Saying goodbye to 2012

How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.

 – A A Milne (Winnie-the-Pooh)

Here we are, December 31st, 2012.  On the last day of the year I like to reflect on what the year was like, what I'd like to change for the next year, and of course set some goals. There are so many years where I remember sitting and saying..."Whew, I'm glad this year is over!"  This year has been a year full of losses.  Loss of our faithful Golden Retriever, loss of my mom and loss of a job.  All major losses in anyone's book, so with as many losses as I've experienced, I guess no one would blame me for being thankful the year is finally over.

As I sit here though, I'm not glad the year is over, I'm mostly thankful for the year.  Every moment shared with dear friends and loved ones remains a treasured memory that I will take forward to the next year.  I learned so much through all the moments of saying goodbye.  They have helped me grow and for that I feel lucky.

3 Simple lessons I learned in 2012:

Patience is extremely important.  There were many opportunities for me to learn how to sit and wait patiently.  Some things just take time and you can't speed them up.  I had the opportunity to hold Nick's paw as we said goodbye.  I had the opportunity to hold my mom's hand as we said our last "I love you and goodbye."  I had the opportunity to say goodbye to co-workers as the company closed.  We had time to share stories, laughter and tears.  I would never trade those beautiful moments.  I'm lucky I had those opportunities.

Sitting around too much doesn't keep the weight off.  Sometimes when I was feeling a bit sad, I would sit instead of walking or exercising.  I took more naps too.  If you don't burn off as many calories as you consume...or if you choose comfort food instead of movement the outcome is always the same.  I know I did not exercise as much as I wanted to.  I do feel like Pooh when he said "A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise."  I'm sure I won't be the only person who adds "exercise more" to their New Year's resolution list.

It's important to enjoy all the little things.  The big things will take care of themselves.  You only have the moments that are here, right now that matter.  What you say, what you do, how you treat someone in that moment really matters.  Make each moment count.  You have so many moments every single day that make up your lifetime.  Treasuring each and every moment makes you lucky.  When it's time to say goodbye, you feel blessed because you had the opportunity in the first place.  

Goodbye 2012 - It's hard to say goodbye because I'm glad it happened!  But...because it did, I'm lucky to be stronger and ready for new beginnings!!  

We still miss our Nick!

I have this Garfield comic strip posted on my desk -
it was in my mom's office and is a daily reminder to me.
It says, "Enjoy the little things and the big things
will take care of themselves"

A bear or two to hug, good friends, and experiences of
a lifetime (or at least the last 10+ years) -
all things I'm thankful for!  

Putting order into belongings brings control to life

When I cannot bear outer pressures any more, I begin to put order in my belongings…as if unable to organize and control my life, I seek to exert this on the world of objects. – Anais Nin

With my first day of unemployment under my belt, I must confess, it felt much like a Saturday where I spent the day just doing normal stuff.  Guess that's appropriate, since it was Saturday.  If that's what unemployment is like, I'm not going to be much of a fan!  I prefer getting things done versus wasting time.  Thinking back about yesterday, I don't know that I was mentally up for getting a lot done.  I did give myself permission to take the break, and that's okay!  But...I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to like unemployment.  I don't know many of my co-workers who are really looking forward to it.  Unemployment in our situation was due to the company closing, so in a sense it is an outer pressure on life.  The time leading up to the closing preoccupied my energy so I didn't focus on things, only thoughts about the unknown future and all the loose ends that had to be tied up.  That's a perfect formula for out of control objects!

As I mentioned yesterday, my "to-do list" has 27 projects on it.  I revisited the list this morning to see what items on it are really about getting belongings organized versus outer pressures.  There are some themes to how I recorded items on the list.  I'm going to make completing the items on the list a little more fun and dream along the way.  After all, what better time to look at life from a new perspective than when you've been blessed with time you didn't know you'd have available?

I'm going to reorganize my list into tasks that could be accomplished by certain roles (aka jobs/positions) that I have either really loved from my past positions or roles that I have always dreamed of doing.  A job search is a perfect time to look at what you really want to do versus just what you know you can do or have done.  What part of those roles do you love doing?  Focus on those.  What part of the roles did you hate doing?  Downplay those on your resume and don't look at those positions as you apply for jobs.  I have always loved organizing.  In fact, I've researched many times about being a "Professional Organizer".  I've also always loved coordinating things.  Yes, I do have quite a few things on my list that need coordinating.  I love how things intertwine and work together, kind of like the operations of a department of company.  I wonder if my husband will enjoy my tweaking the household operations?  I'll have to be careful in my approach to stepping into that zone.  Now I'm getting too far off track and trying to accomplish too much!  That's the dreamer in me!

