With amazement, I enter the last month of 2022. I'd like to finish this year on a celebratory note, but before we get to that, there are a few more miles to go.
I'm using up the remainder of my PTO this month and will spend those days tackling some of the things from my 2022 list that I hadn't gotten around to until now. On Friday, my first day off, I got a haircut (11 months after my last one), set up my potter's wheel, and went to dinner at Llama San for a date night with Kev. I have the next two Fridays off to coincide with early dismissal days at daycare, and I took the last week of December off as well so that I can end the year burrowed away in the coziness of home.
In the studio corner, I'm currently enjoying a slow and deliberate pace as I experiment with larger scale pieces and pepper in late-night clay doodles. This "free" time following the prep for the holiday season feels indulgent and full of possibilities and I'm having a lot of fun with it.
Tomorrow, I'm diving into mixing my very first glaze, an intimidating threshold across which a world of learning and discovery lies. Beginnings in ends - it's exciting to take this new task on at this moment, when it feels very much like each step forward comes as an unexpected bonus.
Here are some behind the scenes plans for December, in which my primary goal is to show Jasper the magic of the season.
Christmas lights in Dyker Heights
Dyker Heights, Brooklyn is known for its elaborate Christmas decorations - the neighborhood takes pride in decking their homes out each season, and somehow Kev and I have never seen this event before. It's crazy how you can grow up in this city and still find yourself a stranger to many of its neighborhoods. In this case, it's because it's pretty far and pretty inconvenient to get to. But some of our oldest friends live in that general part of Brooklyn, and we've made plans this year to take our kids to see this holiday season spectacle as a group outing. I think Jazzy will love it, and I'm so excited to make these memories with decades-long friends in this new chapter of our lives.
A tree in our breakfast nook
We've moved the round dining table into the part of our living room that we call Huxley's apartment to make room for a Christmas tree. Last year, for Jazzy's first Christmas, we got a tiny tree and kept it in the basement because his big play pen was still in use. This year, we'd like to get a larger one that we can enjoy every day. It'll be exciting to see his reaction now that he's more aware of what's going on. I think he'll love decorating the tree, and I'll have his 2nd ceramic ornament gift ready to go for when we trim the tree.
Jasper's First Secret Santa
Daycare is planning a little holiday party and gift exchange in a couple of weeks. We've so far prioritized these events that the school organizes and we really appreciate the effort they put into planning celebrations. I'm looking forward to showing up in his classroom in the middle of the day to surprise him for the party, and early dismissal that day will mean a few extra hours with him before his bedtime.
My Annual Wrapping Party of Two
It's already on the calendar, the annual get together with my bestie since childhood where we wrap our Christmas gifts and drink lots of wine. This year will be the second where we've allowed the husbands to join in (on the wine part, not the wrapping part), and it'll be happening at our place. It's one of my favorite traditions.
Photo Diary
A few snippets of life lately:
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