Oct 06

Tidy Up Tuesdays: How to Downsize Your Christmas

Tidy Up Tuesdays 6 Comments »

gift

Economic experts are predicting that Christmas spending will be down again this year. In fact, they say it will be down from last year, which was pretty dismal too.

Most families anywhere can tell you this is the case without getting the official word from “experts.” Our own expert sense of where the economy is, for us personally, tells us that our own Christmas spending will likely be on a limited budget.

I don’t really see this as a bad thing, though. As I’ve mentioned before, downsizing Christmas is really just a step in the direction of turning Christmas away from commercialism and back to families and traditions.

Of course, downsizing is only possible to accomplish with careful planning and organization of gift buying. Here is how I’ve downsized Christmas in our house.

1.       Limit the number of gifts you give. Many families draw names or just have nieces and nephews exchange gifts. Consider pairing down your list of neighbors, friends, and co-workers that are on your gift list, too. It may be hard, but it’s worth it if it eliminates an obligatory gift that you give and one that they offer you in return.

 

2.       Go homemade. I’m the last person to call myself crafty, but I think it’s so much more fun and meaningful to handcraft a gift than to purchase one. Before you think about getting out the glue gun, consider all kinds of homemade projects like jewelry, photography, and edibles. Others may choose to offer service to one another instead of exchanging traditional wrapped gifts.

 

For those that enjoy whipping up stuff in the kitchen, homemade gestures such as homemade salsa and chips, applesauce, jam, or baked goods are always easy on the budget. Looking for something healthier than a plate of cookies or a loaf of sweet bread? Wrap a pineapple in a bow and share it with friends and neighbors Hawaiian style. Or maybe a basket full of clementines? Healthy eaters really appreciate a naturally sweet gift amongst the many plates of frosted cookies.

 

3.       Choose only three gifts for your children. I get a lot of grief over this concept, believe or not, but the grief doesn’t come from our own children. My kids have never felt deprived from this limitation on gifts; instead, they embrace it because they know what to expect.

 

It’s actually a fun challenge to shop for these gifts because you can’t buy all of the fun things you see on store shelves. Instead you have to really think about what they really want and carefully decide which items are most important.

 

In our home, we’ve taught our children from a young age that they will receive three meaningful and deliberate gifts on Christmas Day just as the baby Jesus received three gifts to celebrate His birth. The areas we’ve designated for gift giving are 1) something that is just for fun,  2) something to stimulate their brain,  3) something to stimulate their spirit.

 

Before you label me Mrs. Scrooge, we do fill their stockings with small items and candy from Santa. My children are all still believers in the jolly bearded man (some a bit more skeptical than others about this “truth”) so they also receive their gift they requested from Santa.

 

I’ve received accolades for this idea in more abundance than I’ve received opposition over the years. Most who have tried my idea for a season have stuck with it and carried it on in future years. If you’re looking for ways to save money at Christmas or just looking for ways to find Christmas again I highly recommend downsizing your Christmas.

 

Question: Are you planning to downsize your Christmas? If so, what are you doing?

Oct 05

Mommy Mondays: Liar Liar

Mommy Monday No Comments »

I can recognize the look of guilt on the face of any man, woman, child or … hamster.

I came downstairs to get a drink in the middle of the night and our little nocturnal houseguest -Tootsie, the class hamster, who was with us for a weekend -was caught red-handed. Or maybe I should say green-handed. He was gnawing away on the faux grass that sits in planters on the breakfast bar where we thought Tootsie was safely taking shelter for the past few days. As soon as I made eye contact with the beady-eyed rodent he immediately froze and then dropped his strand of plastic sod. Before he could try to win me over with his repentant sad face, I pulled his cage away from the ceramic pot and showed him whose turf he was playing on.

Move over Nancy Drew–you’ve got nothing on me. I’m such an expert at sniffing out my children’s lies that they sit in awe as I unfold the real truth before their grade-school eyes. Once my daughter asked me repeatedly how on earth I found out I knew about her misdeeds on the playground. I jokingly replied that I used special laundry soap so I could wash tiny little cameras into her clothing so I could always keep my eyes and ears on her all day long. I knew she actually believed my wild tale when I saw her eyes open wider than her mouth that sat agape.

I’m convinced my great sleuthing skills don’t come from the hours of “Perry Mason” and “Columbo” I watched as a young child on the couch with my grandmother. Rather, I’m sure they are genetic. I’ve actually had the tables turned on me and had my children catch me in a sticky situation or two.

For example, after one especially plentiful Halloween when my daughters were just toddlers, I was chowing away on their candy stash when I heard my oldest daughter tromping up the stairs. I hurriedly and cleverly ditched the chocolate wrappers and found something else to occupy myself, but it was to no avail. She came in and stopped dead in her tracks. She began sniffing loudly around the room. She sniffed and sniffed and moved closer and closer in my direction and said, “Mom, were you eating my Halloween candy? I smell chocolate on your breath.” Just like that, I was nabbed by my then three-year-old.

Who needs “CSI” when you’ve got a daughter with a nose for chocolate? I’m certain this uncanny ability to detect fibs is in the gene pool.

