Christmas Post #14, Online Shopping/ Make gifts

 

     

  You may not have given a LOT of thought to Christmas shopping yet, other than the list I suggested making a while back. Now the thing to consider is how much will you need to order online? I am a BIG advocate for buying local, and I always will stimulate my local economy first, but some things you need to buy online in this day and age. That being said too, there are stores that you can purchase items from their website through the store (Cale and I BOTH work for companies that do).

         Now places like Amazon though, you want to get your shopping started. You'll have your items before they sell out, which happens. Also before prices inflate...because this year's hottest toy, it will get pricey. You also have it done, which is a fantastic feeling. Knocking online shopping off your list now, will alleviate stress and cost later. Personally I prefer to be done by December 1st, to avoid the boom.w

         While I suggest getting the online DONE now, I also encourage you to keep on top of the rest of your gift shopping as well, so you have it done early.

         Then there is the homemade gifts. I have always done at least one each year (one example above), and this year, I'm pretty sure most of the gifts I'm doing are homemade, or I'm putting it together myself. Jake and Cale are probably the only exception, and Jake... I still have one or two that might get made. Here is the thing, these can be time consuming and right now, you HAVE time. I'm WELL underway with these, and the stores are starting to carry their Christmas stuff if that is what has been holding you back.


         K, Luv Ya, Bye!

         Nancy, Cale, Jake and Alice

Christmas Post #13, Fall Cleaning

         

         Everyone loves the cleaning posts right?! Well then enjoy! Today we tackle (or get ready to tackle) Fall Cleaning. This is inside and out. we're getting to the time of year you're not going to be able to keep those windows open, so do the deep cleaning. This is scrubbing walls, major deep cleaning...inside. The whole point of Spring cleaning is to get rid of the gunk you have been living with, cooped up, all Winter long, and start fresh. This is why I like the idea of Fall cleaning. You open all your windows and let the cooler air breeze through the house as you get yourself a blank slate to start the season. This post has always been a part of this blog series, but something I have discovered since becoming a mom, you can have all these intentions to have a spotless house, but some time life can get in the way, or it can just be overwhelming. I suggest taking it one room at a time, and don't give yourself a deadline for this part, just get started chipping away. It's a big job, be kind to yourself.

         Outside, it's time to pack away the BBQ for another season, the garden hose, the fire pits, for another year. Put away the patio furniture, clean windows, siding and the deck if needed. Rake the leaves and get in your last mow of the year. For us this also includes getting the snowblower set and it trades places in the shed with the mower.

         Get this all set before it starts to get too cold.

         K, Luv Ya, Bye!

         Nancy, Cale, Jake and Alice

        PS, I do this post around the same time each year, but this year in particular, we're hearing we might get an early winter...so better safe than sorry

Christmas Post #12, Get Ready for Halloween

       

  There is one Holiday (debated term) that people go as crazy for as Christmas it seems. This of course, is Halloween, and we're only 21 days away. We had our costumes planned out for a while now, but if you haven't now is the time to figure out the household costumes (if you need to) and get them, before they are well picked over. If it's a costume you need to piece together, you might need a little more time too.

         I also recommend getting your treats now too, though this can be a double edged sword. I also recommend putting them somewhere that they're out of sight, and out of mind. I know we've had years we bought 2 boxes of chips and by Halloween, we had 1 1/2 left...which I feel showed great restraint on our part. So hide em, until you need em. I know last year, we had about half as many kids as we planned for...so we need to debate if we want the same amount for our own enjoyment, or save a couple bucks and get a little less.

        Finally, decor. I know decorating for Halloween is not as big as it used to be...or it has blown up, you're at one end of the spectrum or the other. We're the freaks in the middle, and almost everything I do I did diy and/or on a dime. I feel like motherhood has made me go soft for Halloween. I remember as a kid there was a house that you walked up to the door and you thought a dummy was sitting on the porch, but no, it was the home owner dressed up, and he moved and made you jump. As a kid I always thought I would do this, but now I guess I'm more worried about scaring little kids. I mean a little scare here and there is fine, and fun on Halloween, but I don't want to be the one doing it. As a result, my decor is pretty playful, maybe we'll go creepier when Jake is older. Here is a confession, I have never carved a real pumpkin in my life...it's true, closest I have come is my little Michael's one, that goes in the window with a flameless candle. I also took one of those classic pumpkin buckets and took out the bottom and one little section in the back and it slides over my outside light. Another diy I do, I save some toilet paper rolls and cut creepy eye shapes in them, and put glow sticks inside and put them in my bushes. And then there is roll of danger tape I bought at the dollar store when I lived in Kentville. Let me stress, this was when Cale and I were still in college...we graduated 11 years ago... this roll owes me nothing!

         So today's assignment, is ALL Halloween.

         K, Luv ya, Bye!

