Shopping already?
I have a friend who has been finished Christmas shopping since SEPTEMBER! But I'm gathering a few things herer and there.
 The Idea 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. CanningCanning 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.
Getting Everything REadySTEP 1: GATHER THE INDEGDIENTS
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). The Recipie
Instructions
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 WAys to Use Spiced Christmas Jam
Give as a Gift
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
Listen along!Grab Your Copy
Party planning runs deep in my blood and any excuse I have to host an event, I’m all for it! Several years ago I decided to host my very first Favorite Things Party for our baseball team moms. I'm done a few since and they are just so much fun! Because I’m a gal who loves bringing people together, I want to help you bring your people together too. To make things easier for you to host your very own party without hardly lifting a finger, here's a step by step guide!  What is a favorite things party?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. The Invite 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)
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| favorite_things_party_christmas.pdf |
Other variations on the idea
 Used RSVPify.com |  Students list of favorites was used to play games. |
December 1st is National Christma Light Day!
Let's Celebrate!
Let's Celebrate!
Turn up the music and the fun!
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.
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.
CHRISTMAS LIGHT AWARDS
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.
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS
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.
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.
AWARD CATEGORIES
- 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.
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.
Judging
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As you drive around town take note of which homes may be a candidate for each award (write the street name and house number). Use the Christmas Light Judges Sheet to help you keep track of your favorites. After taking a spin around you can take a hot chocolate break to tally up the votes and then travel back to each winners home to present the awards. Sometimes we just stop the moment we see "the one" to give the award right then.
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GIVING THE AWARD
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.
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.
Bonus: a playlist to enjoy on your tour
| Many years ago, when the kid were much younger, we bought an Elf on the Shelf, read the book, named the elf - and regretted it most mornings. Our little "Elfton" got into some messes, cost us sleep and destroyed the kitchen, the Christmas tree, wasted toilet paper and food... One year I bought a kit - clothes, an envelope, even a tardis! I've collected the free ideas, easy printables, and created a planning calendar for your few weeks with your elf this year. Click the link. Download and print. Have some grand adventure, lots of laughs, and enjoy the time you'll spend together. |  |
Size: 8 1/2 x 11
Total Pages:22
Print: in Color, one-sided
Guide Book includes:
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
Get organized and make some memories this holiday season with this Christmas Planner! Make the holiday season less stressful so you can focus on what matters most.
Keep track of your budget, to do's, gifts, stocking stuffers, and addresses for cards. Plan out holiday activities, menus, and the schedule for Christmas day
Keep track of your budget, to do's, gifts, stocking stuffers, and addresses for cards. Plan out holiday activities, menus, and the schedule for Christmas day
| Around this time of year, I start looking for lots of homemade gifts and crafts. Teacher gifts, white elephant, favorite things parties start to fill our calendars and to-do lists. This year, I found this quick and easy DIY Dollar Tree Candle tutorial for UNDER $5! It was such a budget friendly way to make a super cute gift. SUPPLIES You can find everything you need to make them you can find at the Dollar Tree! You might even have some old candles at home that you can melt down to create new candles. Dollar Store Candles, unsented You can find them in white or in various colors Scented oils Small glass container or mason jar Ribbon and deocrative items Candle Wicks or reuse the ones in the candles from the Dollar Store candles Stove Top with large pot or Oven with a cookie sheet (In the video, she melts the candles in the oven) Glue Gun Hot pad, preferably rubber to help with hold |  |
DIRECTIONS
Place your tall candles in a large pot. Turn the stove to medium heat.
Candles will melt in about 10 minutes. You may need to use a plastic knife to loosen the edges and stir the wax to help the process along.
While the wax in melting, use a bit of hot glue to affix the wick to the bottom of the jar or container where you will be adding your hot wax.
Add your desired oils in your desired amounts to the melted candle wax.
Use your rubber hot pad to our a small amount of wax into the bottom of your container. This will help your wick stay in place. Once the wax dries add the rest of the wax.
NOTES
Add coconut oil, if you like, to the Dollar Store Candle wax to help your candle burn more smoothly.
Get creative and layer colors and alternate complementary fragrances.
Let me know if you tried it. I would love to know how it went for you.
Place your tall candles in a large pot. Turn the stove to medium heat.
Candles will melt in about 10 minutes. You may need to use a plastic knife to loosen the edges and stir the wax to help the process along.
While the wax in melting, use a bit of hot glue to affix the wick to the bottom of the jar or container where you will be adding your hot wax.
Add your desired oils in your desired amounts to the melted candle wax.
Use your rubber hot pad to our a small amount of wax into the bottom of your container. This will help your wick stay in place. Once the wax dries add the rest of the wax.
NOTES
Add coconut oil, if you like, to the Dollar Store Candle wax to help your candle burn more smoothly.
Get creative and layer colors and alternate complementary fragrances.
Let me know if you tried it. I would love to know how it went for you.
gift Tags
Enjoy! |  |
We love Santa Land. Even though the kids are getting older they still enjoy this tradition. Every year when we top the hill on Broadway and can see the lights welcoming everyone to Santa Land, they kids still gasp. It was nothing different tonight.
Everyone should take the time to walk around, look at the scenes, and huddle with friends and neighbors by the fires. Most nights there are live music performances. There is hot coca for sale and of course, the main attraction is Santa Clause.
Learn More
Everyone should take the time to walk around, look at the scenes, and huddle with friends and neighbors by the fires. Most nights there are live music performances. There is hot coca for sale and of course, the main attraction is Santa Clause.
Learn More
Each year at some point in the festivities, everyone stops, gets a popper, and pulls the ends until it pops. The poppers we choose typically have a crown, a joke, and a small toy inside.
Picking out the kind of popper, the pattern, is a big job.
It is something so small, but reminds me of so many Christmases before. I'm not sure when the tradition started in our family, but I have great memories of my grandfather wearing a silly paper crown and reading and laughing at his own jokes like it was a funniest thing he'd ever heard.
Picking out the kind of popper, the pattern, is a big job.
It is something so small, but reminds me of so many Christmases before. I'm not sure when the tradition started in our family, but I have great memories of my grandfather wearing a silly paper crown and reading and laughing at his own jokes like it was a funniest thing he'd ever heard.
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Really, I never thought that I'd say, "... table for 6, please." going to dinner with my family. I had plans to be a professor and travel the world. I moved from Missouri to West Texas for graduate school and was just passing through, when I met a man that captivated my heart and held my hand.
Both teachers at the time, we met before Spring Break, got engaged the day after school was out and got married over Thanksgiving Break. And we shared our wedding cake top with the Labor and Delivery nurses in the hospitial when our oldest child was born. Our courtship was quick and it was exciting. And I don't think that we'd trade any of it for what we thought it might be.
This magical adventure is more amazing than anything that I had planned.
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