It's December!

It's December! Are you ready for your year end holiday festivities?

I did get more accomplished in the last days of November and feeling really good. No stress!

The most exciting accomplishment was finishing up nearly ALL of my shopping! I just have one gift to order from Amazon after I receive a recently ordered gift card. And I will pick up the final stocking stuffers at the grocery store when I shop this week.

I wrapped more gifts as they arrived in the mail. And I need to make note here that next year, I need to set up my gift wrap center like I did four years ago. It was up on a craft table. Wrapping on the floor is for younger more flexible people! Ha.

We did more baking. And yes, I purchased the ingredients to do so as well. We made ginger crinkle cookies. Originally I just made one batch, but after I made them realized that I likely made two last year to use up all the molasses. I need to remember this next year as well. I will note this in my planner. So a couple days later we made another batch. We also made some chocolate caramel pretzels. They were tedious and messy to make. They taste great, but we will likely never make them again. We still have two other cookies to make in the coming week or two.

Separate from Christmas preparations, I made our meal plan for most of December. This is so valuable to me this time of year. I tend to be thinking of so many additional things that basic planning for meals can be forgotten and then cause us to pick up more fast food. This is not good for my body or our wallet.  I do currently have one night planned to eat out because that will be enjoyable and a nice break from making food at home. And it is now budgeted, too!

And finally, I've been staying on top of cleaning here at our home this week. I have abandoned zone cleaning for December and will pick back up in January. This month, I'm just making a point of spending short amounts of time on something that needs to be cleaned. This week, I wiped down appliances while waiting for water to bowl. Another day I washed a comforter and sheets. I also had help yesterday to clean floors. I vacuumed and my husband did the hardwoods. There isn't really a plan, other than mentally making a point to do something. I already expect I will clean bathrooms tomorrow. And I think I will dust another day this week, probably while listening to Christmas music! Oh, and before I go to the store, I will wipe the shelves inside the refrigerator!

I hope you are getting what you need and want done. It is a busy time of year, make sure to be kind to yourself and take breaks.