Happy Birthday, Judy!

We want to wish Jonathan's mom a very Happy Birthday! We hope you have a wonderful day and a fabulous year. We love you!

Last night of Hanukkah

Tulsa

Hanging out in Tulsa

On Saturday J and I headed to Tulsa to hang out with his friends. We spent part of hte afternoon with Max, Stephanie, and their beautiful new baby girl, Madelyn. She is just precious, and it was so fun to watch these two new parents. Max was such an attentive and doting father...we were very impressed! Parenthood definitely suits Max and Stephanie, and it's going to be so fun to watch them raise Madelyn.

That evening we headed to dinner with some of Jonathan's friends before going to an art show that one of their buddies from high school was putting on. The show consisted of photographs of people with their "animal spirit" projected onto them. It was definitely interesting, to say the least, but we enjoyed trying something new. After that we headed to a bar nearby to just hang out and catch up. I'm always so impressed by Jonathan's friends. They are all genuine, great guys and I had lots of fun hanging out with them. We hope to see everyone again very soon! (Pictures are above.)

Home for the Holidays

Home for the Holidays

During college a good friend's mom started a Home for the Holidays party. It's a tradition every year for my friends from high school to gather at Nancy's house to hang out and catch up. This year was no exception, and we had a blast hanging out with everyone on Friday night. See pictures above!

Merry Christmas!

Jonathan and I went back to Oklahoma for Christmas. We got in on Tuesday evening and stayed until Sunday. I can't remember the last time we got to go back and just hang out with everyone...it was fabulous! We relaxed, ate yummy food, and had fun. On Christmas Eve we went to church and then came back to my parent's house for dinner. We decided to open all our gifts that night so we wouldn't have to get up so early on Christmas...my, we're getting old! Jonathan got some great tools and clothes (again, we're getting old) and a guitar. He's super excited to learn how to play, and I can't wait to be serenaded. I was super excited to get a new camera. I wanted something that I could use to start learning how to take and edit pictures, but I don't have a whole lot of time to learn. I was also totally surprised and excited to get Adobe Photoshop from my sister...she's the best! Thanks, sis! I can't wait to learn more about my camera and the program and to try out new techniques. I'm hoping to take a photography class sometime soon to learn more, too.

On Christmas day we went to our wonderful friends' house for a late lunch. We've been celebrating Christmas with Jan and Helen for over 13 years! We had a great time, as usual, and left very stuffed. That night we all went to the movies. Jonathan and Dad saw Valkyrie and the girls went to Marley and Me. If you are a dog lover, you HAVE to see this movie. And read the book...it's even better! We all left crying, but it was totally worth it. I've been telling Lola that she's the best dog in the whole world every day since watching the movies. If you've seen it, I'm sure you know what I mean.

Here are a few pictures (from the new camera!) from Christmas:

Mom and "Aunt" Helen

"Aunt" Jan, me, Sarah, Mom, & "Aunt" Helen

On Friday morning we loaded up all of our dogs (yes, there are 5 of them!) and took them to Pathfinder for a long walk. I'm sure this was quite a sight for all the walkers and joggers out that morning. Needless to say, we're all dog lovers. Luckily all the dogs like each other and play together the whole time. My parents are completely understanding of us not wanting to board Lola when we come back home, so they always invite her to come. Lola was so exhausted on the ride home today...she slept the entire 6 hours!

Happy Hanukkah

Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah. After we cleaned up from dinner, Jonathan lit the menorah and we said the prayer. Then I let him open his one and only Hanukkah present this year...usually we do something for all 8 nights, but this year was different. I got him a shirt I really thought he'd like. I, on the other hand, got an enormous early Hanukkah/Christmas gift last weekend...A NEW CAR! I'm so excited about it! I've never had a new car before. I've always bought "pre-owned" - at least the one car I actually bought on my own - but this was such a treat and so fun! We got to pick out everything we wanted, and now I really enjoy my 20-30 minute commute to school each day. We spent all last week and last weekend test driving cars and researching the ones we liked. I felt like such a grown-up....I was really into the safety features and picked the one I thought would be the safest. We decided on an '09 Honda Pilot, and I love it!!! I need to get some pictures, but it's just been way too cold outside lately. I'll have to get some soon when it's not 11 degrees without the wind chill...brrr! For now, here are some pictures from our evening:

Lola playing with her new Hanukkah toy

The toy up close...I had never seen Hanukkah toys for dogs and thought it was hilarious!

Our menorah

Happy Hanukkah, everyone!

Winter Party & Talent Show

Things have been busy at school this month. On Friday we had our Winter Party and Talent Show. The party was so much fun...and slightly out of control...but the kids had a blast. They played a game where they had to use toilet paper to wrap up one member of their group like a snowperson. Then they used decorations and props to finish them off. The results were hilarious! The other game they played was a relay where they wore shoe boxes on their feet and adult-sized gloves on their hands. They had to run/slide down the classroom to the other wall, ring a bell, pick up a tootsie roll, and run/slide all the way back where they ate their tootsie roll. It was also fun and very entertaining for all of the adults. I included some pictures below so you can get the full effect.

