Day Three

Today’s “Love Dare” is to purchase a gift.

For those of you catching up, I am doing the “Love Dare”, from Fireproof, on my children rather than my hubby. 

Now buying presents is my specialty so this is ok for me.  I do like buying presents.  I have many on hand.  The trick will be to give no matter what they have done today.  I am sure satan will try to sabotage this so that I won’t want to give them, but I WILL (so take that satan!).

I also have to keep from any negative comments (the first day challenge stays with me).  It’s difficult to teach your children with being negative sometimes.  I just keep practicing.

Have a “Gift Filled” Day!

 

You’ll Be Under Her Charm!

CONTEST ALERT:

Do you wanna participate in my month long contest (with weekly drawings)?  Of course you do.  Here are the rules:

1) Answer the weekly question in my comments that week.  One entry is all I need.

2) POST about my contest on your blog.  I will need the direct link on my blog showing the post on your site. 

3) That’s it!!!!  Just wait to see if you are a winner.

Today we will discover an ETSY shop Under Her Charm:

http://www.etsy.com/profile.php?user_id=5221364

www.underhercharm.com

UHC – I am a mom to three beautiful kids, who have inspired this line of jewelry. I design hand stamped, customized jewelry, in both English and Hebrew. My designs incorporate pearls, crystals, your text and your photos! Great gifts for wedding couples, wedding parties, new moms, grandmothers, toddlers, girls, teens, Bat Mitzvahs, birthdays or just because! We even have key chains, dog tags and photo tags for him.

I am always experimenting and adding new items. Please feel free to convo with any ideas, custom orders, or suggestions!

And here is the prize she is offering up.  Ok, people these are great.  Get your comments and posts going.

 

You will have your choice of the Anniversary Necklace (pictured above) or a double sided disk necklace.

So here’s this weeks question:

Question for Week 2 – Tell me about a random act of kindness in the last year that you have done or someone has done for you?  Please share about it in the comments and don’t forget to link the contest on your blog.

And if you like it but don’t win it appears Under her Charm has a sale that just might make your shopping a little easier –

HOLIDAY SALE! Now through December 10th, receive 15% off your order for three or more items! Paypal refund will be given after checkout. If you need several of one item, just let me know for custom listing.

Have a “Charming” Day!

 

And on to G….

Ok, if you have been holding out to enter my contest, well don’t forget how quickly time goes.  Before you know it, it wil be over and you will be sad.  To enter  you must link one of my posts, A-Z tips, on your blog.  If you don’t have a blog, then let me know in the comments.  Also, if you linked/pinged back to me also let me know that in the comments.  I will announce the prize this week and the winner will be drawn after the A-Z tips are done.

G

Today’s tip is on Gift Giving.  I have a recipe for a BBQ rub to make.  This would be a great gift for Father’s Day, if your guy likes to BBQ or eat it (and who doesn’t?).  Make sure to have a bottle to put this in or reuse an old spice bottle.  You can make this in as big of quantities as you wish.

BBQ Rub

5 Parts Brown Sugar

3 Parts Chile Powder

1 Part Garlic Powder

1/2 Part Ground Thyme

1/4 Part Cayenne

1/4 Part Allspice

Mix it all together, place in bottle, and label it.  You now have an inexpensive and wonderful homemade gift.

Have a “Spicy” Day.

 

“C”

I know you all are on pins and needles for what tip is next in our adventure 🙂 (or not), but here goes.

C

Today’s tip is a cleaning tip for carpets.  This could also make a gift for someone.

Lavender Vacuuming Powder

1 c Baking Soda

1/4 c Dried Lavender Flower Buds

Crumble the flowers in your fingertips (separating seed from stem) and add to the baking soda.  Store in a shaker.  Sprinkle on carpet before vacuuming.

(From Mom Spa) 

 CONTEST ALERT!!!

********And remember if you link/ping back on your blog one of my tips please comment and let me know.  I will enter you in my contest.  If you don’t have a blog then leave a comment and let me know you don’t have a blog (but you really should have one…it’s all the rage).  I will be announcing the prize soon, but you won’t want to miss it.***********

 

DO NOT FORGET TO THINK LIKE A 3 YEAR OLD

My friend sent this to me and I thought it was too funny:

One day my mother was out and my dad was in charge of me and my brother who
is four years older than I am. I was maybe 3 and a half years old and had
just recovered from an accident in which my arm had been broken among other
injuries. 

