12/6/10 Christmas To Dos

I have a huge amount of things to accomplish today and pretty much no energy. The family and I went away for the weekend and I'm exhausted! We had fun, but I can see so many things I wish I had done differently. AND it's 4 pm and I'm sooooo drowsy! I think I'm getting a cold.

Enough whining. Time to take a look at just the Christmas portion of the list:

Gifts

• Listing -- est. 80%
• Purchasing -- 13%
• Wrapping -- 0%

Cards -- 0%  50% but waiting until I can pay for them!
Stockings -- 0%
Decorations -- 0%
Traditions -- 0%
Baking -- 0%
Company -- 0%
Social Calendar -- 0%

Thanksgiving Debriefing 2010

I like to jot down what worked and what didn't for each holiday or event so I can remember when it rolls around again, and perhaps save myself some trouble.  Or repeat what did go well that I might forget about!

Without further ado:  Thanksgiving 2010

NUMBER OF PEOPLE:  A+
We had 10 people.  That was awesome and I think everyone had a nice time.  That is HUGE for my family -- we aren't used to have more than 7 or 8.  (I know some families have 30-50 people present -- I cannot imagine!)

TIME TO EAT: A-
We had dinner at 1:30.  Well that was that "aimed for" time -- it was really 1:45-2 pm before we actually ate.  Some of that was my last minute jostling, some was because my mom arrived right at 1:30 with the goods so we had to distribute them. Essentially it worked well though.

TABLE ARRANGEMENT: B
We had the 6-person table in the dining room (that's w/ the leaf in) and the card table in the living room but it was really sort of in the open double-arch between the living and dining rooms.  It really sort of blocked traffic flow -- I think I would probably push it more in the living room next time around but basically things were fine.

DINING ROOM SPACE:  B
Got rid of the microwave cart behind the door (kitchen doorway w/ little double-doors which open into the dining room).  That was great -- although I did fill the space w/ two TV-type tables to hold the triple crockpot thing I used to keep the stuffings (two types) and mashers warm. That made it crowded but better than the deeper micro-cart I used as a beverage stand.

I have a small console-type cabinet I use as a sideboard in the dining room.  It doesn't match the furniture -- it really goes in the living room.  It did OK.  What I'd like to do is somehow get the cd cabinet out of the living room (really we need to donate it but that's a whole audio issue w/ the hub) and put the small console/music cabinet back into the living room where it goes.  It functions OK as a sideboard in the dining room but a larger, shallower, wider surface would do better, perhaps w/ closed storage underneath.  I guess I need to find a second-hand buffet cabinet of some sort.  And then we need to move the small corner cabinet to the unused back corner of the room.  I'm also thinking if we were to do the tv table thing again using the far corner would make a lot more sense (the one where the small corner cabinet currently is).

FOOD:  A
I think everything worked OK.  I did mess up the squash casserole -- forgot to get the stuffing mix and it really was lacking on the top and bottom.  Didn't taste the same until I layered the stuffing stuffing on the plate with it.  :)  Still, yum.  I think I might have been better off with frozen squash at this time of year though -- I use yellow crookneck summer squash and the ones I bought looked great but were lacking. 

We did have a ton of leftovers but I think it was probably just right as we sent some home w/ all of the visitors, and took some to a friend of mine who had dinner with his kids but ate out.  He lives alone and had no leftovers so he was very happy to get some. In retrospect, I wouldn't change that at all. 

TABLE DECORATIONS: C
The table linens I got from Target were terrific and I envision using them for years.  They toned down the watermelon color on the bottoms of the dining room walls too.  :)  I did not, however, unrumple them.  I also hadn't set the table the day before as planned -- poor DH had to rush to finish decluttering all the paper piles I procrastinated on.  <guilt/shame>  He also had to set the table willy nilly.  Not too proud of that but he was a trooper and did great.  Of course.  So next year: dejunk the dining room well before (!) and set the table a day or two prior.  Lay a sheet over it if need be. 

I did not clean my candlesticks.  They are glass/crystal and are filthy from previous use.  They really were shameful.  I did have 4 taper candles -- the federal style ones I love -- and also got some vanilla-scented pillar candles but forgot to light the one on the sideboard. 

