Winter Blues....NOT!

Kristin headed up the sledding hill near our house


Ah, yes, we are enjoying my most favorite time of the year...WINTER! I love it. I hate heat. I hate being hot. Unless I'm in a pool. Otherwise, give me some cold weather and snow. Why God chose to put me in the South, I'm still trying to figure out. We will have a discussion about it one day. Anyway, we had a pretty good snow last week. Enough to cancel schools, but not enough to cancel Sunshine Montessori! As one parent put it...we rock!!! We were very low on kids those two snow days and had a lot of fun with sledding, pizza party, hot chocolate and movies. I like it because when there are fewer kids, that means I can get cleaning, lesson planning, etc done! Of course I had to take Kristin sledding as well. She had a great time. She is a snow child too!

Only 6 more weeks until we hit Disneyland!!! AND...my Mama is going with us!!!! Kristin is so excited and really looking forward to a vacation with her Mom and Nene. I may need a vacation to recover from the vacation, but it will be fun.

I finally did it. I joined a gym. It had nothing to do with a New Year's Resolution, I just decided it would be in my best interest to get moving! And for me, a gym would be the best bet. If I'm paying for it, I'm a lot more likely to use it! I had first thought about joining Curves but when I went in to check it out, I was informed that because of my height, I probably wouldn't be able to use a lot of the equipment since they are made for women and aren't adjustable for height. Apparently women are only supposed to be short. SO, I went by Anytime Fitness and LOVED it. The club owner was so nice and was really sweet to Kristin, which of course won me over. The club is extremely clean and is open 24/7. So far I've gone everyday. Right now I'm just riding the bike and doing some walking on the treadmill. The best part is that I can plug my headphones into the tv on the bike (or treadmill) and watch tv. The first night I was so wrapped up in Shemar...I mean Criminal Minds..that I had no clue I'd been pedaling away for 45 minutes! Kristin has been going with me. She just hangs out on the couch and reads or plays her DSi. She's such an awesome kid.

First Snow!

I love winter!! Why do I love winter?? One reason...snow!

We got our first snow of the year, along with pretty much the rest of the South! We really didn't get much at all, but it was enough to sled and have fun in. As soon as we heard the forecast of snow, we headed to Fagan's to get a sled. They were completely sold out of the traditional sleds and saucer sleds, but they did have one inner tube sled left. So we bought it. Last year we got a TON of snow and never got a sled. Not this year. We are prepared!!!

Most of Arkansas got snow on Sunday. We got some very light snow Sunday night. Kristin was thrilled and went out to catch flakes. This same picture I emailed to our news channel to see if they would show on the news with the weather pics. But they didn't. However, the next morning on KNWA Today (the really early news show), K's pic was the My Media Pic of the Day! And she missed it! Poor thing was still asleep in bed. But she was happy to know they showed it and believes that she is now "famous."



Monday afternoon/evening it began snowing enough for school to be cancelled the next day. Kristin and her two friends across the street were out playing till around 9. I had to drag her in and she was soaking wet, from head to toe!



After the snow the REALLY cold air moved it.

Today it was in the 40's...a heat wave!!!

Another reason I love winter....Jan Brett. She is my favorite children's author. When we teach our winter unit at school, I fill it up with Jan Brett books...The Mitten, The Hat, Annie and the Wild Animals, The Three Snow Bears. So many of her wonderful books are "winter" books. And I love them. She is awesome!!! Next week we are reading Annie and the Wild Animals as part of our "animal tracks/winter" study and will be making Annie's Corn Cakes. I can't wait!

And while I'm on the subject of school, I just have to say how well Kristin is doing. The one on one, Montessori learning has been the best thing for her. She is thriving and LOVES school. And I love having her there. It's not like the preschool days where she was "competing" for my attention with the other kids. She goes to her class, comes out to see me on occasion, and just does her own thing. Today she was going to the kitchen for something and stopped off in my room to give me a hug and tell me she loves me. LOVE IT! Anyway, her reading has improved tremendously, letter reversals aren't happening as often and one thing I really love...when she's finished with all her work for the morning, she's then allowed to help the younger kids with their work. The other day she was helping a little boy with his math work. It was precious and has been a real confidence booster for her. Ok, I will stop rambling now. I'm just blessed to have a job I love and to have my daughter with me, learning and having fun. And we're both happy I'm not her teacher ;-)

Kristin and I are happily planning our trip to Disneyland. I finally decided to stay at a cheaper hotel across from the park entrance, rather than a resort hotel. I'd rather spend the money doing things in the park than on a room that we'll just be sleeping in! Plus the hotel we are staying at is literally across the street for the park and is closer than the resort hotels! We are going March 13-17. We've figured which rides we want to ride, where we want to eat, and who we want to see. Kristin is on a mission to find Johnny Depp, aka Jack Sparrow. I've told her that Johnny Depp won't really be there, just someone dressed up as Jack, who looks a lot like Johnny Depp. Now that I've told her this and she has accepted it, I fully expect to see Johnny Depp walking around Disneyland! Or at least at LAX!! I was going to surprise Kristin was a visit to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique to get her hair and makeup done, then lunch at Ariel's Grotto with the princesses, but really, how could I keep a secret like that???? Yeah, I told her. She's thrilled!! Money saved by staying at a cheaper hotel will go towards this little outing....and countless memories :)

Life is good.

Christmas, Round 3: Cabot

Ok, this is my third and FINAL Christmas post for 2010! New Year's weekend Kristin and I headed to Cabot. The day started out with a bang, literally. Early Friday morning a tornado hit the area and really did some damage. It was an EF3 tornado. Kristin and I never heard a thing..no rain, no wind, no sirens!! Around 9 we got a call from my inlaws checking on us...but we had no clue what had happened! A friend and coworker of mine's home was completely destroyed. She has a fractured vertabrae and chipped bone in her leg. Her husband has a broken back, broken ribs and both lungs were collapsed. But thankfully, they are going to be ok. Please keep them in your prayers.

We did make it to Cabot without any problems and had a good weekend. Kristin immediately opened her presents from Mom and was thrilled with her guitar!! She has been wanting one for a long time and I found an awesome deal on Amazon for this one, so I told Mom about it and she got it for her. I guess guitar lessons are in her future!



Lynn and Lindsay got to Cabot Friday night. Then there was more present opening! I'm not sure how it happened but I don't have any pictures of me with my presents! Mom got me my new crock pot (which I actually bought before Thanksgiving), and a WONDERFUL new foam matress for the bed. I LOVE It :) Lynn got me a new purse :) a yearly tradition almost!!!



We rang in the new year and pretty much just hung out visiting all weekend. Johnny and Brandon came back Sunday and we gave Brandon his presents...an itunes card and one of Chris' jackets :)

Here's a pic of Brandon wearing the jacket and looking like a nut :) But we love him!

Lindsay, Brandon and Kristin


Now it's back to reality, and I'm glad. Kristin and I enjoyed our week off, but we both need routine. Kristin missed seeing her friends and I just am not meant to stay at home. And I have to say, I have the best job in the world....getting greeted every morning with hugs and "I love you" is the BEST!