So, another post. Yes, that is two in two days. I must admit that being on break from school does make it MUCH easier. So, eat your hearts out for the next month because I think I will posting a lot more!
A little over a week ago I went to my niece's (Sierra) Christmas Program at a local church. It is hard to believe that she is big enough (four years old already) to take part in such events. She was a little lamb and she sang two songs with her little classmates. I especially loved the motions, dancing, and extra silliness that four year olds alway provide! It was a fun night
Sorry the posts have been few and far between and a little dry. Things have been super busy , and I have lots of fun stuff to post about, but it is just a matter of making the time to write it. As I sit here and write this I am eating my 100+ cookie of the holiday season (thanks Monica! They are really good!). While my mouth enjoys the taste, my waistline is not enjoying the tight jeans. Thus, I am going to try to not be such a pig this week (I am not off to a good start). Why can't I be one of those people who does not like sweets?
So, my seasonal love affair with sugar and spice started on my annual baking day. On this day to beat all days my friend Amy and I bake cookies from sun-up til sun-down. Seriously. I think we break some sort of record. This year we made 14 different types of cookies in one day. Yes, we are baking goddesses. This resulted in almost 1000 cookies which we then give as gifts to various people. We try to make fancy cookies and like to try new things. The line-up this year was quite impressive- pinwheels, brownie biscotti, buckeyes, peanut butter kiss cookies, chocolate gingerbread drops, honey-ginger bites, peppermint sticks dipped in chocolate, nutty eggnog bars, almond tassies, spritz blossoms, cranberry blondies, cherry chocolate bark, chocolate mint bars, and lemon shortbread. Not that you all care what we made, but I do think it was pretty impressive. The process was kind of intense and involved a battle of the wills with a cookie press. Luckily I won, but it was close.
The end result of all our labor is tasty tasty cookies, sore feet and backs, and a lot of clean-up. I meant to take pics throughout the day. However, we were a little busy, and I ended up just taking some pics of the mess in my kitchen at the end of the day. Keep in mind that we cleaned up as we went as well so this was just a small part of the cleaning that we did that day! I have a new appreciation for people who do this for a living as well as for my friend Amy. This is our second year doing this, and I have much respect for anyone who can put up with me for over 8 hours in a very small workspace. Thankfully the only casualty of the day was an oven mit.
So, Brian and I have been trying to focus on doing everything we can to be more "green." I know that sounds like we are trying to jump on the trendy bandwagon, but really this has been important to me for awhile. So, I had to drive all the way up to Akron to drop off a final paper (annoying but not the point). I was in a hurry after dropping Johanna off at my moms, and I went through Burger King to grab a quick sandwich. I got a chicken sandwich and a side salad. They proceeded to hand me two huge brown bags. I told them that they must have given me the food for the person behind me too. But nope, it took two LARGE bags to hold my chicken sandwich and side salad. I told them that they could just put it all in one bag, but they insisted on giving me two. I know that sounds like no big deal, but you multiply that times 1000 times a day or more......well, you see my point. Way to go burger king. Or, as my niece said... booger king.
So, it is hard to believe that Thanksgiving has come and past. I have to admit that I feel like I did not take enough time to truly celebrate what the holiday is all about. I have so much to be thankful for. I have such a wonderful and supportive family, great friends, a fabulous (in every sense of the word) daughter, and the best husband ever (even though he gets really annoyed with my typing which I think is really dumb. Fast typing should not be annoying. He should count his blessings that I can post quickly instead of pecking for hours.). So, I want to take this opportunity to thank my husband for all that he does for our little family. He makes so many sacrifices, and I hope that he knows none go unnoticed. So, you all have permission to eavesdrop on my thoughts....
Brian,
I appreciate all your hard work. I know that it is not easy to have to leave your family to go to work everyday. This is especially true since you know that Johanna will probably be in bed before you get home that evening. I am so appreciative that you are home in the mornings and can drop Johanna off at my sister's when I have to leave super early for school. You have read literally thousands of pages of school assignments as you have been my official proofreader for the past 3.5 years (only one semester to go sweetie!!). I appreciate laundry done and clothes folded. I appreciate you letting me have small nervous break downs about once a month when the pressure from school, work, and being a mommy seem overwhelming. I love how much you love our daughter. I love how you have always been so hands-on and "there" since the second she was born. Yours was the hand she was holding as they wheeled her down the hall to check her lungs right after she was born. She lights up whenever she sees you and that makes my heart melt. I appreciate you encouraging me have time out of the house where I am able to refuel. I appreciate you loving me, even when I am not very lovable. I appreciate that you put the Lord first in your life and in our home- I know this is not always easy. I love how you can always make me laugh, no matter what. I could keep going and going, but I think you get the point. I love you sweetie and I am forever grateful for you and all that you do. The past six and a half years of marriage have been truly wonderful. Thank you for you.
