*Hello Monday*

Hello Monday!  Here is what all I said hello to today!

Hello Snow Day

Yep, our first of the year! I got the call at 5:25 this morning. Funny thing was, I didn't think anything of it when the phone started ringing. I guess I didn't have much hope/faith it was going to happen. When I saw who it was, I knew right away!

This was taken from my front door. The snow is about half way up my door and the drift to the left is probably up to my hip. TED had to work hard to get out of the drive way!

Hello Massage

I don't care what the reason is, I love getting a massage! I find it amazing how well I feel when it is over. It cuts down my colds in half, makes me feel better and doggone it, it feels so good! I went this time because with all this coughing I have been doing, my back and neck were sore and out of place. That woman's hands have been blessed by God himself!

Hello Russian Tea

Probably one of my favorite drinks when I am not feeling well. It has such a soothing affect on my throat and the doctor said to drink warm stuff. I can do that! I bought this from a student who is selling them for her 4-H club.

Did you get a snow day today? What do you say hello to?

*Hello Monday*

Well hello Monday! Hard to believe that we meet again! The idea of "Hello Monday" seems to be helping with my attitude when it comes to Monday. Maybe that is the point.

This week I am saying hello to:

Secret Santa

This probably has to be one of my favorite weeks of school! My favorite part is seeing what everyone gets from their Secret Santa. We have some pretty creative people on staff and all the gifts are always so fun and cute! I like the secretive element also! I can never guess correctly who has me.

Trip to the salon

Since my mother gave me her gray hair gene, I visit my beauty magician about once a month. I always look forward to my time in the chair. Kendra and I spend the whole time laughing and I always walk out looking great with all my gray hairs gone!

25 Miles

I am working on my next badge with my fitbit, which is 500 miles. I am hoping to get 25 miles this week. Thanks to one special student, I get about a mile in each day during recess. One day I wasn't going to walk, but she made me. That's my kind of workout buddy!

And last, but not least...

Christmas Break Countdown Continued

Nine days to go! Still lots to do during those nine days, but fun will be had!

Happy new week my friends! What are you saying hello to this week? See what others are saying hello to at Lisa Leonard Designs

Santa Clause Might Be Coming to Visit

I think I heard a rumor that Santa might be coming to town soon. If this is the case, I would like to tell him again the top ten books I wouldn't mind him dropping off on his way over Wiggins (or where ever I will be sleeping that night!)
 Last year, I feel I gave him my list too late and none of them came to live in my house. You can check out that list here. I did manage to get my hands on A Painted Veil not too long ago through Paperback Swap and have it on my Reread 2015 book list.

This is the only one that is making the list again from last year. I kind of forgot about it until I reread last year's list. Still think it would be fun to have and useful for writing.

This happens to be one of my favorite movies EVER! Seeing it at Red Rocks was outstanding! (You can read about that here.) So of course I would want to read this book!

My dad gave me this book when I was young and I don't know where my copy is anymore. It still could be at my childhood home, but until it is found, I wouldn't mind a second copy.

Charles Martin is writing books faster than I can get them read! I have enjoyed all of the ones that I have read by him. Need to finish out my collection.

Meg Cabot cracks me up! I enjoyed her "Boy" series and will most likely like this one too!

Read about this one on a blog awhile ago and would like to read it. Hope to share it with my students also.

I love James Patterson's murder mystery books best, but I do like his romance ones also. It has been awhile since I have read one of his, so it might be time!

Have I mentioned that I am in love with Gilbert Blythe?

I think that is a pretty good list. I don't want Santa's bag to get too heavy! 
What book do you hope Santa brings you this year?

I Got Crafty!

I made this!
Friday night found me at a friend's house and we made two of these fun Christmas card holder wreaths. Both turned out super cute and we had a lot of fun making them. Making crafts with a friend is much better than alone!

I also got my first Christmas card! I mean, she had to give me mine so we could test out the wreath! Can't wait to get more in the mail to fill it out!

