Wanna See It, Do It, Eat It, Enjoy It- Close Out 2012 List

Blogging is about to take a bit of a vacation, much like life come tomorrow afternoon as I watch my students run at break neck speed out of the building. If I had on my new running shoes I could beat them out of the parking lot.

I have some annual end of the year posts I want to write but for most of next week I really want to be working on my vacation punch list.

The other night I was thumbing through a Martha Stewart Living, admiring all the handmade "good things" that obvious permeate Martha's life.  Note that the "stalking your neighbors" spread is missing. 

If Martha dropped by Casa Vinson she would find us on our nightly drive through the neighborhood at a snails pace looking at lights and inflatables with two kids screaming out the open window in excitement.  Last night Ian threw his shoes out the window so I had to do the walk of shame to go fetch them out of some unsuspecting neighbor's yard.  At that point the holiday tour of lights was over.

It got me thinking about the illusion of perfection, especially at this season.  Perfection is overrated and besides Martha is a convicted felon.

A couple of items worth sharing for those not invited to Martha's fantastically planned Christmas Day celebration.

Minimalist Parenting ideas about How to Lower the Holiday Bar Without Dropping it as well as Why Crockpots are Sexy (both series titles).  I am all over this book to be released in March, 2013.  

Simple Mom ideas about ways to not over commit during the season.  I LOVE her idea of each year getting the family involved about writing down hopes, dreams, and desires for the season.  We took this advice and have had so much more relaxed rather than crammed to the gills season.  I also love her honesty that if you don''t want to keep a tradition up, let it go in hopes of making something else worth your time.

Making my want to do it, see it, eat it, enjoy it close out 2012 list:

See it:   A movie in a movie theater.  Maybe Argo. Maybe Silver Linings Playbook.  NOT, NOT , NOT Les Mis.  God NO.  Like want to sucker punch you to the gut NO.  I hate musicals.  I hate the French Revolution.  This movie looks like 2+ hours in Hell.

Also, announced yesterday that Sleepwalk with Me is now on Netflix.  Oh yes.  Oh so gonna watch some night after Christmas since I missed it in the movie theater.

Do it-  A couple of holiday themed items left to do with the family including taking the train Sunday over to the Greensboro Children's museum.  Christmas Eve we are heading out to a big light display called Meadow Lights.

With all Vinson folk home together from the 24th-2nd I hope we can find a balance between doing some things out as a family and also just being at home with some down time.  I am determined to go shopping minus children at some point and redeem giftcards from LAST holiday.  Minus a couple of days in Atlanta to see Bill's mom and brother we are going to be homebodies for most of the break.

Eat it- I totally missed the whole, making Christmas cookies until my mixer begged to stop.  I made ONE single batch of cookies, long since eaten.  I was suppose to hit up a cookie exchange but reneged when I had a sick kid and the realization I didn't have anything to take and no time to make.  Christmas Day is shaping up to be a free-for-all of appetizers and any way cheese can be served.

Read it/Watch it- Just finished Gone Girl, hands down one of 2012 best books, as well as best in the last 10 years of reading.  There is a reason why like 2000 people in the Wake County Library system on on the wait list.  Crazy.

I've finishing up a so so parenting book and then hope to finish up one if not two more books by end of the year.  I won't make my 30 books goal, but did come close which is a record for me to have gotten past 20 this year. Books for 2013 are eagerly being tagged as a holiday home project.

On the TV side Bill bought me season 1 of Homeland to watch over break, as well as finish up Season 2 of  Downton Abbey in preparation for the new season starting in January.  Also on the agenda more Breaking Bad and American Horror Story (watched in the bright, bright daylight).

What I didn't get done really doesn't matter. There will always be more holiday seasons to come.  A big highlight is opening cards from friends of today and yesterday with smiling children's faces.  I display all the cards on the  back door. Each year we make placemats for the next holiday with our favorite cards as a recycling project.

I did make decorations for the front door back at the start of the season.  After the 2011 fresh fruit debacle, I went fake.  I'm proud of the creations.  I'm even more proud that the amount of effort for NEXT year will be removing both from storage bags and hanging. To not have rotting fruit as a welcome is just icing on the cake.

Happy last days before Christmas, happy time off relaxing and enjoying your family and friends without the stress of work and school.

Happy time spending doing what you want and closing out 2012.