A horrible and sad story...

I just can't stop thinking about it. A woman was murdered in the same neighborhood as the school where I teach. Her children went to my school. My colleagues knew her and her children well. My mom's best friend worked out with her on Saturday. They believe that she interrupted two men burglarizing her house. How horrible and terribly sad. It truly is my worst nightmare. Here is the link to the story. I hope they catch the people that did this and give them the punishment they deserve.

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I want to...

go ice skating this winter at Steinberg Ice Rink...I also want to drive around Tillis Park!And go see the lights at the Zoo! My sister and friend, Kate, work their booties off for this event and I really want to see it!
Mike is planning surprise evening for me tomorrow night. If you know the two of us then you know that Mike is the romantic one. I hate surprises and I have been bugging him all week to tell me! At first I thought he would take me to one of the above places but I just asked him if I will need to bundle up and he said no. Hummm??! I wonder what it will be?!?

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Hanukah and Christmas are almost here!

The holiday cards are in the mail (we ran out of envelopes so some will be a little late)....Presents are all wrapped. I only have to finish up Mike's gift...And only 5 more days of school until Winter Break! WEEEE!

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"Low-Fat" Pasta con Broccoli

So, I am bored and posting constantly today. I made dinner and I am waiting for Mike to come home so I figured I would try my hand at posting a recipe.

I have tweaked this recipe over the years to make it more healthy and I really like where it is now. Very simple but quite tasty, if you ask me!

Ingredients
-Wheat Pasta (I choose shell or rotini)
-2 or 3 spears of broccoli
-1 can of Hunts tomato sauce
-1/2 stick of margarine melted
-1 cup of 1% milk
-spices-garlic powder, cayenne pepper, minced onions (and anything else you may want)
-parmesan cheese

So simple. Boil the pasta. Add the sauce, milk and butter.Stir it all together. The sauce will now by pinkish.Add spices and cheese to taste.Steam your broccoli and then add it to the pasta. Yum yum! That is it!!!Mike just called and he is going to have to work late at work...AGAIN. I might have to eat my pasta alone :( Oh well...

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Get out of the way, Bella! Edward is mine!

In case you didn't know...we love each other.I can't stop laughing at this. Don't you love how my husband indulges me with my obsession? I love you hunny!

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Wooden Countertops

Here is Mike's new idea for our kitchen...Have you ever seen anything like this before? Thoughts?

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Thanks a lot...

Rhonda! Instead of running errands, I spent 2 hours of my life watching Twilight...again! She posted the link to the pirated version of the movie that you can find here! I really didn't think that I would sit through the whole thing again, but I did. At least it is only my second time seeing it.

But then I become obsessive and start Googling his name like a crazy person. Then I get this feeling that I haven't had since Leonardo Dicaprio stole my heart in Romeo and Juliet.Leo has always been my #1 and I know that a lot of people disagree. Don't hate...he was my first true celebrity love. I kind of feel like I am cheating on him now. I just can't help it though.Ok...I am done now...I hope. Does this man have a girlfriend? Just curious. Not for me, I swear. Just wondering.

Oh...and I am getting a little annoyed by all of the Twilight "haters" out there. I don't care if you have read the books or not but don't judge us crazy, obsessed people because we love it. I started reading the book because obviously, millions of people couldn't be wrong. Still to this day, I haven't met anyone that hasn't liked them. OK...again...off my soapbox.

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Snow Day (without the snow)?!?

This morning at 5:30, I got the call that school was canceled because of "inclement weather." I was too lazy to get out of bed at the time but when I got up this morning, there was nothing. No snow, no ice on the road, hummm?! I expected to see something like this....It must have been really icy out this morning at 5 when they sent the buses around to test the roads.

Honestly, I am not happy to be home today. Although I enjoyed the extra 3 hours of sleep and I HATE Mondays, I had a lot of work to do today with the kids. This year, we only had 3 weeks between Thanksgiving and Winter Break and we had to cram a lot of curriculum into that time. Now, a week before Break, I really didn't need a "snow" day. Oh well...can't complain. It is a paid day of work when I am not working.

Now what?

I am going to work on our holiday cards. I ordered Nutcracker stamps and received those in the mail the other day. Nutcrackers are creepy, aren't they?!I am in a little dilemma about our cards. We have enough to send to our friends but I really don't think that all of my friends want a Christmas card from Mike and I. Of course, I am going to send them to everyone because I would never pick and chose who to send cards to...BUT, are some people going to think "why did they send this to me?!" I don't know...I hope not!

I also need to get over to Sam's Club today! We are on our last roll of toilet paper...EEK!

I might just have to go over to Bar Louie for happy hour (it starts at 4, ya know) since it is right down the street!

Have a great day!

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Party Weekend!

What a fun weekend! 1 work holiday party, 1 baby shower, 1 cookie exchange, and 2 holiday parties! Whoooo...and I am tired!

Friday night, we had Mike's holiday party at his office. (Just a warning, I did not do well taking pictures this weekend!) I was upset that I couldn't go to the ornament at Jamie's house but is seems that they all had a great time!

Mike's party was really fun. I wore my adorable rose shoes from Ann Taylor! They set up a StudioB! type thingy. You walk up to a camera that was set on a timer, push the button, wait 10 seconds and it will take your picture. Then you walk up to a huge touchscreen, chose your pictures, and then press print! They pictures printed on a little credit card and it was such a hit!I took one picture! My gray teeth thanks to a lot of red wine. Cute, huh?!

