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Happy First Day of December!!!

By Melissa Markham on December 1, 2008 6:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Wow! Here it is December! Only 24 days left until Christmas and November went by in the blink of an eye. This month looks to be busy as well with Christmas performances, a week-long trip to Illinois, shopping, baking, a cookie exchange party.... Never a dull moment this time of year!

I hope everyone had an awesome Thanksgiving. We did. My mother-in-law, Tess, arrived Monday from Florida. Thursday, she was here, my sister-in-law, Joy, and her hubby and two sons. Also Bruce,Ryan, Charles and Joann. We had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, mac-n-cheese (Joy's specialty), a veggie tray (tossed vegetable tray from Food Lion - awesome), a cheese tray, biscuits, green beans, gravy, yummy sweet potatoes (cooked by Bruce), pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pound cake, and chocolate pie. Our next door neighbor, Ashley popped in for a bit as did Daniel's Aunt and Uncle, Faye and Paul. We ate, we enjoyed the hot tub and our fire bowl and we played Rock Band. It just doesn't get any better than that!

Friday morning, I was up at 3:30. I picked up my neighbors, Ashley and Therese, and we headed to town. By 8, we were done. I got some wonderful deals and this was the first time I had ever gone Black Friday shopping with friends, so that was a lot of fun!

November was full and for all of you that I haven't stopped by to visit, I am sorry. I will try to do better in December. My computer was idle most of November because I was busy with the following.

Adopting our Goldendoodle, Plato. Cleaning up after Ginger and Plato. Seems like once Plato arrived, Ginger no longer remembered her house training skills and Plato, being a guy, thought he should mark all the important spots.... Fortunately, the fence is up and they are peeing and pooping wherever they wish! (Now I have to rinse off kids shoes all the time, but that's another story.)

Our hot tub was put in the first week of November and our fence installed the week after that.

I had two tests and two writing assignments to complete for my paralegal class. So far I have a 101 average for 60% of my grade. This Wednesday night we have to do role playing interviews which will count for 20% and I will receive back my last test grade and writing assignment. This week, I will be signing up to take Family Law next semester.

I have been trying to fit some reading in. I read The Shack, a book of Chicago Ghost Stories (which I started in October) and I am reading Stephen King's Just After Sunset collection of stories now.

We have been trying to teach the cats how to use the new pet door so they can come and go as they please. Midnight has got it, but the other cats are hesitant. Though I think Cuddles will be the next to figure it out.

We have fit in some school work, but not as much as I would like. Starting January, things are going to be very busy around here school wise.

Jack and Katrina have had two fundraisers this month. One, an ongoing sale of pet treats for 4-H. The other, a two week attempt to sell items to raise money to help with Jack going to Go Tell Camp this summer. Katrina and Jack had a case of pet treats to sell and we sold all of them. Jack sold 121.00 of items for his youth fundraiser, of which 60.50 will go towards camp.

Katrina got her hair cut short this month and sent the 10 inches to Locks of love. I had my hair layered and permed (though it amazes me how many people haven't noticed that my hair is now all curly....makes me feel like people don't really see me).

I have been knitting scarves for Christmas presents (So far 4 1/2 are made). And Katrina and I made another craft for Christmas presents too.

I started on the nutrisystem diet three weeks ago and I have lost 9.5 pounds so far. No small feat, considering last week was Thanksgiving.

There have been the other normal life things along the way...groceries, cleaning the house, going to church, taking the kids skating and to meetings...but hey, staying busy keeps me out of the kitchen and helps me burn more calories!

Blessings!