I chose the quote above today for a reason.  The objects in my life got out of control while the outer pressures consumed my thoughts.  Now I have time to organize objects.   So that's where I'm going to start. I'm going to approach it as if I was a Professional Organizer that I hired.  If I don't, I might just fall into an emotional wreck.  A professional organizer recognizes the emotions behind things, but isn't attached to the items like the person who hired them to assist.  I think this is a good time to revisit my favorite organizing book and author.  But first...a trip to the treadmill and a few more chapters with Stephanie Plum and Lulu are in order.

Yes...a little dreaming and a little organizing of objects is just what I need to keep my head in the game of moving out of unemployment!

This is my favorite organizing book!

Before you act - plan

Before you act, listen.  Before you react, think.  Before you spend, earn.  Before you criticize, wait.  Before you pray, forgive.  Before you quit, try.  – Ernest Hemingway

So, this is how it feels...my first official day of unemployment.  I woke up at the usual time.  Guess after 10+ years of getting up at the same time, sleeping in wasn't necessary.  It would be a good idea to keep a schedule while I'm unemployed.  My mind was in full gear when I woke up.  I'm actually very excited about having some time to get some projects done.  I made a list of all the things I was thinking of when I woke up.  I officially have 27 projects listed on my to-do list.  I definitely don't have boredom listed.  As I sit here in my office, (aka the collection zone for everything I brought home from my office at work, all the stuff that I was working on before the holidays, and the projects that I want to start) I can clearly see finishing my organizing project I started awhile ago remains tops on the list.  Yes, I'm admitting to being back to ground zero for that one.  Oh well, again, I've got a little time on my hands.

After reviewing the list, I forgot to add one major item.  Before conquering the to-do list, rest and relax.  Going through the closing of a company, saying goodbye to friends, and wondering what my purpose will be going forward is a bit overwhelming.  Check - a daily rest break added to my goals for this transition.  Ernest's quote above, is a great way to start!  One or two days of planning and preparation is definitely in order.  

Ah, permission to regroup...I do have some time on my hands.  I've reorganized my to-do list for today.  Starting out with a nice long walk on the treadmill and a few more chapters with Janet Evanovich!  Stephanie Plum and Lulu would be proud (especially since I took a sidetrack moment to eat a couple of cookies before putting on my treadmill shoes!)

Change and new beginnings

I’ve learned that things change, people change, and it doesn’t mean you forget the past or try to cover it up.  It simply means that you move on and treasure the memories.  Letting go doesn’t mean giving up.  It means accepting that some things weren’t meant to be.  – Lisa Brooks

Ten years and 11 months ago I walked into a new job at a young company.  The energy I felt was overwhelming.  There was creativity, there was innovation, and there was an overwhelming positive outlook for all that could be for the future.  I am thankful for everything that I have learned through the years.  I'm thankful for all the people I met along the way.  I'm thankful for being part of serving the frail elderly, physically and developmentally disabled population in our community.  I know that I am a better person having been part of the growth of the company and the closing of the company.  I'm positive that the lessons we learn along live's path make us who we are and who we take forward in our new beginnings.

Today marks the last working day for the employees at the company.  It seems so surreal that it is really here.  The last day.  I'm sure there are some of us who keep wondering how could a company that rapidly grew end up closing?  With rapid growth, people learn that things constantly change and every change marks the end of something as well as a new beginning.  There's no escaping this lesson, I know I have to accept the fact that the company continuing on just wasn't meant to be.

Will I leave some of the lessons I learned behind? You bet!  Will I take some lessons forward?  You bet!  Will I be glad some things are gone?  You bet!  Will I miss the role I served as and people I worked with?  You bet!  One of the greatest lessons I learned is that people are resilient and they do persevere through difficult times.  The memories of this decade in my life are true treasures!  Will I take them forward?  You bet!   They hold a very special place in my heart!

Today, I wish all my co-workers a happy new beginning!  Thank you for all the great memories!

