Mandi Ehman's Blog, page 39

Dutch speculaas {101 Days of Christmas}

Dutch speculaas are thin, crisp cookies flavored much like German pfeffernüsse. They’re typically baked for St. Nicholas’ Day on December 5th or 6th and are, traditionally, stamped with images from the life of St. Nicholas on the front. 

It turns out that I really like traditional Christmas cookies from this part of Europe, with their strong spices and unique textures!

I didn’t want to invest in a speculaas stamp at this time, so I made mine with a more modern flare — rolling them out flat and pressing blanched almonds in their corners before baking.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 1/2 cup almond flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 cup milk 1/2 blanched almonds

Directions:

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the spices, flours and baking powder. Mix well.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and mix well. Add milk and mix until smooth.

Divide the dough in half and form two discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or more.

When ready, preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Remove one disc from the fridge and roll out to 1/8″ to 1/4″ thick.

Cut into shapes and press almonds on the surface.

Transfer to a cookie sheet or stone and bake for 15-18 minutes until they’re dry and beginning to brown.

Let cool for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Click here to add this recipe to your Plan to Eat account.

Join us as we celebrate 101 Days of Christmas with new DIY projects, gift ideas, traditions and more every day from now through Christmas!

Mandi Ehman is the blogger behind Life Your Way. She and her husband have four beautiful girls plus one baby boy, and together they live, work and homeschool on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia. Mandi loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

Meet the 101 Days of Christmas sponsors:

King Arthur Flour's Baker's Hotline: free professional help with any holiday baking challenge
World Vision Gift Catalog: share a full life with children in need by giving unique, life-changing gifts
Plant Therapy Essential Oils: 100% pure, undiluted oils you can trust at a price you can afford
Life Your Way Christmas Shop: get your 2014 Christmas planner today


Dutch speculaas {101 Days of Christmas}

© 2010-2014 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved

      CommentsI was surprised by how many varieties of speculaas I found ... by Mandi @ Life Your WayI love all the spices in Speculaas too! I've made them before ... by Corrie C 

We “whisk” you a Merry Christmas tags {101 Days of Christmas}

When I discovered that I could make tiny marshmallows for my hot cocoa, I knew I had to make each of my Essentials kids (in the homeschool class I tutor each week) a jar as part of my end-of-the-year-slash-Christmas gift to them.

And when I came across these tiny whisks, I knew they’d be the perfect addition.

So of course I had to make a new printable to go with them!

While I’m just discovering how much I love hand lettering (and I’m nowhere near as good as Melissa!), I really like how these turned out…and so I’m sharing them with you today!

Add these to any gift in a jar — whether it’s hot cocoa, cookies or quick bread — and “whisk” your friends and family a Merry Christmas!

Click here to download or print the gift tags.

Projects from the archives:

Join us as we celebrate 101 Days of Christmas with new DIY projects, gift ideas, traditions and more every day from now through Christmas!

Mandi Ehman is the blogger behind Life Your Way. She and her husband have four beautiful girls plus one baby boy, and together they live, work and homeschool on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia. Mandi loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

Meet the 101 Days of Christmas sponsors:

King Arthur Flour's Baker's Hotline: free professional help with any holiday baking challenge
World Vision Gift Catalog: share a full life with children in need by giving unique, life-changing gifts
Plant Therapy Essential Oils: 100% pure, undiluted oils you can trust at a price you can afford
Life Your Way Christmas Shop: get your 2014 Christmas planner today


We “whisk” you a Merry Christmas tags {101 Days of Christmas}

© 2010-2014 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved

     

Updated 2014 Thanksgiving planner now available!

I’m sorry for not having this ready for you a little bit earlier, but I wanted to finally release the 5.5″x8.5″ version of this planner, and it took me longer than I expected to get it ready! That said, if you’re still getting organized for Thanksgiving, be sure to print the updated 2014 Thanksgiving Planner, now available in both full- and half-sheet sizes.

Both versions includes the following printables:

2014 Binder Cover 2014 Calendar (blank) Baking Planner Budget Worksheet Decor Inventory Family Traditions Guest List Master To-Do List Menu Planner Recipes List Shopping List Black Friday Shopping List

Plus download the Thanksgiving Your Way ebook and Gratitude Journal.

