I have to admit I’ve been in a bit of a holiday funk. I don’t send Christmas cards anymore, which I already would have worked on and sent out by now. Tony is going to help me this weekend somehow get our Christmas tree out of the attic – 
. We are on a really tight budget so there won’t be any Christmas shopping done.
I started thinking about what makes me happy about the holidays, and it struck me yesterday, getting busy in the kitchen. What better way to get in the Christmas spirit than to bake for our families! I have four gift boxes to make this weekend: one for my Aunt, one for my brother and his family, Joe and Lizz and my parents-in-law. I bought everything yesterday to get Bizzy in my Kitchen, and you better believe I’ll have Christmas music going on my Pandora when I bake this weekend.
And when I look around, its loving what you have, not what you want. We have a roof over our heads, food to eat, and I am married to my best friend – what better gift do you need?
Breakfast yesterday was a sausage McMuffin (off the dollar menu at McDs!) with a side of blackberries and bananas – a great fruit combo! Taken with my phone because my boss walked in right before I was going to take my breakfast to a better place to take a picture. 
There was a bit of a small crisis in my house. Check it out:
I brought “mystery soup” for my lunch yesterday. Only one slight problem, there was a 20% chance that I brought a ziploc bag of pasta sauce! So I went to the grocery store near my office and picked up stuff from the salad bar – this box only cost $2.19!
They still had the $1 off coupon on the Tabasco – but guess what? This store doubles coupons on Wednesdays! So this bottle was only .99 cents!
As it turns out, it was lasagna soup that I brought. While delicious when made, and even days later in the fridge, defrosting it and then heating it up kind of made the noodles taste like ass. I probably ate about half of this.
I had pork chops on the menu, but in the afternoon Tony sent me a text and said “do you think we could have fried rice one night this week?” Which meant, Tony wasn’t feeling the pork chops!
We compromised and made pork fried rice. Only two tiny problems. I didn’t have any rice at home and not many veggies to put in the fried rice.
There is a new grocery store on my way home from work – have you ever heard of this chain before?
Um, turns out they have LOTS of cheese!! This is about 1/5th of their selection!
I ended up picking up $2 dollars worth of fresh veggies, and Tony’s favorite, canned LaChoy veggies.
Tony reduced the amount of oil and soy sauce for me. I love his fried rice! And he helped me clean up the kitchen too. 
I ate about 1/3 of this bowl and have plenty for leftovers at lunch today. Wow, veggies in two meals yesterday – what’s up with that?!
Question of the Day: What gets you in the holiday spirit?
Make it a great day!
I’m pretty neutral in my holiday spiritness (if that is even a word). I have all my shopping done, but haven’t gotten into the kitchen to do any baking yet. But – I did pick up a bunch of ingredients to do so this week seeing as I have no work shifts in the evening, so I have some time. Looking forward to creating some sweet treats for all the dinners I have to go to this weekend 🙂
The Christmas Season is exhausting. It is like a part time job added to my already job. I think, did Jesus really want all of this for his birthday? But then I think of when my mother was a young mother with my brother and I and how magical she made Christmas for us, she was exhausted too, but did everything to make it wonderful for us. A tree, gifts, Santa, a birthday cake for Jesus, stockings, all kinds of goodies, music- the Partridge Family Christmas, Snoopy’s Christmas were our favorites over and over. So I think of that young mother my own Ma, and think I want to give my children the same wonderful Christmas memories that she gave me, even if it kills me;-) But most of all she taught us the Reason for the Season. Merry Christmas Biz! You are blessed!
Thanks Robin Sue!! Hugs!
I totally feel your holiday woes. I love everything about the season except the gift giving madness. I went to Target yesterday and was following behind a lady to take her parking spot. This other car came zipping around from the opposite direction. When I turned my blinker on to claim the spot the other driver flipped me off and then drove by me while shouting FU out the window. When she started backing up I got the hell out of there. Take the spot crazy lady I can find another. WTF?!
My husband and I don’t exchange gifts for any occasion. We would rather do something together like a nice dinner out or a night away.
I love Christmas music. I keep it on in the kitchen too.
First about the Christmas cards yesterday. Till last year I have sent Christmas cards but this year will the first I don’t. I love sending and getting real cards in the mail but not at Christmas: too many and not personal. When someone has a birthday or needs a word from me I sent a real card. So far I have 1 christmas card received.
The holiday spirit starts when the Christmas tree is up. I love being at home the last weeks of the year and cocoon at night with the curtains closed and the lights in the tree on.
We don’t spend much money on Christmas either. We don’t exchange gifts. The only thing we do a little bit extra on is the food but not this year because we aren’t home for dinner both Christmas days. I don’t have to cook this year which is also kind of strange.
Like you it’s more important to me that we are healthy, have a home and a job and have each other.
Great job with the veggies! I feel you on the lean Christmas and feelin scroogy, although Den is working now, we were so behind that we made 3 house payments this month o catch up so it’s a lean Chrstimas for us too and no cards for us either. First time in my married life, I believe, and I’m bummed about it. But I have the same outlook as you, and am getting busy in my kitchen too b/c that’s what I’m giving too! Food gifts! We’re having twin Christmases Biz! lol! I love that you turned what could be a sad Christmas into a joyful one by just changing your perspective. you go girl.
My husband and I were just having the same discussion about the holidays. It is just a funky time of year. We are watching every penny here to and it is stressful. I think baking would be a great distraction. I am actually trying to find some new cookie recipes to try!
OK—I still have a fairly large metal sculpture of a Halloween witch outside my front door (which is actually pretty fitting at the moment!) LOL Lots of funk going on over here too.