Brrr... Brrr... and more BRRR! CHRISTMAS DOS!!!!!

For starters, I am NOT a big fan of this weather. Can you tell that I have gotten accustomed to my gorgeous Texas sun that I tend to forget that I am from up north where snow is the norm? Well, newsflash snowy Indiana, I am no longer a northerner and I can NOT take this winter weather (okay, who am I kidding. It was only 66 degrees....) But, I had a skirt on today.... and tights.... and I swear my sweater was very light. I promise i'm not THAT much of a wimp (okay, who am I kidding again... Yes I am. And i'm okay with it!)

So bloggy world, I have a little bit of a secret to share with you. As you know, I am a Bieber fanatic. I am proud of my love for Justin freaking Bieber.

Okay, I am KIND of proud of my obsession. I was supppppper stoked to get my new iPhone case. I really was. Yet.... when I got to work today, I made sure that everytime I took my phone out, that you weren't able to see my case. I mean, not EVERYONE needs to know about me and the Biebsy. Awful fan? Possibly.

Did I mention my dislike for cold weather? Because I seriously am not a big fan (for the 224957304853045th time!) But, what I AM a fan of is...

The fact that in a few short months I will be on my way to the said above cold weather. I am SOOO excited to go home for the holidays with the hubs. Biggy's fiance, Karina, is coming to the Naptown for Christmas this year (for the first time!) If she can survive through Christmas Dos, then she may just be a true Galligan after all.

In case you aren't sure what Christmas Dos is. I'll let you in on one of the most famous and biggest holidays in the world Galligan household. It was the day my middle brother, Mathew, was born. He was brought into this fabulous world the day after Christmas (unfortunate for him. Completely jipped with presents. -- Is jipped even a word? Because it apparently isn't, according to the red lines underneath it right now.) I can hardly contain my excitement to reunited with my fam-damily.


In all seriousness, please say a prayer for my family. My Grandma (Dad's mom has been VERY sick and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's about a year ago) It's been heartbreaking for my dad who doesn't live close to her (he is the only one who doesn't live back in Minnesota where he is from. His other 8 siblings all still live there.) My uncle called a few days ago and told him that Grandma said she was ready to go. So, my parents rented a car and within a day they were on the road, traveling the 10 1/2 hours to Minnesota. As if you can't already tell, we are an EXTREMELY close knit family and it's been just terrible not being able to be there with her and see her.

I feel so blessed because my wedding was the last family gathering/get together that she was able to attend as "herself." She became very sick right after my wedding and about a year later she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and her health has been going downhill ever since then... and quickly.

My family including Grandpa (my mom's dad) and Grandma (my dad's mom)

At my wedding with 6 of her sons, 5 grandsons and her brother, Bishop Pates, who officiated our wedding

The last family photo/most recent photo of the Galligans. We are still missing about 1/3 of us though.

Seriously one of my favorite pictures from the wedding, my brothers walking her down the aisle. I love the way Biggy is looking at her!

A few short months later and she just wasn't herself. She was hospitalized and could no longer walk and could barely talk. I just can't believe how FAST her health deteriorated and how fast disease can take a hold of you. 

This was her thumbs up to Biggy and Karina on their engagement last year. 

Poppy and Grams at Mathew's Law School graduation

Hubs is in charge of kids?!?!!?!!?!?

About a month ago I somehow coerced the hubs to take a Saturday off to chaperone a school field trip with me. I purposely left out the fact that he would be in charge of his OWN group of kids. I then proceeded to tell him how one of my friends (a fellow teacher), her boyfriend lost one of the kids at the Astro's game a few years ago when he chaperoned. I then smiled and told him he'd be fine. ;)

V came and visited my classroom last year during Wax Museum (one of my proudest moment!) and he was able to experience first hand the stress I go through on a daily basis being in charge of and mothering 100+ darlings a day. It was definitely an eye opening experience for him!

Like I said, I somehow convinced him that it would be a GREAT afternoon and that the only kiddos allowed to go on the field trip were the ones who had somehow managed to not get an office referral or be absent. None of my students had ever been to a college football game, so it was a great experience for them! I told V to let me know if he still wanted to have kids after the crazy afternoon... Good news! HE STILL DOES! :)

The kiddos were fabulous and so well behaved. I was one proud teacher! :) And hubs survived and passed the "taking care of children" test with flying colors... Baby here we comeeeeeeee!!!!!

This week is drug free awareness week and of course I have school spirit and participate in everything (and attend everything... Allstar teacher right herrrr!) Today was NEON day...

Of course I decided to break out my bright yellow skirt (that's been sitting in my closet with the tags still attached. You may recognize it from one of my outfit posts from the beg. of the year - never wore it until today!) Obviously I wasn't the only one who decided that yellow and pink would be perfect... Two of my favorite girls had the same thoughts I did this morning while getting dressed... TRIPLETS!!!

