Works For Me: Christmas Organizer Notebook

In honor of Works-For-Me Wednesday, I will share about my Christmas Organizer Notebook.

I bought a small, simple, purse-sized notebook at the Dollar Store. Throughout the year, every time I find a great price on a present, I buy it and write it down in my notebook. Lately, I've been also writing down where I hide it in my house because, well, you know........Anyway, by the time November hits, I'm usually about 80% done with my Christmas shopping. And, I've spread the cost out over the year so it doesn't all hit at once!

I've done this for three years now, so I can look back in my notebook and see what I bought for Aunt Matilda back in 2006 (no duplicate gifts!). Recently, I started writing down birthday gifts as well.

For more Works-For-Me tips, visit Rocks In My Dryer.

Ketchup....The New Apple Juice

Today Grace and I ran some errands. Our last stop was Wal-Mart. We were on the food storage aisle and I was contemplating whether I wanted round or square Ziplock storage containers when I heard Grace say, "Oops." I whipped around and discovered that she had unscrewed the ketchup lid, pried off the freshness seal (that I can never get off), and proceeded to DRINK the bottle of ketchup. That's right. Drink.

She had ketchup all over her mouth, running down her chin, and on her dress. The check-out lady had a good laugh when I explained to her why I wanted to purchase a bottle of ketchup that was 1/3 gone.

Winner!

Congratulations to Janelle, the winner of my Avon giveaway! Janelle will be receiving a tube of Avon Anew Clinical Professional Stretch Mark Smoother!

I appreciate everyone who entered and left comments with ideas for a homemade Christmas gift!

I Knew It Was Too Quiet.....

This morning, I was upstairs in the laundry room while Grace and her friend Caleb were playing in her room. I was giving myself kuddos for folding a load while it was still warm out of the dryer (to eliminate ironing) when I realized it was too quiet. Then I heard hushed whispering. I used my super-sleuth detective mommy skills to sneak over to the bedroom door.

I caught Caleb with a bottle of lotion upside down, ready to squeeze on Grace's dresser. Grace was holding her thermometer (a big no-no). As I glanced around the room, I noticed lotion on almost every major surface, including Candy Land. I enjoyed that first moment of utter fear on their faces when their handiwork was discovered. You'll be proud to know that I stayed calm, but it was a challenge. We discussed that not only was it a sin to play with things that they knew were forbidden, but they did it deceitfully by being as quiet as possible. I gave them a roll of paper towels and told them to clean up the mess.

Caleb started wiping up the mess and exclaimed, "Oh my goodness! Christmas is ruined!" (I guess he thought he was permanently on the naughty list.) I assured him that I forgave him and it was over. To which he responded, "I forgive you, too, JoJo!"

Later, at lunch, Caleb asked for mustard to put on his orange slices. I decided to call his bluff and squeezed some mustard on his plate. To his credit, he thoroughly saturated every orange slice in mustard before gleefully popping them in his mouth. Not to be outdone, Grace asked for ketchup for her orange slices. She, too, gave each slice a healthy dip into the ketchup before eating. I'm not sure which was grosser, the mustard or the ketchup.......

Menu Plan Monday

Monday - Crockpot Chicken Casserole, Green Beans

Tuesday - Leftovers

Wednesday - Dinner at church

Thursday - Macaroni and Beef, Green Peas

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Texas Potroast, Mashed Potatoes, Green Salad

Sunday - French Dip Sammies (leftover from potroast)

This week, I'm including my favorite pot roast recipe. It couldn't possibly be any easier, and the flavor is better than slow roasting in the oven for hours. It makes the most delicious au jus sauce which I always use for dipping french dip sammies the next day!

Texas Pot Roast

3-4 lb. beef roast
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 small jar picante sauce (I like Pace Medium)
1 12 oz. can Coke (Diet does NOT work)

Place roast in crockpot. Sprinkle with onion soup mix. Cover with picante sauce and Coke. Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.

Concert

We enjoyed our evening out tonight at a local church to attend the Sing-A-Long Messiah performance. We decided at the last minute to keep Grace with us the entire program instead of utilizing the childcare. I brought along a bag of tricks (coloring book, crayons, lollipop, and book) to help make it through the evening.

