Christmas at The Capitol

I am so happy that we were able to go to Christmas at the Capital!  I know this will be an annual event for our household!  I loved all the detail that was put into these trees.  I also got my hair done, and we had a really nice lunch at the local Italian restaurant.

My favorite tree was the Narnia tree.

Gotta love this tree topper!

I thought this was a Bob the Builder themed tree from far away, but it turns out it was thanking all the volunteers for the huge flood that took place in SD this summer!  I loved the clever use of sand bags!  There were a LOT of sandbags when we arrived here.

Posing together, and I'm rocking my TOMS snowflake shoes.

I have arrived as a teacher!  On the last day of school, one of my students comes in beaming and says, "Merry Christmas, Mrs. F.  I killed it myself."  He proceeds to tell me how he killed it, plucked the feathers, and all.  Awesomeness!

Picture Full Post

It feels great to update the blog!  Sorry for the rapid fire of posts!  :(  Above is a bag with peanuts and hard candy...one of my students gave it to me.  What makes it special?  It is from a student who has taken a bit longer to start liking me (although I don't think she even disliked me, just indifferent before).  Our church passed out candy bags, and she put the candy in a different bag and gave it to me.  She didn't have anything to given, but wanted to give something to me.  Those gifts are priceless to me.

This made my reading teacher heart smile!  :) 

I saw this on a blog, and found it on the Etsy website.  You can find anything and everything you ever have wanted there.  Much of which is sold at a very reasonable price.

I also bought our stockings off Etsy.  Stockings were/are a big deal in my parent's house.  We looked forward to our stocking contents just as much as presents.  HH and I really go out personalizing the contents of our stockings since we don't do big Christmas gifts too each other.

LL Bean Moccasins...they are WICKED GOOD just like the website says.  I love these things!!!

About Christmas Treats...

People bake A LOT up here.  It's kinda like one of the ways women "prove" themselves I think.  I think I see that cooking/baking is valued differently here than when I lived in a major city.  I'm actually burned out on holiday treats.  This year especially I haven't even wanted a piece of fudge to pass my lips.  It isn't doing anything for me. 

I did make these cookies last night for a dessert for a friend's birthday.  I just added peanut butter and honey to the middle of them to make the "sandwich" effect.

Our Love is Black, White, Tan....

My post title is a song that came out years ago by Nicole C. Mullen.  I loved the message of our love for her husband, and their multi-racial family.  This is a conversation I had with one of my girls last week.

"Mrs. F, why do you want to adopt black babies?"

"Well G, I think that God loves all colors of babies, and so do I."

"I know, but why don't you want a tan baby (motioning down to her skin tone...Native American)?"

"Well, G, I guess if you think about it black babies are just like you except they have really really good tans."

G giggles.  Then, fearing she has offended me, she starts talking about how she will be a really good babysitter when we get the baby, etc.

I love innocent conversations with kids about race.

We meet in April with the adoption agency to start the process.  I am excited.  HH is excited.

Can't wait to read Kisses from Katie...

Christmas Break Starts at 12:40.....I Think I CAN

Life has been busy, and I haven't been documenting it.  That makes me sad.  I'm going to have to set aside designated time to blog every few days.

I didn't know my coffee could get any better, with my Keurig machine and flavored syrups, but it can.  I got this homemade pottery piece for judging a contest in town.  LOVE!

HH hard at work on home improvements....(You use a chalk pen to write what you have to do for the week.)

A fun paper plate drawing activity I did with my kiddos...

End of the day mayhem...

Our church kiddos performing...They did good for the first time around.  I learned a lot, and we had a "kid friendly" potluck.  I pride myself on bringing new and innovative things, but for this day, I made sixty chicken fingers and brought a big bottle of ketchup.  It was a hit.

My kids rock at art, and make me look awesome...

Rolling....

Last night was rough.  I just had a bit where I was very emotional.  I felt really crapped on, and it wasn't cool.  We really have an amazing situation here, especially compared to some of our other friends who are starting out in ministry.  I had my good LONG cry, HH was there....then I read Grace Full Mama's post.  MUCH. NEEDED.  I may never arrive.

I really have good days at school.  I love teaching so much more now than I truly have in the past several years.  That makes this place awesome.  I really got a double portion of laughter today. 

We'll start out with one of my little friends who is pretty far behind.  He was rockin it today, and I said to him, "T, you are really smokin..." to which he looked at me very puzzled.  Yes, he thought I meant he was literally smoking.

Then we are lining up for lunch, and the principal's son says, "You know what would make my life better Mrs. F..."  I say what is that.  "If I had a tail."  Then, another student says you wouldn't be able to sit down.  He replies, "There is a hole in the back of the seat."  It was as if he had seriously contemplated this, just like HH has a zombie plan. 

I finally used my coupon codes for canvaspress.com.  I got two 16 by 20 pictures, one from our wedding day, and one from the professional portraits we had taken in February.  They will be in before Christmas.  I've saved two spots on the wall for them.  I got $221 worth of artwork for $90.  Not bad!

I bought two pairs of Easy Spirit mini-boots back in September when I had a 30% coupon code.  Today was the first time I wore them, and they are so comfy!  I still remember when Easy Spirit first came out, and they showed women playing basketball with heels on.  While I'm not ready to play basketball in them, I have no swelling, and my feet do not ache. 

One of my girls today asks me at recess why I always dress up so much that I look like I am trying to win a dress up contest. 

Time to rest, and read for my Old Testament class.