Saturday

Goals For A New Year

1. Learn the accordion
2. Get my hair long enough for a wavy side ponytail
3. Read more. I have a stack of books borrowed from my dad to get me started and a brand new Kindle Fire.
4. Try a new recipe once a week
5. Detox/cleanse in the beginning of the year
6. Start cross-stitching again
7. Put myself out there more- I'm signing up for two things to jump start this resolution
8. Reacquaint myself with the basics of sewing

Thursday

What's In My Netflix Instant Queue

1. Winter's Bone
2. The Kennedy's
3. Bleak House
4. Pollock
5. Precious
6. Exit Through the Gift Shop
7. The Safety Of Objects
8. Conversations With Other Women
9. Ken Burns: Civil War
10. Patton
11. The Wonder Years
12. Teen Wolf
13. All The Days Before Tomorrow
14. Crips & Bloods: Made In America
15. Reel Injun
16. Last of the Mohicans
17. Pearl Jam Twenty
18. The West
19. National Geographic: Aryan Brotherhood

Monday

This Week

1. Figuring out where to put all of the kids new Christmas toys
2. Visiting with our friends Mark and Kara and his parents
3. Going to Crane to see my grandparents
4. Going to Branson to see my family and go to Silver Dollar City
5. Visiting with my friend Jaimie, hopefully
6. Buying some sort of multi-faceted, multi-basket/drawer toy organization system
7. Going out with friends for New Year's Eve

Sunday

Christmas Morning Breakfast

1. French toast bread pudding
2. Oranges
3. Scrambled eggs
4. Hot chocolate and chai tea and orange juice

Saturday

My Unrealistic Christmas List

1. There was a wooden piece of art of a Native American in Sierra Madre, CA at a tiny brunch place that I loved
2. A charcoal colored Audi Q7
3. An accordion
4. A Rimi Yang piece
5. A house
6. Maid service for a year
7. "Surprise! We are moving to Arkansas!" -my husband
8. A sectional that includes a chaise and a recliner
9. An at-home private David Gray concert
10. Razorback football season tickets
11. Disney World trip with my whole family
12. New laptop
13. A springtime trip to Portland/Seattle/Vancouver with Andy
14. A lake house on Table Rock Lake

Friday

My Gifts From Conway Christmas

1. Skirts- this one and one almost like it but a different pattern and one long maxi skirt from Anthropologie
2. A wrap top from Anthropologie's sale room that I have loved for a long time
3. A tiffin stacker
4. Leggings from American Apparel in black, mud, and charcoal
5. A charm necklace with a couple letter charms to start me off (an "r" and a "w")
6. A Super Slurpee Shaker that we fell sucker to at a demonstration. It really is novel and fun.
7. This bracelet that I love
8. A bevy of more wonderfulness that would just be entirely too gratuitous to list and should have never been relegated as simply "stocking stuffers." My parents are definitely gift givers.

Thursday

Who We Received Photo Cards From This Year

1. The McClures
2. The Wrights
3. The Peters
4. The Langs
5. The Eoffs
6. The Sarvies
7. The Ewings
8. The Swanns
9. The Lacinys
10. The Moores
11. The McKinleys
12. The Blazers

Wednesday

What I Want To Accomplish Today

1. Run down the street and get W's hair cut
2. Unpack
3. Order some boots
4. Watch an episode of Downton Abbey
5. Dinner and to the Fox to see Beauty and the Beast with W, Mis, and Sonya
6. Read a few chapters of my book

Tuesday

How The Plains Indians Relied On The Entire Buffalo

1. Food
2. Lodging (their teepees made of hides)
3. Fuel-from dried dung
4. Tools (bone implements and water pouches made from the paunch)
5. Tack (bridles, thongs, and saddles made of hide)
6. Ropes- from twisted hair
7. Clothing (buckskins, moccasins, and fur robes)
8. Weapons (bowstrings made from sinews and clubs)
9. I also remember my Aunt Judy saying the kids probably used the eyeballs as marbles while we were visiting the Westward Expansion Museum under the Arch when I was little
10. The book I'm reading also talks about the Indians drinking the stomach contents of killed buffalo- that the curdled milk from a buffalo calf still nursing was an exceptional delicacy.

