Amazing Movie

My family, D, and I went to see The Blind Side today.

Oh my gosh!! It is one of the best movies I have seen in ages. Not only was it inspiring but also incredibly funny! I highly highly recommending seeing The Blind Side during the holiday season. Go. See. It.

-h

home, home on the range..

D and I are at home visiting with our parents and family. My mom is whipping up yummy food, D's mom is prepping for the big day, and I am enjoying having nothing to do! : )

Today we will have breakfast with my family and then spend the rest of the day with D's. I am looking forward to NOT running around and eating 2-3 big meals. After dinner with D's family we are having a huge game night....cards, board games, beer....it should be great. An added bonus is that we haven't been home in a while and I really do love his family.

Tomorrow my family + H/D is going to go see The Blind Side.

Saturday we don't have any big plans other than eating Steak Sandwiches from Richards which we must do every time we come home! We also might visit the shooting range and break in D's new toy.

Sunday we are going to the Bengals vs. Browns game. D is a Browns fan and H + family are Bengals fans. I am expecting it to be a great game with lots of teasing and cheering.

D and I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving full of love and laughter. Have a great day and COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!

-h

If you were at my house last night...

....you would have eaten a salad with almonds, cranberries, and apple cider dressing, a ribeye steak with caramelized onions and blue cheese, a giant baked potato, and an apple dumpling....all while drinking red wine.

....then you would have assembled the Christmas tree, put up the stockings, and hung the garland.....

perfect.

-h

pictures coming soon!

ants in my pants

Yesterday was the last day of school before Thanksgiving break. yay!! 4 days off of school! Who is more excited...me or the kids? ME!!!

As you know I am uber excited Christmas. That excitement has put ants in my pants. And those little ants want me to put my Christmas decorations up. N.O.W. : ) I just can't wait any longer.

So last night, after a long day of school and parents teacher conferences, I returned home to find the garland strung outside my house and the Christmas tree set up and lit.

I have been pestering my poor husband since last Friday to let me up the decorations. We kept running out of time or he flat out said no. Well, last night he wanted to surprise me. Our plan is to put the ornaments, stockings, wreaths, etc. up this evening or when we return from Thanksgiving at our parents' homes. I am pumped. I loove loove loove my house at Christmas time. I know that I'm biased, but I just think it is so beautiful.

Now that the decorations are up or going up.....I have ants in my pants for another reason....

D and I decided to spend part of Christmas in New York City! I have an aunt and uncle who live on the Jersey shore and cousins who live in the city. We'll be staying with them and depending on them to show us around. We are going to be on the east coast Dec 20th-24th. While we're there we are going to see the Rockettes, eat delicious food, go to Macy's, see all the store front windows, and take a carriage ride in Central Park. Doesn't that sound dreamy?

-h

Thankful

I am thankful for:

*My 1 day work week!! During that day we are watching Pocahontas, eating "Native American " food (dried fruit, beef jerky, pumpkin bars, tortilla chips,etc.), and going to art class! Oh man, I am excited!

*My Dyson vacuum. You can't believe how much that dirt that thing sucks up!

*You guys. I had a fun fun time on Saturday with our friends. I was looking around and thinking, "I can't believe this is my life." You make me laugh and D's birthday extra fun!

*Christmas. ok Thanksgiving too. I can't wait for all the traditions, family, and food.

*Jobs

*The men and women who serve our country and keep us safe.

*Cute little kids who make my heart melt and put a smile on my face....even when they puke AND poop on me...yes little J I am talking to you...and Boo...I have no doubt that you will also "christen" me at some point.

*Diet Coke

*My family. duh!

and D for always keeping me entertained.

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR?

-h

so sleepy

wowza, what a day!!

6:00am-Wake up. Go Halley Go!

7:00am-Get to school. Hit the ground running. F A S T.

7:45am-Kids arrive.

8:00am to 11:00am- Teach

11:10am-Show children movie The Indian in the Cupboard

11:15am- Did you know they cuss in The Indian in the Cupboard ? They do. All 21 of my second graders know too. Awesome.

11:50am- Lunch. D brought me Wendy's and then hung up art work in my classroom. Love, love, love him.

12:35- Recess is over. : (

12:35om to 2:30pm- Teach.

2:35pm- Send kiddos home!

3:00pm- Parent/Teacher Conference #1

3:20ish pm- Parent/Teacher Conference #2

3:40pm- Parent/Teacher Conference #3

......you get my drift....

7:00pm-Leave school.

7:15pm-Die on the couch.

The End.

-h

Shower Time

Seems like someone is always getting married or having an itty bitty darling baby. Currently my friend K is expecting a sweet baby girl, so that means I have been party planning. Baby shower planning to be exact.

This past Saturday we hosted K's all pink, baby bird, themed shower. It was so stinkin' cute. Here's a peek at the festivities:

Isn't this momma-to-be beautiful?

