Christmas Doesn't Start with Cookie, it Starts With Lists

Everyone has Holiday projects, whether it's making gifts, decorating for the season, getting the house ready for holiday guests or just your everyday projects. I have been working very hard and trying to get stuff knocked off my list, but it seems it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. A friend of mine said I might just have to let some stuff go. I know this is true, but I'm going to try to bang out as much as I can this weekend and for the next few weekends prior to Christmas. Here is some of my "To Do List" - oh and I know if I would get off the damn computer I would get a hell of a lot more done.

• Holiday Gift Tags (to match out wrapping paper)  - 12/4
• Pot Holders/Oven-mitts for Loki's Kitchen (gift from Santa) - No happening
• Apron for Loki's Kitchen  - 12/18
• More Felt Fruit / Vegetables / Food: Strawberries, Chilly Peppers, Ravioli, Bow Pasta  - 12/12
• Ducky Moo Moo Stuff Animal (Surprise for Lex) - No happening
• Scan Family Photos for Mom (PRIORITY) - 12/4
• Address Christmas Cards (If Mad Dog gets the rest of the addresses I need) - 12/12
• Tree Garland (all most done) - Really haven't gotten back to this.
• Graham Cracker Houses with the kids (No Gingerbread since they won't eat it) - 12/4
• Holiday gifts for the kids God Parents (can't tell you what, since they read the blog - but promise pictures after the holidays) - 12/11
• Glove Squires for my Mother-in-law - In Progress
• Decoupage Bird House for my Mother-in-law - In Progress
• Curtain for Loki's Kitchen -12/18
• Finish Local Gift Giving Idea List for Local Food Blog (almost there)Put snowbanks on my Lego Town (they're scheduled for a Northeaster this weekend - Guys go by Lego bread and Milk at the Green Grocer  and La Patisserie) - Mostly Done, but didn't get posted in time. 
• Chocolates for gifts - 12/18
• Special Christmas Ornament for a special kid - 12/4
• Hang Shelf over Gigi's Bed 12/14
• Wash Gigi's Sheets/Comforter - 12/14
• Frame Gifts 12/11
• Wreath - Not Happening

I know I'm missing some, but that is a start.

Do or Do Not There is No Try

Everyone has a "To Do List". It's a list that never seems to go away and go down, it only ever gets longer. I am no different. I have projects on top of projects and never enough time to do it all. I am planning on getting some of it done once Gabrielle goes back to WI. Once less person in the house will help with organization and it will mean that I won't be breaking up fights ever five minutes.

The biggest and start point for my September projects is Loki's Room. At the beginning of the summer I picked up paint to paint her dresser. It was a hand-me-down and it's plain ugly. Lex happens to have my childhood dresser which is painted a Cobalt Blue, in a brush finish. Loki's I'm planning on painting a Raspberry Tart color with Autumn Moon accents. I am also looking for new hardware. After painting I am planning a purge! The closet is FULL of toys that Gabrielle has out grown and come out once a year (if that) when friends of ours come over with their daughters. We are also planning on finally getting rid of the bag, upon bag of stuff animals which are hiding under her bed. It is the main reason I usually get annoyed when someone gives Lex and Loki a stuffed animal, they seem to multiple and reproduce and before you know it you can have Disney Store Display of plush. After that I hope to replace the two bookcases (when I have money) in that room so that they are made of the same wood color as her bed. Currently I am working on three pieces of original art for her wall, made of comic book collage in the Owl theme we have selected for her room. I am also working on a large photo collage, using possibly 100 4x6 pictures.

Along with Loki's room, I have a nightstand we found to clean up and paint. Again I had picked up the paint at the beginning of the summer, but never got to painting. There there is the wooden, wood burned growth chart I'm working on for the kids. I have Hobby Horses to make for Loki's Farm theme birthday party. The fabric is already purchased and I just have to find yarn, ribbon and buttons to finish them out. Also to had to our sewing project we are looking at making the kids costumes again this year. I won't say what, we need to see if we can find the correct fabric but if we do find it the costumes will be a lot of work (but well worth it).

