Lacking in Christmas Spirit

You can't say I'm not trying- the Christmas music plays, pine-scented candles burn (to make up for our fake tree's lack of scent), and I'm drinking a hot chai tea.  All the elements are there, but I'm just not feelin' it.  "It" being that warm, endorphin-filled holiday rush that I usually feel.  Being a psych major and a sorta reflective person, I just can't stop thinking about WHY this is happening.  After analyzing a little bit, here's my conclusion. (Sadly, I think this list reveals how superficial my "Christmas Spirit" has been in past years.)

1.  The Baby-  Every day is a whirlwind of feeding, nursing, cooking, and changing, and there hasn't been much time to veg out in front of "Elf", window shop, or bake Christmas cookies.  This is a pathetic excuse, since I know mommy's of 4 kids who do all this stuff, and much more.  I guess I'm just a wuss!

• then I realize, shouldn't having a baby fill me with even more Christmas spirit as I think about the story of baby Jesus, come to save sinners like me?  How helpless and innocent He was, yet filled with the power and glory of God?  Whoa, that's pretty crazy.

2.  Our Super Strict Budget-  which prevents me from enjoying all those little holiday splurges, like buying myself a new scarf and sparkly red nail polish just because, purchasing special ornaments for the tree, stopping by Coffee Bean for a daily dose of liquid sugar (aka Winter Dream Tea lattes).  I'm also being less extravagant with gifts, and that's no fun.

• then I realize, this gives me an excuse to be creative and resourceful with my splurges- make my own tea lattes, craft my own decor and gifts, and just borrow cute Winter clothes and nail polish from my rich friends (not really kidding here.)  And I just need to remember Chico and the goal. 

3.  The Paleo Diet- Christmas is all about the food, right?  Baked goods, peanut brittle, fudge, yummmm.  And although I'm no perfectionist when it comes to this diet, I can't go buck wild on this stuff without feeling really guilty and physically ill.  Yes, that's one things about the Paleo diet- my sugar tolerance has gone way down and my stomach immediately starts to cramp up if I eat a cupcake.   

• then I realize, there's nothing wrong with REAL FOOD.  How cool would it be to come up with healthy holiday treats that I can make every year?  I sometimes feel sorry for how "treat deprived" Siena is, but really she has no idea what she's missing and she loves absolutely everything under the sun, including beef hearts and cod liver oil. 

I guess Christmas has a deeper meaning beyond treats and sparkles and Tim Allen movies.  I always knew that, but I'm just now starting to get it.  Even if I'm not "feelin' it", it doesn't change what objectively happened that Christmas day long ago. Christ was sent to Earth as the long-awaited Savior, born to die for our sins.  This truth isn't warm and fuzzy, but it does fill my heart with true joy. The two don't always go hand in hand.

waiting for our friend to walk down the aisle

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Instafriday #1

Linking up with Jeannett at Life Rearranged for Instafriday!  This gives me the chance to unload all the warm fuzzy moments captured via cell phone pics from the week. I'll try to do this regularly, mostly because I've been awful at keeping my baby book (even though Angel gave me the most lovely album) and I figure I should at least store some memories here.  Hopefully the internetz will still be around when she's older :)

starbucks date with my big sis

 breakfast leftovers for lunch, with lots of gouda on top

the gorilla crawl- sisi's preferred mode of transport

 baby toes

 flip flops in december

another upcycling project- added ruffles to an otherwise blah baby shirt

 liver lips

 remembering when it was just the three of us

 baby's first balloon

 strollin'

 stopping to smell the flowers

pretty much getting used to how messy babies are

We're off on a mini road trip to Berkeley for a wedding.  We've stockpiled sardines, canned salmon, and hard boiled eggs and are hoping for the best!  Enjoy the weekend!

  

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Make It New: Pajama Stockings

As you now know, I make lists before I buy anything. A Christmas stocking for Siena tops my latest list. By some mind trick, instead of that retail therapy high I used to get from buying things, I now get a rush from finding ways to NOT buy things.    Joe jokingly said I should just use some of her old baby clothes piled up in the garage to make a stocking.  An excellent idea, hubs!

