As you can see, the list of resolutions in the image for this post has not been completed. I have, however, started thinking about my goals for the new year. So far, I have the following (not in order of importance):

• Drink more water (perhaps I should have written; "Drink some water everyday." since I hardly ever drink water.)
• Exercise a little every day (and try not to be a perfectionist; so that I end up doing nothing).
• Write my mom every week - even when nothing special has happened. :)
• Try out at least one new recipe every month.
• Take more photos.
• Support my children (not just financially, he...he...), but try not to pester Bjørn-Eirik so much about his school work. (He is now 18 and will soon be going off to college and needs to start learning how to take care of himself and prioritize school work.)

NOTE: Image above is based on this tutorial at Planet Photoshop and this tutorial at myJanee.com for the frame.

Christmas season is upon us. In fact I am in "panic-gear": presents to buy, house that needs cleaning, decorations that need to be found, etc.

Instead of doing all of the things I need to do, I made a Christmas cover/profile image. Although I could have included a lot more words if I had a bigger Christmas tree, these are some of the words that remind me of Christmas. Afterwards I found this very unofficial poll, where it seems that I have included most of the words others associate with Christmas.

In my last post I included the lyrics and link to one of my favorite Christmas songs "Let it Snow!" I decided to start a list of my favorite Christmas songs, in alphabetcial order. I plan on adding to this list as the Christmas season progresses. Before Christmas Day, I hope to place the songs in a final list, "Diana's Top Ten Christmas Songs". 

• All I Want for Christmas (YouTube: Elmo & Michael Bublé, live 2012; Nat King Cole)
• Chestnuts Roasting on a Open Fire/The Christmas Song (YouTube: Nat King Cole w/ lyrics; Whitney Houston)
• Frosty the Snowman (YouTube: Jimmy Durante; Gene Autry w/ lyrics)
• Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, sung first time by Julie Garland in the musical "Meet Me in St. Louis"  (YouTube: Michael Bublé; Frank Sinatra recording with lyrics)
• Happy Holidays (YouTube: Andy Williams w/ lyrics)
• It's Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas (YouTube: Bing Crosby;  Johnny Mathis; Michael Bublé with lyrics)
• Jingle Bells (YouTube with lyrics)
• Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth (YouTube: Bing Crosby and David Bowey, From  the television version that I loved watching as a child, although the quality of the recording could be better)
• Let It Snow! (YouTube: Ella Fitzgerald)
• O Holy Night (YouTube: Mahalia Jacksen, with a little background info and lyrics; I get goosebumps when I listen to this.)
• Silent Night (YouTube: Beyoncé; Susan Boyle w/ lyrics) 
• Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (YouTube : Mariah Carey with lyrics)
• What Child Is This (YouTube: Mary J. Blige & Andrea Bocelli on Oprah)
• White Christmas (YouTube:  Michael Bublé with lyrics; Bing Crosby) 
• Winter Wonderland (YouTube: Michael Bublé with lyrics; I really like this recording)

Image based on the tutorial "Glossy Snow Globe Text Effect" at textuts.com, a site with lots of great Photoshop tutorials.

Despite the fact that I was born in the Deep South, I much prefer snow to cold, yucky rain. So,  I say: Let it snow!  Provided of course that the "men of the house" do all of the snow shoveling. 

Of course as we move into the month of December and Christmas season, many of us take time to listen to Christmas songs.  I am sure that I am  not the only one that loves the song "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!", a song written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in July 1945. It was written in Hollywood, California during a heat wave as Cahn and Styne imagined cooler conditions. Although it is commonly regarded as a Christmas song, the song makes no reference to the holiday in its lyrics. In cause you want to reminisce or sing along, HERE is a link to  the official original remastered from Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas . See Wikepedia for a very long list of recordings by other artists.