made it out of grading "jail" but along the way, we have done some holiday things.

I have more students than I've ever had:  193.  And - sadly, a little over 100 of them finished projects last week / presented.  They were rushed... not the best... but hey - they got experience making a poster, doing drawings, some got to make a model to photograph and put on their poster.  It was A LOT.   

Big mistake on my part -- having it end so late.  What I should have done was that project BEFORE I had them do a 1-pt perspective drawing.  Then we could have wrapped up the project a few weeks prior?!  Maybe next year - if I decide to do the same activities.  (the other 70+ students were upper level students.  The Arch 1 students finished their projects the 1st week of December.  Arch 2 - they were just working on learning a new computer program - there was no project this month thankfully!

The Arch 1 students competed in that "gnome home / fairy house" project again that I tried for the 1st time last year.  (photos above from the 2 projects that were voted by their classmates to represent MHS at the Nature Center.   I tie it into our Architecture Styles unit, but I feel like they're a bit juvenile. I think the students have fun with it, so I guess I'll keep doing it?  Boy what a MESS it makes in my room... and SO MUCH prep work / clean up too!  

On my birthday, I had to deliver the projects to the Nature Center and place them along the trail in the woods for their Woodland Trails exhibit (a 13 week exhibit that runs from December - late February. Todd took Mercer to a baseball clinic that day. I took Isabella to martial arts and she had the honor (duty) to join me.  

We basically got to go into the nature center for free that day and I went along with whatever she wanted to do. She wanted to hike around a bit to explore the other houses along the trail before hanging out indoors and going to an interactive lesson on yellow corn snakes.

Yes - we both touched the snake!  She wanted to look at butterflies through a microscope, look at rocks and she ended up spending her own money on a squirrel puppet. (I did not want to spend $40 on a stuffed animal with a hole in it's bum!) But she loves it and has played with it so much every day. 

I know she's not going to want to do these things much longer, so if she wants to try out all the puppets in the gift shop - OK.  If she wants to watch a demo on snakes - OK. If she wants to look at things through the microscope - bring it on!  

Earlier in the day - as a family - we all went to visit the REAL Santa!  He (Santa Lamar) was in Marietta that morning at a nearby business, so we signed up to see him!  (no "stalking" him at a church about an hour's drive like we last year!)  Since it was on my birthday, even the boy couldn't refuse! 

Todd fixed up the backdrop a bit in Photoshop (he had to take Mercer to his office to finish a Graphic Design project, so he had some time there.)

Later that night, Todd and I ducked out to go to a wine bar for heavy apps + wine tasting. 

It was a pretty low-key day, but nice overall.

Some other festive things happening throughout the month:

1 - the Christmas tours of homes was in our neighborhood / on our street.  I docent-ed then toured. I had been in all of the houses on our street / knew the owners.  It felt weird going through all of their spaces, but glad I went.

2 - that same weekend was a "pop up" market at a restaurant just outside of our neighborhood. The neighborhood art festival that got rained out in November was hosted (a smaller version) at Good Kitchen.  There's really no pictures of the event / activity, but this VW van was parked out front.  

A neighbor and I talked to the owner of the van - dressed in the festive shirt.  He said he and his wife do this for fun and to get out / meet people.  Note, the Christmas tree is BOLTED to the top of the van, so he drives around with it on top!  I got a few small gifts there.

3 - our church had the carol sing - my favorite thing to do -- sing Christmas carols at church!  The live nativity and the animals were cancelled because of rain, but there was an artist's market that our church members displayed their creations.  Got some small things there too.

4 - I stayed after school one day for a teacher / staff event that the construction teacher facilitated: pallet wood Christmas-tree making. I still have to put nails in mine (I didn't finish / took all of the parts to my room to glue-up.... stayed at the school an extra hour.  

But - so glad I did.  I found some lights in a closet in my room that I had brought to the school my 1st year and - honestly - forgot about... and put them on (after this photo was taken)  - this is one of my student's moms.... she teaches math at the school - and she hung out to talk to me about SCAD the entire evening.  

I learned how to use a new tool I've never used (creating pocket joints), but the other stuff I knew how to use and was helping others with the tools.  It was a fun experience and helped with some bonding with fellow teachers too.

5 - At school, my AIAS club members did the (graham cracker) gingerbread houses again.  This one was modelled after Notre Dame Cathedral.

My environmental club people made things out of recycled materials.  (eh - not as successful as the houses, but they had fun.)

