Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Friday, December 23, 2016

I love these kids!

For the holiday, I assembled treat bags for the kids with little things Melissa and I bought for them. We gave them a jingle bell, a candy cane, a pencil with two little erasers, a sticky hand, and a coloring book. We decided that, because of the low attendance today, we would show them a movie and give math a break.

7A, my SPED class, was the one I thought would be the most crazy. Instead, they opened their treat bags quietly, ate their candy canes, and enjoyed Beethoven's Christmas Adventure. They even said thank you as they were leaving the classroom!

7B, my gifted group, was the one I thought would be the quietest. Wrong again. The sticky hands were almost immediately flying in all directions as they tried to pull other student's belongings away from them, tried to stick them on the ceiling, tried to stick them in each other's hair... The Santa Clause was just background noise for happy shenanigans. I thought they were a riot, but Melissa was not amused. Probably a good thing...they would have been out of control all period, and I'd have been right along with them. :D

7C, my English language learners, was the group I was unsure of. A high percentage of the group follows the path of Islam, so I had a back-up coloring sheet in case they had religious objection to a Christmas movie and gift. I need not have worried. Some seemed to get the biggest kick out of the candy canes, eating it from both ends. As a whole, they initially preferred coloring in the little holiday coloring books in their treat bags to watching the movie , but then quickly realized they could grab each other's coloring books with the sticky hands. I probably shouldn't have let them get away with it, but hey, it's the last day of school before break, and I'm tired. :D

It's funny how this job is working out for me. I don't think I've ever worked so hard or for so many hours, but I feel like I'm making a difference. It's fulfilling, enjoyable, and worth every minute.

I have finally found my purpose.



Monday, December 24, 2012

Christmas Eve

I love wrapping presents. There was a time when that was how I made extra money...$1 for a small package under 6" around, $2 for a medium package under 12" around, and $3 for anything over $12". Good times!

Monday, December 17, 2012

Thursday, December 06, 2012

The Christmas Card Assembly Line

 All lined up on my desk...




The front...












...and the inside, ready for the boss' signature.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Christmas bracelet

Sold! :) 

I thought it was cool that someone would actually pay money for something I made. I'm going to put more of the things I made on ebay, and maybe make back some of the money I spent on supplies.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Ripple Afghan

Been working on this one for two years ... It's coming along now, though. I'm half way there!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

T and My Christmas Cookies

I boxed up cookies and sent them West. :) Jeff got his today and shared with T. He's so CUTE!

Sunday, December 11, 2011

I'll Be Home For Christmas



My favorite acapella

Cookie Plate

For my neighbor, Michaelea. :)

A little sample of the cookies we've baked over the past few weeks: peanut blossoms, chili chocolate chip, Chinese almond, mint pastels, peanut butter, mint chocolate, salt nut truffles, and Mexican wedding cakes. We've been busy!

I'm sending out packages of cookies to my brother and nephew in Seattle and a friend in Texas. I have to remember to give them a head's up - the chili chocolate cookies have a bit of heat to them. They are SO good.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Cookie Swap

Mexican Wedding Cakes and Mint Chocolate Cookies all ready for the Cookie Swap on Monday.


Saturday, December 03, 2011

Oh, Calvin...

My friend Denise: So, Ian, what do you want for Christmas?

A hydrogen-powered remote control car!

Heaven help me.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Cookies

Hair pulled back? Check.

Nails trimmed and hands well washed? Check.

Counter-top and sink disinfected? Check.

All of this germophobia stuff is done for a reason. First, Ian hasn't been feeling well. I don't want to serve Christmas cookies with a side of flu to anyone! The second reason involves a memory...

I was invited to a friend's home one evening a couple years ago for dinner. She prepared the meatloaf we were going to eat after I arrived. After she mixed the meatloaf with hands I did not see her wash, she cleaned out the meat that got caught under her fingernails into the bowl! Needless to say, I could not eat anything that night, and I have never eaten in her home since.

Besides. Do I really want to give my Christmas cookies as gifts with a side of hair? No.

So let the Christmas Cookie Baking begin!

I haven't baked Christmas cookies since I moved in here 11 years ago. My counter-top is 30" wide by 24" deep, so I have very little working room. I decided it has been too long, so I got the ingredients and gave it a go. I only burned myself on a hot pan once.

I managed to extend my work space a bit by using the edge of the kitchen sink. Here you see the first batch of cookies ready to go in the oven.



Here, I balance the sheets of peanut butter cookies ready to go in the oven.


Thank goodness for stacking cooling racks! I used the top of my portable dishwasher to stack the racks on. It was JUST wide enough. :)


These are Pastel Mint cookies and Chinese Almond Cookies. YUM!


And my last two cookie recipes of the day, Peanut Blossoms and Peanut Butter cookies. I moved the racks to my counter-top from the dishwasher so they could cool overnight. Then into the freezer they go to await the gift-giving season.


I just looked at the photo closely - seems like somebody snitched a peanut butter cookie off the third rack!

Tomorrow I am going to tackle sugar cookies. I have a set of cookie cutters that have never been used. It's time!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Birthday to Me!

My friend Nancy gave me this poinsettia for my birthday this year. Love it!