Hello! It’s hard to believe that this time next week is Christmas Day. I feel like December has been a blur.
Holly and Patty are hosting their last Monthly Musings link up of 2025 a little bit early, so I’m joining them today.
This month’s topic is about…holidays and ringing in the new year.
1. What holidays do you celebrate?
This time of the year, we celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. I love something different about each one…Thanksgiving is always time spent with family while feasting on a great meal. Christmas includes many family traditions, and New Year’s Day brings a fresh start and one of my favorite months…January.
2. Scale of 1-10…how into the holidays are you this year?
I’m probably between a 7 and an 8. I always look forward to decorating for Christmas, and it’s been a bit more “festive” this year with the uncharacteristic snow that we’ve had in December. I don’t love wrapping gifts, but I do love when loved ones open gifts that they are receiving. I appreciate traditions that we have like baking cookies and going to the Horse Park lights. I’m close to a 10 when school is out, and I have a bit more time to relax.
3. Favorite things to make/bake during the holidays?
We typically decorate some cookies with family.
Then, I usually bake a few cookies with my kids…typically Peanut Butter Blossoms and Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies.
I always make a Chocolate Peppermint Bundt cake for Christmas dessert.
4. Favorite holiday movies?
I don’t typically watch holiday movies until winter break, so sometimes I’m watching Christmas movies after Christmas, but it’s still a fun tradition to watch some of my faves. Home Alone is my favorite Christmas movie, and we always watch A Christmas Story on Christmas morning. The Holiday is one I tend to watch on my own at some point, and You’ve Got Mail and While You Were Sleeping are two of my faves that aren’t necessarily Christmas movies, but I tend to think so.
5. Most random holiday tradition?
I guess it’s not that random, but the white elephant exchange at Trav’s mom’s house feels that way since we get random things. It’s always funny to see what other people bring.
6. Are you hosting the holidays?
No, I’m not hosting, but my mom and Gma were in town last weekend, and I hosted cookie decorating after we went to lunch on Saturday.
7. Favorite way to ring in the new year?
Honestly, I’ve never been a huge fan of New Year’s Eve…I’m happy not to stay up late…haha
That being said, the past few years we’ve gotten together with friends which has been fun.
8. Any new year’s resolutions or word of the year?
I don’t typically do a new years’ resolution…but on NYE, we’ve drawn words and that’s been fun.
This month, I started tracking my eating using My Fitness Pal and making a point to get back to working out. September-November were hard in regards to finding time for workouts. I don’t feel like I was eating too poorly, and I’m not going to say no to a Christmas cookie, but I just wanted to go into the new year feeling a little more in control. I saw someone on Instagram mention treating December 1st as January 1st, and I liked that line of thinking.
I’m really looking forward to a fresh start in January. 2025 wasn’t really what I thought it would be. I’ve had to be brave this year…as a mom, wife, and even for myself at times, and I wasn’t really expecting that. I know a new year isn’t a magic wand, but I’m hoping to regroup a bit to kick off 2026.
9. Favorite holiday songs?
I’ve always loved “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “Walking in a Winter Wonderland.”
10. Favorite holiday memory?
I feel blessed that there are so many, and I know that I’m creating memories for my kids.
I love the Santa pics through the years…
…and the tradition of the kids picking out gifts for each other. Even that tradition isn’t what it used to be, but it’s still fun.
Monthly Musings is always one of my fave link ups, and now I’m really in the holiday spirit!
Well, yesterday’s snow day was just what I needed to (finally) get a few things crossed off my list. I was able to order the last few gifts, wrap gifts, and work on some things for school.
Now, at the end of this four day week, we’ll be on winter break!
Since the first semester is wrapping up, I thought it would be fun to take a look back on the semester.
I always feel like first semester flies by, and this one was no different. Overall, it was a really great semester too!
New classroom:
I started the year by moving classrooms. I’d been in my previous room for about six years, and it was in an entirely different part of the school building. It was a bit of an adjustment moving rooms, but I have a really spacious room that I’ve made my own.
Classes:
Last year, I only had three classes of English 1, and then I had a couple of intervention hours. This year, I’m back full time, and I’m teaching English 1 and English 2.
I had such a great co-teach situation last year that I requested co-teach English 1 again this year. I have a different co-teacher this year, and she’s been wonderful to work with as well. Co-teach classes mean many students in the class have an IEP (individualized education plan), so they receive additional support from myself and my co-teacher. Half of one of my classes has IEPs while the other co-teach class only has a few. So, even those two classes tend to work at different paces; it’s ok though…I just make adjustments: reteach/add enrichment when needed.
I also have two Advanced English 1 classes, and I really enjoy those students as well. I have a few of my kids’ friends in those classes, and I think it’s always more odd for me than for them. haha!
