Resolute

With 2009 upon us I have been thinking a lot about New Years resolutions.

I have never been big on resolutions. I have usually forgotten what they were by February and more often than not I even forget to make them in the first place.

But that's one thing that's great about this blog . . . it's a way to take a moment and document our life and my thoughts.

As Anais Nin said

"I write to live life twice, once in the moment and again in retrospection."

So after much thought, here are my 2009 New Years resolutions.

1 - Craft more, specifically make some Christmas stockings!

I love crafting, especially scrapbooking, and yet it seems to be the thing that I do the least. So I'm going to carve out more time in our crazy schedule to craft!

2 - Let the joy in.

So often I feel like I'm waiting for the next best thing. For example, Drew's Christmas present to me was a nights stay at the Edgewater hotel this weekend. I have been SO excited all week I've been thinking "Let's just get through this week so I can enjoy our mini-break."

Our life is so awesome in so many ways that I need to stop and smell the roses more often or . . . let the joy in!

3 - Get more creative.

I've really been looking forward to the stage when I can make up silly games and activities for Ellie and I to do together. I have started collecting little pieces of cardboard for Ellie to draw on because I remember how much fun it was to make art on something other than plain white paper. So if you have any great ideas for activities with toddler leave me a message. This is the year to get creative!

And because I will always post a picture of the little one . . .

This girl is certainly is not thinking about the classic resolution of watching her weight ;)

Her favorite new hang out is the fridge!

And a very merry Christmas it was . . .

We had a wonderful Christmas today filled with family, gifts, games, food, drink, laughter and snow!

To sum up . . .

- In addition to the 12" of snow already on the ground it steadily snowed all morning adding another 2 or 3"! My first white Christmas!

- We ate at least 8 meals, included the Ocampo family tradition of Menudo!

- Shaneen and I won every game we played, to Drew's obvious chagrin

- Carols were sung, followed by John Prine songs

- Laura orchestrated a ridiculously silly and fun game where we played Christmas carols on little whistles. I almost peed my pants!!

-We drank Baileys and coffee, mimosas, more champagne, red wine and white wine . . . sufficed to say a glass was never empty

We started the season saying "Ellie doesn't need any Christmas gifts, she won't know the difference." I guess the grandparents didn't get that memo because she had many many gifts to open. Although she didn't really get the idea of unwrapping she sure enjoyed the end result!

May the merriment begin

Today, it feels as though Christmas has begun!

Shaneen arrived from Atlanta and we cracked open the champagne.

It was no time at all 'till Ellie cuddled up on Auntie Shaneeny's lap for a story!

Winter Wonderland

Seattle has been hit with a winter blast. Temperatures have been in the 20's and it's been snowing off and on for days. Last night they predicted a huge wind storm as well. It would have been just terrible to lost power during these cold days! Luckily, the weathermen were wrong and although we got more snow there was no wind.

Ellie seems to love the cold weather, just like her dad.

Today, we may try a bit of sledding!

Quote of the day

Drew just won the prize for 'quote of the day' . . .

"Ellie, you're the smartest pet I've ever had!"

I agree

Read this!

What a change in the last few days. It seems Ellie has turned into a toddler overnight.

Her cutest new trick is picking out a book, bringing it over to us, turning around and sitting her little bum down in our laps. Then she acutally sits still and listens to the entire book!

Yesterday, when we walked in the door and Ellie saw Drew she immediatly headed for her book shelf, grabbed "Elmo Loves You" (her favorite) and then ran to see her daddy!

It just melts your heart!

Happy Holidays

Our good friends Sherrie and Clois were in town this weekend so we hosted a brunch to visit and meet their new baby, Aria. She's 2 months old and just adorable. She slept the entire time! I don't remember Ellie ever sleeping that much!

Ellie was so sweet with Aria. She patted her gently and wasn't at all jealous that I was holding another baby.

Drew has been having baby pangs lately. He's of the mind that it would be nice to get the baby stages over with.

But TOO BAD. I'm not in baby mode AT ALL yet. Not even when holding this little bundle! The nurses . . . nursing.

This is my favorite part of the holidays . . . it's a good excuse to get together.

I think my New Years resolution will be to think of more excuses!

Ho, Ho, I don't know

We stopped by to see Santa today at our friends art gallery. It was nice because there was no line and no pressure.

And good thing because Ellie was not too impressed with the man in red.

At first she was coy . . .

But then it came time for the lap sitting and wish telling . . .

Oh well, I think it's required to have the "crying baby" photo in the Santa picture timeline . . .

Merry Christmas to all!

Winter warmth

Winter is upon us! It's much colder here in Seattle and it's often frosty in the mornings. This part of winter never bothers me, though, because it is warmed up with the events of Christmas. We got our tree and decorated the house this weekend.

My favorite decoration idea of the year! I hung my collection of Swarovski snowflakes on a branch Drew found in the green-belt. He painted it metallic silver and I hung the snowflakes on fishing line. With candles underneath, the crystals just sparkle!!

Even though this photo is overexposed, I just love it! It captures how sunny and cold it was. The Christmas tree farm was a wonderland . . . the spiderwebs still had dew on them . . . natures' tinsel.