Stocking Stuffer Ideas...

Today Norah and I came home from school and we plugged in the tree and turned on Christmas music. Love it!

One of my favorite things to read about lately are all the Christmas wish lists on different blogs to get great ideas for gifts. So I was trying to think of some cute things that would be perfect for the ole' stocking (We told Norah that Santa only brings Adults stocking stuff as he has to save the room on the sleigh for all the kids stuff!)...here are a few ideas (and if Jeff is reading...me likey!) (The captions under the pictures are links to click on)

Owl Pencil Holder

Cross Bangle Bracelet

Lip Gloss

Anything off the Amazon "Wish List" (You can look up anyone's by their e-mail)

All 8 Harry Potter Films on DVD

Of course gift cards always work (Target, Costco, Amazon, local restaurants, movies, Starbucks, etc.) and cute kitchen things such as pot holders, kitchen hand towels or measuring spoons like I showed HERE. And of course a cute Christmas ornament is always fun to get...maybe one to represent our move to the beach...we loved the one we got last year (scroll down in this POST for it) from part of the Hoppe family (Thanks Robyn!) I love coming up with gift ideas so this list was fun to make. I have a few gifts left to get for some special people on my list so if anyone has any unique gift ideas...I would love to hear about it...so please share!

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Stocking Stuffer Ideas...

Tuesday Talk...

Today was one of those days...if ya know what I mean. Oh well...life goes on...but to brighten your day...here are some recent pics from Sunday.

Tree after it got all decorated!

Norah before Sunday School and Church

Tried to take some pics with Norah, Darcy and Finn...hilarious and so cute!

Was so hoping to get a Christmas card shot..Darcy was not too interested!

This past weekend was great though...it was one where I got to have a girls night in at a friend's house (Had fun Sally and Glenn!) and lots of family time too! It was relaxing and fun...just what we needed! This week has been busy and interesting at work...yeah two days in and it is one of those weeks. I did get in a run yesterday and today and also got to go to a tennis clinic tonight for Ladies that was a lot of fun! Of course my hip is killing me for some reason (taking after my mom...just kidding!) so I think some yoga needs to happen or something.
Anyway the best stuff lately is that Norah is SO EXCITED about Christmas...everything about it. I love seeing her thoughts about everything surrounding the "Big Day!" She still realizes that Christmas is about Jesus too which is wonderful to see. First thing she does in the morning is run in to see where Elf Charlie is for the day, eats her chocolate from her Advent calendar and plugs in the tree all before she does anything else! Today she got to open an awesome gift from Jeff's mom that is another Advent calendar where each day you get a little item that builds a scene...it is great!! And of course she loves it! Thanks Vee Vee!

Well it is time to get ready for bed and for tomorrow...just a few more days until Friday and we are planning to go to Brookgreen's Night of a Thousand Candles this weekend which should be awesome (Thanks Aunt Susan and Uncle Bill for the tickets!)

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Tuesday Talk...

End of November...lots of random stuff...

First up...

My mom broke her hip and had surgery on Monday. I left here early on Monday morning and was able to stay with her Monday night then came back Tuesday late afternoon. Obviously this was quite unexpected. The surgery went well and she hopes to be out of the hospital by end of week but the next few weeks are not looking too exciting for her. She will have a lot of rehab and some restrictions for the next few weeks. But hopefully at the end of everything she will be even better then she was before!

Jeff and I have found a new show to watch..."Duck Dynasty"

This show is hilarious! Uncle Si cracks me up! You gotta watch it!

I want to take Norah to this place here is Pawleys Island called "All Fired Up"...if you go on Friday night for Family night...it is buy one get one free and I was thinking that I could make myself a replica of this coffee mug...

Love it! And I am on book 2 of the re-reading of Harry Potter right now!

We have finally found a pizza we like here in Pawleys Island. It is from Pastaria 811 and it is the thick crust/pan pizza....yum!

The other option we have found that we like when you need convenience food because you don't feel like cooking is getting something from "Just Carried Away"

They have a great chicken pot pie and crab/shrimp enchiladas to just name a couple of the yummy dinners.

Next up...Christmas! I cannot believe we have 27 days until Santa comes to town. Jeff got our tree on Sunday and since I had to make the trip to be with my mom...it still stands in our house but no lights or decorations yet. My goal this week is to get the Christmas stuff out of the attic and get the tree decorated.

This is the tree as of now...Elf Charlie decided to "hang out" on the tree today!

Elf Charlie has arrived from the North Pole which Norah is so excited about! I also need to get going on our Christmas card. I even thought it would be cool to take a pic of the three of us in the same spot that the picture we used for the 2008 card was taken as it is in Pawleys Island...that would be cute! I have a feeling that these next weeks are going to fly by...

I feel like I have 1,000 things going on and only a few weeks to get everything done! Well now I have dumped my brain of these random thoughts so off to get some work done around here!

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End of November...lots of random stuff...

Break Time Update...

Our break may not have gone exactly has originally planned but the best part of the break by far is the time I have gotten to spend with Norah! We have snuggled on the couch tons, talked about Christmas (wrote letter to Santa), went bowling, and all around just enjoyed being with her and not having to rush anywhere! The break started with a trip to the bowling alley/arcade to celebrate Alex's 5th birthday...

Norah in Action!

Norah, Will and Alex...watching for the results...

Checking out the scores...

I must admit that my picture taking skills with the iphone were not so great but oh well...they had a great time. After the game of bowling they played in the arcade some and then had pizza! We took them back and Alex and Norah did a little dancing action on the wii...

Meanwhile, my sister and I went to see "Breaking Dawn 2" and loved it! It was much better than I expected...having read the books twice...I do love the movies but if you haven't read the books...I'm not so sure you would like the movies. I loved the ending to the movie too. Capi gave it a big thumbs up too!

