Year: 2011

Well, I thought I was going to write a serious, reflective post about saying goodbye to 2011, but Caroline’s best friend spent the night last night and I was too busy ordering pizza from Papa John’s and watching Dolphin Tale and listening to two eight-year-old girls do a karaoke version of Firework.

And in the days before that, my friend Michelle came to visit and we spent a lot of time shopping after-Christmas sales and solving at least 64% of the world’s problems.

But I hated to end 2011 with a post about my ill-gotten Christmas boots because it’s been quite a year.

Listen. We have had some less than stellar years. There was the year of P’s back surgery after I’d left my job and the insurance bills and the dental work and OH MY WORD WE’RE GOING TO END UP LIVING ON THE STREETS. There have been years that have just felt like an exercise in frustration and I wasn’t sad to see them go.

But 2011 has been a great year for our family. We’ve laughed a lot and enjoyed life and spent time with friends and been overwhelmed by God’s faithfulness and provision. And I feel like I need to record that for posterity because sometimes in the midst of a bad year you need to be able to go back and remember the good years.

And this was a good year.

So thanks for the memories, 2011. You were a peach.

But here are some goals (I don’t make resolutions) I’ve set for 2012.

1. Physical fitness.

Y’all. I have been a sloth. At some point I fell off the workout train and I haven’t gotten back onboard. And all of this led to a dark moment in the Nordstrom dressing room when I was able to see a view of myself from all sides.

It’s time to do some lunges. And run. And eat better.

So I’m committing to a healthier lifestyle in 2012. I’m not going to do anything crazy like go on an all-juice diet because that would last one day. I want to make long-term changes that will actually fit into my lifestyle.

2. Clothes shaver

While I was shopping with Gulley and Michelle, I lamented about how all my sweaters get so pilled. Even the nice ones. And Michelle mentioned that she had this clothes shaver thing that gets rid of the pills.

I guess in my head I knew such a thing existed, but I’d never bought one for reasons that I don’t really understand now.

Then yesterday I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and bought an Evercare Clothes Shaver. And came home and obsessively de-pilled about four of my sweaters. I find the whole process oddly therapeutic, kind of like how they have patients in mental institutions make potholders. (I don’t know this firsthand. It’s just something I saw in a movie. Allegedly.)

And so a new obsession is born. I will rid all my sweaters of extraneous fuzz in 2012.

3. Write a book

Yes. This is different than years past when I’d declare “I think I’ll write a book this year.” Now it’s more like “I better finish my book because I’ve signed a legal document promising I will”.

And so, yes, I should probably get on that.

4. Read through the New Testament

Oh sure. Some people read through the entire Bible in a year. I’ve been one of them. And I’ve suffered through Leviticus and been confused in 1 and 2 Chronicles and I’ve lived to tell about it.

But this year I’m going to read through the New Testament. And since I’ve given myself the whole year, I’m going to take my time and really soak it in. It’s not a race, it’s a marathon.

5. Use my iPhone calendar

All the paper calendars were out at Target the other day. But I resisted the urge to pick one up because I’ve decided this is the year I will go completely electronic. So if I no show for a lunch date with you, you’ll know why.

I’ve just decided it’s time to join the 21st century and fully embrace technology. We’ll see how that goes.

And so those are my goals, hopes and dreams for 2012. I realize they are simple things, but I am a simple person with simple ambitions. Plus, that’s about all I can handle.

What about you? Any New Year’s goals?

Happy New Year, y’all! See you in 2012.

There are so many things I could say about this video, but I think I’ll just let you watch it.

Just know that several nativity pieces (or “action figures” as Caroline refers to them) suffered fairly serious casualties. Part of my Christmas celebration will now include firing up the hot glue gun. Because every time a glue gun is hot an angel gets her wings.

And I’m not sure why I had a momentary lapse and agreed that Mary and Joseph came from Jerusalem. It’s Nazareth. I know that. I’ve never been very good at Bible geography.

(As evidenced by the fact that I almost typed Bible geology. Which I guess would be the study of ancient rock formations in the Middle East.)

Merry Christmas, y’all!

Oh.

Hello.

I know I said I may or may not but might possibly write a post or two or six over the next two weeks. And so here I am. Because I had a build up of information I felt like I needed to share. Plus Caroline is currently trying to get past level 189 of Christmas Angry Birds before we go rollerskating with Gulley and her boys later on.

Because nothing says Christmas like an activity that might cause a forty-year-old woman to end up with a broken arm.

And now I’m sitting here trying to remember everything I wanted to share. It seemed like a lot when I woke up at 3:30 this morning thinking about it. Now? I seem to be drawing a blank.

Wait. It’s back.

And it will be in a numerical list formation because that’s so much easier than a narrative.

1. Last night I had my Birthday Club friends over for a little Christmas get together. We keep it very casual and some of us may have even been in our pajamas. Makeup is totally optional. Fun is a given.

