Taking Stock- 2011

Nearly 12 months ago (geeez time flies), I set some goals for this year. Some big, some small. Some accomplished, some not, some purposely put aside because they just weren't as important as I had planned, and that's OK too.

So here's how it went!

Photography:

1. Take another class.

2. Take more photos of the everyday.

3. Try my hand at some more semi-professional photo shoots.

Update: I didn't do so well with this one. I had seriously considered taking another course at NESOP this Spring but around the time of registration, we learned that Jeff, Melissa, Riley and Garret would be moving to Illinois, and I chose to spend a bunch of Thursday nights at Mom's with the kiddos instead of in a classroom. Definitely the right decision, and I'm glad I did that. I have no real excuses for not taking more photos the rest of the year though (about 5000 in my albums instead of the 10,000 I took in 2010)! I really hope I can get back into it in 2012.

Crochet

I've done a little dabbling with this craft both during 2010 and already a little bit in the new year. I'm not convinced I'll ever love it as much as knitting, but I already know that it is has a lot of great applications and I want to learn at least the basics with crochet. I have a book that my friend Ellen leant to me over a year now (if you need it back please just holler), and I'm looking forward to tackling some of the squares from that book, even if its just to make a doll blanket for one of my nieces!

Update: I've crocheted!! Not a lot, but enough that I feel fairly comfortable with it. I made a few small items for Christmas, and I made a flower which felt more complex than most things so that helped get me going. I can't wait to try some new fun things now that my gift knitting is finished.

Sewing

I think a Thursday Night Sewing Club is already forming and I love that prospect. My Aunt Florence has graciously offered to teach Mom and me how to sew (Mom knows some basics. I do not). My friends Ryan and Kim are also very interested, and so I think us ladies (plus Nathan when he's free) may just have a grand old time learning how to sew. I'm very much looking forward to it. If I can sew a button on a shirt by the end of 2011, I'll consider that a success since I can't even do that. Anything more is a bonus!

Update: I'm still a very basic seamstress. In fact that's not even the word for it, but sew-er just looks like sewer, so I'm at a loss. I haven't put a lot of time into sewing, but in needing to show Kris how to set up a machine and get going on a project (with no adult supervision on hand), I was able to get us through it. So that's gotta be a sign!

Knitting

I've learned a lot about knitting in 2010 but there's more I'd like to learn and projects I'd still like to accomplish. This year I'm planning to make at least 1 more hat and 2 more afghans (one is in progress now). I will also learn to make mittens.

Update: I blew away the number on the hats (more details in my Christmas knits post). But I realized I really don't enjoy making blankets very much. I get really bored. What else is new.... I moved on to more challenging interesting things, and I'm very happy about that transition.

Make More Handmade Gifts

1. I very much enjoyed this part of my Christmas routine this year. I am planning to update this post with an exact percentage of how much of my gift giving was handmade by me (or others) this year with plans to increase that percentage for next year's Christmas season.

2. Start Christmas crafting by May at the latest. There simply wasn't enough time to do all of what I wanted to do this year. I have zillions of notes saved in Evernote. Lots of ideas. Just need to start executing earlier.

Updates: Done and done. I made more gifts this year and bought more green items when making purchases. Still not as great as I'd have liked, but I'm making progress. Next year I'll do even better! It's all about starting early. When I'm crunched for time, I'll order any old thing online. Starting to knit this summer made things a lot better! I'll definitely be doing that again next year.

Think about Simplifying on a Daily Basis

I'm finding that there is a lot of clutter in my life lately. When I am mindful about how I am spending my time and what I am wanting to accomplish I can do a lot of these things that really make me feel productive and happy.

1. I am aiming to watch less television on weeknights so that I can spend more time reading and crafting.

Update: I have no way to prove this, but I think I do watch less tv than before. I listen to the radio or my ipod while I knit, clean or just putter. I enjoy that.

2. I want to be better organized with my work bag and items I always think I need on a daily basis and yet rarely do (until the moment I need that specific thing and its inevitably at home)... I need less stuff and I need to be more organized= the bottom line.

