10 Tips to Keep You Centered and Sane through the Holidays!

Holiday happiness can quickly turn into seemingly insurmountable stress with lack of time, and the increased family pressures. With balancing skills put to the test, it's easy to understand why mothers between the ages of 28 and 54 are the most "stressed" during the holiday season. Transform stress into sanity with these ten tried-and true tips.

1. Schedule mini-breaks: While you can have it all, you can't have it all at the same time! Schedule 10-20 minute breaks during these hectic days.

2. A positive perspective: The easiest way to lift up our selves is to lift up someone else. Volunteer opportunities come in all shapes and sizes and can fit any time and/or budget.

3. Delegate: Take off the super-mom cape and delegate responsibilities to other family members.

4. Party with a Purpose: Say goodbye to marathon baking and usher in a party with a purpose. Host an afternoon get together, inviting friends and family to bake their favorite recipe in bulk. Each quest will leave with a sampling of each recipe. If you love to bake make it a tradition everyone helps with.

5. The greatest thing since sliced bread: The "gift card" is a wonderful solution for those who "have everything." Consider a gas, bookstore, music, electronics, grocery, or department store, gift card.

6. Write it down: While you may have the memory of Einstein or an elephant, this is not the season to test it. Create a Holiday Notebook for recording all your notes, thoughts, ideas, contacts, gift lists, and dates.

7. What goes in... must come out: Avoid dramatic changes in eating and drinking habits as delectable holiday goodies circulate. Food and mood go hand-in-hand.

8. Balance your budget: Be creative with your financing and plan in advance for gift-giving and large menu purchases. Sticking to your budget will not only decrease holiday stress, but post-holiday- shopping-stress as well.

9. Marathon shopping: Early in the holiday season, take a day mid-week and do a marathon shopping expedition before the malls (and their parking lots) are packed. If you have small children arrange with a friend to trade child care to help each other out.

10. Browse and buy: Shopping online offers the convenience of automatic shipping and 24/7 hour access. Shop early to save on last-minute handling costs.

What's tips do you have that get you through the holidays? Click on my comments and Share!!

Monday Makeover!

"It is always too early to quit." Norman Vincent Peale

L

ast week John and I were discussing how, when people find strength in unknown reserves,--and keep pushing forward despite the odds--they realize success. Almost every great success story has a "dark bottom," where hoping seemed difficult--if not crazy! Yet, it is in those times that we learn our true strength and develop the skill set and attitude that brings long-term success.

This is one of my most favorite Poams and I keep it near me and read when I want to quit!

Don't Quit
When things go wrong as they sometimes will.
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill.
When funds are low and the debts are high.
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.
When care is pressing you down a bit.
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns.
As every one of us sometimes learns.
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out:
Don't give up though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt
And you never can tell how close you are.
It may be near when it seems so far:
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.
--Anonymous




Monday Makeover~~
Print out today's poem and keep it handy for times when you need a reminder to "stick to the fight when you're hardest hit."
When things go wrong as they sometimes will, and the road ahead seems all uphill -- I may rest, but I'll never quit.

Life doesn't get much better than Thanksgiving Dinner!

This was our first Holiday dinner without dad, and most of us didn't know if we wanted to forward with it. We know dad would want us to!! He loved Thanksgiving, loved the food mostly the PIE and he loved spending time with us his family. Dad loved playing games (mostly to see if he could get away with cheating!) A tradition many of us try to carry on!!!!!!!!

We gathered at Lindsey and Jason's home. The just remodeled and added new additions to their home. It is beautiful. Thanks Lindsey for all the work to have us all. The food was wonderful, we played games and had a great time together.

I am thankful for my family and the great support they have been through living through this trial of our father passing on. We love you dad and think of you all the time!

Thanks giving memories 2008

Click to enlarge

Tuesday Tip~~~~~~~~Give Invisible Blessings
You cannot live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.~John Wooden

To give is a wonderful thing; to give completely anonymously is even more wonderful. When we don't need a "thank you" or a "pat on the back," then our giving becomes completely about the recipient versus an affirmation of ourselves. That type of giving or "invisible blessing" is the most powerful of all. This simple story shares a memory of a woman who had truly mastered the "invisible blessing."

The Woman and The Postman Once again the tiny, rural Post Office in our Northwood's Wisconsin Town had been properly notified. The "Postmaster," simply known as John, had received his yearly letter (addressed to "John"--first name only--"Post Office"--no street and number, no zip code, only the word "Town" ) asking him to select 5 little girls "from Santa's List" who would love to receive a Christmas Doll. Now, John knew everything and everybody--If you wanted to find out something, or get the local 'scuttle-but' you went to John--so he set about checking his postal routes, making his recommendations, and had the season's list secretly delivered to the woman. From about November 1st on--the woman's dining room table became covered with snippets of lace and ribbons, buttons and bows, velvets and satins--along with the 5 Madame Alexander Dolls that had been ordered for that year through the mail. Her needles and thread in hand, and an old Singer sewing machine by her side, the woman began to weave her yearly Christmas magic. Party clothes, sports wear, ball gowns, warm winter coats--she fashioned them all--until each doll had a wardrobe beyond any girls dreams. A week before Christmas, she would have the dolls delivered to the stoop of the Post Office, beautifully wrapped and tagged for each child with a note from Santa. John would notify the families that a special package had arrived and needed to be picked up, before he closed on Christmas Eve. The week after Christmas, John would usually receive a thank you note, or two, or three, that needed to be delivered in return. Sworn to secrecy he would pass on the child-scribbled notes to "whom it may concern." Then one Fall a funeral came to pass, November came and went and the list hadn't been asked for, the Christmas dolls didn't arrive, and the magic faded. Not long after that John put in for retirement. The Post Office became renovated with zip codes + 4, an automated sorter, updated routing and regulations, and rules too numerous to count or accept; a new Post Man was "brought up from the city"--all in the name of "progress." Still bound by his oath of secrecy John's knowledge about the woman and the dolls retired with him.



Your Weekly Tip:While in the hustle and bustle of daily life, we often think life is about gain, or accomplishment, or maintaining status quo. It isn't. Life is about relationships, about love, about kindness, about caring. Those are the moments we all long for more of. As we move into this holiday season, remember how much we all make a difference, and find a way to "invisibly bless" someone. Challenge yourself to bless someone in a small way each day and record it!