Would have helped to turn the lights down in the dining room.  Would also help to have functional blinds -- the kids have been murder on the metal mini-blinds and they barely work.  I would love to eat w/o feeling as though I were sitting right on the street on display.  :) 

I never did get a centerpiece going.  Need to work on that next year.

Used a flameless short pillar candle on the kids' table.  With a seasonal pinecone/berry candle-ring around it, I swear you could not tell it was a battery candle.  I was really impressed.  $3, Walmart.  Note to self -- get more!  It was even scented.  Did require AAA batteries though, which I luckily had on hand.

KIDS: B
The kids themselves were OK.  They were amped up but did fine.  Thing that worked well: Blessing Mix project.  Went of beautifully and kept them involved.
During dinner, the kids were pretty good.  Aunt A was terrific enough to sit with them at the kids' table so she kept them occupied and under control.  :) 
Bipolar DS had a meltdown with me in a different room -- I pushed him on something and he had a temper tantrum.  We could have both approached that differently but it was pretty short-lived. 
The kids ate and then left the room.  That worked great.  Things were fine and happy until the kids all got together with the adults in the living room where the kids got completely amped and were vying for attention, and the adults were tired and (some of us! *me, cough cough*) were cranking at them.  If we had not drawn them back into the same room with everyone, but instead had a movie or a project in a different room or just let them be, it likely would've been better.  But it was all good.

And boy was it lovely lovely having everyone there.  Very nice family time all around. 

Final To-Do Lists for Thanksgiving: Cooking

How to put this together?  Dinner time tomorrow:  1:30 pm.  Sooo...


1:30 Eat up, Buttercup!
1:15 Saute beans
1:00  Rolls in, Pineapple in, cook carrots, zap beans, bake squash casserole
12:45 Assemble pineapple
12:30 Cook stuffing and put in buttered crock pot on low
12:00 Prep carrots
11:00 Cook potatoes and put into buttered crock pot on low with butter on top
Tonight:  cool cranberry, bake pie, bake cake, chill wine, set table





*Mashed potatoes:  will take 30 min to cook, another 15 to prep (10 and 5)
Scalloped pineapple:  5 min to mix, 30 to cook
Rolls:  need to see
Cranberry:  needs to cool tonight
*Pumpkin pie:  bake tonight
Carrots:  10 min prep, 20 min cook
Beans:  decided to do Steamfresh Whole Green Beans, and then quickly sautee them... so 2 packs, zap for about 5 min each, then 10 min sautee w/ whatever (won't be in the pan that long)
*Stuffing:  decided to put a little sausage in some of it; 10 min prep time (cut onion, celery, brown sausage), cook for about 10 min
*Chocolate cake:  bake tonight
Wine:  put in fridge
Squash casserole: 

Still need to get:
Evaporated milk
Mums
Squash casserole stuff
Bugles
Baggies

Final To-Do Lists for Thanksgiving: Cleaning

Kitchen:

1. Floor is mopped, stripped, re-polished.  YAY!
2. Dishwasher needs emptying; so does drainer.  (Drainboard, however, has been scrubbed.)
3. Paper piles still loom large.  Ack.
4. Countertops still in need of some work.
5. Bench still needs a bit of attention.
6. Fridge still needs cleaning/scrubbing out.

Dining Room:

1. Microwave cart was cleaned out and sent to Goodwill where it will find a new, happy home!  They were happy to see it which is gratifying for a piece of furniture just cluttering up a place.
2. Most of the contents therefrom have been put away.  Finish that.
3. Finish sweeping the floor (did some where the cart was).
4. Still need to unrumple the linens.
5. Need to attack a box of papers.  <shamefaced -- told you it was a downfall>

Living Room:

1. Need to remove dog crate.
2. Need to take tags off throw pillows. (2/$12 at Target -- what a find!)
3. Need to bring up folding chairs for the card table.
4. Need to vacuum floor and one remaining club chair.
5. Need to polish/dust piano.

Bathroom:  Just needs a going-over in the morning.

Family Room:

1. Still needs vacuuming.
2. Still needs some dejunking.
3. Get kids to sort the random assortment of game pieces that need to go back to their homes.

More Breaking News

I am completely excited and thrilled that there will be 10 of us at Thanksgiving dinner here this year.  :)  I can't wait to see everyone!

