After Christmas, before the New Year Sunday, December 27, 2009

Hello everyone!

Can ya tell I have some time off work and school? I bet ya can. Two posts in the same month haha. There is something to be said for being a teacher's aide -- you are on the same schedule as the school kids. On the other hand, so is my paycheck and if you don't work, you don't get paid. That's what happens when you are paid hourly. But, I needed the break. So did the kids.

My spring classes don't start until the 11th either, so I have a break there too. I do have to take an exam on the 9th, but that is just one more step to my Master's in Special Education.

Christmas was very nice. I'll have to upload a bunch of photos and video, but right now the girls are "camping out" in the living room with dad and I don't want to go down there and disturb them to get the camera's. The girls were blessed with everything from Santa and Family. They got an air hockey table, WII, trip to Great Wolf Lodge from Gramma, tons of other games, toys and things. By far at the moment their WII has been the favorite.

Christmas eve we spent at home having a nice family dinner of steak, wild rice, broccoli rabe and asparagus, olives and mozzarella, bruschetta and some family time. Christmas Night we went to my my sister in laws to exchange presents.

Today, we had a bunch of people over from Kenny's work. We had meat and cheese stuffed shells, salad, deviled eggs, bread, cake with strawberries. It was really such a relaxing enjoyable time for me. I don't know what there was about it, but it was so relaxing and fun. It was nice to chat and catch up with everyone.

Tomorrow I think we are going to work a little bit around the house. I have to take Katie's bed apart. It's a twin and about 2 months ago as I was making the bed, I well -- pulled the headboard on a weird angle and broke a couple of inches off the post. Since then, we've leveled it, but it is just not sturdy enough. So we were watching Top Chef and I was saying to Katie how they lived in a loft and look how all of there beds were just directly on the floor. So we are going to give that a whirl. I told her we'd try it. Get some extra big fluffy pillows and make it like a day bed. Then if it doesn't work out, we'll buy a new bed frame. Couldn't hurt to give it a whirl right? And Katie thinks it's neat to try. So why not?!

Hubby's off the week, so we'll be able to spend some time together. I love it when he's off. One of the day's this week the kids will be going to see the Alvin and the Chipmunks movie. I'd like to get to Target and a couple of other things.

On New Years, we use to have the tradition of putting the girls to bed. Then hubby would make chicken strips in garlic sauce over linguine. We'd set the coffee table really special and wait for the ball to drop on the New Year. However, we'd since started a new tradition as the girls have gotten bigger. They are 11, 7 and 6 now. What we usually do now is have a simple dinner. Then later in the night I make appetizers -- kid food, wings, dips, french fries. A little bit of this and that and we watch the Times Square show. I try to stay awake -- which usually lasts until 12:01 HAHA. I'm so serious. Although, I have a new past time that has been keeping me up.

Farmville. So for however long I've been on Facebook, I swore off Farmville. I couldn't stand all the posts and blocked it like crazy. I'm really not coordinated to play games, heaven only knows why, so I wasn't interested. Well, Katie has been asking for a facebook to play farmville with her friends. So hubby's and my theory was, okay, let's look at this game and if it's okay, we'll get her a facebook. And now....I LOVE IT! When the girls were small, we used to play scrabble online like crazy. Now, I just love this goofy game. It's relaxing. I can rearrange my farm. But I do have to say MY CHICKENS HATE ME. Why can everyone else hatch mystery eggs but me?

But anyway, now Katie's mad because my farm looks better than hers LOL! She's so funny. My little girls have one too, but sometimes at night I go over to there's and work the farm for them. Then when they wake up in the morning they go "oh mommy we have a green cow now" or something. It's so cute. I don't tell them I'm doing it and they love waking up to the surprise if I've gone over and worked their farm a little. You should have seen them last week when they woke up and I had bought them a dairy. So cute.

Well I guess I'll head off to bed...watch a little tv after I check the recipe site. Remember your always welcome to pop over and join there too. The url is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Kristys_Kitchen_Korner . Have a great night! Remember God loves you and always will.

Hugggz,

Kristy~!

