My Dani is on the front page of one of our local papers for being apart of a peer mediation group. She is one of my public schooled kiddos who is getting really involved with helping out at school.  I was so surprised when the paper came yesterday and pleasantly so!! I am one proud momma....God sure has this girls' heart to help others.  She is also helping with the daily flag ceremonies, balancing her studies, doing peer mediation, and is playing viola in the orchestra.  We just got report cards in last week and she is on the A-B honor roll.  She has taken several standardized tests this year and her most recent one for reading she tested at a 11th grade 5th month reading level which put her in the top two spot for reading in the whole school.  I am just so pleased she is doing so well and that this family's love of reading has transferred so well to each of my girls'.  Other than loving getting the paper not much out of the norm has happened.  Today we got the house picked up, the bathroom cleaned, trash taken out, trash cans brought in, bathroom rugs cleaned, and dinner done.  It was SO good too chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes with gravy, and corn.

They are so cute.....I won their Superstar c.d. at a MOPS meeting and decided I would give it to Hellie for Christmas.  They have taken traditional worship songs and kids praise songs and given them a cute beat.  Turns out my little Ela is absolutely in love with this c.d.  She keeps coming to me saying "Dance and Sing Momma" and bringing me the disc.  It is playing right now as I type.  Those with little kids' should check it out.

Today we are back to school YAY......I needed the break but I was beginning to feel out of whack without our usual consistency.  I got up and got the middle girls' who were excited off to the bus stop, made coffee, got to sip it in the quiet till everyone else got up, put on my spa socks and we had breakfast...bananas and yogurt bars YUM.  Then we got dressed, cleaned up the house, and now I can sit for a bit while Ela "dances" and Katie is finishing her school work.

Will have only a tad of picking up to do now after lunch, then all that is on the books is dinner, a baby shower for two friends, and Mike will do the nightly wind down with the girls' while I get a Mom's Time Out YAY YAY YAY YAY!!!!

This time of year is so hectic....mostly in good ways but there have been a few days I have been totally wiped out.  I have gotten the house totally decorated, all my baking done, all my parties and functions are over SNIFF, all the presents have been bought (still have wrapping to do), all my christmas crafts are done, all my christmas cards are mailed, and my turkey is in the freezer.  We have the family that we go to church with (that have become like our own family) coming over for Christmas dinner, which is going to be so much fun!!!!  I also have Katie's work already organized for the week we go back to school.  That way I will get three and a half weeks off from working up assignments WOO HOO, LOL.  We are gonna do a huge clean up of the house on Tuesday and then we should be ready for the festivities.  Today I got Dani and Hellie off to the bus then I was able to go back to bed for a bit.  Got up and had some Mint Chocolate Truffle coffee and a toaster strudel it was really good.  Then we picked up the house and we just had a yummy lunch and cleaned up after that.  Tonight we are gonna have stroganoff for dinner and the girls' have youth group so I will watch Bones and read some more of my last Mitford book.

Join in the fun and leave me a comment so I can read your answers too! :)

1. Snow _____.

2. I'm looking forward to _____.

3. _____ is the best _____ ever!

4. One of my favorite old tv shows is _____.

5. I'm done with _____.

6. The most enjoyable thing around the holidays is _____.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____!

Here are my answers:

1. Snow, I sure do miss it!

2. I'm looking forward to Christmas with my family and Christmas dinner with friends that have become family.

3. Christmas time is the best time of the year!

4. One of my favorite old tv shows is  Home Improvement (I know odd, but I think Tim Allen is hilarious).

5. I'm done with holiday decorating.

6. The most enjoyable thing around the holidays is being with family and friends.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing, tomorrow my plans include baking for parties next week and Sunday, I want to have a great day in San Antonio!

I have loads going on this weekend.....papers to grade, 2 different kinds of cookies to bake, some dessert bars to make, and a whole day in San Antonio hanging out with teenagers YAY for me....he he he just kidding it should be a fun day.  I am praying it won't be too windy so we don't freeze while out shopping and then while they tie my arm behind my back to get me to ride roller coasters with them.  Got my house cleaned today, ran to the store for a couple of things, and got several loads of laundry done.  Gonna watch a movie, get some reading in, and hopefully get to bed earlier than last night.