1. Invent 24 activities/fun things to put in the Advent calendar.
2. Buy fabric. Make curtains for the kitchen. Hang them like a proper adult. I have lived here for almost two years, I hate the blinds, MAKE SOME CURTAINS ALREADY, A'DELL.
3. Make sugar cookies and freeze them well in advance of Cookie Day, in an effort to spread out the baking chores and dishes associated with them.
4. Assemble family in backyard for Official Family Photo shoot. Take nine trillion pictures. Pray one of them is decent.
5. Take said photo and upload to Tiny Prints and choose a card. Order it. Send them back out once they arrive.
6. Frame and hang several photos and prints before anyone comes to visit to give the illusion that my home has been all decorated up for many, many, moons.
7. Figure out the menu for Cookie Day.
8. Figure out the menu for Christmas.
9. Buy a crap-ton of gifts. Make sincere effort to buy them all online, for free shipping and no tax at Amazon.
10. Wrap gifts. Am going to use same classy peppermint striped paper from last year. Look how cute and matchy-matchy that is. (The effect is far less dizzying in real life versus a photo.)
11. Probably mail some gifts. (AGHHH I HATE THE POST OFFICE.)
12. Make this printable banner and hang it up.
Source: atsecondstreet.blogspot.com via A'Dell on Pinterest
13. Scavenge some pine cones and spray paint them. Put them in a bowl or hurricane vase, as seen everywhere on Pinterest.
14. Assemble the tree and decorate it. Redecorate it several times until I am pleased with its aesthetics.
15. Spend some serious time giving the thumbs up/down to holiday songs on Pandora so that by December 1 I will have a truly kick ass holiday station to listen to.
16. Watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation at least three times. Source at least two more holiday movies because I am bored with our current selection. (Elf, Rudolph, Frosty and the aforementioned family classic. Suggestions?)
17. Make eggnog lattes several times a week.
18. Buy the girls matching Christmas pajamas.
19. Make the Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake again. Because, it's Christmas.
20. Buy more wine, because you bet your ass we're not going to run out like we did last year. (And, I was pregnant and not drinking last year so we are for sure going to drink more.)
21. Spend a lot of money at the liquor store. We're nearly out of vodka, scotch and bourbon.
22. Even though I think they cost too much, get some gift tags printed from Tiny Prints like I did last year because I just loooooved those last year and the leftover ones are now null and void as I went and created a whole new human last May and her name would be conspicuously absent.
23. Buy holiday attire for the girls. Try to figure out in advance if a grandparent is covering the littles so I don't duplicate efforts and end up with three holiday dresses per child and only one month to wear them before everyone grows.
24. Buy Christmas pajamas for myself, as the ones I bought last year were purchased when pregnant and, well, if they fit then I'll be so pissed so....NEW PAJAMAS. I'm not even going to try the old ones on.
25. Shop around a dress that is suitable for my brother's wedding in February. Buy it when it goes on sale in January.
26. Eat a lot. Drink a lot. Remember to keep going to the Y, because it keeps me sane and happy.
Hmmm....I wonder if I make a list like this and post it, will more things actually get done. Because right now the list in my head is SO not working.
Posted by: Meghan | November 14, 2011 at 08:04 PM
Yes to number 26. YES. Will try to do the same. Love your list... I love the holiday stuff on the net...even if it's only Nov 14.
Posted by: lindsay | November 14, 2011 at 08:20 PM
I've got the advent fun things list pretty much done already. Just remind me to post the final list again.
Posted by: HereWeGoAJen | November 14, 2011 at 08:20 PM
Movie suggestions: A Christmas Story (you'll shoot your eye out!), Muppet's Christmas Carol, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the cartoon, not that ridiculous Jim Carey one), The Santa Clause (1 and 2). Maybe we watch too many Christmas movies around here.
Also, I want to hear about your advent calendar activities.
Posted by: Elsha | November 14, 2011 at 08:41 PM
I second "A Christmas Story", we watch it about 25 times a year. Other than that, I like the Holiday with Cameron Diaz and Jude Law and Four Christmas's although it's probably not kid friendly.
Posted by: Amanda | November 14, 2011 at 09:05 PM
You can upload addresses to Tiny Prints and send your cards directly! (And if you want extra(s) it's worth it to see if shipping costs more/less than having them stamped and sent to your house!)
Posted by: Tara | November 14, 2011 at 09:57 PM
We always watch: A Christmas Story, Love Actually, How The Grinch Stole Christmas (both versions), The Holiday, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation and all The Harry Potter movies :-)
Posted by: Raven | November 15, 2011 at 06:59 AM
27. Enjoy a "Tom & Jerry" with us if you're able to visit Houston :)
Posted by: Hatkowskifamily.blogspot.com | November 15, 2011 at 09:44 AM
Just the thought of *making* a list like this makes me tired! Maybe I can just copy yours.
Posted by: Jesabes | November 15, 2011 at 12:22 PM
The Muppet Christmas Carol is my jam. I have the DVD and the CD soundtrack for the car. I am...31 years old.
Posted by: Erica Huff | November 15, 2011 at 04:44 PM
Oh boy, you are making me tired. I'm concentrating on surviving Thanksgiving at the moment.
Posted by: natalie | November 15, 2011 at 06:16 PM
Sounds like a kick ass list. I hope you post photos of the girls in the matching PJs/dresses. I bet they will be adorable!
Posted by: Life of a Doctor's Wife | November 15, 2011 at 09:32 PM