Another party at work today...LOL!!  Tis the season and this is killing my diet.   Oh well,  I will work on that during my vacation.  Today's party is the unveiling of our Secret Santa.  I have no guess who is my secret Santa.  I am pretty sure my secret Santa knows I am hers, we will see.  We are ordering in Pizza for lunch.  

I mailed the last of the packages to SD this morning.  I am off to unit meeting now, maybe I can jot some notes for my Christmas newsletter during it.  I will have to type it tonight.  I also have to make my photo christmas cards.   

Later!

Retirement party at work today it was very funny, otherwise work was uneventful. Potluck at church was nice, enjoyed it. After coming home I packaged up the last of the packages going to SD and will mail them in the morning. I started and finished Erik's blanket. It turned out really good. Now I am very tired!!! I need to get up early tomorrow and try and get to the post office when they open.

TO DO THURSDAY:

Write Christmas Newsletter
Print Christmas Photo Cards
Wrap Presents

Well we are half way through this insanely busy week!!  I am officially done with my Christmas shopping.  Tonight is our Christmas Potluck at our Families First class at church.  Joshua doesn't have church tonight.  Tommy and I will go and hubby will come after work. 

I think I will be skipping my book group on Thursday night as I have so much to get done for Coyan Christmas on Saturday.   I also need to finish making a few gifts.  I never finished the book for group anyways.  I will finish it over vacation! 

YEAH!!  Only three more days of work and then I am on vacation.  My hubby will be off of work most of the time I am as well as his factory is closed.  ARGH....but he doesn't get paid for those days.  He will only be working about 2 or three days a week.  That is going to hurt us budget wise.  This pay period is our largest with expenses of house payment and child support. 

I have many things I want to get done while on vacation......I am very excited.  I hope to catch up for friends and write some letters and read and work on webpages....oh..and organize the house.  I will be busy I am sure!!!

I decided on a Salad for the Potluck at Families First.  I will make Orange Fluff Salad.  I think the children will like it!

Orange Fluff Salad

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 package (3 ouncess) lemon gelatin
2 cans (11 ounces, each) mandarin oranges, drained
1 can (21 ounces) pineapple tidbits, drained
1 carton ( 8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed.

Place sour cream in a bowl.  Sprinkle with gelatin and stir until blended.  Fold in oragnes, pineapple and whipped topping.  Yield: 8 servings.

It is an icy day here in Minnesota. I have to do some school observations this morning and will be driving all over the place. Argh!! I best get going and get to work. I have 4 observations before noon today. It is icy and I have lost my cell phone. ARGH!! I think I will have to call and have them activate my hubbies old one until I find mine. I should always have a cell phone with all the driving I do. Seems like a 4-wheel drive kind of day and slow, slow driving!

Tonight I plan on being very busy getting things done!! Later

TO DO:

Start Erik's Blanket
Make Potluck Salad for Wed
Wrap Presents

Time to head to bed........I had a great evening with friends and our cookie exchange. It is always the thing that gives me a kick off to my holidays! I am ready to get busy with holiday fare now. We are going to our neighbors for new Years again, which is always a great time. We have a fondue party with all our children.

Tomorrow evening I will prepare something for our potluck at Families First Wed and work on Erik's blanket. We also plan on rearranging Tommy's room to get the bed away from the cold outside wall.

Hope everyone is having a great week!!!

I have a very busy week ahead of me, so I thought I
would check in with everyone!!! The weekend went well
I got a lot done. Made, cocoa, cookies, blanket for
a gift and packaged gifts to mail.

MY week - Today, Monday I need to get off work a bit
early and come home and crisis clean the house. I
have my cookie exchange at 7:00 tonight. I have 7
ladies coming over for our annual cookie exchange.
Mail Packages to SD, all but one is ready to go.

Tuesday - Work on Erik's blanket, make food for
potluck on Wednesday after work,

Wednesday - Church, potluck for Families First.

THursday - Book Group - (I don't ahve the book
finished either, Argh!!)

Friday - Erik will be coming for the week of
Christmas. Clean up and finish wrapping for Coyan
Christmas on Saturday.

Saturday - Christmas with my hubby's side of the
family.

Sunday - RELAX!! and clean up from party!!

Monday and Tuesday - work, then off for Christmas
Vacation.

Hope everyone is doing well!! I have yet to even
write my Christmas cards. I will need to fit them in
somewhere. Plenty to do as always!

SUnday....the weekend is flying by. Today is Erik's Christmas Program at church so we will be going there. It is right in the middle of the afternoon and nap time. ARGH, not good timing. I hope to cut Erik's blanket before we go to the concert. We should be home from chruch this morning by about 11:00. Then it is a quick lunch and nap time for Tommy. I will finish up Erik's blanket on Friday night at Craft Night at church.

I will clean and do laundry the rest of the day and evening. I have 7 friends coming over on Monday evening for our annual cookie exchange. Time for me to hit the shower and get us all ready for Church. Later!

Last night we watched Pirates of the Carribean, I don't know if it is just me or what, but I wasn't really impressed. Everyone was going on and on about how good this movie was, it was ok....not terrific in my opinion. We have one movie to watch tonight, Anger Mananagment, I forget who is in that. Later!

WHew.......when hubby came home from work and he rented us two movies!! I plan on watching movies and working on blankets all evening. I completed Josh's blanket, and I will do Erik's tomorrow, hopefully. I took me about 3 hours to do. Tomorrow I also have to clean as I am having bunch of people over on Monday. Man am I every busy! I certainly have plenty to do in the next few day. I still need to wrap most of the presents and buy a few more. ARGH!! Hmmm....I will get to it!

Now I am going to head to bed. Night All!!!

I just made some Human "Puppy Chow" for my Secret Santa. I did a Monkey theme last week, this week will be all about dogs since she trains them. So I will leave her a jar of Puppy Chow to nibble on!

I might also make a small loaf of banana bread as well. I could give that to neighbors as well.

PUPPY CHOW
1 Cup peanut butter
1 cup butter
1 pkg chocolate chips
1 box Crispix cereal
3 cups powdered sugar

Melt peanut butter, butter and chocolate chips together. Mix melted mixture and Crispix in bowl. Add powdered sugar; shake until well coated. Serve.