Christmas Survey All About ME!!

I'm done with my shopping, baking & cleaning!!!!! I had to wake myself up, I was in fantasy land there for a second!!! I've got so much to do, but it's my Christmas Break & I just want to ... well... do nothing! But while I'm sitting here, I thought I might as well fill out the Christmas Survey that has been floating around that several bloggers have completed, including Kristin over at A Teeny Tiny Teacher. If you continue to read my survey, you will notice that on #24 I really didn't have an answer, because she already gave me my Christmas wish! Okay, now to a survey all about me!!! How fun!!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both. If I’m wrapping a gift for my hubby, it is definitely wrapped. Although I must confess, it is more for me, because I usually forget what’s in them and I’m almost as surprised as he is when he opens them. For anyone else it is usually in a gift bag.
2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial. I love the smell of a freshly cut pine tree, but it does weird things to my body.
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd weekend in December. It basically depends on when my husband decides to get everything out of the attic. Last year, I decided to keep all the stuff in our spare bedroom, so this year it was up the weekend of Thanksgiving! 
4. When do you take the tree down?  No rules about that at our house. I’m the one that takes it all down. Maybe this year, I’ll leave it up until my husband decides to help. Probably not!
5. Do you like eggnog? Absolutely! But when I drink it and I start to think about the word “egg” it bothers me a lot. Are they raw?   Never mind, I don’t want to know, because if the eggs are raw...I will definitely stop drinking eggnog...just like raw cookie dough, cake mixes, etc. I don’t wanta know so don’t leave any remarks about it...because I’m not going to read them!!!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? A Chatty Cathy. I loved that doll! I miss her so much. I wonder what happened to her???
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Nope. I refuse to get one until I get the one that I really want- Precious Moments...Probably never going to happen. 
8. Hardest person to buy for? That would be anyone I'm buying for that isn't my husband.
9. Easiest person to buy for? Definitely my husband. All year long he tells me “that would be nice for Christmas” – I wish I could remember some of the stuff he wanted...hmmmm
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Neither, I really do have good intentions every single year. I have the cutest Christmas cards that I must have bought...hmmm. I don’t know about 5 years ago. Every year I get them out, but never get around to sending. As a matter fact, they are on my table, within reach...but it's probably too late to send them out now!!! I suppose I'll just have to call everyone!
11. Worst gift you ever received?  I'm sure I've received my fair share, but nothing comes to mind right now.
12. Favorite Christmas movie? Christmas Story (for sentimental reasons).
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? All year long - I'm definitely a bargain shopper!
14. Ever recycled a present?  Absolutely not! Sorta, if you want to include white elephant gifts. But I do recycle the gift bags...which can get you into trouble, especially if you give it to a secret pal and the name tag is still on it. What was I thinking????
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?  Divinity – never make it except for at Christmas (I don't have a clue why that is)
16. Clear lights or colored lights on a tree?  Both 
17. Favorite Christmas song?  Silent Night
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home – usually... This year we are traveling to a nieces house (although deep down we both want to stay home)
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Of course!
20. Angel or star on top of the tree?  Angel. My grandmother made it for me... I’m sure it will always be at the top of our tree.
21. Open the presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?  Christmas Day
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?  Being bullied Giving $$$ or food to people that have been naughty all year!!!!
23. Favorite ornament, theme, or color?  My favorite ornaments are on my “special” Oklahoma State Christmas Tree. I decorate it with all OSU ornaments. Can’t pick just one. They all rock!
24. What do you want for Christmas? I really don’t care. In fact 2 years ago, we didn’t even exchange, we just drew pictures of what we would have given each other if we would have bought something. Seriously!

Linky Parties - Come and Have Some Fun & Good Food!

There are so many linky parties going on around and I decided I would break out into my Holiday Spirit and join up with them.  I hope that you come too and don't forget to bring your favorite recipes!  

First on my journey is a trip to visit my partner in crime, Tammy over at Klinger Cafe'.  She is one of the bossiest, sweetest, kindest, loving, people I know.  (I'll post more about her later when she's not checking my blog!)  She is having a Cookie Linky Party which I am finally getting around to linking up to. So here is the recipe I'm sharing.  Ginger Cookies.  Not only are they yummo...but it leaves the house smelling so...well Christmasy!   I would share my secret caramel corn recipe with her...but I know she would never make it...because...well... she ALWAYS demands it of me...and I always almost always do whatever she tells me.   And besides... it's a Cookie Party!!  I'll be waiting for your awesome recipes!

The next recipe linky party is with  Rowdy in First.  She is having a Holiday Recipe Linky Party.    She has an amazing site!    She has created this adorable recipe card that I'm typing my yummy Divinity recipe on.  This is a recipe I make only around Christmas.  Not sure why - because it is absolutely delicious!  Head on over there to add your recipe!