While it may seem dark and stormy today,
storms always blow over!  A new
beginning is just around the corner -
be ready for the new beginning!
I know I am ready!

Bubbles of purpose

Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary. – Cecil Beaton

Every year since our children were born, my husband and I chose not to share in the giving of gifts to each other at Christmas.  We chose to give to our kids and our families instead.  If we did give a gift to each other, it had to have a specific and safe purpose.  We didn't want to waste money on things we really didn't need.  It was better to buy the common place stuff, like staples, a mop, a car horn, towels, etc.

This year, however, while shopping on Black Friday I took a dare to buy something for him that he didn't need and didn't ask for.  With encouragement from my two partners in crime (Rachel & Sarah), I bought a crazy gift for my husband.  He needed something to put together like he did when he was a kid.  Something to keep him busy while we created the beautiful (ha, ha, ha) gingerbread house.  No playing it safe this year for me.

Sometimes it is okay to be daring and different.  Take a risk outside of your comfort zone.  There is something inviting about stepping out into the unknown.  If you approach it out of fear, you'll go right back to the play-it-safe mode.  When your life throws you the opportunity to do something totally different, go with it and dream.  Maybe it was the wee hours of the morning or delusional thinking when we were shopping, but we sure had fun dreaming about how much fun it would be when he opened up this gift on Christmas morning.  The risk paid off and he loves the gift!

Hopefully my husband doesn't think that his purpose in life is to no longer entertain the cats who adored him as their "bubble robot".  He is the master of the cat toys, that purpose remains!  Now the cats come running when he turns this little robot on!  He can watch them and enjoy the work of someone else for a change.  Gotta love creativity in motion.  Now I'll just have to catch it on video!

Some (lots) of assembly required.
It actually works though!!

The motor is really loud, but that didn't
scare Tizzie!

Not to say that my husband did
a poor job as the bubble robot...
but this little guy can really
kick out a lot of bubbles!

Isn't he adorable??
Impractical??  Nah!  Imaginative!

Courage to imagine something new

“The courage to imagine the otherwise is our greatest resource, adding color and suspense to all our life.” – Daniel Boorstin

When you are presented with the unknown for the future, what do you do?  Do you approach it with sadness?  Do you approach it with fear?  Do you approach it with excitement for the future?  Do you approach it with an imagination of what might be or will be?  Which approach helps you create your future?  Which approach holds you back from your future?

Imagine the colors and the suspense created in our lives when we have the courage to dream about new beginnings.  Sometimes a specific route is chosen for you?  Like a business closing and you now have to find a new job.  Sometimes there are only "blue prints" that can be used or modified as you go.  Like instructions in a Gingerbread House package.  You get to chose the outcome, you get to create the future house if you have the courage to take a risk and be okay with the outcome.  It's the approach and the imagination in each situation that makes the difference.

Today, imagine adding color and suspense to your approach to things!

Our first attempt (and probably not
something we'll try again) at a
Gingerbread house.  Our frosting
wasn't made correctly, so the
house didn't stay together, and the decorations
slid a bit.  But that didn't stop the fun!

Oops...a side of the house fell -
Looks like a garage!

Why not add wheels to the crash scene?
Let's just leave everything out and see how much dries to the
table.  The heck w/ instructions, lets
just have fun, create something new,
and enjoy the suspense in seeing
what decoration falls off next!

Christmas melody warms your heart

Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl.  But it warmed more than your body.  It warmed your heart…filled it too, with melody that would last forever. – Bess Streeter Aldrich

Tip #22 - 1 Day until Christmas.  Yesterday, the last batches of cookies were decorated.  The gifts all wrapped and organized.  The meals are planned and prepped.  Ah...doesn't it feel good to be all ready?  All the planning has paid off.  Congratulations!!  Now it is time to enjoy the holiday.  Relax, cuddle up with a great movie, eat the treats you've baked, sing Christmas carols at home/church, share the laughter, make a mess and don't rush to clean it up and enjoy making great memories to treasure.

Today, we begin our family's gatherings.  From our family to yours - we wish you a very blessed and stress free Christmas!  Hope to see you again on 12/26/12 (I'm sure I'll have some random thought to blog about after Christmas...)

Enjoy your Christmas and the melody of the season!

