The Ziegler Family: Happy Holidays!

Oh, the holiday season is here, and as a teacher, I LOVE it. I need the break so badly from constant grading and planning. My own kids need their mommy back, and I need some free time to just do whatever I want to do (like reading, crocheting, painting wine glasses, and writing this blog).
Thanksgiving break was fabulously long. If I hadn't been a new teacher this year, it could have been even a day longer for me. However, we ended the Tuesday before Thanksgiving break doing the famous Turkey Trot. My students made our Turkey Trot banner. I taught them how to use my Cricut machine that I have from my scrapbooking days. They thought it was pretty cool.

I was excited to get my very first Turkey Trot T-shirt. Here I am with my fellow fifth grade teaching partner, Shannon.

This year, Christmas Eve fell on a Wednesday. My school district had us work Monday and Tuesday. After that- BAM!- Christmas was here, and I was left wondering if I was actually ready for it.

My fifth graders performed the Nutcracker for their Holiday Concert, and then we went to see the Nutcracker ballet in Milwaukee. It was a beautiful show, and my students were really well behaved. We had just gone on a field trip two weeks earlier to the Mitchell Park Domes and then the Pettit National Ice Center. I've had a lot of fun with my students this year.

I had a small part in the Overture of the Nutcracker. My coworker lent me this dress. It was her sister's prom dress from the 1960s. I'm next to the little Christmas tree I bought for my classroom. The kids decorated it and my room for the holidays.

They also decorated my classroom door with Olaf. Apparently, when you're in Mrs. Ziegler's classroom, you're a "happy snowman".

Christmas Eve, we spent with my side of the family. My kids love seeing their cousins, and I enjoy getting to see mine. Now that we're all grown up, we don't see each other all that often anymore.

Christmas Day was far more chaotic. We started the morning off with my parents' house. My mom made her traditional Christmas breakfast- the one that Andrew dreams about all year long. I guess scrambled eggs, bacon, and potatoes just don't taste as good when I am the one making them. There's just something magical about Grandma's cooking. I don't have any pictures from Christmas morning, so hopefully my mom will send me some. Our camera batter died. Go figure.
After my parents' we went to Ryan's parents' place. We stayed there for a few hours and wrapped up the evening by Ryan's grandparents'.

For New Years, I took the kids over by Cheyenne's house because CECELIA was home! I only got to spend a couple of hours with her, but Miss Aveya was QUITE smitten with Cecelia. Cheyenne and I stood back and watched as Cecelia taught Cali and Aveya how to play Miss Susie patty cake from our own younger years. She was like the Pied Piper, attracting all the kids to her. It was great to see her again- as it's been two years since we last were together. She and her family live in Guam, which is where her husband is stationed. Cecelia finally got to meet Miss Juliana while she was home.