Head here to download the individual printables, or visit the Life Your Way shop to buy your complete planner in a single download.

Meet the 101 Days of Christmas sponsors:

King Arthur Flour's Baker's Hotline: free professional help with any holiday baking challenge
World Vision Gift Catalog: share a full life with children in need by giving unique, life-changing gifts
Plant Therapy Essential Oils: 100% pure, undiluted oils you can trust at a price you can afford
Life Your Way Christmas Shop: get your 2014 Christmas planner today


Updated 2014 Thanksgiving planner now available!

© 2010-2014 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved

     

Fruitcake cookies {101 Days of Christmas}

Nothing says Christmas like fruitcake, which is often approached one of two ways: either as the treat that no one really likes or as one soaked in as much alcohol as possible.

I’ve avoided fruitcake so far in this series, but for the past year I’ve been wondering if there was such thing as fruitcake cookies. I actually found quite a few varieties on Pinterest, but most of them were more like “shortbread cookie + dried fruit on top,” which wasn’t exactly what I was looking for.

Then, I discovered this recipe in the King Arthur Flour archives, and it was exactly what I’d envisioned!

If you love fruitcake or know someone who does, you have to give these a try!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter 1 cup light brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 2 large eggs 1/2 cup boiled cider 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon espresso powder 1 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 4-1/2 to 5 cups chopped dried fruit

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and prepare your cookie sheets or stones.

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, salt and baking powder until smooth. Add the eggs and continue beating until the mixture is nice and creamy.

Add boiled cider and mix well. (It’s okay if your batter looks curdled at this point.)

Add the spices, espresso powder and flour and mix until smooth.

Finally, stir in the fruit.

Using a cookie scoop, scoop ping pong-size balls of dough onto your cookie sheet.

Bake for 20-22 minutes until the cookies are set (although they may still appear shiny) and the bottoms are light brown.

Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Variations:

Create your own mixture of dried fruit, including cherries, raisins, pineapple, etc. Just be sure to chop it into small pieces.

Yield: about 5 dozen cookies.

Click here to add this recipe to your Plan to Eat account.

Recipes from the archives:

Join us as we celebrate 101 Days of Christmas with new DIY projects, gift ideas, traditions and more every day from now through Christmas!

Mandi Ehman is the blogger behind Life Your Way. She and her husband have four beautiful girls plus one baby boy, and together they live, work and homeschool on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia. Mandi loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

Meet the 101 Days of Christmas sponsors:

King Arthur Flour's Baker's Hotline: free professional help with any holiday baking challenge
World Vision Gift Catalog: share a full life with children in need by giving unique, life-changing gifts
Plant Therapy Essential Oils: 100% pure, undiluted oils you can trust at a price you can afford
Life Your Way Christmas Shop: get your 2014 Christmas planner today


Fruitcake cookies {101 Days of Christmas}

© 2010-2014 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved

     

Pony bead candy canes {101 Days of Christmas}

As a mom, I can often use the reminder that the simplest crafts are the ones that my girls enjoy the most, and this one is no exception.

Yesterday afternoon during quiet time, I pulled out the pipe cleaners and pony beads and asked my 5 year old if she could make candy canes. What followed was literally two hours of candy cane making, and it wasn’t long before her 7- and 8-year-old sisters joined her!

Add a ribbon to these to make ornaments, tie them to a package with ribbon or buy hooks and suction cups to hang them in the windows. Or just make them for the fun of it!

Supplies:

red and white pony beads red or white pipe cleaners

Directions:

Cut the pipe cleaners into halves or thirds. (You can do a big candy cane with a whole pipe cleaner, but it will be floppy!)

Roll the bottom several times to provide a stopper for the beads.

Thread the beads onto the pipe cleaner, alternating red and white beads.

When you get to the end, leave enough pipe cleaner to roll that end as a stopper as well.

Bend into the shape of a candy cane.

Projects from the archives:

Join us as we celebrate 101 Days of Christmas with new DIY projects, gift ideas, traditions and more every day from now through Christmas!

