Seasonal Things

This, 

 This, 

 And THIS came in the mail last week :)  

My parents sent a package to Thailand with some things I've needed to replenish as well as some sweet *sweet* treats!  The touches of Autumn (I've gotten used to saying that since my ESL kids think of "falling" when I say Fall) have blessed me.  Even my mom's handwriting on the yellow sticky note labels she used blayessed mah hearrrrt.  I have to say, aside from the dark chocolate, flavored coffee and Christmas CD, my favorite part was seeing my brother's Commencement Announcement for his graduation from law school.  Can't believe my younger brother is about to be a lawyer!  I'm totally bummed to miss it, but thankful to have received his commencement announcement - makes me feel like I'm still part of it all!   

Also got a new outfit that I totally love and that fits PERFECTLY - Momma knows me well!  

Youda Youda best!   

new outfit and my mint chocolate cappuccino.
in case you ever need to know - one of the ways to my heart is through mint dark chocolate.
green smoothies, and mint dark chocolate.
okay a really good chardonnay, green smoothies, and mint dark chocolate.
oh and dancing.
okay dancing,  a really good chardonnay, I don't need to keep going, every time I do this I think of The Jerk,
all I need is this ash tray.
... and mint dark chocolate.

It's okay if you didn't get that,
but I really hope you did.  

Besides the festivities that arrived in the mail last week, Nellie & I opened our Christmas Box Sunday night!  We put on Christmas music and sat on my floor beaming over some random Christmas decorations we got from a family who moved back to the states.  The decorations are simple and we split them, but they are a happy touch to our rooms.  I know it's Thanksgiving this week, but it is the beginning of the Holiday season and it's great fun.  :)

haha.  cute, though.

This evening I spent my time baking homemade pumpkin and apple pies with Kate Pennington, her mom Julie and a high school student at CRICS named Kalyn.  It was a rush to get 16 pies made, I looked up one time and saw a piece of dough flying across the kitchen, unintentionally.  Hilarious.  It was bizzy bizzy but LOTS of fun!!  Reminded me of DC Cupcakes or Cake Boss.  Maybe someday I'll go into the baking or cooking business??  Eh, I'm pretty sure I said the same thing after I cut Mandy's hair ("Maybe someday I'll go into the salon business?").  It felt good to get to bake today.  Two of the weird cultural jumps to make in a new country are a) being able to locate ingredients for cooking and b) being able to READ those ingredients.  Thai doesn't quite look like English, huh?  

I'm headed to Chiang Mai tomorrow for an International Christian Educator's Conference with teachers from all over the world, I can't wait to let my networking, people-meeting energy come alive for 2 whole days with INTERNATIONAL EDUCATORS!   

When I have some time soon, I DO have more processing of life to blog, 
as well as some precious stories from the 2nd grade classroom.  
Stay tuned! 





*Yes, I love Jesus, and I appreciate a good Chardonnay.  
Especially when it's paired with mint dark chocolate.