Queenies Little Kingdom

I'm so in love with this DIY craft! I borrowed the project from THE IDEA ROOM blog! I want to shout out to her because, DUH…she deserves the credit. This isn't her only awesome creation either. Keep her in your favorites because she's so creative you won't want to miss her great ideas!

My finished product looks a little different from hers but that's the beauty of DIY, right? This is mine & those are hers! I whipped up a batch for my gal pals at work and wouldn't you know…..SCHOOL WAS CANCELLED this morning! On the last day of finals and my baby's last day of high school.

Aren't they pretty? They smell like peppermint heaven too!  After a long night of shopping in the big blizzard of 2012 last night, I came home and put these together.  I must say, I was bummed when hubby told me school was closed.

Who wants to make up the last day of the semester?  Not me and I bet none of the mid-term grads!

Oh who am I kidding?  I'm loving this snow day!  It's cooooold and the ground is covered in a pretty white snow blanket.  And guess who was able to wrap up some presents for under the tree?

Me!

This is a busy week for me.  Finals are a big deal and in my job, one of the services I provide is "reading" tests.  In the past, I've had to run hither & fro to round up several different kids from totally different classes and read all of them their finals at the same time.  Not easy!  Matter of fact….it's stress on a cracker!

This go around, I'm sticking with my own students from the English classes that I work in normally and I'm taking the one's who need to hear it read to another location.  This worked out much better today.  It was much more time effective and less stressful by not having to read 3-4 different finals at once.

Can you imagine?  Reading a US History final, Health final & a Cooking class final all at the same time?  Yes, I've done that very thing many times.  So, needless to say…I'm feeling uber happy.  Still busy….but happy!

All I can complain about is that my baby is getting closer to being totally finished with high school.  She's even starting to look like a grown up!  Geez, kid!  Stop that!

Five more finals to go, Gator!  I'm praying you through.  Study hard and exit with style, girl!  Oh & congrats on your Senior Superlative nominations!!

Most Likely To Be Famous  (Duh)

Best Dressed (Well, of course)

That's my girl…

Confession:

I haven't done any REAL Christmas shopping!

What exactly is REAL Christmas shopping, you ask? Well, I consider it to be taking a day or two and shopping in stores that your family loves and picking out items they might enjoy…then wrapping them up and sticking them under the tree. My kids have no Christmas, y'all!

Seriously, time is ticking and I can see no future free time to do any of that kind of shopping. I've also asked each of my punks what is on their wish list...no concrete answers which makes this situation even more frustrating! Help, Santa!

Confession:

I'm having the best time decorating this year. I've created pretty things around my house just to my liking when I've had the time and avoided any rushing or stress. I like it this way. I'm actually enjoying the process! Who says you have to do a full day of marathon decorating to be happy?

Every detail has been no-fuss.  Let's just hope the take it down process is the same.

Confession:

Even though I work in education and I'm responsible for working hands on with high school students….I'm not the best candidate for studying with MY OWN KIDS! I will do it, but it's best if my hubby does it. I am fried by the time I get home and studying with another kid (even thought it's my own) overwhelms me.

I should be ashamed, but I'm not! My hubby rocks! Especially during finals!

So, I confess, I'm not perfect. I hope to kick it into gear, soon. Otherwise…my family might be recieving that box of pens from the shipping commercial where the guy is sending out last minute gifts, literally!  Yea, that's going to be me.

My new lamp post.  This is the replacement from many years ago when my son and his buds blew the old one up with fireworks.  It only took more than 6 years to put up a new one…but I love it!

Who can just toss out all the tree trimmings?  Not me, go make something dudes!

I have a fascination with trees & lights.  This is a tree in my bedroom and I love just basking in it's warm glow at night.  It makes me sad to leave my house in the morning for work.  I just want to stay home and enjoy all my decorations.  4 more days until Christmas break!

I love Christmas!  Don't you?

 It's coming together slowly over here at my house.  Little by little, Christmas decorations are popping up.  I suppose I'm going by the practice of "here & there" decorating!

Late last night, I jumped up and grabbed some more items from different hiding spots and set my table.  If this is how it's going to be….I'm just going to go with it.  Maybe I should stop reading all those crafty blogs, eh?  Inspiration looms around every corner!

I still haven't created my tree skirt!  I planned on making the layered ruffle one from Pinterest…..yea, that would require a shopping trip to the fabric store and the plugging in of the hotglue gun.  Guess I'll need to get on that later on tonight, right?  Hehe!  Enjoy your Tuesday, friends.  It's finally cooooooold here in Indiana!

So, what's pretty over at your house?