NEW YEAR GOALS

I love making new year goals.  It makes me feel focused and happy.  Here are my top 5 goals for 2013.

1.  EVERYONE GETS A CLEAN SLATE.  This is one of my favorite goals I make every year.  I try really hard to forgive and move on as things happen, or not let things bother me, but having the visual of Jan 1, and an eraser, helps me really wipe the slate clean.  It feels so good!

2.  BE PRESENT WITH MY BOYS.  I am always there but not always present.  I have found that sometimes I am checking my phone or opening the mail while talking with them.  You know, multi tasking.  No more.  I will be present.

3.  SIMPLIFY.  This is another goal that is always on my list.  It helps me analyze my schedules and routines and organize and purge my closets and nooks and crannies.  It's a breath of fresh air to my soul.

4.  BE HEALTHY.  For a long time I was on a green smoothie kick and loved it.  Breakfast has once again become a skipped meal, so I am going to try to be consistent with some early morning nourishment.  Also, I have had a hard time becoming committed to running again after my stress fracture and the cooler toe incident.  I need to rediscover that love.  My hiney will thank me.

5.  BE POSITIVE.  I am proud to say this is something I am really good at, most of the time.  I try really hard to make a conscious decision to see good and not gossip.  BUT, I am horrible about being positive about myself.  My inner self says horrible things to me. Every time I say something negative, I will make a conscious decision to replace it with a positive.  AND, I will say thank you when receiving a compliment instead of dismissing it.

I hope 2013 finds you and yours healthy, prosperous and happy.  Let us have faith and not fear about our life situations.  (I need to tell myself that all.the.time.)  Here's to a wonderful and fabulous new year, my friends.

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 25

We spent the day with family, presents, love and gratitude.  We enjoyed the Christmas magic and also did our best to remember the real spirit of Christmas and the reason for the season. 

Merry, merry Christmas!  I hope your day was wonderful.

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 24

Our Christmas card this year -
I got caught kissing the very handsome, barefoot Santa underneath the mistletoe.

Happy Christmas Eve!

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 23

What do you get if you eat Christmas decorations?
Tinsel-itus!

This afternoon we had a Christmas movie marathon.  Arthur Christmas, Polar Express and Santa Clause.
It was so nice to relax, snuggle and laugh.  The next two days are going to be so busy - super fun but a whirlwind.  Gah, we're so excited!

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 22

We got a super fun family present to go to see the lights at Misson Mill - thanks Hemmert family!
Steve is in town this weekend, so he came with us on our family date.

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 21

Homemade goodies for neighbor gifts.

Chocolate candy cane muddie buddies.  These yummy morsels are addicting!

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 20

Family movie night, watching Nightmare Before Christmas.

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 19

Chocolate chip rice krispie treats.

I grew up with this tasty tradition, which was passed on by my father's family.  One of my dad's favorite childhood Christmas memories is this simple, delicious treat that his dad would make, always with chocolate chips.  My grandfather had a bit of a sweet tooth and he's passed that along as well.

I also make the original rice krispie treats because a few of my man clan are not a fan of my vegan chocolate - too dark for them.  So the nice mama I am, I offer both to suit their fancy.

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 18

Giant rein-beer floats with three vanilla bean snowballs.

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 17

We put together teacher gifts.

I saw this cute idea on Pinterest.  I usually give gift certificates to Starbucks, Coldstone, etc...so I hope the teachers enjoy this.

What do you think?  Gift certificates or presents for teachers?

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 16

We made graham cracker gingerbread houses.

Some of the houses had secret compartments.  Some caved in from the weight of candy.  And, some of us got belly aches from eating too much candy.  We love this Christmas tradition!

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 15

We visited Santa at the riverfront carousel.

This is our favorite Santa.  The wee ones think he just might be the real Santa because he has a real beard.  Landon is always looking for the "beard strings" and this one has passed the test.

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 14

We made glittery deer images.

I took black cardstock and traced different images of deer.  Elmers clear liquid glue was used like a pen and the images were quickly "color with glue".  Once the glue was in place, glitter was sprinkled all over.

One piece of advice is to let the paper sit for about 30 minutes before you shake off the excess glitter.  We had an image that we thought was dry but when it was hung, glittery glue started to run.

I used silver and white glitter.  I like the silver images the best.  The bottom one is white glitter and it has an ice look to it, which is cool, but the silver ones really pop against the black paper.

We've hung them on the back of our front door with all the Christmas cards we're receiving.  I love it!

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 13

We watched Elf.
We absolutely love this movie!

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 12

After school hot chocolate bar.

Merry 12-12-12!

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 11

Eggnog cookies.  Oh me, oh my, these little morsels are amazing!

Eggnog Cookies

1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter**
2 egg yolks**
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup eggnog**
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Cream first five ingredients together until smooth.  Add remaining four ingredients and mix until just blended.
Drop by rounded teaspoon onto cookie sheets.  Bake at 300 for 21-23 minutes, or until light brown.  Place on cooling rack and drizzle with eggnog icing.

Eggnog Icing

3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter**
1/2 cup eggnog**
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Mix until you have a smooth and thin consistency.  Drizzle over cooled cookies.

**To make vegan substitute butter for Earth Balance, eggs for Ener G and eggnog for Silk Nog.

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 10

Write letters to Santa.

We had the boys make 4 categories - want, need, to wear, to read.  The only category that is being requested is the want.  The other three subjects make their eyes glaze over.

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 9

We took a family photo for our Christmas card.

So friends, don't pass out from unbelief.   The three year no card streak has come to an end!

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 8

A movie date to see Rise of the Guardians.

We LOVED it.  It gets two thumbs up!

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 7

We're decorating our lair with paper.
Some of our hanging artwork and photos are wrapped like presents,  We're making and hanging paper stars and later tonight we're going to make snowflakes.

We're going to have a little indoor winter wonderland.

I RECEIVED AN EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT - LARRY TOOK ME TO THE KILLERS CONCERT!

It was AWESOME!  The two opening bands were Tegan and Sara and M86.  They were both great.

The Killers played the perfect mix of new and old songs, there were lights galore, fireworks and sparkly confetti.  It was perfect.

My ears are still ringing and I still have a smile on my face.  Best early Christmas present date night!

After the concert we went to Voodoo Donuts.  That was our bribe for the boys to be good and not to be too jealous.  Our poor teenagers, babysitting while mom and dad are at a cool concert.  Hahaha!!  Oh, the stories they'll tell when we're old and grey.

PS - see this?  There are people up there!

We didn't notice them at all....

until we saw them climbing their way up.  What a cool job!!

25 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS - DAY 6

We got a box of delicious winter oranges.

I can't eat an orange in the winter without thinking of my grandfather.  I loved to hear him tell his stories of oranges in his stocking and how he looked forward to that delicious treat every Christmas.  They were poor and oranges were quite the treat for the family.  He told me would even eat the rind because he didn't want any of it to go to waste.  I really love that this little fruit brings a smile to my soul.

The man clan are not the only ones that love these juicy oranges as much as me.  Miss Lily is an orange thief.  She knows a good thing when she sees it.