Twenty Twelve: More than Poo and Patty-Cake

Okay, this year, just this past week in fact, I’ve been thinking about resolutions. Normally, I don’t make a big deal out of them. If you read last year’s list, you might remember I outlined a plan to enjoy more family time and cupcakes in 2011, and I did just that. We even (sort of) met our goal for prepping the house for baby #2. What counts is that we made it to the hospital, just in time.

Now that we’ve got two kids it seems important to do something, well, more. I want to show them the importance of personal goal setting. Sure, they’re babies, but it’s a Tiger-Mom kinda world and they need to know mommy thinks about more than just poo and patty-cake.

I know, I know, motherhood is about so much more than that, but let’s be real; sometimes that’s what it feels like.

So I sat and thought. And thought some more, but then got bored and hungry. After a break, it hit me. It was time to search the web to see if anybody else had some resolutions that might inspire me.

While laughing, crying and shaking my head ‘yes, yes’ many times, I realized it would take some time, but I had to make some resolutions. Some goals I’d really enjoy.

I thought about writing goals, family goals and life lists for ‘The Twelve’ (it’s growing on me) and beyond. This work-in-progress is in no particular order, but at least it’s a start, right? :)

1.    Take our girl ice skating

2.    Enjoy a hike with our kids

3.    Date nights, plural

4.    Learn to ski cross country

5.    Get new bikes, then bike

6.    Picnic and beach fun with family

7.    Romantic Getaway with Hubby

8.    Start my veggie garden again

9.    Handwrite one letter a month

10. Finish novel

11. Publish novel

12. See more movies in the theater

13. Let the kids get dirty more

14. Get dirty with the kids, maybe make mud pies

15. Take more bubble baths (see 14)

16. Eat more ice cream

17. Eat more veggies

18. Exercise more (see 16 and 17)

19. Drive the California Coast in a convertible on sunny day

20. Plant a tree with our kids

21. Concert with Hubby

22. Take Grandma to a baseball game

23. See ALMS race with Hubby

24. See F1 race with Hubby

25. Myrtle Beach Family Style

26. Take our girl to see Mamma Mia

27. Take executive driving course and learn to do a J-turn

28. Tour Wine Country

29. Visit Vancouver

30. Visit friends in Germany

31. Tour Italy

32. Landmarks and Places to visit once or again:

·      Mackinac

·      Grand Hotel

·      Pebble Beach

·      Redwood Forest

·      Golden Gate

·      Pearl Harbor

·      Mount Vernon

·      The Capitol

·      Cumberland

·      Grand Canyon

·      Yellowstone

·      Yosemite

·      Mammoth Cave

·      Mount Rainier

·      St. Augustine

·      St. Andrews

·      Louvre

·      Stonehenge

·      Pyramids

33. Visit these restaurants once or again:

·      Citronelle, Michel Richard, Washington, D.C.

·      Del Posto, New York, Bastianich and Batali

·      Publican, Chicago

·      Everest, Chicago

·      Ad Hoc, Napa

·      Cut, Beverly Hills, Puck

·      Old Ebbitt Grill, Washington, D.C.

·      Restaurant August, New Orleans, Besh

Wow, that got longer than I expected. I better get moving! Happy January!

What's on your list?

Happy (after) Thanksgiving

It’s always a good time to give thanks.

I am so thankful for the love and laughter of family and friends. My daughter had me in tears during a recent family visit. She became upset as we left and told us, “I want to visit more family’s houses. I want to see more people we love who love us.” She just melts my heart.

If it hadn’t been for the painfully long car ride, and a potty-chair incident in the minivan, we might have been a little more gung-ho. But, instead we enjoyed the remainder of our trip and prayed that it wouldn’t take three hours to cross the city on the way home. (It worked, thank you traffic gods!) We learned that the effort it took to get there, and for our family to prepare our welcome was all worth it. Now, we just have to rest up a few months before any of us will even think about attempting it again. Then, kind of like pregnancy brain, you forget how hard the labor was, remember the end result is worth it, and do it all over again.

Thanks for a peaceful, wonderful, safe holiday!

Since we’re only a few short months from the welcome arrival of kid #2, my growing appetite also extends a thankful gurgle for the season’s delicious and indulgent foods. Here’s to a pie I didn’t try (yet), but it’s only because I just found this recipe – Toffee Topped Pumpkin Pie. Enjoy! http://www.goodbite.com/ultimate-thanksgiving/toffee-topped-pumpkin-pie