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Slowing down for a simple holiday season

For the first time in my life I haven’t jumped at the chance to get the house covered for Christmas as soon as the Thanksgiving plates were cleared.

The mood just isn’t hitting me. I’m moving at a slower pace. And I think that’s just the way it should be. I finally got a few things up around the house. The two photos featured here were my favorite finds from shopping on Small Business Saturday.

And since today is December 1, I had to get the advent calendar going and get into elf mode.  Which meant stockings got hung (I blurred the names on them to keep the girls’ names private) and things went on the mantle. Then after I double-checked the cords and lights on an accent tree, it didn’t work when I got it all together. So I just left there. Maybe I’ll deal with it, oh, sometime before it’s time to pack it back up again.

My point is I’m just not in any rush. I have bought very few gifts and I don’t really have any plans to buy many more. I’m overwhelmed with all the stuff already in our house that I can barely manage, that adding more stuff sends my nerves in a tizzy. I don’t like the feeling of needing to get more of the same, for the sake of having gifts for my children when they have so much already – and mostly create their own play.

I am reminded of this often. Like yesterday when I was opening my new mixer that came in the mail, and the box and packing paper became the highlight of the day. There were flying paper fairies running about the house, squirrels with paper trail tails, rabbits hopping, “Little Red Ridding Hood” that looked more like kid wearing a paper turban on her head, and a Jack in the Box for a very creative magic show put on by three seriously silly sisters.

This is why on Cyber Monday, when Magic Cabin did not honor my 25 percent discount in the too-many-seconds it took their SLOW site to process my order, putting me over the midnight experation mark – even though my credit card had been entered and the discount applied – I got nothing.

Then I took all our catalogues and put them in the recycling bin and deleted all my emails trying to get me to buy something. It was a sign. We don’t need all those things. It’s not what Christmas is about anyway.

The girls have put a few simple things on their lists to Santa and I honestly do not think they expect much more than that. Instead of showering them with gifts this year we bought plane tickets to visit my brother’s family in Colorado. We’ll buy snow boots and get ready for skiing in one of the greatest places on earth, in Aspen.

This month we’ll spend time together at home, making gifts and resisting the temptation to go and do every fun holiday themed event and see the best Santa in town. Instead we’ll be baking gingerbread men with our new mixer, making candy cane cookies and gifts for grandparents. We’ll celebrate my middle child’s birthday with homemade cake, a new mama sewn skirt and a simple stuffed dog that she has asked for.

We’ll go cut down a Christmas tree and put it up when we have time to enjoy it and make a whole day out of hot chocolate drinking and making decorations for the tree. And if all that doesn’t happen that’s okay. We’ll just snuggle up and read a holiday, snowy themed book. Because really, what my girls want the most is more time with me. And seriously, it’s that simple.

What kinds of things do you have planned at home for the holiday’s this year?

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Our reverse advent calendar

It dawned on me today that our advent calendar is done in reverse as to what is normal for most people. But I think we have a good system, so I thought I would share.

When we started our advent calendar it coincided with Eddie the Elf, aka Elf on the Shelf, making his first appearance at our house. That was three Christmas’s ago and little hands could not be trusted to not eat up all the treats at one time in the advent house. Those door are so tempting for little fingers to open, again and again. So instead of putting treats behind every door at once, it became a tradition that Eddie the Elf leaves the treats each night, for the next day.

The treat has always been one M&M per girl. This year my two-year-old is joining in, hence the three separate colors of chocolate (that are actually not the M&M brand but a more yummy variety that comes in more fun colors). I’m sure they’ll work out a system as to what girl gets what color to know who ate their M&M when.

To keep track of which door we are on, every day a piece of rolled up scrapbooking paper replaces the spot of the candy. So if they really want to know how many days are left until Christmas they can do the math, or count how many rolled up pieces of paper are left in the jar next to the advent house.

My girls like to leave notes for Eddie, to be delivered to Santa. So there is a jar for that too.

Eddie used to leave stocking stuffer like gifts as well. But when we realized all they really cared about was getting to eat chocolate before breakfast, I decided to save myself the trouble and expense of the gifts and just say yes to one tiny chocolate. For the month of December, they literally run out of bed every morning to make sure Eddie left them their chocolate.

