Bird Couch Cuddles in the Huckleberry house: Holiday Cheer and Exam Stress

It's holiday music time! I'm not much for Christmas stuff but I do love the classics.

Matthew, the sentimental one in our family, loves Christmas music, and it could be heard from his room all through the month of December. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Charlie Brown Christmas, Rocking around the Christmas tree. *sigh* Being at college, far from family and friends, it was nice to see that Matty had put up one of his 30 mins of selected music podcasts in a holiday theme here. I admit, I got all warm and fuzzy inside remembering Christmas morning greasy breakfasts and giving presents to the cats who indifferently turn their butts to the very fetching harness and leash set in red. I remember all the hours spent in front of the tv during the school break watching holiday specials. A Christmas Story, Muppets Christmas...so many.

(Blegh)

Here at Fleming we are now getting full swing into Exam season.

For most people, exams are taken online in the Computer Testing centre, a very small place compared to the number of students who have to write tests in there during the week.

This morning after a weeks worth of on and off studying, I waited 5 or six minutes in a very long line-up to take my Ecology and the Environment final test. I was surprised it was only 50 questions of multiple choice (all of our tests have been multiple choice so far), a bit of answer guessing and it was bing bang boom done and out of my head! Goodbye Ecology! It's a good feeling to get these courses finished one test at a time. Chomping at the bit to get into the meat of our program. Wildlife Observation Skills? How fun is that going to be!

Unfortunately, exam stress has a way of making you cast off all your past activities and hobbies in a big heap under the bed. Literally and figuratively that's where they are right now. Books unread, embroidery thread not stuck through white cotton and yarn not turned into presents. That's something to, holiday presents. I had the ambitious plan to hand make all my gifts. Failed, however, to factor in the reality of school and eating and sleeping and finding the motivation. As long as Dylan's mittens get done I'll be satisfied. Have the first cuff finished so it's looking good.

A sudden burst of festive spirit left me with the craving to make snowflakes and decorations for the winter season. It's what you need when the cold, grey gloominess is all you ever see out your window. I was able to find a tutorial for the neatest star/snowflake to hang in the window. A rather good way to use up scrap paper from school. Afterwards I plan to blend it all and make up some new paper as soon as I get together some wood and screening.

Jackie got in on it as well and soon the room was littered with tiny bits of paper, with some nice results. Steve certainly looked fetching.

Our creative endeavours don't end there, oh no.

We were presented with an Amber with the desire to look like Cindy Lou Who for a Christmas party. Couldn't really remember how she looked in the new movie but I vaguely remembered very tall hair with braids. So this is what we got

There were Christmas present bows and other additions later but I forgot to take a picture. All it took was a small plastic cup on her head that the hair could be wrapped over.