Welcome 2010!

Hi, everybody! I hope everyone had a lovely and relaxing holiday. Hopefully nobody ran into trouble like this guy! Anyway, I love to make lists and plan stuff out. I only wish I could be as determined and focused in the actual execution. So here is a rough outline of projects for 2010. I reserve the right to add/delete as necessary. I'd love to hear what you are up to this year.

January -- Organize the house and send unused items to the appropriate place (Goodwill, Freecycle, Craigslist, friends and family who might want them, etc.). My two inspirations: Martha Stewart's Homekeeping book and the Fly Lady.

February -- Valentine's Day! Make something sweet for my family and send a few handmade greeting cards. I also need to start planning for a certain person's third birthday party in March. Which would include working on the dollhouse. Ummm....yeah. It's not exactly "finished" yet.

March -- Third Birthday Party! I am thinking about the tried-and-true polka dot birthday party. There is an amazing amount of information and ideas about this theme on the internet. Yay for creative people sharing!

April -- Easter! I would like to do some "Spring" decorating and send some handmade Easter cards like I did last year. Also, it should be wildflower season in Texas, so we need to do the annual "side of the road" photo shoot. At the end of the month is a 48-hour business trip to Atlanta, only about 4 or 5 hours of which will be available for shopping. Must make a strategic plan for visiting old favorites and new places. Back in Texas, I need to find a place for us to go pick our own fruit later in the spring/summer. Any ideas?

May -- Time to head out to the lake house and get everything ready for summer! We need lots of cleaning, but I also want to see what I can find for free/cheap to make the house more comfortable. I also want to get our outdoor living area to be reasonably usable. I don't see spending money on a landscape architect or anything like that, but I'd like to make a shady area where we can eat without bugs.

June -- Summer is here!!!! I am dying to have a pool party. Anyway, of all the years we've been in this house, we have never had a pool party. Now is the time. I'd also like to start the little one in a gymnastics or ballet class. One where she is on her own, but they let me stay and watch.
July -- This is a perfect month to start getting ready for Christmas. It is about 8,000 degrees in Austin in July, so I don't want to spend too much time outside. Also, the Fourth of July! Yay! I hope we can get the whole family out to the lake or together at someone's house. I would also love to have a weekend getaway for our seventh wedding anniversary.

August -- Beach vacation! I want to minimize the amount of luggage we take. I also plan to start way in advance searching for cheap flights (hallelujah the new airport in Panama City should be open and make it a LOT easier to access Santa Rosa Beach).

September -- Hopefully the little one will be starting part-time school. In all my "free" time I'd love to work on my photography skills (non-existent) and do some more Christmas preparation.

October -- I really want to make a Halloween costume this year. I'd also like to organize a little Halloween party for the neighborhood kids. Plus, we have to get to the pumpkin patch for a photo opportunity.

November -- Thanksgiving!!!! I would really like to contribute something different this year, since I've been making mashed potatoes and a Bundt cake for several years now. Also, I plan to have my Christmas cards done and all Christmas presents bought by Thanksgiving. I can hope, right?

December -- Christmas!!!! Trail of Lights, Riverbend Christmas program, parties, work dinner at a fancy restaurant, friends, family, Santa pictures. I can't wait!!!!

PS -- I received a Cricut for Christmas. The package from the infomercial (I love that infomercial). I only hope I can prove myself worthy of such a gift.