Last minute productivity

Nothing makes a person more productive than the last minute. - Unknown

Tip # 21 - 2 Days until Christmas.  This is the day all Procrastinators either love or hate.  They hate it if they are panicking and stressing to get things done. If you're the type that works well and becomes more creative under pressure, then you love last minute things like the quote above.  You feel incredibly productive in the last minute mode. If you think about it in that light, last minute really does give you the opportunity to choose what is really important to you.  You get to choose what you want to do and what you don't want to do because there is only so much time left to do any of the tasks.  In plain and simple terms, you cannot do everything!  There isn't enough time in the day to dust every spoon on the spoon rack or move every piece of furniture to vacuum behind it.  There's only time to wrap that last minute gift, prep for the meal and do a quick touch up and straightening of the house.  Remember the "selective neglect" theory?  Give yourself permission to do the high level things, clean the area where the guests will be and shut the door on the room you stashed every work in progress project.  Choose to do only the really important things.  I love the quote below from Rita Emmett's book "The Procrastinator's Handbook".  Just remember to give yourself permission to decide how "clean" is "clean".

Emmet’s Observation:  God created company so the house would get cleaned.  

If you try to cram too many things into the schedule, you will get STRESSED!  That is not what the Christmas season is about.  It's about love.  Choose your last minute tasks wisely.  The Wise Men came in a group of three, each one brought only one gift and they were right on time.  Huh...one gift for one person?  I'm guessing the stable had some dust flying around in it too.  Focus on the main thing, not all the extra stuff.  How much more simple is that?  

One gift each!

Jesus is the reason for the season!

Friendship is a great gift at Christmas

“Close friends contribute to our personal growth.  They also contribute to our personal pleasure, making the music sound sweeter, the wine taste richer, the laughter ring louder because they are there.” – Judith Viorst

Tip #20 - 3 Days until Christmas.  This month has really flown by, we're almost there.  With only three days left until Christmas, I woke up mentally scanning my "to-do" list even before getting out of bed.  The final plans aren't quite solid yet, but by the end of the day, hopefully things will be all "ready" and it will be time to just relax and enjoy the festivities.  Do you have your final list ready?  Are you feeling relaxed or stressed?  Remember to slow down, regroup, cross off anything on that list that really won't make a difference and relax.

Relaxing for me includes making sure that I take time out for getting together with friends.  Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without sharing time with my dear friends.  Even after a really stressful day at work, there is something about being with my friends that re-energizes me and for that I'm very thankful.  I am truly blessed to have them as gifts in my life!

Hope you find the time to enjoy your friends and their laughter!

Let's pose for our "traditional" friendship Christmas picture!

Thanks to our "candid" photographer, we have
a set of goofy pictures too!  

Let's do an awkward photo too!

One more try!

An 80's scarf, very festive!

Guess who's holding the camera - I still don't have the
"selfies" technique down do I????  

The red blazer/sweater groupies

Big Smiles!

Calendar predictions

Don’t be fooled by the calendar.  There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. – Charles Richards

Tip #19 - 4 Days until Christmas.  Good morning!  Here we are.  The world didn't end.  I didn't think that it would.  I often wonder what those people who do believe in the predictions like "the world will end on 12/21/12" think the day the event doesn't happen?  We're all still here, so how do they explain it?  Do they just look for the next prediction?  I just don't get it!

I'm not really excited about the blustery conditions this morning.  It's very cold.  Despite that, I can tell you that I'm thankful that we're all still here!  Another day to share the spirit of Christmas.  Another day to get more done.  Another day to say thank you to someone.  Another day to share hugs and "I love you's" with my family.  Another day to be thankful for all the blessings in this life.  Another day to go shopping for calendars for next year!  Another day to make use of!  Another day to spend time with friends!  Another day to get the rest of your Christmas prep done!

Enjoy your 12/21/12!  Oh and, be thankful for all the 2013 Calendars you have around.  Let me know if you need one - I received three in the mail from charities that knew better than to think the world was going to end!

Wow - Mr. Ed is making a comeback!  Guess PETA knew the
world wasn't going to end!

Christmas is a little bit more

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” ~ Dr Seuss

Tip # 18 - 5 Days until Christmas - Well, ain't that the truth.  Regardless of all the scrambling, racing around, and stress encountered to make the day perfect, if we did none of that, the day would still come.  Christmas isn't about all of the tasks and stuff.  It's about the love and kindness shared with each other.  It's about the laughter of good times.  It's about sharing undivided time with each other.  It's about contemplating eternal things, giving and receiving, and about fellowship.  It's about peace on earth and goodwill to all.   All the things you can't wrap up in a present to be opened on a particular day.  You know it when they are missing from your life.  We all have the ability to share simple gifts every single day!

