In last few weeks I finished a par of mitts and I baked a cake. I got credit for courses I took a while ago so now I only have to finish my thesis to graduate. I was very productive at work. I finally got a decent crepe combination, I thought Trevor to make coffee.
We’re going on a mini vacation this weekend and I can’t wait!
Have you voted for the Obama’s playlist yet?
Some things I am looking forward in the next year:
Eugene Onegin Opera with the gals
Going to the Mountains with Chris and Trev
Biking in the Summer
Fringe Festival
Finishing up the Thesis
Other
I am thinking back at some of the things I enjoyed in 2008:
– Family moments like going to the park with Trevor
– Anytime I am relaxed and playing with Trevor
– Biking to Carleton
– Going to movies
– Snuggling with Chris reading or watching TV after Trev goes to bed
– Baking with my new toys (stand mixer, mini muffin pan…)
– Lots of other things…
My Christmas tradition (going on four years now) is to bake a new type of cookie and make a craft.
For cookies, I used to make walnut vanilla cookies, but lately I am getting bored with them. I still made them this year, however, the cookie that I have been focusing on is the mini apple tart.
Last year I attempted to make mini strudels which was an utter disaster due to my lack of skills with phylo dough. I made tart dough this time. I think it turned out better but I must keep a few things in mind for next year:
– always wait a day before eating them. It will give time to dough to dry out a bit and be a bit more crust like
– do not use whole wheat flour. Though I am not sure about that, after a day or so, I did not think it was all that bad
– bake for 12 minutes at 445 degrees, or something like it
Overall, these cookies show potential, but aren’t too great. My nostalgia for apple strudel is probably why I like these. I don’t know if anyone else thinks they are any good. My mom liked them, but I think she suffers from the same strudel fondness.
My other craft turned out a bit better. I was making reusable gift bags from cloth. I combined useful with pleasant and had a few friends over to work on this and other crafts. It is great to have friends who are into making crafts. I have fond memories sewing and knitting with my grandmother so I always enjoy crafting with company. I always think about my nona when I make crafts, it is such a pleasant way of remembering her.
Unlike my cookies, bags were a success. It took me much longer to do than I expected and I had to run out and get more fabric and ribbon to complete the project, but it was all worth it. Sewing with a sewing machine was much easier than I thought it would be and I am much more confident about my sewing now. I am thinking of some future projects, but have not made up my mind yet.
I finished up my paper on Monday two full days before it was due. I then took two days to play with Trevor and go to sleep pretty much as soon as he did. I am starting to feel a bit more relaxed and the continuous slew of Holiday lunches at work is getting me in the festive mood. In fact, I am baking Christmas cookies right now, or I will, as soon as I finish this post.
I am not going to be working on my thesis until January, but I will spend some time getting everything set up. I want to install and configure CVS on my laptop and do a bit of clean up of the design.
Apart form that, I want to set up budget for next year, clean up the house, finish up my Christmas shopping, make my holiday crafts (I am making gift bags this year – goodbye stupid wrapping paper that people just rip and throw away!), bake and freeze a few bread loafs, catch up on reading, figure out how to make food in the slow cooker etc, figure out a new fitness schedule…
This is the first year that I will be working through holidays as my company changed policies. I used to look forward to the break because it forced me to relax right at the time when I needed it the most. I am sort of glad that I have more vacation days as a result of the change, but still feel a bit awkward about working during that time. I am bringing Trev to work on Christmas eve, because that’s the tradition in my department. There will be other kids there whose parents promised me they will entertain him.