lots to do

I've been crazy busy around here the last few days. The kids finished painting and decorating the advent calendar and we put it up last Friday.



That is the wall right above our chimney. I placed little tasks inside each box. Things like make peppermint hot chocolate, cut snowflakes, write a letter to Santa, etc. The kids are really enjoying it.
We also put up most of the decorations this past weekend. Everything that we have indoors is up. The only thing missing are the lights outside. It has been way too windy to put those up yet.
Also, Brianna's school asked us for some supplies because they are making a gift for the parents. They asked for a bag full of cloth strips a little less wider than a ruler. So I took ten years cutting that. They are also making a "quilt book report" due this Friday. Yes, we have to make a quilt. Thankfully, it's only 9 squares.
The last thing that has been taking up my time is the cheerleading. Our season is almost over. Whew. We knew since the beginning of the season that the last day would be a cheer-off. I'd asked the people in charge about a million times about what this would consist of. I'd been told again and again that all the squads would pick their favorite cheer and perform it. Then the squad with the most spirit wins. I was pretty confident because these girls are WAY louder than the rest. I thought it was in the bag. Then at the game this Saturday, I got a flyer giving me the details for the cheer-off. We are to perform a routine with our own music, then a few cheers all to last no longer than four minutes. WTF?!?! A routine? Like a dance? Taught by me? I couldn't concentrate for the rest of the game just thinking up of what to do. I thought about maybe having them wear Santa hats and doing a Christmas song. Then I thought about making antlers and having them dance to that Run Rudolph song. Of course later I realized that the girls would be mortified to do this in front of the football players (since they all have a crush on each other) and decided to do something that is "cool" to them. (Presuming that "cool" is still a word that kids use now.) When I got home, I started going through all my music trying to look for something that could be used for a cheer dance. Think something upbeat like a dance song or something. Also, something that is appropriate for girls aged 5-10 (nothing like that Milkshake song or My Humps, which of course, I don't own anyway) Rodrigo was a huge help by looking through his old music folders. The problem is that all our dance music is like 90's techno. Like the Sneaker Pimps and the Chemical Brothers. Anyway, I finally found a short mix online and am now going crazy trying to come up with a dance. If someone saw me dancing and counting they'd think I've lost my mind. Anyway, I have to teach this today, so wish me luck. Oh, and don't laugh at me.