Someone had given me a little 'tea set' as a get-well gift and it was one of
my favorite toys. Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening news
and my brother was playing nearby in the living room when I brought Daddy a
little cup of 'tea', which was just water. After several cups of tea and
lots of praise for such yummy tea, my Mom came home. My Dad made her wait in
the living room to watch me bring him a cup of tea, because it was 'just the
cutest thing!!' 

My Mom waited, and sure enough, here I come down the hall with a cup of tea
for Daddy and she watches him drink it up, then she says to him, 'Did it
ever occur to you that the only place that baby can reach to get water is
the toilet??' 

....Mothers know (author unknown)

Real World Martha Mom Tip – Did you know that you you can use tang  overnight to clean your toilet? (Just in case.)

 

No Babysitter..oh well!

So we have trouble getting a babysitter.  We have a child with special needs (although you wouldn’t know it by sight) and we need a sitter to come to the house.  That’s a challenge where I live, it seems.  We also don’t have tons of cash and it was Valentine’s Day so we were babysitter-less as usual.  But that’s ok.  We have learned to work around it.

My hubby is so sweet and gave me this since I don’t like chocolate and LOVE FRUIT!!!!!  This was the biggest expense of the evening but boy the fruit is really good and pretty!  Plus it is something that I can use up and not feel I have to find a spot for something. 

                                         

I know many people do these themselves but to have one done like this for a gift is so wonderful.  It was just perfect!!!  Thanks Hunny Bunches of O’s!

I wanted to plan a romantic-ish (as much as possible with the kids around) dinner.  So we had a picnic in our little family room after the kids had their dinner of nachos.  They went to the other room to watch a movie and we had nice candles, soft music and picnic food.  We had ciabatta sandwiches with peppered turkey, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and olive oil with Italian seasoning.  Cheese was melted ahead of time and sandwiches were at room temp.  Grilled asparagus (in stove top grill pan with olive oil, salt, and pepper), the fruit he gave me, Sparkling Apple juice as neither of us cares for alcohol.

                          

I just have to add that the card was homemade (obviously) and the picnic basket was purchased (awhile back) at a Goodwill type store.  The picnic blanket was purchased also sometime ago on clearance.  So in turned out pretty inexpensive but really nice.

Hubby did rent a movie for us to watch and it was No Reservations.  It was not as romantic as I thought it was going to be.  I did think it was a good movie, but I lost my mother when I was 17 so I have a hard time with movies about a loss of a Mom.

Hope you all had a wonderful day.  Make it the best no matter what comes your way!

Blessings 🙂

 

A Simpler Christmas is Here!

I have a question for you.  Do you remember 10 Christmas gifts that you received as a child.  Can you name them quickly?  I can’t.  If I took time I could come up with it like a wallet that I got from a relative with my name spelled wrong (Debra instead of Deborah).  We sometimes get so caught up in all this shopping that we totally lost sight.  I know this is so over talked about but we decided to challenge ourselves to a more meaningful Christmas this year and it’s the way to go for us.

Now I love this time of year.  I love the food, presents (yes, I do like to receive as well as give), the church services, getting together with friends, decorating (6 large storage containers of decorations and lights), baking cookies, etc.  We don’t go too crazy like with a Santa on a motorcycle -sorry if you own one of those, we just spent more $$ then we should have and it had times of becoming a little more stressed then it needed.

So what did we do?  We focused on keeping it more simple.  We used smells (yummy citrus and cinnamon) to accent the season.  We donated lots of items we just really don’t need -both Christmas stuff and other stuff.  We (me) purchased gifts early and kept it within a budget as I like to buy for everyone.  For the presents that needed to be mailed they are wrapped and gone.  We got the house decorated this weekend.  The kids presents are done.  So what’s this about.  Well by keeping things pretty simple (by our standards) we have allowed ourselves enough time to enjoy the point.  To have devotions with our kids. To give to a needy family during the 12 days of Christmas.  To enjoy the baking with my children and not rushing through it.  And most importantly to get the point of the story..Christ being born FOR US!

Here’s the benefit we have seen so far.  There have been 6 boxes of stuff to the Goodwill and a few more to go.  There was no extra Christmas debt.  Kids have a good stash of presents under the tree that were bought during the year.  I am less stressed.  I am looking forward to the next 24 days to enjoy making crafts and cooking with my children.  We are going to use our advent materials and not find them a week before Christmas.  I am so loving it!!!  This is one of the best Christmases ever.

Take time to enjoy what matters most.  I bet your kids won’t be able to talk about all those gifts 20 years from now.  I think I know what they will remember and bet you do to.

