Christmas Day 2011

We had Christmas Brunch! No, I didn't eat any of it! I made a Crockpot breakfast casserole, a ham, Eggnogg french toast casserole, pumpkin breakfast cake and had fruit and veggies out. :) Success.... and fun time with the family that was here! :)

100 Days to Christmas Challenge

It is time to think about Christmas again!!! And what better help is there than 100 Days to Christmas!  I love her guidance each year!!!  And if you check her out this week, she is giving away a brand new KINDLE!  I love my Kindle!! It is GREAT!!!!  I hope to win this one to help my daughter with Christmas gifts this year!!!   You have the same opportunity to win!  Check it out!

100 Days to Christmas 

90 Days to Christmas

Today's directive:

Reap the Harvest

This is a good day to experience the beating heart of fall. Picking apples right off the tree makes a delicious activity. Even if there are no orchards nearby, most places have a pumpkin patch or a corn maze within driving distance. Pumpkins can be propped on your porch and cornstalks tied to columns or a door frame to give your house a festive fall look.

Today’s Countdown to Christmas Challenge is to google a place to take the family where you can experience the bounty of fall. If necessary, call a friend and get a recommendation for some local farms. Pack a picnic (because you know you’ll likely run into either lunch or dinner), grab a blanket to spread out on, and head out for a day in the country!

91 Days, but who's counting? I AM!

Here is today's challenge. :)

Weekly Workshop 9/25

Whether it is something that was assigned here or just something in your own life or family that needs extra attention before the holidays, it is Saturday’s Weekly Workshop! We spent a lot of time this week preparing for fall and then getting ready to charge ahead with our Christmas cards.

Today’s Countdown to Christmas Challenge is to catch up on what you’ve missed here at 100 Days to Christmas. Saturday Workshops hold the promise of special challenges that require more attention than just one day such as of decorating, Christmas cards, gifts, holiday cleaning, and meal preparation. Don’t throw in the towel if you get behind! Use your Saturdays as a chance to get caught up on your holiday preparation and planning.

Making a List, and Checking it Twice!

Making a List, and Checking it Twice!

Todays directive:

You don’t even have to have Christmas cards yet in order to make a list of the friends and family to whom you would like to send holiday wishes. My family has lived in Kansas, Tulsa, Poland, New Orleans, Connecticut, Oklahoma City, and now Maine and I have collected friends all along the way. Christmas cards are often my one opportunity to stay in touch. A list would give you a good idea of how many you will need to make or buy when the time is right.

96 Days to Christmas

Here is the start of today's directives:

A List of Wishes

Gift-giving is a special practice. Though the goal is to give joyfully, there tends to be a lot of stress placed (usually self-induced) on the giver. One tremendous resource for choosing meaningful gifts for loved ones and friends is a simple Wish List.

Click here to read the rest and join in the 100 days community!!!!!

I am really having to be cautious this week. I am stressing over some activities and plans I have. I just don't have the ambition/energy that I used to have and am soooo slow getting things done! I have my 2 stepsons and dear father in law over for dinner tomorrow night. Thursday, my 4 1/2 year old granddaughter is coming to stay for 9 days. :) I am preparing for that.. menu planning, getting the room cleaned, making sure that I have everything I need, then her mother (my daughter in law ) and my dil's mother may stay one night at the end of the visit and we go out to lunch at a tea shop that we have been trying to get in.. and then that next day the 3rd, I plan to have my brother in law and sister in law over for birthday cake. With "mom" gone, I feel that I need to carry on and make the same cake.... All this is fine... it is just having the energy to get it all done! This is why I really need the organization of 100 days! Helps keep me focused and on track!

97 Days to Christmas

I love Christmas! It truly is a season of love and sharing with friends and family. But being one who enjoys having her family and friends near during that time, I often get stressed planning everything for such a large family! I am following the directives at 100 Days of Christmas again this year. It really does help!!! here is just a partial post of her directives for today. Hope you will join in!

Who’s on Your List?

Although gifts should not be the intentional focus of Christmas, we all know that they play a rather prominent role in what is typically the most beautiful holiday of the year. And honestly, it is a satisfying experience to a) find the perfect gift for a friend, caregiver, or loved one in your life and b) find it with plenty of time to spare. It truly is better to give than to receive.

Today’s Countdown to Christmas Challenge is to take out a clean sheet of paper labeled Gift List, place it in your Christmas planner, directly behind your calendars, and begin to list everyone you would like to give a gift this year (members to ListPlanIt.com will find several printable gift lists in Holidays & Occasions).

98 days to Christmas - Weekly Workshop

Weekly Workshop

This is just a part of her directives today:

Weekly Workshop

If you were with us last year as we journeyed through 100 Days to Christmas 2009, then you know that our aim was to accomplish the most important tasks throughout the week, but still have a day to catch up on unfinished business. Whether it is something that was assigned here or just something in your own life or family that needs extra attention before the holidays, Saturdays will from here on out be designated as Workshop.

Personally, I will be mutlti tasking during the Huskie/Husker game working on my notebook! And yes, although I live in Washington state, I will be rooting for the Cornhuskers... you can take the girl out of Nebraska but you can't take Nebraska out of the girl, I don't care if it WAS a hundred years ago!!!!! lol

Hop on over and check it out and be part of the group. You have an opportunity to win too! I have used this source to help organize Christmas for 2 years now and I love it! :) Hope you do too!!

Calendars Ready!

Calendars Ready!

99 Days today! Time to get the calendars ready and plan the activities and other holidays inbetween Christmas. Mine is always a challenge because of birthdays that occur between now and Christmas. I like to give homemade gifts also, so that takes a lot of thought and planning.

Hope on over to 100 days of Christmas and join in. You might even be a winner! :)

Time for 100 Days to Christmas

I love this help at Christmas from Jennifer. Please visit her site and help yourself get ready for Christmas in an ORGANIZED, hopefully stressfree way!!! 100 Days to Christmas Here is her philosophy: " This time of year presents several major holidays and special occasions. Part of being ready for Christmas is knowing how to give yourself plenty of time to focus on the holiday at hand while looking at the larger picture." Believe me, it is a help. I have 16 + grandchildren with most of their birthdays falling between August and February. By helping me stay focused with a plan, I am able to get my Christmas, Thanksgiving and birthday planning managed !!

Here are her directives for today: Ready to get started? Are you willing to accept the Countdown to Christmas Challenge? Our first day’s goal is to gather the bones for your Holiday planner: a 3-ring binder, a hole puncher, a few tabbed dividers (preferable with pockets), and a zipper pocket to hold pens and odds-and-ends. A Holiday planner is a great place to keep all of your activities, recipes, schedules, ideas, and lists. It will become your Holiday Central over the next 100 days. Each day here at 100 Days to Christmas, you’ll find the tips, tricks, and reminders to get you planning and motivated for the holiday season. If you have found a way to put the day’s post into action, then join us in our efforts to prepare for the holidays season. You may have followed the post of the day, or maybe you followed your own ritual or tradition. Whatever the case, show your holiday spirit (or attempt at holiday spirit) by posting the banner below on your blog, writing a post to let everyone know how you took up the challenge that day, and joining our community so that together we can make this the best Christmas yet!

I am ready to get started! How about YOU??

Make a Driftwood Tree

I am thinking dollar store cinnamon sticks could be used too and then think of the beautiful aroma! :)

Make a Driftwood Tree

Take a Hike!

I love fall. 100 Days to Christmas says to get out there and gather leaves! I used to do that in Nebraska and iron them between 2 pieces of wax paper! Saved many many leaves that way! I can't get out there today but I will "gather" leaves by working on the great fall colored fleece fabric that I am making Kayden a jumper out of. It is gorgeous and has fall flowers on it! Check in over and 100 Days to Christmas and join in the giveaways and organization of Christmas!


