I have a friend who has been finished Christmas shopping since SEPTEMBER! But I'm gathering a few things herer and there.

Once my kids didn't need me to drive them around any more the number of photos I have of them dropped dramatically. I love photos of my kids. Taking photos of them is something that I'm really , REALLY good at doing.

To increase my photo count and my connection with them throughout certain times of the year, I started a text challenge. First kid to answer a riddle, text back a photo, send me a link wins a prize.

I always set a deadline. First. Best. Everyone who XYZ before 5PM. You get the idea.

Then I Venmo the money or tell them to find the prize on their bed, in my office, etc.

It's been fun to see what they come up with and how they interact with each other too!

1. Emoji Storytelling: Create a short story using only emojis (minimum 5 emojis) and send it to the parents. (50 points)
2. Word Riddles: Solve five word riddles sent by the parents within 24 hours. (50 points)
3. Song Lyrics: Choose a song and send a message with the lyrics to the parents, who will guess the song title. Participants must select songs from a pre-approved list provided by the parents. (50 points per correct guess)
4. Emoji Movie Titles: Send a list of ten movie titles represented by emojis. Parents will have to guess the titles within 48 hours. (50 points per correct guess)
5. Virtual Scavenger Hunt: Participants will receive a list of five items to find around the house and send pictures as proof of their discovery. (50 points)
6. Trivia Questions: Answer five trivia questions sent by the parents within 24 hours. (50 points)
7. Acronym Game: Create an acronym for each family member's name and describe its meaning. (50 points)
8. Text Art Challenge: Create a piece of artwork using only text characters and symbols. (50 points)
9. Mind Teasers: Solve three mind teasers sent by the parents within 24 hours. (50 points)
10. Gratitude Messages: Send a meaningful and heartfelt gratitude message to each family member individually. (50 points)

Note: The challenges can be adjusted based on the preferences, interests, and ages of your teenage children. Feel free to modify or add challenges to make them more engaging and enjoyable for your family.

Facebook memories are often a real treat and I enjoy seeing the things that were important at the time, reliving memories, and smiling knowing we survived it all - so far. Several years ago I post about my joy in nailing the classroom Valentine. My kids -especially my sons - has rules about what they could bring for the class.
Nothing mushy.
Nothing that sounded ANYTHING like converation hearts.
Had to be cool
... you get the idea

I found these nose pencil sharpners and they were a hit! I giggle the entire time that I was putting these gems together - and laughed again today at the thought of it all! I added a tag that read, "You BLOW me away, Valentine" It checked all the boxes and I think I got bonus Mom Points for being gross.

Get your own pencil sharpners Valentine supplies here
Amazon Link for Nose Sharpeners
Amazon Link for Self Seal Bags for gifting
FREE Gift Tag Printable Link

A friend posted a recipe online and I was intreagued. Immediatly I asked when we were going to do this together - then I couldn't wait and jumped in a few days later. Once I took inventory and gathered up the supplies on hand, and added the others to the list, I started out.

It is a relatively cost effective recipe, considering what you probably already have on hand. All spice, frozen strawberries and fresh cranberries were all I really needed to add.

With all my ingredients out and ready, I prepared my jars and lids. Then it was jam time. Since I'm not great at following directions or measuring things out, I made my own plan. I like to improvise. If you see a recipe and think, I'd like that sweeter or how can I cut the calories or make it a bit healthier, try it!  Here's the results of my little experiment so you can try it too.

Canning isn't hard, but the first time I did it, I was terrified. To be perfectly honest, that hissing, steaming pressure canner can be quite scary. I get it! Luckily, this recipe is completely safe to use the water bath canning method.
Water bath processing is a processing method used in home canning for high acid or sweet foods. The jars are filled and sealed. The jars are boiled completely covered in water for a specific amount of time. High-acid or sugary foods are items such as jams, jellies, pickles, relishes, salsas, and tomato products. So, water bath canning is perfect for this Spice Christmas Jam.