Grace did pretty well overall. We sat up in the top row of the balcony to minimize disturbing others. She only made one noise loud enough to cause people to turn around and look at us, and we only left once to visit the restroom. That's success in my book. She really enjoyed the music and actually tried to sing along with us during the full chorus pieces. (She didn't quite understand why she couldn't sing during the solo pieces, too).

The orchestra was the best that I have heard in a while. Truly, the New York Philharmonic couldn't have done any better. I realize that there is not much on Earth that can compare with the glory of Heaven, but I can't help but think that God enjoyed the beautiful music tonight.

When we got in the car to go home after the concert, Grace started singing "Ha-yay-yu-yah!" (translation: Hallelujah!) It was precious to hear her sweet voice try to imitate the Hallelujah Chorus. We are definitely making this a family tradition every year during the holiday season!

Faculty Party

I didn't post yesterday because it was such a busy day! Actually, it seems like every day in December is incredibly busy. The month just seems to fly by every year with parties, rehearsals, concerts, and traveling. This year I made a conscious effort to reduce our commitments...I even said "no" to a couple of parties. I just don't like every evening being taken up with activities. I'd much rather stay home and enjoy our time together as a family.

I haven't posted about it lately, but Todd is really enjoying his new job. The main benefit is more time at home with us. We get to eat dinner together as a family most nights of the week, and this is something we were rarely able to do when he was a band director. He is much less stressed, and he seems to be enjoying his career now more than ever before. Naturally, being a principal is not without challenges, but the problems are easier to deal with due to the school's great faculty and supportive parents (for the most part). He really enjoys his administrative team, and is so thankful to work with people who truly have a love for education.

Back to my busy day yesterday....I spent the morning straightening up the house and doing a couple loads of laundry. I ran to Wal-Mart to pick up a couple of things that I needed for the evening's activities. We ate a quick lunch then I put Grace down for a nap. During her naptime, I sewed a roman shade for a dear friend who wanted a nice window treatment for her new guest bathroom remodel. Then, I put the finishing touches on a fresh batch of biscotti cookies that I made for a friend. Grace woke up, and I parked her in front of the TV (yes, I do this on occasion) while I hurriedly got ready for Todd's Faculty Christmas Party.

Todd got home from work early, then we packed up Grace and headed out to the babysitter's house. We recently made some new friends in our Sunday School class, and they graciously agreed to watch Grace during our party tonight. They have three sweet teenaged daughters, and last time Grace was around them, they had a grand time together.

Todd and I enjoyed our evening out together. It was nice to be on a real date! It was also great to meet all the people that he works with for the first time. I can finally put some faces to the people that he comes home talking about! They are really sweet folk, down-to-earth and easy to talk with. Everyone made me feel very welcome, and many people thanked me for sharing my husband with them.

When we picked up Grace, she was all smiles. She gleefully grabbed my leg and exclaimed, "Mama! I was sweet and I didn't cry AT ALL!" This is quite amazing considering it was after 10:00 p.m., and she usually goes to bed by 8:00. Our friends had gotten out their beautiful train kit and set it up to go all around their family room and Christmas tree. Grace was mesmerized and wanted to show it to us when we arrived to pick her up.

All in all, it was a great day, and we went home to bed tired, but happy. Unfortunately, Todd had to get up early this morning to attend a Christmas program orchestra rehearsal at our church. Grace and I are about to get ready and go hang the new roman shade in my friend's house. Then, I'm headed to Kohl's to spend a $10 gift certificate on something fabulous, I'm sure!

Tantrums: What To Do?

Every parent of a preschooler has seen their child throw a tantrum. There's a lot of advice out there in the psychological community about how to avoid tantrums and how to deal with them when they happen. I was reading a very popular parenting website today and came across this following suggestion:

Frustration is also a big tantrum-trigger. If you know your preschooler is going to insist on visiting the pet store when you go to the mall, make sure you have time to do it, or think twice about the trip.

Okay, who's the parent here? Since when should we let our 3-yr-old dictate our shopping agenda? This kind of attitude is one reason why kids have tantrums in the first place. When we plan our activities around what we think our child will like, or what we think will make them stay happy, we are teaching them that the most important thing in the world is what THEY want. That's not parenting. That's furthering their self-centeredness and selfishness.

Our job as parents is not to constantly entertain and satisfy every desire of our children's hearts. Sometimes our kids have to just stand in line calmly at the post office. Or wait patiently while mom has a conversation with a friend. Or turn off the TV and spend quiet time with a book. Or wait 30 minutes for dinner time without whining for something to eat. It builds character. It builds a submissive spirit. It also builds an empathy towards other people's needs.

