16 days

16 days is the longest winter holiday I EVER remember having from school! It was so nice to have two full weeks off. Here are some of the things that we/I accomplished with my time off:

1. Started my Christmas Shopping on Monday the 22nd. I am also proud to announce that I finished my shopping that day too!

2. Made an 8x8 brag book for my parents. "Darwin" will be their first grand baby ... so we figured that they would LOVE a little book for him. It showcases all of the major events happening in his first year of life. Here are some of my favorites:



I am quite proud of this project. I don't do "boy" very well. I would say that for every one "manly" stamp set I own ... I have at least 4 flower stamp sets to go with it. This does not include the alphabets or seasonal stamps. I am proud of my boy project.

3. Joe put up our Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve while super cleaned the kitchen. Working 10 hours a day makes it very difficult for me to have the energy to clean. I don't blame this one on the kid ... I have had this problem for years! I am not a clean-er ... but I am trying to be. I just kept thinking that all I want for Christmas is a clean kitchen ... which was true! My brother Greg also came home from Iraq on Christmas Eve. He came home early because of my Grandma's funeral. He missed it ... but it is nice to have him here. He goes back on the 9th. On Christmas Eve, the Sandman brings us a new pair of pajamas, to help us sleep better, and a Disney Movie. This year he brought us Peter Pan. He wanted to bring The Little Mermaid, (this is my favorite), but he figured that a boy would enjoy Peter Pan better. Joe said .... "all those girls in sea shells ... he would have like Mermaid just fine!".



4. Woke up at some obscene hour on Christmas Morning. Opened our gifts, finished the brag book and went back to bed.

5. We saw four different movies this break. Christmas Eve we saw Forever Strong with my family (LOVE IT). Joe and I went to Yes Man on Christmas Day. It was okay. We went to Marley and Me with my Family ... I bawled! I don't know if non-dog lovers would understand the movie in quite the same way. It is funny and they would enjoy that ... but maybe not get the point that even this monster dog is part of your family. Then Joe and I took Ian and Zach, (my two brothers) to see Bedtime Stories. It was the BEST Adam Sandler movie that we have ever seen. NOTHING inappropriate. GOOD GOOD family flick! Loved it.

6. I spent Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of last week cleaning the house and making a crib skirt for the nursery. I am not a seamstress ... so I am quite pleased with how this turned out. I have a pattern, but couldn't understand the instructions all that well. I looked at the picture and figured that i could recreate it. Who needs instructions? So I did. I only hope it fits the bed. It should. Now I am going to start working on the bumpers.

7. For the first time ... that I can remember, I don't count before five ... I didn't stay up to watch the ball drop in Time Square. Joe and I finished cleaning the house in preparation for getting our carpets cleaned on New Years Day. They were way over do! We picked up my brothers to help us. Ian spent most of the morning cleaning the basement. It was the worst. While doing that Zach and I primed the baby's room so it is ready to paint. Joe went throughout the house and filled in many holes and nicks that are on our walls. We now have a bunch of patches throughout our house and have committed ourselves to painting it before we move. We would do that anyway ... and moving is not in the near future so we figured that WE could live with the patchwork. After a Cafe Rio lunch, Joe took over the cleaning, I worked on patching holes, Ian kept the dogs out of the way and Zach demoed the bathroom a bit more. He couldn't remove any of the junk ... so it is quite messy right now, but we are almost ready to start rebuilding the wall! It was a nice productive day!



8. Copper came to sit with me on the couch while I read my book Friday afternoon. The sleeping bags that need to go to the cleaners were sitting on the couch -- just to get them off of the floor for the cleaning. Copper always seems to find the most comfortable spot in the house.

9. Joe's parents and sister came over on Friday night. Sammy, Joe's nephew, was baptized on Saturday Morning. It was a good thing they drove up a day early because of all of the snow. I thought that I would feed them "Stohel Style" while they were here. We ate a yummy enchillada meal -- my dad's recipe -- and watched the UofU football game. On Saturday we had French Toast with Cheese in the middle. I have been eating it this way my entire life. I don't really care for it without the cheese. It is just like a grilled cheese sandwich but with the egg of the french toast. You put syrup and jam on it like you would french toast. YUM!

When I was introduced to the Boucher Family, Sammy was just born. Now he was just baptized. That is so crazy that he is that big! It was a nice day!

10. Now I am waiting to get ready to go to church. I am going to go and make breakfast, and get ready. I have learned that it is easier to get to church when you are ready far in advance ... not scrambling at the last minute. I am looking forward to a 1:00 church. I can eat breakfast AND lunch before I go and not have to worry about getting sick with lack of food. the 11:00 time was very difficult for me to figure out. When we went -- I tried to stay for as long as I could, but Joe often drove me home so I could eat and he would go back to Elder's quorum. I know that other people have been pregnant and figured out the whole 11:00 thing ... but I never did. I am excited about the later meeting.

11. I got a text from a friend the other day -- that I never responded to ... sorry! -- that asked if I was ready for Monday. At that time I wasn't ... but now I think that I am. I have had a full break. Busy. I have worked hard and gotten a lot done. I miss my students and I am ready to go back. I have no idea what I am teaching this week ... so I will have to get to school early to get stuff ready .. but I am excited. AND next week I get to start my favorite chapter in Geometry ... who wouldn't be excited? (I am sure the kids won't be!! ... but I LOVE TRIG!)

Well if you made it to the end ... good job! I figured that I would do one long post instead of 11 small ones. I hope you enjoyed your Holiday weeks ... and
have a good New Year!!