Wishing you many moments to remember Christmas is a little bit more ~

This little lamp was a white elephant
gift that brought lots of laughter
and joy to an awesome group of
friends and coworkers!
Re-gifting - double the blessing!

Procrastination is a virtue

“Remember, procrastination is a virtue; it is really just a higher form of patience.” – Sarah Mann

Tip #17 - 6 Days until Christmas.  Today I woke up remembering some of the things that I still have to complete before the end of the week.  I double checked my work email and realized one of the things I thought was at the end of the week is really tonight.  I've officially procrastinated on something (well, I'm sure more than one thing) for this year's holiday celebrations.  That's okay, I sometimes come up with the most creative things at the last minute.  I can't wait to see what I come up with for a White Elephant gift for my work party tonight!

Procrastination...I like the phrase that a dear friend shared with me many years ago.  It is more like "selective neglect".  Using that term versus procrastination helps you have a little control in the situation.  You are choosing not to do something that has less importance in the overall scheme of things.  Here's an example.  Say you are are rushed preparing a meal, and you still need to set the table.  You have always used your fine china for the event.  When you go to put it out you realize there is way more work involved, like polishing and washing it before setting it out.  On top of that, moving it would reveal all that clever dust that found its way magically into your china cabinet.  That's not something to share with guests!  So you decide to use paper plates and festive napkins instead.  You've just selectively neglected a tradition and you're still able to enjoy the meal with less work.  The only person who really knows the difference is you because you put the original "task" together.  

My mom was the Master Procrastinator at Christmas time.  I'm positive that I have a little bit of her, or more than I'd like to admit some days, in me.  When my brother and I were little, we knew that we had to wait until Christmas morning to know if we had any Christmas presents at all.  There was no snooping by opening up gifts and re-wrapping them because they were never there early.  We joked about it many years later with her, but never found out exactly why she waited so long.  Maybe it was because mom didn't get paid until the day before, or she didn't have time to shop, or she wanted the best deals...or she simply procrastinated until the very last minute.  I still remember hearing her come home at 11:00 pm on Dec. 24 and start wrapping.  Fondly thinking back...while we didn't have much, we always knew that there would be some surprise Christmas morning, and we always felt loved.  We definitely learned patience through it all!  A nice little gift from procrastination.

If you're at the point of procrastinating something that now can't be put off, try giving yourself the permission to "selectively neglect" something else on your to-do list.  A lesson in patience and love is all you really need.

A sneak peak at my "white elephant"
gift I started...I'm so glad my
mom saved this bag.  Maybe
the recipient can "e-bay" it and
buy themselves something really nice!

Prepared for abundance of the season

“You can’t predict, you can prepare.  Experience the power of making decisions based on security instead of worry, readiness instead of reluctance, abundance instead of lack.” – Kathy Gates

Tip # 16 - 7 Days until Christmas - A simple way for a stress free holiday is to prepare well in advance instead of reacting along the way.  As we wind down this final week, if you really want to be "prepared", let's look it as only 5 days left until Christmas, especially if some of your festivities start on Christmas Eve.  The week before Christmas has always been the "double-check" week for me.  7 Days before is really too early to shop for the perishable meal components.  The bills from the previous month's shopping trips start to come in and in our area, the property tax bills arrive too.  All I can say is, its a good thing everything is wrapped already, otherwise, I'd start taking things back!   On a positive note, getting all those bills the week before Christmas is a good thing.  It discourages me from wanting to go shopping for just one more thing!

In all seriousness, today is a good day to congratulate yourself on what you've already taken care of and how ready you are for the festivities to begin.  You can now plan what day you're going to clean the house and put out the final touches for the day.  You have time to make your final decisions about the meal and put it on a list to review as the week continues on.  You have time to check out the grocery store ads to see where the best prices are.  Take some breaks too!  Look around your house and appreciate all the decorations you've carefully arranged.  Enjoy the fact that you're ready for this week and now it is time to appreciate all of the abundance you have in your life.  Appreciate your family, appreciate your opportunities, appreciate your friends, appreciate the security in your life, and appreciate yourself for doing a great job keeping stress down this year!  Way to go!!!