The dining room:
Tablescapes:

I folded a contrasting light pink napkins on each plate. On top of the napkin, I placed a mini wreath filled with multicolored PINK (see post below : ) jelly beans to create a little bird's nest. In the center of the table I laid potting moss and then filled a small flower pot with various pink roses and a tiny bird's nest.

We feasted on bird's nest cupcakes (see the almonds? they are eggs...get it?)

For a bit for decor, because I had not decorated enough...I painted unfinished wood bird's nests from Hobby Lobby. Our favors were M & M's in light pink boxes that has been stamped with a bird's nest and tied with a dark pink ribbon.

And our gift opening/game playing area:

I super excited for K and her husband P as they prepare for their baby girl.....estimated arrive Dec 27. Miss Halley can't wait!

-H

ops....christmas music is OUT!!

Today I had a little mishap....




There are those of you who will not believe that what happened was truly an accident...but really... it was ...


This afternoon I was happily enjoying my DVRed episode of Glee, singing along, bouncing up and down on the couch, dancing may or may not have been involved, when I decided to look for Glee Cast songs on Itunes.


Imagine my euphoric surprise when I realized that Glee had just released it's Season One sound track. I AM STILL REALLY REALLY PUMPED ABOUT THIS...1 HOUR LATER! : )


Anywho, I was clicking around checking to see if all the songs from Season One were on the CD or just a few, when I clicked the "Buy Album" button.


For real people, it was an accident.


My thoughts went something like this, "Ops, I didn't mean to do that. I wish I hadn't disabled the 'Do you want to buy this song/album?' prompt. Oh well!! yay!!! It's Glee!! Weeee!! Wow, I'm really overly excited about this...."


: )

For now, just right now, Christmas music is OUT. I am jamming to fake teenagers doing cover songs....and loving, I repeat, LOVING, it!

-H

Grading....Halley Style....

Draw your own conclusions....

jelly beans revisited.

After I wrote my post below about the abundance of jelly beans at my house I decided to snack on a few....you know...because I just have so many laying around.

I retrieve the bag and open it...... and about 1/4 of the bag spills out all over the floor.

Thoughts:
1.) Do you know the trajectory for jelly beans? Those things fly ALL OVER.

2.) I just spent $21.52 on those beans! They are not going to be wasted.

Solution:
5 sec rule. I guess that 4th of bag will be staying at my house!

haha

pink jelly belly's

So I'm planning a baby shower for my very favorite pregnant lady (D mom of J...you're not currently pregnant so you can't be a favorite) on Saturday.

Part of the baby shower fun includes jelly beans.

Being the specific...um...uh...perfectionist that I am I needed all pink jelly beans for the shower. It's for a sweet baby girl. duh!

Lucky for me, a local store has a scoop your own jelly bean bar. Perfect. Right? Well you would think.

I get to the store and check out the jelly bean bar. I get my bag to fill full of jelly beans, thinking it's a pretty big bag, and immediately check the price. I read a sign that says, "What's YOUR flavor? $6.99" Hmm I thought, that's a pretty big bag for only $6.99. WoHoo. I go about my merry way filling my bag with various shades (and flavors!) of pink jelly beans.

I'm scooping and scooping and scooping jelly beans, reflecting on the great deal I am getting and I can't seem to fill my bag (and you know I am going to fill my bag to the tippy top for $6.99) so I start adding a few red and root beer jelly beans because they are my favorite and I surely want to fill my bag. Finally my bag is full and I am happy about all my pink jelly beans.

I get to the register. The girl takes my bag of pretty pink jelly beans...and weighs it...WHAT!?

uh...the sign just said $6.99...not $6.99lb.

great.

My total was $21.52

-h

p.s. Free pink jelly beans at my house! : )

Rock Concerts and Spaghetti

Fun day planned for today!! D and I and 4 other couples are going to a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert and then out to dinner at the Spaghetti Warehouse. I am pumped.

Secretly, in the privacy of my own car, by myself....

....I have been listening to Christmas music...

I know, I know, I should wait until after Thanksgiving, but this year I am chomping at the bit for the Christmas season. The concert this afternoon will just throw me over the edge. There is no turning back. I cannot hold out any longer. Christmas music is now here to stay. (at least, at my house)

Enjoy your Sunday,
H

FAIL

Went to the grocery store for milk and bread.

Left with: Milk, Oreos, Ingredients to make Guacamole, Salad Dressing, Artisan Bread (which means more expensive) and a Magazine.

oops

muuch better

Today I am feeling much much better.

It took a full 7 days, several doses of Tamiflu, insane amounts of fluids and tissues, and a few cough drops, but I've just about kicked this thing.

In honor of my new and improved health I am making a trip to Costco. : ) D has never been and I love the place. I've been cooped up for 7 days (literally I did not leave my house) and we've been eating too much take out. I don't feel quite up to cooking on a daily basis so we are relying on Costco to come to our rescue.

Happy November!
-h