Breaking News

I must have my Grammy's squash casserole.

I'm not even sure it will wait until Thursday.

That is all.

Thanksgiving is Thursday, OMG!

All right, everyone (me), calm down.  Just calm down.

Let’s do a State of the Household recap:

·         Linens, nicely coordinated thanks to Tarzhay, are on the dining room table (but rumpled) and the adjunct card table (also rumpled – the linens, not the card table)

·         Fridge is a nightmare.  Except for the fruit drawer – it’s lovely.  I washed it in order to stash all the fruit I ordered from the band.  (Why did I not eat that fruit this morning for breakfast instead of sitting here at the Chick-Fil-A parking lot?!  Oh yeah, I’m disorganized and I run late a lot and had to get kid #3 to preschool on time so I bolted without food.  Again.  I need to address my eating habits – I feel another post coming on.)

·         Counters were clear but now are junky again.

·         Dining room is pretty clear except for the massive papers, now nicely corralled in the box waiting for sorting.

·         Living room is a freakin’ war zone.  Biggest thing in there is the dog crate.  Other things are items that need sorting and putting away, and then trash from all the contraband stuff my kids carry in there and eat, unnoticed they think.  (Very sneaky except for the tell-tale wrappers on the floor which the dog then shreds into wrapper confetti.)

·         Kitchen floor – still only half stripped/mopped/polished, but it’s the good half, darn it!

·         Groceries – DH is a rock star and purchased dinners for the nights through and including Wednesday.  I just need to take care of getting the things for whatever I’m left cooking after I subtract out what Mama is cooking plus what I’m cooking but Mama bought at the store trying to be helpful, bless her heart.  (I’m so confused.)

·         Main bath is currently in excellent shape.  I will not hold my breath.

·         Family room is marginal.  I did clean up some stuff (read: clean laundry I never bothered to put away) this morning instead of eating a nutritious breakfast.  (Can you say, addled priorities, Jen?!)

So my takeaway list from all of this:

1.       Clean the family room.

2.       Clean the living room. -- IN PROGRESS, LOOKS PRETTY GOOD

3.       Clear the counters.

4.       List what I’m cooking and buy the ingredients.  Also make a cook schedule.

5.       Nail down the exact meal time.

6.       Sort out dining room papers.  (Now I say this every year, and I still end up stashing these much to my three-months-later chagrin.  I WILL sort before Thanksgiving.)

7.       Clean the fridge to make way for food!

8.       Unrumple linens in dining room.

9.       Determine centerpiece.  (Need to get a gourd or two, or some Indian corn, or some such.)

10.   Clean up the front porch area (ha, I snuck this in didn’t I?!) and purchase some mums to put in the pots out there.

11.   Finish kitchen floor if there’s time.

12.   Patrol main bath.

Thanksgiving Food Update 11-22-10

Let’s revisit the menu, shall we?

Turkey – Mama is cooking this

Mashers – I am cooking these.  Need 5 lb. potatoes, milk (have), butter (have)

Stuffing – I am cooking this.  Have some ingredients (yes I’m using Stovetop – SHHHH) but need to get the celery and onion to sauté in chicken stock and doctor it up).  I do have chicken stock thanks to Mom.

Rolls – DH bought these, thereby protecting his bread interests.

Cranberry Jelly – Mom bought this and sent it up.  Put in fridge before the big day.

Salad – Mama’s doing this

Carrots – need to buy

Green beans – need to buy

Gravy – Mama should have and is doing, double-check

Pumpkin Pie – need to buy crust and pumpkin, make sure I have other ingredients, get Redi-Whip

Chocolate Dessert – pin this down, get ingredients

Appetizers – get nuts and dried cranberries – we’ll eat soon after everyone arrives so really just need munchies

Wine – Have some, get some

Water – get a carafe ready

Juice for kiddos – probably will mix something like pineapple and sierra mist, or something

Sodas – need to replenish

Ice – make sure ice maker is full and working (thanks DH!  (he fixed it – he’s awesome))

Coffee – make sure cream and sugar are ready, I have coffee, big brewer is set and ready to go, should have coffee already, probably get some disposable cups to take it away in so dad-in-law can take some for the road since he’s driving down and back same day

Thanksgiving Blessing Mix Recipe

I'm thinking of making this with my kids for everyone at the Thanksgiving table.  Variations of this are all over the web, but this one is from the Organized Christmas website.  There's a cute tag to print out that goes along with each bag to explain the significance of each item in the mix.