I hope to go through our stored clothing to see what we have for the kids for the fall and winter. We have been very lucky to have a lot of wonderful people give both Lex and Loki clothing over the years. Each time we are given anything we go through each piece and make the call: Keep or Pass On. Any keepers that the kids can't wear yet, we store in boxes which Mad Dog gets from work. We sort based of child, season and size. We try to store the boxes together and facing outward so we can see the labels easily. Once I go through things I'll know what we need to pick up for them. I know one things will be warm pajamas and long underwear. This whole process will help when my Mom asks what the kids need, like jackets or pants.

A new project added to the list is a version of a machine called Copy Kake. Mad Dog and I figured out how we can make our own version, which I would like for not only art projects, but cookie/cake decorating. This will allow me to make special treats for the kids. We're reusing a camera lens from one of my old 35 mm film cameras. We have to pick up or find a few other items and we're good to go. We are also going to look for some LED lights to keep the heat down on the project. I'll let you know once we pull it together. Maybe Lex will help Mad Dog with the construction since he is such a Master Builder.

Along with this I want to make a little purse for Loki. She has been walking around with one of Gabrielle's purses, so I want to make her something special. I'm thinking with felt. I am also going to start to product my bird houses and boy/girl boxes for resale (I hope).

Maybe I should stop blogging and get working.

75% Past the First Week

I've been think about resolutions this week. Who hasn't, huh? Mad Dog has made his known and even set up a blog for them at WhoKnowsWhyNot. I'm very impressed. I have my doubts about casting resolutions, finding the general announcement of the New Year Resolution usually means by March (I'm being optimistic here) the resolution has been forgotten. For those people who hold true to their Resolutions throughout the year I give them special credit. I mean most of the gyms in the United States would be out of business if it weren't for the New Years Resolution. Weigh Watchers wouldn't have a MASS sign-up in January if it weren't for them and you can throw organizational (businesses), health food shops and dating services on the pile as well.

I think this is why I started my weight loss before the new year, even in the midst of travel and the holidays. I think the commitment held true for me. I'm not saying that it can't be done, I'm just saying I CAN'T DO IT. Loki is even jumping on the resolution band wagon. She said she is going to make the following resolutions: 1) To Walk 2) To Give up "the bottle" and 3) To torture Lex just a little bit more this coming year. Personally I think they are all very easy resolutions, but she feels she must make them. Lex said he would like: 1) To Potty Train 2) To get better at his Numbers and Letters and 3) to get back to Disney before I go nuts from telling him "NOT NOW".

Did I make any resolutions for the New Year? No, I didn't. I do however to do a few thing this year, but wouldn't call them resolutions (I said I wouldn't call them - this doesn't mean you can't):

1.) Continue my search for my "Cute Fan Girl Body". This of course means to exercise more, which is something I've been trying to do since like October.

2) To take more photos and hone my shooting eye. Again I've been working on this more and more. I honestly feel I'm getting better, but I could still learn a thing or two.

3) To reconnect with my Friends more. This has been an on going struggle with where we live and our schedules, but I plan on making more of an effort this year.

4) I was going to type that I wanted to document more of the kids with their grandparents for this one. I know that I am always shooting Lex and Loki with Nonna and my Mom, but since I'm not usually around when Mad Dog's parents are here I don't have a lot of good photos of them with the kids. This of course will be far more difficult now that Mad Dog's Father and Step-Mother are not talking with us, but I will make a effort to capture more of Mad Dog's Mom with the kids.

5) Make time for Mad Dog. We had tried the whole date-night things when were first had Lex, and it was difficult because we didn't have anyone to watch him, so this reduced date-night to quiet time with movie after he went to bed. I would like to try to make an effort for us to go out together, or visit with friends without the Monkeys. Some time for us to be adults. 

It's something to put on To Do List for the year.