My other two classes are English 2, sophomores (and a few freshmen who took English 1 in 8th grade). I hadn’t taught English 2 in a few years, and we have a new curriculum, so it has been a bit of an adjustment for me as I plan lessons. That being said, I enjoyed teaching both units this semester, and the kids have been great.
I don’t want to jinx it, but when I tell you I really love my schedule and my students, it’s just a great feeling to have a good year…and no classes that take all my energy. I honestly think I’ve only written one referral this entire semester…and it was for a student who didn’t return from our class restroom break.
I don’t know if I’ve gotten lucky with a good year, if it’s experience that makes things easier, or if we’re seeing kids who weren’t as affected by the Covid years. This year’s freshmen had a full fifth grade year in the classroom, so they wrapped up their elementary school experience rather routinely.
Block Scheduling:
One of the biggest changes this year is that we moved from a traditional six class day to block scheduling with four classes a day. So, we have an “A” day and a “B” day with ninety minute classes. I really love block scheduling, and wish we’d moved to it sooner.
I thought with block scheduling there might be one day that I prefer over the other, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
It’s so nice to have a big chunk of time with students, and I haven’t had any issues with planning lessons for a larger amount of time. I thought I’d have to be more intentional when planning my lessons, but we’ve gotten through the curriculum, and every class period has had a variety of learning opportunities with whole group and independent instruction.
I’ve always heard (there’s actually math and numbers to it) that with block scheduling even though you see students for a longer amount of time, you see them for less minutes in a semester. Around fall break, I felt that. I felt like we should have been further in the curriculum, but by the end of the semester, everything evened out.
Tech/phones:
In my October Teacher Talkpost, I shared about the new house bill that banned phones during instructional time. I honestly didn’t even have to be too strict about it. I guess as a school we were probably more cohesive with our expectations, so that helped. I’ve been surprised that I really have had zero issues with students being on their phones when they shouldn’t be. Again, I hope I’m not jinxing it, but I do appreciate that we had a great first semester without issues in regards to technology.
Looking back, this semester really was all about change…and it’s been good changes. New classroom, new schedule, new rules, and new students/courses. I hope second semester is just as good as the first one.
Even with it being a great first semester, I’m ready for a break! Four more days!
How was your weekend? Ours was really good. Did you read my post on Friday? I shared a few gift ideas, but I also mentioned that I was waiting to hear if we’d have a snow day…well, we did! Then, we got more snow over the weekend, and bitterly cold temps followed, so we have yet another snow day today.
My school district is going to use the non-traditional instruction this year again, but they decided not to start that until after winter break! So, we’ve already had three traditional snow days in December. Hopefully, we don’t have to make all of these up in June!
Anyway, we had family in town for an early Christmas. We decorated cookies, opened gifts, and had dinner together.
It’s been a while since I’ve shared an Enneagram post, but @mirabellecreations shared this one about prepping for the holidays, and I thought it was pretty accurate for my 5w6 self!
Enneagram 5:
Researching the history of every family tradition– I’d say this is pretty true. I love traditions, and appreciate some of the ones we have in our family. Just this weekend, we made our traditional waffle cookies using the waffle iron that my great-great-grandfather brought from Germany.
Choosing thoughtful gifts that are exactly right: I do think I do a good job with this. Of course, I end up ordering many things online, but I still think they can be really personal. I ordered my mom this tote from Bauble Bar and she really liked it. I like giving something personal. Recently, I went to a local boutique, and it was fun to shop in person. I got a few things including a cute tea towel and notepad for my Gma. It’s nice when you’re out shopping and you see things that remind you of loved ones.
Planning quiet pockets of rest: Uh…yes! Now, sometimes those pockets of quiet time don’t happen until after Christmas, but I do try and factor in time to wrap presents, watch a movie, bake cookies, etc.
Staying up late reading by the Christmas tree: Well, is there anything better? Actually, I couldn’t really sleep yesterday morning, and I got up early and decided to finish the book I was reading. It was nice to have the glow of the Christmas tree as I sipped my coffee and read. (I will share December books before the year ends, but I will go ahead and say that I highly recommend Christmas with the Queen. Loved it SO much!)
Observing all the chaos with a warm cup of something: Yes! You know I love my cup of coffee, but lately, I’ve been an iced coffee girl. I’m just really enjoying using my new festive glasses.
Enneagram 6:
Keeping track of all the traditions being completed: That’s definitely me, but I also don’t think we overdo it which is nice. Typically, we bake cookies one day, go to the Horse Park lights, the kids each get a gift for each other, and a few other things we do. Just last night, I told Trav we need to go see the Horse Park lights this week.