In years past we’ve always exchanged a bottle of wine because, well, wine is good. But this year I was inspired by the Nester’s favorite things post and suggested we exchange our favorite things.

And it was so much fun. Really it might have been better than Christmas morning because it was just a bunch of fun little surprises.

Here’s what we each gave. (I think I’m about to create something resembling a real outline. I have no idea what is going on with me. Apparently I’m very organized today.)

A. Cocktail napkins and a cute flower magnet. My napkins say “Low Maintenance is for Rookies.”

Amen.

B. A tube of Moroccan oil for our hair.

Because we all believe in the importance of good hair.

C. A juice box of wine, a People StyleWatch magazine and about six pieces of chocolate.

Forget Midol. That’s the real cure for PMS.

D. A darling turquoise cuff bracelet.

E. Styrofoam cups that read, “Friends are God’s way of making up for our relatives.”

Just in time for the Christmas season and possibly Festivus and the airing of grievances.

I gave everyone pajama pants from Old Navy because I took advantage of the Jingle Jammie sale last weekend.

Anyway, it was so much fun. I highly recommend.

2. Another friend of mine is one of the best cooks I know. And she always makes these sweet roasted tomatoes when we go to her house. And I crave them. They are my kryptonite.

So I emailed her for the recipe so I could make them last night and I thought I’d share it with y’all because it’s so simple and so good.

Sweet Roasted Tomatoes (I’m not sure this is the official name)

Put everything in a pot and bring to boil, then turn down to simmer for 30-45 min. Put it in a casserole dish and top with cubes of French bread, drizzle with olive oil. (I just served with toasted French bread instead of doing the cubes.) Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

3. While I had my friends over, P took Caroline to see the Chipmunks new movie. I’ve never loved him more for taking one for the team. I struggle with the Chipmunks.

I’m pretty sure every time they sing a Lady GaGa song in those little squeaky voices, a box of kittens die.

4. My tree is dead. Like so dead that I feel compelled to give it a pep talk every morning and let it know it only needs to make it five more days before it can go on to a better place.

If you consider the curb by the trash can to be a better place.

5. Look at what the Antelope of the Lord started in our living room.

But I think we all know there is only one true Santalope.

Well.

So.

What happened around here this weekend?

I’m not really sure. But as I sit here with all my memories of nothingness, I’m reminded there was a time when I used to be better about jotting down little notes about funny/strange/bizarre moments that happened over the course of a few days so I wouldn’t forget them and have something to write about.

Yeah.

I should really go back to that system. At some point I have become overconfident in my brain’s capacity to remember various details.

Let’s see. Caroline’s class Christmas party was Friday afternoon and I apparently lived to tell about it. The actual party is never as stressful as all the planning that comes before the party and worrying about who’s bring the marshmallows to dip in the chocolate fountain and WHAT IF SOMEONE FORGETS THE STRAWBERRIES? THE WHOLE PARTY WILL BE RUINED.

You tend to lose perspective about the things that really matter when you’re homeroom mom. Which is why I may step down from my duties next year. Even though that will cause people to judge me because I only have one child and absolutely no job as far as they can tell and what could I possibly be doing with my time other than sending out thirty emails a week prior to Christmas vacation reminding people to bring strawberries and marshmallows?

Caroline was slightly disappointed by the chocolate fountain. She told me on Thursday that she really hoped it would be a chocolate fountain in the shape of a nativity scene and the chocolate would flow from baby Jesus. And I tried to manage her expectations by explaining some folks might think it a wee bit tacky, if not totally blasphemous, to dip marshmallows in a fount of chocolate springing forth from our Lord and Savior.

After we made it home from the party I spent the next two hours on the couch in an attempt to recuperate while Caroline played with some kind of Thinking Putty she talked me into buying. I don’t really know what qualifies it as “thinking” putty, but it glows in the dark and she says it responds to commands. I don’t know about that, but I can tell you that I kept finding it in various places all weekend long and EVERY TIME thought it was something one of the dogs had thrown up.

Friday night we had other plans that fell through and we ended up eating Mexican food with Mimi and Bops and then Caroline and I came home, took up permanent residence on the couch and watched The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. It was exactly the kind of low-key night we both needed and we were both in bed by 10:00. Just like I imagined Friday night would be when I was a teenager.

I immediately went to sleep but woke up to the sound of Bruiser barking at 2:00 a.m. Bruiser rarely barks unless there’s a reason. As opposed to Scout who’s totally deaf and will bark repeatedly as if to prove to himself that he really can’t hear the sound of his own voice.

Anyway, Bruiser was barking. And wouldn’t stop. So I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter and tore open the sash and the shutters (I was so going to do this whole Twas the Night Before Christmas thing here but I can’t remember it right now and I’m too tired to google it.) only to discover that Bruiser had treed a raccoon in our backyard. And my first thought was to wonder why weird stuff like this never seems to happen when P is home. My second thought was I have no idea what to do about this raccoon up in a tree and my obsessed dog at two in the morning.