******************************************

Do you know Jesus as your Saviour?
Simply pray the following prayer in faith, and Jesus will be your Lord.
"Heavenly Father, I come to You in the Name of Jesus. Your word says,
"whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" and
"if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved.(Acts 2:21; Romans 10:9).
You said my salvation would be the result of Your Holy Spirit
giving me new birth by coming to live in me (John 3:5-6, 15-16; Romans 8:9-11).
I take You at Your word. I confess that Jesus is Lord.
And I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead.
Thank you for coming into my heart, for giving me Your Holy Spirit
as You have promised, and for being Lord over my life. Amen."

Semesters, Holidays, Church and Everything Else Monday, December 7, 2009

Hi everyone!

There has been so much going and it's seems like forever since I've chatted with you. My semester has finally coming to end. And I'm completely sure you will all be happy to hear me stop complaining about it haha! Education Psychology class is over -- HALLELUJAH! I've decided it's not the material, not the teacher herself, but really the delivery of the material and how it was presented in a sequence. Too much at the end and too much speculation on how it would be graded. Anyway....

I've signed up for my spring classes which will be Programming for Early Adolescents and Content knowledge math for elementary learners. I'm excited about both. I was really hoping my favorite teacher was going to do the programming class, but as of now she's saying she will be retired by then. But, God is in control and I know there must be a reason I'm so interested in this material. It will be mainly understanding how to program for a child 0-8, early intervention and etc.

The content knowledge math will be a help to as I'll be co-teaching math to sixth graders in the next coming weeks. This brings me to my next topic....my new job.

I've moved from kindergarten to a sixth grade learning support classroom. God really opened a door for me to walk through. I have been completely blessed. I am in the same school district, but in the special education department, which is what my Master's degree will be in. I am still an instructional aide, but now working in the setting where my heart is. I feel so blessed. As a part of this job, 2 days a week I will co-teach regular education math. These opportunities are beyond amazing. It was like God dropping a learning experience right in my lap. The only way I can describe it is the most peaceful work environment I've been in ever -- why? Because I feel like this is where God really wants me to be.

I've taken my Praxis I and passed (Praxis is like the tests you have to pass in order to get certified) and I'll take my Praxis II in January, part 2 of Praxis 2 in March, then I'll have my teaching certificate. I pray God will continue to open a doorway for me to get a position here locally with a marvelous salary. I would love my own classroom, but I think early intervention would be fun too. I feel like making a list for my ideal job. Somewhere flexible, somewhere local, somewhere working in special education, somewhere where there's peace, somewhere with a great salary. God has been so faithful, I pray He continues this -- I have the faith that he will.

My girls are doing great. Karrie and Katie have had their piano recital and did wonderfully. Katie also had her Christmas dance show and it was fabulous. The girls did awesome. My mom even cried during a dance using the "Christmas Shoes" song. Beautiful.


I haven't done too much baking this year, just a few things. Every year I say that I'm doing less -- and this year I finally did. I just can't do anymore. Hubby made some great cookies, I did 2 kinds and will be baking banana breads today. There too much going on and I just decided this year is going to be a calm quiet Christmas, I'm going to enjoy and NOT get trapped in the work and rush and feel like it's never happened. It is what it is and I'm going to enjoy my break before classes resume on the 11th of January.


I've already started to read a book for my January class. It's called "The boy who loved windows". It's about a mother's journey into understanding her son's autism. It's written so well. It's not really clinical, but more a story about how this mom feels inside and her personal thoughts and questions. It's really well written. I couldn't even put it down last night. I'll have to do a paper on it -- but that seems like a piece of cake because the content is just so good.


Well, my little ones have bundled themselves up and made it out in the snow. Of course the TV is still blaring "a Christmas Story" and I'm sitting here alone. Isn't it always the way? HAHAAA.


On to telling you the great news about church. As you all have known from the beginning, God has had a major plan for us starting a new church. The blessings just keep pouring and pouring out. We were so blessed to have a local church offer us space to worship the Lord. Now, we have the opportunity to buy a local building! It's already equipped with everything we need and is about 5 minutes away! God is so good. Please pray for favor, God is moving mightily and I am so excited. It's such a peaceful excitement. We should be all moved in January. What a mighty work! More on that as I know.


I'm off to check on the kids, then make the beds. I've posted some of the kids Christmas pictures below. (And to those on my recipe list -- I am so sorry for not posting much in the last week, it's been so crazy here! I miss all of you. I'm going to get some recipes out today!)

Hugggz,

Kristy~!