God Bless Us, Everyone! Thank You!

Thanks to all of our wonderful family members we had an amazing Christmas! The food was good. The company was good. And the gifts were great. I ate approximately an entire pound and a half of Chex Muddy Buddies. We were all very sick and are still not too much better, but it was wonderful having two days of uninterrupted family time.
I have an entire week off of school. Then, I begin Theory II, which is supposed to be a kick in the kiester. Everyone in the higher speed classes has told me that Theory II is much more difficult because you learn a lot of rules in Theory I and then Theory II tells you they only apply if X is X. Sheesh. Well, I am still looking forward to the challenge.

The last day of Theory I.

Today is the last day of my Theory I class in court reporting school. I am one of two students in my class to have shown up today. We have combined our class with the Theory II class, only one student present, and are working on speed building Q & A.
It is really nice to be able to mix up ways to practice. Plus, hearing two voice Q & A is so much different than our teacher dictating question and answer before each sentence.
At home, we have finished making our snowmen. We are going to put up the tree and make some yummy snacks tonight. So, to which, I say, "blog at you later, after the holidays!"

Happy Christmas to All!

Sick, AGAIN!

Ok. We are doubling up on vitamin C, and fluids, and vegetables. My little ones are sick again. Aria has a bad cough that is keeping her up all night, and Amelie has had a fever for two days now.
We were all up most of the night and I have to cut my day at school to go home and be with the girls. We are learning months, days of the week, and states today. Well, I will just have to practice a lot tonight, provided I get the chance to.
We did do one great activity last night before everyone started to feel extra crappy. We made snowmen on foam board and stuck little snowflakes all over the pictures. Aria is obsessed with snowmen.
We had promised a Christmas tree, but were unable to deliver last night. Guess it will have to wait until Thursday. Daddy is off for four days from both jobs. YAY. Can't wait to have some good family time, sick or not.

I am the Hermione Granger of my class, is that good or bad?

Well, I got out of having to make up my final test which is tomorrow, I will be absent for it as we are getting the girls pictures done at Photo Element Studio. As I am the only person in my class to have completed and turned in all the assignments and chapter practices for the quarter, my teacher gave me my final and it was cake. She said since I was such an overachiever, that my final was to upload practice dictations to everyone's computer in my class. I aced it.
We will also be putting up our Christmas tree and putting the final touches on our Christmas menu. I am making muddy buddies, and Bailey's cream pie. I really want to make buffalo pita bites. They are buffalo chicken with ranch and blue cheese on top and a little celery garnish. They look so pretty in the picture for the recipe.

The Weekend.

Hello world. It is approximately, 11 p.m. I have just finished reviewing the last chapter, THE LAST CHAPTER, of our Pheonix Theory I book. We have a final quiz tomorrow. I am sure I will do fine, at least a 98%, right? I just have to stay awake for another thirty minutes to review the last five chapters we have covered.
The Christmas shopping days are limited, thank goodness. I really did not want to go into work tonight as the girls and my husband were busy playing on the front lawn when I was leaving. I would have loved to have stayed with them. However, I had forgotten that it was secret Santa gift exchange today at work. My assistant manager gave me a beautiful magnet necklace, you can change out the pendant with another magnetic pendant. It rocks!
Bonus! Some secret little elf gave me a very useful little gift taped to my locker. Wow! I am so grateful to be apart of such a wonderful and caring group of people at work. The people I work with definitely make the retail environment tolerable.
The Fancy Nancy party was beautiful! Aria and Amelie had a wonderful time. The cupcakes, oh the cupcakes, YUM! Aria's little friend and her mom made the cupcakes themselves, they were simply delectable. It is funny to see Aria playing with other kids, she is not very into dress up or dollies, mostly she loves pirates and veggie tales.
Well, back to studying. And then... TO BED!

Fancy Nancy Party!

All seriousness set aside, we are going to a Fancy Nancy birthday party on Saturday! I am actually really excited. Aria and I sit and read Fancy Nancy Explorer Extraordinaire every night. She looks at the pictures and says how the girls are like her and her friend Ellianna and the little sisters (one is actually a brother) are like Amelie and Olivia. I look at the pictures and the DIY crafter in me gets all excited to make Aria an outfit just like Nancy.
For those of you not familiar with Fancy Nancy, she is a little girl who embellishes everything she owns with flowers, sparkly rhinestones, ribbons and bows. It is very over the top in a fun tea-party sort of way.
I am as excited as a two and a half year old!

'Tis The Season!

