206th Day

 Macaroons!

Candy cane cookies!

205th Day

A day of Christmas calling. Thankfully everyone was home and I didn't have to use my calling cards.

Day 206

Did He realize that he would be my Savior the first time He opened His eyes? Did He know that He was born to die so I could pray for Him to save my life?

Day 205

Yep, you're seeing that right. Me -- in the kitchen. Frightening as it may seem, it was my night to cook dinner at the Grebner house. And that could only mean one thing...

"Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and file gumbo

'Cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio

Pick guitar, fill fruit jar, and be gayo

Son of a gun we'll have fun on the bayou."

Gotta love a little Hank Williams singing "Jambalaya" in the kitchen!

204th Day

A day of domesticity.

Day 204

My alliance usually lies with Coach Pat Summitt and the Lady Vols of the University of Tennessee, but tonight I was definitely a Husky fan as I was glued to the TV watching Coach Auriemma's team from UConn win their 89th straight game. It was a great day for basketball...and to actually see a women's game getting some attention!

Day 203

After waking up at 6:30 am for no apparent reason and an early morning workout, I decided today would be a curl up in my favorite quilt and read/watch soccer/sleep kind of day. The Italians call it la dolce far niente, or the sweetness of doing nothing.

I think they're on to something!

203rd Day

"Ahem, the moon is round. It has two eyes, a nose, and a mouth." 

I learned this hilarious exercise from the lovely woman with a yardstick in hand pictured above. Tonight I gathered with other 4-H-ers to thank her for her work, kindness, and love over the years.  Pike County is losing a wonderful woman due to State budget cuts. She will be greatly missed, but we wish her well.

202nd Day

 Look! Demon, I mean Damen hall is almost gone and now you can see the Life Sciences building.

Oh, the Violet Hour. Out for a celebratory drink at the coolest Prohibition-esque bar.

Day 202

Our snow dog.

201st Day

Our closet door is filling up with Christmas cards!

Day 201

Let the weddings of people my own age begin...it's a weird feeling. Today was my cousin Laura's wedding (technically she's a year older, but we grew up together) -- it was elegant yet understated. And the best part...breakfast for dinner (my favorite meal). Best. Reception. Ever.

Congratulations Laura and Clint!

200th Day!

A night on the couch with fluffy pink socks, slippers, sweatpants and an early Christmas present - The New Yorker!

Day 200

Our trees of Christmases past are covered with snow! I wish we still planted our Christmas tree outside every year!

199th Day

There were no sailboats to long for on the Lake today...

Day 199

First day of our respective Christmas Breaks and it's snowing! Glorious!

Day 198

At my sister's last (and very festive) Christmas concert. She's over there on the end rocking the trumpet, but she also made her debut as a pianist/percussionist. Needless to say, I was impressed.

198th Day

You know it's the holiday season when you are greeted at work first thing in the morning with pumpkin bread, coffee cake, and a drawer full of chocolate! What a treat!

Day 197

My apartment was a pretty hoppin' place on the second to last day of finals. People needed to be checked out of their rooms for the semester and friends were stopping by to work on papers and hang out. It definitely improved my day trapped inside on duty!

197th Day

My moment of geek for the day: going with a dear new friend to hear Edmund Morris speak at the Harold Washington Library about his new Theodore Roosevelt book.

Sorry for the poor quality of this photo... I was trying to be sneaky.

Day 196

Baby, it's cold outside! Luckily, I spent most of my day inside Wallace Hall where it was warm and the finals were flowing. But now, I'm officially done with my seventh semester of college! And today was definitely a grilled cheese and tomato soup (my favorite winter meal) day!

196th Day

It's not very often that I get to share the food that I make, but today for lunch there were three of us around and I made chilli.  It was perfect for this day in which the high was 15 degrees and it snowed off and on. 

195th Day

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...

Day 195

Every time it snows I think of my third grade English class with Mrs. Wagoner. She made us memorize and recite poetry. I did "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost. It is still one of my favorite poems.

And tonight, I definitely have "miles to go before I sleep."

Day 194

I got a start on my Christmas cards tonight...

194th Day

The roads to the North Pole are getting treacherous and I wanted to make sure that my letter got to Santa in time.  Thanks to Macys, I think it will!

193rd Day

The Bean!

Day 193

Friday night jambalaya. Now if only I could hold a fork...

Day 192

Tonight was our second annual Pancakes and Dr. Pepper celebration. The first one was held in honor of completing Historiography. Tonight, we celebrated the one-year anniversary of our survival with some new additions -- bacon, sausage, and sweatpants.

192nd Day

 

I just love Christmas cards and today I got three in the mail! My window is looking very festive.  And soon all the books will be gone seeing as today was the last day of classes and I have one paper left to finish! 

Day 191

I love candy canes.

191st Day

These snow capped rocks and the pretty sunset made the walk along the lake a little bearable.

Day 190

"a date which will live in infamy..." --FDR.

190th Day

The Glecker farm circa 1967.  The Peiles and the Gleckers were are like family.  My mom is the second from the left, and the tall, lanky, brunette in the back is her best friend, Cathy, who will be dearly missed.

189th Day

The White Rabbit and Barbie adorn my tree.

Day 189

Watching the winter sun come up over the open road on I-74 this morning. Breathtaking.

I think this should be the Founders Village RA Christmas card. Or the cool history major Christmas card.

188th Day

The Second Sunday of Advent

                             

Day 188

My beautifully wrapped present for the annual Reslife Christmas Party white elephant gift exchange...who ever gets this one is in for a treat!

Day 187

Christmas cookies after Christmas at Monmouth!

187th Day

I fell asleep watching the snow slowly accumulate and awoke to a Winter Wonderland.

"Snow, snow, snow, snow! I want to wash my hands, my face and hair with snow!'

Day 186

Giddy up, giddy up, giddy up

Let's not go

Let's not look at the snow

We're not riding in a wonderland of snow.

This ornament is as close as I can get to sledding since it doesn't seem to want to snow here!

186th Day

One pink poinsettia.

Day 185

In an attempt to maintain our sanity, I headed east to Peoria for an impromptu shopping trip with a friend. It was nice to walk around in the cool December air and catch up with him. And we had the best coffee. Ever.

185th Day

Remember when I posted a photo of a ridiculous fountain on campus this summer? Well now there is a giant Christmas tree there!  And if you look closely there are three wise men on camels making their way across campus to a stable in front of Mundelien. 

Day 184

My bowl of lemons has been replaced by a bowl of red Christmas ornaments purchased on my first-ever trip to IKEA.

184th Day

December 1st and the first snow of the season!