Cheers!

*Image by *Tuvy*

heers to a New Year! Hopefully it is a healthy, happy year full of adventure, new friends, opportunities and travel. (At least that is what I am personally hoping for). I can't wait to see what turns out this year. It feels good.

Battery

*Image by zerjavca

atteries are wonderful things. My laptop is finally portable as originally intended. The battery in my computer had seen better days and was stuck to an outlet. In the past week or so the battery wouldn't hold even the slightest bit of charge and once the power cord was disconnected the computer would promptly turn off. This was not productive in the least. Now I have a brand new battery and my laptop is unplugged and running smoothly, on my lap and cordless at last. What a joy.

Blanket

*Image via Anthropologie

here has to be a reason I'm posting about comfort lately. Maybe it is because I have a bulldog asleep in my lap whenever it is available. Staying home makes me want to stay comfortable and bundled. I'm also hunting for a nice comfortable, inexpensive, cute t-shirt. I'm in a t-shirt mood, but most of my t-shirts are feeling a bit shorter these days. It could be the holidays, or the changing style. I'm sure there is something inexpensive out there, I just need to be motivated to find it. Currently, I'm motivated to snuggle up and this cardigan has me inspired.

Exercise

*Image by Jeff Golden

have bouts of energy and bouts of laziness. This Christmas the Wii fit entered our house. Aside from laughing until it hurts while Trevor hula hoops, it is a pretty fun game. I think one of the only reasons I like the system is because it encourages activity. I'm glued to the screen of my laptop enough and don't really get into video games. This will be a fun addition to parties, I'm sure. Playing games is an entertaining way to spend time. Hopefully the fitness aspect affects us positively as well.

Slippers

*Image via J.Crew

mart people invented driving moccasins. People who decided that it was nice to wear slippers outside of the house had a great idea. I have been looking around locally for a nice pair, but haven't seen anything yet. I look forward to the day when I walk into the classroom in a nice comfortable pair of slippers.

Hot

*Image by Parsec Traveller

ot cocoa is usually a staple of my winter holidays. Then again, so is snow and cold. I was planning a post about enjoying some nice spiked cocoa with my husband and was even further inspired by the beautiful lettering genius of Jessica Hische. Enhancing my blog posts with a daily drop cap is fantastic fun. I'll see what I can do to amuse myself this week. It should be fun.

Perfection

*Image by Carol-ikkker

This is my idea of a wonderful Sunday. I just finished a great book and will probably make the library a prime destination on my things to do tomorrow. I am always in the mood for a nap on Sunday afternoon after water polo. I found the perfect spot and Odin joined me and commenced relaxation.

Holiday

*Image by ♥iana♥

We had a nice relaxing holiday. Trevor enjoyed his gifts and got a good laugh out of seeing Dwight Schrute's face on the Clue box. (I also earned some respect for not adding extra noise makers to the box). We've had a good time enjoying each other's company, eating goodies, reading and plenty of tinkering for the husband. Hopefully all of you had a relaxing holiday with friends, family and loved ones.

Finally

*Image by Oriholic Jared

They finally judged our patios yesterday and I am so thankful. I cut a few more snowflakes and had just completed my final touches when the judges arrived. I grabbed Odin and set him up in the Santa hat and we were set. I don't think anyone else had a cute bulldog on their patio. I also think the judges were impressed that I made all of the decorations. Craftiness is key. I am most thankful that it all happened yesterday before the rain and the wind started. I tore down what remained of my soggy flakes and bloated salt dough ornaments today, but am still pleased by my efforts. Fingers crossed. Merry Christmas Eve!

Post

*Image via Snow & Graham

I can't believe that I snagged such awesome cards last year. Now all I have to do is finish addressing and sealing envelopes. Hopefully I'll get as lucky with next year's cards. Speaking of paper, my snowflakes are starting to melt and I'm disappointed because while judging of porches was scheduled for Monday, they said it would happen today. Uggg... looks like I may be cutting a few more snowflakes.

