Christmas Eve at my Parents....

The Table..before all the festivities began. Mom does such a nice job. Everything is "just so" and the house smells of homemade bread. I look forward to this night every year! The guys and their musical instrument gifts from Kaitlin.Lots of laughs as they belted out noise in unison!
As usual, we had the annual Kbelt family Christmas eve party at my parent's house this year. We had great food--crab, scallops and cajun shrimp--along with the old shrimp-advocado salad and Grandma's famous Russian tea loaf. So good! And the gift opening was hilarious and fun as usual...here are some pics and commentary to commemorate the. night.. Jill's new 'do. I think she really liked these new boots!

Mom and Dad--thanks so much! We all had a blast!

My new "rad" gloves. (Jilly screamed out that they were "RAD!" when she opened hers...so funny! Who uses that word anymore! Love it.) And, bytheway, I do think they are rad!

My new scarf and apron from Jill. So cute! She knows my taste...

Erik donned the Salvation Army pj's we wrapped up for mom. Then he stuck out his belly so we could compare. I think I still win...

Kaitlin gave the boys musical instruments as gifts this year. She picked them out herself!. Here, Brian plays his piano horn while Randy laughs hysterically in the background! I think Dad liked his new steak knives (and Depends man-diapers, which he opened next)

Brian's new running gear for the U.P. What a stud!

Kait got a "Diet Mt. Dew" tshirt that Erik and Jill MADE for her. It is adorable! She was loving it!On the back, they screen printed her nickname, "Pook." So fun.

Aw...so cute!

Erik and Rand with Kaitlin. They recieved their annual sweaters from mom and had to sport them for the pic.

Snow Day!

Today is a snow day. It is CRAZY weather out there. Randy just called and is stuck at work. He can't get his car out of the parking spot. What to do? I guess he is going to either call a tow truck or beg others for a shovel. I can't remember it being this snowy in the recent past. It really is a snow day--you can't get out! The latest report said we've gotton over 8 inches in some areas since the early morning. They are predicting a foot by nightfall.

Here at home I am wrapping the few gifts (3) I bought so far... I still have to buy about 10 more. Nothing like waiting til the last minute EVERY SINGLE YEAR....I have a few other things on my list..like grading 80 tests my kids took over the last few days, watching the rest of season 1 of LOST, and cleaning the bathroom (guess which one I'll be doing last)?

Happy Snow Day!

The almost best-deal ever

The other day I was in Meijer... again... shopping for more groceries. As I walked down the wine aisle, I noticed a sign under one of our typical fav's--Crane Lake Wine. We like Crane Lake because it is 1. cheap and 2. cheap and 3. it tastes pretty good. As usual, I am scouring the aisle for a good deal (for the upcoming Christmas festivities, not for myself, of course--that would not be nice to do to baby Gary) and I see this sign near the Crane Lake favorite that says, "3 for $10." Well, this is the REGULAR price for a bottle of CL so I let out a little,"hmmph."
and then.
I saw it.
I read it.
carefully. slowly.
Underneath that yellow "3 for $10" , it stated that this "3 for $10" is the price for a CASE of 12-750mL bottles! Ok, an entire CASE of CL wine for less than four bucks!
Then, I see that this tiny little sign on the bottom shelf of the wine says, "SAVE $36.66 per CASE!"--ohhh CONFIRMATION OF THE DEAL, yesssss!
I could hardly believe my eyes. I dashed immediately to find the nearest store helper and asked him, nearly out of breath, to get me two cases, please.

Well, 1.5 hours and lots of headache later (as well as reviewing high school math with a few choice employees..no further comment), my patient husband (really, he was patient, he loves a deal) and I learned that they will not give us this advertised price without "head supervisor consent." And, of course, the supervisor will not be in for a few days or least not til the morning. At this point the clock is reading 9:51 pm... and my alarm fires each day at 5:25 am...yeah. So, with no wine and lots of now-warm groceries, we drove home.