Triple check travel plans and weather forecasts: This is definitely me. I’m a worrier about the weather as we’ve definitely had times where we are traveling to KC at the holidays and there’s snow in the forecast. Just this weekend, I worried about family getting to and from Lex safely with our forecasted weather. Obviously, if the weather is bad, we can pivot and probably adjust schedules by a day or two. We’ve always made it work somehow.
Brings emergency kit and snacks: Any travel needs snacks, of course!
Watching all the classic holiday movies: I tend to watch holiday baking shows in December. That being said, I have many movies I like to watch in the holiday season or on break like A Christmas Story, Home Alone, and The Holiday. Some movies aren’t necessarily Christmas movies, but ones I tend to watch during this time like You’ve Got Mail and While You Were Sleeping.
Feeling extra grateful for the people who feel like home: I know the holidays can be stressful, and sometimes they are hectic, but I’m always grateful to spend time with extended family, but I also really enjoy the time at home with my family of four too. When we go to Louisville and KC, we’re able to spend time with family we don’t see as often as we’d like. When we stay home for Christmas, we have a few traditions like hanging with friends after the Christmas Eve church service. I like that our holidays are predictable but vary a bit year to year.
Overall, these were pretty accurate for me.
Today, I hope to spend some time making one final list of the last few things I need to buy (mostly stocking stuffers and a couple of gift cards) and maybe I can get some wrapping accomplished?!
TGIF, am I right? I’m typing this on Thursday when there’s a good chance for snow and a possibility of a snow day on Friday. What could be better than that?
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for Friday Favorites.
Today’s Friday Favorites post is a little bit different, but with less than two weeks until Christmas, I thought I’d share a few favorite gift purchases from the past and a few that are on current wish lists.
First of all, have you heard of the Giftful app? This is the second year Hadley has used it, and it sure has come in handy. She added some ideas for her birthday and Christmas, and they are linked with sizes. Then, you can “claim” the gift, so no one else purchases it. Also, you can follow people on Giftful which makes for easy shopping.
Her little captions are too funny…and she has a wish list for car accessories too. (FYI – the kids don’t have a car…yet) She’s a hoot!
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So, let me start with her…
Teen Girls:
This sunrise alarm clock is on her list…and honestly, she needs some help waking up in the morning! haha
She loves hair tools, and this hair waver is something she has her eye on.
Are you even a teenage girl if you don’t ask for a portable speaker?
This compact vanity mirror was a hit a few years ago. She did get rid of it once we updated her room and got the bigger vanity, but this smaller one worked well too.
Teen Boys:
Well, Hayden is definitely harder to buy for, and certainly doesn’t give many ideas.
He hasn’t really entered the cologne world, so I thought this pack of solid colognes might be a good stocking stuffer.
I can’t remember a time when Hayden hasn’t had a mini basketball hoop. He had an over the door one forever, and then a couple of years ago he got one for the basement. Even though he doesn’t play basketball as much as he used to, he still will play on the mini hoop.
Are you even a teenage boy if you don’t ask for a Nike hooded sweatshirt?
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I don’t even want to tell you how many water bottles I’ve purchased through the years, but this stainless steel one is very durable and has lasted him quite some time.
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Husbands:
I bought Trav this “Battery Daddy” a few years ago, and it truly was a favorite. We keep it stocked and in the hall closet for whenever we need batteries.
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I got Trav some “Goodr” sunglasses from a local running store a few years ago, and I see so many people wearing them. Some shops have quite the variety of colorways and styles. These seem popular too.
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My brother had these joggers last year, and highly recommended them, so I bought them for Trav last year too. They are great! The fabric is smooth and stretchy perfect for jogging and working out. They have side and back pockets that zip as well. Trav wears them a ton.
Trav has horse sales in the winter, and these rechargeable hand warmers are something I got him a few years ago.
I gave a similar fleece wrapped shawl to my mom or Gma a couple of years ago. I love the pockets!
This electric tea kettle was something I asked for a few years ago, and then I got one for my mom. We use it quite a bit for things like Ramen and hot chocolate, and it’s perfect for tea drinkers.
A few other ideas: candles, pretty stationary, Story Worth subscriptions, and photo calendars are other favorite gifts I’ve given through the years.
These wireless earbuds are my current faves. I purchased them for myself last summer, and they have worked perfectly for my needs. They are wireless, waterproof and noise canceling. I love using them to listen to podcasts or my audio books.
I feel pretty good about where I’m at with gifts, but I still need to purchase a few more. Mostly, now I’m just waiting for gifts to arrive. Then, it will be time to wrap everything…which isn’t really a favorite, but I did buy a couple of new rolls of wrapping paper….maybe that will put me in the spirit.
