Catching up and making time

It has been too long since I had a chance to update! Things have been a bit busy as of late, but here is what we have been up to...

We finished up the semester at school! Yay! I got to experience the glory and chaos of my first elementary Christmas party. That was a trip, let me tell you!

We had a hot cocoa party, made presents and watched Christmas movies, what a super fun day! I don't know how I could go back to teaching the upper grades, when elementary is so extraordinary fabulous!

So a few years ago, Callie's teachers gifted her students with some reindeer food and I thought, "Those silly elementary teachers, they must have so much time on their hands." Yeah. I did it, and no I did not have extra time on my hands. Along with a new book and pencils and erasers, my students were the most excited about oatmeal and glitter. It is pretty magical!

We choir-ed it up! I had no idea how demanding the job is for elementary choir students is, we attended not one, not two, but three performances for this little budding singer. 

We had the MOST fun favorite things party with my 2nd grade team! We got together on our first real day of break and had a feast while the kiddos decorated Christmas cookies and we traded the most fun presents! Have you ever been to a favorite things party? They are a blast. I have been to two this month and it is super neato. You decide on a price limit, we picked $6. Then you buy three of your favorite things to trade and you leave with three new things that were some one else's favorite. I think I have a new favorite thing! 

How cute are these little nesting bowls?! They have a bunch of different shapes, shells, hearts, etc at World Market, but the stars are my favorite!

We also spent most of the week finishing our Christmas shopping and getting ready for our big trip to Texas! I really should have been a better planner and used my time in the beginning of the month to plan, shop and pack, but I chose to spend time to my family and friends instead!

It was refreshing to only think about what was coming in the immediate future(I.E that day or the next day) and not stress about what was happening in a week or in the next few days. I think that this is going to be one of my New Year's resolutions, to enjoy the present and the company I am in and worry about what is coming, when it comes.

I had all of these grand plans for travel kits and special presents for Callie's teachers etc and it just didn't happen. But you know what did happen, spending time with my book club girls, my family, my sweet teacher friends, church friends and that was time well spent!

So now we are home after a reeeeally long road trip and mountains of laundry to do and a house to clean and get ready for Christmas #2 and #3, more time to spend with the people I love the most and so far all I have done today is play school with Callie and cars with Kellen. So much for planing and making time!

The Big Reveal!

My little brother (I like to use the term little loosely) and his precious wife are having a bebe!! I am I am SO excited to be an aunt on my family's side! Plus, Callie and Kellen are super jazzed to have a cousin to play with when we have Wathen get togethers! Hurray for babies!

There is a phenomena called a "gender reveal" party sweeping the nation and we are all for partying for any reason big or small around here. So my sister in law's sister and I put together a reveal party so we could find out what this nugget was going to be! P.S Where were reveal parties when I was knocked up??

I am not gonna lie, Becca, my sister in law's sister did most of the heavy lifting, but it was sweet to be included in planning this bash and everything was stinkin' cute!

Let's be real...How adorable are they?? And how adorable is this sign? Love!

I am pretty sure we used every pinterest idea known to mankind for the party and it was super awesome!

                                                 

Team Blue, all the way!

?? Whose team?? What was this kid going to be??

Tee hee! A little play on words....

The XY chromosomes came out perfect! All you do is make hard boiled eggs, like regular (a skill I still have not mastered) Then peel the eggs and remove the yolks. Next soak the whites in 1 teaspoon of food coloring, 1 teaspoon of vinegar (like Easter eggs) and I cup of water, and let the white soak for a few minutes until they are bright and colorful. Then make up the eggs yolks with mustard and mayo. You couldn't taste the vinegar at all and they were so pretty and delish!

Brien and Callie put these little treats together!

Becca made this awesome cake...So funny and SO true!

For the actual reveal, it was the quite the elaborate set up! It was very well thought out and rehearsed 

(we had to do a test run the night before to make sure that the plan would work and I am so glad that we did!) The basic just was that, we would fill balloons with paint the color of the baby's gender. Then my brother would shoot the balloons with a BB gun and everyone would know! After some trial and error we figured everything out and....

This guy wanted a boy cousin to romp around with real bad, but....

Wouldn't you know it?? A sweet little baby girl!!