Yesterday Randy got a call from the lady supervisor from Meijer. Apparently Meijer's cost for CLwine is $2.54 per bottle. Due to state law (MI regulates liquor pretty closely),we were not allowed to purchase the wine for any cheaper than $2.55 per bottle---one penny over what they pay EVEN THOUGH THE FALSELY ADVERTISED THIS STELLAR DEAL. And thus! we decided to forgo our 24-bottle purchase of CL wine. ahhhh.

Oh well, it sure was fun while it lasted.. Seriously, it would have been the best deal EVER. Too bad, so sad. I guess the bright side is that I won't have to stare at 20-plus unopened bottles of wine while they still remain off limits for this preggo chick.

Gary, the tree

As promised, here is the 2008 Gary tree. He smells fantastic and is drinking water like a champ! As usual, he is decorated with a vast array of ornaments since randy "refuses to let go of his childhood." My favorite is the 1981 Pink Panther ball (which is now hidden in the very back of the tree--I snuck it there the other day). If I had my way, we'd be all coordinated but life is too short to make a fuss about that....right? And i do want to carry on the Setsma tradition of giving an ornament each year. It is kind of fun. Randy's mom got him a soccer ball when he started playing soccer in 1985, a car for the year he turned 16 etc. It is kind of cool to look back and see the milestones of each passing year.

Merry Christmas bloggy friends!

A Fun-Old-Fashioned Family Christmas Tree

Sort of like our favorite funoldfashioned family, the Griswolds, we headed out to the tree farm (not the wild, thank goodness!) today to pick out the perfect tree. As a tradition, we name our tree "Gary." Thus, today we hunted for the perfect Gary and alas! We found him! However, before we found our perfect tree, we had to sift through many, many others...

too tall....

too skinny, "bad leader"..

We had a name for this one, but I probably shouldn't write it here...so here is the PG version: short and fat.

No no no! (randy likes to threaten that this is the year we get the charlie brown tree...)

Too short and lopsided...what in the world? Who would pay $40 for this?

Dum ditty dum! We found him!

I helped drag it to the car and hoist it up. Thankfully Rand remembered 2 pairs of work gloves. Don't ask me how we'll accomplish this next year with a child in tow....maybe we'll have to go with friends.

And, my husband, the ghost in the tree bag. I'll post of pic of the completed tree when it gets there.. we were too tired to finish today. I know, lame-o. But I am fighting this nasty cold and no cold meds for me...yikes! What did they do in ancient times without tissues? Has anyone ever thought about that? Gross is all I can say.

Dark Hair and a Belly

Yep, that is what is new around here. Dark hair (thanks to a dye-do today) and a belly. I know the belly is finally a true thing becuase this week in class one of my filter-less students raised her hand in the middle of me explaining how forensic scientists make inferences about a crime scene that,"Ummm...just so you know, you look pregnant finally." Thanks. That has a LOT to do with what I am explaining right now. (my insidethehead comment).

So yep, right now I am in a count down til a long Thanksgiving weekend. I am hoping to learn to make pillows (thanks mom, sewing lessons here I come), helping to paint woodwork in the upstairs bedrooms, and planning to eat some good home-made food. Oh and I just might make that yummy french silk pie that my aunt Julie used to bring to our gigantor Nagelkirk family Thanksgiving extravaganzas.

Anyone else itching for a long Thanksgiving weekend? I CAN'T WAIT! I need it ....like...now!

PS: That wine on the counter? Yep, been there since the summer. Becky, you need to come over and drink it! Randy won't touch the stuff!! Oh and the paperclip? Some student found it on the floor today and handed it to me. Whoops. Forgot it was there...

Random Favorites (and why I am posting about them)

So I was thinking this morning about my "favorites." My favorite brands or kinds of things....cause in this baby buying/looking craze I realize I have no idea what "brands" i know or can trust. It has taken me pretty long to come up with this list --lots of trial and error--but I am really happy with the following products/purchases over the last several years. The list, in no particular order includes...

1. Socks--chinese laundry makes awesome knee-high socks that I wear to work every day! They cost a little more than your standard gold-toe but are so worth it...they last forever! (They also sell these for a very good deal at TJ Maxx)

2. Jeans--though they can cost a small fortune, 7 for all mankind jeans are really the best. They fit so well and are soft right out of the dryer! (PS I found a pair at TJ Maxx for 40 bucks!)