This week is moving right along, and I’m playing catch-up. It’s been a bit since I’ve linked up with Joyce, and while she hosts her “hodgepodge” on Wednesdays, I didn’t have time to finish this post. Anyway, better late than never!
Here are my answers to her prompts this week:
1. Do you struggle with the commercialization of the holiday season? What helps you keep your focus when the season’s busyness and commercialism start to take over?
I do feel like there is a lot of commercialization with the holiday, but I just try to focus on what matters the most to my family during the holiday season. We enjoy baking, watching movies, and having downtime. When the kids were little, I started with “want, need, wear, read” and that was a good guide for shopping…and then Santa brought a couple of bigger gifts. Honestly, what gets me is stockings…I always buy more than can fit in the stockings. haha
2. What’s one small thing you want to savor before the year ends?
I always savor the time off…but most of the time, our time off is after the busyness of Christmas. I just really appreciate having two weeks to finish up Christmas prep odds and ends, time with family, and time to do things I’ve been putting off during the busy school years.
I also want to savor all the holiday decor. It’s fun going shopping and seeing Christmas lights and decorations as well as seeing lights on neighbors’ homes.
3. December 9th is National Christmas Card Day. Do you still send Christmas cards? If so, does yours include a photo or is it a more traditional card, or maybe homemade? How do you feel about the tradition of exchanging cards at the holidays?
We do still send Christmas cards, and I love the tradition. I truly love opening the mail and seeing friends and family’s cards.
Some friends we don’t see often, so it’s great to see how their kids are growing. My mom, Gma, and aunt always send homemade cards which are special.
I just feel like people don’t send them as much because of lack of time, price of stamps, and social media. We all kind of keep up with friends in different ways now, but I love the tradition of sending a card. It might be one of those things that I give up as my kids get older, but I assume I will send one for a few more years.
4. What’s your least favorite holiday task? What’s your favorite?
I think my least favorite task is having to organize ideas to send to others…but that is definitely easier now that the kids are older. It doesn’t “help” that the kids’ birthday is in November, so, especially when they were little, I had to give ideas to family members in November and December (what a blessing though, I know!)….and then that also meant, we had lots of items coming in (again, obviously a blessing) and not really the time to purge. Sometimes, it just felt like a lot for my “type A” personality when I didn’t have time to get organized. When I’d get overwhelmed, Trav would say, “Tell them to text me.” My response would be “You’re the worst at responding to texts, so that’s why they text me.” haha!
As the kids have gotten older, cash has been the main gift from family for their birthdays and then I tell the kids to give Christmas gift ideas…or they don’t get anything. haha!
Also, I don’t love wrapping presents…I mean, I want to …but I just don’t. I will get organized, turn on a movie, sit in the basement and wrap, but then I still have to get up and down a hundred times, I always run out of tape, I’m never as organized as I want to be and so on. I always seem to be sweating at the end. haha!
I don’t know if it’s a task, but I do enjoy baking a few traditional cookies. Often times, I wait until we’re on break, and bake a few cookies with the kids.
5. Let’s do a little holiday this or that.
shopping or wrapping – as I stated above…I dislike wrapping…and I don’t mind shopping. Most of my shopping is online, but that actually makes me enjoy the in person shopping I do.
baking or decorating – I like both, but decorating takes more energy and baking is usually just one afternoon. If I had to choose, baking would be something I enjoy more.
real tree or artificial– Through the years, we’ve had both. Honestly, I love a real tree, but not the maintenance. With an artificial one, I can put it up a bit early and leave it up a bit longer.
turkey or ham – ham. Turkey is for Thanksgiving.
white lights or colored lights – Colored lights are fun, but I love the simplicity of white lights.
ugly sweaters or matching pjs- matching PJs…so fun!
peppermint or cinnamon – Peppermint during the Christmas season.
presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Day – Christmas Day is when we open gifts. On the years we are home for Christmas, sometimes we let the kids open their presents from each other on Christmas Eve.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Today, we’re having our English department potluck. I made a loaf of chocolate peppermint cake (from the Trader Joe’s mix), and I’m also putting meatballs in my slow cooker once I get to school. We’re also doing a white elephant gift exchange. It will be a great way to enjoy our lunch together.
I hope your week is off to a great start. We had some snow again yesterday, and a few districts even called off school. We had school though which is fine by me because I’m feeling the end of the semester crunch!
Today, I’m sharing a little “holiday home” tour, and while my decor doesn’t look too different than what I shared last year or the year before that, I did purchase a couple new things, and I’ve actually simplified what I put out a bit.
Most of my main areas look the same like the entry way, Christmas village, and mantel….
This year, I changed up the trunk a bit in the living room. I wanted neutral trees rather than the red, white and green ones I’ve had in the past. Trav suggested I get a wreath for the mirror, and I found the perfect one at Target as well as a couple of packs for festive ribbon.