Saturday morning, I popped a couple of Advil and headed off to Katie's baby shower. Katie is a friend from work and she is my first pregnant friend! AND...this was my first baby shower...EVER! People didn't believe me but it is true! It was a lot of fun! I even won a game with my friend, Carrie!Here is a pic of the mom-to-be opening my gift.Katie is due in February and I can't wait to meet her baby boy!Katie is one of those pregnant people that doesn't look pregnant from the back. She still has that small tush and skinny bird legs! I will not be one of those pregnant ladies...I have a feeling that I will be HUGE!

Saturday night, I headed to Mimi's house for her 3rd annual cookie exchange. I don't know why I didn't take pictures at the party but I did take a picture of my loot this morning! Check it out...jealous?The word is out now, Mimi (the host of the party) is pregnant (yes, my second pregnant friend) and she was looking so cute! She finally has the baby bump! Mike was the best man in her wedding and her husband, Nick, was a groomsmen in ours too! Here is a StudioB! pic of them from our wedding...I am sure that I will be posting more pictures of her adorable pregnant self in the future! She is tiny so I am sure she will be so cute the whole pregnancy!

After the cookie party, we went over to Jen and Steve's house for their holiday party. No pictures again but we had a great time playing flip-cup in the basement. Seriously, when will we get too old for flip-cup? Probably never! It was great hanging out with the girls since we haven't seen each other in a couple weeks. This time of the year is just so crazy! I got a terrible headache last night and we had to leave the party around 1ish. Mike had to go into work today so it was time to go to bed!

Today? I think I am going to go to the mall with my mom and sister. I have my cheerleading party tonight so I need to get some errands done! I am almost finished Christmas shopping! WOO HOO!

Hope you all had a great weekend too!

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Mike playing with wedding pictures...

Before...After...I wish I knew how to use photoshop :(

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Here's to a crazy weekend!

I can't believe tomorrow is already Friday! I love how the days are just flying by! We have a busy weekend and I had to make cookies tonight!

Tomorrow night we have Mike's holiday party for work and I know it will be a late night. On Saturday morning, I have a baby shower to attend. My first baby shower ever and I am so excited!!! Saturday night I am going to go to a cookie exchange and then we are off to our friends' holiday party! Woo! I will try to relax and catch up on sleep on Sunday but then I have my cheerleading holiday party that night. I am tired thinking about it but it is going to be a fun weekend!

SOOO...tonight I made my "Oreo Balls" for the exchange. I know they are called "Oreo Truffles" but I like "Balls" better. They are so easy! Just mix a box of crushed Oreos with a box of cream cheese. Roll them into balls, dip them into melted chocolate, and put them in the fridge to set. Wa La...People love these things!!! I actually bought mint Oreos this time. Can't wait to see if people like the new flavor!

OH...I forgot to post the update on the new, basement bathroom! No more purple "poop bathroom"...YAY! (Sorry Les!)

Remember what it looked like before? Before (Ew)...After...Before with pipes...Now they are hiding!More after pics...It looks so so so much better! We used the grey (blue) from our guest bedroom and I think it looks great. I like it so much more than that light purple. Bleck....

OK...I am going to get ready to get in bed (and read Breaking Dawn of course...it is finally getting really good). My hubby is still at work (it is 10 PM!) and I guess I will have to fall asleep alone tonight.

Have a great night! Good luck tomorrow, Ali! I love you!!!

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Being productive on my sick day

I spent most of the morning in bed and in the bathroom (TMI?! sorry.) After noon, I started to get a little stir crazy and thought I could run a couple errands. I ran into Borders to get a book that I am going to read to my class and opened The Knot to see pictures of Nikki's beautiful wedding!

After getting the book, I ran across the street to Target. I am going to my first baby shower this weekend and I need to pick up some presents for Katie's son-to-be. At our wedding, she was just a few months pregnant with a tiny baby bump! NOT ANYMORE! I can't wait to post pictures of her and her belly after her shower this weekend!

For the first time, I stood in the baby section of a store. It was a crazy experience. I was surrounded by mothers and their babies and was shopping for the cutest smallest little things. Check out the loot for the baby...8 organic onesies, 8 adorably small washcloths, and 3 cute little bibs. I also got Katie a copy of the book Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy because I heard it is hilarious!
I also took advantage of my sick day by creating a Christmas Card online. I figured this is the only Christmas that we could use wedding pictures so I decided to take advantage of it. We won't have our proof from out photographer for awhile (sad face) so I asked him if we could get the high-res versions of 3 pictures. I used those for the card. Here is the format I chose...For only $20, I got 40 cards, 45 envelopes (in case we mess up), and a photo marker. Way to go, Walgreens!!!I don't really know who we are going to actually send these to?! I guess our families?!? I just really wanted to make them :) Here is a close-up!OK...too much for today! I think I am going to take a nap until hubby gets home from work!

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DIY ornaments

After seeing an adorable personalized ornament on Julia's blog, I fell in love with it and decided that I wanted one. Julia, I stole your picture...here is it!I thought hard...where can I get one of those?! Where else but Etsy?! I scrolled through the personalized ornaments and found these gems...I love the bright colors but then I found Christmas themed ornaments...Love this one...After looking at the prices and the shipping costs I thought, "We can make these!" So I bought some plain ornaments and paint pens and we are going to make some tonight! Mike will do the letters (of course) but I am sure I could do the polka dots, right?! Can't wait to see how they turn out :) Thanks for the inspiration, Julia!

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