Winner?

*Image by LucasTheExperience

I am wondering if I won the patio decorating contest. My goal was not to spend any money so that my total winnings paid for all of my effort, but I did snag a nice pair of LED lights for $6. My cut snowflakes fluttered nicely in the wind and my ornaments are still glittery. Trevor offered a nice finishing touch and we set the Christmas tree up on the patio surrounded by a strand of lights. I think that it looked great, and completely forgot to take pictures of the patio. Maybe I'll get some shots tonight minus the tree... especially if we won! I love being crafty. This project has got me in the spirit of the holidays.

Santa

Odin as Santa, helping me decorate the porch. He's not a huge fan of hats or head-gear, but he tolerates it. Good thing I have a good spool of elastic in my craft bin for adapting hats for the dog. This $1 Santa hat was too good to pass up. I'm usually not an impulse buyer but it was fun dressing up the pup. I'll post some of Trevor's more fantastic photos later.

Snowflakes

*Image by bugsandfishes by lupin

My salt dough snowflakes are hanging outside shimmering in the afternoon sun. I'm currently giving my hands a rest from cutting snowflakes, but this is the idea I'm going for. Trevor suggested I create some type of garland for the rail. I used the salt dough ornaments along the railing combined with a strand of lights. I've got my fingers crossed that I finish in time, this image has me inspired.

Wrap

*Image via Happy Living Design

My first wrapped gift is waiting underneath the tree. Trevor is a fan of shaking and guessing the contents of his gifts so this one is a perfect first. He is convinced that I filled the box with change or rocks to make noise but he is completely wrong. Because the box makes noise he refuses to shake it anymore. I can't wait until he opens it and sees that I have been completely honest about not adding anything to the box. He'll just have to wait.

One more

*Image by boopsie.daisy

Only one more day until vacation. I cannot wait. I don't know who is more excited, teachers or students?

Baking

*Image by dotsara

My house needs to be filled with the smells of baking. I'm missing having holiday treats around, although I'm sure that my waistline is not suffering. I need to do some more nesting this holiday. Trevor has already been taunting me with a few wrapped gifts and soon it will be my turn. Holidays are definitely a call to nest.

Red

*Image by jodyangel

Our little tree is up and all 20 of our ornaments have been hung. Now, I desperately need to make some salt dough or even applesauce and cinnamon ornaments. At first, Odin was scared of the tree. He scooted away from it pretty quickly and was sure to avoid it while I was stringing up the lights. Now he eyes it suspiciously but, I think it is because the red ornaments resemble his favorite ball.

Stocking

*Image via The Purl Bee

Seeing as this is going to be my first Christmas away from my family, I am ill prepared. Trevor has his childhood stocking and mine is at home with my family. I bravely volunteered to sew stockings for the new branch of my family, but I can't find anything that I truly love. Too bad I didn't see this lovely pattern a few months ago. I'm going to try to make something fabulous to start a new family tradition and to get in some practice before I need to make more stockings.

Contest

*Image by Katy Elliott via Design Crush

My apartment complex is having a balcony decorating contest in honor of the holidays. So far, I haven't seen too many decorated balconies so I have a plan. The contest winners will receive a $100 rent deduction for January which is reason enough to compete. Luckily for me, I have a crafty streak and a plan up my sleeve. In order to make the contest worthwhile, my goal is to spend as little money as possible. When I saw these salt dough ornaments I was immediately inspired. I could make some awesome ornaments, paint my windows, and string up a few lights and make it look like snow is falling on my balcony. So far, I'm still in the planning stages. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Fancy

*Image via Kate Spade

I have a teacher holiday party this Saturday. Next Saturday I get do dress up as a doctor's wife at another holiday party. I saw this sweater and it made me smile. I was thinking about what a teacher would wear to a holiday party - a dress cardigan? Then I remembered seeing this and realized that a dress cardigan didn't have to be as bad as my elementary school memories. (Especially not as bad as the appliqued jean jumper I got as a prank graduation gift).

