The holidays!

I really love this time of the year!  My mom and I wrote all about the holidays and traditions over here.

This year the day before Thanksgiving we had a pie making party at my parents' house.

My nephews were there, my mom and dad helped, then one brother and sister-in-law came over.  I make 2 pumpkin pies and my first ever pecan pie.  I need a little more practice making pie crusts, but overall it was a success!  I think that next year I'll try to make a strawberry rhubarb pie (Tanner's favorite).

We spend Thanksgiving over at my great aunt Pam's house.  It seems that after eating, we always tend to get a little crazy.  This year it was a three person tower.

The Sunday or Monday after Thanksgiving we get together to make gingerbread houses.  This is probably my favorite holiday tradition. 

This year we decided to decorate our house in red and white.  We added a little garden in our yard as well.  Our cute little gingerbread house is now sitting on our piano looking festive.

Last night we had an extended family Christmas party.  My little brother played Santa! We all thought it was so funny that we decided to join in on the fun.

A few weeks ago I went to a boutique.  I saw a lot of cute things and left feeling crafty! 

I painted this little sign to make my desk area feel more christmas-y.

I also saw some cute headbands at the botique.  I felt like I could make them for a lot less than they were selling for.  They have wire inside, so they bend and shape to your head.  I feel like I have a hard time wearing headbands because they always seem to fit weird of slip off.  These are perfect!  I made a couple and really like them.

And... We got a new car!  It's a 2004 Mini Cooper. 

Against my consent

You know that saying "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent"?


That Eleanor Roosevelt was a pretty brilliant woman.  And yet I am confident that she never took her car to the mechanics... 


Those blasted mechanics don't seem to care one bit about my consent! 


My car (Stella) has been leaking and leaving oil in my driveway (at least it sure looked like oil to ME).  


A couple nights ago--after a warning light appeared on my dashboard--in the dark of the night, with a flashlight, I went out to check the oil in my car and is was LOW LOW LOW.  I asked my husband to pick up some oil on his way home and put it in.  He obligingly did so.  (Over the summer my car basically ran out of oil and I was paranoid that it had happened again.)  Much to my pleasure the oil he added caused the 'Maint Req" light on my dashboard to turn off.  I thought I was finally starting to gain a little mechanical knowledge.


Well...  I took my car in for an oil change after work today.   That puddle that I just KNEW was oil in my driveway... fluid I was SURE was oil... Was actually transmission fluid...  That plus the fact that I misread the oil stick (I don't even know what that thing is called.  Why did I think I knew anything about cars?) made for a car with TOO MUCH oil.  


Too much oil + broken transmission + mechanics looking at me like I didn't know a thing + not my consent = me feeling inferior.

Check

Here's a glimpse into my week:


Renew teaching certificate.   Check

Get a flat tire on the freeway.     Check

New catalytic converter in my car.     Check

Fail emissions.     Check

Pass Emissions.     Check

Take care of a very sick hubby.     Check

Avoid working out.     Check

Have the bug man spray my house.     Check

Go to a class on Saturday.     Check

Have 2 of my kids ditch class in the morning to go to QT.     Check

Boy in my class write "have s*x with (name of a girl in my class)" on a little piece of paper.     Check

Get my teaching contract for next year.     Check.

Get car registration renewed.     Check

Take the final for my online class.     Check

Keep a mostly positive attitude.     Check

Bridal shower, a hair experiment and locked in keys

Whenever I see someone with big loose curls in their hair I swoon.  You see, my hair is naturally curly, which I LOVE.  I like that it's easy and versatile and that I can flatiron it when I want.  I have just have yet to master big loose curls.  I almost have to straighten my hair then re-curl it.  And for a long time that just seemed ridiculous... and like a lot of work...  But today I tried it!  I know ot wasn't the smartest thing to try it on a rainy day, but oh well.  It's kind of hard to see in this picture, but I think it turned out well.  And I think it will be even better when it gets a little longer.

 

Today was also my twin cousin's bridal shower.  Our birthdays are only a few days apart and we're both tall.  And that, you see qualifies us as twin cousins.

The shower was a lot of fun and it was fun to see family that I don't see often.  Since it was raining fairly hard when I got to the shower, I thought that I'd turn off the car, put everything away in my purse and use my umbrella to go around to the passenger door and get by big gift and purse.  Well, habits are hard to break and I am in the habit of opening the car door, getting out, locking the doors with my hand, then shutting the door.  I did this as normal and walked to the passenger door with my umbrella.  I didn't even realize that I had locked the door until I got to the other door and tried to lock it.  I was so frustrated!  My gift, key, phone, and everything was in there.  Luckily I have Tanner's phone number memorized, I have a kind aunt who let me use her phone, and a sweet husband who was kind enough to leave what he was doing to bring me the spare key.

Resolutions

I am the kind of girl that likes to do lists and goals.  Having said that, I did terrible with last year's goals: 50%.  But that's okay.  I have higher hopes for this year!!  Here are my resolutions for this year:


1. Read the scriptures daily (I have been slacking)

2. pray each morning and night (also slacking)

3. Get pregnant (was on my list last year, but didn't happen)

4. Cook 4 times a week (we have been eating out too much; time to be healthier and more frugal)

5. Learn 3 new song on the piano

6. Pay off all our debt (student loans and credit cards)

7. Buy a new (to us) car

8. Blog once a week

9. Take more pictures


Well, I made these goals last Sunday and since then I have read scriptures 6/7 days, said my prayers everyday, cooked 4 times, blogged twice, and bought a new car!  Things are right on track :)