their {paw}fect!

Our family has finally been completed! We now have not one but two kids!

YICK! Ugh! {{cough}}

Yup!  I've had my fair share of medical shit shows this past year.  Started out with the post tonsillectomy healing, the UTI from hell, moved on to the fractured neck (still working on that healing process), then the ghastly stomach bug that knocked me out the week after thanksgiving...

& now...

THIS, itchy scratchy sore throat, coughing, sneezing, dark eyes, and runny nose COLD... I didn't need this...I'm still battling the achy and painful sneezing episodes that go hand in hand with the neck and back injury.

This cold might just be the icing on my 2012 startup cake! 

Here's to NyQuil, heated blankets, sweats, whiskey tea and honey!

{2011 to 2012} Goals!

1. Lose 25 pounds. I need to be healthier
2. Read 25 Books (2/25)
3. Find out how many credits I currently hold
4. Sign up for school
5. Officially purchase house
6. Paint Kitchen
7. Put down a new floor in the bathroom
8. Paint back splash with chalkboard paint
9. Get new counter tops
10. Purchase energy efficient stove
11. Purchase energy efficient dishwasher
12. purchase energy efficient refrigerator
13. Paint living room/hallway
14. Get the hardwood floors redone
15. Purchase new couch
16. Paint future child room/office
17. Put closet organizing system in guest room
18. Organize the office (with more bookshelves, etc)
19. Reduce clutter
20. Paint Master bedroom
21. Decorate the master bedroom
22. Purchase bed frame and side tables
23. Purchase new bedding
24. Put in closet organizer with drawers in Master bedroom closet
25. Hang shelves in the Bathroom
26. Paint bathroom
27. Replace Shower
28. Replace Toilet
29. Replace sink and medicine cabinet
30. Buy a new energy efficient washer and dryer
31. Double our emergency fund
32. Pay off all current debt except mortgage
33. Have a open house for friends to come and see our new place
34. Keep a neater/cleaner home
35. Get my passport
36. Go on a cruise
37. Go camping
38. Go on a road trip
39. Go to water park
40. Visit the ocean
41. Go to Maine
42. Go to a Yankees game
43. See fire & Ice display in Boston
44. Go to Washington, D.C. for a long weekend
45. Have a vacation planned for somewhere in Europe
46. Research traveling to Seattle.
47. Have at least 4 weekends away (0/4)
48. Go hiking with Doc
49. Go skiing with Doc
50. Start walking around the pond 3 nights a week
51. Start running
52. Walk in a marathon
53. Purchase a P22 and start shooting each weekend with Doc
54. Learn to quilt
55. Get a makeover hair/makeup
56. Get a pedicure
57. Get a hot stone massage
58. Get a couples massage with Doc
59. Go bowling
60. Go the movies in the theater
61. Have a date night with Doc where we actually dress up (1/12)
62. Go to a concert
63. Watch the sunset at least 5 times (0/5)
64. Make new friends
65. Have professional photos taken of Dominic and myself 
66. Frame more pictures for around the house
67. Keep up with printing out and albuming my weekend photos
68. Organize my photo's on my external hard drive
69. Get frame for wedding photo present
70. Pick up wedding dress from mothers house
71. Get my wedding dress preserved
72. Finish wedding album
73. Sell extra wedding decor
74. Look into the possibility of adoption
75. Baby proof the house (for companies littles)
76. Buy an excellent (professional) camera
77. send out birthday cards (3/5)
78. Send out Christmas cards
79. Send a message in a bottle
80. Write a love letter to my husband and send it snail mail
81. Go through all my clothes and donate the ones I no longer wear/need
82. Make a new E family tradition
83. Start cooking more meals for Doc and I
84. Pack Doc and me lunch for work at least 2x a week complete with a note inside to him :0)
85. Eat meat only once a week (0/52)
86. Start making my own yogurt
87. Have friends over for dinner
88. Bake my own bread
89. Make a friend a birthday cake from scratch
90. Try Indian food
91. Eat pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner
92. Drink less Soda
93. Take a cooking class
94. Have breakfast in bed
95. Make several fancy dinners for Doc and I
96. Buy more fresh, organic produce
97. Print out and organize my recipes
98. Recycle more
99. Donate $4.00 to charity for each task that isn’t completed (charity to be determined later)
100. As I complete each task, write about my accomplishments, set-backs, experiences, etc.
101. Make a new list of 101 Things to Do by the time my 1001 days are done

 These goals may carry one from year to year but they keep me going, they keep me devoted to getting things done in and around the house :)

{Burlap!} Natural and Simple Wreath

 Burlap!  So natural and simple.  I find it even more splendid when using it in a frilly way!  I made this really pretty burlap wreaths for my living room.  I plan to revamp them for each season :)  A simple silk daisy for spring. A Starfish for summer.  Maple leafs for fall and the prettiest Christmas bulb for holidays.  Perhaps next a snowflake for the dreaded long winter months. 

Items needed: 10 or 12" wreath form, 4"x4" burlap squares, straight pins, and ribbon. 

Pin the four corners of the burlap to the foam wreath

Puffy is good

Don't you just love this look.  I sure do!

Glue a ribbon loop onto the back and hang

Wow, isn't that lovely!  I added a red ball for the holidays... I'll remove those pieces and change for the seasons

Farewell & Goodbye 2011. {HELLO } 2012

Sailing, D and I love sailing. Since I currently can't fly we left from NYC and sailed down the east coast  to the Caribbean.  Amazing trip even with the rough seas and poor weather that we encountered. We enjoyed all the stops and LOVED the cruise line that we went with this time.  We were VIP passengers and were treated like royalty.  Can't wait to go again in the spring!

{Sailing up the Hudson}

{Midnight Sunset tini}

{the morning moon overlooking New Jersey}

{the Hudson's morning sunrise}

{good morning lady liberty}

{I heart. NYC}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                   

{The adoption is completed. Welcome home baby girl!}

{Another failed attempt to a family picture}

{Happy New Year from Church Street}

After our trip, we ((WELCOMED)) home our baby girl, Gemma Jam!  She was the missing ingredient in our family sammich!  Then came Santa and New Years.  Now we are planning and prepping for {2012}!  We are setting goals and making lists to complete. 

What do you have planned for 2012?