Little Bit of Lately

I live in a Christmas wonderland.

And I love it.

"Snap Happy" by essie.

a throwback to age 5.

I wish I still had those little heart earrings!

my friend sent me this from backstage at a concert and I'm pretty

sure she could hear me squealing through my response text.

hi, T. Swift!

I'm always a fan of the bow at Cartier.

walking through the Chelsea Market.

they have a great little holiday pop-up shop, by the way.

one day, i want to hang this many lights.

butterscotch & nutella (!) gelato. yum.

post office run.

i've received such great feedback from the stationery - i'm so glad

everyone likes them! you have no idea how happy that makes me.

i'm participating in a holiday card swap this year so I sent a few extra Christmas cards

to other card enthusiasts, including one in Ontario and one in Nova Scotia!

...there are bright neon things ahead!

isn't this the most cheerful gift box of treats?

hello, sugarrrr.

What else has been going on lately? Let's see.

I was sitting at a diner on Saturday morning and my brother called...he's going to have a son! Ahh! His first! I quickly became one big weepy mess. My other brother was actually able to do the ultrasound and our whole family cried over the picture even though I can't make out anything besides a blob :) Just to highlight the official tally, this will make for 9 nephews and 2 nieces for this Aunt Ginny. Woah, nelly!

While Patrick is still in his sling, I am the only one capable of doing things like washing dishes. I dreamt the other night I got a dishwasher installed and when I walked into the kitchen that morning, I realized it wasn't true. This is indicative of two things: 1. there are definitely downsides of living here. 2. I need to figure out how to have more childlike dreams. Unicorns > dishwashers.

I need the aforementioned "card enthusiast" self description on a bumper sticker. And then I need a car on which to put said bumper sticker. Lately, one could summarize my oh-so-sexy fashion state into two words: bag lady. I carry one ginormously heavy purse (there are a lot of things I might need if I'm stranded in the subway for a week straight - worst fear), a gym bag, and at least one bag full of stationery/packages/gifts/long tubes of gift wrap/books I thought were a good idea to buy for people until I realize how collectively heavy they are. I am a perpetual schlepper. And it's not very cute.

I have been working on a few projects, some of which are surprises. You know how in the "Meet Virginia" song it says that Virginia loves babies (see above) and surprises? Tis true. 'Cept I'M ABOUT TO BURST. Believe me or not, but I have reached the point in my life where giving gifts is honestly more enjoyable than receiving them. The anticipation is about to push me over the giddyness edge, though. My gifts to Patrick are all wrapped and beneath Treesa (I quickly realized there was literally no place to hide gifts from him so his are the only ones I've wrapped) and every night I have to fight the urge of saying, "Oh just open them already!"

The other night I baked chocolate-chip cookies, poured big glasses of cold milk, and we finally started Homeland. Oh boy - I'm already hooked! #ineedmoretimetowatchTV

Today is 12.12.12 - the last repetitive day we will see in our lifetime. Bizarre.

Tomorrow night, we are going to a private screening of The Hobbit! I AM SO EXCITED. I am a huge Tolkien fan! The same brother who is going to have a son this May read that book over & over & over to me when I was little. And he does the best Gollum voice I have ever heard.

Two weeks from now? Christmas will be over. GASP! Now that you've read this obnoxiously lengthy post, please go and do something that will put you into the holiday spirit, whether that's buying/making a gift, listening to Bing Crosby, donating to those in need, or just eating an entire candy cane (you know you want to).

until next time,

g