2009: A Year in Review

Even though it seems we just toasted in the New Year (and by toasted, I mean slept right through) another year has come and gone. Luckily the ol' computer saves all of our pictures in neatly organized, dated folders. What did people do before such wonderful technology? I am guessing they didn't blog about the goings-on of each month of the year. Who could remember what happened during the course of the past year? It doesn't seem like anything much went on...until you start looking through the pictures. Then you realize, "Hey! We were busy. We had stuff going on. 2009 was a great year."

January-We had way too many snow days and mommy went just a little crazy.



February-We enjoyed playing in the last big snowfall of the year with four-wheelers, sleds, and hot cocoa.

March-The kids and I had a great Spring Break. We had our first overnight stay away from home at Aunt Susie's house. We had a blast at Bouncertown. And the weather finally took a turn for the better.


April-Work in the fields began. Cole started soccer lessons. The Easter bunny came. And the geese? Well, you know what happens in the spring...



May-We spent most of our time outside enjoying the wonderful weather. The flowerbeds were planted. (And oh, how I long for those bright, vibrant colors again!) My baby graduated from preschool!




June-School FINALLY ended and summer officially began! (Can I tell you how many more pictures I took in the summer when that teaching thing wasn't consuming all of my time?!) I spent the night in the hospital with a ruptured ovarian cyst. The kids started swimming lessons. The wheat was harvested.






July-Manure was spread. The corn grew tall. Flowers were in full bloom. We enjoyed a trip to the zoo and our first family vacation to Fair Oaks Dairy Farm.



August-We savored every last minute of summer. We went to our first state fair. My baby went off to kindergarten. Claire went back to daycare. And mommy went back to work. Wah!




September-Little Miss turned 4. The kids spent their first night away from home without Mommy at Aunt Susie's. We got back into the swing of being back in school and daycare again. We enjoyed the last warm days of an Indian Summer.




October-Cole turned 6. Harvesting began. We had a great Fall Break. We even made it to a science museum. And of course, there was trick-or-treating.


November-We gave thanks. The crops were finally in. We played in the leaves when we weren't battling a cold or stomach bug.



December-The kids grew more excited for Christmas with each passing day. The opening of each door on the Advent calendar became the highlight of the day. Finally, Santa came. We spent time with wonderful family and friends. We listened to Christmas music and watched Christmas movies. We enjoyed a relaxing break from school.


Goodbye, 2009. You were a great year...but I have a feeling 2010 is going to be even better!

Happy New Year, everyone!

A Drink and a Haircut

Have I ever told you how much I love my hair dresser?

Being the best hair dresser around, she took a risk and opened her own day spa in this little town. It's simply gorgeous inside. She has six white leather pedicure chairs, six manicure stations, several tanning rooms, complete with a massage area in the back. It's beautiful. And always busy.

And the best part? She goes out of her way to accommodate her clients. She will come in early and stay late...and I am talking 11:00 p.m. late.

I put the kids to bed last Wednesday night and then headed off for my 8:00 p.m. appointment. Coincidentally my cousin showed up with her husband, who also had an appointment. Even better than that?

They brought cocktails!

Have I told you how much I love my cousin?

The four of us chatted, laughed, and drank vodka with cranberry juice while my hair dresser did her magic. I assumed I was her last appointment, but as we poured ourselves yet another drink, in walked her 9:00 appointment. I got a little nervous about the big bottle of vodka sitting on the counter until the 9:00 appt. announced, "My husband had to drop me off...I just had 2 big margaritas at dinner and couldn't drive!" Needless to say, she fit right in with us!

Two hours later, it felt a bit more like a bar than a salon. And I was slightly concerned about each drink my hair dresser took while cutting my hair, but I walked out with a super cute haircut and fresh highlights.

I can't wait for my next appointment!

Is 3:30 too early for vodka?

Christmas Recap, the abridged version

Probably every blogger in blogland will have some Christmas recap post this week.

I will give you the Cliff's Notes version.

Great food, drinks, family, friends, and gifts.

