Life is Better with Snow

Follow

December is always one of my worst months for blogging. I set the bar so high and start off strong and as the holidays approach, Christmas shopping, wrapping and eating get the best of me. Although I missed a few goals, I achieved others that weren't on the list.

I managed to crank out the Chaos-Free Christmas Manual for my readers. Check that out as a handy dandy resource for all of your holiday planning. Pair it with My Ultimate Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Guide for a conquer all strategy before Easter gets the best of you. It's not as far away as you think.

I also churned out 65 unique, handmade Christmas cards. No two cards were alike! They hit the mail a little late, thanks to a bout of the flu, but better late than never.

I signed up for an intense 10 week study program to really get my butt in gear for the ARE. Overall, don't expect a lot of new writing, but keep your eyes posted on my Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter for shares of old posts, recipes that I'm trying, the occasional quick update and my resurfacing in the spring. Until then, enjoy my January freebies!

Chaos-Free Christmas Countdown - 3 Days

Follow

The house is clean, the groceries are ordered and the cookies are baked. There is not much left to do but wrap gifts. Block out some time in the evening tonight and tomorrow to get through the pile without going crazy. Recruit help when possible from your hubby and tiny humans...make it a family affair! Strategize your wrapping based on who you are seeing and when you are seeing them. Have a Christmas Eve exchange? Start there...end (or don't bother) with the gifts you are mailing or exchanging after the New Year.

Chaos-Free Christmas Countdown - 4 Days

Follow

We're in the home stretch...hopefully the house is cheery and bright, free of dust and smells of delicious cookies (that are hidden out of the reach of rumbling bellies).

Today is all about you. T-Minus 4 Days is the midpoint in the one week countdown. Take a break and treat yo'self.

Chaos-Free Christmas Countdown - 5 Days

Follow

Hopefully by now your T Minus 7 Days and T Minus 6 Days Checklists are all checked off, the side dishes are prepped and a batch of cookies is put away.

Luckily for both of us, the Monday is pretty easy. It's just time to decorate. Stop, I know what you're thinking. "Decorating for Christmas takes days, weeks." Well, this isn't Christmas. The motto of the Ultimate Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Guide: Decor is "If you don't have it, don't go buy it". This saves money, time and ultimately the headache of trying to head to the store the week of a holiday. So work within your attic, storage closet or your backyard! Head over to my Christmas Pinterest board for inspiration, but here are some of my favorites. Customize them to what you have packed away.

Chaos-Free Christmas Countdown - 6 Days

Follow

The key to a smooth and easy Chaos-Free Christmas is leveraging your free time this throughout the week and weekend for prep. Use lunch breaks to run last minute errands when the stores are less crowded. Recipe prep in the evening while dinner is cooking and the kitchen is already messy.  It seems early to start cooking, but that's what your freezer is for! Focus on prepping and freezing the dishes that can stand the cold to minimize your cooking on Christmas morning. Watch the daily guide for thawing instructions later in the week!