One Weekend Before Christmas: A To-Do List Check-In

I thought it was time for a little to-do list check-in, especially since we only have one weekend left before Christmas. Some things are finished, some are still in motion, and a few are… let’s call them evolving plans. Here’s where things landed.

✅ Done

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• Thanksgiving turkey dinner (with all the sides!)
• Christmas card party
• GMA Pop Orchestra Christmas concert
• Christmas Day movie tradition (tickets secured)
• Ebeneezer Scrooge tickets at Pocket Sandwich Theater
• Blue October concert
• Wicked: For Good girls’ weekend in OKC
• Hawaii trip planning (excursions + full travel guide)
• Summer patio plants rescued (greenhouse success!)

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🔄 In Progress

• Gingerbread decorating (sprinkles will be involved)
• Christmas shopping list
• Hiking and biking in cooler weather
• Scout advancement (First Class requirements underway)
• Grand Canyon & Zion trip planning (May adventure)
• Camper flooring repairs

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⏭️ Up Next / Revisited

• Possible pivot from Biking to Swimming Merit Badge
• Santa Run (officially skipped… unofficially still tempting)
• Closet and storage purge (planning help after the new year)
• Camper upgrade plans once repairs are finished

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📝 Notes from the List

Christmas Cards
The “Mimosas & Christmas Cards” afternoon turned out to be exactly the nudge I needed. I loved slowing down and sending notes again, and I’ve decided to intentionally bring handwritten letters back into my life in 2026. If I have your address, don’t be surprised if a note finds its way to your mailbox. Listening to The Correspondent by Virginia Evans has only fueled that desire.

Blue October
Hearing “Calling You” pulls me back to a night of great food, laughter, playing darts in my brother’s garage, music and being surrounded by people who loved me at a time when I needed it most.

Christmas Day Movie
This tradition has lasted more than 20 years, and this year’s pick is Anaconda. I am terrified of snakes. Iyan is thrilled. Tradition doesn’t always mean comfort — sometimes it means showing up anyway.

Scouting Wins
While a few badge plans are still in motion, the big win is that Iyan ranked up to Second Class, and we’ve officially started working toward First Class. Progress looks different every season, but it’s still progress.

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✨ Right Now

With Christmas right around the corner, I’m treating my to-do list like a suggestion box rather than a set of rules — a few wins, a few carryovers, and plenty of grace.

Are you a cross-it-off immediately kind of person, or a cheerful “that can wait until next year” planner?

With love & glitter,
Valerie 💫