Holidays

Let’s face it, holidays are stressful on good years, and this has not been a kind year to our family, much less the social climate in general. Times like these turn what’s supposed to be a celebration of family and friends and love… into one, huge MMA match with Grandma wielding a turkey leg like …

Peeps. Everyone has an opinion on Peeps. There has never been a more controversial topic around the family Easter table that has resulted in so much thrown ham. They are either a perennial Easter favorite or a much maligned “last treat in the basket” candy. Some adults have fond memories of these sugar coated marshmallows …

Edible glitter is an actual thing. I don’t know about you guys, but with the holidays approaching my Pinterest boards are filling up with all kinds of yummy looking desserts.

Winter is filled with to-do lists. Between shopping, baking, holiday parties, kid recitals, school parties, and a dozen other things you won’t know about until last minute, sometimes it feels like winter is trying to kill you. Not only is there a ton to do, but almost every stop involves you making or bringing some …

It’s the end of Summer now. Time to wake up early, shove those kiddos into their brand new clothes and hand them their backpacks full of glue sticks and yellow plastic folders. You wave a tearful goodbye as they board the school bus. As you close the door, you weep. Not because your baby has …

I literally counted down the hours until Christmas was finally over because I was on the verge of a complete breakdown. Like full on Dionne in Clueless type breakdown! Now That Christmas Is Over, Can I Please Have My Mental Breakdown? I did have a meltdown the day after Christmas and it was pretty ugly. I …

You might not know this, but blogs aren’t always written in order. You might get a kick butt Arbor Day blog idea, but Bastille Day is just around the corner. What are you suppose to do? Post one holiday’s blog the same time as another? That would be stupid. Plus, I hate how Big Arbor …

When I was little, we couldn’t even go to the mall after Thanksgiving. The department stores were okay, Mom tells me, but as soon as we approached the main mall where SANTA CLAUS was, I’d start screaming like I was being murdered. Now that Santa shows up around Halloween, I can’t let it dominate my …

If you’re like me, you’ve probably forgotten to get someone a gift. It can be hard to be thoughtful when you’re scrambling at the last minute to put together a present so someone doesn’t feel forgotten. I’ve come up with a solution that is one part unique gift, one part cleaning out your closet: The …

We all have groups of friends, co-workers, or other random people who want to give us presents at Christmas. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, ‘tis the season for White Elephant gift exchanges. White Elephant Gift Exchanges And Why We Suck At Them Everyone’s family has slightly different rules, but the general idea is that you …

I love giving gifts, but I hate shopping for them. I mean, HATE it. It isn’t that I’m indecisive. I know that when I see the right thing for somebody, I’ll know it. And by God, I’m going to keep looking until I find it. That’s why I cheat. I’m a Cheaty McCheaterson when it …

When my dad was a kid, he and his brother got these barber-pole sized peppermint candy canes in their Christmas stockings. Being boys, and being presented with more candy than they probably saw all year—because it was the olden days, when he had to walk to school in a snowstorm, uphill both ways—they each ate …

My family has a tendency to over-do Christmas. My Mom especially liked to give everyone lots of presents. It’s how she showed her love and it’s how I tend to show mine. Since she passed a few years ago, Christmas has taken on even more meaning since it was so much her holiday. The days …

I’m a serious, die-hard Christmas’er. Maybe because I’m a December baby, but I go all in. Like, seriously all in. Just about every room in our house has a Christmas tree. I’ve got wreathes of Christmas cards. I used to be That Person who sent personalized letters every year. One of our biggest goals was …

My boyfriend and I are on year three of living together, and we still don’t have a real plan for how to split or manage the holidays. Add to it my birthday is in December, and, well…the season is always a marathon of family, parties and too much peopling. For one, he has a large, …

The Holidays are here and it’s a great time of the year. I love the music and lights. I love shopping. I love the food. I love the food way too much. And, like everyone else, I love spending the holidays with my family. Oh, wait, I’m sorry. Stupid me. Not everyone else gets to …