Mandi Ehman is the blogger behind Life Your Way. She and her husband have four beautiful girls plus one baby boy, and together they live, work and homeschool on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia. Mandi loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

Meet the 101 Days of Christmas sponsors:

King Arthur Flour's Baker's Hotline: free professional help with any holiday baking challenge
World Vision Gift Catalog: share a full life with children in need by giving unique, life-changing gifts
Plant Therapy Essential Oils: 100% pure, undiluted oils you can trust at a price you can afford
Life Your Way Christmas Shop: get your 2014 Christmas planner today


Pony bead candy canes {101 Days of Christmas}

© 2010-2014 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved

     

ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas {101 Days of Christmas}

With early sunsets and cold evenings, we enjoy family movie night a little more often in December, and I’m already making lists of which movies we’ll be watching from this year’s 25 Days of Christmas on ABC Family. I absolutely love Polar Express, and watching it together is one of our annual Christmas traditions, but we also enjoy Arthur Christmas, The Santa Clause and  Santa Paws movies, and a bunch of others on this list. The girls haven’t yet seen Elf, so this may be the year for that one as well!

What about you? What are your favorite Christmas movies?

Here’s the full lineup so you can start adding your favorites to your calendar and DVR:

Monday, December 1


(4:00-5:00 PM ET/PT) Jack Frost (1979)


(5:00-6:00 PM ET/PT) Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town


(6:00-8:00 PM ET/PT) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation


(8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) Elf


(10:00 PM-12:00 AM ET/PT) The Santa Clause


(12:00-1:00 AM ET/PT) Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town


(1:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) Jack Frost (1979)

Tuesday, December 2


(4:00-6:00 PM ET/PT) Rudolph And Frosty’s Christmas In July


(6:00-8:00 PM ET/PT) Elf


(8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) The Santa Clause


(10:00 PM-12:00 AM ET/PT) The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause


(12:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) Prancer

Wednesday, December 3


(5:00-7:00 PM ET/PT) Prancer


(7:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause


(9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) The Polar Express


(12:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) A Very Brady Christmas

Thursday, December 4


(5:00-6:00 PM ET/PT) Rudolph’s Shiny New Year


(6:00-7:00 PM ET/PT) The Year Without A Santa Claus


(7:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) The Polar Express


(9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) Disney’s A Christmas Carol


(12:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) Snow

Friday, December 5


(5:00-6:00 PM ET/PT) The Year Without A Santa Claus


(6:00-8:00 PM ET/PT) Disney’s A Christmas Carol


(8:00-10:30 PM ET/PT) Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas


(10:30-11:30 PM ET/PT) Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town


(11:30 PM-2:00 AM ET/PT) – Fred Claus

Saturday, December 6


(7:00-9:00 AM ET/PT) All I Want For Christmas


(9:00-11:00 AM ET/PT) A Dennis The Menace Christmas


(11:00 Am-1:30 PM ET/PT) Fred Claus


(1:30-2:00 PM ET/PT) Frosty’s Winter Wonderland


(2:00-4:00 PM ET/PT) The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause


(4:00-6:30 PM ET/PT) Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas


(6:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) Toy Story 3


(9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) Arthur Christmas – NETwork Television Premiere!


(11:00 PM-1:00 AM ET/PT) The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause


(1:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) Jack Frost (1979)

Sunday, December 7


(7:00-9:00 AM ET/PT) A Dennis The Menace Christmas


(9:00-9:30 AM ET/PT) The Little Drummer Boy


(9:30 Am-11:30 AM ET/PT) Rudolph And Frosty’s Christmas In July


(11:30 Am-1:30 PM ET/PT) Arthur Christmas


(1:30-3:30PM ET/PT) Jack Frost (1998)


(3:30-5:30 PM ET/PT) The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause


(5:30-8:00 PM ET/PT) Toy Story 3


(8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT) Toy Story That Time Forgot – Abc Family Premiere


(8:30-10:30 PM ET/PT) Elf


(10:30-11:00 PM ET/PT) Toy Story That Time Forgot


(11:00 PM-12:00 AM ET/PT) The Year Without A Santa Claus

Monday, December 8


(5:00-6:00 PM ET/PT) The Year Without A Santa Claus


(6:00-8:00 PM ET/PT) Elf


(8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) The Fosters – New Holiday Episode!


(9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) Switched At Birth – New Holiday Episode!


(10:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town


(12:00-1:00 AM ET/PT) The Fosters


(1:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) Switched At Birth

Tuesday, December 9


(5:00-5:30 PM ET/PT) Frosty’s Winter Wonderland


(5:30-6:00 PM ET/PT) Mickey’s Christmas Carol


(6:00-8:00 PM ET/PT) The Little Mermaid


(8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) Pretty Little Liars – New Holiday Episode!