I didn't get any befores on my phone, but again, with cute signage! Nailed it, Becca! (P.S again...Do you see the canvas in the middle? This was a grand attempt, by Jenn at making a cute little splatter painting, as a memento, but the paint went everywhere BUT on the canvas. Well, we tried!)

Congrats, Bo and Jenn!! We are crazy excited for you!! Welcome to parenthood!

What I wore Wednesday

It has been so quiet around the Wood house. A little too quiet. I am not sure if it is the calm before the storm or if life is finally calming down?!?

We are floating along through December. I am LOVING teaching elementary during the holiday season. We are doing some Elfcapades... and it has been so MUCH fun! My little nuggets will do anything for some time to spread some cheer! So far we have made candy cane ornaments using pipe cleaners and beads for their families Christmas trees and today we made cards for all of the admin and support staff in the office. Why did I not think of this idea?!

It has been FREEZING this week. Yesterday I was so cold, if physically hurt. I am so thankful for my warm house and classroom! So my clothing choices have followed suit! Lotsa boots and sweaters this week!

Poncho: Gift from my teammates

Long sleeve tee: Forever 21

Jeans: Thrifted

Boots: Kohls

Earrings: Gift

This was my Thanksgiving outfit and I wore it again to church on Sunday. Leggings are where it's at!

Top: Target

Lace Layer: 11th Ave.

Leggings: Nordstroms

Flats: Target

Plaid top: Old Navy

Vest: Old Navy

Jeans: Old Navy

Flats: Walmart

Dress: Old Navy

Vest: Target

Tights: Target

Boots: Target

Top: TJ Maxx

Tights: Target

Boots: Target

Scarf: 11th Ave

Sweater: Target

Pants: Old Navy

Heels: Target

Necklace: Walmart

Dress: Old Navy, thrifted

Necklace: 11th Ave.

Tights: Nordstroms

Boots: Target

That's all for this week! I am so looking forward to the things that are coming up, Holiday parties, Christmas break, our Christmas road trip, getting my shopping finished... It might not be too quiet for much longer!

Friday Favorites

Wow! Thank goodness it is Friday! Hurray! We made it to the weekend! It's been a spell since I have done a Friday Favorites and I decided, "Well it's time!" people need some favorites...Here goes!

Make up...

Spider Mascara. Finally! A make up company heard my plea for ridiculous, clumpy eye lashes!

I though this might just be a promo for Halloween, but no, friends. It is still in the store and I love it SO much! You see, I have no eyelashes and I have to compensate by wearing 3-4 different kinds a day to make it look as though I have some. Well, now I am down to just 2. Winning.

Accessories...

Whoa, Walmart did it again! I needed some new earrings and I was already there, so I took a peek at their jewelry selection and found a boatload of super cute and really cheap earring! I mean $3?!? You just can't beat that. I have worn them a few times and they have not broken, which is more than I can say for some other stores more expensive stuff. So $3 Walmart earrings it is!

Games...

Arguably the best and most funny game around, Taboo has done it again! For our annual wine night, Taboo did not disappoint! I am pretty sure every single one of us was in tears at some point during the evening playing this super fun game. It's an oldie, but certainly a goodie!

Books...

Not a book club read, but such a great book! I literally finished this in like 3 days, it's so good! I have been super into historical fiction these days and this one is set in the 1800's at one crazy dysfunctional family's apple orchard. They parents are a mess and end up killing each other (literally) and the left over orphaned children they leave behind are just as bad, except for one that gets away and moves west. Several decades later, a long, lost sister makes her way west as well and the family fun and dysfunction continues in California! Great read, check it out!

Shows...

We have been reality TV junkies this fall! Brien and I have been binge watching Gold Rush Alaska and Naked and Afraid. I know right?!? But when it comes to Alaskan Wilderness and business and surviving without materials, Brien and I, I am  pretty certain, are in fact, experts. We had the funniest conversation the other night about how we are constantly trying to give the people on TV advice, like they can hear us! I mean come on, we have watched like 5 seasons of each show, I am pretty sure I can mine gold and survive in the wild better than these folks!

So that's all for this week's favorites! Try some out, you will not be disappointed! Happy weekend Y'all!