Wishing you moments to enjoy the abundance in your life!  I feel truly blessed and I hope you do too!

Appreciate the beauty of the
ornaments - and all the
"angels" in your life!  Remember
to give them lots of hugs too!

Appreciate all the homemade things in your life -
they were all made with love!  (This is a picture
that my mom painted when I was my daughter's
age - she loved creating things to share with others)

Appreciate the moments you get to relax!
Don't forget to take a break now and then and
enjoy a cup of your favorite beverage!

The Joy of Holiday Baking

Stressed spelled backwards is desserts.  Coincidence?  I think not! – Author Unknown

Tip #15 - 8 Days until Christmas.  Ah...Christmas baking day (1)!  My mouth just waters thinking of all the yummy cookies.  Yesterday was our "baking day".  After several hours of baking, I was pooped.  We hadn't even finished all the recipes we had set out to bake.  Sarah looked at me and profoundly said, "Well, if we hadn't taken so long to decide which cookie recipe to bake first, and if we hadn't waited so long to start, we would've got them all done!"  This coming from my little angel who likes to sleep in six hours past my wake up time and who brought her book into the kitchen to read as the cookies baked!  Huh...imagine that, if we would have had started earlier, had a better plan and focused more, we would have made more cookies.  See, there are so many opportunities in life to teach our children lessons.  It's even better when they discover them all by themselves!

Growing up, I remember watching my grandmother make TONS of cookies, all those fancy ones too.  I can't even spell their Norwegian names, but still remember them and how awesome they tasted.  I don't know how she did it or how she found the energy.  My mom carried on some of the traditions, like making Divinity.  Sarah and I made that last year.  It takes quite a bit of work and time.  Needless to say, it didn't land on our to-make list this year.  I do know that when I see those fancy cookies on a dessert tray or at a holiday party, you bet, they are the first ones to land on my dessert plate.  No stress!  Someone else has enjoyed making them for others to enjoy!  What a perfect way to share the joy of holiday baking. 

To decrease the stress for our family, we make our favorites and call it good.  I'm sure we'll get through at least a couple more recipes before Christmas.  We might just be baking every night this week!  Might have to buy some more butter though...

As the Norwegian Proverb says - Cookies are made with butter and love!  Enjoy your sweet treats!

Peanut Blossom Cookies - I treasure this recipe from
my dear friend and boss, she baked all the time!

Oh dear...that one won't fit on the cookies!

Peanutty CrissCrosses!  Gotta have some oatmeal
for fiber right?  Makes it a staple at Christmas
and year round!

SnickerDoodles - a must (I think it's the nutmeg in them
that makes them seem like a holiday cookie,
I would eat them year round!)

Raspberry Thumprints - Sarah enjoys coating
them with the almond flavored icing.  

Crazy, huge pile of Chex Mix -
Thank goodness for a roasting
pan and lots of stirring!  

Club Cracker Butter Brickle -
this was a new recipe on the list, a quick one at the
end of a long day!  

All wrapped up and nestled under the tree

“Thanks to my mother, not a single cardboard box has found its way back into society.  We receive gifts in boxes from stores that went out of business twenty years ago.”  – Erma Bombeck

Tip #14 - 9 Days until Christmas.  Yesterday, still feeling sad about the families in Connecticut, I attempted to busy myself and keep moving forward on the tasks still on my "to-do" list for the holidays.  I had a few more gifts to buy and wrap.  As I sit here this morning, I think I'm finally done with the shopping and gift wrapping.  Shopping for me is mostly done as of Black Friday.  It has been that way for years.  Typically, the day after the shopping excursion, I put up the tree.  Then the day after that, wrap all the gifts and put them under the tree.  This year, I guess a slower pace was in order to eliminate the rush, rush, rush stress factor.  All-in-all, I love wrapping gifts just as much as watching the kids open them on Christmas morning.

A few little tricks I've learned and adopted along the way:

Reuse gift bags and wrapping paper:  My mom, would have made Erma Bombeck proud!  She saved every gift bag (tag included), every box that could be used again, every tissue was carefully folded to be reissued the following year, as well as every scrap of paper that was good enough to wrap another smaller gift.   She taught me to always use the little strips as gift tags.  I have adopted the reusing practice and carry on the tradition year after year.  Yes...I even used some of her leftovers this year.  Even the gift baskets of little individual items are wrapped to help use up the extra paper she had saved.  I'm sure my father-in-law will have something funny to say about the surprise he'll get in his gift basket this year!

