Category — Holiday Projects

(I was waiting for iTunes to publish my iMix, hence the delay in publishing this post…I apologize for the delay)

Here I am enjoying Snow Day number 2 for the school year! Woo hoo! Lots of busy plans going on here today, more decorating, more last minute touches added to gifts I am making. Lots of holiday goodness.

I have been working on a few playlists for the holidays. Christmas music is some of my favorite music and I think I like it even more because I limit myself to only listening to it between the day after Thanksgiving and New Years eve. I like to collect all kinds of Christmas music. This playlist I am going to share here has been one of my favorites for the holiday season this year. This is my Very Kitchsy Christmas Playlist. I hope you enjoy it!

And, for today’s video, here is a song from the playlist… “All That I Want” by The Weepies.

The last two days have been spent relaxing and preparing for some scrapbooking! My dear cousin Nikki came over yesterday to work on her wedding scrapbook that she is working on. Last time we scrapped together, I spent the day helping her along and working on her album with her. This time, I decided that I would like to work on my own very, very neglected albums. I am about 2 years behind on my scrapbooks. It makes me very sad. For a while there, I thought that I had completely lost my drive and reasons for scrapbooking, however, after yesterday, I realized that I haven’t lost it completely, it just needs to be honed in on and practiced more.

I decided ahead of time that I would work on trying to finish my 2007 album. This has been a tough year to complete, but I am chugging along. Finally getting past some of the more difficult memories from that year that I wanted to highlight, and moving on toward more of the enjoyable moments from that year. It was so nice to scrap again. I have missed it so much!

Here are the results from yesterday’s busy day…

I am hoping to be able to get more layouts done over the remainder of my vacation.

Since it is still December, I decided I would still post a few more Christmas music videos. I know most people have moved on from Christmas and are thinking about New Year’s already or even beyond that, wishing and hoping for Spring! However, it is still December, and in the spirit of savoring the holiday season, I have a few more songs I want to share.

This next video is so classic. Nat King Cole is so timeless and smooth. Love this.

Well the festivities have all occurred and another Christmas has come and gone. It was a wonderful holiday around our house. We spent Christmas Eve with my Mom’s family, then Shawn’s parents and sister spent the night here at our house. We woke up Christmas morning to open gifts together and then Shawn and I headed to my mom’s house to open gifts with them. After we finished there we met with the rest of Shawn’s family at his aunt’s house. We finished off the night back at home for dinner, gifts, and games with my Dad’s side of the family. Needless to say, it was a very busy couple of weeks.

Today Shawn and I slept in (way in!) and had a very leisurely day. We played some Wii and I watched Love Actually while Shawn played with some of his new Christmas techie goodies. I LOVE the movie Love Actually, I might venture to say that it is my favorite movie.

Correction: It is DEFINITELY my favorite movie!

Here are the pictures from Christmas Day. I will have to retrieve the pictures from Christmas Eve and post them later. I stupidly forgot my own camera and so I had to use my sister’s camera. I apologize for this being so big that it hangs into the sidebar, but I wanted the pictures to be large enough to enjoy.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

I hope that today finds you healthy, happy, and enjoying time with family and friends.

Tonight’s the night! Merry Christmas Eve everyone!

I am definitely excited for the big guy’s visit tonight! Yes, I know there are many theories on the reality of Santa Claus, but I like to think that each of us is still a believer in some way. Whether it is because we put on the charade for our children, or because we have had some momentous experience that lends us to believe in Santa, or because believing in Santa still makes Christmas seem magical, he definitely still exists in some way or form.

This article and story represent a little of that Christmas magic I am referring to.

You can read more about “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” here.

And for tonight’s video, a little more Santa magic with Harry Connick Jr. This is a new song from his latest Christmas album, and one of my favorites.

