Advent Conspiracy

Journal Your Christmas

I am excited to take this class offered by Shimelle called Journal Your Christmas. It starts on Monday, the first of December. I am hoping to really capture my holiday season this year and between this and my Daily December album- this is the year. I want to record traditions and recipes and memories and all of that. I really love Christmas and I don't want it to be just one giant to-do list. I am hoping this class will help me focus on the non-shopping aspects of the season as well. I think this class will help me with what to write in my Daily December album each day, too. (this post is an entry to potentially get the class free for me and a friend- check it out!)

Thanksgiving Message

I have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving- especially a sister who is willing to host and take all of the pressure off of me! All I have to do is show up with some desserts and help cook on Wednesday and Thursday. So easy for me! I am going to the commissary this morning to get the last of what I need for my desserts and then I will be making wonderful things that we cannot eat for 2 days. Yikes- that will take some willpower.
Tony is coming home today, so that is exciting. He will be here through the weekend. The girls are really excited about that, too. Alex will be o.k. once her huge world history test is over today. Then she can feel thankful. Alyssa is in the top two for the spelling bee in her class, so that is continuing today to see if she competes for the 8th grade spot in the school.
I started a book at Creative Escape called The Good Book, where I write something I am thankful for every day. It helps keep me focused on the good things in my everyday life. Sometimes it can be hard to think of something original each day, but that is part of the process. The other part of this book is that I have to write down 5 strengths of mine each month. I only have a few days left in November to think of some. I have already listed ten, between Sept. and Oct. and I am not sure I have 15 strengths, let alone the 60 I will have to come up with for the year.
Happy Thanksgiving to all who read this blog (all 5 of you!)- think about what we really have- it is amazing!

Twilight- Midnight Showing

Somewhere I am either getting a mother of the year award for taking my daughters to be among the first to see this movie, or someone is making notes to take my kids away for keeping them out until 2:30 a.m. to see this movie on a school night.

At this point in their teenage lives, my girls enjoy a homemade t-shirt to commemorate every event- concerts, movie openings, whatever- here is the shirt for twilight-

Yes- I wear one, too. I am also a fan of the books, so it was fitting. Here is the back of the shirts- a quote from the first book-

I enjoyed having others ask us where we bought them! (Oh, the poor mother needs more of a creative outlet, don't you think?)

My review of the movie is four stars- mainly because of this:

I actually just read a review that said his eyes (and the fact that you can see the white of his eyes under his irises) are what make him attractive- apparently Marilyn Monroe and JFK both had this type of eye. I am not sure that is all of the appeal, but it does make his vampire stare more effective! I will leave you with an image that illustrates the longing inherent in this movie- (insert sigh here)

Grey Skies and Yoga Pants

Well, we have a rainy day here, which plays nicely into my plan to stay in yoga pants and do things in the house today. Mark was home on Monday and Tuesday- Happy Birthday Marines, and Happy Veteran's Day. We did a lot of good stuff around the house, then I subbed yesterday afternoon. That means today is the first day I have been home all day BY MYSELF since last week. Until I don't have that, I don't realize how much I need it. Actually, many days I spend a lot of time talking on the phone in an effort not to be alone. Not today. I am thrilled to be in comfy pants and hanging out. (there will be no photos of this, but I did do my hair and put on makeup, because at my core I am still from Atlanta.)

Catching up on my design class, some shows I dvr'd, and laundry folding. Whee- but today will be a good day, even though it is raining. I am also in heavy planning mode for the holidays- not actually doing, but trying to get the big picture in my head so I can begin to do.

Monday was Parents' Day in Alex and Alyssa's jazz and prepointe classes. I took the camera, much to their dismay. Here is a layout I did about it:

Off to get more design knowledge...

Not a T-shirt wearing girl

Since I am not a t-shirt wearing girl (at least not the kind that have writing on them) and I got a really cool catalog with some clever t-shirts, I thought I would write the quotes here, so I could keep them and enjoy them, and maybe use them as scrapbook page titles later on...

Life is short- Read Fast!

Lead me not into temptation- especially bookstores.

I am the Grammarian about whom your mother warned you.

I'm just here for the Savasana. (that's the corpse pose in yoga you do at the very end to relax.)

Vocatvs atque non vocatvs deus aderit (translated, Bidden or not bidden, God is present.)

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate. ( a chemistry take on the quote I always use on the kids)

When I was your age, Pluto was a planet.

At what age am I old enough to know better?

She is too fond of books, and it has addled her brain. - Louisa May Alcott

Have a good Sunday!

One of my favorite comics is Big Nate- and this is one of my favorites in the past couple of weeks. I so remember going over having a good attitude whether you win or lose countless times over the years.

Fall and Monticello

Fall in Virginia is the most beautiful season. I just love all of the leaves- when I was little (in Georgia) and read about the four seasons, I didn't realize anywhere actually got all four- but they do in Virginia.

This is a shot of Monticello- I think this is technically the back of the house.

This is from the kitchen. TJ obviously learned how to stock a kitchen during his time in Paris. Look at that divine copper cookware. sigh...

O.K.- this is one of my favorites. I think it looks like a painting.

Trying to enjoy fall- I hate that winter is coming, so I will concentrate on fall.

Reading

I love to read- time can really fly by without me noticing that I haven't edited photos, or done laundry, or cleaned up the kitchen from breakfast. Right now I am reading Bitter is the New Black- it is pretty funny. It has allowed me to successfully avoid all of the above as well as the piano practicing I need to get done before choir tonight. A brief break here on the computer- the danger of the computer being one of the places you need to work- and then I am really going to accomplish something before everyone gets home. I did get a crown this morning, so I am milking that for a day of lying low. Post soon with photos--

Thoughts on a Democracy

Well, I just have to say how grateful I am to live in a country where everyone can vote, someone wins, and we have a peaceful change of power. The definition of democracy- majority rules. It was exciting to take Alyssa with me (Alex had to be at the school) to vote. Even if my guy didn't win, the political process was fabulous- lines to vote!- this from a country where some years half of the eligible voters didn't bother to make it out to the polls. Tony voted for the first time, too- yikes!-I am old!

I spent the day today with our third president, Mr. Jefferson, at Monticello, and I will have pictures soon- I took enough, I will have to sort through them and share some good ones. Because I don't like posts without some pictures, here is one of the new voter- taken in August when Summer was a little smaller.

Halloween- the day after

I am really having a hard time getting going doing anything this morning. I thought I would add my Halloween photos to the blog. DeAun, I expect to see photos of the slutty fairy as well.

Well, folks, this is what you get when a Disney freak of a kid with her own DVD player picks her costume- Ariel from the Little Mermaid. Not so unusual, you would think, but this is Ariel from a very specific scene in the movie- the one where she gets her legs, is spit up onto the beach and scuttle dresses her. In case your Disney mind isn't quite as sharp as Alyssa's- here's a reminder of the scene:

I had to have her pause the DVD so I could make the costume. Here is our take on the lovely white dress that Scuttle threw together with some rope:I did make her wear some type of shoe, and Matt gets major kudos for putting up with her. She was really glad to have a Prince Eric, though. Oh the power of the mouse- what would Halloween be without Disney characters?? I saw lots of them last night.

I took some other pictures yesterday, too. The light was really perfect as I walked in from subbing, so I made the girls brush their hair and come outside. I got some really good ones. Here are a couple:

Alyssa took that last one. Happy Fall Y'all and Happy Birthday, DeAun! (I didn't think you'd want me spouting your age all over the internet!!)