When our kids do throw tantrums because they don't get their way, it's important to deal with them calmly and quickly. I don't believe in ignoring. My experience both personally and professionally has shown me that in most cases when I choose to ignore tantrums, the child will magnify the negative behaviors until I can't help but do something. (And by that time, I'm a lot madder and the kid is a lot more upset).

The Bible verse that we discuss when Grace is fussing is Phillippians 2:14-15:

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure children of God..."

When Grace first starts fussing or arguing, I will remind her of God's command to do everything without complaining. If she continues, we administer biblical discipline.

What we have found is that over time (and a lot of loving discipline), Grace is gaining more and more self-control. Especially as she matures, we find that often it just takes a reminder and she can turn around her behavior. Of course, there are days that I'm ready to pull my hair out because she chooses to be unusually fussy. But we get through them, and most of the time her behavior gets remarkably better over the next few days because we do our best to be consistent during the hard times.

Regardless of where we are or what we are doing, it's important to avoid giving into our kid's whining. They need to know that we are in charge and that throwing a fit will only result in discipline. It's a challenge because sometimes it's just easier to give them the lollipop they are begging for in the checkout lane! However, in the long run, we're setting ourselves up for many more battles if we constantly give in to their whims.

Just in Case You Need A Laugh.....

Check out the following link. I promise it is good for a laugh!

We got elfed!

Nice Surprise

Today I ran an errand at my local craft store. Grace was really sweet and obedient, and she even conversed nicely with an older lady in the checkout lane. I normally don't "reward" her for good behavior, but she did so well that I took her to McDonald's to get a happy meal and climb on the playground.

While there we found a nice surprise. Our pastor's wife was there with her granddaughter spending some time on the playground. I got to enjoy a special time of fellowship with this sweet lady while Grace enjoyed playing with her friend from church. What a nice treat it was to share female adult conversation, especially with someone who has successfully raised two beautiful daughters.

There aren't many drawbacks to being a stay-at-home mom, but occasionally I get lonely for adult conversation. Today I was thankful for an encouraging word from someone that I really admire.

Christmas Biscotti and a Giveaway!

This giveaway is now closed.

In honor of Works-For-Me Wednesday, I am sharing a recipe for one of my favorite homemade gifts: Christmas Biscotti. These are always a hit during the holiday season, and they come out absolutely beautiful! Wrap a few in a clear holiday baking bag with a colorful ribbon for a delicious and thoughtful gift! Here's the recipe:

Christmas Biscotti

2 large eggs
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla extract
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 c. shredded sweetened coconut
1 c. Christmas M&Ms (neatly chop each M&M into 1/4ths)
1 3/4 c. chopped peppermint bark

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Beat together the eggs, sugar, baking powder, salt and vanilla until creamy. Gently stir in flour, coconut and M&Ms. Transfer dough to a silpat or parchment covered baking sheet and shape into a rough log, about fourteen inches long (and about 2 1/2 inches wide and 3/4 inches thick). Smooth the top with a wet dough scraper. Bake the dough for about 25 minutes, until just turning golden. Remove from oven and let cool, up to 25 minutes.

Five minutes before slicing, mist lightly but thoroughly with a spray water bottle. (This makes slicing the biscotti easier.). Reduce oven temp to 325-degrees, wait another five minutes, then cut into 1/2-3/4-inch slices. Try to cut straight up and down, so they don't fall over during their second session. Set the biscotti upright on a covered baking sheet, and bake for about 25 minutes, until very golden. Remove, and place on a rack for cooling. These will crisp as they cool.

Dip half of each finished, cooled biscotti in the melted peppermint bark. Place on a rack over parchment or wax paper and allow chocolate to set before serving. These can be stored at room temp for about two weeks; for longer storage, wrap airtight, and freeze.

For more Works-For-Me tips, visit Rocks In My Dryer.

Now for the giveaway part! I am giving one of my readers an item from my online Avon store: the Avon Anew Clinical Professional Stretch Mark Smoother. This is the at-home answer to a dermatologist's laser - that over time, reduces the appearance of stretch marks by up to 50%!

