Resolutions

Here's a New Year's Daily Something, my resolutions (besides trying to be better about posting to this blog!).

December Round-Up

I was doing the monthly round-ups over on my main blog (here's a link to them, I'm not going to copy them all over!), but I figured since I use them as a prompt for my scrapbooking that they really deserved to be over here.

Also, the only New Year's resolution I've made so far is to make sure to try and keep this a bit more current (it's not like I don't get any pages done!).

So, on to the December 2007 (I apologize if some of the November events bleed in here, but I forgot to do November so it's bound to happen)!

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?
I really didn't have much time to read any thing. I'm still a month behind on Real Simple and Elle Decor, and at least a couple of weeks behind on Entertainment Weekly.

As for books, again, awfully busy, but I always read at night so I did manage to finish two trashy mystery books - The Island by Heather Graham and The Chiefs by Stuart Woods.

What movies and/or TV shows did I watch this month?
Well, between the holidays and the writers strike everything has been in re-runs. Of course I'm still watching the Amazing Race and P'Run (Project Runway that is). I did watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas" but it was the only holiday special I managed to get watched.

As for movies, you would think that I've watched a ton, with the weather being what it is, but no. Since I was on a plane in November I saw Transformers and No Reservations - Transformers was fun, the other not so much. I did watch Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix with Mom and Dad while we were home, but that's it.

What special days did I celebrate and how?
Well, since I'm combining November and December here - there were three biggies, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas.

Thanksgiving was simple - just the two of us and a hungry audience of the three cats and the dog. I made a small turkey with all the trimmings and we enjoyed a quiet day of parades and football on TV, followed by dinner and a food coma, a fine day.

Hanukkah is always wonderful, but as I've said before I really prefer it to Christmas - it's so much quieter and simpler. Just a wonderful time together as a family. We did have Vanessa and John-Jon join us one night (we were babysitting) and that was great. As all holidays, Hanukkah is just better with kids - we had Latkes, lit the Menorah and played Dreidel, the whole nine yards.

As for Christmas, it was the usual blur of travel, presents and somebody breaking down into tears. We arrived home on Christmas Eve since the normal festivities were canceled (my mom's family usually gathers on Christmas eve, but my Aunt hadn't yet recovered from her foot surgeries). We had a nice Christmas morning with the immediate family, my sister and brother-in-law and my nieces along with Mom and Dad. Later in the afternoon, my Aunt and Uncle joined us along with my Aunt's cousin (who joins us for family gatherings from time to time). It was a nice day, but compared to the quiet and relaxed pace of Hanukkah it can be a bit frazzling (is that even a word?).

What gifts did I give and/or receive?
Okay - this is going to be a bit long, but here goes....

Scott - got a bunch of clothes, some video games and a couple of movies for Hanukkah
Mom - some nice earrings from the National Geographic catalog and I made an album for her (well, I actually did the album in summer and finally realized that if I filled it with black and white family pictures she would love it, and she did!)
Dad - a new down vest and some slippers
Mer - some scrapbooking stamps and a set of underwater headphones that she really wanted
Jerry - a couple of DVDs and a mythbuster's shirt he's been wanting
Avery - a couple of Barbies (more on that later, there's going to be a dedicated layout for that), some dress up princesses (she loves the Disney Princesses right now, especially Aurora), some clothes, a book and a stuffed animal.
Erin - a couple of books, a stuffed animal, a Disney "Pooh and Friends" phone and some clothes
I made scarves for a couple of friends and got another a cool loaf pan (he's doing a lot of baking right now).

As for me, I scored, but since a bunch of it is rather mundane, I'll just hit the high points! Scott got me an iPod and a bluetooth for my cell phone. Mer gave me the third season of Grey's Anatomy and a book that I have been dying for "Dirty Wow Wow", it's a book about beloved childhood companions (stuffed animals, blankies, etc.) - I started it yesterday and it's wonderful. Also Mom and Dad got us the gift that keeps giving - health insurance! We've been struggling to afford it, and now with this gift we can (well for a while at least)!

What illnesses or health concerns did I have?
A rather healthy month all things considered. I got a couple of good sized blisters, due to my new waitress shoes and a strange infection on my back (I was afraid it was ringworm, but it wasn't) - and that's it!

What fun things did I do with my friends and/or family?
Plenty, as usual. Since we were knee deep in the holidays it was mostly family of course. I did fly out to California just before Thanksgiving for Mer's birthday (her present was a ticket for one, either to or from Michigan - so I went out there). And of course we flew home for the holidays. But actually it wasn't a very busy month - just seemed like it.

What new foods, recipes or restaurants did I try this month?
Well Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas are rather set menus in my life - so not much on the new front. I did however make a new dessert for Christmas - it needed to be easy and fast (since I was making it on Christmas Eve) and it was! It was a Chocolate Hazelnut Tart, from Epicurious. If you're looking for something fast and easy and tasty (and you have to love chocolate) - this is the one.

What special or unusual purchases did I make?
Lots of Christmas presents, but nothing all that far out of the norm. Happily no major expenses (I mean besides Christmas!).

What were this month's disappointments?
Not too many disappointments this month, we were too busy I think! Of course the money thing always weighs on us as does the conception thing, but everything will work itself out in the end right?

What were my accomplishments this month?
Umm, besides surviving Christmas? Oh that doesn't count? Well how about I handmade over 50 Holiday Cards, and then made another 16 for the kitties to send out! Pretty proud of that - though at the end of the whole thing I was wondering what I was thinking!

Anything else noteworthy to record?
Nope, but the holidays seem to eclipse the entire calendar from Thanksgiving on, so that might be part of it :-).