6 - Mercer had a white elephant youth party at church.  He brought home a Christmas cactus. (um - not the real plant kind).

7 - Isabella had her first "belt test."  And - she passed... she moved up a belt - she is now a "yellow belt" (um - that's not Christmas related!) 

She's into it + having fun.

8 - the elves visited us again - one night they brought a fluffy fox.

And they dressed up like super heroes - to bring a new flair this year.

Finally - we wrapped up with a little family Christmas here at home before travelling. 

Everyone got luggage!  everyone got clothes. 

Everyone got a new bike. 

Just kidding.  Only Isabella did.  

All of us had fun watching Hip-Hop play with his new toys! 

(treats hidden inside and he has to figure out how to open them / get the treats out)

The next post will from the road. whew!

Merry Christmas!

 

Thankful and Grateful

We had a quiet Thanksgiving.  It was just the 4 of us.  (It was rainy and the next day was a heavy traffic day so mom stayed home and had turkey and ham with Eddie & Rhonda.  Grateful she had someone to spend the holiday with!)

Mercer & I walked to the top of the street to hang out / socialize with neighbors as thousands of runners / walkers pounded the pavement on our street for the Must Ministries fundraiser "Gobble Jog." 

Todd started to smoked a turkey later that morning, he made pie and side dishes!  (I was cleaning out closets while listening to continuing education modules online). Mercer actually cleaned out stuff from his room as well.  We took an entire car load of stuff to Good Will (and he passed down some books & sweatshirts to Isabella).

Oddly, he wanted to drink this 20+ year old can of soda I found in a box I was cleaning out.  

He swears it was good and drank the whole thing.  I tried a tiny bit just to see - I thought it was bitter.  but - oddly - still tasted like soda!  (did not taste like penguins)  ha!  ... and ... ewww!

I am thankful that Todd made the delicious meal AND that the kids actually "posed" for a photo that evening! That never happens.  

Isabella and I made caramel apples - which she & I had for dessert.  We played some board games and crashed - full and happy.

The next day, Mercer wanted to go black-Friday shopping, so we got up early.  Again - this has never happened, but - glad we went because we got some good deals on some things for him.  (Todd and I went out later / got some good deals for gifts for Isabella)

Thanksgiving was actually busy!

Saturday was a fun day.  We "cashed in" Isabella's birthday gift - the Escape Room @ Sleepy Hollow Farms. 

This is what you see when you drive up, but the rest of the farm had been converted over to Christmas themed.

We went to the farm early so that we could also cut down a Christmas tree on their tree farm before our appointment for the escape room.

They had a couple of places to pose for photos.  

Isabella found the "perfect" tree.

She wanted to help cut it down, but Todd really cut it.

Mercer ended up carrying the thing up the hill so we could pay for it and load it on the car!

We had hot cocoa, listened to music that Isabella's music teacher was performing.  (We knew he was playing because he sends his customers information on his "gigs") 

We sort of got the kids to pose for a Christmas photo?!   (M wanted to make sure he wasn't sitting too close to his sister?!)

Todd posed too on the back of the pick-up truck tail gate.  ha ha!

We visited the farm animals, then as the sun was setting, we headed into the woods for our escape room experience.  

This goat kept "bucking" the tree limb - getting it on it's head - and trying to eat it.  I would fall to the ground and he'd do it again.  ummmm?......

This escape room was based on a TV series that has been filmed mostly here in Georgia (the "Hollywood of the South!") called Stranger Things.  

The main character is a teenage girl with supernatural abilities.  She was staying / hiding out in a cabin in the woods. 

The TV show producers filmed several different things on their farm, but this is the most identifiable: after filming, the farm owners turned "Hopper's Cabin" into an escape room!

   

It was actually a great experience!  Even though Mercer wouldn't let on - he did enjoy himself and got into the game.  Isabella really loved it; if we figured out the combination to a lock, we would let her open it and discover the next clue first!  She had a blast.  Todd and I had a good time too.

The lady on the walkie talkie (who could see what all we were doing with the cameras throughout the house) - she kept telling us little clues here and there.  We could also formally request a clue here & there if we really got stuck.  We "solved" the last clue with 1:13 on the clock (1 minute, 13 seconds) - but honestly we would not have made it out without her little clues.  

We couldn't really do the same escape room, but we would do it again (if they re-vamped it / changed the clues)  

It was a great way to end our week off!