Kathi Lipp's Blog, page 136

My Christmas Project #3 Get Your Christmas Card List Together

 

Let me be the first to say that I don't think that sending a Christmas card is a requirement for being a good mom, wife, daughter or friend.

I have several people in my life who I've never received a card from and I don't think any less of them and know that I'm loved.

That being said, I do love recieving those cards and pictures. If you are one of my friends who does send them, thanks.

I don't always send them. The year I had a book due, my mom had cancer, and I had pneumonia all in the same two week span? No cards went out.  If you are having that kind of holiday season, you get a Christmas card pass. If you would like, I can even write you a note.

However, if you are going to send them out, there are a few steps you need to take:

Pick your Christmas cards
Gather up mailing addresses
Organize addresses
Printing addresses
Get Stamps
Return Address

No wonder so many of us quit in the middle.

So today, all I want you to do is gather up your addresses that you plan on sending cards to, figure out your Christmas cards, and order (or pick up) your stamps.

For addresses, get any envelopes and lists from last year, your address book, and your online address book. I've created a Excel spreadsheet to keep all my addresses on. You can download it for free at my Facebook Author Page. (You will thank me next Christmas if you get those addresses together now.)

Create your list (this may take a couple of sessions, but no fear, I've put a couple of work sessions into your 21 days!) Once you get your list together, you will be able to either hand address, or create a Mail Merge from your Excel list.  Here is a great tutorial on How to Create a Mail Merge (It will take a time or two to learn, but it's a grat skill to have. And if you want to make labels, and Mail Merge scares you, ask a friend for help and then bake some cookies for her.)

As far as cards, all you have to do is make your decision: Custom cards, or store bought? Yes, custom are cute. Store bought are great for those who are just now getting started. Just saying…

If you are one of those women who said she wanted a simpler Christmas, may I politely suggest an adorable, standard-sized, store-bought card. (And if you're making your cards from scratch, I can't even talk to you…)

For adorable custom cards (that really aren't a huge hassle…) check out shutterfly.com

 

Finally, get one item checked completely off your list by getting your stamps. Yes, you could wait in line at the Post Office, or for the service fee of exactly one dollar, you can order the adorable holiday stamps from USPS.com and have them delivered to your door. (Look at the cute stamps I ordered from the site.)

Tomorrow, we will talk about the holiday pic that you may, or may not, include in your card or put in your custom card.

You can do this! So in the comments below, tell me the date that you plan to have your cards sent out , or tell us the that you're NOT going to send out cards. Either way, I will send one lucky commenter  who posts before next Wednesday, a pack of 20 of the FAB ornament stamps.

 

 

My Christmas Project #2 Put Together Your Christmas Binder

Project #2 Put Together Your Christmas Binder
1 Corinthians 14:40



"Put all things in order."

Today I want you to create a safe place to keep all of your Christmas "stuff".

If you're like most people, you have your recipes in various cookbooks, a bunch of envelopes from last year's Christmas cards stuffed into a kitchen drawer, and your Christmas stamps are tacked to your fridge with a magnet waiting to be used.

Stop the madness.

I want you to grab a binder (yes, you can go buy a pretty one at Target, or you can scavenge one from your kid's room,) and start pulling all your loose papers, Christmas labels, lists and recipes and any other holiday-related paraphernalia into one place.

Here is what you will need:

Binder
Binder tabs
Sheet protectors
Three hole punch
Permanent marker

If you don't have all these items laying around the house, no worries. The important  thing is to gather all your holiday-related papers into one place. Even if you just have a folder lying around, that will do for now.

If you do have the binder and the tabs, here are some sections of the binder you may want to consider (you don't have to use them all, in fact, the simpler the better.)

Calendar
Christmas Cards
Recipes
Hiding Places
Christmas Gift Lists
Menus
Receipts (use a page protector to store these in that section)
Budget
To Do List

Start putting all your gathered papers into the sections. it's going to make it a lot easier when it comes to finding your favorite pumpkin custard recipe or the receipt for the Barbie Toothbrush that your daughter just said, "is for babies…"

Over the next few days, I will be posting some form for you to help keep track of those different areas, but for now, just gather up what you have.

