sarah's blog

I have a dilemma and I need your ideas. Maybe between all of us we can figure out a solution that will look good and hold up against two very determine, crafty one year olds.

See the thing is, I want to put up our Christmas tree this year. It’s not a big tree but it’s most definitely going to draw the attention of certain little people whose mission would be to dismantle it piece by piece, or all in one big CRASH if that could be arranged.

As I said, it’s not a big tree, maybe 4 feet tall? It’s on a four legged stand that makes the total height somewhere around 5 feet. I want to set it up off the ground unless someone has a suggestion for protecting it that doesn’t just involve setting it up in the bathroom.

Here are some [very poor] shots of the corner where I would like it to be. As you can hopefully see there is a ledge that I thought might be a good place to put the tree but it probably not wide enough for the base and the tree would need to be secured somehow. Maybe with those temporary Command hooks and fishing line or something? Anyways it’s kind of an awkward corner but the only one in the living room where the twins hardly ever go because we don’t want them getting to comfortable messing around near the balcony door.

I still have the issue of how to keep Sticky Hands and her accomplice Sneaky Pete from being able to access the tree. So does anyone have any ideas that have worked for you, that you’ve seen or you just thought now? Options for tree placement/security and child-deterents are welcome.

And yes, invisible electric fences will be considered as viable options.

Can you spot the cloth diaper bum…

Well that plan didn’t last long. Can we just start out by scratching everything I said in that last post? That seems to be how most of my best-laid plans go since we had kids, as soon as they are made something happens to change everything and I have to start over with a new idea.

As it turns out, folks, this is just not the year for trying my all-online shopping plan. Normally, living far from family means online shopping saves time and money and makes it possible to make sure there are gifts under the tree in various cities in time for Christmas Day. But this year we’re having visitors from both families and that means the real time/money saver is to hit the stores in our neighbourhood early, wrap our purchases and send them home with family members. Saves shipping, forces us to get it done early and still gets those gifts under those trees.

So yet again this year due to circumstances, however happy, we are shopping both online and in person. So far we were able to send two gifts home with Jakki, purchase four online and plan to send gifts for my whole family home with my parents who arrive in less than a week!

As much as I wanted to try to shop online, it just makes sense to do it this way. Our neighbourhood is full of cute shops and unique gifts so to purchase them from far away when I know they exist one block over doesn’t seem to have enough of an upside, even if it means I wouldn’t have to leave my home.

Another point I’d like to bring up is that Christmas shopping is likely less stressful when done very early. I think I’ll find that going to stores is not nearly the beating that Metrotown was for me last year because I am there in early November, not mid-December. Oh, and it’s not a mall. Oh and my kids are one, not 2 months.

So goodbye online shopping plan, hello just get it done early.

I have been thinking about Christmas and starting early to pace myself for awhile now. I’ve tried it in the past with some success but I need to turn it up a notch this year, for two obvious reasons.

So when I read a post today on a blog I frequent I knew it was a sign to switch into high gear. I tend to agree with the author, it’s the gift buying, second guessing purchases and wrapping that slow me down and drag on until the last minute. I love the decorating so that is always done in a day, babies or no babies. Even last year with two month old twins still eating every three hours I didn’t neglect my holiday decor. It would take a lot more than that to keep those two green tubs on a storage room shelf through December.

So knowing what I know about gift giving stress, here’s my plan of attack. I’ve always wanted to try buying everything online and I think this may be the year to do it. Not that I can’t take the twins out for some shopping but a) they are too young to enjoy the holiday spirit and b) it is stressful to be bound by the clock, nap times, the hunger/impatience/ants-in-the-pants of two one year olds.

So I’m going to try it. I’ve made my list of people to shop for and some preliminary ideas. I’ve even purchased a gift for my nephews already. I predict I still run into the problem of indecision (is it just me or are there certain people in our lives who are SO easy to think of a gift for that they are actually the hardest ones for which to settle on just one thing??) and I’ll have to do my research to stay away from expensive shipping/stores that don’t ship to Canada, but I think it can be done.

First stop, Etsy. I’m a fan of small businesses and one-of-a-kind gifts and I think that’s the place I want to start.