The tree is up, the wreath is made and up and I think I am getting into the Christmas spirit!

P.S. I love my random gnome in the bottom of the picture! :0)

Hello Monday

Getting back into the blogging world after my break has been harder than I thought it was going to be. In fact I have sat here (instead of grading papers) for awhile thinking, searching, reading and planning on what to do with my blog and what to write about. Some of the reasons I took a break have come crashing back into my memory.

Anyway....thanks to good ol' Pintrest (you can find just about EVERYTHING on there!) I came across this blog through another blog and then a wild goose chase, and have decided to play along.

Hello Countdown to Christmas Break!

We have 14 days of school left until Christmas break. It seems weird to be writing that since we just finished up our Thanksgiving break. It seems like the time between the two holidays is getting shorter and shorter as the years go by! There are lots of things going on during those 14 days so we will be busy!

Hello to homemade Christmas gifts.

This year I am going to make several of my Christmas gifts for friends and family, which means I need to get busy! I can't tell you much more at this point, but once the gifts have been given, check back in! I am pretty excited. Thanks to my dear friend Jane for the ideas!

Hello to December

It's here! It will be gone before we know it and ringing in the new year. I always enjoy the beginning of a new month!

Hello to Book Club Christmas Party

I love this "meeting" every year! We normally do a white elephant gift exchange, but this year we are doing a container party. Simply bring some sort of container (socks, bag, tin, box etc.) with a treat in it. We also vote for the best book of the year and the person who picked the winner gets a prize. More on that later!

What are you saying hello to this week? 

Hot Drink Crossroads

Recently I realized that I was down to my last can of Mystic Chai. A frantic text was sent to my dad hoping that he would fix this soon to be disaster. We have only been able to find this glorious drink mix at Sam's Club, to which I am not a member but my father is.
So naturally when he was headed to Sam's I made my plea for another can.
He came home with his arms full and I started to help bring in the purchases. I made the comment that I don't like Sam's because there isn't a bag/box to carry your purchases. To this he responded with,
"Well, you are going to hate Sam's even more."
I knew instantly! NOOOOOO!
"I couldn't find your chai anywhere."
I am going to have to ration my last can. I am going to have to find another drink to take its place. I don't want to. I want my chai. I was in the depths of despair!

The next day, the dark clouds drifted away and the sun began to shine again when I got this text

I guess it was just the Sam's he went to that day that didn't have it! Crisis over!

And now, I am going to drink my cup of chai and sit down to learn something from the Sunday Morning Show on CBS.

P.S I discovered while looking for the website for Mystic Chai that I can order a can from Amazon, so it was a slight case of over reaction.

December TBR List

(source)

Winter and summer are my favorite times of year to read. Summer, obviously since I am not in school and can read as much as I want. Winter, because what is better than curling up while it is snowing with a blanket, hot cup and a good book! Winter is an indoor season for me and reading is my sport.

Here is my December To Be Read book list:

Is my current read. I have been waiting for this book for over a year. It was finally in a Scholastic book order and I was given $15 free and this is one that I got! So far so good! I need to finish it soon so I can take the reading test and get some AR points! My students will be so disappointed if I don't make my goal! This one is worth 10 whole points!

On Monday, I will start reading this to my students. I read it in college, but don't remember too much about it. I asked my Facebook friends if I should read this one or Soup on Ice by Richard Peck, and this one won! So hopefully the students enjoy it!

Also being read for AR points, but also for the Newbery checklist. I am still trying to read through all of the Newbery books. One of my students picked this one out for us to "read" together.

One of the gifts a student gave me for my birthday this year was this book. I have saved it for the snowy season. Should be a quick, easy, snowy read!

And finally, my Christmas book. Two years ago I decided to read a Christmas book each year. My dear sweet OMM loved Christmas and read Christmas books all year long. She was excited for me to join in on the fun. She gave me this book to read for this year. I will miss not being able to share with her.

There you have it! My December TBR and snow adventures to come!

What books are on your December TBR list?