"It couldn't be...

...anymore beautiful." I Can't Take It In by Imogen Heap.

As promised, though a little tardy, here are my new year's resolutions! (See older resolutions)

1. Take a chill pill - I need to enjoy these precious time with my baby and husband, and not worry about if the house is perfect, if Christmas is put totally put away, and if the fishbowl is pristine.

2. Quiet times - I have gotten awful about being consistent since James was born and all the frequent company. I need to chisel out a good time in my schedule and stick with it!

3. Lose that baby weight - 'nuff said!

4. Meal plans - we've gotten much better about yummy healthy meals in the last two months (especially since my dear friend came and helped me set up some freezer meals!) but I seriously need to get organized in this area.

5. Socialize - I've become something of an agoraphobe of late, and that has got to stop (probably related to post-partum stuff). Not that there's a ton of socializing to do here, but even so.

6. Don't give up on crafties and sewing with the baby - I realize that the scheduling will be different and the level of commitment and extravagance in crafts has got to change, but I don't want to give up on creating!

7. Take pictures of James at least once a week - this isn't a problem yet, but I don't want to get used to my precious baby and look back and realize we skipped whole months of his life in photographic record! :P Perhaps it's not likely (knowing my family!) but just to be sure.

8. Get back into blogging!

So that's it for this year. Let's look at how we did last year:

Irony:
-play more (check!)
-sleep more (check!)
-bathe more (double-check!)
-go outside more (Hmm, not so much)
-have her people be more obedient (Ha! Maybe not.)

Me:
-finish writing project (nope)
-work on family unity (definitely check!)
-devotions every day (mmmm, not with baby)
-Get in shape (ha! pregnancy definitely ruined that one!)
-complete Arabic and get my degree (woot woot!)
-Throw parties (nada)
-focus on something career-ish (change of plans there - being a full-time mommy now!)
-get a kitten (check!)
-sew dresses (I did...one?)

So there we have it, 2012 definitely didn't go as planned, but I think it went better!

Here's to a new year of great surprises and surpassing expectations!

Much love!

"There's a song that will linger forever in our ears...

...oh hard times, come again no more." Hard Times by Eastmountainsouth.

Happy New Year!!!!!!!

Irony wants YOU to keep your New Years' Resolutions. 

Time for the New Years Resolutions (check out prior resolutions and other new years thoughts).

Irony plans to:

1. Play more
2. Sleep more
3. Bathe more
4. Go outside more. 
5. Have her people be more obedient. 

I didn't do perfectly in 2011...though I did finish my thank you notes, and I did eat more delicious veggies and pretty meals and create some nice mores. And I discovered that I do not particularly like gardening, though I do love having herbs. I may do that again. Maybe.

In 2012 I want to:

1. Actually FINISH a writing project or two.
2. Work on our "family" unity (that is, bringing Ryan and me together in our expectations of traditions, traveling, daily routines, etc.) 
3. Devotions every day (last year was good...this year will be better!).
4. Get in shape (as usual...why do I even bother with this one?)
5. Complete Arabic and get my degree.
6. Throw as many lovely parties as possible.
7. Focus in on something career-ish that also pays. (Be that writing, creating, decorating, analyzing, consulting...?)
8. Get a kitten so Irony has a friend.
9. Cook more, eat less. 
10. Sew more dresses.

And there you have it. Not too outrageous, but truly things I want to DO. And I think I may actually make it this year.

Happy New Year, Lovelies!!!

"For auld lang syne, my dear...

...for auld lang syne." Auld Lang Syne by Robert Burns, performed by Elvis. :)
\

So, what are you doing, "for old time's sake" this year? Any fabulous parties or plans?

I'm going to be out for a few days because we have family visiting, but here's a little diy to keep you entertained...in case your visitations are already concluded for the season. :)

I took a pair of cheap gloves and matching hat from Walmart (I chose gray for my sister...I thought it'd be nice and versatile)...

Then added sparklies in places that would look like jewelry. (I sewed them on, but they could've been hot-glued, if any of you are not sewers!)

Viola! Instant glamor! Naturally I had to do a photo shoot before I gave it to my sister. :) Also, my macbook's photobooth was feeling neglected since I hadn't taken pictures with it in FOREVER.

