the items I am giving each of the students. With those items for each kid (pens, candy, personalize bookmark, etc... - it is a grand total of 237 items! Here is a picture of where the presents are currently stored - However, this picture was taken before I had everything in there!

(The gifts in the plastic bags to the right that are sitting on the floor are the gifts that need to be placed under our Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve after a certain someone goes to bed!)

I did allow Ryan to open one gift tonight - it was this year's ornament for his collection.  He really liked it!  I'll post a picture of the tree and him hanging his ornament in my next post. (There is a picture of the ornament in a previous post.)

Bill was off work today and it looks as if work is going to slow down until the end of February.  We are keeping our fingers crossed that something will come up........it's going to be a long winter. WINTER YUCK! 

(This was our backyard about a week ago)

Ryan was excited to see all the snow because shoveling the neighbor's driveway can be very profitable!

Until next time.................

December!

December already! Seems like school just started and we're almost through the first semester.  Christmas is right around the corner.  I'm about 75% finished with my shopping.  Everything I've purchased is wrapped and tucked away waiting for the big day!  Christmas cards were mailed out today and the Christmas lights are hanging outside.  But still NO TREE!

What's happened since my last post? Fall has come and gone in a blink of an eye.  First, my nephew, Jacob, turned 11!

Here we are on Thanksgiving before going to my parent's house for dinner:

We attended the Football Awards Night where Ryan received his Sophomore Letter for his  (future) Letterman's Jacket (Christmas Present)!

A teacher from school asked me to create a graphic announcing her pregnancy.  I designed 5 different versions, she chose to use the "school-related" graphic!  It's a "smartboard" attached to a blackboard - all our classrooms are equipped with a smartboard:

Next Friday is our staff Christmas party.  We are taking the Naperville Trolley through the neighborhoods to look at the lights and returning to my friend Mary's home to have a get-together.  It should be fun!

Once the Christmas tree is up - I'll be sure to update with some more pictures! Stay Warm! We are expecting our first measurable snow tonight - YUCK!