STEP 1: GATHER THE INDEGDIENTS

• Cranberries – You can use frozen or fresh cranberries for this recipe. If you use frozen cranberries, there will be more moisture content, so you will need to cook for a little bit longer to evaporate that moisture, which will in turn, thicken the jam.
• Strawberries – Just like the cranberries, you can use frozen or fresh strawberries here too.
• Sugar – Don’t cut back on the sugar! The sugar amounts are set so that safe canning practices are met, helps to determine the thickness of the jam and whether or not the jelly will set properly. I used a sugar subsitute to help watch our calories. It works and measures the same.
• Liquid Fruit Pectin – Pectin natually occurs in the cells of nearly all fruits and berries, however, the amount varies. Pectin is low in strawberries, so a liquid fruit pectin is needed to help the jam set or firm up.
• Spices – You will need ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground allspice, and ground cloves.

STEP 2: PREPARING THE JARS
Eliminate any risk whatsoever by always sterilizing your jars and lids. Just wash the jars in hot, soapy water. Rinse the jars well under running water to get rid of any soap residue. Then boil the jars and lids (not the rings).

​Instructions

• I like my jam chunky so I boiled and mashed my fruit (see video above). You can also puree them in your food processor if you like a smoother consistency. 
• Measure the sugar and spices and add those to the large pot once your fruit is the consistency you'd like it.
• Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a full boil. Continue to boil for one full minute.
• Remove the pot from the heat  and add in the liquid fruit pectin. Stir well to combine and place the saucepan back on the heat.
• Once the jam returns to a full boil, remove from the heat.
• Once the bubbling settles, use a spoon or ladle to skim off any foam and discard it.
• Next, ladle the hot jam into the hot jars being sure to leave 1/4 inch of headspace. 
• Lower the jars (with lids and rings on) into the pot. Be sure the water level covers the jars by two inches. Bring the water to a boil, cover the canning pot, and boil for 10 minutes.
• Remove from the water and allow jam to cool and set, undisturbed, for 12 hours. Wipe jars and label accordingly. Store jam in cool, dark cabinet for up to a year.

Notes: Each serving is equal to 2 tablespoons.
​
Nutrition (if using real sugar)
Calories: 59kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.1g | 
Saturated Fat: 0.003g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | 
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.004g | Sodium: 0.3mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 0.3g | 
Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.1mg

​When our Elf on the Shelf went to "help another family," once our kids got older, I was relieved. It was a lot of work. It was also a lot of fun. Some of our kids have graduated and moved, some are still in high school. These days I'm acutely aware of the time I have left with them in my house. I want to pack memories and lessons and time together in - just as much as possible. Therefore, I'm resurrecting the tradition with a twist - a little help from Buddy.


I'm being intentional and adding some fun to the stressful and very busy days leading up to and including Christmas Break. I'm going to try to do something with at least one of the kids each day to celebrate them - and the season.

This pack includes

• Sample Schedule
• Lessons from the Elf Reminder Cards
• Elf Hats
• Spreading Christmas Cheer
• Pin the Face on the Elf
• It's Santa! I know him. Gratitude Cards
• Scavenger Hunt
• Elf Trivia
• Snowflake Card
• The Elf Code
• Random Acts of Kindness (Bonus Free Ideas)
• Buddy's NYC Adventure
• Elf Spotify Playlist

​A favorite things party is a gathering of your favorite people: girlfriends, neighbors, co-workers, church group, etc. Each guest brings their favorite things (wrapped or unwrapped – you decide) to be exchanged & in return will go home with new favorites from fellow guests! You can determine how many presents your guests will bring depending on the number you’re expecting. For example, if you’re hosting a small party you can have your guests bring enough gifts for everyone. For larger parties you can limit gifts to 3 (a great number) or even less.