Last, but definitely not least on my list is being hosted by Tamara over at Teaching Blog Addict.  There are some recipes over there that I already have on my list for trying out.  That's it.  That's all I have for you!  So, head on over there and link up! 

Note to Self... Never Again!!!!

    I gave in reluctantly... I knew I shouldn’t have...but I did. Admittedly, it is my awesome co-workers fault. Her class was going to exchange gifts and eventually my class found out (most likely within 2 seconds after they found their friends at recess). There was so much excitement in the air when they told me that we were also going to exchange gifts (imagine my surprise). When I told them we were going to do something different, there was some major sulking going on. That’s when I folded... after all I didn’t want to take their JOY away from them. Besides, I was all wrapped up in their excitement and it wasn’t until later (5 seconds or so)... that I started getting this sick feeling in my tummy.


Parents were told (3 times) to PLEASE let me know if they were unable to provide a gift and I would take care of it. I was pretty confident (since I checked them off as they brought them) that everyone but one little girl had brought a gift. The morning of the party I find a note in my mailbox notifying me that the little girl would indeed not be bringing a gift! Are you kidding me!!!! Irritation set in because I realized I had forgotten to buy an extra gift... Grrrr!!!!!! After scurrying around a bit, yeah the gift is take care of!

     And then the much anticipated party begins. The kiddos loved our reindeer race! The treats are quickly devoured. Now they are ready for the greatly anticipated gift exchange. I’m rather curious what kind of gifts the kids brought to exchange. It didn’t take long, and things started happening. One girl loudly said she didn’t like her gift and began to pout (not that it matters, but this was the same little girl who didn’t bring a gift). I quickly make a scan of all the faces trying to locate the little girl who brought the present to see how she was handling the fact that her gift was hated. It didn’t take long and I saw her. Tears were beginning to form in her eyes and by the time I reached her she was sobbing! By this time all the other children were looking at her and asking her what was wrong. She was not hesitant at all about telling them. “Everyone else got a toy and I got a blanket!” Yep! I was 100% wrong on that one! I wanted to scream “ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!” Another parent immediately turned to her daughter and said something. The next thing I know the daughter is bringing her gift and offering it to the crying child. Unbelievable!

     Wow! I’m glad that is off of my chest. And with that being said I’m once again back to my original plan. I will not do gift exchanges ever again. I’m going to keep this post and as a reminder to myself read it every year around December 1st as a reminder!

Elf Homophone Concentration Freebie

I think I have probably broken the rules of blogging today.  But what's a girl to do when they are having soooo much fun!  I have graphics that I thought I heard screaming at me!!! Please pick me!  No, pick me... so... after much discussion with my graphics I chose some adorable elves.  Well, I must be totally honest, I chose them because they are so cute and well... because I am going to be doing lots of elf stuff next week.  We have been studying homophones just a tiny bit.  We definitely need a lot more practice.  So I created a concentration game.  Click on the picture to head on over to my TPT store.  If you download...  I would appreciate your suggestions or other comments. 

Have a great evening!  I'm ready to watch some football!  Let's go Pokes!!!!!!

Christmas Finds You Don't Wanna Miss!!

     It's Saturday, and at 5:00 I was wide awake! Craziness! So... instead of tossing and turning I decide to get up and clean the house, do the laundry, make a shopping list, decorate the house with Christmas decorations and start breakfast when I hear my husband getting up. NOT!!!!   Instead of doing those very important things, I'm spending some time reading blogs and catching up on some awesomeness that everyone has shared.  Here are a few things I have found on this windy, rainy, cold, wet wintery morning.

     First over at Adventures of First Grade, Jaymee posted some Subtraction Christmas Stories that her students made.  They are so cute and I'm going to try and squeeze this activity in sometime in the next 2 weeks!  YIKES!!!!   Click the tree below to get the pattern I'm going to use for the tree.

     Next, Heather over at Differentiation Station posted some Christmas Sentence Scrambles.  My kids love these!    I think some of them think that they have bragging rights if they can figure it out faster than their classmates.  I'm just happy that some of them can figure them out!!!!  You would think that the capital letter at the punctuation is a great clue!!! Practice!  Practice!  Practice!

     Last, but certainly not least.  If you were like me and missed the 1st day of the Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway, you have a chance to win it.  Head on over to Lory's Page to enter.  Good luck everyone!!!!

     Now I'm off to fix sausage gravy and biscuits.  Yummo!  Have a great Saturday everyone!!!!

I'm so Excited!!! I Just Can't Hide It!!!

I did it!  I decided to join the world of TPT.  If you would like to see my first product, please go check it out.  Since my kiddos continue to have problems with contractions, I made another contraction game for them.  Being new to this game, I would love some constructive criticism!!  So... please help me out and let me know if you download and give me some helpful comments.  Enjoy your days off!!