The New Years Card

Have I mentioned that I'm not doing Christmas cards this year? Ya, how unlike me ... but, I am sending out New Years cards. I just couldn't get my act together in time to devote enough time to the Christmas card thing. I didn't get the photo shoot set up for family photos and didn't get around to even getting a good photo of Lubbock until Saturday.

I'm not using these photos, but thought they were great in all their own ways. The first one because it cracks me up that he still comes at me when I'm taking his picture. You can see the beginnings of dimples and I love the way his eyes turn up when he smiles.


This one is great because it's just the typical Lubbock look. He's oh, so serious. Most of the time.


And I really like this one because of the lighting and his little red nose and cheeks. I really am lucky, aren't I?

The Tree Is Up

Aunt Lo came by and placed ornaments on the tree as I tied elastic ribbon to each ball. They are non-breakable, but I did not want to use metal hooks, so I opted for the extremely tedious task of affixing the ribbon to each. Knowing how OCD I am, Lauren agreed to help with the condition I didn't critique her work. Not only did I not say anything, I didn't move anything! (Big step, I know!) Mostly, by the time it was all said and done, I was too tired ... but ... she did a great job, too!

We've gone with a deep red, brown, bronze, and gold theme. I found some fabric that I will have made into a tree skirt and stockings. I just need to find some brown faux fur for the top!

I plan on using the leftover fabric to make some small bird ornaments. I think that if I spray it with fabric stiffener ... I should be able to make it work ... but basically it will look like this. (It's the 7th picture down.) But the fabric will look help bring the colors on the tree and the orange in the living room together. Orange is a Christmas color, right? Well, in my house it is.

Other decorations around the house include: an undecorated wreath on the front door, a small pre-lit tree in the master bedroom, and a metal Santa statue in the living room. It's too dark and gloomy outside for me to get great pictures of anything, so those will have to wait for another day.

Speaking of gloomy ... It appears that I have been selected for jury duty in January. I got the letter today. I don't think they'll choose me since I have so much experience as an injury adjuster ... that pretty much precludes you because they assume you start off agreeing with the prosecutor. Whatever ... It's $10/day! Even less than working the polls!

And speaking of polls ... with the Governor's charges today, there is talk of a special election in relation to filling Obama's seat. I may be able to work another 15 hour day for $145! Woo hoo! The economy's lookin' better and better!

And speaking of ... well, there's not a great transition for this one ... my big time sorority White Elephant party was canceled for tonight. It's getting icy out there and they don't want to drive on it. I can't blame them, but ... man, I cleaned the house for nothing! Okay, I never got around to mopping the floors ... but, maybe I'll do that when Lubbock goes to bed since Kevin will be at a work thingy. The one nice thing about work thingys is that I get to eat at Taco Bell. Mmmm.

The Bottle Cap Business

Gretchen was kind enough to host a Holiday Market for all of her entrepreneurial friends to show off their goods this afternoon.

The youngest of the business-minded gals included her daughter, Meredith, and Meredith's friend, Mollie. They are super crafty ... they make fleece pillows, decorated purses and bags, picture frames and fashion necklaces out of bottle caps! The back of the bottle cap has a magnet affixed to it and you can interchange the bottle caps to match whatever your mood is for that day. What a clever idea ... and cute, too!

I bought a few because the designs matched my kitchen and I can use the bottle caps as magnets. Who couldn't use more kitchen magnets?

If you're looking to purchase these little pieces of handmade perfection ... visit It's a Girl Thing in downtown Geneva. If I had a girl, I'm sure it would be a place we would spend many an afternoon.

I thought the picture with the tree in the middle was quite representative of the two of them. They were moving around so much all afternoon that I couldn't get a picture of them standing still. They're such smart business women already. If they didn't have a specific product, they had an order sheet for special requests ... promising to get back to them as soon as possible. And of course, the best business decision was the offer to hold Lubbock while I looked at all the goodies. Such a promising future, those two!

There was a Stampin' Up rep and Tastefully Simple rep, too. They had beautiful and delicious holiday ideas. At this point, however, Lubbock was infinitely more interested in trying to destroy said displays than allowing me to look at them for any amount of time.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Michelle of The Blackberry Briar. She makes hand poured soy candles (and is a doll maker and artist as well). Even before speaking to her, I was a fan of soy candles for several reasons. They don't produce a sooty smoke and they burn more slowly than your traditional candle will. So, I couldn't resist buying a small candle for the bathroom (in the Apple Tango scent) and a large candle (Bittersweet Berry) for the living room ... I can't wait to burn these. Instead, right now, I'm sitting here just smelling it. And smelling it. And smelling it. The berry candle just smells of winter warm pie (it's a good thing, I promise!).