How adorable are they in their matching outfits?!

And in case anyone was wondering, yes she is 4 going on 14.

Now tell me, what was your favorite gift you received?

90 days down, 90 to go

First of all, I am done. School? It is over for 2009. But I gotta tell you. Teaching 31 fifth and sixth graders on December 22? Is cruel and unusual punishment. And can I tell you how loosely I use that term teach? Let's just say it was a long day.

But it's over!

Thus beginnning Christmas Break, 2o09. Somehow Christmas snuck up on me this year. I remember thinking back in September, "I should think about doing some Christmas shopping." And then followed that up with, "Nah. It's only September. I have TONS of time."

Right.

Here it is December 22 and I am still not quite sure if I have everything done. It has been hard Christmas shopping with my two constant companions. And every time I would think I could get something done, Cole would throw up, ending those plans.

Did I mention the school called me at 12:10 today? To let me know that Cole had thrown up?

*sigh*

Luckily Daddy was able to rescue him while I finished teaching. He has been okay the rest of the night. No fever, no more puking. He was just a little couch potato all afternoon and hasn't eaten much to speak of.

With any luck, he will stay healthy all night and I can take them both to daycare in the morning while I finish up the shopping, start some cooking, and get the wrapping done. Oh, and make Christmas candy. There's so much to do!

Somebody pass the wine!

By the Numbers

3-The number of Christmas trees up in our house

4-The number of rotting pumpkins still on the porch

3-The number of dishes I need to make for various holiday parties this Friday

30-The amount of money I won at a Christmas party for guessing the number of corn kernels in a jar

2146-The number of corn kernels in the jar

2100-My guess

6-The number of gifts left to buy

0-The number of gifts I have wrapped

318-The number of gifts I need to wrap

9-The number of days left until Christmas

937-The number of papers I have to grade

21-The temperature outside

3-The number of dogs interfering with my typing on the couch

30%-The chance of having a white Christmas

3-The number of Christmas get togethers planned for next week

4-The number of days of school left until Christmas Break

26-The number of glasses of wine I will need to get me through those last 4 days

1-The number of comments you should leave telling me your most important holiday number

Wordless Wednesday-Starbucks Princess

For more Wordless Wednesday goodness, just click here!

Change of Plans

What a week! The kids were both sick last weekend and we missed school on Monday because of a long-lasting fever. Tuesday and Wednesday were fairly uneventful...as uneventful as life can be trying to teach 31 kids.

Then Cole got sick again, this time complete with vomiting. Lots of vomiting. I've never seen a more pathetic little boy in my life. He literally didn't move from the recliner the entire day...even requesting a Pull-Up as it hurt to stand. :( I stayed with him through the morning, then hubby took off at noon to keep him for the afternoon while I went to school.

In hindsight, I probably should have just taken the entire day off. My room was a mess. The kids were obnoxious. I did more picking up/sorting/organizing/yelling than actual teaching.

But today? Today is a bummer. The teacher across the hall and I had decided a few weeks ago to take personal days today to spend the day Christmas shopping. (Shh. Don't tell.)

We were both giddy with anticipation of a kid-free, work-free, stress-free day of Starbucks, shopping, lunch out, and more shopping. Just the two of us.

Instead? I am home, nursing my little guy back to health. Of course, I am happy to be here to take care of him. And am so glad he is starting to feel better. But it isn't exactly the day I had in mind.

Instead of Starbucks peppermint mocha, I am sipping on Folgers. Instead of lunch out, I will be having leftover stir-fry. Instead of shopping with the BFF, it's just me and my laptop and overstock.com.

Let's just hope everyone stays healthy next week. I need that shopping day. And that Starbucks. And that kid-free, work-free day.

Anyone wanna sub for me?

Edited to add: Super-sweet hubby read this post this morning, took pity upon me, and brought lunch to us at noon! Yay!

John Deere Christmas Winners

First of all, a big thanks to Rungreen for generously giving away two John Deere Christmas stockings and one John Deere tree topper! And without further adieu, the winners are...

