Is everyone feeling the time crunch to get things done? I'd felt so good about where my holiday shopping was at until I realized that the 3 gifts I have left are the same ones I've had left for about 2 weeks. I need to pick up the pace again so I can wrap things up (har har har). Other things keeping me busy at the moment:
-nursing A with an ear infection and side of pink eye, battling her over medicine dosage, and willing her to get better before her preschool program tomorrow and birthday party this weekend
-making Relief Society visits and enjoying the wisdom and sweetness of some of the older sisters and leaving resolved to be a better mom and realizing they're helping me much more than I'm helping them
-trying to find time for a little holiday baking, and then not eating all the treats I manage to make
-enjoying every Christmas card I receive, proudly posting them around my house, and then wondering when I'll find time to sned a few kid-made cards to family and friends
-party planning for the big birthday party this weekend and loving all the details
-enjoying the spirit of this time of year, both the celebration and fun, and also the reverence and joy
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Thankful for...
-twinkly lights. My whole night is made better when I can cuddle up next to the Christmas tree.
-music. I love listening to upbeat tunes making me feel festive, MoTab helping me feel the Spirit, and I love making music fill our home. Playing the piano with my kids and hearing them sing and dance is so much fun. Embarrassingly enough, I teared up this morning singing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with Addie- she looked so grown up dancing around and doing the actions, and I wondered where my baby has gone. Addie was amazed today when I could pick out some well-known Christmas ditties on the piano to help her practice for her pre-school program next week. I appreciate that music can instantly lighten the mood around here.
-fresh produce. I forget how much I miss seasonal things until they reappear. My current love affair with clementines has Addie telling me frequently that I smell like orange, but I can't help myself.
-my kids. I'm in a really introspective place right now as a mom. I am trying to crawl out of the hole that I get in when I dwell on all the things I'm failing at instead of focusing on the things I'm doing right. I don't know how I was so blessed to have such great kids. They really are great. Lately Sam is completely enamored with Addie, and there is nothing more adorable. He walks around singing an I love Addie song he made up (sung to the tune of the primary song We Are Different- how apropos) and he calls for her first thing when he wakes up. Watching their relationship develop is so sweet. Two heads are definitely better than one.
-my Savior. I'm grateful to reflect on his humble beginnings and his perfect example always, but especially at this time of year.
-music. I love listening to upbeat tunes making me feel festive, MoTab helping me feel the Spirit, and I love making music fill our home. Playing the piano with my kids and hearing them sing and dance is so much fun. Embarrassingly enough, I teared up this morning singing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with Addie- she looked so grown up dancing around and doing the actions, and I wondered where my baby has gone. Addie was amazed today when I could pick out some well-known Christmas ditties on the piano to help her practice for her pre-school program next week. I appreciate that music can instantly lighten the mood around here.
-fresh produce. I forget how much I miss seasonal things until they reappear. My current love affair with clementines has Addie telling me frequently that I smell like orange, but I can't help myself.
-my kids. I'm in a really introspective place right now as a mom. I am trying to crawl out of the hole that I get in when I dwell on all the things I'm failing at instead of focusing on the things I'm doing right. I don't know how I was so blessed to have such great kids. They really are great. Lately Sam is completely enamored with Addie, and there is nothing more adorable. He walks around singing an I love Addie song he made up (sung to the tune of the primary song We Are Different- how apropos) and he calls for her first thing when he wakes up. Watching their relationship develop is so sweet. Two heads are definitely better than one.
-my Savior. I'm grateful to reflect on his humble beginnings and his perfect example always, but especially at this time of year.
Gift Guide: Neighbor Edition
Stumped about what to give the neighbors this year? Last year was fantastic here- we had a casual dessert party and invited all of our neighbors to contribute to the food bank. Everyone brought donations, we had a hot chocolate bar and delicious desserts and enjoyed a great night together. Last year we decided another neighbor would carry the torch this year and host, but I'm yet to hear anything and wondering if I should step up to the hosting plate again or let it slide. I've got a few things on back up that I'll be giving to friends, and thought I'd share a few ideas.
