I thought I'd show you a few of my familys Christmas pix....

The once pretty tree...loaded with gifts 

Stuffed stockings...

Putting toys together with dad

Her own store... 

My thoughts exactly....

 

See you  in 2009

Tanna

HEY  My Friends....

 2008 Has been a rough year in a lot of ways and for many people, I am gald many of you shared it with me. I am greatful you put up with me as well! I have a found a special family in blog world and I am praying a better 2009 for us all! So, please...eat, drink and be Merry!

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 

God bless us, everyone!

Tanna

 

Hope you are having a great week....I have gotten lots of messages lately! (shout out to airforcebarbie!) I wanted to let you know what was going on in our homeschool world. Honestly, not much! With the family illness making its rounds, we are taking Christmas break early. The girls are reading up on pugs ...Did I tell you we are going to be a foster home for pugs? We just signed the last of the paper work and are just waiting to hear when we will get to take care of  a new furbaby! Actually, I have always wanted a pug but never got to know the breed so, I thought this was the best way to do it. 

Anyway,The girls are also getting ready for International Day with the homeschool group in January. Well, they have chosen their countries at least! I was suprised Mack wanted to get up in front of the group again(by herself) after her poetry bomb, but shes determined to get it right this time. I am proud of her. Keagen and I had a great talkabotu Shakespeare last night...shes read a kids version of all his plays and LOVES them. So the next time we get to the library she will be getting more infor on him. I have a book of all his works as I am a HUGE fan as well, but shes not quite ready for those yet. Maybe in 6th grade she can handle them, its not the language I have issues with(or that she has issues with) its some of his ...ummm...risqu'e humor. So, because of the weather(power outages and storms),health issues and just stuff...we are on break.

I hope you are all enjoying the season

Tanna

Sniff, sniff, cough, wheez...those are the sounds of my house the past few days.  Mack is sick, Keag is getting sick, I am sick (even lost my voice) and DH appears to be illness free(so far). I know he'll be sick on Christmas though, its one of our family traditions that someone is ill,since hes next in line I think it will be him...poor santa.

Speaking of santa,Yesterday dh was taking a nap, and on the night stand there was a green washable marker. I couldn't help it.....I wrote " I LOVE SANTA" on his back. I left the bedroom and forgot about it, I got distracted with dinner I guess. I went up stairs to make the bed after he got up and there were green smuges on the sheets, I thought 'what the heck is that? I don't remember washing the sheets with anything green..." Then it dawned on me..I love santa...I thought I was going to cry I was laughing so hard. Hearing my insane laughing the whole family came running(prob. thinking I OD'd on cold meds) All I could get out 'was take off your shirt,' baffled dh did. The kids started giggling as he walked over to the mirror...he looked and just smiled. An evil smile..."you wait, I know where the markers are too..." I gave him my best " I'm SO scared look" and said "does santa love you too?" Then everyone was laughing. You want to know the secret of a happy marriage? HUMOR.

It felt So good to laugh and get silly, we had lost power for 2 days, we were all getting sick, my bro in law had a heart attack (hes ok)....there just wasnt much to smile about.

Thanks Santa................

 God bless,

Tanna

Boy is it COLD here today! I woke up to a toasty 5 degrees outside. The wind was blowing around the light dusting of snow we got last night,and I resolved to stay in bed as long as my family would allow it. So, I got up at 9:30 to the sound of  wimpering, a sign the dog has held it as long as she can. Poor thing went to the bathroom as fast as she could...she came in and the girls laughed at her because she had "nosecyclies".

So, what are we up to today? We have a Christmas party with the homeschool group tomorrow so we are making these

 

Looks good huh? Actually, ours are square, and frosted but you get the idea.  You remember the countdown? Well, today is cotton candy day, so the girls will be making cotton candy as well as brownies. Keag. Got a cotton candy maker last year for her birthday and its fun to use. We color the cotton candy green to make it alttle more festive, that, and Keag is allergic to red dye#40 so she cant have anything red. 

If you are spending anytime on the internet(and you are or you wouldnt be here) listen to the radio...I LOVE this one http://www.classicholidayradio.com/  Its all Christmas songs 24/7 No rap, no rock just the classics. I have been listening all day, its great to bake by!

Anyway, thats what we are up too...staying warm and baking!

God bless

Tanna

* the above pict. is from http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16933273 *

I am a big art fan, I think my fav style is classical realism. Check out my "dreamy art" prints in the photo box at the right to see what I mean. My bank has a series of beautiful paintings that are displayed behind 'the girls'(tellers) and I have always found them easy to get lost in. The colors and the flow of the paintings just draw you in. Its one of the many things I love about my bank. Each of these paintings is signed witha tiny Q in the corner. I figured some talented Boston artist( why Boston? I dont know) gave a discount to the bank for buying his paintings.  Guess I what I learned yesterday? The artist lives in MY TOWN, and its a SHE. Her name is Mary Jane Cross and I invite you to look at some of her work at http://www.maryjaneqcross.com/index.php 

 

Now that you have seen her work, I have to share a secret with you, she paints with her fingers because she is unable to hold a brush!  Are you floored? So was I. I  still am. God has blessed her with so much talent, and I am so greatful she shares it with the world...and my bank.

Tanna

One holiday down, one to go! We went and got our tree Saturday, as did many people.  Our town looked like mobile forest, I think there was a tree on every car!

Every year we do a Christmas count down. I usually make a count down of kisses, where the girls would trade one of my kisses for a hershey's kiss. I was told last week(by my oldest) that they were getting a little old for that(sniff..) so I had to come up with something else. This is what i came up with, a $5 countdown(thank you dollar tree!). I took 24 little brown lunch bags and numbered them 1 -24. Inside I stuck 2 pieces of candy or other treat and an information and challenge card(handwritten index card). The challenge card has a fun little game, lesson or challenge to complete. For example, todays challenge was to sing Jingle Bells backwards.  On the 5th I included a new pair of Christmas socks and the challenge is to dance to 3 Christmas carols with out stopping, in their new socks.

So, the card looks like this...

 

Today is....new sock day!

 

Challenge: dance to 3 carols without stopping

 

I put the bags, each tied with a bow under the tree and the girls get a new bag each day. It cost me $5 at the dollar tree because I included new pencils, socks, cookies and a couple other non candy items. I will miss the daily kisses, but this will be fun too! So far, there is only one problem with this idea, the kitten. Did I tell you we got a new one? Hes a gray, long haired ball of fuzz who, at the moment loves nothing more then tearing into the countdown bags! He gets a running start and bolts top speed into the bags, sends them flying and then attacks them! I am thinking I will string the bags up and give the cat an empty bag to play with.

Recapping, $5 count down, great idea, putting the count down under the tree with small kitten, not so much.