Organized Christmas: Thanksgiving Blessing Mix

 

Thanksgiving Blessing Mix Recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups Bugles brand corn snacks
2 cups small pretzels
1 cup candy corn
1 cup dried fruit bits or raisins
1 cup peanuts or sunflower seeds
1 cup M&Ms-brand chocolate candy
16 Hershey's-brand chocolate kisses
free printable blessing mix gift tags or bag toppers

Directions:
In a large bowl, gently mix all ingredients except Hershey's Kisses.
Place 1/3 to 1/2 cup Thanksgiving Blessing Mix in small cellophane treat bags. Add one Hershey's Kiss to each bag. Close bag with chenille stem or twist-tie.
Print 4 copies of the Thanksgiving Blessings Mix printable gift tag or or bag toppers, or hand-write your own tags with the wording below.

Cut out tags, and attach one to each bag.

Makes 16 Blessing Mix gift bags.

Thanksgiving Planning 11-20

Thanksgiving is all about the dining room.  OK and the kitchen.  My kitchen is ok... the dining room needs help.

Here's how I'd like to see things:

Table seats 6...

• Dress with a table cloth and some nice placemats. 
• Set with china. 
• Put out some sort of centerpiece -- I'm thinking something with leaves and mini pumpkins, something like that.  Pine cones.  We'll see. 
• Set out candles.

Now, I'm having 7 adults and 3 kids, so I need another table.  I usually have fewer people and just stick a card table at the end of the real table, then cover the whole thing with a tablecloth for an awkward, yet functional, way to seat 8. 

What am I goint to do... ?  I gotta think on this a bit, but it'll be the same sort of decor.  Probably minus the candles.  :)

Making Room for Family -- 10 Tips for Maximizing Table Space This Thanksgiving
Small Houses and Holiday Dinners
How To Make Room For Thanksgiving Guests

So my to-dos:

1. Figure out where to seat 4 more people.  -- I'm back.  Card table in adjacent living room with nice tablecloth and decorations.  :)  HAVE THE CARD TABLE SET UP IN D.R. CORNER FOR NOW WITH TABLECLOTH AND PLACEMATS ON IT
2. Pick and clean tablecloths.  GOT THEM
3. Purchase placemats.  GOT THEM
4. Set out china.  IT'S READY
5. Get candlesticks and candles all set.  (Purchase tapers?)

SAT 11/20 PM UPDATE:
I got what I needed at Target.  Everything looks fine on the table, so I just need to run them through the dryer with a damp dishtowel to shake out the wrinkles closer to the big day.  Or iron them.  Whatever.  :)

Still need to figure out a centerpiece, get candles, ...

I found some terrific playlists for Thanksgiving music.  Here they are if you need any ideas. 

NPR: Songs for Stuffing - A Thanksgiving Mix

Good Housekeeping: Thanksgiving Songs Playlist - Music for Thanksgiving Dinner

Agh the Dining Room

All right... truth time.  Now I'm hosting Turkey Day here with my parents, my sister, my father-in-law, my brother-in-law, and the hub and 3 kids. 

Good news... Mom, local, is bringing a lot of stuff including the turkey. 

Bad news... I haven't seen my dining room table since New Years.  There is an *embarrassing* amount of stuff on it.  Under it.  Around it.  <ducking>

Now I'm going to make the shameful list of all the crud in my dining room in an effort to tell myself I can handle this:

1. Piles of paper.  OK no need to go into this in detail... I tamed the paper pile in 10 minutes, so I can handle this.  Maybe.  I will.  At least I'll try.  -- BOXED UP AND WILL GO THROUGH ASAP
2. Plastic bowls that don't fit anywhere right now. 
1. Going to my standard questions: 
1. (a) How often do I use these?  Let's see, I probably use one weekly, one monthly, and the rest, every few months. 
2. (b) Where do I use them?  Kitchen. 
2. So one of these needs to be mid-level in a cabinet, and one needs to be way down or way up, and the rest go to down to storage or up over the fridge or something.
3. Printer.  This will probably live there until Tday and then sit on my bed until time to put it back in the dining room.  :) 
4. File box and box of file folders. -- PUT THESE AWAY IN A F.R. CABINET
   1. Going to my standard questions: 
   1. (a) How often do I use this?  Let's see, I probably haven't used it in months... I was trying to set up a good file system. 
   2. (b) Where do I use them?  Kitchen/Fam Rm. 
   2. So I guess this needs to go down to storage right now, or at least in a hard-to-get-to cabinet in the Fam Rm.
5. 2 trash cans.  (Ummm why?)  Obviously one needs to leave this room and go somewhere it's needed.  One probably needs to be in the corner of the living room?
6. Coffee maker. 
1. Going to my standard questions: 
1. (a) How often do I use this?  Every few months.  I use it for company.  I have a one-cup maker for daily use. 
2. (b) Where do I use it?  Kitchen. 
2. So it needs to go to storage.
7. Rice maker -- GOING TO STORAGE PANTRY FOR NOW
   1. Going to my standard questions: 
   1. (a) How often do I use this?  Every few months. 
   2. (b) Where do I use it?  Kitchen. 
   2. So it needs to go to storage.
8. Christmas dishes.  (OK I'm keeping it real here.  This is awful.  Yes out from last Christmas.)
   1. Going to my standard questions: 
   1. (a) How often do I use this?  About two months a year. 
   2. (b) Where do I use it?  Kitchen. 
   2. So they need to go to storage most of the year, but from Thanksgiving until Christmas, they go into the kitchen cabinet and the other dishes go to storage in their place? 
9. Too much furniture.  Two pieces at least should go.
10. Camping stuff I never put away a few months ago.  AGH  PUT IN STORAGE
1. Going to my standard questions: 
1. (a) How often do I use this?  One season a year -- summer
2. (b) Where do I use it?  Um, camping. 
2. So it needs to go to storage -- totally needs to go to the camping storage space.
11. We're not even going to talk about the living room adjacent.  That's another post. 

Thanksgiving Recipes

All right, Thanksgiving Dinner.  Let me post these recipes to satisfy the Thanksgiving part of the Recipes list in the holiday planning process.

Scalloped Pineapple

1 can crushed pineapple (20 oz or 2 ½ cups)
¾ cup sugar
2 T cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1 t. vanilla
¼ c. water

Mix all ingredients and pour into a buttered 1 quart casserole dish.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and dot with butter. 

Bake 1 hr. (or until firm)  350 degrees

Libby’s Pumpkin Pie (from the website)

Level: Easy

·         Prep: 15 min

·         Cooking: 55 min

·         Cooling time: 2 hrs cooling

·         Yields: 8 servings

Ingredients

·         3/4 cup granulated sugar

·         1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

·         1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

·         2 large eggs

·         1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

·         1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk

·         1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell

·         Whipped cream (optional)

conversion calculator

Directions

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Mashed Potatoes -- The big debate.  We're having the plain kind, on page 5 of this pdf.  (This is where I got the idea to keep them warm in a crockpot.)
 http://www.leanneely.com/Free_Thanksgiving.pdf
I love Leanne Ely's Saving Dinner recipes. 
Here's her personal site which has a ton of Thanksgiving leftovers recipes:  http://www.leanneely.com/category/holiday/thanksgiving/
Here's the Saving Dinner site.  You can buy all sorts of menu plans with shopping lists and recipes.  (I love the smoothies!) 
http://savingdinner.com/go-shopping/

And for grins, here are the potatoes I like but I'm not making this year.  These are either Leanne's or Flylady's -- I got them from the Fly site (http://www.flylady.com/) one time.  They're to die for!

Easy Party Potatoes
Serves 12

5 pounds potatoes -- mashed
1/2 pint sour cream*
1 8-ounce package cream cheese*
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons butter
Paprika for garnish.

*using low fat varieties of these products happily does not change the end result!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To the mashed potatoes, add everything and beat until fluffy (be careful not to go too far with the beating or you will develop glutinous, wallpaper paste textured potatoes).

Place potato mixture into a lightly greased 2-quart casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes or so.