Question: What white lie have your children caught you telling?

Oct 02

Foodie Fridays: Quick & Healthy Mommy Meals

Foodie Fridays No Comments »

With school back in session I’ve noticed I’m back to eating lunch on the run.

By 4 p.m. one day I realized the only meals I had eaten all day were either out of a straw or were consumed behind the wheel while carting my kids around town. I don’t think the food I ate that day really qualified as a meal, but it was better than not eating at all.

Who can be that busy – really?

Any mom will tell you it’s all too possible to be that busy. C’mon–us moms are the same folks who can spend hours in the bathroom trying to potty-train a child but then postpone our pottying needs for hours because we’re busy caring for a sick child or a cranky baby. I’m sure most every mom on the planet will agree that they’ve sacrificed good hygiene on occasion because they’re too busy caring for everyone else. So, it’s no surprise to most moms that choosing a healthy lunch sinks to the bottom of the list more often than we’d probably admit or even realize.

I hate to compromise good eating and healthy habits using the excuse that I’m too busy. It’s part of that whole, “Put on your own oxygen mask first” theory that we all know but have a hard time living by. So in my efforts to stay healthy and put myself back on the list, I’ve tried to come up with some ideas of cheap and easy lunch ideas so I can still eat in a hurry without grabbing junk food or hitting the drive thru.

Some of my favorites are:

Turkey sandwich on whole wheat pita. I dice up an avocado and tomato and I can eat it on the go.

Trader Joes Organic Tomato Soup in the pint-sized carton. I don’t even like tomato soup but this is delicious. Even my kids love it. (No TJs near you? Try Emeril’s version from the grocery store.)

Bag-O-Salad from the store. I only use half of the lettuce and half of all of the mix-ins (including the low-fat dressing) at a time. I spread it out over two lunches or invite a friend over to have lunch. If the dressing isn’t low-fat I’ll substitute in another dressing from the store. (If you have a Fresh n Easy market in your area they have an amazing Cilantro dressing that only has 70 calories per two tablespoons.)

Baked potato with light sour cream and a sprinkle of cheese. I bet this borders on unhealthy depending on how you view carbs, but it’s fast and it’s comfort food. The cheese and sour cream offer some protein to tide you over. Besides, a medium potato has about 5 grams of fiber. Sprinkle on a little salt and pepper and you’re set. If you skip the butter you’ll save lots of fat and calories.

Pita bread pizza. Using one small whole wheat pita as the crust, I coat the crust with low-fat Ranch dressing (or jarred spaghetti sauce) and then I pile on veggies, or ham and pineapple, or leftover chicken with veggies, and top with a little cheese. I pop it into the toaster oven and in about 7 minutes my lunch is ready.

Question: What do you like to eat for lunch that is quick and healthy?

Oct 01

Tried and True Thursdays: Cold and Flu Season Must Haves

Tried and True Thursdays 1 Comment »

kleenex

I think it’s safe to say that most of are tired and achy from listening to endless reports on the swine flu. But has the flood of media attention on this topic desensitized our minds to preparing from cold and flu season? Are we so sick of that we’re not doing what we usually do to guard ourselves against illness? Regardless of whether or not we’re planning to get a flu shot, or if we worry about swine flu infesting our homes and schools, it is that time of year when viruses circulate.

After coming down with the flu far too early this year, I was reminded how much it stinks to drive yourself to the store to pick up items to cure what ails you when you should really be in bed resting instead of spreading germs. Here’s a list of must-have items you should consider having in preparing for and warding off the flu in your home.

  1. Stock up on tissues and over-the-counter medicines. Buy the good soft tissues with lotion and your own tried-and-true cold remedies when you spot them on sale. Keep a good supply for that inevitable day when the sniffing and sneezing begin.
  2. Grab the Gatorade. In some cases of stomach upset, Gatorade can be a good way to replace electrolytes that have been lost from vomiting and diarrhea. It’s easier to have a few bottles on hand than to have to make a run to the store for this when someone is in need.
  3. Consider getting a flu shot. Some people swear by these while others aren’t fond of the toxins that are introduced to your body. You have to do what makes sense for your particular situation, but if you’re on the fence about it, decide now before the vaccines are in short supply.
  4. Confine and contain. Once one person comes home feeling achy or has a sore throat, create a “quarantine” area of your home to prevent others from becoming infected. Be sure to clean up high-traffic areas with bacteria killing products such as telephones, light switches, door knobs, and refrigerator doors. These frequently touched shared spots are especially great breeding grounds for germs. Many people are contagious before they even show symptoms so you should try to keep these surfaces clean and practice good hygiene as a preventative measure, too.
  5. Teach good hygiene. Everyone should wash their hands with soap and warm water for a long enough period to sing, “Happy Birthday.” Sneezing and coughing into your shoulder and away from others is an easy way to keep germs from spreading.
  6. Create a support list. Your home can go from happy and healthy to an infirmary in a heartbeat. Make sure you’ve got easy to access to contact numbers for friends, family, and neighbors who can help you keep the healthy inhabitants of your home up and running even when the only thing running in the rest of your house is a fever.

Question: What do you do to prep for cold and flu season?

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