I'm Back!

Well it's almost that time again. Christmas!!!  I am so excited.  I have been working out of my planner for the past two months getting things ready.  Like creating my menu for our annual Christmas Eve family dinner.  Collecting ideas for decorating and baking. Putting together shopping, gift and grocery lists. And cleaning my entire little palace.

Let the fun begin!!!

House and Holidays

Photo from smashingbuzz.com

It's the end of week two of the H+H plan over at Magical Holiday Home. The focus: organizing activities and setting up a creativity area.

This week many of us have been decluttering our creative spaces to make room for craft projects, writing lists, planning holiday meals, signing and addressing Christmas cards, wrapping gifts, everything.  The two areas where I do most of my creating, planning and whatnot are at my dining room table or at my desk in the guest bedroom.  I tackled my desk area a few weeks ago. Let me tell you, my desk area was a job and a half.  PAPER!!!  That's all I'm going to say about that. I know you know what I'm talking about.  But it's all good now. I can actually see my desk lol.

I do have several craft projects I will be working on - all decorations, no homemade gifts this year.  However, I have not been to the stores to pick up supplies needed.  Mainly because I have been focusing on fall projects that I am currently working on. My goal is to have the supplies by the end of this month. By then all of my fall projects will be completed and I can begin focusing on my Christmas projects.  I have to have them done before Thanksgiving weekend, which is when I start putting up my Christmas decorations.

In addition to creating a nice work area, we're working on our seasonal calendars. There's parties, family photo sessions, travel arrangements, maintenance schedules, school plays/concerts coming up.  Having all of that on a seasonal calendar is perfect to avoid missing something very important or worst, double booking.  My seasonal calendar has been done for weeks.  I just update as needed.  And as for traveling, I never travel during any holiday and I don't have any family coming in town.  Besides the majority of my family members live nearby.

Lastly it's time to get that shopping list together.  My list is tucked in my purse and I've already started picking up stocking stuffers.  I've also started my holiday layaway at Walmart.  I have a three page list so the sooner I started the better.  My list has everything from craft supplies, to gift ideas, to baking supplies.  Some of the ladies at MHH are almost done all of their gift shopping.  They were lucky enough to find the perfect gifts for their loved ones throughout the year.  Very impressive. Wish I could be that good.

New Look

Well it seems Santa and his merry elves over at Magical Holiday Home have been quite busy.  Check it out!

Whoa Is Me

Just a quick message of apology.  In an attempt to publish comments from readers to my blog, I accidentally hit 'delete'.  Not paying attention to what I am doing. Bummer!!!

Added More to the Freezer

I tell you, I have been on a roll with this freezer meal plan.

Today I added a meatloaf and meatballs for a Baked Meatballs with Mozzarella recipe.  Mmmm.  It's going to be delicious.

I also bought a 2lb bag of frozen flounder fillets to make Fish Po Boys, several bags of frozen shrimp and a bag of salmon fillets for another recipe I want to try.

Now my freezer is packed to capacity.  Couldn't add another thing if I tried.

Freezer Meals

As it gets closer to the holidays, you find yourself very busy.  Shopping for gifts, going to holiday parties, planning for visitors,etc.  Throw that in with every day life and you can become overwhelmed.

Before I joined the groups Organized Christmas and Magical Holiday Home, when the holidays came around, I found myself eating a lot of greasy fast foods and sweets.  Working a full time job and part-time job or working full-time and going to school at night, I didn't have time or the strength to come home and cook a meal.  OC and MHH taught me that having dinner prepared ahead of time gives me one less thing to worry about. Not to mention keeps a few extra dollars in my pocket.  I will admit there have been a couple of times where I didn't make meals ahead of time or I didn't make many (last year being one of those times) and I regretted it.  That's not happening this year.

So after doing some thinking and making a list of meals I want to have in the freezer, I went to the grocery store and started picking up ingredients.

I bought a 3 lb roll of ground beef, which I cut into thirds.  One lb is prepped for a taco ring I plan to make. I made burger patties with the second pound. And the third lb I mixed with ground sirloin for hotdog sauce. With a pack of chicken thighs I have a meal for pineapple jerk chicken in the freezer.
From a family size pack of chicken breast I have gyros, chicken cheese steaks and several single serving size roasted garlic chicken white sauce pizzas.  I split a 3lb roll of ground turkey in half to make a pot of chili and a cajun lasagna.  I also have some egg rolls, crab cakes, and salmon cakes frozen.

I am so happy with what I have done so far.  I've never done this much prepping before. Ever!!! And there's still a few more meals I want to make like, jambalaya, a chicken & biscuit casserole and stuffed shells.  But you know the one thing I really would like to make?  Lobster bisque. I love, love, love lobster bisque. Mmmm, yummy!

Also I've been thinking... Several weeks ago I made Greek marinated chicken with rice seasoned with turmeric and cumin with a yogurt sauce and Sriracha, and baked chops in the oven with small red potatoes and green beans. Oh, they were so good. They may go on the list too.

It's Never Too Early

For planning, that is...

So I'm sitting here and I'm thinking of all of the things that will be going on for the remainder of this year.  Wow!  I already have quite a bit of stuff going on.  How WILL I cope? Lol  Anywho...

I was with friends last night watching our Ravens first pre-season game against the Carolina Panthers (We won!) and we got on the subject of birthdays and trips and even Christmas.  And I'm like, "I better make sure I get all of this new information written down so I don't forget and over book myself."  So glad I printed a few blank calendars the other day and started making notations.  I made notes of stuff like when I want to start shopping for Christmas gifts, the weekly Home&Holiday prep plans, when to purchase food for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, even doctor's appointments and truck emissions. You name it I've got it noted.  It's going to be busy around these parts real soon and I am going to need to be on my toes.  I ABSOLUTELY REFUSE to be rushing around, last minute, trying to get things done.

The calendars are just a rough draft for now.  When I can get some color ink for my printer I will dress them up so they will look pretty in my notebook. Or maybe on my fridge, hmmm.