The Elusive Departure

And the time has finally come after four months in the planning...Disneyland and Australia here we come. We set out on Monday and will be in Los Angeles for about 2 1/2 days visiting a lot of princess I suspect. Then on to Coolangatta via Brisbane. We are all very excited to get out of the cold and into the 80's. Now just to finish the 73 things I have left to do before departure.

We will try to update this to let you all know what we are up to. Hopefully there will be a little internet cafe near by us.

Bonvoyage!

The Gauls

A Toddler

Ever wonder how each day goes by so smoothly? You realize those smooth days when you have disruptive chaotic 3-year-old toddler filled insanity days. Days where you are positive that satan is seeping out of every pore on your child's body, where you wonder if maybe you could trade them with someone for the afternoon. Lately Kennedy has been one big bundle of atomic energy who spends her day tormenting the poor pups with neck scarves, being brushed with Barbie brushes, barrettes clipped into their hair, insanely strong hugs given, a few rides and standing on them on the couch. I have no idea how they have not bitten her at this point, but they fully let her torture them without so much as a yip. 

With as many toys as this little girl has laying around this house, why oh why does she 80% of the time chose to let out her energy with the dogs? These dogs should get a blue ribbon for their participation!!

I think the day has come that Kennedy will need to be enrolled in every single possible outlet for her "Gaul" energy or her Momma may lose her mind.

Resolutions

Hmmm? Where to start? I'm honestly not sure as I have a few things that I want to start this year. But are they resolutions or are they new ways of life? I think you can look at them both ways. I've been thinking of late that we have lost our sense of "self", of what we are able to accomplish with our own two hands, of what we are able to do when we set our minds to something. Before commercialism took over the world, a great thing for the entrepreneur side of me hoping to get out, I think there was a deeper sense of gratitude, thoughtfulness and giving in our daily lives. Things that were given to our families, friends and loved ones were made by us, after some thought and contemplation and scan of what we had available. I think that is lost. This is not saying that there aren't amazing things out there for purchase, but more along the lines that we don't really think all that much about what it is we are buying. Things have turned the way of instant gratification, readily available on a trip to Pier One about 15 minutes before you have to be somewhere for a gift exchange. Everyone needs that availability once in a while, but what happened to knowing what your best friend loves and trying to surprise her with something that took more than 30 seconds to select? 

I could be going at this all wrong in my way of explaining my feelings. I'm not against the purchase, far from it (especially as I just ordered a customized charm necklace for my mom for her birthday from Luxe Designs). I'm more against the overwhelming in-your-face consumerism that is thrown at us from every single angle, making things far too easy. I think I get jaded when I see things for Valentine's Day gifts up in the stores two days after Christmas...seriously?

That being said, my New Year's Resolution is to not purchase any gifts for anyone for the year - aside from the necklace for my mom as that has been in the works for months! Anything that I give this year must be made by me in one sense or the other. I know of a few things that I will end up straying from this resolution for as I have no idea how to make baby clothes! Maybe I just won't give baby clothes, maybe a blanket or a stuffed softie instead. That I can do, even with my minimal sewing skills.

Other resolutions:

* Pause before I speak.

* Relax, lower the intensity level. (HARD)

* Follow-through.

Best of luck to me and to you in your adventures in 2010!!

Out with the old.

Happy New Year's Eve! Happy wonderful wishes for the new year of Two Thousand and Ten, 2010, Twenty Ten, whatever you want to call this new year that is quickly approaching. Yesterday Kennedy and I spent an hour or so making some homemade Scandinavian Museli. Tastey stuff even if it contains coconut, can't even believe that I'm sitting here eating a bowl of it without gagging on the texture. I guess I'm finally growing up and entering the "Coconut isn't SO repulsive" group.

Scandinavian Museli

It was a fun and quick little task with Kennedy, who basically only cared if she could scoop and pour the oats and rye, then stir and stir and re-stir. I was in charge of all the toasting and besides for one small incident when she attempted to grab and ask me what the oven thermometer was, right after I took it out of a 350 degree oven, everything went smoothly and quickly, plus a few princess bandaids and an ice pack.

A great and healthy snack to start a Happy and Healthy 2010. Best of Wishes to you and yours.

Oh Christmas, you're gone.

Although each evening, several times a day and right away in the morning, Kennedy keeps telling me that Santa is coming soon, but Christmas has come and gone again this year. An exciting year with the Bug as she really got into the idea that "Santi" was coming. She got quite the kick out of the big mess Santi made at the fireplace. Ashes all over, a big boot print, crumbs and dribbled choco-latte milk and a special note just for her. The stroller was loved, but I think all in all, the stocking full of her favorite things was the hit. She kept looking at us like, how does Santi know I love little books that are just my size, or princess markers that I ruined last summer, or what about that perfect new coffee cup for sipping hot choco-latte? Stockings have always been my favorite thing, my most special memory of Christmas morning. My mom always took the care to find all the little things we loved and fill, if not overflow, our stockings so that we would smile from ear to ear as we opened our favorite CDs, makeup, lipgloss, colognes, or socks and movies. Dad's job was always the "appearance" of Santa and his left-handed letters. At what point I realized that things were being done by Santa's little parental helpers, I'm not sure. But, I have always loved waking up Christmas morning with that bit of knotted excitement in my stomach, and hopefully Kennedy will have that same feeling as the years go by.

Happy Holidays and Wishing you a wonderful 2010.