P.S. I spent an ungodly amount of money on clothes I reallllllly needed over the weekend. I can't wait to post outfit pictures (I may attempt the hubs taking the pictures again - but we all remember how big of an epic fail it was last time!)

Friday Letters & Purchase of the WEEK!

I am linking up with Ashley from Adventures of Newlyweds for Friday's letters!

Dear Friday - I could not be any more excited that you showed up. I have been thinking about you since LAST Friday and have been counting down the days until I am FINALLY able to SLEEP more than 2 hours a night.

Dear eBay - I would really appreciate it if you would put a little pep in your shipping step, eBay! This girl needs her new Justin Bieber iPhone case. Oh yes, yes, I did. You surely did read that correctly. Hubby thinks I am redic when I told him that I seriously wanted a new phone case. And that I certainly DID want it to have Justin Biebers face on it. Well, what can I tell you, hubs just can't deny my beautiful charm and we jumped right on to my FAVORITE website, eBay and less than 10 minutes later, a Justin Bieber iPhone case was on it's way to my humble abode (okay, maybe 12 hours later, but that's besides the point!)

Dear Self - Stop stressing yourself out. Take a breath. Stop trying to do so much. Do something for yourself for once, because you deserve it. Stop trying to go "above and beyond" when you know that it will always fall on deaf ears. It's not appreciated the way it should be (or acknowledged in the least), so stop trying to save the world. Stress creates lines in your face, and we all know that's not a pretty sight, so STOP. (or you may just become an alcoholic after some of the days you have had!)

Dear Justin Timberlake - A part of me actually died when I heard that you started your glorious new life with (gasp) a WIFE. While I think you made a great decision (since after all, I am a married woman, so you had to settle for your second best, right??) I am still a tad bummed that you ever broke up with BSpears

Okay, so maybe your sense of fashion wasn't right on par in the 90's (a matter of fact, it's pretty atrocious actually.) But, have no fear, I forgive your fashion faux pas. (Kinda.) (Okay, not really.)

Dear Hair - I promise that I will stop neglecting you & schedule a little TLC for you SOON. I can't believe it's been over A YEAR since I have had you cut (gasp, I know, I am pretty redic.) If life were not so crazy, I promise it wouldn't have taken this long to get my shit together. Forgive me. Wah.

Dear Readers - I was pretty surprised that I actually had followers with how awful I have been at blogging, responding to comments and commenting/let alone reading other blogs. I am actually strongly considering deleting this little space of the interweb I like to call my BLOG. But, every time I do, I think of all the wonderful people I have met through this said here blog and I know that you forgive me for my lack of blog etiquette and still love me anyways. Well, at least I hope you do. If you don't, keep your thoughts to yourself. Because if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all ;) 

I'll leave you with this...

JOIN THE SWAP!!!!! ... Lovin' those Houston bloggers... and farewell Glitzy the pig.

As a lot of you know, I got started blogging after reading my mother-in-law's blogs and the hubs step sister's blogs and I absolutely fell in love! After being a 'fly on the wall' and reading various blogs, I decided to take the plunge and create my own... And that was the start of my beautiful blog, A day in the life (of me, duuuuh!)

I am SOO excited that my MIL is hosting her FIRST swap!!!! And what's better is that it is a BRACELET SWAP!!! Of course I am obsessed with all things related to hip and inexpensive jewelry and I knew I couldn't pass this swap up!

SOOO, I think that you need to make your way over to Deniece's blog What Mimi loves and join in the swap (plus, you may get ME as your partner and you know that I will surely send you something AWESOME... as well as other goodies, of course!!!!) All of the details are on her blog so make sure to comment and let her know that you want to join!!! The more people to join, the better the swap!!

You have until Saturday, October 6 at midnight to join!!!

Thanks Deniece for creating this awesome swap! Love you & can't wait to see you over Christmas!!!

Don't forget to visit Deniece's blog at What Mimi loves


P.S. Did I mention how freaking EXCITED I am that I get to see some of my favorite Houston blogging women this weekend at our October meet-up? I can't wait because I miss you girls like wooooah, especially since I wasn't able to attend the Symposium last month! :( Love you girls & I am so glad that I have had the privilege to form such strong friendships with some of the most amazing women Houston, Texas has to offer!

Sorority Sisters!

P.S.S. Is anyone else so sad that Honey Boo Boo got rid Glitzy the pig & that People magazine actually published an article about the sad event? I mean come on, i'm sure we have ALL just dreamed of owning a pig... right? ... wrong. But, still, I can't believe that People actually cared enough (wasn't anything else going on in the reality world? No new RPatz gossip? Kim K and Kanye news? GIIIIVVVEEE MEEE A BRREEEAKKK!)

Visit People Magazine's article here... FAREWELL GLITZY!