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Wednesday, November 5, 2014

'Tis The Season!


It's November, folks! I feel as though I should almost whisper it, but 'tis the season!



I know that it's just the first week of November, but I took a look at our calendar and all that we have going on and do you know what? Christmas is going to be here before I know it!

This weekend my sister is flying in for a couple of days and as much as I'd like to spend the whole weekend hanging out with her and snuggling her baby, I'll need to be home with my kids. This weekend is also the Minnesota Rifle Deer Hunting Opener and yes, that is a real holiday. I mean, for any family of hunters, it is!

Yes, I live in Wisconsin, but we're probably just shy of two hours from my family's hunting land in Minnesota and Cliff is planning on spending three nights up there this weekend.

Then we have a weekend off before the Wisconsin Rifle Deer Hunting Opener, which also happens to be the weekend of both kids' birthdays. So... do I have their birthday party the weekend of hunting opener or do I have it a week early? Decisions, decisions...

The following week is Thanksgiving, our town's River Dazzle Parade, and our family's annual Christmas cookie baking day.

All of a sudden, it is December! How'd that happen?

So, I've been working on the kids' Christmas (and birthday) wish lists. To be honest, they need nothing and don't really even have much of anything (realistic) on their wish lists. However, there have been a few things Gavin has asked for throughout the year that I have said "put it on your wish list!"

Since they don't need much and I don't want more junky plastic toys cluttering their rooms or scattered around the house, I'm not getting them much for toys. I am, however, hoping to make them a few really cool things that I hope they will love. BUT, I'm on a majorly tight timeline for the amount of work involved. I don't want to give all the surprises away, but I want to share the ideas! I also am a little nervous to say anything out loud, because I'm nervous I won't get to even half of it and then I'll feel like I failed! But, I'm going to share. I'm working on being more transparent.

I want to make my kids a tee-pee. A big one. I've seen some amazing teepees for sale, but they start around $275.00 and go up from there. They are really beautiful, but more than I plan to spend on that item at this time. I'm looking at spending about $50 on making one. I love the one below that JenlovesKev made for Rowan and the design is similar to what I've been thinking. I hope to use five or six  8'  "poles" and planned on using canvas drop-cloth from the home improvement store for the majority of the teepee with some more personalized touches and colorful fabrics just around the doorway and the base of the teepee.


I plan to make a miniature "treehouse" fairy / gnome home for the kids to play with. I've seen some online like the one below from Magic Cabin. The base alone (just the wood parts) is $150, and then you buy all of the greenery, dolls, and other components separately or you can buy the whole thing for $249. I love it, I really do. Again, it's just not in my Christmas budget with the other things I'm planning for this year.  So... I'll be making one. It's more special that way, anyway, right?




I always have big ideas of giving Cliff's parents a photo album of the year, but never seem to get it done in time or if I do, it's rushed and not the quality I had hoped for. We'll see if this year is any different. I'm struggling to think of anything very meaningful for them, and they really have many very nice things, and don't want more "stuff". I am planning on printing a digitized "watercolor" painting of their house for them and printing a few of our family photos for them, but that's all I've come up with so far.

I have no good ideas for Cliff at all! None...  at... all. Do you have any?



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