Author - Lorri

All Is Calm: January, Part 2

All Is Calm:  Christmas Planning Year Round (with free printables)

I was only going to offer new Christmas Planning pages once a month, but in reading the comments from my first post, I realized that there were a few things that would be most helpful before January is over.

One theme from the comments was budgeting.  People want to budget better and budget earlier.  That’s such a great idea!  I created 2 pages that work together for Christmas budgeting.  First is a worksheet to write down items you need to purchase, the amount you want to budget, and the amount you actually end up spending.  I kept this form simple and generic (I’m going to keep saying that!) so that you can fill it in however you like.  If you want to write one line for “gifts”, you can.  If you need to be more specific and budget by name of recipient, you can do that, too.  Other things you might want to budget for include decorations, travel expenses, clothing, wrapping supplies, cards and postage, and craft supplies.

Christmas Planner Part 2

In this set, there is also a Gift Planner.  This is more of a brainstorming worksheet, where you can list every person you might want to give a gift to.  Family, friends, neighbors, kids’ coaches and teachers – list them all here.  Even if you don’t know future teachers’ names, you do know if you’ll need gifts and how many.  And if you do a gift or ornament exchange, make sure you write that down, too.  Even if you give a lot of baked goods, get that written down. This is all about getting information out of our heads and down onto paper!  Once you have a clearer idea of the gifts you need to purchase, make or bake, you can budget appropriately.  Oh, and don’t forget any charitable giving, like angel trees or Operation Christmas Child. (There will be additional gift planning pages coming.  Those will help you plan more specifically.

I also created a Holiday Spending Tracker.  If you’re super organized and start your Christmas buying early, you have a way to track that right now!

The Traditions worksheet is one for the whole family.  Write down every single thing you do to celebrate Christmas.  Advent calendar, daily advent readings, decorating the tree, lights on the house, caroling, baking, whatever…write it down.  Make sure all your family members get a chance to add to the list.  Then as a family, prioritze the list!  You’ll notice I added a line down the left of the page.  That’s the space for you to assign each item a priority level. The whole point of this worksheet is to see if there are things that can be dropped when the season gets stressful, or maybe even dropped altogether.  Once you’re finished, just stick it in your planner and let it percolate.  We’re going to come back to it later.

The last page is for those of us who write newsletters to send out with our Christmas cards.  It’s a Year in Review page that lists all the months with just a few lines underneath.  Again, how you use this is  up to you.  I’d recommend writing just one line per family member each month.  Record milestones, accomplishments or other noteworthy events. When it comes time to write your newsletter, get this worksheet out and write it up.

I also added the Notes page to this download.  As you’re working on these pages, you are likely to think of other things we haven’t talked about yet.  Write down all those ideas as you think of them so that they aren’t lost to the chaos of everyday life.

Click here for Christmas Planner Pages, Part 2.

My question for you today is, what is the most beloved Christmas tradition in your family?

Hot Sweet Pickles

Here is another recipe that you will absolutely thank me for.  Normally I am not a fan of sweet pickles, but these are different.  They are just a little bit sweet and have a bit of kick. The recipe comes from my friend Tami and she served them on top of a cracker spread with cream cheese.  It was a sweet, creamy, crunchy, hot explosion of yum! I would endeavor to restrain myself at her house and only eat a few at time.  Now that I have the recipe, I can sneak down for a late night snack with only the cats to judge me.  Not that I would do that.  But I could and…well, let me just share the recipe.

Hot Sweet Pickles

Hot Sweet Pickles

Ingredients

  • 1 gallon dill pickles
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 small bottle Tabasco sauce
  • 1 head of garlic, separated into cloves and cleaned

Instructions

  1. Drain the pickles and discard the liquid. Slice pickles into 1/2 inch slices and return to jar.
  2. Add remaining ingredients.
  3. Put the lid back on the jar and shake the whole thing like crazy.
  4. Refrigerate. Shake the jar 1-2 times a day for one week.
  5. Eat plain or serve with crackers spread with cream cheese.
https://themacandcheesechronicles.com/2014/01/15/hot-sweet-pickles/

A Month of Instagram: November 2013

Yeah, I’m a little behind.

Nov13IG

1.  Because nothing says “Birth of Christ” like a sparkly, light up pig.  In a Santa hat.
2.  20 years of service will tire a guy out.
3.  We’re getting close! (at the time)
4.  Two of my favorite men.
5. Starter kit!
6.  There was a ghost in my pork chop.
7.  Getting Five Guys after a long rehearsal.
8.  Out for a lunch date?  I found these two about a block from my house.
9.  Asleep standing up.
10.  Bliss
11.  What can I say? I love this girl!  (text says Follow Your Heart)
12. Just a few more days! (at the time).  (text says This Is the Year)
13.  Rainbow plates ready to serve pumpkin pie.

Christmas is Over, time to plan

We packed up the last of the Christmas decorations today (don’t judge), pushed the armchairs back into their normal places, and sighed wistfully at the now naked staircase. Yes, my friends, Christmas is over. So that means…it’s time to plan for next Christmas! I know, I’m crazy. But I’m a big fan of the All is Calm Christmas and that takes some planning. I made some rookie mistakes this year and found myself needing to have a little lie-down every so often, so I wouldn’t get too stressed.

Not that having your daughter star as Clara and Fritz and having your son make Eagle Scout isn’t stressful enough, but throw in some holidays and birthdays and…excuse me me while I go lie down for a moment.

Ok, I’m back.

So I’m going to try some thing new this year and I would like for you to come along for the ride. There’s likely to be free planner pages in it for you!

AllisCalm4I’m going to start planning for next Christmas right now and sort of spread the thoughts and plans out over the year. My goal is to reach December in such a state of calm and collectedness that all I have to do is flip on the fireplace (it’s gas) and sit down with a nice cup of eggnog and listen to Christmas carols. Of course, whether this happens or not remains to be seen, but it sounds good, right?

Here’s what we’re going to do today. We’re going to sit down and think back to the holiday season.  Then we’re going to write down the things that worked, the things that didn’t work and the things we wished we’d done better.

No beating yourself for not pulling off the Perfect Family Christmas, because that’s never going to happen anyway.

Look, here’s a lovely printable planner page to help you! Christmas in Review There’s 2 pages, the Christmas in Review page and a notes page.  Stick them in your home management binder or under C (for Christmas) or H (for holidays) in your A-Z file.  Or start a new Holiday Planner!  There will be more pages coming, including a cover/divider.

CIRpage

And here’s where I’m taking a risk. After you’ve filled out this worksheet, come back here and tell me what was the best thing that happened during your holiday season and what is one thing you wished you could have done better. Don’t leave me hanging with no comments, ok?  I’ll go first.

Craft Room Do Over

I was thrilled that we bought a house that would give me a craft room. I envisaged many days of crafting bliss in a neat and tidy room. All my supplies at my finger tips and a cat sleeping peacefully nearby.

Four and half years after moving in, the room looked like this.
CraftRoomBefore1

Don’t just stand there at the door! Come in, come in.  On your left…more junk!

CraftRoomBefore2

Don’t forget to look to your right and notice my nice work table.

CraftRoomBefore3

Behind you is the closet and don’t miss the lovely pile in front of the window.

CraftRoomBefore4 CraftRoomBefore5

Pretty horrid, isn’t it.

The room was never more than a glorified storage room and everyone just kept adding to it.

I was so over it. I actually hated it. So I decided to overhaul it.

Step one, empty the whole room. Everything but the bakers rack and one drawer unit were removed. Then we painted it. By “we”, I mostly mean the husband. And by paint, I mean pink! It is my signature color, according to Pumpkin Girl, so why not?

PinkCraftRoom

It’s super hard to photograph because of the way the light comes into the room, so take my word for it – it’s a very lovely shade of pink.

I am very much enjoying my pink craft room and ignoring the fact that the entire contents of the room still need to be dealt with.

Epiphany 2014

three-king_1388657815Here we are at Epiphany already!  I hope your Christmas season was a good one.

We will be blessing our house once again this year.  We use the following simple blessing. We’ll probably do this on Sunday because we get too busy during the week, but the actual date of the Feast of the Epiphany is Monday, January 6.

Epiphany Blessing

All make the Sign of the Cross.

Head of Household: “Peace be to this house and to all who dwell here, in the name of the Lord.

All: Blessed be God forever.

Reader: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things come to be through him, and without him nothing came to be….. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-3.14)

Above the entryway to your house, write with chalk:

20 + C + M + B + 14

(This is the initials of the three magi -Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar – with the numerals of the new year surrounding them. C, M, B can also be interpreted as the Latin phrase “Christus mansionem benedicat” which means “Christ bless this house”.)

All: Lord God of heaven and earth, you revealed your only begotten Son to every nation by the guidance of a star. Bless this house and all who inhabit it. May we be blessed with health, goodness of heart, gentleness and the keeping of your law. Fill us with the light of Christ, that our love for each other may go out to all. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Happy New Year!

Colourful 2014 in fiery sparklers

Happy New Year!  I’ve made some cosmetic changes to the blog over the last few months, but I haven’t mentioned them.  If you haven’t stopped by in person, come on over and take a look.

I changed the color scheme and my blog header, as well as my picture over there on the sidebar.

I made a nice little recipe index for all my quick and easy recipes.  There’s a link in my sidebar as well as tab on the top of the page.

My free planner pages are on their own page now, too.  The link is also in the sidebar, but for some reason, it doesn’t want to add itself to the tabs on the top.  Whatever.  I’m not going to go crazy trying to make it work.

Another new addition to my sidebar is a widget for my most popular posts.  It’ll change all by itself and it’s supposed to add little thumbnail pictures, but right now they are so tiny that it’s not too effective.  I’ll work on it later.

I’m going to keep up my two blog series – Pinterest Wins and Disneyland Tips.  I’m also going to start another series which will show you my craft room makeover – from crap room to craft room!

So a Happy New Year to all of you, and thank you for sticking with me all these years.

Looking Back at 2013

It was a very good year.

But we started on a sad note when we lost my grandfather in January.
graduation1988

In February I admitted I have a yarn stash.  Even though sock yarn doesn’t really count as stash.

After nearly 20 years of beige military housing and 4 years in our very own home,  in March I started welcoming color into our lives in the form of Fiestaware!

fiestaware table

I got a knitting injury in April, because I’m talented like that.

May was a very important month, with Boo being Confirmed and Bip making his First Communion. So very proud of my boys!

June was tough.  Just days before the first anniversary of last year’s devastating fires, our city burst into flames again, and this fire took over as the worst fire in state history.

I created my own personal planner pages in July, and in doing so, unexpectantly launched a business selling them!

planner open

Bip turned 8 in August and Boo became a member of the Order of the Arrow.

I didn’t post much in September.  I don’t know why.

We went on a cruise in October!!

In November Pumpkin Girl danced the role of Clara and I cried.

DSC08364(r)

After a weather delay, Boo passed his Board of Review and became an Eagle Scout! Pumpkin Girl then danced the role of Fritz and rendered me speechless with her acting talent.

BooEagle

Yes, it was a very good year.  I hope 2013 was good one for you, too and that 2014 is even better!  What was the highlight of your year?

A New Start

Are you excited for a new year? Each December I come up with the usual good intentions of being more organized in the house, with homeschooling and life in general.  This year it’s happening!  No really, it is!

100DaysI found an ebook called “100 Days of a New Year” which is getting me really motivated! I like that each day’s assignment is actually something attainable, rather than telling you to clean out the garage in a single day.  You can get a copy of “100 Days of a New Year” here: ListPlanIt.  (disclaimer: it’s an affiliate link) Take a look around the rest of the site, too.  She’s got a lot of good stuff there.

 

And don’t forget Pumpkin Girl Designs 2014 Planner Pages!  We’ve got weekly and monthly printable calendars in full page, half page and Filofax personal size.  I also added menu planning pages and an add-on set that includes daily pages, contacts page, year at a glance and dates to remember.

Add-Ons Overview 2014

I’ve been using my own planner for about 5 months now and it’s made a huge difference in my life.  Just having a single To Do list in one place keeps me from going off the deep end. I also added a section where I kept notes on all our holiday preparations.  Over the next few days I’m taking those notes and turning them into the beginnings of my holiday planner for next Christmas.  That’s my plan, at least.  I’m hoping for the calmest, lowest key holiday season yet.

One More Dream Fulfilled

Pumpkin Girl has danced in her ballet school’s pre-professional company’s Nutcracker for the last three years. She’s been a tumbler in the Mother Ginger scene, a party girl, a battle soldier, and a ribbon girl. CharlotteSoldierAnd for the first two years, the role of Fritz was actually played by an actor. He did a great job until last year when they decided to use a dancer – a girl- in the role, and that started Pumpkin Girl thinking.

In her company’s Nutcracker, Fritz is a big role. He doesn’t disappear after the party scene, but follows Clara back to the family room and they both fall asleep near the Christmas tree. He helps her fight off the rats in the battle scene and then accompanies her to the Land of the Sweets, staying with her through the entire show. The role requires good acting skills, as Fritz provides the comedy relief for the whole show. And with a dancer in the role, Fritz now dances  in the Winter Scene, as well as the whole Russian variation.

Pumpkin Girl set her sights on being Fritz and thought about it all winter long and through the spring. She couldn’t figure out how to let her artistic director know she wanted the job, because part of being a company dancer (in any company) is that you accept the role you are given and do your best. And yet, this was a role that not every girl would even want. Plus, she knew that the previous girl Fritz had been given the rare chance to turn it down. So maybe, just maybe, it would be OK to ask. Because wouldn’t it be sad for the role to go to someone else because the director didn’t even know Pumpkin wanted it? She asked the advice of her favorite ballet teacher, who also happened to be her Broadway dance teacher. She was the one who’d cast Pumpkin as both Sebastian in “Under the Sea” and as The Artful Dodger in “Consider Yourself.” She understood Pumpkin’s love for acting, knew her ballet skill and worked closely with the artistic director. With her guidance, Pumpkin wrote a letter letting the AD know that if she needed a new Fritz, Pumpkin would love the job.

And then we waited. All summer we talked about it. Was her dancing good enough? What if last year’s Fritz wanted to be Fritz again? What if they brought in an actor again? What if they gave it to another dancer?

It was a long summer.

And finally, early in August, the day came. A dancer/parent company meeting was held, with the casting list to be posted afterwards. I swear that meeting took forever and I was a tense mess the whole time. The meeting ended and I did a great job of not tearing down the hallway with the rest of the dancers.

I’m sure you know where this is going.

Pumpkin Girl was indeed cast as Fritz and I cried, because that’s what moms do. I even made the moms of her friends tear up because I was so happy.

FritzCostume

Her company’s Nutcracker was two days before Christmas. They sold out two shows, a total audience of over 3,000 people. And she was amazing, absolutely amazing. Every person who talked to me afterwards told me what a wonderful job she did. She was a lovably naughty Fritz and laugh out loud funny.

Clara and Fritz in the same year! That girl never ceases to surprise me. This was the best Nutcracker season ever.photo(24)

Five days later, she turned 13 years old.  It was a banner year for her.

(And incidentally, I will have a teenager in the house, without a break, for the next 19 years.)

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