Elf On The Shelf

I'd like you to meet Ziffie. Ziffie is the elf that graced our home though the holiday season last year. He was not the scary elf that watched over my children waiting for them to do wrong so he could rush back to Santa to rat on them. I'm of the belief that this is a mean way to introduce the elf on the shelf to my youngest. I didn't want her to be afraid and I didn't want to use hm as a weapon against her for being a little girl. She's rarely "bad", but frequently mischievous. Sometimes her listening skill leave much to be desired but for the most part she is very well behaved little girl.

We wanted her to experience the fin side of the Elf that people are going nuts over. The joy of getting up each morning to search the house for him. We wanted the squeals of delight as she finds him in the middle of some silly, parent created elf shenanigans. For us that was as exciting for us as it was for her. Sometimes we'd spend ages dreaming up a scenario to place him in and other times it was a rushed together idea. Regardless of the time spent on each days tableau was always enjoyed by our little girl.

Our 15 year old also found it moderately entertaining. He even helped out with some of the more modern ideas. Thanks to Aussie, Ziffie has a facebook page complete with photos of his antics.

This year we look forward to his arrival and are still working on a clever way for him to arrive. Once we have it all planned out and done I'll share it with you. In the mean time I'll leave you with some photos from some of last years Elf adventures in our house.

 

 

 

 

 

Well those are a few Ziffie's adventures at our house. I'll be doing a weekly recap of his adventures this year as well so pop back in to see them!

 

Do you have an elf on the shelf?

 

What's the craziest thing you've seen an elf do?

 

 

 

Scaling Back Christmas Spending

It's that time of year. You know, the time of year when we sit around the fireplace roasting chestnuts, enjoying spiced cider and singing Christmas carols until late in the evening. Then with our hearts filled with comfort and joy we head to bed in our comfy pj's for a long winters nap. While the snow gently falls blanketing the earth in white sparkles for us to wake up to.

Um, who are you kidding. That paints a lovely picture, but it sure isn't the reality for many of us these days. It's more like working overtime to scrape together the money for the overindulgent gifts the kids are asking for. Pulling on winter gear to head out in to the mucky, slushy streets to hit up the mall filled with rage fuelled shoppers to get the items you can't really afford in an effort to be the perfect parents to your tech savvy kids. Then you come home whip together a meal to feed your starving family, get them into bed so you can sit breaking your back, wrapping the kiddies presents for hours on end.

Sure we squeeze in some great family time and see people we haven't seen much through the year. We enjoy seeing our kids as the light up when opening that top request on their "must-have" list. But when all is said and done the holidays are long and exhausting, by the time they are over you need a vacation to recover, the problem is after the money you've just shovelled out you have no money left for a vacation!

In the last few weeks I've taken a good hard look at my finances and while I am please to say I am in a better place this year than l was last year. That just means we're not under a mountain of debt. It means that we are managing to keep the bills paid as best we can and are no longer adding to our debt each month. Being off work for 3 years was a huge setback but one that was necessary for me, medically speaking. Despite that, my husband and I nearly killed ourselves coming up with the money to place a check mark beside all the items on their lists. We will NOT be doing that this year.

This year things are changing.

Recently someone in my circle mentioned this method for looking at Christmas shopping. Something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read. I can't remember who told me about this, and for that I am sorry, but I thank them from the bottom of my heart for mentioning it to me. It was like a switch flipped on inside my head that allowed me to see a way out of the stress we put on ourselves each year. Call it my "aha! moment" if you will. It's an Oprah-created-cliche, yes, but for me that's what it was.

I will we explaining to my children (mostly Aussie- 15) that this is the way we are doing things this year so he must think very deeply about what he wants to put on that list. He may ask for 4 items and each must must fill only one category. It will be hard. I know Roo-4 will not notice in the slightest, but Aussie is going to feel it and it's going to sting, he's the one who has had 15 Christmases of getting EVERY SINGLE ITEM on his list, no matter how extravagant. I pray he understands and acts accordingly. Even if he doesn't the decision has been made.

Mama and the Hubs are scaling back, way, way back. It's to save our sanity, which might have been lost for good if we had to go through Christmas the way we have been in the past few years.

Something you want,

Something you need,

Something to wear,

and something to read

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this new cost cutting mantra?

Strawberry Lemon Yogurt Cake

Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake

 

 



I originally came across this recipe via Pinterest here: Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake. Trust me when I tell you it's as good as it looks! This was my go to cake all summer long. I made it over and over again. Even had requests for it. My and my Roo became experts baking this sweet and tangy summery cake! Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 Tb. lemon juice, divided
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 8 oz. plain or vanilla, Greek yogurt
• 12 oz. fresh strawberries, diced
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan (10-15 cup pan.) Sift together the 2 ¼ cups of flour, baking soda and salt. Mix in the lemon zest and set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 Tb. lemon juice. Alternate beating in the flour mixture and the yogurt, mixing just until incorporated.
3. Toss the strawberries with the remaining ¼ cup of flour. Gently mix them into the batter.
4. Pour the batter into the Bundt pan. Place in the oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Once cooled whisk together the remaining 2 Tb. of lemon juice and the powdered sugar. Drizzle over the top of the cake.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)
Cooking time: 1 hour(s)

Number of servings (yield): 12

 



My Family and I

Just thought I'd share a rare look at my family and I from last week.

This one is Roo, "Hubs", and I

This is really rare. Aussie does not generally allow me to post

Photos of him, but he gave permission this time. 

These people are my whole entire world.

Journalling

Last Christmas I was given a gift by a woman I don't know terribly well, though I wish that wasn't the case. Despite that fact she seemed to know just what would easy my troubles at a time I was very low. For no other reason that pure unselfish kindness, she and her familysent my family a gift filled with many comforts. We appreciated them more than I could have expressed. When we opened the items I actually wept. It was if this woman had been living in my brain. For me the stand out item was a beautiful pink embossed journal and a pen with gorgeous smooth pink ink. I still had cancer and was experiencing a great deal of physical pain. While I've been blogging for many years I had never really taken pen to paper in that way before. I was certain that I would never journal since I blog, but I quickly came to realize that while suffering insomnia, that journal became my new best friend. Instead of going to bed with a brain full of worries, I was taking some time to disconnect from everything electronic and just write out what was troubling me. The deep stuff. Things most likely to not make it to my blog. I also began using it as a way to record my daily successes and goals for the next day even if they were as small as pushing myself to leave my house.

This gift has become my lifeline. As I draw near the end of the blank pages, their predecessors having been filled by my nightly unloads, I know I can't let this end. I'm begining to feel a  sense of loss knowing that this one is coming to an end. So I will be out looking for a journal for when this one is finally finished. This one gift has given me something no other gift has. Release. Release from stress, and release from a life of insomnia. I can't claim that I don't experience those things on occassion still, but the first week after I began journalling, I could see an immediate shift.

To you, the giver of this gift, I hope you realize your kindness changed me. I thank you for that.

Has technology made journalling a dying art?

Have you even given or received a gift that made a difference?