​Because the holidays fill up fast for everyone, I suggest that you choose a night towards the beginning of the month - or even in Novmeber - & send your invite out at least three weeks in advance. The invitation will include how many gifts each guest should bring, what the price limit should be, and if you want guests to provide anything else. These type of parties work great as potluck to share the load of providing all of the food!

Consider hosting a favorite things party with a theme: favorite gardening things, favorite things to read, someone elses favorite things (to re-gift things after the holidays)

Once you set a price limit for your guests it’s time to get shopping! Black Friday sales, clearance items, and spotting a good deal are great ways to give extra special gifts for reasonable prices (within the limit!). I chose to limit the gifts to $10 and have each guest bring three each.
You could increase the limit to $15, $20 and even $25 if you’d like. The higher the limit, the nicer the gifts can be – but also keep in mind it’s an expensive time of year & it may be difficult for guests to shell out loads of extra money. The point of the party, for me, is getting together, not the items.
​
The gifts should all be the same (i.e. if your favorite thing is candles, you’ll bring three different candles). However, it’s fun to add variety by changing scents or colors when possible. Love candles but have a handful of favorite scents? Bring three different ones! Blankets happen to be your favorite? How about three different colors, patterns or prints! Add a little variety while keeping the gifts the same!

​When each guest arrives, they will write their name on three slips of paper (the number of slips of paper is determined by the number of gifts everyone brings. Everyone bringing five gifts? Write your name on five slips of paper).

Then the guests will also write thier name once and add it to a seperate bowl. The bowl with the name in it once is for who goes in what order to draw 3 names out of the second bowl. The names drawn out of the second bowl are for what items each guest recieves.

The first time your item is chosen, you get to describe to everyone what it is and why you love it.

​This is entirely up to you! The beauty of this party is that it can be as minimal or as elaborate as you want – or as your budget allows!
I almost never spend over $50. That includes my 3 items, printing, paper goods, and drinks.

For the printables:

• These are a small touch that will make a big impact on your party & lucky for you all the hard work has been done! I’m providing all the party printables for FREE to you! Each printable is sized for 8.5×11
• You’ll only need one copy of most everything, and duplicates thank you tags depending on the number of guests you have.
• Acrylic frames are a nice touch, if you have them on hand. I found mine at the Dollar Store.

December 1st is National Christma Light Day!
Let's Celebrate!

Every year we load up, crank up the Christmas music and ohh and ahh together over all the fabulous Christmas light displays in our area. Every one in a while, we take it up a notch. It always brings a smile when we give out our ​Christmas Light Awards.

We liketo look at the lights so much that we even went to The Lights in Arlington, Texas this year. It's a drive through light display - and it was amazing!

It’s one of our favorite Christmas family traditions we enjoy each year.  One year we even gave it a Polar Express theme! We make an evening of it by making popcorn and hot chocolate, piling in the car in our jammies (just the kids when they were little) and our blankets, and getting the playlist ready.

​To ramp up our yearly Christmas light family night (and help the kids pay a little more attention) I came up with a way to celebrate the hard work neighbors put into their homes for the holidays. It  added in an extra element of excitement for the kids too.

​To be recognized and awarded for all their efforts to bring holiday cheer to the town, I created some certificates to hand out during our drive looking at Christmas lights. These certificates each have a theme.

Print out the certificates and date and sign them. You can put your family’s last name or the person who gives the award can sign their name.
​Some years we took turns giving the awards and personally signed the certificate. This year I'm printing a set for every single one of us! 
An additional fun twist to these awards is you can knock on the receivers door and give it to them personally or you can be sneaky and tape it to there door. One year we gave the gand prize winner a pie from United!
Either way it’s super fun to give these awards to the best lit homes in your town.

• The Minimalist – Simple and clean light display
• The White Lights – Most beautiful white lights display
• The Inflatables – Most inflatables per square foot
• The Reason for the Season – Best Nativity display
• The Griswold – Sparing no expense of Christmas spirit!
• The Disco Fever – Best projection lights and/or music
• Blank – make-up your own award to give!