And yes, once we did forget!

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Every family would be lucky to have a dog like Blair

We said goodbye to our dear friend and best pal Tuesday, the one and only buddy Blair. He is also known as Baba in our house. A name given to him by my oldest daughter when she was a baby throwing food from her high chair for him, laughing and saying, “Baba, Baba.” The tradition continued with the next two girls and the name stuck.

He was our first baby. In April of 1999 while we planned our wedding we decided to go ahead and visit the animal shelter to just “look around.”

First of all, people like me who grew up rescuing birds, rabbits and stray cats from the woods don’t go home empty handed when there are furry lives to adopt. So naturally, it didn’t take long for this bushy haired blond dog with floppy ears to catch our eye. When he did, his soft brown eyes looked at us, he put his paw up on the fence door and politely wined, “Take me home please. You look very nice.”

How could we say no? He had been severely abused, with pellet gun wounds to his chest. In the adoption office he scurried under the chair at the snapping sound of a clipboard. Someone saw something in this dog that would make him a good pet, and chose to give him a second chance a life. They were so right about him.

He was the best dog a family could have. He was our first baby. He got decorated with Christmas lights our first year married, took beach vacations with us, loved his rollerblade runs at my side through downtown Atlanta and walked many of miles with me pregnant with my first baby. Then he graduated to getting thrown table scrapes and being invited to tea parties where he tolerated feather boas and tiaras. He wore light up antlers at Christmas and always let the babies crawl right over the top of him.

He could have been almost 15 years old, based on his estimated age when we adopted him.  He predated Y2K, digital cameras and the flu shot for dogs.

He would never have left us on his own choosing. He just would not have done it. But we’ve seen him struggle more than a soul should have to in the past days, weeks, months and years during his slow decline.

He was resilient, forgiving and had an enduring heart that anyone could have been inspired by. In the end, as I sat up with him during his last night at home, trying to comfort him, I knew in my own heart that he was “ready.” It was time for him to have peace. The process was all handled with grace. From me riding with him in the back of the SUV to the vet to laying him to rest in our yard – we were with him every step of the way. Just as he has been for us.

 

Photos in order from the early days to his last.

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Sponsor and Giveaway :: House on the Hill Toys

Today I bring you a giveaway by Simply Natural Mom’s newest sponsor, House on the Hill Toys.

Caleb Johnson, of House on the Hill Toys, was inspired to start making wooden toys when his daughter was five months old and he didn’t want her using plastic tethers. His toy making business has now grown from wooden tethers to log trucks, airplanes, boats, cars and more.

To view Caleb’s toys and buy them online visit the House on the Hill Toys website. To buy them locally, visit him at the Knoxville Holiday Market at Market Square from noon-7pm the first three Saturdays in December.

Simply Natural Mom: Tell us about your furniture making job and how House of the Hill Toys became of that.

House on the Hill Toys: For the past 7 years I have made furniture from sustainably harvested hardwoods. When making furniture, there are always extra pieces of wood left over. Some of the pieces were too beautiful to throw away, so I started saving them. When my daughter Maebel was born I began making wooden toys and tethers from the scrap wood, and soon other people were asking for some. The toy business grew from there.

Simply Natural Mom: Explain a little about the importance, from your perspective, of having non-toxic all natural toys for you child. 

House on the Hill Toys: Plastic and painted toys concern me because you never know exactly where they come from or what they are made of. I simply feel better with my daughter playing with toys that I know exactly where the material came from, and what went in to making it a finished toy.  Wooden toys with a non-toxic finish are not only safe, the naturalness of the wood grain appeals to kids (as well as adults).

Simply Natural Mom: Tell us about the other items you offer besides toys?

House on the Hill Toys: One of my passions is cooking. Wood is ideal to cook with and serve food on in my opinion. Wood is not only non-toxic to cook with, it is beautiful and does not mar or scratch cooking surfaces. I make handmade wooden spoons, spatulas and serving utensils, as well as cutting boards, serving trays and other items. I feel very fortunate to work with wood; it is something that I love to do. I enjoy a challenge, and trying new things. If anyone has ideas for toys or wooden items feel free to contact me, and thank you!