-I've been wanting to highlight Garnish for a while now, and no better time than when thinking of neighbor gifts. Garnish sponsored an auction for Nie, and I was the lucky winner of fantastic packaging supplies. They have the perfect components to put together beautiful packaging, and they also have great ideas for uses of their supplies that I never would've thought of! Check them out for a slew of ideas.
-This year I was stressing about Christmas gifts for all of the Relief Society sisters, and ended up putting together mulling spices that were a hit! I came across the Monterey Bay Spice Company and couldn't have been more pleased for ordering bulk spices. Their turnaround was quick, quality was great, and prices were amazing! I'm planning to use them anytime I want to order bulk spices. If you decide on this gift, don't buy spices from the grocery store. I bought packages of 100 cinnamon sticks for less than $3 each when I couldn't get 10 at the grocery store for under $4. I dried oranges (and word to the wise- get them completely dry or they may mold after they've been pacakged in plastic bags and allowed to sit in a dark box for a week and you'll be totally mortified, not that I've had expereince with anything like that) and included 2 orange slices, 2 cinnamon sticks, and between 1/2 tbsp and a full tbsp of whole cloves and allspice berries in each little cellophane bag, then tied them up with ribbon. Attach a gorgeous tag which includes the recipe (in a saucepan mix spice mix with 1 cup water and 1/2 cup oil, bring to a boil, then simmer as long as desired, adding more liquid as needed). We were able to put together close to 200 gifts for less than $50. Amazing!
I can't share all of my ideas for this year because some who may be on the receiving end are also on the reading end, but I hope I've gotten some of your creative juices flowing!
-I've been wanting to highlight Garnish for a while now, and no better time than when thinking of neighbor gifts. Garnish sponsored an auction for Nie, and I was the lucky winner of fantastic packaging supplies. They have the perfect components to put together beautiful packaging, and they also have great ideas for uses of their supplies that I never would've thought of! Check them out for a slew of ideas.
-This year I was stressing about Christmas gifts for all of the Relief Society sisters, and ended up putting together mulling spices that were a hit! I came across the Monterey Bay Spice Company and couldn't have been more pleased for ordering bulk spices. Their turnaround was quick, quality was great, and prices were amazing! I'm planning to use them anytime I want to order bulk spices. If you decide on this gift, don't buy spices from the grocery store. I bought packages of 100 cinnamon sticks for less than $3 each when I couldn't get 10 at the grocery store for under $4. I dried oranges (and word to the wise- get them completely dry or they may mold after they've been pacakged in plastic bags and allowed to sit in a dark box for a week and you'll be totally mortified, not that I've had expereince with anything like that) and included 2 orange slices, 2 cinnamon sticks, and between 1/2 tbsp and a full tbsp of whole cloves and allspice berries in each little cellophane bag, then tied them up with ribbon. Attach a gorgeous tag which includes the recipe (in a saucepan mix spice mix with 1 cup water and 1/2 cup oil, bring to a boil, then simmer as long as desired, adding more liquid as needed). We were able to put together close to 200 gifts for less than $50. Amazing!
I can't share all of my ideas for this year because some who may be on the receiving end are also on the reading end, but I hope I've gotten some of your creative juices flowing!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Gift Guide
My Christmas shopping is about 3 people away from done! What a fantastic feeling. I thought in case some of you are still searching for the perfect something, I'd share a few of my favorite gifts for this year.
For moms or dads...
-This family history fan chart is headed to my mom this year (and I ordered an extra for myself and have a whole wall planned around it!). The price is definitely right, with an investment of time being more of what's required. I worked on this lovely this afternoon, and it got me even more excited to start on my own copy. I' ll throw it in an inexpensive but lovely poster frame to finish it, making it easy to remove as we discover more names to add to the chart. The extra effort required to complete this gift is definitely worth it!
-Nostalgic treats are always a hit. My dad is now a West Coast dweller, but lived on the East Coast most of his life. I found this site and can't wait to surprise him with some of his favorite goodies. Tastykakes? Yes, please! I'm sure a search for some of your parents' beloved hard to find goodies would be much appreciated come Christmas morning.