My coffee table doesn’t change much, but I added ribbon to the tree that I’ve had for years.
It’s the perfect little touch. Also, y’all…
…how cute is this book of matches?!? I was shopping at a local boutique for gifts for family, and saw these and had to have them!
When I was at Michael’s, I bought this plaid candle. I usually have a white candle in there year round, but just thought the plaid was festive.
The office area doesn’t look too different, but usually I put the basket in the basement. This year, I decided to add a red blanket to it and keep the basket upstairs.
The tree is also in the office area, and the middle section seems dimmer than it should be. Ugh! This is our third year with this artificial tree.
(This pic is from last year, and it makes me happier than my current situation!)
One thing that does make me happy is the addition of a couple new ornaments.
Through the years, I’ve wished that I was better about getting ornaments when we travel. The past few years, I have done a better job picking up or ordering ornaments. This year, I got an Isle of Palms one when we went there for spring break. Even though we’d been there a few times in the past, I’d never picked up an ornament. I also got one when Trav and I went to the Lake Michigan area this summer.
I also continued the tradition of ordering ornament using our Christmas card photo as keepsakes for your tree. We were dressed up nice twice this summer for our niece and then our nephew’s wedding, so I had ornaments made to remember those occasions.
I mentioned last week that my Gma gave the kids a couple Nutcrackers from her collection.
They look perfect on the cabinet in the office which is where I keep the couple I’ve picked up through the years. I think you can tell which ones are OG’s and which ones are dupes!
My mom gave me this little tree…
My friends sent me this plant a few weeks ago, and the pop of red is the perfect holiday touch for the fireplace.
I have one of the Christmas tree taper candles in the hall with a few trees and Nativity scene.
The other taper candle is in the kitchen next to the skinny tree. This tree is usually in our bedroom, but I decided to keep it out in the kitchen for now.
My Gma gave my brother and I each a Nutcracker cookie jar, and it looks perfect in this little corner of my kitchen. Also, I used to put a holiday sign on this stand, but this year, I pulled out an old cookbook and added a ribbon.
Also in the kitchen, I wasn’t planning on it, but the little tray was decked in all my favorite red cleaning supplies.
Well, besides the Santa matches, I also bought this cute tea towel at the boutique. I just couldn’t say no (and both of those purchases were very affordable)
The sunroom is one of the areas I’ve simplified. Nobody goes out there in the winter, and if we leave the couch cushions down for long, Homer hops up there. So, I just added a few touches to the tray.
Overall, outside looks the same. I’ve had the door hanger for years as well as the pillow covers.
I did get this doormat at Target and the plaid rug is from one of my trips to Hobby Lobby.
Some years, we put out Christmas lights, but we haven’t done much the past couple of years. We used to have trees that lit up, but we haven’t had them in a while. This year, I ordered a set of two, and mine are sold out, but there’s a cute snowy set. I got the ribbon at Michael’s, and I love the pink and red.
They look really pretty at night, but it’s certainly not the same as when we put lights on our porch.
So, that’s a little tour of our home. It’s been nice having some downtime in the evening to relax and enjoy the cozy space.
It’s hard to believe, but this is our last Share Our Lives post of 2025. We’ve had a lot of fun sharing these posts and reading blogs of those who’ve linked up with us!
This month’s topic is…staying connected with spouse/kids.
This is a timely topic just given the fact that I think we’re in a busy season of life and December is one of the busiest months of the year!
Travis and I both work full time, and we have two active kids with schedules that keep us busy in the evenings.
One rule that I have overall is that we need to eat dinner together more nights a week than not. Sometimes, that means we are eating at 8:00, but at least we’re eating together. Without issue, we tend to always have dinner together on Sundays, so it’s nice to wrap up the weekend/start the week together. We typically go over the upcoming week’s schedule and start the week on the right foot.
You know I like my quiet mornings, and I get up before everyone else. That being said, Trav usually gets up early too…after me, but before the kids, so we have time in the morning to chat. It’s happened more recently that we have more and more time when the kids aren’t home, so we’ll watch a show or game together. We’ll go out to get a drink or dinner when we can.
We’re in that weird transitional phase when we have been spending more time with the kids as they’ve been wanting to drive more and more in order to practice for their driving tests…but now that Hadley has her license, she’s been more independent…driving herself to practices…still so weird to me. Anyway, I make time to chat with Hadley in the morning as she gets ready for school, and she and I end up running errands together quite a bit. Also, she’ll watch a movie with me, and during the holidays, we have a few we will watch.
