Monthly Musings

Hello and happy Thursday!

Patty and Holly are hosting Monthly Musings a week early due to the holidays next week. I’m excited to link up with them one more time in 2024!

This month’s topic is…last minute holiday tips/prepping for the new year…

1. What do you do about list minute gifts you forgot to buy?

Thank goodness for Amazon! Usually for me, I’m making a final list of things like gift cards and small stocking stuffers that I can pick up at the grocery store or Target.

2. Favorite last minute holiday recipe?

I love to drizzle honey over a wedge of Brie and serve with crackers. Easy and delish!

3. Favorite part of the holiday season so far?

It was nice baking cookies with my brother’s kids last weekend.

I also always love giving and receiving Christmas cards in the mail. I will share ours next week!

4. Best stocking stuffers/small gift?

I always give Trav and the kids gift cards to their favorite places like Starbucks and Chik-fil-A. I always put candy in their stockings too.

Usually, the kids get socks or underwear, and a new toothbrush. (I’m not a regular mom, I’m a cool mom!) haha!

I also get Hayden baseball cards, gloves, something for running, Chapstick and other odds and ends.

For Hadley, she will get gloves, lip gloss, hair ties, pens and a few other little things.

I’m also known for buying too many things for the stocking –and then they don’t fit!

5. Favorite holiday sweet treat?

Cookies, of course!

6. Will you make a new year’s resolution?

No, but as December winds up, I usually commit to January for getting back on track. For the first time in quite a long time, I “fell off the wagon” in regards to working out. After fall break, I just didn’t make time for working out. Then, after daylight savings, I just loved coming home, putting on my pjs, turning on the Christmas tree and just being at home.

Thankfully, I haven’t gone off the rails with eating, but you know –’tis the season for sweet treats.

In January, I’m going to get back to a 20 minute workout plan that I love to get back in the swing of things.

7. Do you use a planner?

The only actual planner I use is my school planner for lesson plans.

I have a desk calendar at school that I use to write down meetings, bus duty, appointments and kids’ activities. I have most of those same things on my phone calendar.

I also have this magnetic calendar on the fridge, so the kids know when they have practice and also what’s for dinner! (and they can add to grocery list)

8. Stay up until midnight or asleep before the ball drops?

I shared in yesterday’s post that the past few years, we’ve joined a progressive dinner with some of our friends in our neighborhood. We start out at a house for appetizers, then have dinner followed by dessert at a few different houses.

9. What do you do on New Year’s Day?

We’re usually at home clinging to whatever rest and downtime we have until the end of break. This year, we don’t go back until January 7th, so we have a week at home before heading back to reality.

Usually, I make some appetizers and we just hang out at home and watch college football bowl games.

10. Are you taking time off in December?

I’m really grateful to have a built in two weeks off from school break. I feel blessed that I have this time off and usually try to just hang out at home as much as possible, go see a movie, do a “purge” or the house and prep for the second semester of school.

Are you ready for Christmas?