Stay tuned for more gift ideas. And hopefully for more blogging in general.
For moms or dads...
-This family history fan chart is headed to my mom this year (and I ordered an extra for myself and have a whole wall planned around it!). The price is definitely right, with an investment of time being more of what's required. I worked on this lovely this afternoon, and it got me even more excited to start on my own copy. I' ll throw it in an inexpensive but lovely poster frame to finish it, making it easy to remove as we discover more names to add to the chart. The extra effort required to complete this gift is definitely worth it!
-Nostalgic treats are always a hit. My dad is now a West Coast dweller, but lived on the East Coast most of his life. I found this site and can't wait to surprise him with some of his favorite goodies. Tastykakes? Yes, please! I'm sure a search for some of your parents' beloved hard to find goodies would be much appreciated come Christmas morning.
Stay tuned for more gift ideas. And hopefully for more blogging in general.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Hello, Old Friends
I've been far too absent from the blogging world as of late. A quick recap would include the deliciousness and fun and gratitude that accompanied Thanksgiving, the fact that for a few amazing days we enjoyed no tantrums and absolutely sweet children (proving to me that they are still in there, just hiding and reminding me of the joys that come in motherhood), some deep reflections on parenting and the plethora of ways I need to improve, serious amounts of time on my calling (who knew that the publicity would be a success and that now that we have 70+ people coming to the dinner Wednesday, I'm freaking out!?!), finally giving in to the hype and beginning the first book (I'm around page 350), more Christmas shopping and online deal scouring, and refocusing for this holiday season. Hopefully I'll get to expound on a few of the above once this dinner is done on Wednesday. In the mean time, I have some link love to share.
-My dear friend Candis has just launched her new store with much beauty to behold. Candis has more creative talent in her pinky toe than I contain as a whole. She's amazing. Her photo skills are fabulous, her cards and stationary are gorgeous (she's become my go to girl for these kinds of things) and if you look closely you just may find silhouettes of my own kids. Go visit HeirloomPaperie.com, her new site. And then go to her store. And then go to her blog. And then place an order because you can't believe all of the loveliness. And then add her button to your sidebar. And then appreciate the talents of people who create beautiful things.
-Hannah is at it again with giveaway love! I'm so excited to see all that she has to offer- something like 15 merchants in 12 days, or some crazy amount like that. Hannah is fantastic, her blog is just as great, and I'm in awe of her serious savvy in showcasing all of these businesses. Head on over to win!
-Speaking of winning, today I was as pleased as punch to see my own name as the winner of the Your Heart Out/Darlybird giveaway. If you haven't visited Darlybird yet, you should. A plethora of great gift ideas for everyone on your list- and a few things I've found to order for some of my favorite people. Use the code found on Your Heart Out for an extra 15% off through Wednesday. I love Your Heart Out. I love Darlybird. What a great way to start my day when I looked at my reader this morning!
I can't wait to get back to blogging later this week, and maybe I'll even find time to decorate my house for Christmas. Thanks to Carrie for this fantastic picture of Sam captured on Thanksgiving (I hope you don't mind my sharing). Notice the fists full of grass- the first thing he does when he arrives outside is to pull a few handfulls. And in my totally biased opinion, this is by far the best part of the post. ;)
-My dear friend Candis has just launched her new store with much beauty to behold. Candis has more creative talent in her pinky toe than I contain as a whole. She's amazing. Her photo skills are fabulous, her cards and stationary are gorgeous (she's become my go to girl for these kinds of things) and if you look closely you just may find silhouettes of my own kids. Go visit HeirloomPaperie.com, her new site. And then go to her store. And then go to her blog. And then place an order because you can't believe all of the loveliness. And then add her button to your sidebar. And then appreciate the talents of people who create beautiful things.
-Hannah is at it again with giveaway love! I'm so excited to see all that she has to offer- something like 15 merchants in 12 days, or some crazy amount like that. Hannah is fantastic, her blog is just as great, and I'm in awe of her serious savvy in showcasing all of these businesses. Head on over to win!
