Freedom!
Yay, report cards and parent/teacher interviews are done. The last couple of weeks in November are always really intense, but it makes me appreciate December all the much more. It means I can take some of the more enjoyable projects I've put on-hold for a few weeks and go back to them again.
Like:
- Christmas activities with my students. We'll be making hardcover Christmas poetry books to give to their parents as gifts. I also always teach my students how to make needlepoint tree ornaments. something they really enjoy and an activity that keeps them busy and focused on the hyper days just before Christmas holidays :).
- Christmas concerts. I'm involved in four of them this year (!).
My choir will be singing Christmas carols for the two Kindergarten concerts on Dec. 18 and 19. We are also preparing a "preview" of "Fiddler On The Roof" (Tradition, Matchmaker and Sabbath Prayer) to perform at the Primary Concert on Dec. 17 as well as the two Kindergarten concerts. And on Dec. 20, the last day of school before the holidays, we'll be performing carols and the Fiddler songs for the whole school.
- Christmas shopping. Which, amazingly, I already almost have done this year. I'm the type that tends to run around a week before Christmas getting everything bought, but this year we've been shopping on weekends right through November, so I've only got a few more things to get. Should even get packages in the mail in time for Christmas this year. Go, me.
- Christmas parties. I'm hosting two this year. On Dec. 14 Debbie and Jodi will be coming over as well as Rand Bellavia and Adam English from Buffalo. Should be great fun. The next day I'm hosting a family party for John and my immediate families. I'm expecting about a dozen people.
- Christmas decorating. Have to get the tree and wreath up before the parties on the 14th and 15th. I'm always more motivated to decorate if I know people are coming over.
- Crafts. Have to finish the second quilt square for the TORC Tolkien quilt. It's coming along very well and I'm pleased with how it looks. The stitching is almost done and then I have to add braided thread for the harp strings, do the outline stitching and add two small gold horseshoe charms. Once my two squares are bundled up and mailed out I'm going to go back to crocheting my beige and gold afghan.
- Songs. Have to finish the lyrics to my romance song, "The Choice of Tinuviel", so I can be inducted as an Exemplar Bard at the virtual bard wedding/festival going on right now in the TORC boards. And one of these days both my "Tuck Everlasting" lyric and this new Tolkien lyric are going to need music... (The bard guild is great for inspiring me to write lyrics to post, but not so motivational with tunes :). Still, having new lyrics is a step in the right direction!)
Cyber stuff- Still have to learn to use my new CD-burner and figure out how to archive all my digital photos, especially with Christmas season coming on. Need to design a new page for the Urban Tapestry website for a special upcoming concert. Need to update my e-mail program. Need to tidy up my nature walk website before letting it go dormant until next Spring.
Movies- There's a bunch now I'm actually interested in seeing- Solaris, Treasure Planet, The Emperor's Club, James Bond, Maid in Manhattan. A few I'll see with John, for sure, and maybe Deb, Jodi and I will go to a few. And coming up are Star Trek: Nemesis, Chicago and Nicholas Nicholby, among others. And, of course, all roads lead to December 18th and the debut of "The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers". I have my advanced tickets for that one already in hand!
Christmas holidays- Three weeks and counting...
Like:
- Christmas activities with my students. We'll be making hardcover Christmas poetry books to give to their parents as gifts. I also always teach my students how to make needlepoint tree ornaments. something they really enjoy and an activity that keeps them busy and focused on the hyper days just before Christmas holidays :).
- Christmas concerts. I'm involved in four of them this year (!).
My choir will be singing Christmas carols for the two Kindergarten concerts on Dec. 18 and 19. We are also preparing a "preview" of "Fiddler On The Roof" (Tradition, Matchmaker and Sabbath Prayer) to perform at the Primary Concert on Dec. 17 as well as the two Kindergarten concerts. And on Dec. 20, the last day of school before the holidays, we'll be performing carols and the Fiddler songs for the whole school.
- Christmas shopping. Which, amazingly, I already almost have done this year. I'm the type that tends to run around a week before Christmas getting everything bought, but this year we've been shopping on weekends right through November, so I've only got a few more things to get. Should even get packages in the mail in time for Christmas this year. Go, me.
- Christmas parties. I'm hosting two this year. On Dec. 14 Debbie and Jodi will be coming over as well as Rand Bellavia and Adam English from Buffalo. Should be great fun. The next day I'm hosting a family party for John and my immediate families. I'm expecting about a dozen people.
- Christmas decorating. Have to get the tree and wreath up before the parties on the 14th and 15th. I'm always more motivated to decorate if I know people are coming over.
- Crafts. Have to finish the second quilt square for the TORC Tolkien quilt. It's coming along very well and I'm pleased with how it looks. The stitching is almost done and then I have to add braided thread for the harp strings, do the outline stitching and add two small gold horseshoe charms. Once my two squares are bundled up and mailed out I'm going to go back to crocheting my beige and gold afghan.
- Songs. Have to finish the lyrics to my romance song, "The Choice of Tinuviel", so I can be inducted as an Exemplar Bard at the virtual bard wedding/festival going on right now in the TORC boards. And one of these days both my "Tuck Everlasting" lyric and this new Tolkien lyric are going to need music... (The bard guild is great for inspiring me to write lyrics to post, but not so motivational with tunes :). Still, having new lyrics is a step in the right direction!)
Cyber stuff- Still have to learn to use my new CD-burner and figure out how to archive all my digital photos, especially with Christmas season coming on. Need to design a new page for the Urban Tapestry website for a special upcoming concert. Need to update my e-mail program. Need to tidy up my nature walk website before letting it go dormant until next Spring.
Movies- There's a bunch now I'm actually interested in seeing- Solaris, Treasure Planet, The Emperor's Club, James Bond, Maid in Manhattan. A few I'll see with John, for sure, and maybe Deb, Jodi and I will go to a few. And coming up are Star Trek: Nemesis, Chicago and Nicholas Nicholby, among others. And, of course, all roads lead to December 18th and the debut of "The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers". I have my advanced tickets for that one already in hand!
Christmas holidays- Three weeks and counting...