3. Cleaner car & cleaner home. To be fair neither are actually dirty. But they are both cluttered. It's part of who I am. I'd rather work on something until I drop than to stop 15 minutes early and put everything away (really, that doesn't sound like it's any fun at all does it??). However, at the end of the week it looks like 2 adults, 6 kids and 3 circus clowns live in this small house and as much as it doesn't take me 2 days to clean, its still mildly overwhelming and let's face it, unnecessary. It drives Dan crazy and that's not fair. I am happier when the house is clean and clutter-free and I need to do the little things every day to make that happen. If I put stuff away at night, it will make my morning's easier... It's a good thing all around. I just need to push myself.

Update: No real progress here. Many times this house and my car looks great. And then life gets crazy again and there are piles everywhere and the dust bunnies run faster than I care to admit... and I can't find my lip gloss in any purse I own, but its gotta be there, right? Ugh. Life's a work in progress :)

Pay It OFF

1. Pay off my Student Loan.

2. Pay off my Car Loan.

Update: Done and Done! I'm super proud of this one. Not that I owed much a year ago, but I'm officially debt free and that feels fantastic! :)

All in all, not bad. I'm pleased with the year behind us and looking forward to 2012!

Christmas Card Shoot

Kris asked me to take some photos of Will and Aila for their 2011 Christmas Card.

It wasn't the ideal day for these two rambunctious kiddos but we did ok.

And the other silly, fun photos we got were priceless.

Aila's face in this one kills me! :)

Big man, balancing on a log!

Aila showing off her beautiful jewels (necklace Aunt Diane brought back from Venice)

Big jump!!!

Cutie pie! (Lesson learned for next time- don't show her the giraffe until after we take the photos, though this auntie loves having photos of her with our favorite animal)

Little Miss Personality.

Making their way through the woods together. Doesn't get any sweeter than this.

An Enchanted Afternoon

Sunday December 11

This year was the first year I took Aila out for a Christmas adventure and boy did we have a good time. I picked her up after church and amazingly enough she said she was hungry, and since I hadn't eaten lunch we headed to Chipotle. Aila ate nearly her whole taco so I considered that a win for this amateur auntie! After lunch we drove to Jordan's Furniture in Avon to see the Enchanted Village. In typical fashion, my little protege fell asleep in the car on the way there. I drove around for a few minutes hoping she'd stay asleep for a little while (secretly hoping this very overworked, overtired auntie could find a spot in the parking lot, lock the doors and take a nap along with Miss A), but as soon as we got to the light to pull into plaza, Aila startled awake thinking she'd missed the whole surprise! I assured her that she hadn't and we made our way inside.

We had to walk through Jordan's Clearance Center to get to the Enchanted Village. Aila was already sold on how cool this place was! She oooohed and ahhhhed the whole way through "Seat!" "Seat!" "Couch!!" She loved it! If only the long, winding line went through the store, we'd have been all set.

That wasn't the case. It was a Disney World kind of line that took us at least 30-40 minutes to get through, which with a very energetic 2 year old wasn't exactly easy, but Aila did great. I brought her 2 favorite giraffes that live at my house so those kept her happy for a couple turns. Then she saw the ads for the Jordan's Polar Express Movie Ride and that got us through another few. By the time we got closer, she was about to lose it, and I broke out the big guns- my smartphone which was able to find the opening clip from Lion King. JACKPOT!!!

We finally got to the end of the line--- the big blue wall with the white silhouette of the enchanted village on it-- the houses that Aila called "The Castles!!" When we finally got inside, she was thrilled! She loved the figures, especially the scenes that had animals. She named them all "Puppy!" "Cat!"....

Miss A and her babies taking in all the scenes.

(For the record:: yes, she tried 4 times to hike her tiny leg up and get inside with the characters! LOL)
Enjoying our festive afternoon...
...... with this silly little goon
A nice lady behind us saw me taking photos of the two of us and kindly offered to take a shot of us. I agreed. Why not right? Well, Aila just wanted to talk to the nice lady. "Did you see Sampa? Did you see him? He's right there. Go say hi! Did you see Sampa?!!" (pointing at the display we just passed, with the animated Santa Claus).