3. Shirts--the only ones that consistantly fit me? BR (Banana Republic) and they are SO SOFT!

4. Boots--sheepskin is awesome..whatever the brand name

5. Cookware--we get so much use out of our All-Clad dutch oven. I found it on special at Williams S onoma a few summers ago and it is worth every penny!

6. Post-it notes--are great. Whether for lesson plans, recipe additions, or a note on the counter..they do the trick and do it well! I keep them at home, at school and in my bag.

7. Pens--I love Bic pens. They are reliable and don't fail you when writing on a wall or other perpendicular surface!

8. Undershirts--Target sells these AWEsOME tissue weight shirts by Mossimo. So great. I go into a panic if I don't have one washed. So soft and comfortable!

9. Shoes? Dansko! Dansko! Dansko!

10. Kitchen tools--OXO seems to think practical when designing these buggers..

11. Towels--Target sells these fieldcrest towels that are super soft and less than 13 bucks. A great buy.

12. Wood floor cleaner --Swiss made--by Restoration hardware is the best! It cleans my floors like no other.

13. Paint--we have come to love Sherwin Williams Cashmere paint. It goes on like butter. (they can also make ANY color with that sweet mass spec tool that they have in the store).

Anyhow, that is my list...does anyone have a favorite to add? and also, what are the good "baby" and "mom-to-be" brands? Are there some you "can't go wrong with?"

BumGenius?

Well here we are in month four plus and I am feeling that i have a deluge of questions about how to prepare for this upcoming baby event. How am I supposed to be an expert at this stuff? And..there are a million websites that claim to tell me what is best...but how can I trust them? Well, the upshot is that my pants are definitely (still) getting tighter by the minute, my appetite never quits and we are looking at what to buy for this little miracle so that we are "ready" when it comes. So if you are a mom out there, or have expertise in any of these areas, I would love to have some advice.
1. The stroller...jogger? what kind? Regular? Do you want/need both? What is a "good" one?
2. Is it worth it to buy the crib new or can I get a good used one and save a few hundred dollars?
3. Cloth diapers...look pretty lucrative.. but have a pretty big up-front cost. Do they work or are they a huge pain? If not cloth, then what brand of diapers works the best (don't worry, we won't be purchasing any of these for a long time...hopefully.)
4. Bassinet? Do I really need one of these?
5. How about a boppy? Worth it? Blankets? what kind.

Basically, i just want someone to tell me what I NEED to buy prior to junior arriving and what is the fluff that advertising tells me I need, but really don't. Oh, and I want some crib/cloth diaper advice since those seem to be the hot topics of discussion between rand and I lately. Oh and ps..T minus 9 days til the ultrasound. We still are on the fence about finding out the sex....we'll see. SO many opinions on that issue!

Thanks!!!

the scarf fetish

one of randy's two scarves. i think the ratio between the number he owns and the number i own is about 1:15 right now. whoops. i think i need to start giving some away....
So i have to fess up. I have a scarf fetish. I can not have enough. At least, i have not been able too to date. I love them. and thankyou very much, i have loved them far longer than the last few seasons when they became fashionable. Scarves look good on EVERYONE and they make any drab outfit look cute. I have a lot of drab in the closet. scarves make that stuff fun. Today I caved and bought two new scarves... who can resist Target's $9.99 price for something so darn cute? I mean, especially being pregs, it is the perfect accessory. I'm not going to "grow" out of them. They will never go out of style (um and even if they do, i am not going to stop sporting them) and they keep me warm on these chilly fall days. so my lame question today is this: anyone else out there love scarves as much as me?

prayer requests

this week i asked my homeroom kids to write specific prayer requests on a notecard so for me to read and pray for. This is not an especially odd thing for me to do, since I am working at a christian school, but it is amazing what you learn when you ask others if you can pray for them.
i was struck by all the needs in my little classroom of 19. struggles with friends, with family, with death, with insecurity, with job loss...it can be kind of overwhelming. i was also struck, when i read their "praises," how blessed my kids are....they have families that love them, beds to sleep in each night, friends that care for them, and a community to belong too. they have so much going for them despite that struggles they face. i just hope they realize the blessings amidst their pain..i don't know if i did at that age.