Garnish the top with paprika and serve.

Planning Lists, Part I

Based on this list of lists, LOL, I'm going to do some holiday planning.
Here's the link, because this is word for word:  Additude magazine: Planning for the Holidays by Marla Cilley

List 1:  Holiday Traditions -- I need to ask the kids and the hub what they all love about Christmas.  Since I ask them every year, I'll just take some guesses right now.  Also, need to explore Turkeyday.

Thanksgiving

1. Eh, it's all about the dinner. 
2. Every year, I think I'm going to have the kids help me make little packets of Blessing Mix and give them out to friends and family, but we never do.  Maybe this year?

Christmas

1. Going to church on Christmas Eve.
2. Giving everyone cocoa and cookies, blasting Christmas music, and driving around to see the lights.
3. We gift-wrap a bunch of Christmas storybooks and open one and read it each day starting Dec 1. 
4. Gotta make candy/cookies at some point.  Musts:  mint-brownies, fondant pinwheels, buckeyes, fudge...

List 2:  Holiday Menus and Recipes --

Thanksgiving

1. Turkey -- we have a 5-person family and usualy only have 2 guests.  I like to have some leftovers but none of us love love love brown meat and even though it's nontraditional, what works out best is a cooked turkey breast.  My favorites have been the Butterball ones that come in the bag that you cook them in -- the boneless ones with gravy.  (Pausing for the outcries against this.)  To salvage the presentation, I've sliced it and put it on a platter.  It looks nice that way -- nicer still with some good garnish.  (I've done all kinds of turkeys -- my favorite-tasting one was the Rachael Ray recipe with the herbs under the skin.)
2. Mashers -- I like the kind w/ sour cream and cream cheese and butter mixed in.  My better half prefers plain but would not say so until pressed.  I'll do plain.  I like to do them early and keep them warm in the crockpot (on low) w/ a lot of butter and a buttered crock.
3. Green beans -- best ones were fresh, steamed and then seasoned.  We'll see.
4. Carrots -- my bro-in-law loves these.
5. Scalloped pineapple -- a warm pineapple-y casserole.  My family has it for Thanksgiving and Christmas every year.  Must have.
6. Rolls -- I've accepted that either the frozen dough ones or the Sister Schubert ones are the way to go.
7. Pumpkin Pie -- for the hub and his daddy-o.
8. Chocolate something-or-other -- for the rest of us.  :)  I've done apple pies, pumpkin choc chip cheesecakes... but we might just do something different and all chocolate this year.
9. Standard Issue Ocean Spray Cranberry Jelly -- we all love it.  All of us. 
10. Beverages -- assorted

List 3:  Gifts

1. I'm making my list and checking it twice. 
2. Do you really think I'm going to post this on here?  People would know what they're getting!
3. Every year I do make a spreadsheet w/ a code name (stop peeking people) and list the budget for each person, then put in what I plan to get and then mark when I get it and deduct the price from the per-person budget so I stay within it and keep track of gifts.  This is the only way I can manage it.
4. One year I had all my shopping done by Dec 1.  One year.  Every other year?  Up into the wee hours of Christmas Eve.  And even if I have it bought, it ain't wrapped.  Goal:  Change that.  It really wrecks me to do that last minute.  And then have to call my sister surreptitiously to borrow extra wrap because I run out.

List 4:  Dates To Put on Your Calendar

1. Neighborhood party -- TBD
2. Christmas pageant at church
3. Christmas program at preschool
4. Last day of school for everyone
5. Thanksgiving days off for everyone
6. Time off from work!
7. What dates family is visiting
8. Any dates friends are visiting
9. Plus-one's office party -- TBD
10. Any dr. appointments in December -- I always forget those!
11. Any haircuts -- those too!
12. What am I forgetting?

My Plan

After all that deliberation, here is The Plan (du jour!)... it's the Flylady Plan on Additude...
I'll be deviating from it, I'm sure, tweaking it, but it involves making four lists.  Here's the link, because this is word for word:  Additude magazine: Planning for the Holidays by Marla Cilley

List 1:  Holiday Traditions

List 2:  Holiday Menus and Recipes

List 3:  Gifts

List 4:  Dates To Put on Your Calendar


That should cover the planning part.

