Procrastinating

We are leaving for China in less than 12 hours and I haven't packed a single thing and I've done absolute NO research.  For the 1st time ever, we're doing a tour package so it's very strange for me not to have to do any research   We asked Jason's uncle who lived in China for a year if the tour we had selected was good and he said yes so we just booked it.  It hit me yesterday that since I didn't do any of the planning, I also didn't do any research and I have absolutely no clue what I'm about to do.  Hopefully things all work out but it just feels strange not to know exactly what we'll be doing on our trip.

Instead of packing, I thought I'd do a bit of a Christmas prep recap since that's about all I've done for the past 3 weeks.

My mom sent me a Thanksgiving card that included the names for our family's secret Santa gift exchange

I found last years Christmas card list which made sending cards this year MUCH easier!

We did a little decorating around our house.  I can't wait to own a house with a real fireplace/mantel, but for now this will have to do.

We finally put ornaments and lights onto the tree we purchased before we left for Bali.

Buster was very sad that his bed was moved to make room for the tree.

I love this snowman refrigerator idea I saw on pinterest!

I decorated a gingerbread house with one of my students.

I baked 250+ cookies in 8 days and I don't want to bake again for a LONG time!

Some of those cookies were decorated with the wonderful ladies I teach English.

I spent 15 hours wrapping gifts at the PX as part of a fundraiser for our unit FRG

Our FRG also spend 3 days painting a 4x8 ft "Christmas card" that is now displayed near one of the gates to post.

I mailed/distributed the homemade vanilla extract I made as Christmas gifts.

Jason "wrapped" my Christmas gifts.  He couldn't find a box so he put one of my gifts into a cooler, put a piece of wrapping paper on top, replaced the lid and added a bow.  You have to appreciate his creativity!

We also purchased ourselves a couple of early Christmas gifts.

This entertainment center has been on my wish list since we arrived in Japan.  It's actually 3 pieces, but the "steps" are stacked together on the left hand side because the Christmas tree is in the way for now.  I can't wait to get it set up for real.

Jason also purchased the bar he's had his eye on for quite some time.

He wasted no time stocking it!

We're hoping to put it to good use on NYE =}

The dryer containing my last load of laundry just stopped so I suppose I should go pack now.  I hope you all have a very merry Christmas and I'll talk to you all when we get back from China.

And the winner is...

Congratulations Rebecca!!! Your prize will be in the mail tomorrow!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

30 while 30 {9 months}

6 out of 30 complete.  Getting things done!

Health/Fitness {0/4}

1} take a yoga class

2} do 1 unassisted pull up

3} pass the Army PT test for my gender/age group
4} complete the CZ "swim around Japan" challenge

Food {0/6}
5} eat one week strict paleo{well, almost strict, coke doesn't count}

6} make Pioneer Woman's homemade cinnamon rolls 

7}learn to cook 5 Japanese dishes from scratch {1/5 1. Nikujaga}
8} master 5 go-to last minute meals
9} try 5 new foods {1.Snakeskin fruit 2.Mangosteen 3.pistachios}
10} meal plan every month {3/12}

Japan/Travel {3/9}

11}visit at least 3 new sites in Japan {1/3 1.Tokyo Disney}

12}visit Tokyo Disney {DONE 23Oct12}

13} ride an elephant in Thailand
14} see the Great Wall of China
15} put my feet in the Indian Ocean {Done in Bali}

16}volunteer somewhere outside of the US {DONE 8-12Nov12, Ishinomaki, Japan}
17} take Jason to Red River Gorge AKA my favorite place in the world

18} print, frame and display at least one photo from each of our trips

19} visit at least 3 new countries {1/3 Indonesia}

Random {3/11}

20}watch all 100 movies off the AFI {American Film Institute} top 100 list {40/119}
there are actually 2 lists, we combined them and there are 118 different movies on the lists

21} contribute to savings every month {3/12}
22}volunteer somewhere at least once a month {3/12}
23} have new photos taken of Jason and I {DONE 16Sep12}
24} send 12 personalized "just because" gifts/cards {3/12}
25} revamp my resume

26} learn at least 50 ASL words

27} attend an Army sponsored marriage retreat {DONE 22-24Oct12}

28} get caught up on my scrapbooks and stay current

29} VOTE in the Presidential election {DONE 17Oct12}

30} blog 100 times

10 on 10 {December}

I love the little glimpses into everyday life I get from participating in 10 on 10.

10 photos in 10 hours, here is my day!

0800

practicing my double unders

0900

leaving the gym 

1000

breakfast 

1100

blogging

1200

vacuuming

 1300

fresh haircut

1400

mailing Christmas presents back to the States 

1500

delivering meals to a friend going through a rough time

1600

enjoying the not too cold weather with Buster

1700

Christmas cards going in the mail

Photo A Day {November}

Thanks to some tips from Jessica, I'm going to try something new to display my photos this month...I'll probably tweak it a tad each month until I come up with something I really like but for now, this is as good as it's going to get.

Days 1-15

Days 16-30

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