...Christmas in OCTOBER!

It's October and signs of fall are everywhere...but in the back of my mind I cannot help but think about Christmas! I'm planning, thinking about what traditions we'll do this year and getting ready to make some homemade gifts.  My first goal is to make my Christmas List {I'm making a list and checking it twice}!   

If you're crazy like me...here are a few things to start thinking about to save you some time & money this coming holiday season. If you are normal just move on and in several weeks check out the video below (its DIVINE)!

Christmas Your Way eBook (free printables from Life Your Way)

Christmas Planner Page (free printables from Life Your Way)

 

101 Deals of Christmas(sign up to receive daily deals in your inbox)

A few stores participating in Lay-Away Programs: 
Sears

Kmart

(p.s. This is a little video that i saw for the first time on Rachel's blog...she's one of the gal's who organized blog sugar and she loves Christmas too...i loved it so much that i just had to share...enjoy)

Random...Christmas & New Years Pictures (continued)!

 Random Stuff...Christmas, 

Chocolate Chip Cookies, Tremper Fam, Birthday Fun, a Hot Chocolate Tea Party & a little New Year's dinner!

 

 

 

Here are some pics of Paige making cookies with Daddy!  They made them for Auntie Mishawn's birthday request...Homemade Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches 

 (try saying that 3 times fast)!

Don't you love her apron (another great gift from Auntie Shannon)?

I made this crown with a $1 store paper crown that had a little girl princess design on it.  First I painted it and then while it was wet I covered it in glitter!  I added the flowers with rhinestone brads & the numbers are just a print out from our computer that I cut out with special scalloped scissors. This project is easy and quick and special!  Also, I think theNestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe is the BEST...find it HERE! To make the sandwiches be sure to let the cookies cool to room temperature and then just add good vanilla ice cream (like Bryers) & chill! Yummy!

 

We love Auntie Mishawn!

Annual Christmas Time with the Trempers! Wooohooo! We had so much fun (although getting a good picture was impossible)!

I even had time to squeeze in a little tea party for the girls...complete with PB&J sandwiches in Christmas shapes, Candy Cane Scones and Candy Cane Hot Chocolate! Yum! You could easily do this for Valentine's Day with heart cookie cutters instead!  I told the girls to make sure they put their pinkies up...so cute!

I basically just put a bunch of red things that I had in the cupboards on their plates!

New Year's Day "Fancy Dinner" with just the four of us!  Paige got all into it and helped me set the table...we talked about our "high's & low's" of 2010 and it was a great night! 

TRADITIONS...What makes you come alive?

TRADITIONS...To make New Years Resolutions or to Not make New Years Resolutions! That is the question!

The holiday season always tends to be a reflective time for me. I cannot help but think about the past year and dream, plan and wonder about the year to come.  I'm not big on New Year's resolutions because they just seem like a chore.  How often do people really accomplish them and how guilty do they feel when all enthusiasm is lost by January 3rd!?!  However, I am a very goal oriented person. I tend to feel more balanced in life when I have a sense of purpose and a few goals in mind. But what are my goals and what is my purpose?  

Right now, I would say that my purpose is to serve God, love my husband and take care of my kids...and to be kind & loving to people around me.  But I have to be honest for a minute here.  While it is not all bad and I love being home with my kids, life as a stay at home mom (even with its rewards) can be tough. It is physically and emotionally taxing and unceasingly monotonous. For a person who loves change and spontaneity it is rough at times. I do not thrive on routine...I dread it! Also, I have a few health problems that tend to make life with two young kids difficult at best (but that is a whole different story for another day).  I am often plagued by self doubt and fears about how to raise our kids & how to love my husband well.  Despite my husband's wonderful and regular appreciation I often question if I am ever going to get it all right.  When I get stuck in all this stuff I worry about how to set my goals and make time for my dreams. It can all just seem so overwhelming and messy.  And then...every so often...I am once again struck by one of my favorite quotes: 

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; 
ask yourself what makes you come alive.  
And then go and do that.  Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

- Howard Thurman

Isn't that the truth? Really...Isn't that a great quote? So what makes me come alive?  Being creative, being with people, having fun, learning about God, singing, traveling, being in nature, drinking coffee, reading a good book occasionally and even cooking from time to time (the cooking one is always a blessing and a curse because you have to clean up and I HATE doing dishes...HATE....but where was I?)  Oh Yeah...so when I do the things I love, I usually feel "filled up" and the fun & joyful side of me comes out.  I am realizing that I need to regularly find the time to focus on doing things that make me feel "alive" - so that I don't feel so bogged down in my day to day tasks. And not just for me...but hopefully I can help others around me feel more alive in turn!

I have seen this reality take shape in the past year and a half  as I set out to lose the dreaded "baby weight" of two kids. Through the help of Weight Watchers not only did I lose the weight I intended to lose...but I also have kept it off for the past several months now! It has felt so great to stick with something difficult and see it through and maintain it! There were times I wanted to give up but with my goals in mind I just had to keep going. I will talk more about my weight loss journey some other time but my point is that it helps to remember how great it feels to accomplish goals. 