The holidays are fast approaching, as is the end of my first quarter at court reporting school. We are on the second to last chapter in our Phoenix Theory book. It is sort of sad and exciting at the same time to be ending this quarter and moving forward. I have learned so much and still have much more to learn.
Working in retail during the holidays is almost unbearable. However, I have decided to take the dreadful work hours and attempt to use them to learn how to see the good in humanity despite their constant grouchy demeanor. Or how many times I am treated as though a monkey could do my job.
Christmas at our house will be small. VERY small. I am making all of my gifts this year. We will buy a few things for the girls, but they really don't need much. Absolutely not toys.
Our Charlie Brown-like Christmas tree will be going up sometime next week. The poor thing has been so battered by our crazy German cat. It is really sort of endearing and traditional to have our little sad tree sitting in the corner all alight with silver and blue.

There's an asterisk in Devil

Having a D*EFBL of a time. That's right folks. It is time to begin getting frustrated with school again. Every time I start to think what a rock star I am at writing on the Steno machine, we reach a new chapter that kicks my ass. Well, at least, until I master it.
We are working on words that end with -LV, -VL, -LF, -FL. After dictation about the Naval Services and Navel lint, I am ready to move on.
Tomorrow, we will be given a dictation test that is a mock of the kind of test we will be taking once in the speed classes. Basically, we write a dictation and erase it all off of our computer and writer, print it out, and correct it while listening to the dictation again. I am looking forward to the mock test because it will be something different from our daily routine.
Tonight, I am looking most forward to some time with my husband. It has been three days since we have gotten more than fifteen minutes together. Now, if only we had money for Pho soup.

The Best Day EVER!

Yesterday could not have been more perfect had I won the lottery. The day began with an amazing breakfast at Snooze. Right off the bat I had great service there. The hostess was super nice and excited that I was celebrating my birthday there. Our server was exceptional and had my favorite pancake, no longer on the menu, made up birthday cake style. I had a really good visit with three of my good girlfriends.
Then, I high-tailed it to my husband's coffee shop and dropped off yummy left-overs to him. One should never leave one's husband's stomach empty if one wants to have a good day.
After picking up our daughters from Grandma (Dahma as is her title) we all went to the park and had fun swinging, and drawing in the sand. Aria, my almost-three year old, loves the How To Train Your Dragon movie, and was drawing in the sand like the dragon.
We then took a nice long drive down south toward the Belmar Whole Foods. As almost always happens, everyone fell asleep on me in the car. So, I took the long way, past the beautiful French Provincial style cottage nestled in the heart of the Glen Ayrs neighborhood. This house is my dream house. We drive by from time to time hoping it will go on the market, not that we could afford to buy it.
We decided to pop in to Wystone's, a tea place, for drinks and scones. My very best friend from high school met us and we had a great time. My husband knows the owner and when she found out it was my birthday, she had a giant dessert tier delivered to our table. HEAVEN. Anytime I can have dessert, especially creme brulee, before dinner is marvelous!
We dined in the deli of Whole Foods. I had chicken korma because I love Indian food. Unfortunately, it did not love me back.
All in all, I would say that it was the best birthday in the last five years.

Now, for the serious work. I must practice tonight. I've been slacking the last couple of days.
I noticed that my speed and accuracy have been suffering lately. I cannot afford to slack off. I need to stay on top, set myself apart from everyone else in the court reporting field, and generally kick ass!

Luck O' The Irish

A week of pure luck that coincides with my birthday? Brilliant! I won a raffle at school for a $25 gift certificate (used on really cute clothes). The day after, I won a drawing at school for a chocolate bar after drawing my own name. Not to mention, my wonderful husband's promotion at work that means we may actually survive financially.
Also, court reporting related, I received yet another 98% on my quiz today. Yay! That is the third 98% thus far in my school career in Court Reporting.
Okay, so since the week is going so well, I think I will buy a lottery ticket on the way home! Fingers crossed!

Oi! Wake UP! My head is so fuzzy from being extremely congested. This is the third time I have been sick in the past six weeks. Can I be done being sick now, PLEASE? Last night, I was practicing our lessons on my Steno machine and was doing quite well. However, today in class, I found myself stumbling like a drunk on the keyboard. Well, there are good days and there are bad days.
A great day is looming ahead at the end of this week. Friday, to be precise.
My BIRTHDAY!
My girlfriends and I are going to THE BEST breakfast restaurant in Denver, SNOOZE.
If you live near Denver, you must try it if you have not already. I absolutely love everything on the menu and they make the best iced mocha (outside of the Novo Coffee across from DAM).
I'll be dreaming of pancakes with cinnamon, white chocolate chips, cinnamon butter, and bacon caramel for two days. They are appropriately named Cinnful Pancakes.