With Hayden, he rides with me every morning, so it’s nice to have that time. Also, he loves watching sports, and I do too. I try to make myself available to watch games when they are on tv…like the Chiefs games and UK games. He’s not a Mizzou fan, so I watch those games on my own. haha
Also, with both kids, I see them quite a bit at school which is really special. We have block scheduling, and depending on the day, Hadley stops by after lunch, and Hayden does too.
I always enjoy when my family can do things together, and I look forward to this holiday season when we can carry on a few traditions, and have some downtime to do some activities like bake cookies, go to a movie or go out to eat.
Thinking ahead to 2026…we’re continuing the Share Our Lives fun the second Monday of every month, and we hope you’ll save our new graphics, and link up with us when you can (or read the blog posts!)
We’ll kick off January sharing ways to stay warm in the winter.
Of course, I’m always team “TGIF,” but something about Fridays in December are just a bit better.
We had a little bit of everything this week from re-entry after Thanksgiving break to a snow day and the kids having busy evenings with activities.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
This is a super-sized Friday Favorites from Thanksgiving tidbits to festive fun.
Going back to last week, we were in KC for Thanksgiving. We drove a bit after school on Tuesday and finished the rest of the drive on Wednesday. Overall, we had a pretty chill KC visit which was fine by me.
Of course, I had to catch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade on Thanksgiving morning.
My dad’s cousin hosts that side of the family, and there are probably thirty people there…my cousin outdoes herself with the tablescape and place settings.
I always look forward to the personalized chocolate turkey! It’s a fun and sweet tradition!
We snapped some family photos…
My brother and his family were there too!
Can you go to KC without getting BBQ? Per Hayden’s request, we had some for lunch on Friday.
The girls baked cookies…
…and we spent some time with my Gma. When I think of my Gma, I always think of cardinals and Nutcrackers. She has quite the collection of both…and she passed down a Nutcracker to each of the great grandkids.
We also made a visit to the Magic tree which is a fun tradition. It had started to rain, so we had to snap our pics quickly…
GG was in on the fun…
We left around noon in Saturday and drove home mostly in the rain which was no fun. There was actually snow on the ground for quite a bit of our drive through Missouri and Illinois.
Sunday morning me thanked pre-Thanksgiving me because it was nice to sip my coffee by the glow of the Christmas tree.
The Nutcrackers have found a home…
….as did this cookie jar…another hand me down from my Gma. My brother received one as well.
My mom gave my sister-in-law and me one of these cute Christmas trees… I hope I can keep it alive!
Topsys Popcorn in a KC staple, and it’s one of my fave traditions to get some during the holiday season. I don’t think they always do it, but now it’s in some grocery stores there, so my dad picked some up. The crew plowed through it, so I picked up a couple of tubs to bring home.
I shared my Trader Joe’s haul yesterday, and I love this festive bag.
Sunday, I put out our outside decorations. We don’t do much, but we haven’t had light up trees in a couple of years. I purchased a set of two on Amazon, and they arrived just in time. I was pleasantly surprised with them.
They have a battery pack, and I did wonder about turning them off and on every night…but lo and behold when I went to turn them off the first night, they’d gone out…and then they were lit up the next day. So, they must have a timer that I didn’t realize. My version appears to be sold out, but they have a “snow” version.
On a Target run a couple of weeks ago, I picked up the wreath for the mirror as well as a cute pack of ribbon. I decided to tie some on the coffee table tree that I’ve had for years, and it’s the perfect festive touch.
On that same trip to Target, I lucked into finding two of the Christmas icon glasses. I got one tree and one gingerbread man. I wish I’d picked up a couple more because it appears they are sold out.
Classic…cold milk and a couple of Oreos for dessert.
I also use them for iced coffee…so festive and cute.
We had a snow day on Tuesday which was kind of unexpected. The meteorologists were talking about a chance of 2-5 inches of snow, and it was certainly cold enough, but I don’t think I’ve every had a snow day in December!
Our streets were fine by 9am, so I guess the timing was just right with snow covered roads when the buses would be driving their routes.
I actually went to school to set up my tree…This was the one that Hayden put in his room when he was little, but it’s been in our attic. Next year, I need to remember to add a few more lights. The tree skirt, beaded garland (I probably should have gotten two strands), and ornaments are all from Amazon.
One of my favorite food trucks came to school yesterday. I love not having to pack my lunch, and I love the “mozzaroni” sandwich to warm me up on a cold day.
I shared my December book trackers on Instagram. They are saved in a highlight, so feel free to use them and tag me. I love seeing what others are reading.
Favorite Mom Meme:
’tis the season (of life!)
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday
This pic is from 2013…and it was the first time the kids went ice skating. We were in KC for Thanksgiving, and we went ice skating at Crown Center which is something we used to do when I was a kid. Like with most things, Hadley hopped right on the ice, and Hayden was a bit hesitant. Their personalities haven’t changed much since then!