Oh, and if you want a fun cover for your binder like mine, you can download it over at my Facebook Author Page

The Binder Cover

My Christmas Project #1 What's Your Christmas Plan?

Project #1 – What Do You Want Your Christmas to Look Like
Proverbs 19:21

" Many are the plans in a person's heart,

but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."

I know, I know. You want to dive in and start checking things off your list since it's going to be a busy few weeks.  I get it.

But, I want you to spend ten minutes determining how you are going to spend those next few weeks.

If we can go into the holidays being intentional about how we spend our time, physical and emotional energy, it truly will be the key to a more sane and sacred celebration.

Brainstorm about what is important to you. Some years, I'm looking for Joy.  I want to experience that deep, abiding Joy that only comes from God and being with His people.

This year, it's a little bit different;  I'm all about the Peace. Between chaos in my ministry, chaos in our home lives, chaos in my husband's job and a triple shot of chaos with my mom's health, I need that peace that passes understanding. Here is what my mission statement looks like:

For Christmas 2011 I will share God's peace with my family, my friends, and people I meet and I will to be done with my prep by December 20th so that I can experience peace during our celebration. I will read the Christmas story each morning of December.

And yes – I believe that God can deliver that – even during while at the mall. In December.

I've got a free resource to help you brainstorm and come up with a sentence (or two) about your intention this Christmas. Just go to my Facebook Author Page to download it (we'll be putting all of our goodies up there!)

For a chance to win a copy of THE HUSBAND PROJECT sent to any address on your Christmas list (and it will be wrapped and a gift enclosure card will be added with your note!)  tell me on my FB author page or here at the blog write your one sentence mission statement in the comments by Friday, November 25th. I'll announce the winner next Monday!

 

Join me for My 2011 Chirtmas Project (Starting Monday, November 21!)

Yes- it's that time of year and Christmas will be here before we want it to be.

But there is no reason to fear! With a little planning and a few steps along the way (OK, 21. But I promise they will be easy…) you will have a saner and more sacred celebration this year.

All you have to do is sign up for the blog here: http://feeds.feedburner.com/kathilipp/KUHK and you will join all of us to get your Christmas under control, and be able to focus on Christ this season!

Wait for that first email to show up in your inbox on Monday to get started!

 

(Slightly) Spicy Butternut Squash and White Bean Soup

Happy Tuesday! Well as promised here is the amazing soup recipe.

Serves 4 to 6. Cooking time – 45 minutes.

Mirepoix

 

1 c. chopped onion
1/2  c. chopped celery
1/2  c. chopped carrot

 

2 T. olive oil

1 t. chopped garlic

1 bay leaf

1 t. cumin

1 t. dried thyme

1/2 t. smoked paprika

1/4 to 1/2 t. chipotle pepper*

1 small to medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks

1 pint of chicken stock

Black pepper to taste

1 can of white beans (I use Trader Joe's Cannellini beans)

Sauté Mirepoix and garlic in olive oil until veggies are translucent. Add remaining spices, stir for about 2 minutes. Add stock and squash, cook till tender (approximately 30-45 minutes). Break up squash into bite-sized pieces, add white beans, serve when fully heated through.

We like our soup with a hearty whole-wheat bread on the side. We buy ours from the Costco bakery – it's a wonderful, chunky bread, high

in fiber and flavor. We buy about 8 loaves at a time and freeze them.

*Yeah, this soup has a tiny kick to it – a tiny one. But my husband and I love spicy food and we're raising our kids to like a little heat, too. Whole milk is great for cooling the tongue, and they've learned to take a slug of milk, or a bite of bread, if the heat becomes too much for them. We keep things on the mild side, but I like that my kids, at 8 and 4, are learning to eat from a variety of ethnicities, flavors, and textures. And if they don't finish it – no big deal. It's about exposing them to new things, not about them loving it every single time.

