Thirty-three for 33

You might notice a few repeats from last year! I'm trying to be less lofty this year - we'll see how well I do.

1. Set up automatic transfer for all bills (90% done, but I’ve been dragging my feet on a couple of accounts for which I have to mail in a voided check)
2. Set up automatic transfer to Anna's college fund
3. Cook one meal a week (I am lucky and have a husband who cooks!)
4. Clean out my jewelry box and organize into a workable system
5. Sign our wills & health care directives (they’re written, just not signed!)
6. Finish the wills & health care directives I was working on for my parents the day before Anna was born (oops)
7. Sew a simple project—pillow cover, drapes, apron, etc.
8. Roast a chicken (still haven’t done this!)
9. Take Anna to Disneyland
10. Watch the Oscar Best Picture nominees
11. Finish and frame our family tree
12. Join a CSA
13. Keep flossing my teeth every day
14. Look into getting teeth bleached/whitened
15. Go to Pilates every week
16. Get frames for three pieces of art
17. Sign Anna up for a music or dance class
18. Read Crime and Punishment and Anna Karenina, two books I own but have never finished
19. Read two books for fun each month
20. Look into joining the Junior League
21. Baby #2!?
22. Write law journal article and work on getting it published
23. Permanently clean out guest room
24. Sell stuff on eBay or garage sale
25. Try five new restaurants
26. Take Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University course
27. Learn how to put my hair into a French twist
28. Read to Anna every day
29. Stay in my current size (unless maternity clothes are in the cards)
30. Go hiking in the Sandias (or Jemez or Sangre de Cristos)
31. Remember to use my reusable bags for groceries
32. Organize our CDs (and possibly burn everything to iTunes so we can sell the discs?)
33. Attend my 5-year law school reunion

Advent celebrations

This will be Anna's second Christmas - but it's the first year we have used her Advent calendar. Last year she was too little to walk, much less hang ornaments. But this year she's got it down!

Anna's calendar was given by two of her favorite aunties and filled with homemade ornaments made at my baby shower two years ago. I absolutely love that she is getting to use this treasured sure-to-be-an-heirloom. You can see it hanging in the background of these photos from the shower - little did I know then (bloated as all get out) how much fun it would be watching my daughter take out the ornaments and hang them on the tree!



And here is Anna last night, hanging ornament #16 on the tree:


It means the world to me that Anna has this gift from women who love her... even women who have never met her and, in the case of my dear friend Emilie, never will. I know Anna’s (and any future children’s) Advent memories will be filled with the love of these sweet friends and family. Thanks, E and J, for this precious gift!

I've been reading up on other Advent-with-kids thoughts, too. It's never too early to start family traditions - even if you think a not-yet-2-year-old can participate, you might be surprised. (As I was when Anna skillfully hung ornaments on our tree!) There are some good thoughts on this blog. I had every intention of doing St. Nicholas and St. Lucia celebrations this year, but didn't get to it. Maybe next year. But in the meantime, we find a new ornament every day and light our wreath candles every night, and it is good.

Happy Advent to all who celebrate!

crafty

Oh, and because someone asked how the project referenced in this post turned out, here is an "after" shot:


I followed this tutorial and used the names of all the streets where Seth and I lived before we got married. To be sure, no one will be fooled that we paid $$$$$ for a vintage subway sign, but I like the personalization and am happy with how it turned out. (And the whole thing cost about $14, so that works for me!)

Happy Advent!

We've been up to quite a few things lately!

Anna's crib got turned into a big girl bed.


She likes it. A lot.


I had my gallbladder out. It went extremely well, and I had very pleasant company.


We went to our good friends' annual St. Cecelia party (named for the patron saint of musicians, at which we drink a lot of wine and sing songs around the piano, usually at the same time).



We decorated our tree.


We met Santa. He had a book and candy canes, so he was all right in Anna's book.


We celebrated my parents' 40th anniversary...


... with a very nice dinner at a very nice restaurant, which has no high chairs, only booster seats. Note: I will not be doing this again any time soon. Oh, how I do not love getting butter smeared in my hair while trying to enjoy my creme brulee. ;)


Oh, how I love that little monkey, though!

More about our Advent/Christmas celebrating to come!