HipWriterMama asked a couple questions that I decided to make a post out of. She asked how I have time to do all that I do. Well, I have three secrets that help a lot. 

1. I don't try to do it all at once. Yesterday, I crafted quite a bit (more on that in a moment), but I didn't write. I did read and I'm always mothering, but I don't try to write and craft and take my kids on outings and make cookies and visit neighbors and do the laundry all every day. I limit my reading, too. I almost always read books in a day or two, but when I finish one, I make a list of things I have to do before I start the next.

2. I have good kids. Sorry. I know this isn't something you can necessarily choose to have. My little ones were both very hard babies but have grown into relatively easy preschoolers. They play together. They love to draw and create and pretend and read all day. They're even better when I take them out. Even to the store. They're good kids. Now my little princess certainly has her diva moments and she's working on controlling her anger, but for the most part, they play well and spend a lot of time entertaining themselves.

3. I don't mind a mess. I have to make myself care that my house is messy so I'll clean it, but there are many things I put ahead of cleaning when prioritizing. I DO believe it is important, but I prefer making things with the kids, reading, and basically everything else I do. And, yeah, I can be rather sssssssssssllllllllothful. My mom somehow managed to be the most amazing mother and keep an immaculate house. I haven't figured out her secret yet.


And one last thing that helps, I'm pretty easy going.


On to the next question...what Gingerbread recipe I used...I found it on allrecipes.com because the one I have from my family has eggs in it (and my princess is allergic...actually I think she just grew out of it...)

Gingerbread Cookies

1 cup sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup melted margarine
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 cup molasses
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp lemon extract
4 cups flour

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 (Although these were delish, they were kind of crunchy. I will lower the temp next time I make them.) Lightly grease cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, stir together sugar, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Mix in margarine, evap. milk, molasses, vanilla, and lemon extract. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well. The dough should be stiff enough to handle without sticking to fingers. If necessary, increase flour by up to 1/2 cup to prevent sticking.
3. When the dough is smooth, roll it out to 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface, and cut into cookies. Place cookies on prepared cookie sheets.
4. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cookies are done when top springs back when touched. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.


Lastly, I mentioned I was crafting yesterday. I'm really excited about what I came up with. I bought several glass jars of varying shapes and sizes at IKEA. Then I used my new Cricut Personal Electronic Cutter (squee), which is my Christmas present from Husband to cut letters and snowflakes out of adhesive vinyl. Here are the two that are already up at my etsy shop, Whimsy Daisy.



I made a few others that I LOVE, but they aren't listed yet because they need a little extra work that involves ANOTHER trip to the craft store.

 

I always wondered what kept my mom so busy. I suppose to anyone who is not a stay-at-home mama, it is a mystery. One time when I talked to my bigger-younger brother, he asked, "What do you do all the time? Watch Oprah?" I laughed. I don't think I've ever watched Oprah in my life.

 It was always a mystery to me, actually, until last month. In fact, about 6 weeks ago, a friend mentioned that she was so busy. I responded, "That's what my mom always says. What do you do all the time?"

I mean I'm always doing something...blogging, emailing, making pianodillas, reading, decorating, shopping, cleaning, playing, cooking, art projecting, etc...but I don't really feel BUSY unless I have a lot of scheduled activities to work around.

Anyway, this month I have felt busy with scheduled things....playgroup, dance class (yep, for me! I love it!), young women's at church, singing and playing the piano/organ at various functions, Christmas parties, book group...

I'm sure moms with more experience than me are nodding, understanding the busy-ness, but it's new to me.

I've had a few posts I want to write...some even about books, believe it or not. I know it's been too long. I've just been too busy. 

I've been crafting, too. I'm actually going to open up a little etsy shop, a la pixiechick_sw. I only have two things to start it with, but I like 'em.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

PS...like my new userpics? This one is called, The King of Love.

I love Christmas! I may be one of the adults now, but I'm still the person who can't contain the excitement and wakes everyone up early on Christmas morning.

I love the traditions-the beautiful lit garland I wrap around the stairs, nativities everywhere, the Festival of Trees, building Gingerbread houses and giving them to people who need Christmas cheer, reading my favorite picture books (like Mortimer's Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Olive the other Reindeer, The Christmas Orange), watching The Grinch with Husband, the special lessons at church, the music-particularly listening to Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant and singing alto on Angels We Have Heard on High, parties, creating thoughtful gifts-making or buying just the right thing, reading Luke 2 and singing by the fire, stockings, and watching the joy.

Yesterday I made some simple stationary for missionaries I know around the world. I put a favorite quote at the bottom of each page and a monogram letter at the top.

Here are the quotes I used:

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. -Thomas Edison
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
- Dr. Seuss  
All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost... J.R.R. Tolkien
I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it~Pablo Picasso
Don't ignore the small things -- the kite flies because of its tail. Hawaiian Proverb
Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.~ Sir Winston Churchill
One can never consent to creep when one feels the impulse to soar.-Helen Keller
Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again…Pablo Picasso
If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten. Sasha Cohen
In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot. Czelaw Milosz

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Watch this and then go Elf YOURSELF. I had way too much fun with this.

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9559986550

A couple days ago I got a package of review books from Chronicle. Upon opening the box, I thought something like, "Oh great. These are not books I'd review." Well, I'm here to prove I was wrong. The box contained a coloring book, a Christmas book, and a tween handbook.

