Christmas Trees (and other somewhat related items)

After a wonderful (but all too short) visit to Michigan for Thanksgiving, I'm back in Indiana and life is back to its normal and busy pace. We have three weeks of classes left before Christmas break which means I'm winding down the last units and finalizing the review guides and exams which are approaching all too quickly. (I think my students would agree.)

Tonight I had dinner at Ivanhoe's with four spectacular gals I have/had the privilege of working with the past year and a half. It was wonderful to have the chance to spend time together outside of work and simply relax and catch up on life.

Afterwards I returned home and took part in Cyber Monday for the first time. Unfortunately the purchase was a selfish one. I 'happened upon' the TYR website and couldn't pass up the phenomenal deal on some triathlon gear for my race(s) this coming summer. Hooray for 50% off sales, an additional 25% off, and free shipping! :)

Now I'm decorating my tree while watching "You've Got Mail" and drinking coffee from a Christmas mug. (My Christmas mug 'collection' nearly doubles my number of coffee mugs. Almost but not quite. I like coffee mugs. Right Rach?) I'm also setting aside my classroom tree decorations to bring to work. A few students are staying after school tomorrow to help me set up a Christmas tree in my classroom- complete with apple ornaments. I think they would've come on their own, but I'm also shamelessly bribing them with chocolate chip cookies and chocolate covered pretzels.

I love decorating for Christmas but doing so by myself is quite possibly one of the easiest ways to be reminded that I'm alone. Well, that and receiving mail addressed to the [insert last name here] Household. Sweet. Thanks. Me, myself, and I will really enjoy this letter. On the upside, my insurance agent sent me Christmas return address labels with my name and address on them... :P (I feel so official.)

Now I should probably hang a few more bows and ornaments on the tree and return to doing some schoolwork for tomorrow. Happy last day of November!

(Countdown to the Streamwood/Wheaton weekend extravaganza: 4 days!)

Cookies for Trig

My dear trig students have had a slightly stressful week. Tonight I'm baking them chocolate chip cookies. Tomorrow we'll leave technology for a day and [hopefully] get outside for just a bit to do some math with chalk in the parking lot. A change of pace can be good every so often. :)

Between the smell of the cookies baking, my favorite candle on the candle warmer, and the chance to eat some cookie dough my apartment is feeling quite cozy right now.

Spring in November

November
6:30p
pitch black
sight breeze
65 degrees

BEAUTIFUL! :)
Can it stay like this all winter? Please?

(The Christmas decorations in Wal-Mart seemed very out-of-place today.)