No longer pointing but still talking. Sampa, was afterall, RIGHT THERE! Didn't she know?! :)
Taking in the last of the sights before we made our way out.

The one thing they changed since the last time I went is that when you exit the village you end up right at Santa (no separate line, hooray! this 2 year old was done with lines). She walked right over, waving frantically "Hi Sampa!! HI Sampa!" He asked if she wanted to sit on his lap. She turned around and looked at me as if to say "Yeah? Am I allowed?" I gave her a big nod and told her to hop on up. Well, it being Aila- she did! She hopped onto the stool in front of his chair, and then bounded right up into his lap. He was totally taken with her. Aila was pulling on his beard and just saying "Hi Sampa" over and over again, ignoring his questions about what she wanted for gifts. We got a photo and made our way out to the car.

It was time for a treat for this well behaved little one. We went to Starbucks and she got a mini donut and a mini whoopie pie. Delicious!

It was a great day with my little munchkie! I wasn't sure if she'd had as much fun as I thought she did, but when I picked her up the next Saturday (for the dance recital) she wanted to leave the house as soon as I could get her dressed. When I got her settled into her car seat she asked "Are we going to the Castles??!!" I guess that's my answer. She was ready to go back. Line or no line. So I think we'll be going back next year (and next time it won't be based on my crazy work schedule so I can do her a favor and try to find a time where the line won't be so horrendous).

I can't wait! Love you baby! :)

Nothing Says Christmas Like a Kickline!!

On Wednesday December 7th, Mom, Terri, Krissy, Megg, Emelyn and I met for a Christmas surprise! We met up after work at Rockbottom in the Theater District for dinner, and then headed over to the Wang Center to see the Rockette's Christmas Spectacular!! It was a complete surprise for the Fortin girls and they were thrilled!

Emelyn requested that I sit next to her, and I have to say that made the experience even more amazing. Watching her watch the show was so enjoyable. She loved every minute of Santa and the different performers. And she was totally entranced by the theater... looking up at the gorgeously decorated ceiling (all the while eating her cotton candy).





I was in the middle of a crazy couple weeks at work, and I had to go back to the hospital after the show, but I can't think of a better escape than a few hours spent with some of the people I love most in this world. And at Christmas time! I'm a very lucky girl!

All Aboard... the Polar Express!

Saturday December 3, 2011

This year marked our 3rd trip on the Polar Express and I think it may have been the most fun yet. I was a little worried that Willy's getting older and it may not be as much fun for him... he started asking why the train car wasn't the same as in the movie and stuff like that. But still, he was psyched to go!

We boarded the 2:45p train out of Greenbush and got a great seat! Willy took his spot at the window and was immediately enthralled with the rest of the engines in the yard.

Once everyone had boarded the train, the lady leading things for our car came on the PA system and enthusiastically asked "Where are we going today?!!!"

Every child on the train yelled excited at the top of their lungs "To the NORTH POLE!!!!!!!!"

And at exactly the same time, Willy yelled (with matched excitement) "NOWHERE!!!!"

I lost it! Full on giggles that it took about 10 minutes to fully stifle! But, he was just as happy as the rest of the kids, even if we were just going up a few miles and turning back around!

He enjoyed a chocolate chip cookie...

And some chocolate milk!
We sang Christmas Carols (here we are, mid-tune)....
"all is Merry and BRIIIIIGHT!"
Willy loves the elves (always pretty high school girls). This one had tattoos! She passed him by 3 times before I could flag her down and I think he thought he was going to totally miss out!
And then the big man arrived! Willy was so excited, waiting for him to come see us...
He asked for a Polar Express Remote Control Train and a Garbage Truck.... Santa asked if he'd been a good boy and shook his hand.
But the best part of all comes last. Willy got his bell!
I'm so happy that this sweet boy still believes, not just in Santa but in the "magic" of the Polar Express. I'm overjoyed that he still loves spending time with his Auntie, doing silly things, singing and sitting on my lap and telling me stories!

Merry Christmas Buddy! I love you to the moon and back!