I took a brown receiving blanket, an Aiden and Anais swaddle blanket, and an outgrown terrycloth pajama, hacked them up, and then created this little Mary Jane stocking.

 

Sidenotes:

1) I really like the idea of "upcycling", but I think it will get some getting used to.  Cutting up those blankets and pajamas just felt so wrong, kinda like hacking into raw meat for the first time.  Sometimes destruction is necessary to make something useful again. 

2) I suck at machine sewing!  My goodness, I cannot sew a straight line for the life of me.  It feels like walking an untrained dog and getting pulled every which way. At one point, I just switched to hand-stitching because it was faster and less frustrating.  Wish grown-up Kristin could tell high school Kristin to forgo cheerleading and take sewing instead. Now, does anyone know of any good online sewing classes? 

3)  I cried as I made this stocking.  I remember just months ago wrapping her up like a little burrito with the blankets.  I could have fit tiny newborn Sisi in that stocking completely, but next Christmas she'll be able to wear it like a knee sock. 

In conclusion, I'm not big on the color combo, it doesn't match our traditional Christmas decor at all, and the stitching is completely amateur, but I love this little stocking because it's made of memories.  And here's where I offer you some wine with my cheese.  :)

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On The Subject of $$

Joe and I have a dream, and that is to be completely debt free.  Maybe that doesn't sound exciting or even slightly glamorous, but just the thought of it brings me to tears.  Just imagine owing nothing. Owning the car you drive, the house you live in and even the degree you received. What freedom!!!   I love Dave Ramsey's catch phrase and repeat it to myself everyday: "Debt is dumb, cash is king, and the paid off home mortgage has taken the place of the BMW as the status symbol of choice." 

Every dream requires sacrifice.  The more we sacrifice, the faster the dream will come.  We have a budget, and this budget includes a humble weekly "allowance" that we can use for whatever we want.  I mean, you HAVE to have a little wiggle room to buy some iced coffee and some earrings, or you'll go nuts.  We also have a "gift" allowance so we can be generous (but not tooooo generous) with others. Any leftover money we have at the end of the month gets thrown to the student loan wolves.  Now, I can proudly say that my student loan and our home mortgage are all the debt we have left. :)

We have good and bad months. When Sisi was a newborn I bought all sorts of presents for myself to give me comfort.  But, like with dieting or cleaning or any other discipline, all that really matters is that you pick up and keep going.  One step back, two steps forward.  Sorry, lots of cliches in the post.  

Here are 3 simple-but-really-hard things that have completely changed the way we handle our money:

1.  NO MORE CREDIT CARDS.  We paid them off and then destroyed them. We didn't close our accounts for the sake of our credit, but we completely pretend like our credit cards don't exist.  We only use our debit card.  Even though we paid our cards in full every month, I find that, psychologically, I'm likely to buy more stuff on a credit card (a seemingly vast supply of magical money) than on a debit card, which links directly to our own little pile of money.  If we spend too much and our checking balance is running dangerously low, it leaves more of a sting.

2.  MAKE A LIST, THEN WAIT.  When I find myself thinking of all the stuff I absolutely need right this minute(even very practical, non-extravagent things) I stop, and write it all out.  Here is my most recent list:

• dish soap and hand soap
• tea diffuser
• shoes for Siena
• toy box for Siena
• a few new dog toys 
• new kitchen broom
• fabrics for the etsy shop
• rainbow sandals 
• black leggings
• panties (gross Pesto likes to steal mine and eat them.)

I wait two weeks, then write it all down again, from memory. 

• dish soap and hand soap --> used a bottle of Dr. Bronner's we have under the sink.
• tea diffuser-->made a makeshift one out of a coffee filter, string, and chopsticks.
• shoes for Siena-->heck, shoes never stay on her.  what's the point?
• toy box for Siena-->used a decorative wooden box from my old florist days I found in the garage
• a few new dog toys ---> water bottles and pine cones.
• new kitchen broom
• black leggings --> I will probably receive clothing gift certificates for Christmas, so I'll wait. 
  