I’ve been married to my wonderful husband for 14 years. He knows me better than I know myself, in most ways. However, for holiday gift-giving, it’s always hit or miss… and, that’s okay. I love him no matter what. I get just-because gifts throughout the year and I don’t hang on hopes of something extravagant …

I know I know – before you all throw me under a bus for being an ungrateful scrooge, hear me out. I am kind and thoughtful.  I am appreciative.  I have experienced both the haves and the have nots. We do practice gratitude and being thankful for what we have.  While we don’t necessarily revel …

Yet another year has zipped on by, leaving us all in much the same position we were 365 days ago:  wondering if it’s technically a “regift” if you only touched the packaging twice, hovering over our bank balance like a hawk, and dreading the inevitable racist comments from Grandma.  But we tolerate it, because the …

So since you’ve read the title of this post, I bet you think you know what you’re in for with this recipe. You’re thinking, “Oh yeah, another Easter post with little baby chicks in it, yeah sure that’s cute, I’ve seen that before…” But y’all need to understand something about these cookies, okay: I was not …

Rudolph was always my favorite reindeer. While the other reindeer always seemed a bit snooty (they wouldn’t let him play their games, c’mon!) Rudolph used his bright red nose to guide Santa through fog and make sure all kids get presents. What an amazing guy! That’s why instead of making any ol’ boring reindeer candle, …

It seems that no matter how much I vow that this year will be different, I Always seem to gain weight over the holidays. It’s like the siren call of cookies and egg nog is too much for me to bear and every single year I’ve struggled with guilt over it. And that sucks. I …

The holidays are filled with temptations to eat unhealthy treats. It’s Ok to indulge a bit, but include a few healthy appetizers in your offerings too. Many of these options are good for vegetarian and gluten free guests. Consuming these appetizers may help your waistline as well. After all, Americans tend to gain up to …

Growing up, there were certain situations that were always harder for me than for my brothers. I’d shrink away from loud parties, or start crying the second certain commercials came on, or basically have an emotional breakdown anytime I thought I disappointed anyone…and we (my family) just chocked it up to my personality. As an …

Have you ever wondered how good ol’ St. Nick unwinds after a long night of flying all over the world, risking life and limb stuffing himself down chimneys and braving the winter elements with nothing but a fur-trimmed suit, a wooden sleigh, and a bunch of rowdy reindeer? Well, this Kris Kringle Screwdriver might have something …

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE doing crafts with my kids. It’s even better when you can showcase those crafts around your house for the holidays. This DIY Terracotta Christmas Tree is an easy and cute craft that you can do with the kiddos. You’ll have fun and you’ll have great decorations for Christmas! …

The holiday season is a time of joyous celebration, of giving, and of time spent with family. It reminds us all what it means to put others before ourselves. There is nothing more rewarding than to see the look on a child’s face on Christmas morning as the wrapping paper flies across the room, or the smiles …

This Christmas while you’re decking the halls and planning for a visit from Ol’ Saint Nick, you should plan some time for yourself, too! I know, I know, you’re thinking there’s no way to have ‘me’ time during the holidays, but you’re wrong! In fact, this printable Christmas planner is everything you’ll need to plan …

If I drop the Christmas ham on the kitchen floor, the dog eats it, gets sick and throws up right under the tree, I will not let the holidays overwhelm me. If I forget about the Elf on The Shelf and my daughter cries because she’s pretty sure the reason he didn’t report back to …

This Kahlua Fudge Frosting is nature’s answer to, “What do I do if I can’t find a boyfriend before the holidays??” Find it hard to deal with relatives? Make this frosting. Grandma wants to set you up with her dentist’s son? Make this frosting. Your sister just gave birth to adorable twins who sleep all night …

What the heck am I going to put in my kid’s Easter Basket? I mean, I don’t want to break the bank or anything, but I want her first Easter to be special. Hehe mostly for the amazing scrapbook pics… but also so she has fun too! How can she have fun and have a …