  

For today’s giveaway House on the Hill Toys is offering this wooden toy boat made from cherry and walnut.

 {To enter, please leave a comment below. And subscribe to Simply Natural Mom either by Facebook or Twitter.}

 {For additional entries, share this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook. Then leave a comment letting me know you did so.}

 I’ll close comments on Saturday, Dec. 3 by midnight EST, and announce the winner (chosen via Random Number Generator) on Sunday morning. So please check back here to see if you won!

Number 7 is the winner! Congratulations to Melissa H. Please email me at rebecca@simplynatural mom with your address so we can mail your wooden boat.

Thank you House on the Hill Toys!

 

 

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Weekending

It was an extravaganza of a long holiday weekend for us spent visiting family from Colorado, in Georgia. Tree swings were built, a zip line was installed, treasure boxes were built, plays were produced, crafts and food were made for a Thanksgiving Feast, bonfires where had, and lots of marshmallows were eaten.

We’re back home now. It was fun, it was good times and we are thankful for that. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.

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Shapshots of shopping on Small Business Saturday

My oldest daughter and I had a great time sneaking off for a bit of one-on-one shopping yesterday while visiting family in the northern suburbs of Atlanta. Naturally, we hit up our favorite local businesses as we always do on our visits. But since today is Small Business Saturday, here’s some snapshots from our fun.

I also hit up my favorite vintage shop, The Green Bean, earlier in the week with just my sister-in-law. For months I’ve had my eye on a beautiful blue typewriter in a pristine white case. During this trip I finally said, “That has been here for several months. I’m very interested in it but I think the price is very high.”

She offered it half off and I said sold!  The typewriter will go under the tree for Christmas, with new ink ribbons, for my oldest daughter who is spending lots of time writing stories lately. I know she’ll LOVE it. As you’ll see in the last photo here, she gets a big smile out of old stuff.

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Skip Black Friday, shop Small Business Saturday

I don’t shop Black Friday for several reasons, beyond the crowds. But mostly because I prefer to support local smaller businesses, versus scrambling to get new gadgets or featured sale items that I wouldn’t normally buy anyway.

So when I heard about Small Business Saturday, I knew it was something I wanted to tell people about. Small Business Saturday is a celebration of the Shop Small movement to drive shoppers to local merchants across the U.S. This is the second year for Small Business Saturday and its attempts to fuel local economies.

So before you run out to the places where there is a sea of cars on an asphalt jungle that trees once enjoyed, think about what you can buy from local stores, or small businesses online – even if it’s not local to you. If it’s a mom and pop shop making soy candles or environmentally friendly products, an artist,  or a stay at home mom sewing baby toys as a way make money while spending more time with her kids – these are the businesses you can feel good about supporting.

I was listening to Clark Howard on the radio last week, talking about Black Friday while I was sewing tablecloths for my daughter’s Montessori classroom.

He made good points while he discussed this year’s Black Friday, it starting at midnight on Thanksgiving and how the rules of the game are changing. According to his report, people are really disgruntled about this time change of businesses opening at midnight. If I did shop the big box sales – I would much rather, hands down, shop at midnight rather than at 5AM. I’m a night owl.

Then again I am probably one of the folks responsible  for stores opening at midnight. Because I’m one of the MANY moms who take advantage of online shopping, sans the kids, sans the headaches, while enjoying my hot chocolate by the fire in my PJs after they all go to bed. And that my friends, usually goes on well past midnight.

Clark Howard missed that point.

So even if you are are like me and do most of your shoping online, try to go out of your way to click around and find something off the beaten Google path. Support a mom, a dad, an artist on Etsy, a person living a dream – even if it means changing what’s on your list instead of checking it off.

Here’s a list of some local mom and baby businesses in my town, with online shopping.

Cutie Tooties

Me and Mommy to Be

Open Heart Doula Service  – they have an online shop that opens TODAY! They have some lovely handmade soaps and beautiful wool dryer balls that are perfect for stockings.

