Christmas

 

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What Was the Highlight of Your Year? | December 31, 2009

What was the highlight of your year? I have been asking that question during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve every year since college. It’s an opportunity to reflect on what the previous twelve months have entailed and how that has affected your life.

This year it has taken on a different meaning for me. In reflecting on this year, ‘highlights’ are not so much the point as ‘life changing events’, and there have been many.

The single biggest event, by any measure, is the loss of a loved one. In my case it was a parent. The implications of … Read More »


 

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Michelle Lehman
 
 
 
 

In With the New, Out With the Old… | December 30, 2009

Something new you may want to try this year is a “things to remember list” for next Christmas that you can place in with your decorations.  Basically it is a list of things like desserts everyone loved/hated, buy a bigger turkey for next year, don’t invite so and so again unless you are mentally up for it!!  This list will help you take the guess work out of next Christmas.  Don’t forget to add to this list, “make sure there are enough batteries on hand”, nothing is worse than getting a new toy for Christmas that needs batteries and you … Read More »


 

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Michelle Lehman
 
 
 
 

Exchanges, Returns…When Will it Ever End? | December 26, 2009

Any time I feel stressed I hear that old commercial from Calgon Bath Soaps…“Calgon Take Me Away”, can you hear it?

I don’t know about you but I already have two returns and one exchange.  I had to do the exchange before Christmas.  I bought my husband a history book and you would think out of the 1000’s of history books out there I could find one he didn’t already have, NOT!  Maybe he has too many!!!

I personally would not run out the door first thing on Saturday to do any exchanges or returns unless you absolutely have to for financial reasons.  … Read More »


 

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Holiday Treats From Sweden | December 22, 2009

Whenever I smell saffron coming from the oven, I know it’s Christmastime in Sweden. Christmas here is full of exotic spices like saffron, cinnamon, clove, allspice, and ginger. The days are short and nights are long so we spend time in the kitchen with friends baking traditional Swedish cookies. My two favorite, and most popular, are the Lussekatter (literally called Lucia Cats) and Pepparkakor (Ginger cookies). Both are easy to make and give as gifts. Traditionally we eat them with glögg, a type of mulled wine flavored with rum, cocoa, or even cloudberries. But even … Read More »


 

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Michelle Lehman
 
 
 
 

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year….But | December 21, 2009

Everyone is so stressed out, including me.  I have now started wrapping gifts like an assembly line.  I put names on all of my tags first (stickers so they adhere quickly) and as soon as I finish wrapping the present the label is ready and off it goes under the tree.

I have even gone one step further, I grab all presents that are like sizes measure the largest one on the wrapping paper and cut different wrapping paper designs in the same general size so I can wrap faster.  I feel like the Energizer Bunny who just keeps going and … Read More »


 

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Michelle Lehman
 
 
 
 

The Children will be Home Soon! | December 16, 2009

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but next week is the last week you have before the kids are out of school.  YIKES! I realize you have 100+ things left to do on your to-do list but maybe we could rearrange some items to take advantage of children being at school.

Try to get as much done next week that is secretive such as; wrapping their Christmas presents, making sure Santa has gotten everything on their list, stocking stuffers and even if you have a return or two to make because you decided on something else for your … Read More »


 

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Beth Anderson
 
 
 
 

Show Off Your Tree and Win! | December 14, 2009

Think your Xmas tree’s the best there is? This is your chance to show it off – and win $100 to spend at The Pink Pig!

To enter your tree in the contest, just comment on the contest post on the Pink Pig Blog and provide a link to a photo of your tree. They’ll be accepting submissions until the end of the day on Friday, December 18th.

On December 19th, they’ll open the voting so that you can tell them which tree you think shines brightest. The winner will receive a $100 Pink Pig gift certificate.  This contest has been … Read More »


 

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Michelle Lehman
 
 
 
 

Scratch the Christmas Cards off the List! | December 14, 2009

At this point of the season I just want to scratch everything off of my list!  This weekend I decided to tackle or attack our Christmas cards.  My husband loves for us to send out a card with a picture of the boys.  By the time you figure out who to send them to and who sent you one last year that wasn’t on your list, before you know it you are sending out a ton of cards.