As for the housework, I have a bunch of good links, but right now, I'm looking at about 105 minutes (but who's counting?!) until my other two kids come home, so I need to just jump on in and get something done.

I'm starting in the family room -- join me!  (In your family room not mine, silly!)

Grab these:

• Big trash bag
• Hamper
• Laundry basket or cardboard box
• Broom/vacuum
• Duster or dust cloth
• Window cleaner and cloth

1. Dishes:  Grab any dishes and put them in the kitchen dishwasher or sink.  Neatly.  Go!
2. Laundry:  Grab any dirty clothes, dishtowels your toddler has dragged in, stray socks, bathing suits in November, and put them in the hamper.  Pronto!
3. Trash:  Throw everything you see that's tossable in the trash bag or recycling bin.  Count pieces and see if you can get to 15! 
4. Clutter:  If you see something that belongs in another room, toss it in the laundry basket (not the one holding your laundry, another one) or cardboard box.  Go!
5. Papers:  Quick, grab any paperwork that isn't trash and put it in The Dreaded Paper Pile.  (Mine is in the kitchen.)

I'm off to do these things.  I'll post more later.

Choosing A Plan

I just came to the conclusion, standard for me, that I need a Plan. Something with bullets, numbers, X Easy Steps to Goal. Goal, in this case, being a neater house and some holiday prep.

Let's see what's out there, shall we?

OMG I just noticed Organized Christmas has FOUR of them! Am I enchanted or afraid? Both! (Fear the Plan!)

Choice #1:  Woman's Day: Countdown-To-Holiday-Planner
Woman's Day Countdown

Choice #2:  Organized Christmas:  Christmas Countdown
Organized Christmas: Christmas Countdown

Choice #3:  Organized Christmas:  Holiday Grand Plan
Organized Christmas: Holiday Grand Plan

Choice #4:  Organized Christmas:  Houseworks Holiday Plan
Organized Christmas: Houseworks Holiday Plan

Choice #5:  Organized Christmas:  Rudolph Club
Organized Christmas: Rudolph Club

Choice #6:  Flylady: Cruising Through the Holidays
Flylady: Cruising Through the Holidays

Let's pause a second there. WHEW! That sure seems like a lot of choices.  I'm overwhelmed. I'm going to take a potty break and then fix my preschooler some lunch and I'll be back to finish this... <Mommy hits "pause button" on blog writing>

OK I'm back and I've been having an internal war about whether to hijack my own posts within the post or to post a separate post for tangential things that pop up and involve more than 1-2 sentences... What do you think? Let me know. I think I'll have to do a separate thing -- so, note to self:  post a quick post about self-care. Stick a pin in this post (i.e. "save it") and come right back and finish it after the digression...

OK I did an interruption post, a second unedited off-the-cuff chat.

Let's resolve this, because my Inner Grownup says that I need to stop dreaming and start doing soon, and also, eat an apple, willya?!

Timing is going to be the big thing. It's already November 12 and I think some of these plans started Oct 15. Also I'm primarily interested, at the moment, in making some progress on the actual housekeeping.  Hmm. 

I sense more choices:

Choice #7:  Additude Magazine's Planning for the Holidays
Additude: Planning for the Holidays

Choice #8:  Additude Magazine's Making Three Lists and Checking Them a Lot
Additude: Making Three Lists and Checking Them a Lot

Hmmm.  Lots to ponder.  Let me go over them and I'll be back... talk amongst yourselves...

Rudolph Club is an all year thing.  Woman's Day thing started in Oct.  Holiday Grand Plan, in August.  Ditto the Houseworks plan.  And the Holiday Cruising on Flylady?  They're on Mission #20 today, I think.

Sigh.  Late for the party.

I think all of these are definitely terrific but I'm not going to lie to myself and say I'll get caught up by doing 2 days at a time. I'll go nuts. This, I've learned. The first and second Additude Magazine articles, one by the Flylady herself, could hybridize to work well for me.  Maybe I'll throw a bit of all the others into the soup as I go along... goal right now though is to get going on planning and start cleaning the house!

