Resolutions 2008

Monday, 31 December 2007

If I write them down, I'll have something to refer back to.

1. Lose 55.6 pounds (that would get me down to 200). - I think I can do this, especially if I make nursing work for me.
2. Make a lunch to bring to work 4 days a week. This should also help with #1
3. Get rid of another trunk (or three) of clothes and create a more pared back wardrobe. (chant after me, I will not become my mother/mother-in-law, I will not become my mother/mother-in-law)
4. Use an apron in the kitchen and stop spilling stuff on myself. (should help keep the clothes budget in check)
5. After the Sprout weans, start exercising regularly.
6. Go to a museum or park at least once a month with the Sprout (may wait until she's just a touch older, but definitely after she's a year old)
7. Organize the Sprout photos and make a baby book, like not even digital.
8. Finish knitting something for someone else.
9. Finish quilting something for Sprout (seriously can't have enough baby blankets)
10. Take better care of my skin. Moisturize more often than once a month. (this was going to be shave my legs more often than once a month, but I lotion regularly will help with this and maybe keep me lookin' young)

Merry Christmas 2007

Thursday, 27 December 2007

So, I have this partially written post bitching about Christmas. It wasn't all smiles and fun, but none of them were Sprout related, at least not directly. (I'm not counting teething and a constant need for mom, snuggles and nursing) This is like my second attempt at writing this, so I'm trying to include positive and negative.

We are setting limits and some guidelines for gifts for the Sprout. We don't want to be in competition for who gets her the biggest best thing. We get it, period. You want to get her more, let me give you the info to deposit money in her savings account. ( no one who reads this was guilty of this) We also want to have some veto power over what she gets. We have some values we don't want undermined.

I got a few totally cool things, including the complete Monty Python's Flying Circus (Albatross!), a bunch of good music, and the best thing, a digital picture frame for work, so I can have non stop Sprout photos.

BaNaNa may have gotten her the most stuff, but what she got from us is her favorites. A four key piano, a peak-a-block shape sorter, and her first (my kid, the doll I gave her counts as her first, even if she got it second) dolly.

There are a couple of things that we realized about ourselves after this year. We want to hold tight some important traditions, and keep some of the "firsts" for ourselves. That includes first visits to places, and first toys (I give the joy of first Legos to my brother if he wants it), and first big cool gifts (see above). Better to get these things out in the open, before things get nuts.

We are not having a family Christmas for my family at our house next year. Limit, reached. I suspect I will be much happier next year.

I made an awesome dinner Christmas day. Skirt steak stuffed with blue cheese and walnuts, garlic mashed potatoes with a creamy blue cheese gravy, Brussels sprouts with Dijon vinaigrette, and a mixed green salad with dried cranberries and pecans. Best dinner like ever.

Merry Christmas! New photos on Flickr, including some really good ones.

This could be me...

Sunday, 23 December 2007

Yeah, just bummed I didn't think of this first.

Happy 8 Months

Thursday, 20 December 2007

These were taken late, since she still isn't napping at daycare, and getting an awake Sprout to take a picture of is hard. As it is, she has dark circles and looks stoned.





And before I forget, thank you Aunti akj for the stacking cups. They are a huge hit around here, as they make very good noise. Best part, she blinks every time they make noise, like she was startled, but she loves every time it happens.

This made my day.

Tuesday, 18 December 2007

I'm so sad he's only doing Sundays now. However, this should be a holiday card.

Ents

Oh God

Thursday, 13 December 2007

OK... Re: Climate Change

"It is important for assessments in this regard to be carried out prudently, in dialogue with experts and people of wisdom, uninhibited by ideological pressure to draw hasty conclusions..."

The Pope

So he just said that we should depend on solid science and not on ideological crazies, right?
Can we apply that to everything? Please?

Trying really hard not to be a bahumbug.

Tuesday, 11 December 2007

We got a Christmas tree. I told the guy to cut it off six or so inches from the bottom (6 years selling Christmas trees people), went inside to pay, he asked ajd where to cut it (why?), he said two inches (not his fault, he didn't know). In two weeks I will have a nicely decorated stick, and a big mess to clean up.

I'm annoyed with some stuff at daycare (an 8 month old needs more than 45 minutes of naps during the day), so I sent the Sprout in today wearing a dress and tights. Is that wrong?

Why do they have to put off bonuses until the 15th? That leaves 10 days until Christmas, and not enough time to get some things shipped. Couldn't they do it one pay period earlier.

Still don't know what the Sprout is getting her dad for Christmas.

Snow, snow, snow!

Friday, 7 December 2007

*just think the of the Snow song from White Christmas, and you'll get what I'm going for*

Ok, I too need to profess my love for snow. Its why I live here, its a big part of why I moved back, and it makes me happy. I have a little SAD issue, and snow generally lessens it. I think its the light bouncing off the pretty white stuff.
I think people who live here and complain about snow need to move somewhere else. Its not like you're chained here, and it snows here. Don't like it, leave. It will make driving easier for those of us who love it.
Speaking of that, I like shoveling snow (after dark is my favorite, when the ambiant light makes it bright even in the dark), I like playing in the snow (horrible at skiing, but still want to do it again), I like how it makes everything look so magical, and I can't wait until the Sprout is old enough play outside.
The best part of having it snow at a normal time (instead of super late), I'm totally in the Christmas mood. I have lights to put up outside of our house, and this weekend we're going to go get a tree. Its going to be an amazing first Christmas for Spout, and I'm loving every minute of it.

I pink puffy heart..

Monday, 3 December 2007

My new snow thrower. Its electric, smaller, but perfect for our little driveway and narrow back sidewalk. I can even lift it up and bring it from one part of the house to the next. I have a raging bad cold and I was able to do all of the blowing (split over two days) without really feeling it. It will however force me to be better about weeds by the garbage cart and cleaning up in the fall.
It was also apparently the last electric one in the city yesterday, and I found it. Yay!

My new goddess nursing bra. AKJ was right, they rock. Boobs are up, separated (they don't always play nice together) and its easy to get in and out of.

My self control. I did holiday shopping with my MIL. I had no idea how bad it was... I'm happy I'm not that bad. Good news though, no tense moments. I believe progress is being made.

The smell of cloves and oranges. I got all nostalgic and made a clove orange smelly thing.

That my dog will let me do this. We got her one that fits, and its terribly cute.