House on the Hill Toys – they have cutting boards and cool things for the chef too!

Carry Me Close

Livin’ So Green

If you do get out on Saturday, or Friday or anytime during the holidays – my favorite places to shop are at Market Square and downtown Knoxville. Bliss, Rala, Reruns, Mast General Store,  Black Market, Fizz and Union Ave. Books are the first that come to mind.

For vintage finds hit up Nostalgia, Side Street Market, and Furniture Traders at 5014 Broadway St. – (865) 687-4249 where this mom of four also pours and sells her own soy candles and natural soaps. For your little artists pay a visit to Jerry’s Artarama.

Okay, that ought to keep you busy for a while. Now you have no excuse for not shopping local. Not to mention that all the lights, trees and ice skating rink at Market Square and around downtown make for the most merry holiday shopping ever!

One more thing – the Holiday Market at Market Square will have local artistisans and venders selling their goods during the first three Saturdays of the month.

Now get shopping!

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Thankfulness at our table

At our Thanksgiving table we all took turns telling what we are thankful for, wrote it on a card and hung it on our Thankful Tree – a larger version of the ones we made here.

We are thankful for: family, mom, dad, God, each other, cousins, sisters, health, togetherness, our wives, our husbands, our kids, the good times and pulling through the difficult ones. My card said, “My sister-in-law. We did it!”

For the first time in my grown up life the two of us made the entire meal, from beginning to end, all the way down to the strawberry sauce for the homemade cheesecake. So yeah, there was room for celebration. We cooked (and ate) for two straight days!

In between the cooking we found some downtime for crafts with the kids, fun flower arranging, Lincoln Log building and to make the table look – oh my gosh so cute. Some of the ideas were ones I featured in my Pinterest post earlier in the week.

The write-on tablecloth for the kids was a huge hit. It was brown builder paper available in the paint department at big box home improvement stores. I highly recommend it for your next family gathering. Involving the kids in preparing for the day was rewarding for all of us. And yes the dolls had a table too, set by the girls.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. And hey – thanks for reading! I am truly thankful for each and every one one of you.

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Some Pinterest ideas for your Thanksgiving table

Wednesday will be spent with cousins running about, playing, skipping, crafting and going in and out, running through the woods and bringing some of nature back inside – I’m sure of that. The adults will talk about food, family, plans, and the baking I imagine.

I’m going to give the girls (because they are all girls) the task of making some table decorations for the big feast. There’s no kid’s table where we will be . But I guarantee you the table will be more childlike than adult like. And honestly, that’s just how I like it.

Here are some simple ideas I found on Pinterest, and pinned in my Thanksgiving board, that I’ll be passing on to the girls, hopping for some masterpieces (only slightly kidding here) for our table. Also, don’t forget about our Thankful Trees we made earlier this week. And for more ideas, including fun food displays kids will love, check out the Pinterest ideas over at Family Friendly Knoxville, where I got the idea for this post.

These boats will be simple to pull off, seeing we are never in short demand of coffee runs, and can stock on up reusable coffee sleeves between now and Thanksgiving – no problem! And plus, what kid doesn’t love getting to make the assigned seating arrangements? I’ve got some extra floral foam I think I’ll stick in the bottom for the sticks, and use a nicer card stock for the drawings.

 

 

 

What about those half and half containers that go with your coffee? Now they can have a home, literally. And those cartons of goldfish that are a must while tying to get though an errand or a last minute grocery store run, with sanity intact. I think I’ll have to pick up a paint brush myself for these. I love them that much!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This made me think of the idea my aunt did a few years back using teepee’s from a Lincon Log set and making a whole Lincon Log village on the table. We even have one of these sets, with a little Indian. Cliche I know. But I’d rather have this on my table than a crafty smiling turkey, seeing I don’t eat turkey and am not amused by making them cute.

 

 

I love this idea of having brown paper on the table, skipping a fancy tablecloth, letting children draw on the table and the grown ups drink wine linger a little longer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good luck, have fun, get creative, be thankful and let the kids take over – because really, that’s what holidays are all about. See you on Friday!

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