New on the Blog: What to do when decluttering feels wasteful. Over the last week, we enjoyed the kids' Christmas piano recital, the church Christmas program, the school Christmas program, and my Bible study Christmas brunch. ✔️✔️✔️✔️ I mailed our cards, wrapped gifts for cousins and grandparents, made a bunch of cookie dough balls for the freezer, planned Clara's class Christmas party, and put together goodie bags for various special people in our family's lives. ✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️ Our calendar is still peppered with Christmas parties, events, activities, and to-dos, but after this week, the bulk of the busyness will be behind us and I'm hoping things will slow down through the New Year. How are you doing with your holiday to-dos? Simple Food. This ridiculously easy 7-layer dip will be a hit at all your upcoming parties. It pairs wonderfully with chips, crackers, pretzels, and veggies -- and you can make it festive by saving the tomatoes and green onions for the top! 🎄 Get my recipe --> Easy 7-layer dip. Organized Home. Decluttering always sounds like a great idea... until it's time to let go of the things you purchased with your hard-earned cash, many of which are still in good condition. Can you relate? If decluttering ever feels wasteful (or if you struggle with guilt) this post might help. Keep reading --> When decluttering feels wasteful. Intentional Living. This time of year is often filled with lots of extra people, places, and parties. It feels loud and overwhelming for most people -- especially introverts. If you can relate, you might enjoy my sanity-saving tips for introverts! Learn more --> 7 sanity-saving tips for introverts. In other news... I still haven't put up any Christmas decor (other than our tree) and no one has said a word... I honestly don't miss the "extra" either! Three cheers for keeping things simple! NOTE: if you find you aren't using your holiday decorations, now is the time to declutter! Here's a fun idea that could help simplify gifts... give each child (or person) 3 gifts and wrap them like a snowman, gingerbread man, reindeer, angel, or other Christmas "figure". For those of you who, for whatever reason, aren't looking forward to the holidays this year, I thought I'd re-share some encouragement for when the holidays aren't always happy. Clara and I looked through lots of family photo books this week and she kept coming back to THIS picture of the 4 kids in footie pajamas (from 5 years ago this week). She really liked how "tiny" she was compared to the other kids. 5 years later... they aren't as tiny anymore, and they won't let me put them in footie pajamas, but they are still snuggly and cute! (It was a happy coincidence that they ended up in the same order.) I'll be back here next week (sharing our family's Christmas card) and then I'll take a couple of weeks off for Christmas and New Years. 🥳 Blessings on the week ahead, ~ Andrea p.s. don't put your decluttering aside just because of the holidays -- now is a great time to declutter seasonal items, donate gifts you haven't given (or received but don't want), and make a few new recipes to clean out your pantry and freezer. My tips in this week's post will help!! |
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