today i have been spending a lot of time thinking about new years resolutions.  i always say i have two or three ... weight loss, health, get out of debt.  this year, its holding more meaning, more value to it.  like i am actually going to see things thru (ask me again in march on how this is going!).  here are some that i have been thinking about:

the obvious
1.  loose 15 lbs
2.  eat more fruits and vegetables
3.  get out of debt

the not-so-obvious
1.  get out more - see the city, see the local sites
2.  something about spirituality ... mine sucks currently, and i think if it were better, things might be better
3.  do more creative things
4.  spend more time with family and friends ... make efforts to see them.  get in the car and go see them. 

to help support point 4 in the not-so-obvious section, i stopped at goodwill tonight to look for a vintage sunburst wall clock for my living room.  if i am going to be having people over more, i need to make it more eye appealing.  i didnt find the clock, but i did find these goodies. 

 
my cabinets do not go to the ceiling, so i need to add stuff to the top ... tonight i added this pitcher, and the blue pitcher (below).
 
i am definitely liking the addition of some color, including this red basket.
 

  
teacups for entertaining.  i love how they are all different patterns, including the saucers.  

lastly, i picked up a basket to hold my mini-scrapbooks on my coffee table.  i was thinking about this last weekend and had plans to go to IKEA this weekend to find a basket just as the one i found.  cant load the picture for some reason ... check it out on my flickr page. 

here's to 2009.  may it bring good things to all of us. 

not sure why but this season i've spent more time on martha's website than ever before.  she must have, well she did hire some great designers and artists.  there are many activities that i am interested in ... especially this one, an idea for the christmas cards, holiday card scrapbook. 

each year i end up keeping the pictures i receive, but toss the cards.  with this new scrapbook idea, i can keep the cards and the pictures and have them to look at throughout the year.  a good way to capture and keep the memories. 

here's mine.  (btw, super easy!)

   
*punched two holes for the rings in each card.  added ribbon from Joann Fabrics and KI Memories.  front page is clear with K&Company christmas rub-on.

 
*the cards were added randomly, no reference to shape or size, though family was first. 

 
*the last card I covered the back in christmas themed paper from Die Cuts With View. 

 
*same as the front page, the back page is clear with K&Company christmas rub-on.

cant believe its over.  it was a good day.  larry + gary came with their parents.  my two nieces were disappointed they didnt get wii fit ... that is until they opened the last gift.  my sister really tricked them.  megan wanted to leave my mothers and go home right away to play.  14 year old with no patience ... a bit like me.  ;o)

here are few favorites from yesterday.  i have come to the conclusion i want to take a class on how-to take pictures. 

first.  it was the year of the vest.  mom gave us all new down vests from lands end.
 

afterwards i got a little snuggle time with sara.  17 years old and has an independent mind of her own.  poor girl is in for a rude awakening one day.  (we were all like this at 18!)
 

then megan and gary (tyler) wanted to get in on the action.  dont you love his eyes peeking out the top of the blanket??!?
 

lastly, me with larry + gary.  i love them.
 

well, cant forget this.  larry + gary's dad being just the goofball that he is.
 

hope everyone had a pleasant and warm holiday.  i definitely enjoyed the moments we were all standing in mom's kitchen eating from the buffet spread she put out.  there was no rush to open gifts.  just sitting there relaxing, being with each other.  definitely what christmas is all about. 

merry christmas everyone!  may your day be filled with joy and happiness wherever you are.

today was my annual christmas eve brunch.  it was a small crowd compared to last year.  still was good.  served gingerbread waffles, egg + ham breakfast bake, fruit, bacon, coffee + peppermint hot chocolate. 

this year:
 

last year:

have you ever had a penpal? not talking about your friends who live down the street, someone you dont know? 

i had one back when the USA was in the Gulf War.  my brother-in-law had a friend in the service who was deployed somewhere (i cant remember now) and we exchanged letters for a couple of months.  it was like the old days where people exchanged letters talking about life, love, what is happening in the world that has caused them to write. 

this soldier and i got to know each other via snail mail and pen and paper.  it was a nice feeling that i was able to give him something to look forward to, even if it was just a letter. 

i found this website, postcrossing, where you can send postcards to random people and you can receive postcards in return.  my first postcard?  to a woman in finland, who likes hedgehogs.  what a way to get to reach out to other parts of the world. 

check it out ...

this has been a busy weekend!  friday night ... errands.  saturday morning, more errands and a stop at mom's house to wrap some gifts to send to my sister.  it was nice, me and mom, wrapping gifts together, talking about christmas.  i hope to do it again this weekend.  after that i was on my way to get a little nephew love.  they are a month old now.  they didnt want to pose for the papp ... not in the mood.  this was the best i could get.

charlie, or larry, or who now has taken on the names 'chunky monkey' or 'big tuna'.  he weighs almost 10 lbs.  yikes!
 

tyler, or gary, or pipsqueak.  he's still little.  i didnt recognize him at first ... changed in just two weeks since the last time i saw he and his brother.  though now the pacifier doesnt take up his entire face!
 

today, i spent the afternoon in chicago with cynthia, a co-worker from our brazil entity.  super nice woman, super easy to get along with.  she and i did a lot of walking.  i took her to millenium park to see the bean, the ice skating and a few other things.
 

what we werent expecting to see was santa on ice skates:
 

then we walked over to daley plaza for the kris kringle market (or whatever the official name is).  we had to partake in a little hot spiced wine.  yum.o. 
 

and as we were walking to the john hancock tower, we pass this.  how appropriate for me.  i smiled and had to explain my thoughts on just doing something, being something.  creating. 

view from the 96th signature lounge.  i love this place.
 

*note to self ... after the new year, learn how to use camera when overcast*

surfing for christmas gift inspiration a couple of weeks ago, i came across an idea of making a mini journal to carry in my purse.  it is made from paper that has been used and has like one line of print on it.  instead of throwing the piece out or putting it in the recycle bin, i did my own recycling right here at home. 

so i started with this:
 

and took some pages from these:
 

and i came up with these:
 

this is how i get 96 projects going at once.  i will find something to make someone, and then as i am making it, i think, i want one for myself.  so i add me to the list.  then as soon as i add me, i add my sister.  and if i add one sister, i have to add the other.  so in essence, the simple project turns into a major task! 

a peek inside:
 
stamped a 'to-do' list on one page

 
added a picture of the kids, with a 'moment' stamp on the other side of the page so my sister can capture those moments when there is no camera and wants to remember it.

 
this is the last page.  on the front page i wrote a note to my sister. 

pretty nifty gift, recycled, homemade, made just for someone ... what christmas is truly all about. 

i've got like 96 christmas related projects going and each time i work on one, i make progress, but have yet to finish one!  this is driving me crazy! 

like these for instance.  these are my initial ornaments, idea from martha stewart.  i have completed all but four.  i ran out of ribbon.  and this is just the friends list.  i havent even started the family list. 
 
1. making memories chipboard, 2. mistletoe + pear paper pad by basic gray, 3. making memories red eyelets, 4.  american crafts green satin ribbon, 5.  elmer's glue stick.  how-to?  cover the letter with glue, add paper, cut out initial.  punch hole for eyelet, add ribbon. 

today the barnes and noble in plainfield was donating 10% of your sale to plainfield east high school, if you mentioned the high school at the checkout.  to support the fundraiser, the choir from the school sang christmas carols.  they put a sweetness to the songs.  their high pitched, young voices.  it was nice to hear when browsing. 
 

so my 17 year old niece and i were duking it out on wii tonight.  surprisingly they had me saved as a player ... i didnt agree to the ponytail on the side of my head: