How to Thrive This Holiday Season (part 1)

It seems to start earlier each and every year.

The Christmas songs, the store ads, the Black Friday opening hours and the decorations seem to appear the moment Halloween is over.

The Holiday Season is upon us and with the long crazy to-do list everyone has, and celebrating that happens, it is easy to feel like you are simply trying to make it through.  If you feel like you are just trying to get through the holidays and you never really get a chance to catch your breath, and enjoy what it is all about.  Want/need to get off of the crazy cycle that is the holidays?  Here are my top 10 tips:

1. Keep Your Focus on the REASON for the SEASON
Sure it is the phrase you have heard over and over, but there is a reason for that.  It's TRUE.  Your focus should be on celebrating the greatest present ever to mankind.  Christ's birth is the reason we have Christmas.  Do things that highlight the point of Christmas!

2. Plan Ahead
Come up with a list of things that you want to do.  Activities, parties, celebrations etc.  Create a list and then make a plan as to when these things are going to happen.  Know what you need to say "no" to, and know what you can say yes to.  Make sure you leave some open space for some down time!

3. Don't Start the Season off in a Rush
For me, the Christmas season starts after Thanksgiving.  For years I have been the crazy person with a baby, racing for a great priced item, trying to cross everything off my Christmas list at once.  Honestly, it starts you off on the wrong foot.  I love a deal as much as the next girl, don't get me wrong, but with using coupons, and shopping after Christmas sales last year my kids gifts for the most part are already purchased.  Sure I will be doing some online shopping to fill it out a bit, but we don't need more STUFF.  Trying to get some great deals is fun, and an adrenaline rush but it is also stressful.  Instead, we are blessed with the internet, and you can do most of your shopping from the comfort of your own home, and leave the crowds and chaos behind.

4. Celebrate
Honestly celebrate.  Embrace the fun, the party like atmosphere.  God sent us an amazing gift, each year we spend time celebrating, but we don't seem to actually celebrate.  We rush around, give/get gifts.  Embrace the JOY of the season and truly celebrate the birth of our Savior.

5. Control the Chaos
Things can spin out of control rather quickly this time of year.  Take the time to stop and refocus when you start to feel overwhelmed.  It is so easy for things to pile up for us to loose it.  Try and make time to stop and reconfigure when things start to get out of control.  Did you spend to much money?  Return something.  It isn't the end of the world.  Are you getting overbooked?  It's ok to say no (see #2),

These are just a few tips.  There will be more later.

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!

Our Trip To Disneyland

My amazing Mother-in-law gave my son an AMAZING 3rd Birthday present.  She sent us to Disneyland for two days with some spending money.  I've always been a Disney girl at heart, but even though I didn't get to go on any of my top rides, it was one of my favorite trips ever!  If you follow me on instagram, you got to see some of these pictures, but let me tell you, the sheer joy on my sons face the ENTIRE time practically had me in happy tears the whole time.  He loved every minute of it.  Here are some of the pictures.

Both kids wore their Mickey ears on and off during the trip.  It made me smile to watch them be a part of Disneyland, and all of the history of it.  Yes, I know I'm a Disney nerd.

 We started with a Chip & Dale's Critter Breakfast at the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa.  Max The Birthday Boy LOVED every second of it.  His sister... not so much (so no pictures of her were taken with characters, for the most part).  

We all enjoyed King Author's Carousel, and baby girl said "weeeeee" the whole time.  Absolutely adorable.

 Baby girl also decided to scream and throw a fit every time we had to get off a ride.  Apparently, she liked them THAT MUCH!

I know that my big boy had an amazing birthday, because his face was like this:

... THE WHOLE TIME!!!  I was in mama heaven watching him have so much fun and being so excited about everything.

Poor baby girl passed out while waiting to meet Mickey, but I got some pretty sweet cuddles, so I was ok with it.

 We had an amazing time!  It was such a wonderful blessing to us as a family.

We were also blessed to have Matt's wonderful sister with us to help us wrangle and spoil the kids.

Our Birthday Boy got a lightsaber 

 and was in HEAVEN when he got to drive a car

Baby girl got to meet Minnie Mouse, and DIDN'T CRY!  Though she wouldn't go up to her by herself either.

 Overall, it was a GREAT family trip!

We didn't get to take a vacation this summer, or even just a weekend away with just the four of us, so this was such a nice break together.  We LOVED every minute of it, except having to say goodbye.

Hopefully we will be back sooner than later.

Monday Menu

This is going to be a CRAZY week for us.  Three nights this week I have to be back at work by 6pm

Monday - Pasta
Tuesday - Left overs
Wednesday - Pizza Rolls
Thursday - Kids - quick fix (probably mac and chesse and hotdogs) Me- Mystery shop dinner
Friday -  Potato Soup

Hope you have a great week!

Ps I'm linking up with the OrgJunkie!  If you are stoping by from there, please say Hi!