Share Our Lives:
We have our last Share Our Lives link up of 2025! We’d love to have you join us!
I wanted to go to Trader Joe’s a couple of weeks ago, but I didn’t want to do a big grocery run right before leaving to go out of town for Thanksgiving. So, once we got back in town, going to Trader Joe’s was at the top of my “to do” list.
Today, I’m sharing a few seasonal faves as well as a couple of new finds.
First of all, how cute is the bag?! Precious.
I always pick up a Frosty Fern to put on the tray on my kitchen island. I just need to remember to occasionally water it.
My friend knows I love the little gingerbread people, and she dropped off a box for me before we left for KC. Well, those are long gone….they were a great road trip snack for all of us…but of course I picked up a couple of boxes on my TJ run.
The gingerbread sandwich cookies are also a fave…but they don’t stay fresh very long.
This is the first time I’ve picked up the chocolate peppermint mix. I make Shay’sPeppermint Mocha Bundt Cake every year for Christmas, so I’m excited to try this mix. Maybe I’ll make some cupcakes?
These chocolate covered peppermint Joe Joe’s are also a fave.
I’ve seen the “hold the cone” ice cream, but this is my first time buying them. The cones are mini, so having one doesn’t make me feel too guilty.
I know that was a lot of sweets, and we’ll pace ourselves, but I have to pick up the seasonal items while they are out.
Last year, I bought a similar body butter trio, and I loved them. These would be great stocking stuffers. I’ve used these when I’ve run out of my bigger tub of body butter, and they are perfect for travel.
These scents are different than the ones from last year, but I decided to give them a try this year. I’m bummed that I didn’t see the candy cane body butter that I buy every year. I will try again next time I go!
I’m also a sucker for seasonal candles…especially the little trio!
The meatloaf is a new find. Has anyone had it? I just thought it would be a good option for something quick.
I’m also trying this ranch cottage cheese dip for the first time. One of my friends always buys a creamy whipped cottage cheese (but I can’t remember the brand), and then she adds a Ranch seasoning packet…it’s so good.
I had a bit of this for lunch the other day with some baby carrots, and it’s good!
I also picked up a few of my Trader Joe’s staples like buffalo chicken dip, jasmine rice, Honeycrisp apples, and Barebelles protein bars.
It was a successful trip to Trader Joe’s, and I especially love shopping during the holiday season.
I’m a bit late doing so, but today I’m sharing the books I read in November. Yesterday, I was able to find a few minutes to read during my SNOW DAY! Can you believe it?! In all my years teaching, I don’t think I’ve ever had a snow day in December. We only got a couple of inches, and the roads were fine by 9am or so, but I guess it was one of those days where it was snowing at just the right time for them to call off school.
Anyway, November was a decent month of reading for me.
This month, I read two books and listened to two books. Discovering audio books really has upped my reading opportunities lately.
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
Starting with the two audio books…
My Life with the Walter Boys:
Summary:
Jackie does not like surprises. Chaos is the enemy! The best way to get her successful, busy parents to notice her is to be perfect. The perfect look, the perfect grades-the perfect daughter. And then…
Surprise #1: Jackie’s family dies in a freak car accident.
Surprise #2: Jackie has to move cross-country to live with the Walters-her new guardians.
Surprise #3: The Walters have twelve sons. (Well, eleven, but Parker acts like a boy anyway)
Now Jackie must trade in her Type A personality and New York City apartment for a Colorado ranch and all the wild Walter boys who come with it. Jackie is surrounded by the enemy-loud, dirty, annoying boys who have no concept of personal space. Okay, several of the oldest guys are flat-out gorgeous. But still annoying. She’s not stuck-up or boring-no matter what they say. But proving it is another matter. How can she fit in and move on when she needs to keep her parents’ memory alive by living up to the promise of perfect?
Quick Thoughts:
I stumbled upon this book while searching the Libby app for books that were currently available and had high ratings. I guess this is book one of two, and it’s a young adult book…and it certainly read that way.
The premise of the book was sad, but it obviously set the foundation for the plot. That being said, I thought it was odd that Jackie would go live out of state with people she didn’t know. Also, she was in boarding school, so I kept wondering why she didn’t just stay in boarding school? Honestly, I didn’t like how the boys treated her when she arrived…honestly, some comments from them were sexual harassment. As Jackie settled in with the family, some of the boys weren’t nice at all. Obviously, there was more to the plot, but I just had a few sticking points while reading.
Rating:
For a YA reader, this would probably be scored higher, but for me, it’s three stars.
