First, I present to you the fun stuff: link love.

The Shabby Chic Cottage: Ornament Garland

Ohdeedoh: The Bizarre and Brilliant World of Knitted Science

The DIY Showoff: Painting A Bathroom Floor

Three Men and a Lady: Christmas Gifts

The Happiness Project: Eight Tips to Know If You’re Being Boring

A Shopaholic Mom: Realized Dreams…

I apologize for the most boring second part to a post ever, but I’m trying to keep myself on track by posting when I complete a goal for the the month of December.

We sent gifts out to family and friends yesterday.  I hope they get their packages before Christmas.

December Goals

• Complete my final paper (which is due Tuesday, btw!) DONE!!
• Send out Xmas cards. DONE
• Finish Xmas shopping.
• Send gifts to family that are out of town. DONE
• Make dental appointments for me and the mister.
• Make casseroles to freeze (so we can have decent meals after the baby is born).
• Make appointments for a hospital tour and refresher birthing class.
• Get my hair cut.
• Take stuff in the garage to Goodwill and the dump.

I have to admit, the Christmas and New Year holidays aren’t my favorite.  I prefer the fun of Halloween or the romance of Valentine’s Day.  The expectations during the winter holidays can be unrealistic.  During this time of year I work very hard to stay emotionally level and a large part of doing that is by reading inspirational stories.  Here are some good reads I’ve recently found.

• I’ve been reading The Happiness Project blog for a few months now.  The author, Gretchen, has some superb articles on making life better and happier.
• Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong.com site has a wealth of inpirational articles.
• Leo Babauta’s Zenhabits has a wealth of information on productivity, living simply, and living the life you want.

I used to get an email with inspirational animal stories, but I found those to be too sentimental and often I’d want to cry when I finished them!  So now I prefer reading that offers me not only inspiration, but practical steps for improving my mental outlook and my life.

Take care of yourself!

(BTW, this picture was taken at the Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque.  There is certainly something simple and profound about the desert ecosystem.  I think this picture is a good metaphor for life.)

Here are some fun posts I’ve read recently.  These women are so industrious and creative:

• Enchantresses 3: A great kid-friendly patio makeover
• The DIY Show Off: The right way to hang a grouping of photos
• Something To Do: Dining Room Hutch Project
• Something To Do: Chandelier Makeover
• Poppies At Play: Monogrammed Frame Project

I’m almost done with my class, but I still have a few classes to go and a final paper to write.  We’ve also got Miss Petrie’s birthday party to host soon and some family gatherings to prepare for.  And of course we have a baby coming soon.  Oy.  It’s a busy life, but I’m grateful for everything we have.  Have a great weekend!

I mostly spend my computer time reading home, child, and decorating blogs, but I do read some other sites for helpful tips and information.  Maybe you know about these sites, but if you don’t you may enjoy them.

The Dollar Stretcher- This site has great money-saving tips and information about how money works.  

Martha Stewart- I read her craft and organizing tips of the day.  

Vampire Genre- All the latest on vampire books, updated monthly.

Rate My Space- Need decorating ideas?  There are thousands of unique rooms on this site.

Flickr- You can archive a certain number of photos for free, but you can archive all of your photos for a yearly fee of about $25.  If you don’t want to clutter up your computer with all of your photos, this is the site for you.  I love the feature that allows me to send pictures to my parent’s local Target.  

Paperback Swap- Trade your dusty paperbacks, get books you want, trade them when you finish reading them.  Look up an author you like and see what books are coming out next and reserve them.  I use the library all the time, but often there are books I want that aren’t available through the library and I get them through PBS.

Your bank- If your bank has a site, it probably allows you to check your balance, transfer money, and pay bills.  I like always knowing what’s going on with my account.

Your city’s site- Anything your city runs should be found here.  I use the library part of the city’s site to reserve books and find out when my books are in and when they are due.  I can also extend my due date if no one else is waiting for the book.

Weather Underground- Know the weather in your neighborhood or somewhere you are going.  This site has lots of real-time updates.

What informational sites do you visit?  Or do you have a blog you can recommend?

Have a great Saturday!

Miss Petrie enjoying the slide at our neighborhood park.

If you haven’t heard, Olive Rue is offering readers a beautiful photo for free!  I printed mine up today to compliment the photo I won from her site.  Tell her I sent you!  :)

Enjoy your day.

Here are a few posts I’ve really liked.  Enjoy!

• An awesome house tour

• A once a month cooking experiment

• An incredible, inexpensive orange bathroom renovation

• A cool wall treatment and bathroom makeover