Christmas Baking

I LOVE Christmas Baking!!! This year is the first year that I did it alone, but I still had so much fun! I got up at 8:30 that day, started baking at 9:00 and didn't finish cleaning up until 9:00pm!! This is with an about 1 hour break to run to wal-mart! The day just seemed to go by sooo fast! Here is all that I made... along with Fudge & Sugar Cookies! :)













Goodie Bags ready to take to school!!!



Our Christmas Tree!!! I love it sooo much!




House Shopping

Landan and I also having something else exciting going on in our life right now! We have been looking at houses!! We started looking this summer, but really just started getting serious the last couple of months! It's really the perfect time, with the really low interest rates! It will also work out for us because we're just paying rent month by month, so we can be very flexible! Anyways, we put an offer on a house last week!! It was very exciting, but at the same time, we're trying not to get too excited because it could be a very long process. The house is a 'Short Sale.' This doesn't at all mean that it will be quick! It actually takes longer! A short sale means that the house has been taken over by the bank that holds the loan, but it is not a foreclosure. The house has been taken away because of unfortunate events that have forced the owner to no longer be able to pay. Our Realtor has sent the offer to the bank that own it, but it could take up to 45 days for us to get an offer.. So, we're just doing our best to wait patiently :)

2nd Grade

One Monday toward the end of October, I was sleeping in, because I was only subbing in Hartford that afternoon. The principal at Carlisle Elementary texted me as asked if I would be interested in a long term sub job. Of course I was!! So, she asked if I could come in that morning before I headed to Hartford.

We talked and I met the 2nd Grade that I would teach for. She was due with her baby in the end of November. We set it up so that I could shadow her the next day. I did, and it went well!

The next day I was not scheduled to sub, so of course I had my list of things I was planning on doing! Well... 5:45 I got a phone call! Mandy (who i would be subbing for) had gone into the hospital early that morning to have her baby! Crazy timing on this!! So, I ended up starting teaching the day after I shadowed her! Perfect timing!

Anyways, i've been teaching 2nd grade at Carlisle Elementary ever since! I love it! I have a really good class and the teachers on the 2nd grade team are great! They've been soooo helpful and fun! I've learned so much and it has been a very busy time for me! But I wouldn't trade this time for regular subbing any day!! It will be hard to go back to that! I will be in this classroom until the end of January!

It just turns out that Abby, the teacher across the hall, is pregnant with twins!!! A few weeks ago, she asked me if I could also take her long term subbing job!! Of course I am! They will take her babies April 15th if she hasn't already had them, so I will start this second job in March/April!! It will most likely take me through the end of the year! This class has a couple of kids that will be a challenge for me, but it will also give me more great experience with different situations!

Yesterday was our Winter Party... and our last day before Winter Break! It was a crazy day, but went well! I'm definetly ready for the break tho! Below are some reindeer cookies we make yesterday morning :)