(9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) Chasing Life – New Holiday Episode!


(10:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) Rudolph’s Shiny New Year


(12:00-1:00 AM ET/PT) Pretty Little Liars


(1:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) Chasing Life

Wednesday, December 10


(4:00-6:00 PM ET/PT) The Little Mermaid


(6:00-7:00 PM ET/PT) The Year Without A Santa Claus


(7:00-7:30 PM ET/PT) Baby Daddy


(7:30-8:00 PM ET/PT) Melissa & Joey


(8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT) Melissa & Joey – New Holiday Episode!


(8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) Baby Daddy – New Holiday Episode!


(9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation


(12:00-12:30 AM ET/PT) Melissa & Joey


(12:30-1:00 AM ET/PT) Baby Daddy

Thursday, December 11


(5:00-7:00 PM ET/PT) Jack Frost (1998)


(7:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation


(9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) Scrooged


(12:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) The Mistle-Tones

Friday, December 12


(4:30-5:30 PM ET/PT) Jack Frost (1979)


(5:30-7:30 PM ET/PT) Scrooged


(7:30-9:30 PM ET/PT) The Santa Clause


(9:30 PM-12:00 AM ET/PT) Miracle On 34th Street (1994)


(12:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) Holiday In Handcuffs

Saturday, December 13


(7:00-9:00 AM ET/PT) Unlikely Angel


(9:00-11:00 AM ET/PT) The Mistle-Tones


(11:00 Am-1:00 PM ET/PT) Home Alone 3


(1:00-3:00 PM ET/PT) Prancer


(3:00-5:30 PM ET/PT) Miracle On 34th Street (1994)


(5:30-6:00 PM ET/PT) Mickey’s Christmas Carol


(6:00-8:00 PM ET/PT) The Santa Clause


(8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation


(10:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town


(11:00-11:30 PM ET/PT) Mickey’s Christmas Carol


(11:30 PM-2:00 AM ET/PT) Fred Claus

Sunday, December 14


(7:00-9:30 AM ET/PT) Miracle On 34th StreET (1994)


(9:30-11:30 AM ET/PT) Disney’s A Christmas Carol


(11:30 Am-1:30 PM ET/PT) Jack Frost (1998)


(1:30-4:00 PM ET/PT) Fred Claus


(4:00-6:00 PM ET/PT) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation


(6:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas


(9:00 PM-12:00 AM ET/PT) Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas

Monday, December 15


(4:30-7:00 PM ET/PT) Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory


(7:00-7:30 PM ET/PT) Disney’s Prep & Landing


(7:30-8:00 PM ET/PT) Disney’s Prep & Landing: Naughty Vs. Nice


(8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) The Year Without A Santa Claus


(9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) The Polar Express


(12:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) Santa Baby

Tuesday, December 16


(2:00-4:30 PM ET/PT) Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory


(4:30-6:30 PM ET/PT) Rudolph And Frosty’s Christmas In July


(6:30-8:30 PM ET/PT) The Polar Express


(8:30-11:00 PM ET/PT) Home Alone


(12:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe

Wednesday, December 17


(7:00-9:00 AM ET/PT) Holidaze


(9:00-11:00 AM ET/PT) Santa Baby


(11:00 Am-1:00 PM ET/PT) Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe


(1:00-3:00 PM ET/PT) Disney’s A Christmas Carol


(3:00-4:30 PM ET/PT) Mickey’s Twice Upon A Christmas


(4:30-5:30 PM ET/PT) The Year Without A Santa Claus


(5:30-6:30 PM ET/PT) Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town


(6:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) Home Alone


(9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) The Santa Clause


(12:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) Christmas Cupid

Thursday, December 18


(7:00-9:00 AM ET/PT) Christmas Cupid


(9:00-11:00 AM ET/PT) Unlikely Angel


(11:00 Am-1:00 PM ET/PT) 12 Dates Of Christmas


(1:00-3:00 PM ET/PT) Holiday In Handcuffs


(3:00-5:00 PM ET/PT) Prancer


(5:00-6:30 PM ET/PT) Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas


(6:30-8:30 PM ET/PT) The Santa Clause


(8:30-11:00 PM ET/PT) Fred Claus


(12:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) Holiday In Handcuffs

Friday, December 19


(7:00-9:00 AM ET/PT) Desperately Seeking Santa


(9:00-11:00 AM ET/PT) Unaccompanied Minors


(11:00-11:30 AM ET/PT) Mickey’s Christmas Carol


(11:30 Am-1:30 PM ET/PT) Prancer


(1:30-3:30 PM ET/PT) Jack Frost (1998)


