Abundantly

After living a whole year w/o a word, I looked around at my life full of both magic and mess and decided on "abundantly" for this year which will encompass the words "simplify," "order," and "creativity." So excited for my year!

My journal this year has been full of lists. Things to do, things I am grateful for, things I want to remember. When my thoughts for the new year started to be penned, I quickly realized I needed more dividers in my daily planner. This planner is my life.. though I forget it about half the time... which is true of my real life as well ;) Everything I need or want in is my planner. It's a regular three ring binder with many tabbed sections. Here's the breakdown:

-inside pocket is for coupons and handouts, newsletters, and invitations that I need to read through and put on my calendar
-Mondo Beyondo List staring at me every time I open the book!
-Monthly gratitude lists to fill in every day (I hope)
-Calendar
-Lists: general to do, silly things to do (add certain songs to playlist, random ingredients to buy at the mexican market that aren't an essentiel staple, etc.), Books and videos to check out, Things to teach my kids, projects I need to work on, House master to do list (major cleaning, remodeling, organizing etc)

FOOD SECTION
-weekly menu
-grocery list

PHONE NUMBERS
-one main sheet for all family, utilities, usual take out places, and kids' schools
-List specifically for friends that lists their home and cel #'s birthdays, and email
-Telephone Tree list for Mr. T's class
-Church member list (this is a major sanity saver to always have with me!)

BUSINESS
-notes
-to do list
-pose ideas
-prop and clothing shopping list

HOME
-food storage
-gardening
-decorating
-living greener

ACTIVITIES
This section is super special. It encompasses everything good I want to do this year. Teaching my children, spending time with my friends and family, giving to the community, and all the ways to do these things

SPIRITUALITY
-a special place for notes, scriptures, and favorite messages printed out to read and ponder

CRAFTING (of course)
-ideas
-wardrobe ideas and shopping lists
-to do lists
-thrifting lists

That's it... for now...I am stoked!

Stay in a nice hotel for Christmas

why?

1. Sleep number beds (or other special mattress)
2. Cable (for those of us that go without, this is a big treat)
3. If you are giving the kids PJs, clothing, socks, underwear, and a toothbrush for Christmas, there is no need to pack anything!
4. Gigantic sparkly Christmas trees in the lobby
5. Housekeeping will take out the wrapping paper trash for you
6. When you are ready to leave, all of the presents go back in the big laundry baskets you brought them in with, go straight home and if you're really disciplined, straight into the bedrooms! ;)

This was our second year at the hotel for Christmas and I've decided there just is no other way to do Christmas! The regular stresses I experience at home (trash, toys everywhere, etc.) are gone and the kids and I feel like we got a special vacation!

Merry Christmas!

Not just because she's french, and has a cute hair cut

but she totally reminds me of Amelie

Once upon a time... from Capucha on Vimeo

I thought I was feeling grinchy

But somehow, someway,

I felt Christmas in my heart today!

Ok, maybe not that sappy. I haven't been sleeping so well. I'm not sure what is up exactly, I may be clenching my jaw during my slumber, I am having daily head aches and sore teeth, or maybe it's a very small cold causing all the discomfort??? but in any case, I've been not so Christmasy this week and feeling nervous about my list that doesn't seem to get shorter. I hate getting out of bed in the morning and hate going to bed at night. I've got more complaining to do but... I am feeling better.

After I dragged myself from underneath the covers and then dragged my butt off the couch, I got dressed, dressed the 2 littles and went visiting teaching to a sister I adore. I had to make an emergency drive over to C-bugs school to pop a blood blister (the girl has a smaller pain threshold than her 1 year old sister) I picked up drinks for B and I and we went home and got crafting. And the grinchy funk was gone

I'm sorry you had to sit through that! LOL!

The picture above: This year for my side of the family, we are only doing stockings and have a$5 limit. I wasn't very happy with what I was finding out there for $5 for kiddos so for my 3 and 5 year old nieces I whipped up a cookie kit (inspired by one I saw on flickr) but made mine to have roll out dough and cookies you "cut out" with a cookie cutter and then decorate (by flipping them over.) For their baby sister I sewed up a little hedgehog with a bell inside.

