It’s time to make your menu plan for December! What a fun month for planning! I’m starting the Holiday Hottie Contest with Fit Yummy Mummy on the 6th. So for 21 days my menu will reflect my goals for that contest. The challenge is to keep it festive and supportive at the same time–while still keeping the intensity of the meal prep low.
Here’s a pdf menu planning sheet for you for December: December 2011 menu
My cousin, Rachael, is a budding photographer and invited us to be her subjects. She has a great eye for lighting and got some fantastic shots. Here are a few of my favorites:
I’ve been one of those folks who gets up at 3am to stand in line for the really great deals. But year after year I was frustrated by the rude “adults” who act like 3 year olds, pushing, and shoving and stealing things out of people’s carts when they aren’t looking. And often the thing I got up early for was sold out before I could reach it.
Source: Plasticjungle.com
Not all my Black Friday shopping has been a bust. 5 years ago I stood in line and snagged a lovely pair of black boots which I finally wore out, and my husband purchased a new suit at rock bottom prices–which is still good!
I have a hard time passing up a good deal. My hands get sweaty and I have trouble thinking clearly. In hindsight there wasn’t anything I purchased at that time that I couldn’t have lived without. And sometimes living without is a happier existence, because I’m not left with the clutter.
So this Black Friday if you come to my home, you’ll find a peaceful family, listening to Christmas carols and sipping hot chocolate. After the chores are done, we’ll bring out the board games and read some books aloud. It sounds so much better to me than fighting the frenzy at the store.
If there are some Black Friday deals you can’t live without, many stores are now offering the same deals online, so you can shop at home without fighting the crowds. To take full advantage of Black Friday deals, shop with a plan. Know what you are looking for, for whom, and how much you have to spend. If what you went to the store for is sold out, ask for a rain check so you can pick up the deal later. Finally, don’t be dazzled by good deals that don’t fit in your plan. That way you can feel good about your purchase and know it won’t send you over your Christmas budget.
I have so much to be thankful for this year! We tried to make you a video as a family. And after the 3rd take of adorable kid bytes and youtube eating it every time…we gave up to make sweet potatoes and fold laundry. But for the record:
I’m thankful for: my family, our home, and our hope for the future
Brandon (4) is thankful for panutbutter samwiches and Grant.
Dub is thankful for his new balloon, steak and Grant.
Heather is thankful for Grant and Mom.
Caleb is thankful for steak and legos.
Heidi is thankful for friends and family.
Darren is thankful for his Godly heritage and our free nation.
And if Grant could talk–Milk would be high on his thankful list, lol.
So from all of us to you, Happy Thanksgiving!
Watch this short video on how to make flavored extracts to use in cakes, cookies, frostings, salad dressings, and marinades. They make great and inexpensive Chrsitmas gifts.
Darren: “What are you making?”
Me: “Kettle Corn.”
“Where did you buy it?”
“You don’t buy it, you make it.”
“I’m pretty sure you need a special pan for that, that keeps it from burning.”
“They didn’t say anything about a special pan.”
“Who’s they?”
“You know, the blogland people.”
“Hmm.”
“All the instructions are over there on the blog, and they promise it won’t burn if you do it just like that.”
From the other room, “Eww, mom what’s that smell?” As the kids trickle into the room, “What are you trying to make? Is it supposed to be smoking like that?” “What’s the matter, did you run out of microwave popcorn?”
“Microwave popcorn is expensive and nutritionally inferior.”
“Maybe, but it’s edible.”
It took me awhile to take his pictures this time. I prefer outdoor lighting, but the weather wasn’t very cooperative. I’llhave to get a new plan for the winter months, lol. His 12 months onesie now fits him properly. It will have to streeeeetch to make it to his first birthday.
His mood was ever changing for this photo shoot. His front teeth are trying to make an appearance and disrupt his sleep and his pleasant attitude. It’s things like this that will make us celebrate when they finally break through!
The Fall Transformation Challenge is over at Fit Yummy Mummy and the finalists are posted. You can pop over there and see the amazing before and after pictures. It’s fantastic what is possible in just 12 weeks! Click here to see the photos, read the essays, and vote for your favorite finalist!
The duvets and one curtain are finished for the boy’s room. I’m just waiting for matching snaps from Serenity to come in the mail to really finish the ends of the duvets. Right now they are safety pinned shut. The duvets are so soft, espcially on the Minky squares.
The curtain is my favorite. It is made from one white flat sheet and one gray flat sheet ($5 each from Walm-mart) cut into strips and then flat felled back together. It really makes the room look taller and I’m so glad it didn’t end up looking like prison stripes :). I have one more curtain cut out, but for now at least they have some privacy. The curtain rod was $1 from a garage sale (actually $1 for 2 which I used in two different rooms). I spray painted this one chocolate brown with some splatters of black to match their beds.
I invisioned painting the whole room light gray with white trim and then adding fun fabrics on the walls either in applique, name monograms or just fabric covered canvasses. At this rate they will have graduated high school by the time I get it all done, lol. I wish I had a better interior design mind and a wherewithall to finish the project quickly.
These delicious cookies are a great way to use fresh frozen cranberries. These would be wondefully festive for your Thanksgiving or Christmas snack table. When I buy fresh cranberries, I immediately put them in the freezer in their original bag. They are easier to chop or grind this way for recipes and keep for over a year.
In an electric mixer cream together: 1 cup softened butter 1/2 cup white sugar 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 2 tsp vanilla 1/4 cup milk Add slowly, mixing well after each addition: 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 3 cups wheat flour 2 cups quick oats 2 cups chopped frozen fresh cranberries 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips Drop by teaspoonful onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden around the edges. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 4.5 dozen at 133 calories each.