-Speaking of winning, today I was as pleased as punch to see my own name as the winner of the Your Heart Out/Darlybird giveaway. If you haven't visited Darlybird yet, you should. A plethora of great gift ideas for everyone on your list- and a few things I've found to order for some of my favorite people. Use the code found on Your Heart Out for an extra 15% off through Wednesday. I love Your Heart Out. I love Darlybird. What a great way to start my day when I looked at my reader this morning!
I can't wait to get back to blogging later this week, and maybe I'll even find time to decorate my house for Christmas. Thanks to Carrie for this fantastic picture of Sam captured on Thanksgiving (I hope you don't mind my sharing). Notice the fists full of grass- the first thing he does when he arrives outside is to pull a few handfulls. And in my totally biased opinion, this is by far the best part of the post. ;)
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
A few life lessons
My head is spinning with my crazy schedule right now (things will be better after next week, right?) but I wanted to document a few things I've learned recently so I can remind myself later on.
-drying 400 orange slices takes more time than you thought it would
-online shopping is one of the greatest inventions ever
-don't make invitations to do things with friends when you're going crazy- no one really wants to be around you when you're like that, but they're too nice to say anything (and my apologies to my recent lunch guest and even more recent breakfast date, I wasn't nearly as hospitable or fun as I'm used to being, and I'm sorry!)
-parenting just seems to get harder- does this continue for the duration?
-running is a good thing for me and much cheaper than therapy
-don't make the bed with the pillows still on because you're in a hurry and too lazy to remove them- you end up feeling short-sheeted
-I have a lot to be grateful for
-drying 400 orange slices takes more time than you thought it would
-online shopping is one of the greatest inventions ever
-don't make invitations to do things with friends when you're going crazy- no one really wants to be around you when you're like that, but they're too nice to say anything (and my apologies to my recent lunch guest and even more recent breakfast date, I wasn't nearly as hospitable or fun as I'm used to being, and I'm sorry!)
-parenting just seems to get harder- does this continue for the duration?
-running is a good thing for me and much cheaper than therapy
-don't make the bed with the pillows still on because you're in a hurry and too lazy to remove them- you end up feeling short-sheeted
-I have a lot to be grateful for
Friday, November 21, 2008
Weekend wishes
Hope yours is happy happy! I'm planning on the following:
-a date with Pat, hopefully wrapping up a little more Christmas shopping and eating somewhere delicious but yet to be determined
-working on some decor for the upcoming RS Christmas party, along with delivering fliers, and purchasing supplies to assemble gifts for all of the women
-digging out of my house- my laundry room (aka catch-all) is overflowing all over the kitchen with the current pace of Christmas shopping, so I've got to find new places for some things
-bathing my kids and hopefully spending some good one-on-one time with each of them. I need a little loving on these two since they've been pushing me to my limits on a daily basis.
-doing some thorough menu planning, making a grocery list for first thing Monday, and drooling over Thursday's meal
-cheering on my mighty Cougars, and hoping they don't let me down
-soaking in the beauty of fall- the last few leaves, the chill in the air despite the sunshine, the gratitude filling my thoughts, and the anticipation building for the kickoff of the holiday season this week
-a date with Pat, hopefully wrapping up a little more Christmas shopping and eating somewhere delicious but yet to be determined
-working on some decor for the upcoming RS Christmas party, along with delivering fliers, and purchasing supplies to assemble gifts for all of the women
-digging out of my house- my laundry room (aka catch-all) is overflowing all over the kitchen with the current pace of Christmas shopping, so I've got to find new places for some things
-bathing my kids and hopefully spending some good one-on-one time with each of them. I need a little loving on these two since they've been pushing me to my limits on a daily basis.
-doing some thorough menu planning, making a grocery list for first thing Monday, and drooling over Thursday's meal
-cheering on my mighty Cougars, and hoping they don't let me down
-soaking in the beauty of fall- the last few leaves, the chill in the air despite the sunshine, the gratitude filling my thoughts, and the anticipation building for the kickoff of the holiday season this week
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