Take a Hike!

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Address Roundup - 91 Days to Christmas

I like to keep my Christmas list on my computer so that it makes it easier for updating. I am going to update some addresses right now. Help yourself get organized for Christmas and hope on over to 100 days to Christmas to join in!


Address Roundup

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Christmas Card Consideration - 93 Days to Christmas

Today's directive is to start thinking Christmas cards. DH mentioned last night that he wants Spot on the cards this year. So, I am going to do some research on where and pricing for cards. :) Works for me. Jump on over to 100 Days to Christmas to read all that she has to suggest and hope you will join in!!

Christmas Card Consideration

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Falling for Fall - 94 Days to Christmas

Today is the first day of Autumn. And today's 100 Days to Christmas organization is ALL about Autumn. So out to the garage storage room I went and gathered up some of my Autumn decor. I also made 4 of my Toilet Paper Pumpkins. I am not finished decorating but this is my start.

I love that 100 Days to Christmas is designed to help prevent stressful holidays and that she reminds us in her way to "take time and smell the roses" along our journey. Today I took time to smell Autumn!!!! Check out her blog today and join in the planning!








Another reminder of Fall was the yucky spider web that I walked into going back into the storage room from outside! Fortunately I looked and did see the spider up in the corner of the doorway so I did not bring him with me in my hair..... UGH!!!!!



Falling for Fall

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Budget Humbug!

Today is about budgeting for Christmas. I don't use the Credit card. Christmas truly is about Christ in our family and it is about giving. However, giving should be from the heart, giving of your self. Actually one of the best and least expensive gifts is a homemade coupon book, and yes, it is giving of your self. There can be one coupon a day. One month could be a car wash for the person. Another month a homemade pie. You give them a choice of pies and you can specify that you be given 3 days notice so that you have time to make sure you have the ingredients and can schedule the time to bake. One coupon might be for a dinner at your home and again this would take a couple days notice for scheduling and preparation. Be creative! And have fun with it. Design the coupons to fit the giftee and the giver. Check out 100 days to Christmas. I think you will get some great ideas there.

Budget Humbug!

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A List of Wishes

A List of Wishes

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Today’s Countdown to Christmas Challenge is to create a page** for each member of your immediate fam100countdownily and give them a chance to jot down their wishes (or work on it together). Then add the pages to your Christmas planner for quick reference. Now you’ll have a place to go when new ideas for gifts are mentioned. Make a comprehensive dream list and later, you can whittle it down to a more manageable size.

97 Days to Christmas!

Today is Catch up day! Yahoo! I am finishing my list of giftees and purchased a new notebook this morning to use for My Christmas planning. :) I love the ideas and organizational help that this website gives. I hope that you will click on the link below and follow along and hopefully this will help you to have a stressfree holiday this year also. :)


Weekly Workshop

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98 Days to Christmas!

Who is on YOUR list? Today is the day to take a clean sheet of paper and make the list of names of people whom you would like to gift this Christmas. Make your list and add to your notebook behind the calendars made yesterday. After the list is made, you can begin to think of what you would like to purchase or make. Although the true meaning of Christmas is NOT in the giving of our gifts, it is a part of Christmas and important to plan. what I do like about the 100 days to Christmas planning is that she DOES keep Christ as the center. Click on over to join in on the organizing . 100 days to Christmas.

99 Days to Christmas

I have so many birthdays between now and Christmas that I have to get started and get organized and on point. I already feel behind!!!! YIKES... but remember my fleece so I am getting a good start, actually.


Today I am getting calendars printed out and in my planning notebook. :) I have added the holidays, birthdays and other appointments that are scheduled so far.

Want to join in? Click over to 100 Days to Christmas and get organized and ready for the holidays!!!! I hope you will join in!