So, after all that excitement ... Lubbock and I went home to work on putting our tree together with the help of Aunt Lo. I still think the tree is crooked and is lacking a little something on the top, so I'm not fully prepared to post pictures (lest you think there's something in my house that's less than perfect). Such high standards.

The Well Traveled Frosting

I've grounded myself from the computer until the house is ready for the holidays, but I couldn't resist ...

I'm cleaning out my food pantry looking for things to donate and checking expiration dates. I found lots of expired things, but a can of frosting that expired in 2003 took the cake (get it!?!).

It got me thinking about how well-traveled this can of frosting is. First, it was manufactured in Minneapolis, made its way to a grocery store in Oklahoma City (or Ardmore or Duncan ... depending on where I lived when I bought it). Lived with me for a while in Oklahoma, moved with us to Texas, moved with us to Illinois where it lived in a rental for six months and now is in our present home.

I should really clean out the pantry more often.

The 100th Post

100 things to do in your lifetime ...

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland ... been to Disney World
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea ... watched one on a lake
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (well, walked one when I was in elementary school ... I'm counting it)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (I think I have anyway)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language (learned sign language when I was young ... forgotten it by now)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (when I was a little kid ... sigh)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business ... I want to start a party planning business ... one day
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy ... wow! I can't believe I did do this.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job (I was going to quit the day they fired me)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Totally copied a post from someone else's blog to your own

The Winter Blues

Sigh. I finished entering the month's activities into my planner (why I don't enter things as they pop up, I'll never know). We have several overlapping events, but nothing major. Basically, Lubbock can't be in the house on Tuesday because I'm hosting the December sorority alumni event and Kevin has a business dinner that night, so he can't be here to take Lubbock out ... but, no big deal ... I am so happy I have friends who will let Lubbock hang out with them (even if it's until ... I don't even know how late!). I realized last night that I am way behind on everything. I haven't done anything to the tree that Kevin set up and put lights on. I haven't gone through the box of Christmas gifts I've purchased throughout the year to make the final list of gifts I still have to purchase. I haven't made a menu for the sorority event or the open house next weekend. This time of year always frustrates me. But, I'm probably being too hard on myself. What have I done?

Hmmm ... What have I done?

Over the last few months, I've written 99 posts on a blog that has hundreds of readers ... and by hundreds ... I mean a few. (I heart my readers.) So, to honor the upcoming 100th post ... I'm stealing a list from Melisa's blog. I'm guessing it's meant to be the ultimate 'bucket list' of things to do in a life time ... stay tuned ...

The First Sled Ride and an Already Failed Tradition

I told Heather today that I wouldn't be half the parent I am without the ideas in Family Fun magazine. Have I mentioned I heart that magazine yet?

I steal ideas from articles and other moms and am totally impressed with myself. Last year, I read an idea a mom did where she bought her kids new craves, hats, and mittens every year, but didn't give them to her children until the first big snow fall. She even wrapped them and presented them as presents celebrating the arrival of winter. I realize this wouldn't work in Texas, but since I'm in Illinois ... I'm embracing one advantage of living here!

Yesterday and today constituted the first big snow fall. But (even though I bought the hat and mittens a month ago), I haven't wrapped them yet. And, I know Kevin would appreciate seeing how Lubbock reacts to opening a present since he hasn't opened one since his birthday in May. So, I promise to wrap it tonight and let Lubbock show off his unwrapping skills tomorrow night. Maybe next year I'll be more on top of things.

Aunt Lauren came over after work and took Lubbock out for his first official sled ride (Aunt Lo's early Christmas gift to Lubbock). We didn't go down a hill, she just dragged him around the backyard. He still had fun. This is definitely one of the times I love living in Illinois. But, with the sun going down so early, the pictures weren't that great ... it wasn't even 5 yet!

I know I'm jumping around, but on Saturday ... Kevin went to get his hair cut at our favorite local salon, Sue's Family Hair Co. He texted (what is the proper form of that verb?) me saying that all cuts and manicures were half price for the rest of the afternoon! Score! So, I got there as quick as I could ... sat in the chair and said ... "Do whatever you want." Pause. "Well, don't cut more than three inches." Pause. "Oh, and I don't want anything a-symmetrical." Pause. "Yep ... do whatever you want." So ... that's the result. I wasn't sure I liked it at first ... but, I certainly wasn't going to complain. I told the guy my only two restrictions and he followed them. But, for some reason, this morning, it seemed to look better. I take horrible pictures of myself ... but there it is. (I took about 50 and that was the one where my face looked the least round.) Oh, and I took one like all the teenagers you see ... I know ... I'm a dork. I just wanted to see what I'd look like doing it. Not attractive. Whatever.