Thursday came and it was the first time Norah really watched the Macy's Day Parade...it was cute! We headed over to the beach house and met with the rest of the family that was in town and ate way too much food! But it was so good!! The rest of the day was sitting around talking and watching the TV...

This picture was taken by my friend Callaway who was actually at the parade in NYC!

Friday came and I met my friend Julie and her mom for lunch at the Rice Paddy in Georgetown where I had the BEST oyster stew...yummy!! Thanks Mrs. Myers for lunch...it was delicious and the company was great! Miss ya Julie!

Should have taken a pic of my lunch buddies...but forgot so here is a pic of the Rice Paddy. I could totally eat that stew today! Jeff took Norah to play with Julie's kids while we lunched!

Last night Jeff and I settled in after Norah went to bed and watched Casino Royale...the Bond with Daniel Craig. It was nice to just relax! Today brings lots of fun things so better get ready for the day! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

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Break Time Update...

The Break has Started....

Today was our last day of school before we start our Thanksgiving Break and even though the day started...ummmm...let's just go with "okay" but ended great because my family ROCKS! First I have to share a couple of pictures of Norah from yesterday at my mom's house where she practiced tying a "shoe" wearing Jeff's visor...

 Isn't she cute! And now she can tie a shoe! She even tied a friend's shoe at school today (I witnessed it!) so I'm proud of her!

Once Jeff got home we loaded the dogs and went to the beach! It is amazing that we actually live where we can be at the beach in minutes...we hope to never take it for granted. We had a blast just letting the dogs go run around...it was beautiful out there too. The beach is just so amazing!

Headed down to the beach

Norah had so much fun running with Finn!

Finn right before we let him go!

That blur is Darcy! He loved it and took off!

I love this picture! She is so happy!

This captures it all...you can see Norah in the background...love this pic!

Well the fun didn't stop here...I went to hit some tennis balls with Glenn at our Stables Park. Still love that this park is practically in my back yard! It is pretty amazing. Can't wait to to get back out to play again!

I am pretty excited that Thanksgiving break started today and I think we are going to have a lot of fun and hopefully some relaxation time over the next few days. Tomorrow we are headed to bowling to celebrate my nephews 5th birthday so that should be a lot of fun. Also I'm still trying to find a way to see one of the movies on my list this week...Bond, Twilight, Life of Pi but I have a feeling that if we do go to the movies...it might be this one...

"Rise of the Guardians"...but do you think it will be scary...Norah saw a preview and says she wants to see it...we'll see. Either way there will be lots to do (including lots of eating!) over the next few days...so can't wait!

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The Break has Started....

Today was Awesome...

To give you an idea of what a great day we had...here is how it ended...

That would be Norah in bed in a Santa Claus nightgown with a new mask she got from her friend Ellie today. She looked like that the entire time I read her book to her tonight...so cute!!!

We started the day with horseback riding...since Jeff and I both went I was able to get a run/walk in while Norah was riding. Norah and Ellie were so cute riding the horses and they got to ride on a trail in the woods out there some of the time. Then talking to Ellie's mom, Glenn, she told me that she had a tennis lesson today. I was so excited to hear as I just checked out the new tennis center information as I want to get back into tennis. She said I could come along with her to her lesson...so I went. It was SO MUCH FUN! I haven't played tennis in about 8 years so I am rusty but had the best time. We are already signing up for another lesson! Yeah! They are going to start some "ladies night out" tennis clinics soon...which should be great! If you live in Pawleys...this place is fabulous...you gotta go visit it!

Then I was home and able to clean while Jeff had Norah and when she got home...she was pumped up...here is a series a pictures that shows her hyperness!

 

This last picture she ran up to my phone right when I was about to take the picture...hilarious! It totally cracks me up! Next my mom came over and just hung out with us which was awesome...we ate some dinner and then she had to head back to her house. Now we are lounging around watching some football and just chillin' out. It has been such a great Saturday...

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Today was Awesome...

So ready for Friday...

I am so ready for tomorrow...I just need that break...ya know?! Anyway, last night I realized that the new "Twilight" movie comes out tomorrow...hello...I thought it was next week. I may have to venture to it by myself unless I can find another person here who is willing to partake in my "young" ways (You know I'm like that old mom who wants to wear her "Team Edward" shirt!) My neighbor in Charlotte (Hey Meredith!) and I saw the last two "Twilight" movies that came out together so I wish she was here to see this one too!

And now I finished reading "Skeletons at the Feast" which was a good book. It deals with the end of the war and what that meant for different groups of people...obviously there is more to it but that is a broad overview of it in a nutshell. It is always a reminder of how much people suffered. Then I read "Life of Pi" which I thought was great! I cannot wait to see the movie now. This comes out next week and who can I lure to go see that one with me? :)

So then I saw the preview for the movie "Anna Karenina"...but again it is a movie done from a book so I feel I should read the book first. Maybe this will be my next book to read?

And of course I still haven't seen the Bond movie...all these movies but no time! Hopefully in the next week I will get to see at least one of these movies!

I got a new Lands End catalogue in the mail and how cute are these Needlepoint Covers for ipads/Kindles/Nooks, etc.

This week has been really busy but one thing that totally brightened my week is some of my students from last year all texted me this week and it was good to hear from them. I sure miss all the kids and teachers from Quail Hollow Middle...such a great bunch! I do love knowing that my old students are having a great time as 7th graders this year! :)

I would love to leave you with a picture of cute Norah but I have been slack in the picture taking department so I gotta work on that this weekend. I also started thinking about that it is almost time to start on making our Christmas card...whew...always something! Well I'm off to do one more load of laundry and get everything in order for the morning. Just gotta get through tomorrow....

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So ready for Friday...