Here I am Saturday evening stuffing the picture into each card one after another.  Now I am signing all of them with all … Read More »


 

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Book Giveaway: I Used to Know That | December 10, 2009

12 Days and 12 Facts for This Holiday Season

By Caroline Taggart,
Author of I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School

Ever catch yourself saying I Used to Know That?

Each holiday season brings another round of cocktail parties, family get-togethers, and corporate gatherings — and invariably, lots of small talk. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when discussing politics, literature, and other intellectual “stuff,” especially when what is thought to be general knowledge is often long-forgotten. Enter I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School. From English and Literature to Math and Science, from History and Geography to … Read More »


 

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Michelle Lehman
 
 
 
 

Organizing Your Spending | December 10, 2009

Yes, I am going to try and organize your spending.  I know, I know I have gone over the line this time but if someone doesn’t cross it you maybe wondering how to organize your budget after the first of the year.

First of all, find all of your available balances on your credit cards and your interest rate.  If you don’t have to use them great, but just in case, let’s try use the credit cards wisely. I would use the card with the lowest interest rate and leave the rest of your cards at home so it will be … Read More »


 

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Lauri Rottmayer
 
 
 
 

Kahlua Fudge Pound Cake | December 8, 2009

It’s the beginning of December and Christmas and the associated parties will be upon us soon. If you need to feed and WOW a crowd, Khalua Fudge Pound Cake is the way to do it. I’ve been making this cake for about 20 years now and it has gotten rave reviews for all those years. Don’t let the length of the recipe put you off. While it’s not a 20 minute dessert, it’s not difficult and the results are more than worth the extra time you will put into it.

Begin ahead of time by … Read More »


 

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Kristin Chenoweth to Star in Twelve Men of Christmas | December 5, 2009

TONY AWARD WINNER AND EMMY® NOMINEE KRISTIN CHENOWETH TO HEAT UP THE HOLIDAYS IN LIFETIME TELEVISION’S TWELVE MEN OF CHRISTMAS

Romantic Comedy to be Centerpiece of Network’s Annual “Fa La La La Lifetime” Programming Event

Tony Award winner and Emmy nominee Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies) melts the holiday snow in Twelve Men of Christmas, an all-new Lifetime Original Movie set to premiere as part of the Network’s annual “Fa La La La Lifetime” programming event on December 5, 2009.  Based on the popular novel Decent Exposure by Phillipa Ashley, the romantic comedy tells … Read More »


 

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Michelle Lehman
 
 
 
 

Decorating in an Organized Style | December 4, 2009

Can you believe Christmas is going to be here in a few weeks?  I swear I can still smell turkey in my house!  Not only did I not go shopping on Black Friday, I didn’t finish decorating our house for Christmas. Football won my vote on Friday!

I love decorating our house for Christmas.  With that being said, I like to decorate in a organized style.   I am not artsy fartsy, shocking I know…I am very methodical about how I do things and I like to accomplish my tasks in a timely manner.

To save time and effort for me, I take … Read More »


 

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Merry Christmas! | December 25, 2008

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time. ~Laura Ingalls Wilder


 

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Martha Collins
 
 
 
 

Christmas Cookies from A-Z | December 16, 2008

I am going to admit something here.  I dread making Christmas cookies!  I feel the same way about them as I do bread.  I am a Christmas cookie martyr! It is somewhat like jumping into a cold pool, once you take the plunge, you are fine, but you avoid it until the last possible minute.  My kids absolutely hound me for these every year.  They are not babies anymore, either.

I have to say that a homemade Christmas cookie with a glass of milk is the best Christmas treat there is!  Store-bought sugar cookies will just not do at my house. … Read More »