Along those lines I am learning that what I am doing as a wife and mommy has dignity and purpose if I am doing it for the right reasons! I am learning to set goals and do the things that make me come alive with the unconditional love of Jesus to help gently remind me of His purposes for me. He gives me new strength every day (and every moment) and honestly I would be lost with out Him. I would be lost. So His love and His strength keep me strong...keep me grounded...give me purpose! God's word tells us that He does have great plans for our lives:


"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you...to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

So now the question is... "What makes you come alive?" and will you consider writing your goals and hopes for your future rather than trying to live up to last years resolutions!?!  God has great plans for you... and hopes for you!

Maybe this year I can give up the guilt, be free and ask myself what makes me come alive...I hope you will too!


Happy New Year!

xoxo - *laura*

TRADITIONS...Oh Christmas Tree...Oh Christmas Tree!

TRADITIONS...Oh Christmas Tree!

If you know me well...you know I love my Christmas Tree...and decorating it is one of my favorite things to do this time of year. In my family growing up we each had our own ornament box that contained the individual ornaments we got that year (on a trip OR from Santa)! Also the ornaments that we made at school or church were put into our individual boxes.  When it came time to trim the tree we each got out our box and put up our own ornaments. Then when we grew up & it came time to move out and decorate our own tree we had a large box of ornaments representing years past & many memories!  Aaron and I both have all of our ornaments from growing up and now we get one each year since we have been married!    Maybe my ornament box & it's contents is the reason I love the Christmas tree...revisiting all of my old memories with each ornament I unwrap is like taking a trip down memory lane...I just love it!  Consider starting this tradition with your kids or someone you love.  

Here are a few ornaments from years past that we keep in our box or that the kids keep in their boxes. Also, the last picture is a box that I made for Elsie a few years ago...

Decorating our tree this year! We had so much fun and Paigey kept saying "This is so fun decorating our tree Mommy...I love this!"

To make this I bought a "photo box" from a craft store.  Then I simply attached the ribbon permanently to the top of the box and stamped the outside edge with the words "my ornament box" all the way around.  I made it was marked "ELSIE" and attached a couple of random little jewels on it to add some bling.  You can also wrap a large shoe box with holiday wrapping paper...just be sure to wrap the top and bottom separately!    Enjoy! xoxo - *laura*

TRADITIONS...Homemade Food Gifts...Yum!

First...check out my friend Jenny's blog for 

 these yummy treats...(hope you don't mind me stealing this picture jenny!) www.jennyplumbblog.blogspot.com

Next...check out my friend Cherish's blog for

these yummy treats...(hope you don't mind me stealing this picture cherish!)

www.kiwifreckles.com

Also...check out this recipe...one of my favorites!

Panfilio Family Cherry Walnut Bars

Part #1:

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

Directions: 

Mix the flour, sugar & butter until crumbly. 

Press into a 9x13 pan. 

Bake at 350 for 20 min or until crust is lightly browned.

Part  #2:

2 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1-2 oz. jar maraschino cherries

Directions: 

Beat first five ingredients. 

Drain and chop cherries (10 cherries), reserving liquid. 

Stir chopped cherries, walnuts & coconut into egg & sugar mix.  

Pour on top of crust. 

Return to oven and bake fro 25min. Remove from oven & cool.

Part  #3:

1 Tbsp. softened butter

1 cup powdered sugar

Liquid from cherries

Directions: 

Combine 1 Tbsp. of softened butter & 1 cup of powdered sugar w/ enough liquid from cherries to spread.  

Frost (sprinkle w/coconut if desired) & cut into bars when icing has set.

Full Ingredient List for Shopping:

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1-2 oz. jar maraschino cherries

1 Tbsp. softened butter

1 cup powdered sugar

Liquid from cherries

 

For more...check out these fun ideas from  
REAL SIMPLE  

(click on this link above for pictures and recipes)

And Finally...you cannot go wrong with

Skip to My Lou

Yummy Candy Coated Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches

 White Chocolate & Peppermint covered Popcorn

Peppermint Bark

TRADITIONS...decorating!

TRADITIONS...A few ways I enjoy decorating (and some other ideas too)!

 

This is how I displayed all of our beautiful Christmas cards last year...how do you do it?

***

Here are some great ideas from www.realsimple.com

Check out their site for a ton of other ideas...

these are just a few of mine!

Click here for more information on these pictures above!

Go With a Simple Centerpiece

Dana Gallagher 

Another festive idea: Load a simple glass jar or bowl with 

multiples of the same fruit, nut, or monochromatic ornament. 

Here, trifle bowls are filled with red apples and green baby artichokes—the colors of Christmas—and walnuts. 

Or do bowls of lemons and limes.

Tinsel as Napkin Ring

Transform over-the-top tinsel garland into a tasteful trimming with a few quick snips. Cut four-inch strands from the garland, then feed them through the opening of a clear glass ornament until full. Attach a ribbon to the ornament’s loop to create a napkin holder or a gift topper.

Last Year's Holiday Cards as This Year's Table Runner

Rescue last year’s heartfelt wishes by turning them into a festive table runner of winter wonderlands. Place the cards face down on a color copy machine (they should cover most of the glass). Next, put a piece of colored fabric or paper on top of the cards to serve as a border. Print out multiple copies (enough to cover the length of your table) on 11-by-17-inch paper. With double-stick tape, join the copies along the top and the bottom. 

Silver Bells

Fill a brandy snifter to the brim with silver bells of all sizes. You won't hear them ring-a-ling, but they will dress a table in sparkling holiday style.