It's 2011!

A happy New Year! 

Grant that I
May bring no tear to any eye
When this New Year in time shall end
Let it be said I've played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,
And made of it a happy year.
~Edgar Guest

New Year's Eve

 
Have a fun and safe one!

A New Year’s Tradition (Minus the Guilt). You’re Welcome.

I know making resolutions is part of almost everyone’s New Year’s celebration.  I’ve been known to resolve a thing or two myself. But like most people, three weeks into January I’m struggling with making those big and small changes and with the guilt of not making those big and small changes. 


So for the last dozen and a half years, my husband and I have made New Year’s predictions, in addition to our resolutions. 


Our predictions generally center around things like politics, sports, the financial markets and celebrities (okay, those are my predictions because my husband knows very little about the comings and goings in Hollywood). 


We like to predict the winners and the losers of: elections, sporting events; like the World Series (a tough one when the first pitch is still 4 months away- but the Yankees are always a safe bet), where the stock market will end up and whose “star” will rise and whose will fall. 


We make some of our own personal predictions too. e.g., a change of jobs, a new undertaking.  It’s a lot more fun and without the pangs of conscience.  When we were younger, we’d predict the gender of our pregnant friends’ unborn babies, who'd get engaged that year and things like that too. 


Your assignment, should you choose to accept it,  should include writing down your predictions.  Half the fun is taking out the previous year's list  on New Year’s Eve and assessing your prognosticating skills.

Creating Christmas Treasures

During my post-Christmas shopping adventure, I stumbled upon these adorable plaster Gingerbread House crafts.  Since they were 50% off, I purchased one for a reasonable $4.99 (okay, my daughter says not reasonable, but, yes not $10, which I never would have paid). 

For the record, the store also sold miniature plaster Nativities and, despite my affinity for those, I resisted. 

I am thinking this might be a good way to fill a few hours (the kids' hours, not mine) in the more than week until they return to school. 

It came with six little pot paints but paint pens might be easier to work with. 

If you have younger children, you could have your children paint one (or one of the Nativities -- I know, I'm shameless) and give it as a gift next year to grandparent(s),  a teacher (with every child in the class painting a portion), or anyone else else who adores your kid.

It's certain to be a treasure.

363 Shopping Days Left

When I wrote about my post Christmas shopping plans here, I wasn't expecting a snowfall of historic proportions that would keep not only me but retail workers everywhere home on December 26th.  My sister and I managed to venture out yesterday afternoon (the 27th) with a few hundred thousand of our closest friends (at least it seemed that way at Target -- hey, maybe they're reading this blog!). 

Anyway, as I'd hoped, we managed to find a few bargains, all at least 50% off.  Here's what we were able to purchase:

 
• 5 plastic shoeboxes (for Operation Christmas Child in 2011)
• 5 rolls of gift wrap
• 5 boxes of Christmas cards
• 4 Christmas ornaments
• 1 cookie sheet Advent calendar
• 1 package Christmas tissue paper
• 1 giant tree removal bag
• 1 gingerbread house craft (not pictured, but more on that tomorrow)

The price tag for all this loot was $64.30!

I feel better about Christmas 2011 already.

To Grandmother's House We Went

And May All Your Christmases Be White!