(3:30-6:00 PM ET/PT) Fred Claus


(6:00-8:00 PM ET/PT) Home Alone


(8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) Elf


(10:00 PM-12:00 AM ET/PT) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation


(12:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) Scrooged

Saturday, December 20


(7:00-9:00 AM ET/PT) The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation


(9:00-11:00 AM ET/PT) Santa Buddies: The Legend Of Santa Paws


(11:00 Am-12:00 PM ET/PT) The Year Without A Santa Claus


(12:00-2:00 PM ET/PT) Arthur Christmas


(2:00-4:00 PM ET/PT) Home Alone


(4:00-6:00 PM ET/PT) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation


(6:00-8:00 PM ET/PT) Elf


(8:00-10:30 PM ET/PT) Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas


(10:30 PM-1:00 AM ET/PT) Home Alone


(1:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) A Miser Brothers’ Christmas

Sunday, December 21


(7:00-9:00 AM ET/PT) Santa Buddies: The Legend Of Santa Paws


(9:00-11:00 AM ET/PT) Arthur Christmas


(11:00 Am-1:00 PM ET/PT) Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish


(1:00-1:30 PM ET/PT) The Little Drummer Boy


(1:30-2:00 PM ET/PT) Nestor, The Long Eared Christmas Donkey


(2:00-3:00 PM ET/PT) Rudolph’s Shiny New Year


(3:00-4:00 PM ET/PT) Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town


(4:00-5:00 PM ET/PT) The Year Without A Santa Claus


(5:00-7:30 PM ET/PT) Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas


(7:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) Home Alone


(10:00 PM-12:00 AM ET/PT) The Polar Express

Monday, December 22


(7:00-9:00 AM ET/PT) Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish


(9:00-11:00 AM ET/PT) A Dennis The Menace Christmas


(11:00 Am-1:00 PM ET/PT) Unlikely Angel


(1:00-3:00 PM ET/PT) Snowglobe


(3:00-5:00 PM ET/PT) The Mistle-Tones


(5:00-5:30 PM ET/PT) Frosty’s Winter Wonderland


(5:30-6:30 PM ET/PT) Rudolph’s Shiny New Year


(6:30-7:30 PM ET/PT) Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town


(7:30-8:00 PM ET/PT) Mickey’s Christmas Carol


(8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT) Toy Story That Time Forgot


(8:30-10:30 PM ET/PT) The Santa Clause


(10:30-11:00 PM ET/PT) Toy Story That Time Forgot


(12:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) Rudolph And Frosty’s Christmas In July

Tuesday, December 23


(7:00-8:30 AM ET/PT) Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas


(8:30-10:30 AM ET/PT) Christmas Cupid


(10:30 Am-12:30 PM ET/PT) Santa Baby


(12:30-2:30 PM ET/PT) Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe


(2:30-4:30 PM ET/PT) Holiday In Handcuffs


(4:30-5:00 PM ET/PT) Frosty’s Winter Wonderland


(5:00-7:00 PM ET/PT) The Santa Clause


(7:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) Home Alone


(9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) The Polar Express


(12:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) Arthur Christmas

Wednesday, December 24


(7:00-7:30 AM ET/PT) Mickey’s Christmas Carol


(7:30-9:30 AM ET/PT) Arthur Christmas


(11:00 Am-1:00 PM) Snow


(1:00 PM-3:00 PM ET/PT) Jack Frost


(3:00-5:00 PM ET/PT) The Polar Express


(5:00-7:00 PM ET/PT) Home Alone


(7:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation


(9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) Elf


(12:00-2:00 AM ET/PT) Scrooged

Thursday, December 25


(7:00-7:30 AM ET/PT) Frosty’s Winter Wonderland


(7:30-8:00 AM ET/PT) The Little Drummer Boy


(8:00-8:30 AM ET/PT) Nestor, The Long Eared Christmas Donkey


(8:30-9:00 AM ET/PT) ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas


(9:00-9:30 AM ET/PT) Mickey’s Christmas Carol


(11:00 Am-1:00 PM ET/PT) Home Alone


(1:00-2:00 PM ET/PT) Rudolph’s Shiny New Year


(2:00-3:00 PM ET/PT) Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (3:00-4:00 PM ET/PT) The Year Without A Santa Claus


