I'm On Vacation & a Survey

As of this afternoon, I am officially on vacation!!  Yeeee-haaaaa!!!!

I've got to finish my shopping tonight so that I can spend tomorrow in pj's all day.  So I am going to post this survey now before the Mr. gets home and is ready to go.  And I gotta make it quick.

I saw Kristin's survey over at Teeny Tiny Teacher and thought I want to do that fun.  (BTW, Kristen has left me a few comments lately and I love it.  It makes me feel almost like a popular girl in high school!  :) )

I feel like I've actually been getting a lot of comments lately and I love it!  It really fills my bucket and all that mushy gushy stuff.  Really!  It's like a little pat on the back every time no matter what you say.  So thank you one and all!!

Okay.  Survey time.

1.  Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I don't mind gift bags at all but always feel like others want to rip the paper like it's more fun.  So I try to do paper.  But if you are one of those freaky paper openers who lifts the paper off so carefully (as if you can reuse the paper) and folds it neatly into a little square...NO paper for you!!  (picture the paper Nazi yelling that.)

2.  Real tree or artificial?
Artificial.  My brother, I think, had allergies to the real one so ours was fake growing up.  Love the smell and thrill of finding a real one, but at the same time feel really guilty killing a poor innocent living tree for a month of beauty in my living room.  Yes, I know they are grown for that purpose, but still.  And yes, I know I could get a live potted tree to plant in the spring.  But if you saw my yard full of trees you'd know that wasn't an option.  And have you ever cut down or bought a real tree with lights already on it?  Nuff said!

3  When do you put up the tree?
When I am not too tired and damn well feel like it, usually sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

4.  When do you take the tree down?
When I damn well feel like it, usually after the New Year.

5.  Do you like eggnog?
Bleck!  I'd have to be three sheets to the wind and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like it even then.

6.  Favorite gift received as a child?
I think the year my parents gave me skiing lessons.  Financially it was a good year for my parents obviously. I was lucky my folks wanted us kids (my older brother and I) to do things that they never would have dreamed of.  I think I am the same way with my daughters.  Thanks Mom and Dad!

7.  Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes, it is a handmade wooden one that is also a puzzle that all fits together in the stable.  My parents gave it to me years ago.  We love puzzles!  It's a hard one to get back together too!

8.  Hardest person to buy for?
My brother.  He has everything or buys it for himself.  Although he loves homemade goodies so now I usually just make him some yummy deserts, jelly, spicy pickles, etc.

9.  Easiest person to buy for?
Me, of course!  While looking for others, I always find something I want!  :)

10.  Mail or email Christmas cards?
Christmas cards, what are those??  I once had them dang buggers all done with envelopes addressed and put them on top of the fridge to mail.  I found them up there about 4 months later.  I never can get them done with the chaos of school, etc.  So I try to do a New Year's or Easter card.  And sometimes often I am not good about that either.

11.  Worst gift you ever received?
A scary, homemade Christmas vest from a little old lady who liked donating stuff to our school.  It was great for a funny gag gift later on.  (This little old lady would cut the pictures off of tissue boxes and give them to us along with styrofoam meat trays, free stickers you get in the mail from organizations that want donations, etc.  Apparently I was the only one who didn't have the heart to tell her that most of the stuff she gave us (especially the tissue box art) went in the trash.  Hence, I guess, the year I got the vest.  Or as my co-workers liked to tease...no one else would take it from her!)

12.  Favorite Christmas movie?
Christmas Vacation.  Watched it with our girls every year until we finally bought it, only to find out that the TV edited a LOT of swear words out of it.  So we've stuck to just watching it on TV.  I can relate to the tree hunting (before I began feeling guilty about killing the innocent) and finding the perfect (from a distance) tree that ends up being 20 plus feet tall.  I can relate to the hidden presents that are found too late.  (Imagine finding gifts that you children are WAY to old to play with now.  Then picture me donating them to an organization like Toys for Tots.)  I could go on and on.  Love that movie.

13.  When do you start shopping for Christmas?
When I damn well feel like it.  (pattern??)  Some I do early (remember the hidden and forgotten presents) and lots at the last minute.  Remember I need to go shopping tonight!?!

14.  Ever recycled a present?
Regifting...love it!  In fact, I have a drawer of gifts to regift.  Come on, you know everyone does it!

15.  Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Caramel corn.  My mother-in-laws is the BEST!