To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment with your idea for a great homemade or handcrafted Christmas present! If you are not a blogger, please leave a way for me to contact you via e-mail. A winner will be randomly chosen on Monday, Dec. 8th. I'll allow 48 hours for the winner to respond to my e-mail before choosing another winner.

Right now, I am offering Free Shipping on orders over $15! Just use the coupon code "REP815" at checkout. (Direct delivery only). Visit my Avon store for great gift ideas!

Maybe I'm Glad I Didn't Get the Flu Shot

I admit that I have never been one to research vaccines. I have always trusted Grace's pediatrician and just went along with the recommended shots. However, I have never given her the flu shot. She is allergic to eggs, and the viruses used in the flu shots are grown in eggs. There is a lot of contradictory data out there, but in general, people with egg allergies should carefully consider the risks and benefits before receiving the flu shot. (See the Centers for Disease Control for more info.)

However, today I learned that there is another danger in many flu shots. Mercury. There are some 2008-2009 flu shots that are manufactured without mercury, but many are not. See this site to get a list of mercury-free flu shots.

Handel's Messiah

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is getting to sing and listen to Handel's Messiah. Actually, I listen to it year-round, but I get to hear it even more during December. It's really strange that I never seem to get tired of it. I have sung it countless times in different church choirs and university choirs, and every year I go to at least two performances in the community, but it never gets old.

I even (gasp!) like Handel's Young Messiah (with the exception of a couple of songs I fast-forward because it is just too jazzy). If you aren't aware, The Young Messiah is a compliation of popular songs from the original Messiah, sung and orchestrated by contemporary Christian musicians. Yes, there's even a drumset. I'm not sure what Handel would think, but I can't help but enjoy it on occasion!

This Sunday evening, one of the local churches is hosting a Sing-A-Long performance of the Messiah. Guests are invited to bring their musical scores and sing along during the parts where the full choir sings. It is always an amazing time of worship through beautiful music.

If you have never heard a live performance of Handel's Messiah, I would encourage you to find a local church or choral group who is presenting the Messiah and make an effort to attend the concert with your family. I can't help but think that one day I will hear choirs of angels singing the Hallelujah chorus in heaven!

How Cool Is That?

Yesterday I wrote a post about a new company called BabyPlays. It is a brilliant idea for anyone looking for gift ideas for young children. Meredith Viera of The Today Show recently reported on this new online business.

Somehow Lori Pope, the CEO and founder of Babyplays, came across my post and wrote a sweet comment. How cool is that?

Teacher's Gifts

I read a recent post about gift ideas for the teachers in our children's life. The basic theme of the article was that teachers really don't need elaborate, expensive gifts or apple-themed "To Teach Is To Touch A Life Forever" gifts. The most memorable and special gifts are inexpensive homemade items and personal notes of appreciation.

As a teacher/counselor for 10 years, I can tell you that the running joke on my campus was a contest to see which teacher could collect the most coffee mugs? And, who could produce the most cliche apple-themed gifts? (I won one year for the coffee mugs). Honestly, the gifts that have meant the most over the years were hand-written notes from parents and students describing something specific for which they were appreciative. You know, teachers get a lot of criticism and complaints throughout the year. There are mean and unreasonable parents out there! It is really special to read a sweet note and realize that many people appreciate our commitment to teach and mentor children.

When I was growing up, my mom was the master at giving good teacher's gifts. She never spent a lot of money, but she spent a lot of time creating beautiful, handmade items to give. One of my former teachers told me 20 years later (!) that she still used the beautiful apron that my mom sewed for her when I was in 6th grade.

I will say that the most memorable gift I received as a counselor was not handmade or handwritten. One of my "frequent flyer" 6th grade girls brought me a collection of Bath & Body Works lotions and creams in different scents. She walked in my office, opened her backpack, and started lining the bottles up on my desk. She told me that she was so grateful for my help that semester and that she would never forget me. While I thought the gift was given in a slightly odd manner, I was truly appreciative and assured her that her gift was very thoughtful and I would look forward to using them. As soon as she walked out the door, I enjoyed opening the bottles and smelling the latest scents of the season. Unfortunately, a couple of days later, her father called to tell me that she had SHOPLIFTED the items from the mall. Even though I had already used some of the lotions, I offered to give them back. He wouldn't hear of it and said that he was making his daughter work to make restitution for the theft. I must say that a part of me was strangely honored to know that my student was willing to shoplift to give me a nice gift!