Quick link trivia to make up for my upcoming absence:

Hilarious Arrested Development paper dolls - we loved that show!

Adele - Set Fire to the Rain song (Ryan's listening to this right now.)

Cute printout of Jingle Bells under consideration.

I would be sad if the postal service died...unless something better came along. But bailouts aren't the answer...Let's do THIS instead. :)

Fun little things...especially down a little ways to the "Dangerous Animals" notebooks.

 Have a very Happy New Year! I'll see you all after the holiday!

Mwah!

"If I had to choose her or the sun...

...I'd be one nocturnal son-of-a-gun." Cupid's Chokehold by Gym Class Heroes.

So I realized that I am quite tardy on my New Year's Resolutions post, which I suppose does not bode well for my resolutions. :P

I have to admit, what with company and the new married life in KY and such, I didn't have much time to ponder, and on New Year's Eve I realized I didn't have any idea at all what I wanted to resolve. I've had a little time since then, as we've made our cross-country roadtrip to NM for our vacation, and then as we've gotten to be lazy bums here at my parents' house. I've gone through several back issues of Martha Stewart Living magazine, which I will never feel can be replaced by her albeit very nice website, and Country Living, Southern Living, Southern Lady, and even Better Homes and Gardens.

This has helped spark some ideas of resolutions. Nothing deep this year:

1. I resolve to plant an herb-potted garden.
2. I resolve to eat gorgeous, special meals using my herbs and more fruits and veggies and eggs and cheese. (Because I do love them so much, it's just not usually worth the effort to make fresh bruschetta or omelets or anything more complex than cooked vegetables or a salad--but some lovely asparagus dishes were calling my name...and spinach...and mango...and chile...)
3. I resolve to make mores and preserve special days so that we have family traditions starting now. (I'm particularly thinking of Cinco de Mayo and Valentine's Day...)
4. I resolve to get into a regular schedule with work, sleep, school, exercise, housework, and creating.
5. I resolve to finish our Honeymoon scrapbook and thank you notes.

That's about it. Wish me luck!

"I don't know where to start...

...say I'm tired or throw a party." It's Good To Be In Love, by Frou Frou

All right, lovelies. Today is a day of momentous decision.

I have decided to make some belated New Year's Resolutions in reference to The Wedding. (For the hopefully very small number out there that doesn't already know, the wedding date has been set for a mere 70 days from today--March 27th.) Here they are:

I will NOT:

-stop blogging because I'm too busy planning. I love seeing peoples' weddings as they plan them, and I'm going to assume you do too. I may not ALWAYS talk about wedding, but then, I just might.

-have the wedding of the century. Too many perfectly nice weddings are ruined by this attempt.

-freak out when things go wrong. Everything goes wrong, it's like a law written somewhere. The weddings where things don't go wrong are weddings with planners, and they DO go wrong, just the planner is the one who sees it. For goodness sake, I've BEEN a planner, and I know!

-stop wearing makeup until the wedding. Some days, maybe. But just because the fiance isn't here to see me, doesn't mean I have the right to scare the little children.

-cry and moan because I don't see my boy every day. Admittedly I feel like it. I also feel like not getting up in the morning. What's the point? But I have it really good, and by golly I can't be a whiny little baby--if I'm old enough to get married then I am old enough to deal with a month or two of separation.

-be bridezilla. Enough said.

...and since resolutions can't be only what I WON'T do...

I WILL:

-put up pictures and ideas to document the work in progress. Momma scrapbooks; I will blog. More people will see the blog.

-make it mine. This is my wedding and I do have a personality of my own and this wedding will include those special little touches that are because I like them, and for no other reason.

-keep perspective. Some things are worth being concerned about. Some things are not.

-maintain other areas of life besides the wedding. I will not stop maintaining my physical needs nor, and this is more important, my spiritual needs--I will grow closer to God through this, and not just coast.

-miss my boy. Why bother trying not to? I miss him terribly, and I intend to lap up this beautiful melancholy by taking advantage of the romantic opportunities available only through distance--what other times will we have to write horribly mushy love letters?

-put my foot down. This is, after all, my wedding.

So there, that's the momentous decision I came to today.

Oh dear, the cat is about to fall off my dresser and take a mess of makeup with her....