Before September

I have a goal.

I wore this dress to my cousin's wedding in September 2011. I loved this dress, and I felt great in it. I have a wedding to go to in September 2014, and I want to wear it again. Right now, it does not fit, but I am probably only about 15ish pounds away. This is definitely an obtainable goal. I am still looking for a workout program that works for me, so I am going to try Barre 3. While there are no studios close enough for me to attend classes, I have signed up for the online program. I am hoping that having something to work for with an end date will help me actually do the work.

But for now, I have a goal.

Making More Than Cookies

As I was going through my life list, I came across a few that I can already cross off. One was making cookies for Santa.

I love baking and was really looking forward to when Munchkin (and eventually Peanut) was old enough to bake cookies for Santa with me. While last year he possibly would have been able to assist, I was too sick to do anything. This year, the two of us made cookies.

We started a new tradition, and headed up to my in-laws' much nicer kitchen. We didn't make everything that I had originally planned, I decided to keep it simple and not push him beyond what he found to be fun. And he did have fun, he loved dumping in the ingredients, mixing with both a spoon and the hand mixer and getting to roll the dough into balls. After they were done cooking, he loved sharing the cookies with the entire family, and we had to hold some back so that there would be some for Santa.

I cannot wait to do this again next year, with another helper.

Moving Past Buckets

A few years ago, I wrote a bucket list. I thought long and hard about my list, struggling to get to 100 items and then rarely looked at it again. Then a few months ago, a friend posted about her experience in creating a life list. I like that much better, a list of life goals which focuses more on living than on the end. Karen from Chookooloonks I believe said it best:

Your life list isn't a "must do before I die" list, it's a list to help remind you as you're going through life, when opportunity comes knocking (and really, it's surprising how often it will come knocking), you should go ahead and give it a go. It's a list to look at when you find yourself somewhat bored, or needing a little jolt, so you can pick something to try to do. It's a list that, when you're old, you'll look at it and think, "Wow. Look at all the cool things I attempted in my life";

So I'm updating my bucket list with a life list, and one that I plan to grow.

Deep Freeze

We've been in a deep freeze here. Winter has not been kind, although not as bad as three years ago. That winter, we had so much snow, that it was February before Munchkin got a chance to get out in it and he was not a fan. Peanut has already tested out the snow, and he had no problems.

The boys had fun posing with our neighbor's snowman.

Then they convinced Daddy to make one for them.

Munchkin was excited to make footprints in the field near school.

All this happened in December, and I am sure the rest of winter will be more of the same. While it has snowed a lot since then it has been too cold to stay outside and play. I have also been slacking on the photos, something else that I need to work on now. In other news, Munchkin has gotten over his dislike of the snow, and made his first snow angel the other day.

What is winter like where you live?

Linking up with Mama Kat
5.) Show us what winter looks like in your neck of the woods!

A Year of Changes to Come

Over the holiday season, we hosted a small gathering of friends for a fondue party. We started doing this years ago, and have since added four small, yet very mobile, people. It was a lot of fun, and I in no way regret doing it, but prepping to have all those people in our small apartment showed me how much stuff we have. We had every intention of having the apartment in perfect company order and keep it that way through the holidays and beyond. Instead, my husband and I were shoving things into our bedroom last minute to get it out of sight. We have more stuff than we have places to put it, and I am tired of living this way.

I know it is so cliche to say you are going to make such a change at the beginning of the year, and I'm even over a week late, but I definitely feel like this is long due. The holidays are over, the out-of-town family has gone home, and right now is the calm before the next company storm with birthdays right around the corner. I am not making resolutions, since I so rarely seem to keep them anyway, but I do want to make changes. I want to live simpler, declutter and spend more time in the now. I need to focus a little more on me, since this past year especially I have been focused on others.

In this season of new goals, what are you focusing on?

A Simple Christmas

I had big grand dreams about how I would celebrate the holidays this year. I was trying to figure out the best way to display an activity Advent calendar, what activities to do and so many other plans. First, I decided that I was going to have Munchkin make a mailbox which I was planning on buying at Michael's. Then I couldn't find a mailbox, so I just got supplies to make the cards anyway to deal with our space issue.

Then I read Lora Lynn Fanning's letter to mamas of littles and I dropped almost all my plans. I still am doing activities with the boys, but it is much more informal. Neither boy can read yet, so the elaborate activity calendar was really just for me, and I don't need it. Munchkin is going to remember that he decorated a gingerbread house, not that he found out because I read him a perfectly coordinated card.

So I have a chocolate calendar for Munchkin (which he has been enjoying so far), the Santa's beard calendar and some crafts, stickers and coloring sheets to keep Munchkin occupied for the month. I got the Truth in the Tinsel with the printable ornaments to bring a bit of the religious aspect into the season, which I learned about from The Art of Simple's Advent plan (with a discount code).

But the most important thing to me this year is just being here with the boys. I don't want to be so busy that none of us enjoy this time of year, which really is amazing. And so I want to let them enjoy the season, and I want to enjoy them.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Our tree is up, and our "elf" decorated it last night. Peanut woke up first this morning, which was perfect for me, as I got to spend a few minutes letting him take in the tree before his brother got up. He was so happy and so excited. The pure joy on his face as he saw the lights and the ornaments for the first time. I wish that I was able to capture them on camera, but as I was holding him I wasn't able to. I hope that it is a look that I never forget, and a look that comes back each year. All he wanted to do was grab everything, which is why we have a small tabletop tree this year.

Munchkin was so excited to see what Jingle McJingles' Christmas magic had done. Our tree had been up for a week, bare as we waited for it to open. This morning Munchkin's face showed such amazement as he explored the tree, looking at all the different ornaments, many that he has seen before but none that he seemed to remember.

Mornings like these are one of the things that I absolutely love about Christmas, the innocence of childhood, the pure belief in magic and miracles. It was smiles and hugs, happiness and joy. It was perfect in its simplicity, and everything that I could wish for.