As for me and my Christmas wish list… that’s another whole post which I am itching to write and will hopefully do so this afternoon. That makes me sound greedy but in truth it actually leads into a bit of bigger discussion I’ve wanted to have with you. Or this blog. Or myself if I’m the only one here.

As we’ve started another month I thought I’d give an update on how I’m doing with my New Year’s Resolutions.

In original order.

1. Belly dancing class is going well. I’ve been twice and learned how to do hip lifts, shoulder shimmies (though my year on drillteam already taught me those. Hey Charity, remember doing shoulder shimmies in the stands and being warned this did not mean to shake “other things inappropriately”? Ya, turns out it’s the same in belly dancing), belly dancing hands as well as several other moves and some abdominal exercises.
2. Four more weeks and I will have completed my first class at the community centre. I think I’ll just go straight into my next class when this one is over since I’m in a routine. Not sure which one though… (more…)

You are probably wondering why the word Christmas has shown up on my blog just a few days before the end of January. For exactly that reason actually: there are only a few more days in January people!!! That means the campaign I started in November to raise funds for water well projects in developing countries will come to an end and I’ll have raised $360 of my $500 goal.

I’ve mentioned Charity: Water before and several of you have given to the campaign (I also mentioned it in a post on giving back at Christmas time. I know that Christmas is a time when many worthwhile charities compete for your dollars and in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti it might be overwhelming to think of another need. But if you’ll indulge me, I want to tell you why I fundraise for Charity: Water and why you might want to get involved. (more…)

I wrote this post before Christmas and ended up posting on the website I worked for but originally intended to put a version of it on my own blog as well. I used Skype to spend Christmas morning with my family in Texas and it completely changed the experience from two years ago so I think these ideas are worth sharing. (more…)

We just flew in this afternoon and made our way home, only for poor John to turn around and head back out again for a week of conference with university students. Not the most ideal follow-up to ten days with his entire family living under one roof (which includes one four month old now) but it’s an annual reality for him as long as he stays in the job he’s chosen. So far I have escaped the post-Christmas conference that, incidentally, also claims our New Years Eve. But if I move in the direction I think I will in my job, this time next year I may be dragging my tired self along with him. (more…)

Wrapping ideas with personality!

Week 6: Create a Family Tradition

I had a good conversation with my friend Claire the other day about remembering to incorporate activities that John and I want to do, not just the ones we’ve “always done”. It is easy, especially when faraway family necessitates spending the holidays in someone else’s home each year, to forgot that the two of us are a family too.

The day is coming when we’ll be able to wake up Christmas morning in our own house and shape the day together, but for now we take part in what our extended families do, and we have to be intentional in defining our little family in these years. (more…)

Last year's baking with my sisters-in-law

Week 7 is all about organizing your family calendar. This isn’t really a big deal for us at this stage – no kids programs to attend or family to host. We know when we’re flying to Alberta to spend the holidays with John’s family and we know when we’re coming back. Once at home our schedule is sort of determine by the majority!

But how we spend our time – where we spend it and with whom is still something to put thought into. Simplemom says.

“list three to five words that describe your ideal holiday season for this year.  Be careful to appropriately define the word ideal.  I don’t mean ‘magazine picture-perfect.’  I mean, what’s best for everyone in your family, in your current situation.”

My words are: family-oriented, minimal materialism, focused on Jesus, restful, warm.

I also enjoyed simplemom‘s suggestion to make a list of things you’d like to do as a family over the holidays that are not calendar items. Just fun stuff you’d like to incorporate.

My list includes:

• Watch a Christmas movie, preferably the new Disney’s A Christmas Carol
• Call my mom, dad, sister, brother and grandparents to wish them a Merry Christmas
• Do a big ask for my charity:water Christmas campaign
• Christmas baking with my sisters-in-law
• Make a Christmas craft
• Play a game or do a puzzle with family
• Have a good picture taken of John and I to commemorate Christmas 2009
• Read the Christmas story like my dad always did on Christmas morning

What are the words you want to describe your ideal Christmas? What’s on your list of activities for the holidays?