Here comes Santa!

ok...this is about the 10th time I have sat down to try and write this so hopefully I can get it finished this time!

What a weekend we had here @ the Taulman house.

The weekend started on Friday night with our Small Group party. We headed over to our friends Mike and Bridgette's with our Dirty Santa gift and food for the feast! Bridgette is a WONDERFUL host(I think she should be a party planner) and decided that we would have a pasta bar- each of us brought something different for the pasta that she had made. It was a GREAT idea(one I will steal for sure)- we had yummy sauces, veggies and delicious meatballs along with LOTs of homemade delicious desserts.

Vickys HOMEMADE(we almost fell over when we found out she didn't buy it from Jewel!!) dessert!

Hilary's HOMEMADE chocolate silk pie! (this just makes we want to take a HUGE bit out of it! Everything was VERY yummy....even the host got a chance to enjoy a bite!

After our meal we started the dirty Santa game. Here are the rules...bring something from your house that you have no use for or do not want!!! for example: Last year there was a left-over frozen cake and a bread machine that was so out of date when the 'help line' was called it was a sex line! haha

 This year was full of great gifts too. Each of the gifts had some funny meaning to our group which made it even better. Vicky was the first to go and she got 'left-overs from Jonas'....

this gift consisted of his glasses, a shirt that his students made of him, an old white stained t-shirt, and work pants! IT WAS GREAT

Nathan got baby formula, a pacifier and a used baby toy!  too funny.

The scariest gift of the night was this life size doll that Hilary opened! Mike used it to scary Vicky later in the night!

Overall, the night was full of very fun memories, lots of great friends and many good laughs! I am so thankful for our small group- God has really blessed us by putting each of them into our lives.













Miss Hadleigh was a great baby and entertained us throughout the night too!! (I just love those cheeks!)


Saturday was a perfect day for lounging at home. Nathan was off all day so we stayed at home, watched the snow fall, wrapped Christmas gifts while we listened to Christmas music, then blew up the air mattress that night and watched(well, Nathan watched and I feel asleep) the Saints game.

Sunday we headed to Nathans parents house for the first of our Christmas celebrations! That post will come tomorrow but here are a few pictures from the day...

We just love our niece and nephew to pieces.... Morgan had her hair all curly and looked so stinkin cute and Marek was in his little vest that was just as cute as can be. We opened gifts, ate food, made gingerbread houses, played with dolls and legos and enjoyed spending the day with family
 I will post all of the fun details tomorrow! I can't wait to finally be able to tell what we got out sister-in-law! Overall,the day was truly a gift from God!

its begining to feel alot

like Christmas!!!! Finally, I woke up yesterday morning with the feeling of YIPPEPEEE Christmas is almost here!!!!  I turned on the Christmas music as I got ready and really got into the spirit. The kids at school are so ready for Santa they can't hardly stand it. They are so stinkin cute coming to school all dressed up for their Christmas programs. I just love seeing the little girls in their white tights and hair bows and the little boys in their sweater vests and button down shirts. Hopefully someday we will be blessed with the opportunity to enjoy our kids Christmas parties!!
  I am started to feel like I am almost ready for the festivities to begin. This week has been a busy one, I got alot accomplished but it really flew by- I  had shopping to get done, pictures to edit, gifts to wrap, a basketball game of Nathan's to attend, Secret Santa @ school to enjoy and a crazy busy husband to help.
 Nathan is opening a new store on January 4th(don't even ask why... it makes me mad they waited until Christmas to open this store). He gets up around 5 and heads out the door and returns to our little house around 7 or 8pm. He is such a positive person through all of it too!! I just don't know how he does it. He has been working so very hard and I am so proud of him!! He really is the best.
 Tomorrow night we have our small group Christmas Party and I CAN"T WAIT!!! We have lots of yummy food and have a 'white elephant' gift exchange. I can't tell what we are bringing BUT I can tell you that they are pretty darn funny. I will be sure to post lots of pictures AND give you all most of the details!

Home Alone...the movie

This might be one of my favorite 'sort-of' Christmas movies- my family was almost always running on the late side and seeming to forget something on the way out the door. I was the girl that was about 10 minutes late EVERYDAY to school and got the nickname of Rooster because of it. I was that girl who's parents were always running about 10 minutes late to pick me up from practice, so I started telling them it ended 15 earlier then it did! I was the girl who has a mother that thought(thinks) that when it says party starts @ 5:00 she leaves the house @ 4:59. You get the point. Well...luckily I married Nathan who's motto growing up was....
To be early is to be on time,
To be on time is to be late and
To be late is to be forgotten!

When we first started dating and I learned of this crazy motto- I tried VERY hard to be early. Then we got married and I tried VERY hard to be on time. Well, now... I just friggin try and get there! haha
However, I must say that MUCH to his disliking I think my tardiness is wearing off on him!!!

This weekend we were to be at a friend of his wedding at 3:00(at least that is what time WE thought we needed to be there). To make a long story short we realized at 12:30 that we needed to be there @ 2:00- not 3, it was an hour and 20 minutes away AND neither of us were ready let alone had even showered!!
 This house was like Home Alone! I jumped in the shower, found something to wear only to have the button pop on on my shirt, couldn't find my purse, took my make-up to put on in the car, and forgot the address to the church on the counter! Nathan drove (I closed my eyes so I had no idea how fast he was going in case we got stopped by the cops and he asked) and we made it to the wedding @ 2:04. Only to walk in to the bride getting ready to walk down the aisle. She insisted that we go....so as they opened the doors and everyone expected to see the bride to their surprise it was THE TAULMANS!!!  talk about embarrassing! Ok so after Saturday we talked about REALLY trying to be 'on time' the rest of the week.

