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51 Days Until Christmas

November 5, 2008 By 3 Comments
Bah, Humbug!

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Holiday Cheer

I think that for many of us it is important to be cheery for the holidays. Last year I just could not do it. It was all I could do not to have a nervous breakdown. Everything was just far too stressful to be in anyway fun. I HATED it. I wanted to just run away and cancel Christmas and very much wanted to say Bah Humbug! I tried my hardest for the kids and although they remember some of the bad such as the tree falling and every memory I had on it breaking they also remember the fun things. The few giggles we shared, the crafts we made and the memories we created. As I said at the start of 75 days of Christmas I want this year to be different. I want this to be the year they remember only the good and not the bad. The year that dreams come true and we bond like never before. I know there go these high expectations again but we will see.

How can we assure that there will be some holiday cheer? Here are a few tips I am taking to heart:

  1. Make sure that we are all getting enough sleep. This will help to keep the crankies out!
  2. Keep in mind that nothing is going to be perfect. I have issues with this part but will be working with it time and time again.
  3. Do not take on too much. This is something that I think we all do this time of year. It is ok to cut back, skip a party or two or stay in a few nights and vedge out to a movie.
  4. Remember me time. I think that this is important to do everyday. I never do it but in theory it is true. Even if your me time is reading a story or listening to your favorite Christmas movie without kids nagging you. Just take out a few minutes out just for you.
  5. Spike the eggnog. While this is a joke, in some ways it is not. Remember to have FUN and LAUGH!!! This will make you more full of cheer then most other things.
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55 Days Until Christmas

November 5, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Christmas Ham

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Christmas Menu

With only 55 days until Christmas it is important to sit back and think about what you will be eating this Christmas. It is a hard question. My grandmother used to serve cow’s tongue and I know that that will not be featured on my Christmas Menu. Figuring out what will is always a challenge. I think that it is important not to fall into a food rut. The last 10 years or more we have had a Christmas Ham and I have loved it. Rob, the husband, on the other hand has not loved it quite as much. He HATES ham. Perhaps this is why I enjoy it on Christmas, it is the only time of the year I can eat it! Either way things need to be spiced up a bit. I thought that for this post it would be nice to see what other people are serving this holiday season. So what do you love to eat for Christmas? What is the featured item on your Christmas Menu? Perhaps I will borrow an idea or two!

Becca

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58 Days Until Christmas

November 4, 2008 By Leave a Comment
An early official promotional photo from the T...

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A Time Of Giving – Toys for TOTS:

One of the first thing that I think about when I think about the holidays are all of the people who are really struggling through the holidays.  There are people who are ill, people who do not have any money and children who have no coat to get them through.  For decades the holidays have been a time when people have given to others without judgment.  The holidays have been a time when we all come together and are a little nicer then usual.

In high school I worked in a retail store that had a tree of giving.  You were to take a name off of the tree and make one child’s christmas wish come true.  Since I was 17 I have made it a point to adopt at least one child off of a tree each year.  Christmas is after all a time of giving.

I remember the first tag that I had taken off of the tree like it was yesterday!  I felt so sad for this child.  Although my parents did not have tons of money when I was growing up I really did not want for much.  The child who had filled out this tag asked for a coat to keep warm.  I am sure that mom was the one asking but it broke my heart.  In New York winter gets cold.  I bought this girl a coat, hat, two pairs of gloves, a scarf, a warm outfit and felt good about it.  Then I stopped and looked at what I had gotten and was disapointed.  All of these things were things that a child needs.  There are no dreams and desires in a list like that.  So I went back out shopping and bought her a Barbie, a matching Barbie car, a few coloring books, crayons, a baby doll, an outfit for the baby doll, some hair clips, chap stick, Monopoly and a beautiful dress that she could feel like a princess in for Christmas.  I think that I ended up spending about $150 on a child that I did not know.  I had it then and felt really good about it.  It was worth every dollar.

I still make sure to take a name off of a tree although I can not afford to spend nearly what I did that year but I can help make another child’s Christmas wishes come true.  Giving is what Christmas is all about.  It is a huge part of the season.  There are so many things that you can do to give back this Holiday season.  You could grab a name off of a tree, donate a holiday meal to the food pantry, work in a soup kitchen, help out a friend who may be having a hard time making ends meet in the current economy.  There are so many ways that you can give this Christmas.  Even if you just drop one toy in the Toys for Tots collection box it makes a huge difference in someone’s life and someone’s Christmas.

This holiday season please put a little extra time or money aside for someone who needs it.  Not only will they be forever grateful but you will forever feel good about it.   Fifteen years ago I gave Christmas to a little girl who wanted nothing but a warm coat.  I still feel great about it to this day.  So come on and just do it!  It will warm your heart and is a great thing to teach your children!

Becca

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64 Days Until Christmas

October 24, 2008 By Leave a Comment
The Nightmare Before Christmas

Image by Chrischang via Flickr

The Nightmare Before Christmas

A little breather

Today I decided to take a little breather.  I have been thinking more and more about Halloween and it has taken up most of my day.  It is just about one week away and I still have to figure out costumes.  Thinking about Halloween and Christmas together makes me think of the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas.  What a cute movie.  The kids and I have been listening to our Halloween music on our ipod all week.  We have it all from the, “purple People Eater” to “Witches Brew“.  This week end we have a party to attend.  I am still working out what we will be.  The theme is someone famous of the opposite site.  Because I have been so focused I think that it would be fun to have Rob be Mrs. Clause and I could be Santa.  He is not as into it as I am.

As far as the Christmas season I am feeling quite good about it.  I have done so much planning.  I must say that my budget is not going quite as well as I would have liked.  Things are just really tight right now.  I may have to look at the budget again in a few weeks and make changes that I need.  There are a lot of things that are already done:

  • I have picked dresses out for the girls.
  • I have an appointment for pictures in the beginning of Nov.
  • I have a cookie list.
  • I have downloaded some of my favorite music so that it is ready to go on Black Friday.
  • I have asked the kids what they really want.
  • I have looked at some black Friday web sites and continue to monitor them.
  • I have assessed our traditions and am thinking about some new ones.
  • I have bought my craft supplies that I need to get an early start on presents.

All in all I think we are all off to a great start.  The days are flying by and it is nice to know that when they start to go quicker and quicker we will all be prepared!

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Webkinz Halloween

October 22, 2008 By 3 Comments
Webkinz Madness

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Webkinz has done it again. They are all set for Halloween and just in time. They have various items for your pets so that they can enjoy the fun and festivity of Halloween. They have everything you could want to decorate your Halloween Hollow room. The bed is great looking and the TV is just downright spooky!

There are also some Halloween treats for your pets if they are good. The one thing that I do not see this year are costumes. Perhaps I am missing them but I could not find them. I thought that this was sad. The girls had such a great time last year dressing their Webkinz up for trick or treating. I was suprised that they did not do them again this year! It would have been something that could have been sold in stores so that kids could really dress their pets.

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