Reading

*Image by Mikey Burton via Oh So Beautiful Paper

I'm up to my elbows in teen literature lately. When I saw this book cover in particular, I was jealous. How many of my students would have fought over a well designed piece of art like this? I know the old adage not to judge a book by its cover, but when you're 13 all you do is judge. Now that they're past the cover pages are flying, but it did take some heavy persuasion on my part.

Santa

*Image by boopsie.daisy

At work they have organized a Secret Santa gift giving schedule. I hope that I get someone good, or at least someone I know a little bit. It's always more fun to give gifts to people you know and then to measure their reactions. I'm trying to decide if I give good gifts for Secret Santa or gag gifts. I'll have to wait and see who I pull out of the hat. I also have to get started sending other gifts around the country because, with my track record they might all end up being late.

Tree

*Image by matt-pearson

I'm getting a late but welcome glimpse at fall. Temperatures finally got cold enough to cause the trees around here to change colors. Speaking of trees, Trevor and I are talking about getting a Christmas tree. It really doesn't seem like December and definitely not like Christmas. I wish I could go chop a tree down in my back yard like the good ol' days. I'm considering a small potted tree because we'll be able to put it on the patio when Christmas is over. We're making plans to see what Texas has to offer in terms of evergreen trees.

Potatoes

These are purple potatoes. When they came home from the store they were a little dirty, and when I washed them I was surprised. They looked like they could adorn a fancy, yet eclectic necklace. The color wasn't only on the skin, like a red potato it radiated inward like tye-dye. I've eaten purple carrots, but this was a first in my potato ventures. I was completely spoiled after this. My job was easy - to bake these purple beauties. I halved them, tossed in a little onion, sprinkled them with sea salt and some olive oil and my work was done. My husband however decided to make stuffed pork chops and concocted his own stuffing from scratch. Then, as you read in the earlier post he offered me a foot rub. There was not a complaint to be heard.

Internet

This morning I was planning on writing about the fantastic dinner I had last night. I didn't get to it last night, because who is going to resist an offer of a foot rub? Yep, my husband cooked me a simple feast and then offered to rub my feet. What a Sunday. This morning, my internet connection was not working...so we're at an impass. More on dinner and Sunday discoveries later.

Ice

*Image by An Optional Holiday

There has been a big to-do on the local news. They were predicting a winter storm. When my students asked me if I thought it would snow, I almost laughed. It doesn't feel like snow to me. Not in Texas, surely they jest. I thought that the newscasters in Seattle made snow into a big deal. Here storms are cause for alarm. We have flash flood warnings and now I'll sit on my hands with a snow warning. (However, I would be so smug and secretly pleased to see some snowflakes. It would make my December. Especially because I completely missed out on a real fall).

Mom

*Image by a.drian

My family is gone now and it seems strange to wake up or come home and have them gone. It was so nice having visitors (even if I did get lost on the road a bit). It was good to have family in town. Nothing like your mom to make a holiday in a strange town more like home. I came home to find a lovely letter adorning my computer screen. I already miss them.

Crunched

*Image by Paul Nicholson

Well, looks like I'm not alone. I found several pictures of crunched phones online. Somehow, while I was sleeping, Odin got my phone from my nightstand and destroyed it. I have no idea how the phone made it all the way to the floor under the bed for Odin to crunch it up, but it is done for. I woke up around midnight to chewing noises and expected the dog to have another one of my shoes. This time it was my phone and I'm still baffled at how he even got it. Thank goodness I lost the donation envelope I had been planning to use to send my old phone to charity. I'd be phoneless otherwise, now I can save up my money again or wait for a good holiday sale. It is a bummer though, because I was just learning how to use it.

Stuffy

*Image by tinaylin

It wasn't the kids, but I feel like blaming them anyway. I have a stuffy, drippy nose now. This is not the way I wanted to start my week. I did however put up twinkle lights in my room and some new student work to cheer up the walls. I'm happy about that part. Now, I just wish my nose would breathe normally.