It's the most wonderful time...

In case you weren't aware, I am a big fan of the Christmas season.  I love the lights and the red and green colors and.....now I finally have a house house, so to speak which I can decorate to my hearts content.  Well without going overboard.  I love that the city is being decorated for Christmas. It in no way can compare to NYC, but, as Patrick Stump says, "This City, is my City."

This picture is from Union Station. They have 3 huge wreaths hanging up out front. I love how many lights adorn it.  

Here are our decorations. :-) We have stairs! Which means I get to decorate the banister with my lit garland. I can't decide whether or not I want to put up Christmas stockings, will it be too much?

 We have lots of windows, well 5 in the front and I've always wanted to hang wreaths on the windows. I made the bows all by my self, no pre-made ribbons. Let's just hope that they stay together. I also wired on the little decorations.  I didn't create them, but my good ol' friend Michael's did:-)

Michaels and I have become good friends(the arts and crafts store).     We don't have a dining room table yet, so I can't buy table cloths or center pieces, yet...don't worry, it will come.  My one friend has inspired me to be a little more crafty this season and do some DIY projects.  I originally purchased wooden letters (N-O-E-L), which I would paint and then hang on ribbons, but I couldn't figure out a place to display them, so instead I bought some canvas and some acrylic paint and voila! I'm excited to paint more! It is kind of therapeutic.

We also have a little Christmas tree that used to be our only Christmas tree, but this year we'll get the real deal. My mother decorated it all up, she's super crafty. 

And....of course I can't decorate without my poinsettia.

We have a front porch too. I got a whole bunch of Christmas tree branches from the hardware store and started to make my own garlands.  I'm waiting for my mother to come to help me out a little more. Hopefully she can work her artistic magic.  I also have a TON of lights that I purchased from Target to use on the porch.  AND.....Sunday we are going to start a new tradition and cut down our first Christmas tree. I've been doing my research.  We're going with our good friends, Jenna and John. I'll post pictures of our adventure.  

My Belated Weekend at a Glance

Did you have a nice weekend?

Was it as warm there as it was here?  I thought I would melt several times during the day. Thank goodness for A/C!

My mother came down for the weekend.  She always comes in the beginning of school and visits my classroom and meets my kiddos and does an art lesson with them.  I like her coming at the beginning of the year because she gets to see how immature my students are.  Then when she comes at the end of the year she gets to see how far they have grown.  I'm so proud of my kiddos!

She never comes for a Holiday weekend so this weekend DC was full of events! Rolling Thunder was in town, as they are every Memorial Day.  So thankful for what they stand for, but MAN are they loud! Vrooom!  I loved that they all had flags on the backs of their seriously fancy bikes! 

Proud to Be an American!

Here's my weekend in Pictures(mainly food- SHOCKER! and a few words:-)

Friday Night: Clydes
Crab cake with sauteed spinach and garlic mashed potatoes

 Strawberry Mimosa

Saturday: National Art Musem

Can you guess who did each picture?

Modern Art Museum, don't know who did it, but it makes cool pictures!

Favorite Artist of all time!
Fun Fact: I painted in his garden in France!

Claude Monet

Who loved to paint ballerinas?

Give up?  Degas


How bout this guy?

Van Gogh

Saturday Night Dinner: Fire and Sage
Crab and Corn Chowder- lovin' all the crab! 

 Gary got a Caesar salad with steak and a side of mascarpone macaroni

Dessert: The Sweet Lobby for macaroons of course
Flavors we got: red velvet, hazelnut praline, green tea, pistachio, cappuccino and olive oil walnut and pecorino- I know! Weird Right? But so yummy, it just works!

Sunday: Native American Museum 
So tempted to jump in here, it was H-O-T!

They have a horse exhibit going on right now

 Beautiful

They were also having a Polynesian performance/celebration 

Super cute little girlies!

Lunch- my mother loves eating here. If you are ever in DC, hit up the Native American Museum for lunch, they always have interesting and tasty food!
 I could eat this wild rice salad EVERY day!

Fry Bread- Native American Style, well maybe Americanized Flat Bread:-)

 Rolling Thunder

 Um....crazy Trike!

BBQ:  How many people does it take to locate a ball?!

Who Needs Snow?!

Hobby of the Day: Being a Teacher


Well it's Jan 12 and I'm officially disappointed in our weather.  It's rarely been colder than 32 degrees and SNOW?! HA!  We had a "dusting." I NEED snow! I NEED cold weather?  I don't live in a 4 season state to have fall and spring like weather year round.  Grr....I keep checking the weather in Quebec. I don't even know what 7 degrees or below 0 feels like.  Not that I want it all the time, but man.  I have turned on the heat 0 times this winter and the fire twice.  


Anyway, with or without snow I still do my Winter art projects.  Hence, the story Snowballs by Lois Ehlert - I LOVE her work and so do the kids, we had to read it twice.

I love the hair sticking straight up and hair band!

Snow Panda- P.S. Pandas are my Favorite

Spikey Haired Friend and Pup

I love how she made a hair ribbon from two sparkly things I had

3D nose, Alright! She said it was like a carrot!

I was SO proud of my students creativity! Go Kiddos!

They were NOT allowed to use scissors, ripped paper only