 Crap.... that didn't happen either! We were late for church on Sunday and today we woke up @ 7:15 when I am supposed to be at school @ 7:40. Nathan said...'well you better hustle', as I was jumping out of bed.  I got in the shower and all I could do was laugh. I really couldn't believe it. All I can say is thank goodness I am a PE teacher! I threw on an Adidas sweat outfit and a pulled my hair into a ponytail and ran out the door. I made it @ 7:42. Not bad considering I got stopped at all 6 stoplights on the drive there!

 I think I need to ask Santa for a new alarm clock!

kids say....

the funniest things!!!

 This week the kids have been great! You can tell that break is almost here. They have been so excited and very talkative(sometimes a little too much!) Here are what some of my conversations have been like at school this week(and its only Wednesday). 

1. 
Student: Mrs. Taulman, how old are you?
Me: How old do you think I am?
S: um...like 40 or something.
Student2: 40....haha that is funny. Mrs. Taulman is old!
Me: 40?! WOW. No, I am 20 something.
S1: My mom is younger then you!

2.
 Student:  (pointing to his throat) Mrs. Taulman, its REALLY REALLY dry right here.
Me: Really?  That sounds bad.
Student: Yeah it is....if my heart does not get water- I might die.
Me: What! Oh no.
Student: Yeah- it has happened before!!
Me: Well you better run to get some water...quick!

3. 
 Student: Mrs. Taulman my tooth is loose.
Me: It is? Want me to get my pliers to pull it out. :)
Student: NO! I was wiggling it while I was asleep last night.
Me: How did you do that?
Student: I don't know but last time I lost my tooth I got five dollars.

4. 
 Student:  Mrs. Taulman, I can't run or exercise today.
Me: Why? Whats wrong with you?
Student: I got a paper cut today.

and Nathan wonders why I act like I do!!!



  

oh the weather outside

is frightful.....

but the fire is so delightful!

and since we have no place to go.....

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!!

 

Today was our first snow here in Indiana! We didn't get too much, however, it made the drive to work a little slower. After school Nathan picked me up and we drove to a town south of here to cut down our Christmas tree!! Poor Nathan- I felt pretty bad for him when he had to park his 'car' next to all of these big trucks. I could just see the 'man, I wish I had a big truck' look in his eyes. Its probably like when I see a tall thin woman walk down the street I get those ' man, I wish I had exercised and had not eaten that bag of m&m's' look! After the 'car vs. truck' moment we headed out to find our perfect tree!
 After evaluating a few tree- we found the one calling our name! As Nathan used his trusty saw to bring the tree down, I sang the tradition O' Christmas Tree song.  Once we got it all wrapped, we loaded it up and headed home! We have spent the evening putting the lights and ornaments up. Such wonderful memories!

We think our tree is perfect and can't wait until Santa visits! Hopefully he brings a few beautiful packages to put under the tree for the great guy that lives in this house.

Enjoy the snow!

this story makes me bummed...

As most of you know I have been a long time golfer- I got my first set of golf clubs when I made my 1st communion in 2nd grade from Grandma and Grampa Whelan. I have followed and watched lots of golf- one of my favorite Sunday afternoon past times is to sit around watching the final round of what-ever tournament might be on. exciting I know!  I never was a Tiger(Woods) fan. I thought he was cocky, arrogant and annoying- that was until I overlooked his 'Tiger-ness' and just started watching him play golf. His mental compacity on the golf course is like no other, his ability to hit a shot from under a tree and stick it 2 feet from the pin is pretty amazing, his toughness to play through a knee injury and his desire for a private life with his wife and children were something that I really admired about him.





That was until today.
  When the news broke that Tiger was in a car accident I got nervous! Then I heard there was something a little strange about the whole thing and there was more to the story. I didn't beleive it!  I kept telling Nathan and I that I knew all of the cheating allegations were false. My therory?
   He had a sick kid- was being a great dad/husband and was running to the store to get something they needed. He was tired from being up with the baby, feel asleep @ the wheel and crashed his SUV.
OK no laughing... I really thought this is what probably happened.

Boy was I wrong and now I am bummed. I have been following the story and still can't believe it. Yes I know he is an athlete, but for some reason I thought he was a great role model and not a cheater. I have so many thoughts... my first was- what about his wife, children and mother- my heart breaks for them. my second...  How could he? He is married to a beautiful wife, has two healthy beautiful children and an amazing golf career. What could be so great to risk throwing that all away.   My next thought was what kind-of woman KNOWS, and thinks its OK, to sleep with a married man that his two children? She is just as wrong as he is in my opinion. My last thought - what now?   I guess we will have to wait and see...until then I will just have to say my 'thank you' prayers for my wonderful, loyal husband. How thankful I am for him!

Happy December!

Christmas is coming and the geese are getting fat...
Who will put a penny in the old man's hat?
If you haven't gotten a penny a half a penny will do
and if you haven't got a half a penny then God Bless You!

This was an old saying that my Grandma used to say when she called us around Christmas time. I had no idea where she got it so I looked it up today and this is what I found...

The charitable lyrics nursery rhyme!
The lyrics of this song were to associate the Christmas feast with geese which were traditional English Christmas fayre. The meaning that was conveyed to a child was that the festive period was where each should give to charity, according to their means...even if they could only give their blessing! 
  
I thought this was pretty fitting because Nathan and I are just home from shopping for the Christmas Angels from Church. This is a tradition that we started when we first got married and  really look forward to doing it together each year. The feeling that we had shopping for a special little boy and a little girl is pretty cool. I get excited thinking about the smiles on the little girls and boys face when they get open their present. We are so thankful that we are blessed enough to hopefully make some little boy and girls Christmas a little brighter! We hope that someday it is a tradition that we can pass on to our children(along with the rhyme of course!) too.

Happy Monday!