christmas checklist

Ahhh the week of Christmas. I've compiled a little list that will hopefully help me stay on top of my game...

-laundry (do as much laundry as possible before the 24th) especially make sure Christmas jammmies are clean, halfway decent pj's you don't mind being photographed in {I always have a rock star hair-do and hate pics of myself in the morning} clean Christmas outfits for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day
- do any possible baking and cooking before the 24th
- plan what you're eating for Christmas morning breakfast (we used to make a breakfast casserole but you had to put it together Christmas Eve and I'm pretty sick of cooking by then and run out of room in the fridge) This year will be yummy eggs benedict with the Knorr sauce packet. Quick, easy and yummy.
- make that last minute grocery list and try to shop late at night when the store is much quieter
- stock up on batteries (AA's and C batteries seem to take care of most needs)
- make sure camera batteries are charged
- assemble any gifts you can before Christmas Eve. Last year Dale and I had the unpleasant surprise of assembling a play kitchen for over 2 hours when we were tired and cranky. Not so Merry Christmas!
- have a Phillips screwdriver, scissors and knife accessible but out of children's reach for opening gifts
- have the recycling bin or a big bag handy to put wrapping paper in as you unwrap. Seeing the piles of paper and boxes all over the floor makes me itchy (OCD, I think not!)
- wrap gifts - have hostess gifts wrapped and ready, divide stocking stuffers into separate bags for each person
- pour yourself a drink and sit in front of the Christmas tree and remember everything important has already been done and everything else is good enough.A happy Mom and wife is the best gift I can give my family

granola-rama.

We did granola for teacher and neighbor gifts this year. I used the pumpkin spice granola recipe I concocted earlier this year. It was easy and fast. Just my style. It took 3 double batches to fill 12 quart jars. In less than an hour and half we had created 12 gifts. Love it.

cute gift idea

Wish I had come across this sooner. Maybe for Valentines Day....
*personalized of course.

holiday baking

I'm not really good at baking especially finicky Christmas baking. Usually at the last minute I decide to whip up a few things and they don't turn out. I think some white peppermint bark and some rum balls for the adults. This recipe sounds like it fits my baking capabilities. Laying pretzels on a candy sheet, unwrapping candy and smooshing an M&M on top. I can handle that.

end of an era.

Maybe that's a little dramatic but it was then end of Mommy n Me dance classes yesterday. I am thrilled. For the last 18 months, once a week I have had to subject myself to humiliation and torture by dancing in front of a wall full of mirrors. Of course these classes were the highlight of Amelia's week and for that I am grateful. But I dreaded watching my wobbly bits jiggle in a giant unforgiving wall of mirrors. Next month, Amelia starts a dance class all by herself. I will be sipping a latte on the comfy couch in the lobby while checking out all the good magazines I have looked at longingly over the last 18 months.

12 days of Christmas

I put together this sweet little project from Treasury of Memories. I've decided to use it to countdown fun family activities. Here's the list! (I'm going to decide which one will be able to be accomplished each day and place it in the correct slot)

drink hot chocolate by the tree
make a gingerbread house
hike the new trail
visit the mall Santa
make snowflakes
go sledding
drive around and look at Christmas lights
bake cookies for Santa
watch a Christmas movie
write a letter to Santa
go to the Festival of Light
wear red or green clothes

turkey chili

1 pound of ground turkey
1/2 chopped onion
2 cloves garlic minced
1 medium zucchini grated
1 cup grated carrots

1 can drained and rinsed kidney beans
1 can drained and rinsed black beans
1 cup corn
2 can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes undrained

1 tsp chili pepper flakes
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin

Brown turkey in large pot, add onion and garlic, cook 3 minutes more, add zucchini and carrots, cook until softened.
Add drained beans, corn, tomato sauce and tomatoes as well as spices. Simmer 30 minutes and serve. Makes 6 servings.