Blue {and gold} Christmas

Snug as bugs

Our outdoor kitty Maya Angleou has been taking refuge from the cold inside most nights lately, often in Macauley's bed. Tonight, Macauley positioned himself on the edge of the bed so as not to disturb her and so she wouldn't leave his room. Isn't it funny how we do that to accomodate pets? It's just so comforting for some reason to have an animal decide to snuggle with you, especially a fickle cat.

Macauley hasn't needed a night light since we put up the little tree on the window seat in his room. It only has a few ornaments, but the lights look pretty from outside the house.

Book box

Just a quick post to show you the box I made (quickly) tonight. We're having a faculty Christmas breakfast in the morning at school, and this year the challenge was to bring a creatively wrapped book to exchange. Art students will judge and a prize will be given for the "best" wrappings. I decoupaged an old game box with book pages then layered some folded and rolled pieces to create a nest/bow to nestle the $1 glitter bird into. I wanted to spell PEACE but lacked an E in my glitter letters, so I went with another of my favorite words: READ. I'll be putting The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks inside. He hasn't always been my favorite, but the book looked pretty good and I thought it would appeal to a wide variety of readers. I'm reading his Dear John right now. I would have liked to have spent more time on the wrapping, but I like this pretty little box and I hope whoever gets it in the exchange does too. We'll see what those art students think...

Edited to add: The art students gave 3 prizes: Most Creative (which went to a book wrapped up in a diaper and baby blanket and a Santa baby head), Just Because (which went to a book wrapped in recycled materials including a Starry Night postcard) and Most Beautiful (which went to my bird box!). I won a lottery scratcher ticket that was worth absolutely nothing. But I got lots of compliments on the box and the lady who took it in the exchange really loved it.

Christmas cheer in gear

I've been busy decorating for Christmas and have taken a few pictures but they just don't look right. I'll try again soon and post those. I changed my look this year in the dining room and got a new black tree for my living room. Also got these shabby stockings on etsy. I'm excited to host the English department from school this Wednesday for a get-together and then Ryan's whole family on Christmas Eve. I'm about 3/4 finished with my shopping and wrapping. My parents came up this afternoon and we made our 3rd attempt to visit Santa at the mall, but this time he was "feeding his reindeer" and we missed him again. Word is the real Santa is at Bass Pro, so we'll try there one night this week. Just 7 school days 'til break...

The party

We celebrated Macauley turning 7 at Wacky World, a warehouse full of inflatables. We invited his whole class and a few other friends.

Grandma and Grandpa drove in from Bolivar.

Cole S. made an appearance.

Wacky World provides everything you need for a party, including the cake (Spongebob theme--perfect), pizza, drinks and even a "host" to keep the party going smoothly. All we had to do was show up.

After an hour or so of jumping and climbing and running through the inflatables, the kids paused for pizza and cake but opted to go back to playing afterwards instead of watching Macauley open all his gifts. We opened them when we got home.

Aunt Lindsay was there.

...and a bunch of friends. A fun night. Can't believe we have a 7 year old...

My baby boy

...turns 7 today.

From our table to yours...

Happy Thanksgiving

"Reflect upon your present blessings,

of which every man has plenty,

not on your past misfortunes,

of which every man has some."

~Charles Dickens

Field trip

The first graders of Wanda Gray had an excursion to the Discovery Center yesterday morning, and I was honored that Macauley asked me to come along as a chaperone. The place is mostly a science museum and we've been there before, so being the English teacher/verbal person I am, I wasn't all that into going through it all again. But I know the day will come that Macauley doesn't want me to go anywhere with him...


He was most excited about riding the bus, which he never has to/gets to do since we only live a two-minute walk from his school. I had to take him to the dentist later that afternoon and offered to let him just leave the field trip with me and go out to lunch, but he didn't want to miss the ride back across town.

I was assigned to watch my own child and Macauley's buddy Brandon. Brandon has such an impish little face and is always smiling. He cracks me up and is very sweet. The boys got along great and managed to get their paws on most of the interactive displays despite us only having an hour to do the whole museum.

"The world's mine oyster."

~Wm. Shakespeare

Little Turkey

Macauley has come home with all manner of Thanksgiving-related crafts these last couple of weeks. Most recently was the headband (with graphics that tell a story of a man getting into a canoe, going fishing, seeing some flowers, going home to his wife, then it rains) and the adorable little potato turkey.

He also came home with what he called "wearable art," a fringed satchel he made from a paper bag. He showed it to Ryan, who said, "Really cool...looks like it's for an Indian." Macauley just shook his head and let out a big breath and said, "Uh, Dad? NATIVE AMERICAN!"

Feast at the lake

We got to go to the Wises' lake house on Table Rock yesterday to celebrate an early Thanksgiving with our Drury friends. We all met around 1:00 (without kids), loaded the fridge and oven with all the goodies we brought, then headed out on the pontoon for a cruise.


We hadn't gotten to see our BFFs, Adrian and Stephanie Rhoads, in a month or so. Steph is training for a marathon and had on the jacket she earned a few weeks ago doing a 13.1 mile trail race near Branson.

Gina Wise, the hostess with the mostest, and our California transplant, Ray Turner.

Ray's wife, Yvonne, and Jen Swan, my suitemate my freshman year, from one of my all-time favorite places, Eureka Springs.

Wes Wise, our host and pontoon pilot, fills 'er up.

Jen and Chris Swan

Back at the house, Wes made a fire and we sat outside and laughed and listened to the lake while we waited for dinner to cook. Their house is really big, with plenty of room for lots of overnight guests, and we've had a great time each time we've gotten to stay there.

Everyone brought great food, but I'd have to give the MVP award to Yvonne, who made the turkey, infused with rosemary and thyme, as well as a cranberry dressing that has converted Ryan forever, and the very best stuffing I've ever tasted.

We played Apples to Apples and several hours of Band Hero, laughing and talking about the old days and what everyone's families are up to now. We're lucky to have old friends who knew us both pre-parenthood and now. I'm thankful for that.

Date night

I don't know if it makes me a Twi-hard or not, but Ryan was sweet enough to take me to the premier of New Moon Friday night. The place was a madhouse, and there was an audible buzz of excitement in the theatre as the show started. I read all four of the books last spring and got pulled into the story, so I was interested to see what came next in the film series. This movie was quieter, slower, but so was the book, so I enjoyed the way the movie really captured the writing. Some of the dialogue was cheesy, but that's (teen) romance for you sometimes, I guess. The ending segued right into the next installment, so now I guess we wait for Eclipse.

What I bought

For all the distance out of the way we drove to antique on the way home from our KC weekend, the finds were kind of slim. But I got a few things, including this old black suitcase for $5, which already found a great place on the shelf above my mudroom bench with another little train case I have.

I have quite a collection of small old animals, and this bunny will live with them and maybe venture out to another part of the house during Easter decorating.

I can think of other people in my life who like squirrels, so this little S & P set might move on to one of them. Or I might keep them. I love the soap dish. Very chunky.

I got the LOV to go with an E I already have stashed somewhere. Where that is I can't figure out right now, but it's somewhere.

This soap box and all the Christmas ornaments below are not vintage. This was my haul (in addition to a cute pair of casual Steve Madden moccasins) from the giant Home Goods and Marshall's superstore in Overland Park (I think--119th Avenue maybe?). I could have looked around there much longer, but dinner plans (and my two boys) kept me in hurry mode. That's probably a good thing...