(4:00-4:30 PM ET/PT) Disney’s Prep & Landing


(4:30-5:00 PM ET/PT) Disney’s Prep & Landing: Naughty Vs. Nice


(5:00-7:00 PM ET/PT) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation


(7:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) Elf


(9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) Home Alone


(12:00 AM-2:00 AM ET/PT) Home Alone 3

Join us as we celebrate 101 Days of Christmas with new DIY projects, gift ideas, traditions and more every day from now through Christmas!

Mandi Ehman is the blogger behind Life Your Way. She and her husband have four beautiful girls plus one baby boy, and together they live, work and homeschool on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia. Mandi loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

Meet the 101 Days of Christmas sponsors:

King Arthur Flour's Baker's Hotline: free professional help with any holiday baking challenge
World Vision Gift Catalog: share a full life with children in need by giving unique, life-changing gifts
Plant Therapy Essential Oils: 100% pure, undiluted oils you can trust at a price you can afford
Life Your Way Christmas Shop: get your 2014 Christmas planner today


ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas {101 Days of Christmas}

© 2010-2014 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved

     

Skeleton key ornaments {101 Days of Christmas}

I’m really wishing I’d posted this idea yesterday just to be “punny,” but I unfortunately didn’t even think of that until this very moment!

I love skeleton keys, and we bought a set from Pottery Barn several years ago for my office. But as we’ve been redoing the loft to serve as a homeschool room / office / library, it’s been clear that I need to reduce as much clutter as possible to keep us from feeling visually overwhelmed.

These keys are too much fun to simply give away or relegate to a box, and so I decided to add ribbons and turn them into ornaments instead.

They are simple and elegant, and I think they’d make a great substitute for the pinecones we usually hang as a “base” for all of our sentimental ornaments (along with red and gold balls).

It would be a little silly to write an actual tutorial for this, don’t you think?

Grab some keys (here are some that are slightly smaller than the ones we have), tie ribbon or twine or wire around them to make a loop and a bow, and hang them on the tree. Voila!

Projects from the archives:

Join us as we celebrate 101 Days of Christmas with new DIY projects, gift ideas, traditions and more every day from now through Christmas!

Mandi Ehman is the blogger behind Life Your Way. She and her husband have four beautiful girls plus one baby boy, and together they live, work and homeschool on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia. Mandi loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

Meet the 101 Days of Christmas sponsors:

King Arthur Flour's Baker's Hotline: free professional help with any holiday baking challenge
World Vision Gift Catalog: share a full life with children in need by giving unique, life-changing gifts
Plant Therapy Essential Oils: 100% pure, undiluted oils you can trust at a price you can afford
Life Your Way Christmas Shop: get your 2014 Christmas planner today




© 2010-2014 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved

   

Weekend reading: November 1, 2014

From Instagram: Ornaments will start 3′ from the ground, but I love that he loves the lights!

Yesterday was October 31st, which can only mean one thing in our house…Christmas decorations!

The first year Sean and I were married, we eagerly bought Halloween candy, anxious to hand it out to the trick or treaters in our condo neighborhood. And no one came. Not one.

We were so disappointed that we headed back to Wal-Mart for some retail therapy, buying our first Christmas decorations together and setting up our Christmas tree and village that night!

The next year we were living in a great neighborhood in St. George, Utah and once again prepared for trick or treaters…only to realize that they’d all gone to trunk or treat events instead. So once again we decided to decorate for Christmas that night.

Now we’re living in the boonies and while we have taken the girls up to one neighbor’s house for candy and visiting, we still don’t get trick or treaters.

Instead, decorating for Christmas has become a tradition that our entire family looks forward to, and we love having our decor up throughout the full holiday season. What’s not to love about Christmas lights glowing from the tree and mantle in the early morning and late evening hours?!

