30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 28

Day 28 - Something that stresses you out

Honestly, there is only one thing that stresses me out - Clutter.  Seriously, if things are cluttered and messy, I start to feel stressed.  Oh, wait, one more thing, if my plans get messed up :-)  I don't like that either.  But my husband has taught me that it is ok not to plan sometimes, and I can still have fun!!

Just two more days left in this 30 day adventure . . .:-)

Holiday Control Journal Part 2

Holiday Traditions and Menu



Are you ready for Part 2?  Have you ever sat down at the end of Christmas day and remember that you forgot a tradition? Or forgot to make your favorite holiday dish?  Or maybe you remembered that dish but couldn't find the recipe?  Well, this part of your Holiday Control Journal will help keep that from happening this year!  If you would like to see what I've typed out, click here.  There are three parts to this section of your journal.

1) Traditions - Take time to write down your Holiday Traditions.  I broke mine into categories like:  Food, Decorations, Things to Do etc.  I also included a section of Traditions I'd like to start.  Something to remember about traditions - they are only traditions if you do them so if something isn't working, stop doing it :-)  As our kids get older we would like to add in going to see a Christmas show - we are fortunate enough to have large Christian High Schools, Colleges, and Churches that do incredible shows every year which will be great to take the kids too.  Adding this year, well, they just aren't ready.  I also left space to make notes for next year - what worked, what didn't work, new ideas ect. 

2) Menu/Food - Take time to list the food traditions you have for certain days.  We have some specific things that we do and foods that we love.  Instead of trying to remember it all, write it down.  If you don't do the meal, just leave it blank for now.  Someday, you may need to fill it in!

3) Recipes - Now, I did not include all of my recipes or the document would have been huge.  When I created this journal this summer, I just started going through my recipes and adding things that looked good, we had used before for holidays or I wish we had used before!!  This year, I'm going to refine it as we go through the holidays so only the recipes we use this year are included (if we like them!).  Than, next year, I will have those tried and true recipes that we love and can add a few new ideas too!  If your recipes are in a book or a file, that just make a note of where to find them if you don't want to type them out.  I type all of mine out anyway so they are saved in my computer and easy to copy and paste!

See how easy that is?  :-) 

I did get through my week one plan too!  Here are some photos of my dining room.  My color scheme is silver and red.

I like to wrap my large wall hangings like gifts.  It really transforms a room.  And, in January, when I unwrap them, it's like having new wall art!

I love using place mats and napkins for table coverings.  You can get them for little cost after the holiday.  That is what I'm hoping to do with my curtains!  I want holiday curtains but don't want to spend very much.  I may see if I can get some fabric I like and make some but from past experience, that can be even more expensive sometimes.

So I'm not totally sold on my "free art" ribbon yet, but it does look better in person.

This wall - a work in progress.  I'm in the middle of a little craft idea to dress this wall up.  I'll share pictures later.

And he was IN the dining room so he counts LOL  We had pizza for lunch, can you tell?  :-)

I know that in my plan for this past week, I was going to do something to my porch but, when I wrote that this summer, I did not plan on decorating my porch for fall.  So I have moved that to the end of the month and have left my fence, pumpkins, and Indian corn in place for now! 

I'd love to see pictures as your decorate so please share!!

30 Days of Thankfulness Challenge

November 7, 2010



Today, I am thankful for my brother Kelly.  Kel is the oldest of us kids and we have lots of funny stories about him.  He still thinks of me as his "baby" sister because he left home when I was still so little (there is almost 10 years between us!  He told me recently that he really doesn't remember me at home - I told him it is because he is getting so old :-)  Kel is a hard worker but he is kind-hearted.  He is organized and a planner and I like it because I'm like him :-)  He's fun and has a great sense of humor.  I miss him a lot because he lives in Brazil - I am looking forward to seeing him in a just a few short months though :-)