16.  Clear lights or colored lights on a tree?
Clear on the tree but I love me some deep blue lights outside in the snowy darkness!  Mesmerizing!

17.  Favorite Christmas song?
Sorry can't pick just one!













I'd seriously listen to Christmas music all year but my family frowns upon it.  Humbugs!


18.  Travel at Christmas or stay home?
I personally would love to travel now that my kids are older, but the hubs won't have any part of it.  He's a big family boy and all.

19.  Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Sure can.  Although one of my darlings informed me this week that Rudolph wasn't real and so I shouldn't count him or put him on the list.  I begged to differ!

20.  Angel or star on top of the tree?
Angel.  (Although she hasn't made it up there yet.  But hey, the tree is up and there are two more days until Christmas!)

21.  Open the presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
When I was growing up we got to do one on Christmas Eve.  But when my kids were littler it had to be Christmas morning.  This year is the first year we will do Christmas Eve with one side of the family and Christmas day with the other side of the family.

22.  Most annoying thing about this time of year?
Without a doubt the traffic and crowds.  Hate em both!

23.  Favorite ornament, theme, or color?
I collect snowmen so I can leave them up through January (lazy I know) otherwise no theme or color.  My tree is a collection of ornaments from when I was growing up, from my daughters, and from students.  Best ones are by far homemade!

24.  What do you want for Christmas?
A massage.  For at least an hour and a half.  Pure bliss.  Then a long winter's nap!

Whew!  That took longer than I thought.  Good thing hubs is a bit late from work.

What kinds of things do you all get from your students for Christmas?  What's the best and worst thing you've ever gotten from a kiddo in your class?

Yikes, he's home.  Gotta run.  No proofreading.  Hope it's not horrible!

Christmas Wrap Up

I always order the kiddos a book for Christmas.  (Is there a teacher that doesn't??)  Anyway, the books finally came on Monday.  I was beginning to panic, let me tell you!  So last night I came home to wrap, but was out of paper.  I don't think I've been out of paper for ten years, since my daughters sell Innisbrook gift wrap every year for a school fundraiser.  I was shocked!  But I was too tired to run out and get some so it had to wait for today.

Tonight on the way home, I stopped and bought some paper.  Actually a lot.

When I got home, I was pumped to wrap...but no tape!  What?  Come on!  The girls have been busy decorating their rooms, dressers and bedroom doors obviously.

So after going to pick up my oldest from a bowling party I stopped and got a few rolls of tape.  By this time I was a bit of a grouch.

Over the weekend, I saw a cute idea at a friend's for candy cane seeds.  Simply a handful of soft peppermint candies.  I grabbed a huge bag of these delightful mints at the store (along with my tape) and whipped up a tag. I am going to put these in a baggie with the tag folded over the top and attach to the top of each child's gift.

My printer wouldn't print the color red for some reason even though I had just put in a new color cartridge.  Big time grouch by now!  I finally put in another new color cartridge and it worked.  Arrrrgggg!!

This is the tag I made using graphics from ThistleGirl and KPM Doodles.

Click here to get a copy for yourself.

I know many of you are already out of school, but hopefully you can use it next year.

Two more days!!

A Wacky Christmas Story

I grew up with Mad Libs and loved them.  My family would sit and take turns filling out those darn things and pretty much laugh ourselves senseless for hours.

As my brother and I got older some of the games even got a bit raunchy!

Years ago, I made this wacky version of The Night Before Christmas.  I know my inspiration didn't come from the internet because I didn't use it like I do now.  I believe I just took my copy of the book and took words out based on what parts of speech we had studied so far.  Anyway, I know there are similar ideas floating around out there.

I don't give any hints to the kids about what the story is so they turn out really silly.  I also tell them to try to come up with words on their list that are unique, one-of-a-kind words.  We want words that sizzle and pop, people!

So, the kiddos get the word list form to fill out first.

Click here to get a copy.

Then after I've checked to see that they have the correct kinds of words and we proofread for spelling, I give them the wacky story template to fill in using their word list.  There is no word changing allowed at this point!

Click here to get a copy.

At this point, the giggles and snickers start.  Pretty soon the whole class is in stitches and so eager to share, which I have forbidden until everyone is done.  

Finally, we have a read aloud time where each child gets to share.

Guaranteed to be a holiday favorite.

Currently...

I wish I could say I had my shopping done.

I wish I could say I had my baking done.

I wish I could say I had my cleaning and laundry done.

I wish I could say I felt motivated to do anything but stalk blogs.