After being wound-up from the party, my class had their Winter Talent Show. Our music teacher is just amazing, and she puts on talent shows twice a year for the kids. Each student picks out a song to sing or play along with. ALL the parents come, and it's a huge deal to the students. This year I was especially impressed by the group of boys who sang and played the drums to "We Will Rock You." Two of my students also did a duet to a song from Camp Rock (still not sure what that is...apparently I don't watch enough Disney Channel!) but they were SO GOOD! Especially the little girl...she has an amazing voice for a 7-year-old. I took a video on my digital camera, so I'm going to attempt to post that, too.

I just love this class, and watching them have fun is great for me. I'm going to miss them so much next year!

He wasn't being dressed up, but thought he needed the props to help him work

The relay race

A very heart-felt rendition of "We Will Rock You"

Singing a duet from "Camp Rock"

Happy (belated) Birthday, Mom!

I want to wish a "Happy Birthday" to the most wonderful mom in the whole world! Jonathan and I love you very much and are so blessed to be your children. Thanks for being a great mom, friend, and support to us. We hope you have a wonderful year, and we can't wait to see you very soon! Happy, happy birthday!

Go Sooners!

This football season has been so exciting! I sure love my Sooners! It's hard to live in Mizzou territory all season, but they played another great game on Saturday. Melissa texted me today to say that the oranges are back in the "Seed Sower" statue that is famous on OU's campus. Whenever we get a bid for a BCS Championship game, someone mysteriously places oranges or roses in the seed sower's bag. Yea for the oranges! And GO SOONERS!

Thanksgiving at the Teal's

Some pictures from Thanksgiving:

A family picture (Sarah, Judy, Samuel, me, Mom, Sarah, Dave, Mike, Jonathan & Dad)

Dave and Sarah

Mom, Samuel and Savta

Sarah and Alexander explore the backyard

Dustin and Lindsey watching the Dallas game

Tim and Jen relaxing

Eating a delicious feast

The Teals

The beautiful table (thanks to my mom!)

This was our first Thanksgiving to host dinner at our house. Jonathan's parents, my parents, my sister, Jonathan's sister and our brother-in-law, our nephew, and a couple of friends all came over on Thursday for a late lunch. My family and Jonathan's parents all got in on Tuesday night, so we had all day Wednesday to hang out and get ready for the big meal. Everyone was super helpful, and the whole weekend was very relaxing and enjoyable. I can't thank everyone enough for their help...the food was delicious, the table was beautiful, and everything was cleaned up and put away in no time!

After dinner, Tim, Jen and Alexander, Dustin and Lindsey, my sister, and both sets of parents hung out all evening. All of the boys played pocker (very Thanksgiving-ish) and then we all played games. It was so fun to be surrounded by our great families and friends. It reminded me of how blessed we are to have such wonderful people in our lives!

While they were here, Mike and my dad helped Jonathan finish the tricky work in the bathroom downstairs. It's looking fabulous, and we can't thank them enough for all their hard work to get it finished. I'm so glad we finally have a nice, working bathroom for everyone to use when they come over.

On Friday Jonathan's parents headed to Kansas City to visit Judy's family. We were sad to see them leave but so thankful that they got to spend so much time with us. That night my family went with us to get Ted Drewe's famous frozen custard before driving through Tilles Park in South St. Louis to look at Christmas lights. It was an amazing display (definitely beats Johnstone Park in Bartlesville) and really got me in the Christmas mood. On Saturday my mom left for Tulsa, so Dad and Sarah helped us put up Christmas lights and decorate a little around the house. We watched OU play OSU that night, and a few people came over to help us cheer on the Sooners. What a great game!

On Sunday we had to say goodbye to my dad and sister, and it was so quiet (and sad!) around the house. Jonathan and I finished caulking the trim in the bathroom and then put up the Christmas tree. Yea for the holidays! I just love this time of year and can't wait for Hanukkah and Christmas to get here!

Our Christmas tree is up and ready!

Happy Birthday, Sis!

Happy Birthday, Sarah!

We want to wish my beautiful sister a VERY happy birthday! (Even though she claims she's no longer celebrating birthdays.) We wish you a wonderful year! You are the best big sister and best friend in the whole, wide world! We love you!

Why I love my job...

I have the best job in the entire world!!! Everyone should become a first grade teacher. This beautiful gift was created by a little girl in my class over Thanksgiving break. She brought it in on Monday with a note to me and "Mr. Teal."

The note said (with her original spelling still intact):

November 29, 2008

Dear Mrs. and Mr. Teal,

I found theas boluns in the basmunt at my Gramas House. Thean I thot of you. So...I took a red balun and thean I took 2 green boluns. and then I askt my grama to blowe them up. and tie them together. and I made a bolun Misletow and desited to giv it to you giys

Your friend,
Madalynn Elizabeth P

P.S. Pleas keep this as long as posepel.

At the end of the day she came back up to me and said, "Oh, by the way...you're welcome again for the gift." The letter is hanging on our fridge now and will probably have to stay there forever...or at least as long as possible. It makes me smile every time I look at it!

I have a lot more to update about Thanksgiving, but I'm exhausted and heading to bed early, so it will have to wait. Hope everyone has a great week. Keep smiling!