It's been a while, hasn't it? I just can't seem to wrap my head around a blog post these days.

I'm sorry (not really)(ish).

I promise to try harder. Soon.

I have about a dozen drafts started, but for today, I'll phone it in with a bulleted list. Bulleted lists happen to be my favourite format for anything. Things look 100% more professional and polished when you add bullet points. It's science. Got an assignment you need to hand in and made approximately zero effort? Bullet that noise and it instantly looks like you tried.

Now you know the secrets to my success.

What's been going on the past week and a half or so?

• A half-assed attempt at Black Friday shopping, ending in a flurry of muttered F-bombs and flinging an armful of sweaters back into the pile at American Eagle and storming out of the mall (I fucking hate Christmas shopping).
• A baby who had a cold which turned into a stomach virus. Want to have your heart ripped out? Watch your normally boisterous, active, happy little boy turn miserable for days, not want to eat, in obvious discomfort. So much worse than being sick yourself. 
• A bout of food poisoning. Turns out undercooked bacon isn't good for you, even when you have no bacon on your half of the pizza. Runoff bacon juice is also a killer. Lesson learned: cook, then eat. 
• Lunchtime runs. A better energy boost for the afternoon than a second cup of coffee. 
• A new iPhone for work. New toys! 
• Songza.com, all day, every day. They have some great holiday playlists but I've also enjoyed Songs To Raise Your Kids To and 00's One-Hit Wonders.
• I got bangs!
• Procrastinating the following things: getting an oil change (TOMORROW!), ordering Christmas cards, taking the fall decorations down and putting up the holiday ones, framing our new family photos,  figuring out what to bake this year. 

That pretty much sums it up.

And how are you?

10. Because it's a Tuesday, you just spent 45 minutes in traffic, you need a treat, and sparkly things are fat-free.

9. Because your mom spent 30 hours birthing you, and she deserves something pretty for her efforts.

8. Because it's cheaper to buy a new necklace to spice up your LBD for holiday parties than a brand new dress, tights, and shoes.

7. Because wearing a white shirt and black pants to work every day is boring, but a new cuff makes you look like you made an effort in the 0.2 seconds it takes to put on.

6. Because Christmas is coming, and the best kinds of presents for your girlfriend/wife/person you're "seeing" absolutely come in small packages.

5. Because when the package shows up at your door within a week (WITHIN A WEEK!) it'll be an awesome surprise for you to open.

4. Because going to the mall sucks at the best of times, but especially between now and December 25.

3. Because it's getting chilly out, and you need a new scarf anyway - it might as well be pretty.

2. Because little girls need something sparkly.

1. Because looking like a million bucks only costs a few!

Have a gander at my online trunk show. Christmas shopping honestly could not be any easier - browse, buy, and have your gifts shipped right to your door. There are a lot of beautiful pieces on sale, everything arrives in gorgeous packaging, and it ships crazy fast.

I have a few Stella & Dot pieces in my jewelry box. Some of my favourites are this necklace, this bracelet (looks great in a stack), and these studs, which I have in both colours and wear all the time. If you're interested in ordering or have any questions, please email me or leave your info in the comments.

On Saturday, Eli turned one. We woke up, got him dressed in his "Happy Birthday to Me!" shirt, and brought him downstairs to open his presents: a new wagon, some (much needed) new outfits, Superman PJs, a chatter phone, and some drawings, handcrafted by his dad. His grandparents, aunts, uncles and baby cousin Payton arrived after lunch and stayed all afternoon to celebrate. We capped off the day with cupcakes and Eli thoroughly enjoyed his first sugar rush and the subsequent crash afterward.