Week 3 - Day 1

The good thing about not writing blog posts over the weekend is that I was too busy having fun to have time!  I had the best weekend I've had in a long time and it was full of holiday activities and checking things off of the old Christmas Bucket list and my actual list of non-holiday things to accomplish.

The one great thing about being a child (or rather adult-child) of divorce) is double the fun with your parents.  I spent Saturday with my Dad and his girlfriend and Sunday with my Mom, sort of a girl's day out.  The last time I was local during the holiday season was the Christmas before I leave for college, I was 17.  Also before my parents split up.  After that I moved far away for college, I didn't usually come home until after finals which was 3/4 of the way through December usually.  Then after college I was in NYC which still isn't super close.  Being nearby my family has allowed me to enjoy the mundane holiday traditions that I haven't enjoyed for awhile.  Even enjoying these things solo has its own advantage to it.

I had asked my Dad if he would help me with getting my Christmas tree.  I'm more than comfortable dragging a mini Christmas tree down the street on foot, believe me I've done it, but this is the first year I could fit a substantial sized tree and I was worried I might not be able to handle it on my own.  He volunteered and we trekked out in the cold to pick a tree.  I ended up with a beautiful Fraser fir.

Lucky I had help from my Dad, it was tricky to get the thing on to my dinky little tree stand.  With a little engineering, we got it up and it looks GOOD!  I can't get over how huge it is, I love it!  After we got the tree, we drove over to the Morris Arboretum to see the holiday trains.  It was so neat!

It reminded me a little bit of when we used to have trains set up around our Christmas tree when we were kids.  My Dad would set them up and my brother loved them a lot.  It makes me want to carry that tradition on with my kids, I don't know what it is about trains and the holidays but they are festive.  We stayed there for about an hour and then went home for dinner.  So that was Saturday, oh, and when I got home, I put lights on our beautiful tree!

Then yesterday, it was a girls day with my Mom.  I walked in the glorious snow to the train station, thank goodness, the roads were bad!  It was so serene outside.  Completely peaceful.  I met Mom at the station and we went to the Comcast Holiday show.

It was super cute.  Full of music and snowmen and a Nutcracker preview.  It was funny because it "snowed" inside and it was snowing outside as well.  Very Christmasy.  Christmasy, the word of the week!  After the show was walked around in the show until we arrived at the tea house.  Few things in life are sweeter than afternoon tea... we could have used more sandwiches though...

Then we moseyed over to see The Nutcracker.  It was so wonderful.  We went last year and it really gets you in the holiday season.

I came home late but we still in the mood to listen to more Christmas music and start decorating the tree:

Can't wait until my husband sees!!!

1)      Work out, work out!!

Due to recent health issues, this one is definitely one hold until I go to the doctor

2)      Write to Adam every day

I am definitely accomplishing this and now he can finally start getting my letters!

3)      Learn one new aria

Nope.

4)      Audition for local community theater

This one may have to wait until after the holidays, I just haven't found a show I'm interested in yet.

5)      Lose 8 lbs.

Surprisingly, halfway there, 4 lbs down!

6)      Finish decorating the apartment

7)      Reorganize

I have done a lot of reorganizing, but I was recently informed that my husband will be using his super army techniques to reorganize my sock drawers.  Awesome.

8)      Finish sorting thru wedding stuff

9)      Complete Christmas Bucket List

See below.

10)   Finish EMS Continuing Credits

I gotta get moving on this one, I have until the end of this year to complete 24 credits, 19.5 down....

11)    Finish designing this blog

Nope.

1) Get a Christmas Tree
2) Decorate mantel shelf
3) Go see the Nutcracker Ballet
4) Attend a Christmas tree lighting ceremony
5) See the Macy's Center Light Show and the Comcast Holiday Spectacular
6) Visit the Holiday Garden Railway at Morris Arboretum
7) See A Christmas Carol at Walnut Street Theater (I bought tickets for us 12/21, shh don't tell him it's a surprise!!)
8) Make a Christmas ornament wreath 
9) Sit by the fire and drink hot chocolate
10) Sing Christmas Carols - Singing in a holiday concert (with my husband) on 12/22
11) Volunteer and donate - donated a toy for tot
12) Finish my Christmas shopping/wrapping before husband gets home
13) Bake Christmas cookies - this weekend!
14) Go ice-skating (including getting my ice skates sharpened)
15) Make a gingerbread house - 12/14 :-)