just some things

First, an ode to my 2 weeks off!

Oh, sweet break! How I love thee & thy non-schooly ways!

Pretty pumped about Christmas break, even though today is really the first day I've felt like I'm actually on break. Friday I spent all day with birthday preparations (see below), Saturday I saw students, but today I realized that I don't have school tomorrow. Hip, hip hooray! Not that I don't love my job, but I am just more ready for this break than any other break so far. Anyway.

Second, pictures from Doug's birthday.

Getting ready to go to Bravo for tasty Italian cuisine.

Plus, complimentary gelato, thanks to our friendly waitress!

Also introducing the first cake I've ever made from scratch:

Chocolate angel food cake with mocha frosting. YUM!

27 raspberries around the edge for Doug!

But to quote my 4-yr old niece: "You forgot the candles!"

Third, random update.

Saturday we went to our friends', the Snyders, house to bake sugar cookies & decorate them. Well, let me rephrase - Patti & I baked cookies while Doug & Zac watched the UofM basketball game, but then we were successfully able to rope them into decorating cookies!

Last night I hung out with teenagers - we had the sophomore class party, but my co-sponsor got sick, so I had to chaperone solo.

Today was church & tonight we have a "family dinner" at Spring Arbor with a bunch of friends from college, so I'm looking forward to that. This post has taken me about 20 minutes to write because I'm baking a green bean casserole & cake, so the timer keeps going off for various things. This time Betty Crocker's stepping in for my cake, though. Although, I am going to be ambitious and make chocolate ganache (another first for me), so hopefully there will be a future post about another baking success story.

Okay, buzzer is going to ring at any moment BUT:

- We will be in WNY for Christmas, but not sure how long we're staying or if we'll be there for Bannister Christmas. I know - I KNOW. Don't even say it.

- You should read Crazy Love by Francis Chan - I've gone through it twice with 2 different small groups, and it's great.

- That's it.