         Nancy, Cale, Jake and Alice
     

Christmas Post #11, Happy Thanksgiving

          Happy Thanksgiving. We've had another great year. We got to spend the morning with my brother and sister in-law, who just showered Jake in love and attention. And of course we got to enjoy a wonderful dinner with my in-laws and my Uncles. We have so much to be thankful for, especially this year with our newest addition. I love that here in Canada we have our Thanksgiving earlier than the states because it kind of starts this time of year off on a gracious family note.

         On a less happy note, there was a local incident for us, where some people got injured while at work at our local refinery. As terrible as that is, I think we all need to be very thankful it wasn't more serious, because it REALLY could have been.

         Today's assignment may not seem productive, however I truly feel it is. Take some time to count your blessings. As we head into the season of surplus, keeping this in mind is a positive thing I think.

          We had a fantastic dinner, made by my mother in-law, and loads of laughs to be had by all, and lots of snoozing from Jake.

         K, luv ya, bye

         Nancy, Cale, Jake and Alice

Christmas Post #10, Finish up for Thanksgiving

        In the very first post of this series, I explained that we cover all the holidays leading up to Christmas, so there are times that these posts will have NOTHING to do with Christmas planning. This is one of those. All this post is for is to remind you to get all you Thanksgiving plans sorted, and the last minute things you may need to pick up.

         This is probably mostly your produce, and maybe a thing or two special to your family. Something I've seen people on cloth napkins, we adopted into our family last year, but we did it on a pumpkin. Micheal's sells these hollow pumpkins, and I always wanted one for Halloween. I happened to catch them on a BOGO day last year, so I got my orange one for Halloween and a white one for Thanksgiving. We all wrote something we were thankful for on the white one, with the year. There is still tons of room on it, so we continue the tradition this year.

         So enjoy your Thanksgiving! I'll have a new post on Monday, late, but it will be coming with a pic of our festivities.

         K, Luv Ya, Bye!

         Nancy, Cale, Jake and Alice

        PS The pic on this post is a tradition we started last year. I always wanted one of the Michael's craft pumpkins, and I happened to hit them on bogo. One of the pumpkins I got was the one you see there. We started the tradition of writing what we were thankful on the pumpkin. If you look close,there are a couple about expecting Jake (the rule was not everyone could put the same thing).

Christmas Post # 9, Prepare the Home!

       

         

This one isn't what I would consider a fun post, however it can reduce a LOT of stress. Prepare the home is pretty vague, here is what it includes, any home projects, and your home safety check. Are there any home renos, painting or home services that need to be done before the big day? Set the deadline, and set it EARLY. If you can get them done now, do it, but set your deadline no later than early November, that's when everyone else will be starting to scramble.

         As far as the home safety check goes, sadly the Holidays are the time of year with the highest risk of home accidents. Here are a few things to check:

                     - Check smoke detectors, replace batteries or unit
                     - Check Carbon Monoxide detectors
                     - Vacuum Dryer Ducts
                     - Check fire extinguishers, and have one in the kitchen (preferably one on each floor)
                     - Light bulbs (this may or may not be safety) and have extras
                     - Check Electric outlets, and make sure they aren't overloaded
                     - Check electric cords, any fraying
                     - Check your water heater
                     - Stock your First Aid kit

          Get this out of the way now, and you can feel much safer going into the holiday season

          K, Luv Ya, Bye!

          Nancy, Cale, Jake and Alice

Christmas Post #8, Master Grocery List

         

          One of the more recent assignments was to make your menu over Christmas. I also mentioned there was a reason I suggested doing it SO early, and this is the reason, we're now going to make our grocery list.

          So this is not as simple as making a grocery list, I make the list, and then break up the list as well. When you break it up it should be in 3 Categories, Non-Perishable, Frozen and Perishable. The reason for this is so you can spread out the cost of the groceries over the coming months. When it comes to me writing this blog, I try to be ahead on the assignments (that's why you get these pics). As a result, I have this underway. I try and grab one or two items a week, and add them to my stash.  This is where I suggest using that app I've talked about before, Flipp. With Flipp, you can enter in your grocery list and it shows you the places that have certain items on sale and the lowest price. This is how I know I'm saving the money because I'm getting a smokin deal, and I use price match like a bandit.  I use this regularly for my groceries, when we get to the time of year, I start with my Christmas grocery list, find a few things on sale and add them to my list. This just adds a little more to my grocery list weekly, it's typically about $10,  and saves me money in the long run.

          I think you see where I'm going with this, you're going to want to get the non-perishable started, now. To make it easier, I also designate somewhere for Christmas groceries specifically. It's a rarely used cupboard above the fridge. This means I know these groceries are off limits, and because I go early, I have a bit of a crowd already.

         Your latest assignment

         K, Luv Ya, Bye!

         Nancy, Cale, Jake and Alice