Things and To-Do's and What-not's

I have no organization for this whatsoever. So it's bullet points today.

• My child has decided I am the human equivalent of the Grinch this year because we are not putting up a tree this year. I know. I'm awful. But we have a very, very, very small apartment, and we are going on a trip over Christmas break, so the whole deal of getting everything down just to enjoy it for three weeks was honestly? Not worth it to me.
• My hubby & I got to go to the Saints/Giants game last week. We had incredible seats and the game was awesome! Definitely one of my favorite memories of living in NOLA will be attending the Saints games. Who dat!!!
• I picked out my own Christmas gifts this year (thanks, hubby!). The first was an enameled cast iron grill pan I got for $14 at JCPenny's the day after Thanksgiving - online, mind you! No crazy crowds for me! :)
• My second gift is the Project Life starter kit. I have been wanting this for a while. You see, I used to paper scrapbook. The papers, the embellishments, the tools - you name it, I did it. Then I had a baby and I could no longer spend 2 hours of my day working on just one page. I had printed out $100s of dollars of photos of my baby during her first year of life, determined to scrap them old school. It's now 5.5 years later and those photos are still in their envelopes from Sam's in a tupperware bin under my bed. I've considered doing a digital book for her baby book, but just couldn't bring myself to do it knowing how much money I had in photos stored under the bed. So when I saw Becky Higgins was having a Black Friday sale on her products, I ordered the core kit (in Amber; I thought it would make a nice pattern for a baby book) and some pages. It's now on my crafty to-do list to get my almost-six-year-old's baby book finished.
• I need to finished SC's growth chart I'm painting for her. I'll post photos when I'm done!
• My other project is a gift from my MIL. While we were in Baton Rouge over Thanksgiving, I went by the antique store Circa 1857. There I found some old paned windows for $15 each! The previous owner had painted the panes but a little paint remover with take that off. My MIL checked them over thoroughly to make sure they were structurally sound (she's a lot more knowledgable about that kind of stuff than I am), and then she got them for me as a Christmas gift. I cannot wait to start working on them! They need some TLC but when they're done, I'm going to hang them on the walls and put photos in the panes (I was inspired to do this by a window/frame my pastor's wife has in her living room).
• I cleaned out my closet last weekend. As in, I pulled out every. single. item. of clothing and tried it on. If it didn't fit, it left. If it fit but I (honestly) knew I'd never wear it again, it left. I have a stack to take to the consignment shop now, and I feel so much better having gotten rid of what was not needed. It feels really good to declutter and only keep the things that have a use.
• I've been trying some new recipes I've found on Pinterest. I'll post some good ones soon! :)
• In a few weeks we leave for Tennessee for Christmas vacation with my parents & grandparents. I'm sooo stoked. We love traveling to cold weather places! (I wonder why? LOL.) SC has actually been asking for snow in her prayers. :) My parents are paying for the whole trip for us, as our Christmas gift, and B & I could not be more excited (or grateful!).
• I'm completely done with Christmas shopping for SC and with birthday shopping for her (since her birthday is in early 2012). I also almost have her birthday party completely planned. Pretty much the only thing I have left to do is order invitations and buy the food. Hmm, I wonder where I can get some cute Fancy Nancy invitations? ;)
• But speaking of Christmas gifts, I've been a bit crazy. You see, I went shopping with my good friend Haley the week before Thanksgiving, and we took Target by storm. We got everything on our lists for our kiddos (it was a kiddo-free night for both of us!) and we closed the place down. But I've been watching sale ads like a hawk and each time I see a sale or a coupon, I go and get it at the sale price and return the other. I even unwrapped something the other day because I was able to use a coupon and save $5 on the gift (yep, crazy). My hubby would probably argue I'm not saving any money because I have to keep driving to Metairie or Kenner, but the way I look at it is, I'm going to those places anyway - might as well make some exchanges to get the lowest price! :)
• I completely copied this for the backs of our family Christmas cards. Seriously, what a wonderful infographic about a family! I'm already brainstorming for an infographic creation of my own to offer for Christmas cards next year!
• We have been reading the advent devotional from A Holy Experience... soooo good, and such a wonderful way to sit back and be still and remember the true reason for this season, which is Christ.
• Very excited about some new opportunities coming up at our church. I will post more details soon! :)
• I am still selling bags for Asha House. Leave a comment (with a way for me to get in touch with you) if you are interested in getting a bag to help get women and children out of sex trafficking in India!
• And finally, business stuff. I am very, very excited about some new lines I'll be launching in 2012. I plan to introduce a whole line of bridal shower/party invitations, as well as expand the baby shower line and introduce a line of baby announcements. I will spend Christmas break working to get all of these ready to launch.
• It's cold and rainy here today (yay!), I have chicken noodle soup in the crock pot, and my baby girl and I are chilling out all day. We might make some cupcakes later, or we may just stay snuggled on the couch. It's a good day.

I'll now leave you with a photo of my super-sweet girl my super-awesome-super-talented hubby captured this weekend.

(almost can't handle the sweetness - love this girl so much!)

How about you? How is your December treating you?