Here is the coloring book:

Squiggles: A Really Giant Drawing and Painting Book by Taro Gomi is the most fun coloring book I have ever seen. I didn't know coloring books could be this cool. I love it so much that I told my son he's not allowed to write in it. I'm serious. All right. He can still use it. I'm photocopying the pages for him to use, because I want to be able to use this book for years to come. There is a section where you design T-shirts. One prompt says, "Draw something that breathes fire". Other T-shirts are prompt-less. There are a bunch of blank floating head pages :) where you can draw in faces. This coloring book is certainly the most unique one I've ever seen. It's great. It's so great, even adult doodlers will enjoy it, I think.

Here is the Christmas book:

I wasn't very fond of a previous Olive title that shall remain nameless, so I didn't have high expectations for this one. However, I am a serious sucker for Christmas. This book was a very pleasant surprise. Olive, a dog, hears everyone singing the song that says, "All of the other reindeer..." and thinks they are saying "Olive, the other reindeer". Clever, huh? He decides he must be a reindeer afterall. Santa allows him to join the sleigh-pulling team. Like Rudolph, Olive is able to save Christmas from disaster.
This book is full of lift-the-flaps, scratch-n-sniffs, and an elaborate pop-up. Lots of fun.

Well, okay, I'm not a big fan of the third book in the box, so it shall also remain nameless. But 2 for 3 is good, right? Thanks Chronicle!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I'm so excited. I'm still the one who can't sleep past 5:00 on Christmas morning. I love it all...the smell of cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate, the reds and golds, the songs, the twinkle lights, the little giggles, and the comfy hugs.
I have been completely MIA this week. My BFF came to visit from North Carolina, and I remembered why I love her so much. Such a great time.

And since I'm bursting with Christmas joy, I can't help but post a little sompin-sompin for Poetry Friday today.

Santa Claus Sighting
by Me :)

Hot Cocoa Warmth
Candle Flame Eyes
Fire Light Presence
Demeanor of Moonrise

Peppermint Breath
Chuckle like Wind
Twinkle Star Smile
Double-Donut-Chinned

Apple Pie Belly
Black Licorice Boots
Cherry Red Lips
Whistling like Flutes

Sleigh overflows
Evergreens Lighting
Jingle Bells Ring
Santa Claus Sighting

PS...I'm not JUST goofing off ya' know. I'm working on my Cybil Picture Book Picks. I'll let you know soon. I got one in the mail today that I'll definitely have to tell you about next week. Until then, have a wonderful few days filled with loved ones and hot chocolate.

Sorry. I just HAVE to do it. I love Christmas too much not to.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Mmmmmmmm. Definitely Stephen's Dark Hot Chocolate. With whole milk. And marshmallows. I love how it warms me from the inside-out.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
He wraps them. Once you're old enough to see that he wraps exactly like Mom, you're old enough to know the truth. :)

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White and white. This year we have garland and red bows on our front patio rail. Hubby hasn't gotten to any of the other outside lights. Too much fishing in the Amazon, duck hunting in Idaho, and ebaying.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
When the boy scouts sell it to us. Unfortunately, they haven't been around this year. But isn't mistletoe a lovey tradition?

5. When do you put your decorations up?
The weekend after Thanksgiving. The tree goes up the first or second weekend of December-always fresh.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
My mom makes cinnamon rolls and egg casserole on Christmas morning. I guess I'll have to get the recipes and do that this year. Her cinnamon rolls are to die for. They're good when I make them, but never quite as good.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
Making gingerbread houses with Grandma and Grandpa. Definitely.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
See #2. I don't remember how old I was.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
We open our maternal Grandparent gifts on Christmas Eve because when they lived close, we celebrated with them that night. But Christmas Eve is when we usually read the nativity story, sing hymns, and have a dressy dinner.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Red and gold. It's quite formal. Gold ribbon. Red and gold angel. Balls and glittery snowflakes. I'm really proud of it, actually.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
I love it and dread it. It was all love until I had two kids. Now it's kind of a pain, but still so so gorgeous.

12. Can you ice skate?
I have ice skated, but can I ice skate? I've never been a very athletic kinda girl.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Hmmm. Tough one. My hubby likes to spoil me. But one year we made a pact to only spend 15 bucks on each other. So I opened my present from him, and sure enough, he got me a pair of gloves. But on closer inspection, the left glove ring finger had a wedding band on it. Last year he blasted our budget out of the water too. Now this year, he's saying, "Let's not get anything for each other. Money's kinda tight." So, what do you think? Should I believe him? I always give him some lame thing that fits the budget, and he always goes way above and beyond. He's better at spending money than me.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Celebrating the birth of Jesus with the ones I love. (See how I cleverly said the most important two things?)

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Mom's english toffee. Delish. Seriously. This meme is making me crave things that are not at all conducive to my diet.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Christmas Eve. Nice dinner. Luke 2 by the fireplace. Hot chocolate.

17. What tops your tree?
I just got an angel. She has white hair. A dove sits in her hand. Her dress is a beautiful satiny red and gold.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
LOL. Isn't everyone gonna say giving? Cause that's what we're supposed to say. I love buying for people. I love giving. But I also love receiving. I'll be honest. I read that book about the five love languages. I feel love first through quality time, but just barely less, by receiving gifts. That's how I am. Read this book if you haven't. It's enlightening.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant. Gets me every time.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
I'm a social eater. I'll eat one if everyone else is doing it. But, no, they're not that great. And this year I'm dieting. But I did smell a chocolate peppermint candy cane, and it was very tempting.