Monday

What R Received For Christmas From My Parents

1. He-Man DVD set
2. A Mickey Mouse stuffed animal
3. Bristle blocks
4. A toy barn with little animals
5. A plane
6. Playmobil horses set
7. Playmobil motorcycle man
8. Razorback piggy bank
9. Dinosaur puzzle
10. A dress shirt
11. A sleeping bag

Sunday

What We Gifted My Family

(we don't buy for my nieces, nephews, or my siblings- except for Tracy, because she will always be my sweet baby sister)
1. We bought my dad this terranium from Crate & Barrel. He likes terraniums.
2. Mom received a small and medium cake stand from Sur la table.
3. My mom's birthday is Tuesday, so she got her annual wall calendar with photos of her grandkids
4. For Tracy's birthday, I bought her some lavender and geranium Mrs. Meyer's soy candles
5. For Christmas, I bought Tracy these cute little shoes

Saturday

Our Christmas Italian Dinner At My Parent's House

1. Cheese ravioli
2. Meat lasagna
3. Vegan lasagna
4. Garlic bread
5. Salad
6. Sauteed vegetables
7. Vegan stuffed manicotti
8. Stuffed manicotti
9. Chicken Alfredo
10. Pumpkin pies
11. Hello Dollies
12. Buckeyes
13. Thumbprint cookies
14. Chocolate macadamian meltaways

Friday

W's Teachers' Christmas Gifts

A shortened version of 12 Days of Christmas because W only goes on MWF and I got a late start-one for every school day in December
1. Christmas tins filled with Hershey's Hugs and a note
2. $5 Starbucks gift cards
3. Cute little owl ornament for their Christmas trees
4. Fancy chocolate truffle bars from Whole Foods in their favorite flavors
5. $10 Bread Co. gift cards
6. Rosemary trees
7. A baking gift set from Penzey's

Thursday

Today's Must-Do List

1. Pack for a long weekend in Arkansas
2. Wrap my little sister's birthday present
3. Get an oil change for my car
4. Puddy to the groomers
5. Bake sugar cookies for W's school Christmas party. Thankfully my friend Lauren switched with me and took over the deli meat. I didn't even understand what to do. I'd rather make sugar cookies than cube meat or roll up ham or whatever.
6. Take my mom's birthday present to be done
7. Pack car bags for the kids and set up DVD player
8. Do laundry
9. Pick up the house
10. Wrap last of the teacher gifts

Wednesday

Sephora Wish List

1. This body butter. I've adopted my little sister's moisturizing regimen. If you are familiar with it, you know what an undertaking this is.
3. Laura Mercier eye repair serum My "around my eyes" area is definitely a trouble spot.
4. Lipstick in Hot Tango. Love the bold reds these days.
5. My favorite fragrance. I have a hard time spending money on perfume.
10. I love this stuff. Laura Mercier is the best.
12. Cute little makeup bag. I would carry it as a purse.

Tuesday

My Second Day Of Jury Duty: My 5 Favorite Alcoholic Drinks

1. Jack Daniels whiskey and Coke
2. Malbec red wine
3. Gin and tonic
4. Woodchuck hard cider
5. Margaritas

Monday

What's In My Bag For A Day Of Jury Duty

1. Book about the Comanche Indians
2. Dental floss
3. Pineapple coconut water
4. Can of Coke
5. Lunch- Terra Chips, a wrap, (mushroom, avocado, red pepper, spinach, and carrot) and a whiskey brownie
6. Green tea mints
7. My iPhone
8. Burt's Bees lip balm
9. My glasses and contacts case
10. iPhone charger
11. Drivers license
12. A $20 bill

Sunday

Things I Don't Like About Christmas

1. Not being with my family
2. Those peel-off-back bows
3. Yule log- I don't even know what it is, but it just sounds off
4. Holiday ham
5. Egg nog
6. Cold weather and everyone wanting it to snow
7. Overly-glittered Christmas cards that dump everywhere when you open the envelope
8. "Santa Got Ran Over By A Reindeer"
9. Having to buy gifts for people you have no idea what to get for
10. That after Christmas, you have the long cold months of January, February, and March

Thursday

Sweets I'm Planning On Baking Saturday

1. Caramel apple bites
2. Chocolate caramel cookies
3. Hello Dollies
4. Whiskey brownies
5. Chocolate chip cheesecake bars
6. Banana pudding shooters

Wednesday

Today's To-Do List

1. Drop off gifts at school
2. Whole Foods shopping
3. Organize teachers' gifts
4. Clean out car, which means really pay someone to clean it
5. Ask my husband to put away Christmas boxes, take Goodwill bags to the car, and take out the recycling
6. Wrap kids' stocking stuffers
7. Make cookies for art fair staff cookie exchange
8. Fold laundry

