Remember when I said I want to slow down? Well, I do. It’s just not been as easy as I’d idealistically imagined. I am still finding moments to roll in leaf piles with my kids and curl up with hot chocolate while dust bunnies gather in my corners. Maybe it’s all the Christmas decorations that are out and around my house that make it feel more overwhelming. Or make me think with all the shiny pretty that it’s okay not to vacuum. Whatever it is, I feel behind. I know I just have to let go and take a yoga class or something to relax about it all.

photo credit: MiiiSH

Ohm.

On with some really inspiring links!

Skimp on the Unimportant so You Can Spend on What Matters

Becoming Frugal is Like Quitting Smoking

How Little Changes Can Add Up To Thousands Of Saved Dollars

Activities for Children During the Holidays

1st Annual Christmas “Do Not” List

8 Homemade Gifts in a Jar With Free Printable Gift Tags

Examining Expectations: You Are Not the Jones

Saving on Shipping Packages

Small Steps

Top Referrers
The top 10 referrers to Remodeling This Life in November were

My Two Dollars
Nesting Place
The Inspired Room
A Soft Place To Land
Simple Mom
Down To Earth
On Simplicity
Small Notebook
Paid Twice
Hooked on Houses

Thank you to all of you for the traffic you send my way, I appreciate each and every referral.

Just for fun, the top 5 articles by views for the month of November were:

It’s Not Savings Unless You Save It
DIY Projects to Save Money at Home
At This Moment
Little Moments of Productivity
Unexpected

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

I remember always loving the advent calendar my family had when I was a child. It’s one thing I have yet to implement in my family each year, although I always have thought of it but just been too hurried, lazy, something to do it.

This year, I am only a few days late but finally got to it. I wanted to make one with my kids with stuff we had at home. I did a little online searching and found an idea for using a cookie sheet and making a magnetic one. It looked fun and easy and I saw a few different whimsical styles. All I had to do was go to the store and get some magnets to stick my numbers to. I bought $2 magnetic tape. That is where my project when terribly wrong.

I spray painted my cookie sheet. I glued down my background paper. I horrifically wrote out December. I made my grid. I even made my first magnet number and then…oops…the magnetic tape I bought was not nearly strong enough to work on my cookie sheet with paper on it. *sigh*

Wanting to remain in the spirit of our project and remember it’s supposed to be fun and doesn’t have to be perfect, I kept making number magnets. And my daughter happily stuck each one on the refrigerator in order. We had a great time, it was fun and creative. Instead of getting stressed out and giving up because my first idea didn’t work, or going back to the store to spend $12 on heavier duty magnets, I decided just to keep having fun and doing it with what we had.

We now have an advent calendar on our fridge and I think it’s really cute. I put all the numbers up to take this picture but we’ll be putting the magnets in a basket on top of the fridge and the kids can put a new one up each day.

I am so glad that this project turned out this way. It was a perfect example of what I am hoping for this holiday season. Time with my family, embracing imperfection, and focusing on the true spirit of the season.

I have already shared a few of the simple holiday decorating that I’ve done.

I thought that I would share a few more little things I have done. Nothing spectacular or original, because let’s be honest…when all I’m working with is some ribbon and some shiny ornaments, how original can one be? But it’s all simple and pretty and adds a little festive around my house.

First, I love how this looks and it’s really easy. Just ball up a string of white lights and put them inside glass block and drill a hole for the cord. Hubby tells me I should put some disclaimer about drilling into glass block. Like any of you would hold ME responsible if you shattered glass everywhere. I know you wouldn’t do that. So here it is

Next, I took this potted fake…stuff…and took it apart

and did this with it instead

Before I started my projects, I got everything out that I was going to use and set it all aside. While I was doing that urn project, my kids took of with the birdcage I was going to use so when I went to use it, I found it like this

and had to free all the toys and cage up some ornaments

I set this up in my kitchen, using a cake stand with some ornaments on it, and a little urn thingy that I filled with big jingle bells.

On my kitchen counter, I filled glass jars - one with coffee beans and one with hot chocolate mix - and put some red ribbon around them. Took a small scrap of wood and spray painted it and put the ho ho ho on it and some ribbon around the corners. Filled those little terracotta painted black pots with mini ornaments and it’s a little festivity in the kitchen. The kitchen is black, white and red so it’s all cute and matchy matchy.

As you can see, none of this was even remotely complicated. Mostly it just involved putting ornaments in and on things or putting ribbon on stuff. Oh and drilling through glass. Simple!

Happy Holiday Decorating!

Yes, you read that right. I know most of you probably think this time of year is headache inducing, stressful, hurried and busy. It doesn’t have to be. If anything, this time of year should be more relaxing, simple and slow. Whatever holiday it is you celebrate, at the heart of it all is love, family, gratitude, and reflection. It doesn’t have to be a month filled with chaos, overspending, and stress.

I am planning a very quiet holiday season with family and friends. I am looking forward to it because I am going to make it what I envision - small, quiet, relaxing. Throughout the month of December, I will be posting ideas for recipes, gifts, decorations and more, and at the heart of all of them is that it’s okay to be imperfect, it’s okay to not spend a lot of money and it’s okay to embrace simplicity at this time of year.

I am encouraging myself and you to take time to bake and get flour in your hair, take time for a weekend nap when you should be stamping holiday cards, take time to read stories and watch movies as a family. Also, remind yourself that it’s okay to say no if you have too much on your plate. It’s also okay to ask others to help you with what you need to get done. My goal is to make it to January 2nd and look back on this month knowing it was time well spent with my family, focused on the things that truly matter and have meaning in my life.

What do you hope for the holiday season? Do you want quiet and relaxing or do you love the hustle and bustle and chaos? Whatever makes your heart happy, I hope you’ll be sure to celebrate it over the next month.