My favorite gift!

I often talk about how much I like "doing" versus "buying," so this year I decided to create a special gift for my family in that vein (even my hubby doesn't know about this one).

I saw a similar idea somewhere on the internet (if I knew where I'd post a link!), but it was more for dating - I tweaked it for my family.

I took 12 envelopes and wrote the month on each one. Then, inside each envelope I wrote a note to my family outlining a fun family event we would do that month. Included in the envelope are also gift cards, cash, tickets, etc. - whatever is needed for the outing. I put the envelopes in a pretty basket (recycled from my closet) so it will be something we can leave out in plain view. My plan is that on the first of each month, we can sit down over dinner, dessert, whatever, open the envelope and then schedule the event.

I'm hoping it will become a fun activity the kids look forward to and encourage more fun family times. It's been a fun project for me coming up with new ideas and gathering the supplies for each month. The daily deal sites like Groupon, Living Social and Eversave have been invaluable!

So, here's to one fun thing planned for 2012: A Year of Family Fun!

Share the Christmas Spirit!

Something I like to do each year is share the Christmas Spirit with the people that help out my kids daily - but maybe don't have daily interaction with them. I'm talking about the school office staff, nurse, principal, etc.

Most people do something for the teachers, but without the office staff, the schools wouldn't run - so make it a point to do a little something for them. They really appreciate it!

A few ideas:

1. Make some coffee cake and pick up a Starbucks (or local coffee shop) traveler with all the fixings - a nice little breakfast is always welcome!

2. This year, I made sugar cookies (with homemade buttercream icing) and am dropping them off this afternoon with a Starbucks traveler - who wouldn't love a little afternoon cookie and coffee break! Total cost: $14 for the coffee as I had already made the cookies for our family.

3. Pick up an inexpensive plant (Poinsettia's are nice this time of year) for them to place on the desk - they can enjoy it all month! I saw them at Meijer for $3.33 yesterday - very affordable.

4. Have your child make a card thanking them for everything they do - this can be very meaningful as they often don't feel as appreciated as the teachers.

5. A jar of candy for their desk - use all the great drugstore deals right now to fill it up!

Another thought on this - if you take food in, I'd suggest taking it the week before Christmas break starts - often the school will do special treats or breakfasts the week of break, so it's nice to spread it out a bit for them.

Don't let the Holidays pass you by!

How to decide what to do this season? There are so many fun events going on that it can be hard to narrow down what to participate in. It seems like every year there are more parties, events and visits to add to the list. To help you out, I have a few holiday planning suggestions:

1. Ask your family. Just because it sounds good, or because you've always done something, doesn't mean you should do it. So, ask your kids and spouse what they would really like to do this month. It might surprise you. We've made a list for each of us of "must do's" and then we have another list of "if we have time" outings. This way, I'll ensure we each do what is most special to us, and if there is extra time or we end up with a free night, I'm not scrambling for ideas.

2. Put it on the calendar. This is another biggie. I've found that if I don't make specific plans (at least for the "must do's"), odds are good we'll get busy and before we know it, the month is over and we missed out on something special. Putting it on the calendar also helps with scheduling - you can see at a glance if you have too much planned for one weekend but another is light. Then, if need be, you can rearrange things before you get in the thick of it!

3. Take it easy. I can't stress this tip enough. Yes, there are a lot of fun and good things to do this season, but sometimes a lazy day at home watching a Christmas movie and snacking on popcorn and hot chocolate is just as memorable for your kids. Plus, planning a few low key days will keep everyone healthy and stress free!

4. Enjoy yourself. Remember, these are memories you are making, so you want them to be good ones! So what if everything doesn't go as planned or if you miss out on something. If you take the time to enjoy your family and your time together, you are going to get what you want out of the holiday season. It's just not worth it to get upset or panicked if things don't go perfectly - in fact, sometimes the "bloopers" in life become the best and most memorable parts of your family history!

So, before it's too late, make some cocoa for the family, sit down with the calendar and plan out the rest of your month!

Preparing for the New Year!

Yes, I'm thinking ahead!

I love the new year - it's another chance for a fresh start. I like to plan (as you all know!), so I've started thinking about what I want to accomplish in 2012. Some things I had planned for 2011 didn't happen, so those will roll over - others are new.

I'm also starting to think of a theme. I often create "theme's" for my year - it's a fun way to plan, reflect and add new experiences.

A couple of examples:

2011 was the year of completions and adventures

2010 was the year of the weekend getaway

In 2008 I had monthly goals - I liked that one and may try that again this year

So, expect to see posts on this topic in the next few weeks. I've found that by thinking about it ahead of time, I'm not stressed on the first - I can go into the new year with a plan of attack!

Advent Calendar

I have seen so many cute Advent calendars on the internet this year - how to decide??? Since I've been fighting this cold, I haven't had the energy to do much, but I didn't want to miss out on the Advent fun, so I decided to use our normal Advent calendar (that my SIL made for us) and I've tucked little notes in some of the pockets with activities we will do on the day the note is pulled.

For instance, today was day 1, so I tucked a note in with the ornament that said "family game night - play a game together". Some of the notes involve a craft or cooking (like make cards or make fudge), some are an activity (decorate the tree, go look at Christmas lights) and some are service oriented (take dinner to friends, bless a neighbor). I looked at my calendar and placed the notes based upon our schedule - so for instance I know we're getting our tree Sunday - hence the tree note goes in on Sunday. I put the "make cards" note in a few days before teacher gifts will be delivered, etc.

The kids were super excited to find the note this morning - they had already been looking forward to the tree itself so this was a real bonus!

Maybe next year I'll get all crafty, but in the meantime at least I'm making this year special!

Ebay = Christmas!

Whew! It was a crazy and fun weekend. Sadly I ended up with a bad cold, so moving slowly today. I did manage to list a bunch of ebay auctions last week, and they close today through Wednesday, so hopefully that will be a little extra Christmas cash! Plus, hopefully others will get some good deals on Christmas gifts or clothing for their little ones!

More to come later this week when I'm back up to speed!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone has a blessed and beautiful Thanksgiving. I'll be at the in-laws tomorrow, then out shopping Friday!

This year will be a breeze as I have very little to purchase. Still, I'm one of those crazy ones who love to be out in the excitement. My husband and I head out with a couple of friends and we cross everyone off our list. Then, Saturday we wrap everything, hide it in the basement and I am done with shopping and wrapping for the rest of the month. It is always a crazy (but fun) couple of days, but SUCH a relief to be able to enjoy the Christmas season without the stress of holiday shopping

I'll be back next week with some tips on how to schedule your holiday season, and some thoughts on fun Christmas activities!