Christmas Planning 2011

Trying this again this year.... starting the Christmas planning early because I find if I don't figure things out now then I tend to miss out on some neat opportunities. 

So here is the consolidated list of possible activities and events for me for December 2011

Sat, Dec 3
3:30 pm Badgers vs Marquette at Kohl's Center
7pm Big Ten Football Championship in Indy
 Free Day at Milwaukee Zoo

Sat/Sun, Dec 3/4  - Madison Hoofers Ski Resale  -http://hoofersns.org/resale
   9am to 5pm (Sat) / 3pm (Sun)

Sat, Dec 10 - Cookie Bake at Barb T's



Sun, Dec 11, 3pm  - Bel Canto - Christmas in the Basilica, Basilica of St. Josaphat
        http://www.belcanto.org/dnav/6/page.htm

Tue, Dec 13, 7pm  - Badgers vs UWM Panthers at U.S. Cellular Arena

Sat, Dec  17/ Sun, Dec 18 - Model Trains at Discovery World - http://programs.discoveryworld.org/archives/2170
   try to combine with a winter lakefront walk?, holiday lights?, tea?, etc

Dates not yet set:
Chicago Botantical Garden - Winter Wonderland
http://www.chicagobotanic.org/wonderland/


Milwaukee Holiday Lights - walk thru or take the jingle bus
http://www.milwaukeedowntown.com/categories/14-holidaylightsfestival

High Tea - a couple of options
 Pfister 23rd floor  - every Fri - Sun from 3 - 4:30 during Nov and Dec - link
 George Watts tea shop - http://www.wattsteashop.com/index.html

M&I Holiday Display - quick walkthru when you're already down town
http://www.micorp.com/mibank/solutions.cfm?ObjectID=00095BA4-9D4A-1F70-901180C8FE5A0000&


Olbrich's Holiday Express - December 3 - 31
http://www.olbrich.org/events/holidayexpress.cfm

Germantown's Enchantment in the Park, Nov 25 - Dec 29
The Live Nativity Scene (a few dates)  may be interesting - idea to take Dad and Uncle Herman
http://enchantmentpark.org/

Breakthrough!

It's really not that big of a deal but I think it may have a big impact on how I'm able to keep the house as I want it and in general to be able to better keep up on things.

This week for the first time I was able to put the dog to bed in his crate for the night and still be able to work in the family room and kitchen.  This may not sound like a lot,  but normally once I put Zeus in his crate for the night, I've always felt like I needed to vacated that side of the house and limited myself to the master bedroom.  I could watch TV or read, and sometimes I took the laptop in there with me.   But overall it limited me from getting things done and organized and it seamed like so much was piling up and not getting done. Which added a lot of stress to my life.

So far both nights have been where Zeus was at the Doggy Office during the day and extremely tired those nights.  I'm not sure how well this will work on regular nights when he is not in a deep sleep.

This change helps 'integrate' Zeus into my life, rather than being an 'imposition'; which as much as I love him I often felt that he was a imposition because he takes sooo much more time and energy than Wally ever did.  Wally was an energy boost for me; Zeus is often an energy drain for me.  I do think this will change as he leaves the puppy stage and is a well trained dog.  But for now, often it is hard and this breakthrough helps me see light at the end of the tunnel!