Christmas is coming...

This is the time of year I love. It is so fun to begin the holiday season shopping at christmas bizaars for gifts, wrapping up the goodies and decorating the house. It has started to snow and although I don't love it I tolerate the early snows of the year much better than those storms in May. I am excited to travel to see our oldest daughter and our family that lives in Utah.

I've really been enjoying my iPad. I need to find a way to limit myself online.. But it is so portable and useful. I downloaded a kindle app and now have instant access to hundreds of free books and those that aren't free are only a click away. Sigh. My kids put their itunes selections on my ipad so i have plenty of music and I get to check my email and go to my favorite blogs for ideas, all while lounging in my pj's on my bed.

Lazy..that's what I've become...

I've come upon some really awesome mom blogs. Hints for money saving and projects and tutorials. Sometimes it makes me dizzy and my unmotivated self thinks of how I would write a mom how to blog. Here is how I save money. First...buy an ugly yet serviceable piece of furniture. ( like my downstairs mega couch) for a very reasonable price ($75). Then..keep it for years and be content. Don't waste time trying to make it over with furniture slip covers or throw pillows...( okay..maybe make a throw pillow or two because you just have to)..but just be happy knowing you aren't going into debt for furniture and you can now spend every penny on clothing and feeding your children and taking them to sports tournaments. Inspiring ...isn't it in it's simplicity.

Another example would be vehicles. Don' t price reasonable used vehicles to buy...just drive your vehicle you have had since 1998 until it explodes. Don't waste money on repairing cracked windows or paint dings. DO regularly change the oil. Tell your kids that even though it's embarrassing to be seen in old junky cars...it does free up money for other things. ( like food, clothing and sports tournaments).

But a blog such as this would not be popular. Oh well.

But back to Christmas. Another way I like to simplify and save money and most of all sanity is to have years where we go on trips with no gifts. Creating wonderful memories in amazing places like Disneyland (2008) and McCall..this year is actually more expensive than a traditional Christmas...but the trip plus lots of gifts would be too much. I may be presenting an inaccurate picture of myself.. I spend plenty of money on things..I'm not quite the spendthrift I'm portraying in this post...I live for my lunches out and I can online shop with the best of them and at Christmas I do love to buy gifts.

We are so excited for holidays with family. We are blessed with so much and this is a great time of year to remember that. Can't wait to see my girl!