I wish I could say that I wasn't glad all the holiday parties and concerts are over.

I wish I could say that I didn't have school this week.

But I can't, so hate me if you must.  I am not Scrooge but I feel like I'm getting close.  Last week the kids were all kinds of awful so I can't imagine what this week will be like.  I'm afraid to venture a guess.  It's times like these I wish I liked to take Valium Oxycontin or drink beer Ever Clear.  Sadly, I am pretty much non-medicated other than chocolate and sadly right now that isn't helping too much.

So, since I have nothing better to do am unmotivated to do anything, I am joining up with Farley's currently linky party.

Step Into Second Grade with Mrs. Lemons

Also, if you want a serious laugh (and aren't scared by a little sarcasm or swearing) visit People I Want to Punch in the Face.  This lady is all kinds of funny and real, not perfect!  I've spent the morning on her blog after finding it on Going Nutty in Miss Squirrel's First Grade currently post.  Thank you Staci!

Here is my last "I wish".

I wish I could meet all of you IRL because it would be the best Christmas present ever!

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

The Good--

Yesterday, I was thrilled to find out that I had been awarded the Liebster Blog Award not once, but twice!

Thank you Stacy over at 2nd Grade Paradise and thanks Jennifer at Herding Kats in Kindergarten for the award.

Jennifer has noticed I like to leave comments. Yes, I do! I only wish people would disable that word verification thingie cause it really slows me down. Dang it!

So now I get to nominate five blogs that have less than 200 followers. Hmmmm! Here they are in no particular order.

Number 1:

Teaching Fun in the Sun

Patricia has just recently gotten into the blogging world, but I already love her ideas.

Number 2:

Krazy about Kiddos

Amy has great things on her blog and at her TpT store.

Number 3:

Spend a Day in 2nd Grade

Leanne makes, shares, and sells great stuff on her blog and her TpT store.

(Leanne and Amy may notice my paychecks sent directly to their TpT stores after the holidays! I love TpT and just recently found their stores. Happy dance!!)

Number 4:

Ms. Rachel's Room

Rachel has a cute blog (Project 3 Designs - same as mine), we both have guinea pigs, and we both contribute to Critters in the Classroom. Great minds think alike. What's not to love?!

Number 5:

Going Nutty!

Staci aka Miss Squirrels is funny and I love the name of her blog. I hear there is a funny story about why she is Miss Squirrels, but I can't find it on her blog. Maybe she'll share it with me now that I've given her an award!

Number 6:

The Weekly Hive

Lauren and I may have been separated at birth (even though I'm probably old enough to be her mother! HA!) We do a lot of the same things in our classrooms. And although she no longer has a bee theme, I still like her. Go check her blog out. You'll love her Venn snowmen!

Uhhmmm. Okay that was six, but it could have been ten (or more). There are so many great new blogs out there. It really wasn't easy to pick. Luckily for me a lot of you have a gazillion followers.

The Bad--

Today our shelf elf, Bluey, brought a letter to our class from Santa. Apparently Santa is worried he will have to put some of my kiddos on the naughty list if they don't change their ways. Some of my kids were all big-eyed and very concerned. Not the one two three five I'd really hoped would be. But throughout the day I heard a few darlings reminding the others to make good choices so Santa doesn't bring them coal. We'll see how tomorrow goes.

The Ugly--

I felt rather bad about all my complaining yesterday after reading most of the comments that were left. Thank you for putting things in perspective for me!

But...

Let me just share how my day ended.

I got the dreaded jury duty letter in the mail. And instead of being called up for the last few days of school before the vacation begins...which I was secretly wishing as I opened the envelope...qsz

(yes, it would stink getting ready for a sub this time of year, but...I could do it to avoid the madness and mayhem that is rearing its ugly head.)

The Christmas gods obviously should have been appeased with a few sacrifices yesterday because...

I have jury duty OVER my vacation.

The.Week.between.Christmas.and.New.Years.

What?! Do these insane people not know I am a teacher and seriously need a break from all things? Like lay in my pajamas all day and mumble and drool all day week!

So I crawl into bed sad depressed only to find that one of my fur babies who doesn't like the cold decided to piddle on my side of the bed.

All I can say is that I was feeling the love yesterday!

Not to shirk my civic duty, but I seriously hope this case gets canceled, settled, or I immediately say something stupid to get myself dismissed. Because I need to sleep, drool, and mumble for a few days.

Keep your fingers crossed!