• panties (gross Pesto likes to steal my favorites and eat them.)
• hmmm what else?  couldn't remember... obviously wasn't that important.  

I could have easily spent hundreds of dollars on these items, but turns out the only things I cannot make myself are a broom and panties. (Props to anyone who can make their own panties, though!)


3. LIMIT THE EYE CANDY.  Oyy veh, this is a hard one. It was even harder when I was smack dab in the middle of the wedding industry. ,But yeah, still hard for a twenty something like me who creates fashion accessories, has very stylish friends,  and lives in one of the wealthiest towns in the country. But I do try to limit what I take in.  For this reason, I'm holding off on Pinterest (although the temptation is growing), I don't watch TV, and I stopped subscribing to fashion mags (except Vogue for business purposes :)).  I've also pared down my blog list to the cream of the crop.  Hopefully, I'll get to the point of contentment where simply seeing something does not equal NEEDING it, but I'm not there yet.  



***Readers, I'd love to hear your money-saving tips, especially related to gift-giving!  That's where I'm stumped.***

Because every blog post needs a picture, let me introduce you to Chico, the tiny 5 inch tall snowman, built by Angel on a trip we took to Yosemite.  Little Chico has a dream.  He wants to be debt free, and by golly, he will get there someday...

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FREE SHIPPING!

FREE SHIPPING (domestic only) on all Petal and Thorn products, now through the January 1!  

Stop by the shop!

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10 Months Old

I can't believe her first birthday is just 2 months away.  Is it normal to burst into tears at the thought?

 

Siena at a glance:

• Has perfected her crab walk (crawling on hands and feet with legs straight) and cruising.
• Does crawling donuts (crawls in a circle over and over)
• Constantly humming little ditties.
• Able to eat bits of meat, like chicken, beef and pork.
• If Sisi sees, Sisi wants! I must eat my own treats around the corner, like when I used to sneak cookies as a sugar-addicted child. 
• The "mo mo mo" thing was a phase, and I was probably reading into it too much.  Her official first word is "da da".  Pretty standard!
• Is really into immitating us- she claps, drums, waves, pats her own head, and makes a "down" motion to the dogs.  She makes a raaaarrrr sound when she sees her lion.  
• When I'm brushing with my sonicare, she puts her cheek against it to feel it jiggle.
• Nursing 4 times a day (plus 1 night time feeding most days), and napping 2x.  Night sleep is a bit whack.  Let's change the subject :)
• Opens every closet and empties it's contents.   Forces me to keep clutter under control!
• The mini-tantrums have begun!

Her headband was inspired by the flower mart flower bundles that they wrap with newspaper and tie with twine. It's available here, at the Petal and Thorn etsy shop, along with the newly listed boba headband. Also, how much did Joe rock it out with these pictures?  The window one may be my favorite Sisi picture EVER.  Thanks hubby! 

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Flowers for Rachel

My good friend Rachel married her Jr. High School sweetheart on 9.10.11.   It was a lively, colorful and cozy affair, so fitting of the couple.  Rachel DIYed most of the decor, so I offered to do the personals.  Fresh flowers are the hardest thing for a bride to do herself; I know this from personal experience.  She took me up on the offer, and I was honored to be even a small part of such a cleverly-crafted wedding.  I had no plan really, I just headed to the mart early with a rough recipe, and tried  to pick whatever seemed Rachel-esque.  Gorgeous photos by Fresh in Love.

 Joe and I had such a wonderful evening eating tacos, gobbling Rachel's homemade cookies, and dancing under the stars.  They were such hospitable hosts. Rachel had to pick and choose what details  to focus on, as all brides do, and the ones they chose happened to be the ones guests care about most- tasty food, great DJ, yummy cocktails, and enough desserts to satisfy even me. Some brides buy a $6000.00 dress and $2000.00 shoes, but serve cold costco appetizers, because "it's MY day".  This wasn't one of those weddings!

See all the planning that went into this wedding on Rachel's blog Heart of Light, and 100 Layer Cake. 

*In case you're wondering, the paleo diet goes out the window at weddings and parties, and I'm ok with that!
*Also, I have nothing against Costco appetizers.  

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