Use one pattern of paper for each child:  When our kids were little, I didn't have space to keep the unwrapped gifts hidden until Christmas, so they were wrapped right away and then put under the tree.  When they were old enough to read their names, I didn't want them to know they were their gifts by tagging them.  To help me remember, I used a little memory trick. The left handed child's gifts are always placed on the left and the right handed child's gifts on the right .  It took away the "now which color paper is for which kid" memory lapse on Christmas morning.  Now that the kids are older and wiser, they shop with me on Black Friday to get exactly what they want.  I have to wrap the gifts right away so that there is still an element of surprise for all of us Christmas morning.  It's pretty easy to accomplish since we are so tired when we shop!  Collectively, we can't remember what we bought, so the "surprise factor" remains.  But...they always know what side of the tree their gifts are on!

Wrap gifts inside boxes from totally different items (there's that reusing packing theme again):   This year I wrapped my dad's gift in a large cosmetic box.  The element of surprise as he opens it will be a nice laugh for both of us!  The sense of relief on his face when he finds out it isn't really make-up will be worth the extra effort to reuse a different box.  Double the gift - laughter and something useful.

What are your little tricks for making wrapping gifts fun?  Here's to wishing you joy as you wrap and unwrap gifts this year!

Just some of the gift bags and wrapping paper to reuse!
Wonder who is getting which bag this year???

My mom rolled up pieces, even the crooked ones-
"They can be used as tags, or smaller gifts dear!"

Yep, she was right, the three small square gifts
are wrapped in paper she saved - and just
Santa and I know what are in them!
I didn't buy these on Black Friday!!  Ho, ho, ho!!

Grief makes you human

Grieving doesn’t make you imperfect.  It makes you human. – Sarah Dessen 

 Tip #13 - 10 Days until Christmas.  As I sit here this morning with a heavy heart thinking of all the families in Connecticut who are grieving their loss, I find it hard to find words to blog about.  I can only empathize with their loss.  If you have lost someone, a child, a parent, a sibling, a friend, you can empathize with loss, but you can never really know what each person is going through.  Grief is a human process and each person has to go through it in their own way and their own time.  My heart goes out to all who are feeling an extra dose of grief today.   My prayers and thoughts are with you.  It is hard to feel sad and all alone.  May you find the peace and comfort you need through the love and support of those who are close to you.

Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven. 

– Henry Ward Beecher

Friendship - one of the best gifts to give

“If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as the angels give.”  – George MacDonald

Tip #12 - 11 Days until Christmas (We're on the downside of the trek - there are more tips than days left until Christmas).  As you're rushing through the last days until Christmas, remember to take a break or two to share a hello, a hug, or to send a quick little note to your friends.  It's the thoughts and the quick little hellos that help everyone get through stress!  I so treasure my friends and feel very blessed that they are part of my life.  Hearing from them brightens my day, they are the "angels" in my life.

Ah...Christmas lights are pretty even
on the floor!

Who are the angels in your life?  Remember
to keep in touch - the shared connection
is a present that keeps on giving!

Surrendering to the countdown

“Time always seems long to the child who is waiting – for Christmas, for next summer, for becoming a grownup:  long also when he surrenders his whole soul to each moment of a happy day.” – Dag Hammarskjold

Tip #11 - 12 Days until Christmas - As I put on day 13 of the little "countdown to Christmas" tree we have, I'm reminded fondly of the days when our kids were so excited and asked every morning if it was Christmas or not yet.  This little tree, the Advent calendars, the Advent wreaths and the countdowns at school all helped them work on their patience and taught them what it is about to wait for something.  The anticipation for the day to arrive adds to the fun of the season and the stress of the season.  Taking one day at a time and enjoying each moment of the day helps with the stressful moments.

Enjoy the moments and the countdown -  I couldn't find anywhere where the 12 drummers drumming meant 12 days of headaches from the rushing around!

This is a blurry picture- but I liked
how the reflection of the big
tree shows up in the window.

Our cute little countdown tree!

Day 13 drawer had a little sailboat
in it.  What countdown tradition
do you do with your family?