Christmas Week in Review

by Erica

Christmas Eve morning was spent at Papa Heddings house. Jason and Leanne spent some time decorating the tree before presents were opened.




Next, we drove over to Carol's house for lunch and Christmas with added members Phil, Mary Ellen and Adolph. As always the time went by way too fast and we were out the door enroute home for Christmas Eve service.


Jason and I spent our first Christmas together as a married couple. We woke up together in our home and celebrated Christmas morning together. Jason recieved a new leather chair for his office.



On Monday we flew out to Ohio to visit my family. Mom was so excited to have her kids home. She baked, we ate. She baked more, we ate more. These giant stockings, made by mom, were filled with presents.

Jason and I drove out to Indianapolis on Wednesday to visit Josh and Mandy. It was so great to see them! We ate at a German restaurant and had coffee downtown.

We were also able to get together with Troy and Julie. Mom and dad taught us how to play Hand and Foot and we ended up playing until about 2:00 Am.
We are so thankful that we were able to spend this week with so many people who are so dear to us. It was busy, but well worth it.

Flying

by Erica

I have such a talented husband! I was able to go flying with Jason this week. I sat in the back of a 4 seater Cessna. I didn't think that I would be nervous at all. Looking down 7,000 feet did make me a bit uneasy. The wind was tossing us around a bit, but Jason did a great job of maneuvering the plane. He did a few touch and go's and then flew by our house. Only a few more lessons and tests, then Jason will have his pilot's license. I will post some picture as soon as I can.

A day at Copper

by Erica

Yesterday we decided to get away for the night and head up to the mountains with Steve and Pauline. We stayed in a condo about 10 minutes from Copper. Usually the days we go skiing we have to wake up early to get to the lifts at a decent time. Not this morning! We slept in, stopped for some coffee and didn't have to deal with any morning traffic.

Ski conditions couldn't get much better than they were today. The weather was beautiful, snow was falling and there was a lot of fresh powder.

What a Day!

by Erica

Here is a recap of my day:
1. Slept in
2. Got an hour long massage-it was heavenly I might add
3. Went Christmas shopping
4. Heading to the mountains for a nights stay and then skiing in the morning

Life can't get much better than this. I love having time off of work.

Happy Birthday, Momma!

by Erica

Another year older, and my mom still looks like she did 10 years ago. She is amazing. She simply doesn't age.

Seriously, my mom is truly amazing. Last January she found out that the lump in her breast was cancerous. Not only did she defeat the cancer in her body, but she did it with grace. Throughout the numerous surgeries of the year I never heard mom complain or ask why this was happening to her. The light of God shone through her and allowed others to see her faith. I am sure she is ready to put all of this behind her, but I am very proud of my mother. Again, happy birthday mom. I'll see you in a week.

Dogs

by Erica

Our poor dogs. Two years ago they had the whole backyard to run around in. Due to the amount of holes they dug we built them a dog run. They still had a lot of space, just not a nice area of grass to lay in. Because of their excessive barking at the neighbors and at their yippy poor-excuse-for-a- dog, dogs we had to do something once again. Yesterday Jason and I put up a new fence, thus making their area even smaller. Poor things. Hopefully, the barking will subside. That, or our neighbors will get us kicked out of the neighborhood.

Teaching?

by Erica

Am I going to make it? The 2 weeks before Christmas are just as bad as the 2 weeks before summer. Teachers are feeling it. The look in our eyes tells a story only other teachers could understand. Kids are feeling it. They are playing tag in the room and crawling down the halls. Administration is feeling it. They get what the teachers are tired of dealing with. I hate when I get short with my students because I understand there is a lot of anxiety and excitement as Christmas is quickly approaching. But, I do have a job to do.

Today, I had one student pinch another because “she made me mad.” Countless times I heard of tummy aches, head, foot, ear, lip and tooth aches. I had one student pee his pants in class leaving behind a nice wet spot. And indoor recess to top it off! Where in my day do I get to just teach and have the students engaged in what I have to say? I guess I have to live with the notion that watching the vacuum clean up the ‘accident’ is more interesting then listening to me.

Snow!

by Erica

It is so nice to wake up and see newly fallen snow. Today is a day of cleaning, laudry and running errands. Jason is gone for the morning so I think I will turn up the Christmas music and sing my lungs out.