THE MINIMALIST
This home will have a simple and clean light display. They will have the windows and home trimmed and lights carefully placed. Or possibly they may only have one tree decorated or one window decorated.

THE WHITE LIGHTS HOUSE
This home will be decorated will all white lights! No multi colors to be found on this house.

THE INFLATABLES HOUSE
Every inch of this homes front yard is filled with inflatable decorations. Maybe they even skipped putting up Christmas lights at all. 

THE REASON FOR THE SEASON
A nativity scene will be the focus of this person’s yard. Possibly a wooden stable with lifelike figures or a beautifully lit manger scene. 

THE GRISWOLD HOUSE
Lights covered every inch of this persons home and yard. The roof, the grass and the trees are all lit with lights!

THE DISCO FEVER HOUSE
Projection lights or lights timed with music would fit this award perfectly.

BLANK
Create your own award for a home. This one is just for you and your family.

When you go back to each home try to get a picture of the house and have someone hold the certificate up in the picture. This will be a fun memory to look back at and as the years go by you can compare the award winners!

You can give a little gift with the award like a candy cane, chocolate bar or Christmas ornament. Or just give the award itself. 

We can't wait to hear how your Christmas Light Tour goes this year.

Size: 8 1/2 x 11
Total Pages:22 
Print: in Color, one-sided

Guide Book includes:

• A planning calendar
• ideas page
• A Welcome Letter
• Elf Protection Sign
• Scavenger Hunt for indoors or outside
• Elf Jokes
• Secret Code Game
• Coloring pages
• Christmas Light Hunt
• Would You Rather Game
• Mini Signs for your Elf
• Cut out Photo frame
• Foldable Treat Box
• Service Ideas
• Donation Box Letter
• Letter to Santa Paper
• The Foor is on Fire Game Sign
• Mini-Elf hats 
• Goodbye Letter

​A message on Yahoo! personals (an ancient dating site that ceased to exist in 2010) turned into a chat, followed by a dare to call. Even though my heart was racing, I called. The call didn't go through. My heart sank. In prehistoric days, you had to disconnet from the internet inorder to recieve the call. That call lasted for hours and was followed by a face-to-face meeting the next day. 

I was in graduate school. When I explained the situation and why I would be missing class to the  70 something year old professor, I told him that I has to go see if this guy was for real. He said "Go with God, girl." So I did.

Teaching at schools in opposite directions, we kind of met in the middle. Alan's Galley in Lamesa, Texas. We talked for a few more hours, but we both had to get home. He drove the morning school bus route and I had an hour commute to my school each morning. On my way home I called my friend and told her I thought I was in trouble, confessing that he might be "the one".

​We met just before Spring Break in March and were engaged the day after school was out, June 1st.

I had already made plans to live in the dorms on campus at Texas Tech and work for Upward Bound. We spend lots of time in the lobby that summer and met a new recruit on Bobby Knights basketball team. This 6'10" guy was sort of like a puppy for us. We enjoyed "taking care of him" together, watching him play ball, and learning so much about each other in the process.

He even survived a Chisum Family Renuion that summer, bunking with my grandfather.

Planning the wedding was easy, according to Billy. I had a notebook. I really did. I went to Bible College and I went to LOTS of weddings, so I started making notes. He says that when we popped the question, I wrote his name on the line next to Groom: _______ and slammed the book closed.

Since I had the groom locked down, we needed a date. Wanting a few extra days for our honeymoon, we planned our wedding just before Thanksgiving Break. The pastors son was on the Texas Tech football team, so we planned it around that too (They won that day - Guns Up!). I has just planned a high school prom so I went with the same colors - black and silver. Why not. The lady who owned the prom location was married to a man who owned a place that would host a perfect reception for folks who just got married in a barn!

The reception was amazing. I didn't stop smiling. We were surrounded by our friends and family, dancing and laughing. I wanted to remember every second.