sometimes when i am in a time of joy--which I feel like I am right now---new baby on the way, a loving husband, awesome family, great job... warm house, health, etc. etc. etc.... i just don't spend enough time giving to others. or thinking about others?why is it easiest to be selfish when things are going right?

i decided that this week i am going to pray for my students.... And not just "before bed prayer" or "dinner prayer" but like, setting a time aside to think and pray for them. maybe this post will help keep me accountable...i hope so.

Fat Pants

Hi. I am officially in "that stage." Yesterday I went out and bought three pairs of knit pants in a size that I have not worn since I gained 20 pounds oversees during my semester in Israel. Ugg.

Everyone keeps telling me, "Don't worry about it!" "You are supporting a new life!" yes, yes. I know. how wonderful...but I am already thinking that pregnancy is CRAZY craZy craZY and...pardon me, but at times it kinda sucks! So many things change..what things taste like, what I can eat, what I can wear, how I sleep, how I dream, ZITS like I had in high school, how i sit in the car, etc. etc. Where is the silver lining in this gray cloud of insanity!?

On a positive note, I recieved two awesome books this week which are helping me to keep my sense of humor. The first is "Belly Laughs" by Jenny Mc Cartney and the second is called "The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy." Umm... I am glad they are blunt but holy crap....the things to come don't light a candle to this "I fell slightly fat and bloated" stage.

I have new respect for ALL WOMEN who have ever been, are and will be pregs. Will I ever feel slightly attractive ever again?

PS: I (sort of) apologize for the above picture. It made me laugh.. humor is my new best friend.

Chicago Visit!

A view from Navy Pier at night. Only a 20 minute walk from R's apartment....isn't it beautiful?

We had GREAT Italian food (randy got a seafood special) at Volare just north of Michigan Ave.

Remember the building from the movie "Adventures in Babysitting?" (the diamond-topped building in this picture). Yep, near the top of that diamond is R's work room. Crazy! On Tuesday (you know, the clear, sunny day) they could see Michigan across the lake.

Ethan and Randy playing trains. We got a LOT of laughs from Ethan!

Lil Hank and Fina. He loves his johnny jump-up!

We got gifts for baby Setsma! Thanks, Jen!!!

Ethan ripped it up dancing to the live guitar music. He was so stinking cute and would not stop!(we were at a sandwich shop of all places!)

Us at "the bean." The Susan J. Komen Breast cancer 5K was going on. There were ladies in pink EVERYWHERE in Millenium park! the funniest tee I saw said, "I love breasts."

So cool! Who created this crazy thing??!!

Jessica's Jubilee

Here is today's post of jubilee. I'm pregnant! yes, you read correctly, this jubilant jessica is going to have a little baby, Lord willing....in about six months. This week marks about 12 weeks along so I am offically telling the world. What an amazing thing pregnancy is...for the first five to six weeks after I found I was not so sure it was so awesome...feeling sick, hating food I usually like and keeping this huge secret from friends and family. not exactly what i had envisioned...but as each day passes i become more and more amazed at the little miracle growing inside my body. Early on, my cousin Jen clued me into this great website and i can check up on the development of the little baby every week--babycenter.com. Wow! Baby development is really neat, and amazing. Today on babycenter, I got some tips on how to dress while becoming cow-like. fun fun. I also told my homeroom students the news today...they were pretty awe-struck but excited. I had some funny comments already so stay posted. How did I tell them? Well, Adam, a co-worker of mine gave me Gary the snail (from spongebob) to put in my room since the womb name is gary (thanks, rand--he really wants a child that name. I put my foot down, hence the womb name--no offense to those that like the name, it is just..well, I don't.) Anyhow, the kids kept asking about it so today I finally told them the significance of gary the snail hanging out in my room. It made a pretty great segway into the topic:-)My favorite student comment so far?

