Make a list of the things you want to do before the end of the year.

Ahhhhhh, lists, I do love to make lists. I make lists of everything, I have even been known to make lists of lists I need to make. Yes, I am that geek.

There is never a blank to-do list for me, but this time of year brings its own veritable cornucopia of tasks to accomplish. This season though, I want to relax and enjoy myself instead of depleting my patience, sanity & bank account. This year I want to simplify and relish the little things. So here is what I want to do before the end of the year:

#1. Take my kids sledding. We are going to have snow for the next 6 months (or more), may as well make peace with it. At least it isn't rain. I can actually take my kids out to play in the white stuff. Rain, not so much.

#2. Cut down our Christmas tree in the wilderness. We have always wanted to do this and since our only other option is to pick up a tree from Kenny's gas station I think we'll go with the woods this year. Hopefully we won't become one of those families you hear about on the news. You know, the kind that end up burning their tires in order to stay warm and are rescued after surviving for six days on nothing but two chocolate bars and a box of raisins?

#3. See the Nutcracker ballet. Given where I live this probably won't happen in reality. It is a happy, little dream I nurture though. Hopefully, someday, maybe I will be able to attend.

#4. See Twilight: Breaking Dawn part 1. Yep, I am also that geek. This one I know for sure I will be able to accomplish as the owner of our cinema is totally Team Edward.

#5. Complete all my shopping without having to step foot in any store. Of course this is what I want to do. Chances that it actually happens????

#6. Read every Christmas story book we own. I think I like this tradition even more than my girls do.

#7. Watch all the classic Christmas movies on television. Thank goodness for the DVR. I plan on recording Charlie Brown Christmas, The Grinch (not Jim Carrey's version), Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and Frosty Returns.

#8. Make a gingerbread house. Last year we went through three of them. We ate the first one right out of the box. The second one would not stay together so we ate it too, gingerbread is very tasty! The third one ( from Costco, the only one worth buying) actually stayed intact. Of course the decorations seemed to all disappear over time. How odd.

#9. Come up with a great Christmas present for my husband. It is hard to surprise the guy, after all he is in charge of the checkbook and balances it religiously. It is also hard to buy the guy a gift when everything he wants requires some kind of bank loan. New truck? Quad? Absolutely! I'll just run right down and pick one up.

#10. Come up with a fantastic present for my nephews. According to my sister I don't need to feel obligated to get them anything. I don't feel obligated at all, this is something I really WANT to do. The problem is, what do you get for teenage boys? Which leads me to the next item on my list......

#11. Learn to knit. Do you think six weeks is enough time to become a proficient knitter? I just know that those boys would adore a scratchy, ill-fitting, hand-knit with love in every stitch, sweater from their auntie. Don't you think?

#12. Rock out to nothing but Christmas music. This way come December 26th I won't be sad to see it go.

#13. Make gingerbread waffles. After the gingerbread house debacle I discovered we all really like gingerbread. The waffles are a more cost effective way of enjoying it.

#14. Attend the community Christmas carol sing-along at the Presbyterian church. I loved it last year when my 6 year old sang "Hark the Herald Angles Sing" at the top of her lungs. Afterward one of the little old ladies came up to tell her what a lovely voice she had. She had been sitting three pews up and was wearing hearing aids, I guess they must work well.

#15. Be present.

There you have it, all the important stuff I want to squeeze into the next eight weeks. Good thing the question was what do you want to do. If it had said what do you have to do, we would have been here all day!