Happy New Year!

Oh my…how the time flies. Has it really been two weeks since I last posted? Is it really 2012?!

Hmmm…maybe it’s time for a December holiday recap and a look ahead to the 2012 year.

December Holiday Highlights

1. Hubby and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary at a wonderful restaurant called Oceanique. It was pricey (jawdroppingly so) but our marriage is worth celebrating. College savings plan be damned!

2. Henry, Deron, and I trekked to Arizona for Christmas and enjoyed the warm air, carne asada burritos, and starry nights. We relaxed, slept in, and ate a mountain of food. It was magical. And I think it’s official…we have the best family in the whole world.

3.  Henry learned to crawl. For reals. There is no stopping this kid now.

4. My 29th birthday was marked with a shopping spree (How does Sephora gain such control over me?), Snickers pancakes, and even more relaxation.

5. We were the lamest New Year’s celebrators ever and went to bed at 8:30pm. Boo.

What an enjoyable, entertaining, and easy holiday season! Thanks everyone for the perfect presents, the big hugs, and for doting on Henry. We feel very loved right now.

A look ahead to 2012

1. We eagerly await the move to the new apartment in a couple weeks. More space! Less junk! Babyproofing!

2. Deron applies to become a firefighter captain early this year and will finish the process by May. Good luck hubby!

Plus, our little family has a few goals for the upcoming year:

• SEE MORE FAMILY, MORE OFTEN. Brother bear and his lovely will (hopefully) visit in early spring. We hope to coerce the Grandmas out here as much as we can. And we fly to Florida in April. Yay!
• BE POSITIVE.  Less whining about work, Chicago, busy-ness, blah, blah, blah. Focus on the good stuff. There is SO much good stuff.
• MAKE A COMFORTABLE HOME. Already touched upon but very important. Comfy home = happy Becca.

No doubt 2012 will be as eventful as 2011. Hope the new year brings many joys to all of you. Happy New Year!

Christmas…it’s on!

Today just so happens to be December 1, which is a big deal in Beccaland. It’s a HUGE day. Because for me, December 1st marks the beginning of that most magical time of year, the Christmas season. Now I can start decorating our house with snowflakes. Now we can put up the Christmas tree. Now I can start buying the red and green peppermint candies. Now I can start watching The Muppet Christmas Carol on loop. The real celebration can begin.

But be careful!

There is a delicate balance to strike during this early phase of the Christmas season. And some people, in my opinion, get it wrong because they start celebrating Christmas in November. The TV stations, for example, get it wrong. They showed Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and How the Grinch Stole Christmas on Monday. That was November 28. Way to early. The stores are way off base and start playing Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving. Again, way too early.

And the problem with starting the Christmas celebrations too early is that it is unsustainable. By the time you reach December 25, you’re kinda ready for Christmas to be over. So sad! But what you really need to do is plan a slow build towards Christmas. Start small. Start slow. Then gradually increase your holiday dorkiness to the point that you are wearing ugly Christmas sweaters and Santa hats. Or maybe have decorated your tree with the characters from the manger scene in Love Actually (see below):

Our family will be celebrating our first real Christmas with Henry and I’d love to make it extra special. Things I’d like to do this holiday season include: 1) making a gingerbread house, 2) decorating our tree with another fun theme (I’m thinking felt this year), and 3) making my own egg nog. I’m so excited for what the next 24 days will bring.

Christmas…it is so on.

Happy Pie Day!

Okay…I made that up…Pie Day. To me, though, the day before Thanksgiving is an unofficial holiday. It deserves a name. So I made one up and I call it Pie Day because this is the day that all the pies and goodies are baked for the bigger, officially recognized holiday. While others might focus on the hassle of traveling and last minute turkey shopping, I’m choosing to focus on the joyful aspect of Thanksgiving Eve. I’m choosing to focus on the pie.

Here are a few reasons why Pie Day deserves more attention:

1. Pie Day has its own traditions. In our house, my mom always baked a pumpkin pie and a chocolate pecan pie for Thanksgiving. The day before, she would make the crust from scratch (!) and I remember her trimming and crimping the pie edges just so. She’d use the leftover crust dough to make little pie crust cookies with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top. It was the same thing every, single year. Now that I’m cooking my own Thanksgiving dinner, I can’t celebrate the holiday without those pies. I could choose other pies but I don’t. I love them.

See…tradition!

2. Pie Day is about love. This is the day when everyone comes home, when everyone starts to come together in their pie-scented homes. People start to gather in the kitchen. The holiday anticipation starts to build and everyone becomes a little happier, a little softer.

See…love!

3. Pie Day is a heck of a lot of fun. Pour a glass of wine, set out some yummy snacks, turn on some music, and bake up a storm. It’s an enjoyable process.

See…fun!

Pie Day is a day to be recognized and it’s something that we need. If you feel up to it, read this post about a girl with very grand ideas. It’s the right attitude. It’s inspiring. So let’s follow her lead. We need to celebrate more often. Let’s make extra holidays. Happy Pie Day!

Day 11, check!