Rocking Around the Christmas Tree

I love decorating gingerbread houses, but they don't always work out the right way. In fact, I've had some complete disasters! I haven't given up on the dream, but needed to make it easier.
Enter this brilliant idea from the Frugal Girls on Pinterest (are you on there? I'm Mommydom-come join the fun!). Decorating ice cream cones. Can we say awesome??? And easy?? You need: Ice cream cones Frosting Candy to decorate Spread frosting on the cone. Decorate with candies. That's it. Easy peasy kid friendly fun!

New Years Resolution

I don't do resolutions. Generally speaking, resolutions don't work. It's setting yourself up for failure, quite honestly. I am all about intentions though.
At the start of yoga practice, you are supposed to set an intention for your practice. It could be something as extreme as world peace or as quiet as inner peace. There is a website where you can upload your intentions: http://www.intent.com and sometimes when I'm stuck, it can be motivating.
Way back when I would come up with these sweeping, life changing ideas and by February I would be back on the couch with my two best friends, Ben & Jerry. Just by tweaking it, intention vs. Resolution, I'm much more successful.
For 2012, I intend to do lots of things. I intend for my business to take off. I intend to write another book. I intend to practice 365 days of yoga. I intend on following my bliss, wherever that takes me. I intend to make healthy eating and increased movement a priority. I intend to demolish the walls I've built around me and let my spirit soar. I intend to listen to that still small voice more often. Most of all, I intend to say no more often: if it doesnt fit into my life plan, then it's a no. If you do not support my life plan, then you are a no. If you are a food that isn't good for me, then you are a no.
Setting an intention rather than a resolution can transform your way of thinking about goals for the new year.
I even like to make my intentions as part of New Year's decorating by writing them on the centerpiece. In fact the whole family does, by making tissue paper flowers.

To do it, you need
Tissue paper (I get mine at the $ store or you can recycle from Christmas)
Pipe cleaners
Scissors
Markers

You can either cut the tissue paper in circles or squares. You need 8-10 per flower.
Write intention on tissue paper squares.
Stack
Accordion pleat your stack.
In the middle of your stack, attach a pipe cleaner.
Fluff out your flower by opening the pleats.
Display in a vase

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUWF6fAAtWI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

O Christmas Tree

I love to decorate for the holidays.

Some people shop on Black Friday. For me, its the day I get to decorate. Its a great way to burn off Thanksgiving pounds, and to get things done uninterrupted. Throughout the grand plan, I have had a chance to deep clean each of the rooms in my house, so I am ready for the decorations.

The totes come out of the hole.

I have wall art.

Decor

My snowmen collection.

And of course, the tree.

I have a few favorite ornaments.

celebrating our first married Christmas

little man decorated, age 5-our first Christmas as a family

an ornament my grandmother made

Then, its really the holidays.