                                                                                    

 

More Gift Ideas

                                                                     

I found a list of Christmas gift ideas that were nice:

 http://myderbe.wordpress.com/2007/11/12/miscellaneous-monday-111207/

Please check it out!!!

 

Gift Basket Ideas

OK, I have promised you some ideas for gift baskets.  I use to own a gift basket business so I feel like I have a few ideas but try whatever works for you:

                                                  

• Local Products – Give products that are made only in your town or state.  This can be a great way to support local businesses and show off your town/state to those you love.
• The Best of the Best – Oprah does it and so can you.  Gather up a few of your families favorite things and put them in a basket.  “These are a few of our favorite things.”  Think favorite movie, snacks, music, shampoo, etc.  Anything can be fun when they know it was the best you’ve tried.  Just make sure that it would be something that person would use.  This can be great to make several and give as a family gift.
• Favorite Products– If you know someone really well try to include all their favorite items.  Favorite soda, candy, etc.  I have done an inexpensive basket with just a 6 pack of favorite soda and their favorite snacks for under $10.
• Homemade Products– Have each person in the family make something and put them all together for a gift.  Picture frames, ornaments, beauty products (see my blog on homemade ones), etc.
• For the Reader – Pack up any of these items blanket, slippers, gift certificate, coupon for reading time (good for Mom) book, gift certificate, magazine, coffee, coffee mug tea for a wonderful gift.
• Beautiful – For someone into beauty take a list from a magazine of top beauty products and give the article as well as the products.  This is great for any lady but also works well for most teenage girls.
• Off to College– If you know someone who just went away to college for the first time they might enjoy stamps, quarters, laundry detergent, sewing kit, hangers, coupon for an oil change, etc.  Think practical as they usually don’t have much money.  Put it in a container that they can use (Rubbermaid or such) or a laundry basket and make it look terrific with a big bow and great tissue.
• Save the Planet– If you know someone who is wanting or starting to change their habits to protect the environment try a basket (from Goodwill) with a reusable cloth napkin, energy efficient bulbs, a plant, etc.  Check for Planet Friendly Products at www.goodhousekeeping.com (The best of Everything article had a list of options).
• Cooks Unlimited – Give your favorite recipe and the tools and non-perishable items to make it.
• BBQ Chef– In a Large oven mitt place some standard BBQ supplies like ketchup, mustard, wooden skewers, BBQ rubs or sauce, outdoor utensils, etc. 
• Beach Bum– Is someone going to a tropical location for the holidays or soon?  Give them sunscreen, reading material, aloe-vera lotion, and a photo album in a beach bag.
• Health Nut – This is very inexpensive but can’t be done ahead of time.  Gather a bunch of seasonal fruit along with some packaged or homemade granola and some nuts for your health nut!
• Christmas Morning Basket – Fill a mixing bowl or Christmas basket with goodies to eat Christmas Morning.  Prepackaged or homemade muffins, cookies, pancake mix, jam, wassail mix, syrup, fruit, coffee, tea or whatever you can think of to make sure Christmas breakfast will be fun and easy.  Don’t forget to write on the tag to open on Christmas Eve.

Remember the key is to keep a theme and think inexpensive items to go with it.  Don’t forget the packaging!  You can always use a standard basket (some of which you get via resale stores) but use other items as well such as pretty boxes, useful items, bowls, reusable plastic containers, colander, platter, cloth shopping bag, cookie sheet, pot for plants, metal bucket, etc.  Use tissue paper, towels, napkins, bandannas, etc for lining. 

These are just a few ideas.  I should have one more blog with ideas before the holidays are here so please check back.  If you need help with a person and want an idea, please leave a comment and I will do my best to see if I can come up with an idea.  Also, if you have some unusual ideas for people that are hard to buy for please leave your ideas for all of us to try.

Debbie aka The Real World Martha

 

Life Lesson #3

WOW!  Get a tissue for this one…..
3 – Third Important Lesson – Be careful not to Judge too quickly!

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less,
a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and
sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in
front of him.“How much is an ice cream sundae?” he asked.

“Fifty cents,” replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and
studied the coins in it.

“Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?” he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the
waitress was growing impatient.

“Thirty-five cents,” she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins.

“I’ll have the plain ice cream,” he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on
the table and walked away The boy finished the ice
cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress
came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the
table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish,
were two nickels and five pennies..

You see, he couldn’t have the sundae, because he had
to have enough left to leave her a tip.

                       

(Author – Unknown)

Acts 20:35 (New International Version)

New International Version(NIV)35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’  

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society