james is 2

photos from jimmer's second birthday party. he loved his cake: a highway cake with cars and trucks and traffic signs. he loved his presents, especially a plastic tractor that was broken the next day. and he clapped when he blew the candles out. (didn't get a pic of that because i was at a bad angle... but it was cute).

*disclaimer #1: i don't yet know how to use the powerful camera ellen and gary gave me for christmas. user errors! sorry!

james waits patiently for his slice o' cake

happy birthday james!

disobey world

i made a quickie visit to the magic kingdom this weekend, or "disobey world" as one friend called it via his intuitive texting feature. i think disobey world would be a much different kind of theme park, leaving you with scars and diseases... an amsterdam kind of thing. disney world, on the other hand, was 100 percent magical. eliza captured a slim fraction of magic on her phone camera.

press play for a sideways, enchanted window into the happiest place on earth:

and away we go... 2011

but not without a look back.

i believe in new year's resolutions in theory... but apparently not in practice. i have friends who consider, draft and finalize their resolutions, broad sweeping changes for their lives. and i have those who make lengthy lists that read more like to-dos than what i think the spirit of the whole thing is: appraise yourself and look to make yourself a little better every year.

i haven't made real, thoughtful resolutions for years, but i've thought a lot about the way i handle my business and formed three resolutions based on the things in my business-handling i like the least. i am hereby resolved to be a little better by this time next year in the following arenas: (and i'm etching my resolutions in the permanent ink of the internet just to dial up the pressure to keep 'em).

in 2011 i want to

1 - do what i say i'll do.

2 - do things that scare me (like, for instance, make commitments and follow up on them).

3 - look for ways to improve the lives of the people around me. this third one means i have to put down the boxing gloves that were a fixed feature on the landscape of 2010. the people of trader joe's will be relieved, i'm sure.

there are smaller, listy ways i'm getting at these three broad goals... though i need to tweak my methods. i already broke #2 about 4 times this weekend. i bailed on a MLK brunch (without telling the host. he wasn't happy). and i bailed on a ski trip. (again. without informing the host my rsvp was now no from yes). oh gosh. not doing so great on the commitments.

um.

2011 starts today. happy new year.