Well the snow day parade has left town. We are going back to school today. Two hours late, which is nice, and I will get to finish up last minute touches on projects and send them home with my students. That will be nice. In the spirit of going back to school after a few snow days, I thought that I would compile a list of some of my favorite holiday books. I saw this idea a few weeks ago when I was looking for ideas for advent calendars and I love it so much! I can’t wait to have children of my own one day to do this with.

Christmas Book Advent Calendar

I have also read about a lot of people who store their Christmas stories separate from their regular children’s books for the entire year and then bring them out just during December. I think this is something else I will probably do for my own children. I already store my books by season or theme anyway for school, so this should be easy to do.

Anyway, here are some of the books that would be on my favorites list for the Christmas season.

The Polar Express by Chris van Allsburg

Olive, The Other Reindeer by Vivian Walsh

Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett

Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett

The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett

Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson

Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr Seuss

Who Will Guide My Sleigh Tonight? by Jerry Pallotta

Santa Claus by Rod Green

These are all books I love to read during the holidays to my students or to myself. I absolutely cannot wait to share these with my own children one day. You should definitely check them out if you are so inclined.

The video for tonight is a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “River” by Sarah Mclachlan. This is one of my favorite holiday songs. So heartwarming and touching and mellow.

Well it is official, today is our first snow day of the school year!! Woo hoo! These are some of the biggest and best perks of being a teacher. It is beautiful outside, still, and cold. The perfect day to sit inside and do much of nothing. Of course, that won’t be me! I have lots of Christmas stuff to do still. Decorating, wrapping, more holiday movies to watch. Fun stuff!

This is definitely how I am feeling around here today…winter wonderland indeed!

This is a duet between Harry Connick Jr and his 11 year old daughter. She is pretty impressive! I love Harry Connick Jr and his Christmas cds are among some of my all time favorites. Very jazzy and New York-like, LOVE it!

Today was another great snow day! We spent the whole day inside the house getting more stuff ready for Christmas and then ventured out for our usual Sunday night family dinner with The Partos and Grimes’. That is always a good time and tonight was no different.

For our holiday activity tonight, we are watching Elf! This is definitely one of my most favorite holiday movies! I think I could actually watch this movie every night of the month of December and never tire of it. It’s such a feel good movie and so warm and fuzzy.

Here are some of the best scenes from the movie…

This is our favorite scene, Shawn and I laugh hysterically everytime we see this!

This scene is on here because I love, love, love zooey deschanel and her voice is spectacular.

If you have never watched this movie, it is a must see during the holiday season. And maybe other parts of the year too!

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

That is exactly what it is doing outside right now. It is so beautiful! We are in the midst of a blizzard here in Maryland. One of the earliest measurable snowfalls we have had a in long time. Such a nice Christmas surprise!

I unfortunately haven’t taken any of my own snow pictures today, so I thought that I would share a few from other folks with you.

The snow is just so beautiful. I enjoy it so much when it snows, especially when it snows A LOT! Being snowed in gives you the perfect excuse to stay in and keep cozy.

Of course, the downside to snow is sometimes cancelled plans. Today we were supposed to be here…

(all pictures from weheartit)

Today Shawn and I, my mom, dad, and sister Courtney were supposed to be spending the day in New York. It has been quite a few years since we have been to New York for Christmastime and we were all really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, the snow has cancelled these plans. Maybe this spring or summer we will be able to re-book the bus and enjoy New York when it’s not so cold.

Since I can’t actually be in New York today, having a New York City Christmas, I thought that today’s video should still provoke all those feelings and memories of being in the city this time of year.

Tonight we are spending a cozy night inside with a few bottles of wine and the fireplace roaring. We are expecting snow tonight and tomorrow. They are saying this should be a pretty big storm, wonder if it will be a White Christmas for us here in Maryland?!?

Anyhow, not a lot of holiday stuff going on tonight, just a quiet relaxing evening at home waiting for the SNOW!

Tonight’s video is a duet from Jennifer Hudson and Michael Buble (who I LOVE!). Both of the songs included in this video are perfect for a chilly night at home waiting for a little winter weather.