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
4
46
40
Timestamp: 2009-12-03 01:52:07 UTC


That means that Twincerely, Olga is the winner of the pink John Deere stocking!

The Handy Family is the new owner of a green John Deere stocking!

And Tiffany from Stuck in the Sticks has won the tree topper!


Congrats, ladies! Please email me your shipping information ASAP!

Have I got a story for you...

On Thanksgiving, we left the house around noon. Jackie the Cow had broken her tie-out cable earlier in the week (trying desperately to tear the garbage man to shreds), so we tied Bear out at the barn and left Jackie loose thinking she wouldn't go anywhere without Bear.


Thanksgiving night, my husband let Bear loose. No sign of Jackie. Hmmm.

Friday morning, still no Jackie. My husband called and called for her...went on a drive looking for her. Nothing.

Friday evening I called, clapped, and called for her some more. Nothing.

Saturday morning, still no Jackie. We were resigned to the fact that she was gone...either run off, taken in, or...worse.

Saturday afternoon my husband was with his cousin and uncle...the ones he farms with. His uncle asks, "So, did you find Jackie?" My husband replied, "No, we haven't seen her since Thursday. I guess she's gone."

His reply? "Well, I put her in the cattle trailer on Thursday when I saw she was loose. I guess I forgot to tell you."


Yes. Our dog had been locked in the cattle trailer at our house, approximately 6 inches from where Bear had been tied up, for two and a half days. Did she wimper, whine, or bark while we were desperately calling for her? No, no she did not.

Needless to say she was very hungry, very thirsty, and VERY excited to see Bear and Daddy.


The moral of the story? The cattle trailer is a great place to keep a dog...when you remember you put the dog in there.

John Deere Christmas...and a Giveaway! TIME'S UP!

Our friends at Rungreen have an amazing selection of John Deere gifts for everyone in the family, even the dog! They also have John Deere Christmas decorations!

If you need a gift for a John Deere lovin' kid, look no further. This John Deere play tent would be perfect...especially for my kids!
Maybe you need a pink John Deere sleeping bag? And really...who doesn't?!

How cute is this John Deere baby onesie?

I wish I had found this John Deere blanket when Cole was a baby. Look how soft! And the little blocks around the border? So cute!For the men in your life, Rungreen has everything including John Deere shirts,John Deere jackets,
John Deere boots,
John Deere gloves,
John Deere watch,John Deere wallet,

even a John Deere tie! And really...what's Christmas without a necktie for dad?

For the outdoorsy type, Rungreen has John Deere horseshoes,


John Deere BBQ grill tool set,


John Deere light-up outdoor thermometer,


even John Deere car air fresheners!

For that special pet, how about a John Deere collar?


For the girl who loves all things John Deere, how about a John Deere shirt,


or John Deere hats,

BTW, this one is on sale right now for $5.00!! I just put one in my shopping cart for a certain Little Miss.

or maybe John Deere socks,

or cute John Deere tote bag or diaper bag?

And if you are going all-out with John Deere in your Christmas decorating this year, look no further! You can find a John Deere yellow Christmas tree!

There's a John Deere inflatable for your yard!


You can find John Deere Christmas cards,



John Deere wrapping paper,

even John Deere Christmas lights for inside and outside!

If you are still reading, you deserve a chance to win!

Rungreen is giving away one green John Deere Christmas stocking,

one pink John Deere Christmas stocking,


and one John Deere Christmas tree topper to three lucky readers!


To enter to win:

Leave a comment telling me which item you want to win: the pink stocking, green stocking, or tree topper!

Bonus entries (all separate comments):

*Go to Rungreen and tell me what other product catches your eye!
*Follow Rungreen on Twitter
*Add Rungreen as a friend on Facebook
*Blog about this giveaway and link back to me

Fine Print:
*Winners are chosen by Random.Org. If you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!
*Winner will be contacted by email; be sure to include your email if it's not enabled
*Contest ends Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. EDT
*Rules for each entry must be followed to be valid