Tuesday

Last Night's Supper

1. I was physically and emotionally drained from a long day of decorating, (2.5 hours on trees, 1.5 hours on house, and 2 hours of cleaning up and putting boxes away while also wrangling 2 toddlers) so my husband brought home Penn Station subs for dinner. God bless him.
2. He had the 10" Philly Cheesesteak with just the meat and cheese
3. The kids shared a 6" grilled cheese, and I warmed up tomato sauce for dipping purposes
4. They also had fruit- blackberries and a clementine for R and strawberries for W
5. The kids and Andy had Baked Lays
6. I had my favorite- an 8" Grilled Artichoke with added mushrooms, lettuce, and pickles. Delicious.
7. I also had Terra Chips- sweet potato and beet- which are the ultimate chip for me and ring in at a full serving of vegetables for 15 chips, so you'd better believe I ate 15 chips.
8. The kids drank Bolthouse Farms Green Goddess juice
9. Andy and I had Soarin' Strawberry Lemonade Kool-Aid (don't judge- we are in our 30s, don't let our kids drink it to be ultimate hypocrites- but it's my guilty pleasure in life to partake in the occasional 2 quarts of heavenly drink)

Monday

Numbers: Christmas Edition

1. 3- trees in our house, 2 big and 1 small
2. 5- stockings hanging, because we don't leave out our sweet doggie
3. 70- approximate number of Christopher Radko ornaments
4. 20- days until Christmas
5. 11- presents under our trees right now
6. 5- people on my list I still need to shop for
7. 5- giant snowflakes hanging from my ceiling
8. 23- childrens Christmas books we have
9. 11- days until we celebrate Christmas in Arkansas
10. 5- "Chatham Angels" ornaments I have
11. 26- candy canes hanging on the trees
12. 3- gifts I bought for my husband
13. 16- actual Advent calendar things I put in, because I got a five day late start and we will be out of town for four days
14. 9- Christmas parties/events we have on the calendar for December
15. 0- days I would like for it to snow
16. 19- beautiful crocheted ornaments I have from my beloved, sweet great-aunt Mert
17. 53- balls I use decoratively around the house, not counting the ones on the tree
18. 2.5- hours it takes me to decorate the trees
19. 2- angels we have out made from paper plates
20. 4- members of our little snowman family on the bookshelf
21. 4- nativity sets we own
22. 3000- nativity sets a woman in Denton, Texas owns
23. 6- choices of wire ribbon for gift wrapping
24. 5- poinsettia plants I want to get- I miss working at the preschool that sold them as a fundraiser. They were inexpensive and huge.
25. 1- Christmas card we've received so far. Score one for the Swanns and their cute photo card.
26. 4- Christmas crafts I have planned for the kids
27. 3- lit evergreen garland strands I have used
28. 6- times I've limited the kids to pressing the play button in a row of the little dancing snowman/penguins thing from Hallmark that sing "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."
29. 27- days until I take down the Christmas trees
30. 3- gifts we buy each of our kids
31. 1- little baby born a long time ago that often gets put in the background of all the craziness

Sunday

Sunday

1. Went to church this morning
2. I had baked eggplant and and seasoned, wilted greens for lunch
3. The kids broke in their new indoor swing that Dad installed
4. I am going to decorate the trees and wrap presents today
5. The kids are going to watch Mickey's Christmas Carol today
6. Quesadillas for dinner
7. Hot chocolate for dessert


Friday

Smells I Don't Like

1. Damp Cheerios. When I worked in the baby room at a day care, I thought I needed a gas mask during snack time.
2. The car after fast food
3. My clothes after Mexican food or coffee place
4. Coins or my hands after I've touched change...
5. Barbecue sauce
6. Lunch meat
7. My childrens feet when they don't wear socks
8. That plastic-y/chemical smell on some toys that I consequently do not purchase
9. Kentucky Fried Chicken
10. The Disney Store, which is really all of their perfumes and whatnot. It's horrifying.
11. Tires
12. Winter-believe me, it does have a smell, and I resent it.
13. Books you check out from the library

Thursday

This Weekend

1. The kids are spending the night out so I can go out with friends tonight. I really need a girls night out.
2. I'm going to use my free Friday morning to take a long nap.
3. Andy's work Christmas party. Never much fun, but at least I have a cute dress.
4. I am going to make some delicious buckeyes.
5. I am also going to cook cheesy quinoa patties.
6. Hopefully, we'll get our Christmas trees so that I can finish up my decorating.
7. Crafts at the Greentree Advent Workshop. It is such a fun event!
8. Christmas shopping with Missy
9. I have to get the advent calendar up and full of festive activities
10. I'll watch at least one Christmas movie- Love Actually, maybe?