Our Holiday

I really don't have much to say right now. Things have been as 'back to normal' as they ever get for us. I've been back to school and getting ready for our Christmas concert this Monday and Duane has been back at work. We are anxiously counting down to the honeymoon and looking forward to the warm weather. Only 7 more days of school until vacation and 2009. How neat is it that we'll be able to spend New Year's Eve on a cruise ship somewhere between Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios!?! So anyway, I thought since I had nothing else to share, I'd share a couple of holiday pictures from the Brownlee household. These are the only ones I got before the battery died...but...oh well. Enjoy this simple little addition to our blog!



This is our tree that Duane put up as a surprise when I was at school. We didn't have one last year so I was really excited. Brandi helped me decorate it...we didn't have much to put on it yet but with the lights it looks pretty. I also think it looks nice with all the gifts for our family underneath (although I had to put Brandi's stuff in her sock instead of wrapped, she likes to sniff around to see what's for her!)



This picture was taken last year at one of the pet supply stores. The profits went to the animal shelter. Brandi was a hit with Santa and even lent her reindeer antlers to a Newfie that was waiting for his picture. How cute! We would have gone again this year, but I didn't hear it advertised...I guess I'll aim to replace batteries in the camera and get pictures of her frolicking in the snow. She's really good at that!



Anyway, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas. I'll try and post again soon...as soon as I have something fun to say!

So now...

So now it's over and we're counting down to the next big thing (12 school days left before Christmas and the cruise!!!). I decided I'd share just a couple more of our pictures here but I do have an album of 243 of the best uploaded onto Snapfish...so for those of you who would like to see more, let me know and I'll email you the link!







I think this last one is my favorite. You really should see the ones of the ceremony too, the windows in the back are blues and purples with the cold and dusk and the room itself is glowing pinks and reds...leaving the wedding party in white, black, and fall color browns just illuminated and glowing. Amazing. I can't wait to get our prints next week!

There. I did it. I wrapped up the blogs on the "wedding stuff" that has dominated lately.

I came home from school on Tuesday and found myself locked out of the house. Duane had locked the door so that he would be in the living room when I came in and saw the "surprise" he had done during the course of his day off...he put up our Christmas tree (and even put a Packer tree skirt around it...not bad for a viking fan)! Brandi and I had fun decorating it and hanging stockings. We need to finish cleaning up and decorating this weekend but I got sidetracked after decorating the tree by starting to prepare Christmas presents. The way I see it, we have a nice looking tree that needs gifts under it...and since our shopping is pretty much done, I figured I'd better get going.

As it turns out, the presents that have to be prepared before wrapping are taking a little more time than I thought, so it's not quite done yet...but I'll try and get those pictures up next time. Well, those or any other pictures of things I feel like chatting about. I'll try and write again soon...but forgive me, it's a busy season for a band director and I DO still like to spend my free time with my husband!

So, what's new with all of you???

It's not what it looks like...really...

I swear, it's not...

This is when we turned karokee temporarily...not some hostile DJ takeover by Andy and Emily.



This is my new Dad getting funky on the dance floor, not losing control of body movements (I personally love the expression of the usherettes in the background!)



And this...I don't remember what it is...but I swear...whatever was happening is NOT what it looks like!

More to enjoy

Beautiful

That's how everything went. I'm going to start posting pictures...I won't have the ones from our photographer until December, but I do have some from friends. I'll post just a choice few over the next couple of days and leave out the babble unless there is something that really needs explaining.

In the lounge

So in the teacher's lounge today, we were treated to many chocolate treats and cakes...and some REALLY good pretzels (I really should find out what they're seasoned with). Hanging from the pipes there was a banner...reading

"Here comes the bride, walking side by side, together with her groom, they will be married soon".

This was done in big, block letters with colorful designs. In the middle was the following picture. (We are standing on a football, but the cell camera only shows so much)



(For those of you with weird color on your computers, that is a bright purple "viking" tux on Duane...boy do the kids know us or what?) I had to call Duane, and he found the time to drive to SG and eat with us. It was a wonderful way to celebrate early. THANK YOU so much to all the staff at the school. And to all the readers, I promise I'll post a better picture when I have it. (Coincidentally, our photographer works at the school and knew all about this from the beginning so she got pictures!)

It's all about time...

The Clock
There's a neat little clock,-- In the schoolroom it stands,--And it points to the time With its two little hands.And may we, like the clock, Keep a face clean and bright,With hands ever ready To do what is right.

The Mouse and the Clock
Hickory, dickory, dock!The mouse ran up the clock; The clock struck one, And down he run,Hickory, dickory, dock!

CLOCK POEM

If I could take a word and hold it gently in my hand, and if I closed my eyes and felt its softness and warmth as I touched it, caressed it and kissed it with my lips, and if I shaped it, moulded it and smoothed it so that it became special and precious to me, though I knew not what it said, but was somehow still aware that the whole meaning of my life was contained therein, when I opened my eyes to look it would say; CLOCKS.

...and you thought I was going to talk about something else!!!