My guess is

Adelle Gabrielson- Guest Blogger

I am so happy to have Adelle Gabrielson as my guest blogger this week! She is sharing with us how "The What's for Dinner?" Solution has changed her family's life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's 5:30pm on a Wednesday, and I'm lighting the candles in the dining room. The place-mats are out, dinner is on, and I'm adding a little ambiance before I call the boys to the table.

Sounds like I've been working in the kitchen all afternoon, right?

Nope. I got off work exactly one hour ago. Despite that, my family is about to sit down to a home-cooked meal that is made with fresh, healthy ingredients. Spicy Butternut Squash and White Bean soup with a hearty whole wheat bread. Lots of veggies, super healthy, and homemade.

A few weeks ago, we would have been eating frozen chicken nuggets in front of the TV – again. Trader Joe's freezer section was my main-stay. Every day at 3 o'clock my husband would call me and ask "What's for dinner?"

I hated that phone call. I hated that question. I don't know! I'm too busy to worry about dinner -I work full-time, I volunteer in about three-too-many areas, and I am also trying to write a book. How can I possibly know what's for dinner until about 15 minutes after I get home?

We were eating processed, frozen foods and take-out — and spending a lot of money doing it.

That is, until I read The "What's for Dinner?" Solution by Kathi Lipp. I've always loved Kathi Lipp. Now my husband is pretty well head-over-heels for her, too.

As of today, just about two weeks since I read the book,  we have three family-sized portions of frozen chicken breasts, trimmed and marinated, waiting in the freezer. $1.77/pound. (Yes,  you read that right!) We also have three packages of cooked chicken, ready for salad or soup. Two meatloaves, pre-cooked, ready to re-heat. (I know it ain't very posh and Martha Stewart, but I LOVE meatloaf.) Three dozen Italian-style meatballs, scratch made, two spinach quiches, three Shepherd's pies, and four packages of pre-chopped and measured Mirepoix (a mixture of celery, onion and carrot that is the base for most soups). And a partridge in a pear tree. (Just kidding.)

"That seems like a ton of work!" you might ask -but it really wasn't. Following Kathi's advice, instead of preparing one meal, we prepared four. We ate one, and froze three. Instead of tossing the produce into the crisper, where it would turn brilliant colors and be thrown out two  weeks later, we washed and chopped it on the spot.

With Kathi's help, we are ending our old, wasteful, unhealthy ways. We are planning ahead. We are LOOPing (Left Overs On Purpose)

and we are eating better, day by day, bit by bit.

Last night, I set out my Dutch oven (because enamel is a snap to clean after soup), a can of white beans, and my squash. I also pulled a

can of chicken stock and all my spices out of the cupboard. The longest part of tonight's dinner preparation was peeling and cutting the squash, and my husband was happy to do that bit. (Guys love to play with knives – it's the whole cooking with danger thing. Barbecuing and knives…they love it.) If there's no danger-loving guy around, you can buy pre-cut squash in the refrigerated section of Trader Joe's, or simply do it up the night before.

A little forethought, and my family was able to sit down at the dining room table together on a weeknight and enjoy a great meal.

Tomorrow, when my husband calls me and asks "What's for dinner?" I'll have an answer. "Marinated flank steak and with an orange and feta arugula salad!"

Sounds a lot better than chicken nuggets, or frozen pizza, don't it? Like I told you. He's head over heels.

Oh I almost forgot, I want to share with you the recipe for the Butternut and White Bean Soup I made…

Tomorrow! Stay Tuned.

I need you for my next book!

I am currently working on my next book- 21 Ways to Connect with your Kids- and I need you!

If you are willing to provide comments, stories, ideas, fun things, serious things, things that you plan to do, things your parents did with you, that strengthen the parent child relationship I want to hear them!

Please contact Sunnie- sunnie@kathilipp.com with your name and contact info.

Dory Award

It is time for another prize!!!

