Happy New Year

2009 was filled with many wonderful memories. As I look back 12 months seems fast. Last year at this time we were living in our tiny apartment going to school. This year we are living in a bit larger apartment and living in the "real" world. We have been so blessed this year and I am overwhelmed by God's provision.

I am not big into making New Years Resolution because too many people, me included, don't follow through. Ambition is a different story...so this year my plan is to begin "training" for a 1/2 marathon. I have learned that running is mental thing and I obviously need to work on that side of my mind! :) It has been a desire of mine for a long time and now is the best time to start. Not only will it be good for me but it will also be good for Nala because she won't go stir crazy in the winter months. Now that I have declared it on the blog...I will HAVE to do some follow through because I have many family members that will ask me about this ambitious goal.

Looking ahead into 2010 we have plans already... grad school, school debt removal, vacation planning, church finding, tax season, and learning to stay put in Hartland on the weekends!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WE HOPE YOU AND YOURS ARE BLESSED THIS YEAR!

Roommate Christmas 2009

We had another wonderful Christmas celebration with the roommates this weekend! The big difference this year was that the boys were invited! WHOA! It was really fun to have them with us. The events of the evening include watching the Whitewater (7 of the 8 are Whitewater alum), us girls exchanging gifts, eating dinner at P.F. Changs, spontaneous comfy pants purchase, and games! It was a great way to start off Christmas week! Merry Christmas to all! Our task this year was to make a recipe box for the person we picked. I picked Tina and I made her a mosaic box. It was fun and I think I did a nice job for my first piece. Here are the finished products and a close-up of mine.

We had a roommate photo shoot...of course! I will spare you the many pics by posting this "classic" Christmas picture pose picture!

THE PANTS! I love them! We had lots of laughs which is one of the best parts of getting together with these girls.

Games with the boys! We played Partini and Catch Phrase. Good times.

Our favorite picture of the evening. These girls are so wonderful and I am glad to have such great friends. We get together and its like we are living together again. Thanks for a great time girls! (boys too)

10 Exciting Things

1. 2 days of school until Christmas Break!
2. The parent Christmas program at school is on Monday. I can't wait for all the parents to see it because it is super cute and all the hard work payed off.
3. Our school Christmas party is going to be a blast on Tuesday!
4. Sara, Gerardo, and Katy come home on Tuesday.
5. Ashley comes home on Wednesday!
6. The Christmas celebrations on both sides of the family.
7. The Baby Sprinkle!
8. Hopefully, a fresh snowfall for the Costa Ricans! :)
9. The Christmas Eve service...it totally sets the mood for the entire holiday season!
10. TODAY = ROOMMATE CHRISTMAS!

Pictures to come soon! :)

11. Kyle and brothers are going to the Packer game...they are excited about that! :)

Cookies, Family Pictures, Nala, & Snow!

We got a new camera as one of my black friday deals! It was very exciting! Here are some pictures from the last week. The holidays must give me a burst of energy because I have running around like a crazy! Hope you are having fun getting ready for the holidays.
I AM SO EXCITED!

A good teacher...

Always asks her students to help her think of ideas for THEIR Christmas program. We talked about it during our morning meeting this morning and WOW, they were brilliant. We have a bunch of ideas and I am going to work on the supplies. Go third graders!

Sidenote: I love my class. They are great kids and I am so thankful for them. We had a fabulous friday where we got tons done but also had some fun. WOO!

HELP!

My class is doing the "FOOD" portion of our Holiday Around the World Christmas Program at school. I am having problems representing the food so the audience will be able to see it...ANY IDEAS? Here are some of my ideas... posters with a large picture of the food, having the food on a plate and revealing it with the silver dome cover thing. Let me know the brilliant ideas you have...I think I might be on good idea overload!

Always Learning

I am learning big lessons about all the things I want in life all the time. Let me just tell you the list of my wants right now; to finish grad school, to have a baby, to buy a house, to have my full-time+ job, etc. HELLO, lets talk about unreasonable. Those are just the big things, I am not even including all the small things like a couch, kitchen table, and a ridiculous number of Vera bags. So, throughout this holiday season(and on) I am really going to really work on being content with all the blessings in my life. I have NO reason to want...it is good to have goals but I need to slow down and be content. I am a self-proclaimed "rusher" so it is time for me to slow down, appreciate, and wait for the Lord to show me the way.

"...for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."

Phil 4:11