"Mrs. S, let's not tell the other 8th graders until you get really big. Then they'll think you are just getting fat, it will be SO FUNNY!" Really? ummmmm er not.

Anyhow, thanks to the fam and friends ALREADY supporting us like craszy! We can't venture this journey without your love and support!

And, Thank you, Jesus for this little miracle!

"Every GOOD and PERFECT GIFT is from above." James 1:17

Randy's Furlough and Mantle Mania

So I'm here, at my house, alone. For THREE weeks. My dear chocolate-loving husband (see pic below) is in Chicago for a work training program and has left me here to fend for myself. He took off early Sunday morning and won't be returning for tooo tooo long. (We made these great from-the-box fudgy brownies on Saturday night so he would have a little treat between studying, galavanting around the city and eating good food). So this weekend I am off to Chi-town to visit. I even took a day off of work so I don't have to fight traffic on Sunday night. I can't wait! I am going shopping (woo*hoo), visiting Jen and the boys and --the best--finally hanging out with my husband.

Which brings me to the next few pics...I have to keep myself busy somehow. Here is the latest and greatest "creative" project in the Setsma home. I decorated the mantle for fall. Obviously I didn't take this pic at the most opportune time of the day, but you get the idea. There was this AWESOME mantle in Martha Stewart Living magazine with pumpkins, candles and gingko leaves...this is my cheaper rendition (with stuff i had in the fall deco box.)

So does anyone else out there decorate the house for fall or am I just a sucker for advertising? I guess since it is my favorite season, I can't help myself. Plus, who can resist a bowl of peanuts and candy corn on the counter top?

I miss you honey!!!! (Even if you are like a 2 year old child sometimes!!!)

Fall Favorites

So I haven't posted in a while. Lots is new but nothing newsworthy to post. The days kinda go like this: get up (EARLY!), shower and dress, eat, drive (loooong commute), teach kids, teach kids, coach kids, coach kids, drive (looooooooooooong commute) errands (if I am up to it), eat, read/surf the net/prepare for the next day, prepare for bed (brush teeth, etc.) go to bed.

I have had a little bright spot in this week... um, yeah! "Eclipse" by Stephanie Meyer is now in my possession thanks to our dear school librarian, Roxanne. I made a special request when there was a 50 person waiting list for the local library copy.

Today I was thinking of some of my fall favorites and why I love this time of year (even though it always feels like it is the most busy time of the year)... Here is my offthetopofthehead list:
1. Michigan apples --sometimes with caramel and peanut butter, mostly just plain.
2. Pears--yum!!
3. Pumpkin everything
4. Jeans and sweatshirt days
5. Candy corn--in copious amounts.
6. New TV shows! Ummm can you say 90210 and The Office?
7. Panera Cream of Broccoli soup (ok, not quite unique to fall but I am in love with it right now)
8. Fresh garden tomatoes in everything
9. Football games and soccer games
10. Cool nights= a sweet night's sleep
11. Fall colors--everywhere!
12. Hikes/walks in the leaves
13. Rainy afternoons cuddled up with tea and a book
14. Coaching cross country to the best students ever!
15. Candles...who lights candles in the summer?

I am sure there are many more, but here is my short list. Anyone else have some "Fall Fav's?" I'd love to hear about them.....

School is Back in Session!

Thanks to our superintendent and others, we are back in school prior to the Labor Day weekend. And here are some of the new faces in Mrs. Setsma's homeroom class this year. Things are fine save for getting used to 5:30 mornings and long days. I have to admit, though, that I am blessed to have great kids and families.... My desk...for those of you that live far away...this is where I spend LOTS of time each day..woohoo, it looks messy already.

The awesome bulletin board my mom created...Thanks mom! The trees are made out of insulation foam and are 3-D.

The white board. The shark was once real and prepared by a pretty savy taxidermist. I got it from a teacher who retired a few years back. And I don't know why there is a wasp's nest on the deer antlers. They were like that when I "moved it" four years ago.

And the first unit...the BRAIN. I'm excited to show a youtube clip with Pinky that talks about the parts of the brain tomorrow.