Interruption: Self Care

I'm in the midst of the post about choosing A Plan. And I realize that I am completely running myself into the ground by letting my right brain/Inner Brat-Kiddie-Princess (Pam Young: Meet Your Inner Kiddie) have full control over my life. This, for me, is akin to letting a four-year-old run the house completely.

What it means literally is that I have done something I never do: kept my child home from preschool with me this morning in order to have something I do once in awhile -- have a What-the-Hell Day. It's noon and I'm in my screamin' loud plaid flannel lounge pants, a filthy heather-gray tee, laptop on, shoes off, homemade mocha by my side, no breakfast or lunch in me...

I have gotten so caught up in this new blogging fun that I have neglected to (a) eat or (b) join the Real World (which is the one outside of my own head). OK I do have one toe in the Real World -- my son and I are chatting back and forth when the mood strikes him. (He's puttering around playing, watching Dora... we're relaxing. Except he's dressed. In actual Daytime Clothes.)

I have decided that I need protein post-haste. I have a spoonful of peanut butter and will eat a piece of fruit to balance it out shortly. Promise.

Also, re the reality check: I need to remember that as fun as it is poking around on these holiday countdown plans (my sick version of fun), I need to actually DO SOME HOUSECLEANING instead of just tripping in my own space thinking my dreamy thoughts. I am a mom.  I have kids. I have a life. Back to the ranch...

The Holidays are coming! The Holidays are coming!

OK so this is my very first blog. I think I may just have joined the new millineum, many years late.  See, this is not new for me, this lateness thing. I am bumbling my way through this world, a dreamy writer-chic somewhat successfully disguised as A Regular Mom. I never live up to my own standards -- probably never will -- but somehow, we get through it intact. My kids get to school each day, dressed and (mostly) prepared and are pretty happy there. My husband and I make it to work (I'm a part-timer and a part-time freelance article writer). We pay the bills. We manage to scrape together some semblance of family life and household functioning in this nutty world. And we usually take it all much too seriously.

See, we have a few quirks. My eldest child of three has been diagnosed with juvenile bipolar disorder. He was actually diagnosed early -- thankfully -- but that's another post. He also has ADHD -- and so do I. We're creative types, don't ya know? So you can imagine the challenges that must face all five of us -- and let's be real, here, me as the anti-by-nature-June-Cleaver -- in mid-November, knee-deep in school projects and field trips and facing the upcoming holidays with false bravado.

I thought for my first series of posts, I'd blog about trying to get the hut into shape. I have no delusions of transforming us into something from Better Homes and Gardens, say, or Southern Living. I'd just like to be able to find the kitchen table -- and maybe the one in the dining room in time for Thanksgiving Dinner.

At this stage, you need to know two things about me. (1) I must always have a plan. (2) You must always expect that I can and will drop the plan if and when a different whim strikes.

That disclaimer set, let's make some goals here:

1.  Find out what things are most meaningful to my family about Thanksgiving and Christmas, and strive to enjoy those things in a peaceful manner instead of driving myself and my poor family through them holding tightly to the reins of perfectionism.

2.  Get the house in decent *enough* shape that we don't (a) trip over anything and wind up in the ER, (b) we can have someone stop by and actually be allowed *in* the house where I can carry on a conversation without being drowned out by the critic in my head shouting about what a mess the house is, and (c) we can find the gifts and foods that we manage to purchase and bake prior to the end of December.

I think I'll stop there, ha. If I can pull off at least #1, I'm golden. Dare I dream of #2? See my feeling is that getting the house in a bit more order will make #1 easier, so I'm going to work on that premise a bit.

Flylady is my gal. She's the patron saint of disorganized moms, especially right-brained, creative ones. So I'll be sure to use some of her advice.  Flylady Website  I find that there's so much info on her website that it's tough to figure where to start, but I've worked the program long enough to know the basics and to realize it works when I do the stuff. I've also realized that I can't manage the emails, so I don't get them at the moment. Like everything, that could change.

I'm a sucker for any type of Holiday Plan, Grand Countdown, etc. Give me some numbered, bulleted steps and I feel the order I crave even if I don't carry them through as written. It's a start. The rest is just living. So which plan to choose? There are a thousand. I think this will be the subject for post #2, which I'll write right now because I'm nothing if not erratic and impatient to start. Also, I'm off work today, so no time like the present.