Roger and I went to Disneyland last week and I finally got to go on Areiel's Undersea Adventure. Loved it! And now, I still have Dory on the brain –Remember the motto, "Just keep swimming," that had been a theme for many of you earlier this year?

Well, I want to know what things you have had to keep swimming for, those things that you kept pushing towards and why? We all need inspiration from time to time and while you inspire me as I read your "I kept swimming" story I am sure you will inspire other readers and may even inspire yourself to tackle the next hurdle, the next chore or that thing you have been putting off because you are unsure of yourself, fearful of conquering or just lacking the gusto to get up and starting moving towards the finish line!

I want you to tell me, in the comments, a time when you just kept swimming. A time when you were working towards something, a goal you have, a dream you want, and when something came up, you just kept swimming.

I will put all your names in a hat, pick one, and will send you one of my adorable, motivating, stuffed Dorys.

All things Pumpkin:Muffins and Decor~

Everyone who knows me knows of my unabiding and deep love of all things Starbucks. I just can't make my misto at home the way they do. The only thing I'm not in love with is their food.

I know they have some lower calorie options, but those are not the things I want to eat. (Plus, it doubles the cost of the trip.)

Here is my favorite fall snack, which is low on calories, super easy to make, oh and delicious.

Easy Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

Serves: 24

Yield:

24 muffins

1 (18 ounce) box spice cake mix

15 ounces pumpkin

3/4 cup water

Directions

1.Mix all ingredients in mixer.

2.Makes 24 muffins.

3. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350°F.

Continuing the pumpkin theme, here is the table decor we are going to be sporting this fall.

Pumpkin Votive Holders

Directions:

Use a mini-drill the grind out the centers of the pumpins to the side of the votive.

Use unsented votives in the pumpkins if you will be placing them on a dinner table.

You can also float several pumpkins in a shallow bowl for a great cluster effect.

(This also works with apples, and you won't need a drill, just a paring knife and a spoon.)

How are you going to decorate this fall? Anything special this season?

 

Heart vs Stomach, a Treat Just for Him

Loving Men through Spaghetti

(The following is an excerpt from Kathi's book,THE "WHAT'S FOR DINNER?" SOLUTION)

When I was working on my first

book, The Husband Project, I set about doing a very unscientific research project – to find out what men like.

I know, I know. If you have beenconscious for any amount of time in the 21st century, the answer is

obvious. If you are married, and your marriage was a house, the world tells you that the place your husband wants to spend his time is in the bedroom.

And that's true. To a point.

But guess what?  There's more to that answer. The guys I interviewed? The answer was twofold – the bedroom and the kitchen.

When it came to discovering ways to make men feel loved and cared for, food was way at the top of the list.

They loved when their wives made their favorite chocolate cake for no reason
They loved when there was dinner in the oven after a long day of work
They loved it when their wives would stop by the bakery to pick up their favorite

éclair
They loved when their wives would leave little treats around the house of the candy

persuasion

I knew that food was important to my husband (he takes his steaks and his salsa very seriously,) but what was amazing to see was how as my boys grew up, how food became more important to

them as well.

While my daughter Kimber will ask "When is dinner?"–so that she can plan the rest of her very busy social life—My boys want to know "What's for dinner?"

We regularly have EMFH (Every Man For Himself) nights when I am working out of town. (Trust me, there are always enough fixin's in the fridge to put together something yummy,) and each of the kids can cook for themselves. But, when I'm around, all three of the men who live in this house love it when I cook.

I have come to find out that there is a special security for men when they are being fed. I love how one of my friends, Mark, put it, "My wife gets a sense of security from me bringing home a paycheck every other week. It is the same for me and dinner. When I come home and there is something cooking, somehow, it just gives me a sense of security –like everything is right in the world."

 

To win Kathi's Books THE HUSBAND PROJECT and THE WHAT'S FOR DINNER? SOLUTION: Just tell us what special treat you're going to surprise your husband with by Monday, October 31, 2011. We will announce the winners on Wednesday, November 2, 2011.