Mean Moms:
Summary:
Meet Frost, Morgan, and Nell—a wealthy, gorgeous group of New York City moms, the queen bees of downtown Manhattan. Their children attend Atherton Seminary, the top private school in the city, and their social lives revolve around elaborate themed parties.
On the first day of school, the arrival of a new mom and mysterious beauty from Miami named Sofia shakes up their world. When Sofia quickly integrates herself into their clique, inexplicably bad things start to happen to the women. Frost is the victim of a hit-and-run electric scooter incident. Nell’s dream of launching a fashion line is thwarted when the clothing samples cause people to break out in a rash. Morgan’s new sound bath spa is robbed at gunpoint by a moped-driving thief. Morgan declares it all a “negative event cluster,” but the other women aren’t so sure.
Is someone at school out to get them? Another mom with a vendetta? Let’s not forget to mention the handsome headmaster, Dr. Broker, who every mom has a crush on (and one of them might be sleeping with).
Quick Thoughts:
Mean Moms seems to be a popular book, and I was on the library wait list for a bit before it was my turn to listen to it. Overall, it reminded me a little bit of Real Housewivesof New York! The main characters weren’t super likable, and there were quite a few minor characters to keep up with. I liked the drama of it all and there were some suspenseful moments. I enjoyed the last half of the book far more than the first half as there seemed to be more action and a few twists and turns.
Rating:
This is mostly three stars for me, but the last 25% of the book was four stars.
Horse:
Summary:
A discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history: from these strands, a Pulitzer Prize winner braids a sweeping story of spirit, obsession, and injustice across American history
Kentucky, 1850. An enslaved groom named Jarret and a bay foal forge a bond of understanding that will carry the horse to record-setting victories across the South. When the nation erupts in civil war, an itinerant young artist who has made his name on paintings of the racehorse takes up arms for the Union. On a perilous night, he reunites with the stallion and his groom, very far from the glamour of any racetrack.
New York City, 1954. Martha Jackson, a gallery owner celebrated for taking risks on edgy contemporary painters, becomes obsessed with a nineteenth-century equestrian oil painting of mysterious provenance.
Washington, DC, 2019. Jess, a Smithsonian scientist from Australia, and Theo, a Nigerian-American art historian, find themselves unexpectedly connected through their shared interest in the horse–one studying the stallion’s bones for clues to his power and endurance, the other uncovering the lost history of the unsung Black horsemen who were critical to his racing success.
Based on the remarkable true story of the record-breaking thoroughbred Lexington, Horse is a novel of art and science, love and obsession, and our unfinished reckoning with racism.
Quick Thoughts:
My Gma suggested Horse to me a couple of years ago, and I finally got around to reading it. This book was amazing…and maybe the best book I read all year…for sure in the top five!
You know I love historical fiction, and the connection to the horse industry and Lexington, KY obviously caught my attention. That being said, there was so much more to the plot as three different time periods were woven together. This was beautifully written and very informative. The ending had a twist that I wasn’t expecting, and I really didn’t want the book to end.
The afterword with historical context info was so insightful too. As I read the book, I shared so many excerpts with Trav. Overall, this book is a fave for sure!
Rating:
The Christmas Cookie Wars:
Summary:
Melody Monroe will do anything to help her nine-year-old twin boys muster up the holiday spirit. Especially since they lost their father, the boys have started questioning the point of Christmas at all.
So, when Melody learns the school’s Yuletide Cookie Club has disbanded due to dissension in the top ranks, she knows she must take over the cookie club herself, even if it means dealing with the infuriating school principal, Jonathan Braxton.
But when a small argument turns into a town-wide bake-off between her and Jonathan, Melody finds that her competitive spirits have turned romantic. Love can’t be in the cards. Her focus is on her boys, and saving Christmas. This year, will Melody be willing to let go of the past and embrace the magic of the holidays for herself?
Quick Thoughts:
I always like to read a holiday book in November to kick off the holiday season, and have one book to share with you going into December.
My TBR Christmas list on Goodreads is full of so many great titles. The Christmas Cookie Wars was available on Kindle, so I snagged it. It was the perfect read to start the holiday season. I loved that Melody’s boys were rambunctious, and of course she’d had heartbreak only to find love in an unexpected place. The cookie war wasn’t without a little drama too.
This was definitely a cute, seasonal read.
Rating:
Did you catch my Friday Favorites post last week? I shared quite a few holiday books that I’ve read through the years.
My Goodreads reading goal was 40 books again this year, and I’m up to 36 read. I don’t know if I can get four books read/listened to this month, but I sure look forward to trying. I have a couple of good holiday options downloaded on my Kindle. I’m not ready for another snow day just yet, but the weather is making it easy for me to want to sit inside and read by the glow of my Christmas tree…I just need my “to do” list to chill a bit!
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