Miss C wasn't the only sista to get injured today. Miss B learned the hard way that baby sisters are a lot like kittens, play too rough with them and they are likely to claw your face off!

Crafting for Christmas

The kids have been making scrabble tile pendants for necklaces and key chains for their aunties, grandmas, and teachers. I followed this tutorial from "Make and Takes." I let the kids use the cut out paper frame to find just the right design for each pendant. They did all the decoupaging. I did all the sanding and glazing and drilling the whole parts (I used little hanging eyelet things instead of the hard to find bails.

I still have a handful of Christmas Crafting to do... gonna find just the right movie to turn on and get some of it done tonight.

If you need some ideas here is the BEST LIST EVER!!!

December Daily: Cookie Exchange

Feelin' Mischievous

Hittin' the Hard Stuff

I am quickly realizing that a large part of Christmas, for me, is in food consumption. Certain things must be made, bought, eaten, sipped, mixed, shared. I’m sure it won’t help my figure one bit, but it sure helps with that Christmas spirit.

Food? Help with the Christmas spirit? I’m sure it’s true but it sounds rather fickle. But not so.

First there’s the nostalgia, the comfort of revisiting the past, sharing traditions with my children like using a good candy cane pierced through an orange’s skin to suck out the juice or decorating a gingerbread house.

And sharing the food. A cookie exchange, bringing sweets to the sisters I visit teach, sliding some of our goodies mom’s way in hopes that she’ll recipricate.

And of course the indulgence of the holiday. Spending a whole day shopping for others, considering their needs and wants, driving and walking all over to accomplish this. (can you see the bags under my eyes?) Nothing helps take the edge off of selfless Christmas shopping like a mug of cocoa and a peppermint stick.

"It's Christmas Day!" said Scrooge to himself. "I haven't missed it."

(my page for my December Daily Journal)

Skating away (on the thin ice of a new day)

First thing I see this morning when I log into flickr is these cuties Molly journaled about and then discovered a couple more (the felt kind) while going through my blogs. So I gave in, bought some HUGE paper clips (they are like 2-3 inches big!) I want to make 5 more pair (theres 12 clips per box) but I'm feeling a bit grinchy, or scroogy, or perhaps I'm feeling like a mom worked to death and sorely under appreciated! hahaha I think I know how to solve my ba hum bugs...

All Cozy in Bedford Falls

In my opinion, this is the one movie that must be watched every year. I want to roll myself up in a blanket of old fashioned styles and mannerisms. I want to put my arm around good ol' George Bailey and take a stroll through Bedford Falls. I want a dish of chocolate ice cream with "coconuts" while I flip through a National Geographic. I want to make wishes by throwing stones through windows and have them come true. I cry every year in the same sweet spots, when George gets his ears slapped back by Mr. Gower, when George finally realizes he's in love with Mary, and when he comes home after seeing the world without him in it.

It's a hard year this year, in some ways. I'm going to soak up all of Bedford Falls, the Bailey's, and "Buffalo Girls" that I can and make this Christmas count.

Christmas Cartoon

I've got a handful of these saved to show my kids. Love finding these gems on youtube!

Trying to Start December Right (first gift for you)

I tried! I really did, but I stayed up too late like I always do and got a little impatient today. I was really worried about starting my December Daily Journal and even though the tree was up and decorating it could commence, I wasn't sure it would be enough to bring me out of a small funk. And it wasn't... but I did my best to keep a smile on, did enjoy the moment when the 3 oldest slid under the tree to look up at the lights and Little Miss E had to join them to see what all the fuss was a bout...my baby isn't a baby anymore, she's got an eager to learn soul.

After things settled down, after peppermint cocoa and some Christian Slater I sat down to do my regular time wasting but thoroughly enjoyable blog reading and got inspired to make a present for my neighbors. In the 8 Christmas's we have spent here we have never made our neighbors anything for Christmas... it's not such a big thing here. But I really want to do it this year. So I whipped up some things in photo shop. It's an advent box of Christmas activities.

I styled the box after Heather's I think the actual pattern she has up will fit the cards... it was just easier to do it myself.

To get the activity cards for yourself and your neighbor gifts, click these links (and do it fast, it's the 2nd already!):
page 1
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blank set