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.