So I just let the dogs sleep inside. It seemed like the easiest thing even though Caroline told me the next morning I should have just shot that raccoon out of the tree.

Yes.

That was totally going to be my second plan.

Shoot it with what? Her B.B. gun? A marshmallow shooter? Throw some thinking putty at it and see how that turns out?

On Saturday morning I dropped Caroline off at a birthday party for one of her best friends and finished up my Christmas shopping. Then we went to Home Depot because I saw an ad that announced all their outdoor decorations were 40% off. Which wasn’t true. SOME of them were 40% off, but nothing that I would actually want. Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t think when God sent his son to Earth that he intended for us to mark the occasion with a large lit bear that looks a little unnatural and freakish driving a train through our front yard.

(As opposed to the bears driving trains that look totally natural.)

And I tried to explain that to Caroline but she didn’t really seem to understand.

Of course this is the same child that was hoping for a chocolate fountain made out of baby Jesus.

Then Saturday night I went to a party while Caroline stayed with Mimi and Bops. I picked her up on my way home and we were both in bed again before 10:30. It’s a real rock and roll lifestyle we live.

And then Sunday morning we went to church.

The end.

But wait. Before you quit reading this fascinating account of our weekend with all the early bedtimes and raccoons, I just wanted to say that I may not post every day over the next two weeks. Or maybe I will. I don’t know. I can’t commit. I just really want to enjoy Christmas break and all the eggnog and merriment and fun times to be had without feeling the pressure to write every day.

So I may be here or I may not. But just know that if I’m not here, I’ll be back shortly. Or at least every few days because otherwise I’ll have way too many words to share and I’ll end up writing a bunch of 3000 word posts.

That’s all.

Well, apparently I wasn’t joking about putting up a few things I’ve seen on Pinterest that have intrigued me/inspired me/made me think about heating up my glue gun.

Or maybe have just made me swoon with envy.

And so I’m sharing a few of them with y’all today. Who knows? Maybe I’ll actually accomplish a few of these things at my house before Christmas is over.

Or maybe I’ll just think about it and call it a day.

Oh Pinterest. You make me want to be a better person.

1.  Christmas Button Trees

I think this is adorable.   And would be fairly easy to do if only we had some buttons around the house.

Source: balzerdesigns.typepad.com via Chantal on Pinterest

2.  Gorgeous front entry

I’ll accomplish this just as soon as we move into a house with double front doors and I’m ambitious enough to get the pumpkins off my porch before December 12th.

I wish I was joking.

Source: bhg.com via Anna on Pinterest

3.  Christmas Card Display

This?  I might really do this with the pile of Christmas cards that are currently sitting in the middle our kitchen island.

Source: homelife.com.au via Samantha on Pinterest

4.  Santa Snack Bags

In theory I think it would be so adorable if I made these for all the kids in Caroline’s class in time for the Christmas party.  But I think we all know that probably isn’t going to happen unless I happen to find myself jacked up on amphetamines with a stash of red hots, cotton balls and marshmallows.

And since that seems like an unlikely scenario, it would appear chances are good that each child will just get a single candy cane with a bow tied on it.

Source: Uploaded by user via My 3 Sons on Pinterest

5.  Fun wreath

I would love to make this exact wreath to hang on Caroline’s bedroom door all year round.  And then make one in red and green to hang on our back door during Christmas.  Especially since our back porch is sadly lacking in festiveness right now.

Source: etsy.com via Maxwell on Pinterest

6.  JOY Pots

Well, this looks easy enough.

Source: theinspiredroom.net via Beth on Pinterest

7.  Reindeer Pops

I made a version of these for Valentine’s Day a few years ago.  Except they weren’t reindeers.  Because that would have been weird.

Source: makenmold.com via Kristin on Pinterest

8.  Chocolate Reindeer Donuts

I thought these might be cute to make for Caroline for breakfast on Christmas Eve.  Because a well-balanced breakfast of chocolate donuts with a peanut M&M filler is an important way to start the day.

Source: freefunchristmas.com via Melanie on Pinterest

9.  Handprint Nativity

I am a sucker for anything that uses a kid’s handprints to create some sort of craft.  Because you just know that someday you will pull out the Christmas wreath they made out of handprints and marvel at how they were ever that little and find yourself crying next to the Christmas tree while singing “Sunrise, Sunset” from Fiddler On the Roof.

Purely hypothetical scenario.

Source: flickr.com via Rachel on Pinterest

10.  O Holy Night

I first saw this on my friend Holly Mathis’s blog.  Probably because this is a picture of her mantle.  And I adore it.  ADORE.  Hers happens to be on canvas, but you can read this post she wrote to find out how to get a printable version.

Or you can find a similar canvas at Red Letter Words right here.  I might be wishing for this for Christmas.  I think it would look super classy hanging next to the Antelope of the Lord.

Source: hollymathisinteriors.com via Holly on Pinterest

See y’all tomorrow for Fashion Friday.