We’re a little crazy, I know, but I love that my kids will always have memories of us decorating the tree on Halloween night!

Have you gotten your FREE Mrs. Meyer’s Multi-Purpose Cleaner?

What I’m reading: Free to Learn by Peter Gray, The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner and Let’s All Be Brave by Annie F. Downs {still… I wanted to love this one, but so far I just don’t}

What I’m cooking: bacon cheeseburger twice-baked potatoes, spaghetti casserole, stromboli, easy pesto chicken

What I’m pinning: I’m a Pinterest fail…

What I’m thinking about:

Embrace your life

You Are Not A Dumbhead | Nurtured Mama


What If Your Life Is Already The Best Thing? | Momastery


On not “firepitting” our marriage (or our children) | Rage Against the Minivan


On women, pressure and inadequacy | The Frugal Girl

The many personalities of homeschoolers

The Extraverted Homeschooling Mom | Amongst Lovely Things


Self-care for the highly sensitive parent | Simple Homeschool

How the media changes our perception

A Cop Weighs in on When to Call 911 on a Parent | Free Range Kids


Munchausen by Proxy by Media | Seth’s Blog


The difference between US vs UK Ebola news coverage (I can only vouch for the first minute of this video; after that it’s just goofy and definitely PG-13!)

Have a great weekend!

Mandi Ehman is the blogger behind Life Your Way. She and her husband have four beautiful girls plus one baby boy, and together they live, work and homeschool on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia. Mandi loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

Meet the 101 Days of Christmas sponsors:

King Arthur Flour's Baker's Hotline: free professional help with any holiday baking challenge
World Vision Gift Catalog: share a full life with children in need by giving unique, life-changing gifts
Plant Therapy Essential Oils: 100% pure, undiluted oils you can trust at a price you can afford
Life Your Way Christmas Shop: get your 2014 Christmas planner today


Weekend reading: November 1, 2014

© 2010-2014 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved

     
CommentsThat is too fun!! I think it's becoming more “acceptable” ... by Mandi @ Life Your WayThis is our tradition too! I thought we were the only ones! by JThanks so much for linking to my post, Mandi! And it's so ... by The Frugal Girl 

Easy no-sew sachets {101 Days of Christmas}

Our master closet has been a nursery for as long as we’ve lived in this house (even though Jackson has never actually slept in there!), and we have two large Ikea wardrobes in our bedroom instead. The one downside of these wardrobes is that they often leave our clothes smelling stale. I’m not sure what it is about them, but the towels in our bathroom wardrobe have the same issue.

Although this idea is perfect for a little gift as part of a gift basket — paired with other pretty things like a journal and mug or a pampering collection of sugar scrub, shaving cream and a new loofah — I’m also really looking forward to adding them to our wardrobes to help with the wardrobe-y smell!

Supplies:

2 tablespoons base material (dried lavender, chamomile, jasmine rice, etc.)
3-5 drops of complementary essential oils
muslin or organza bags

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the base material with the essential oils. For example:

dried lavender + 5 drops vanilla
dried chamomile + 5 drops orange
jasmine rice + 3 drops vanilla & 2 drops ylang ylang (or 5 drops of Plant Therapy’s Love Vanilla blend)

Mix well with a spoon until the essential oils are well distributed.

Using a spoon or a funnel, transfer the mixture to the bag. Tie the ribbons securely.

TIP: Place the sachets inside a treat bag and secure that with a ribbon to keep the scent contained until you give the gift!

Projects from the archives:

Join us as we celebrate 101 Days of Christmas with new DIY projects, gift ideas, traditions and more every day from now through Christmas!

Mandi Ehman is the blogger behind Life Your Way. She and her husband have four beautiful girls plus one baby boy, and together they live, work and homeschool on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia. Mandi loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

Meet the 101 Days of Christmas sponsors:

King Arthur Flour's Baker's Hotline: free professional help with any holiday baking challenge
World Vision Gift Catalog: share a full life with children in need by giving unique, life-changing gifts
Plant Therapy Essential Oils: 100% pure, undiluted oils you can trust at a price you can afford
Life Your Way Christmas Shop: get your 2014 Christmas planner today


Easy no-sew sachets {101 Days of Christmas}

© 2010-2014 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved

     

Reminder: Daylight Savings Ends on Sunday + Other Seasonal Reminders

Just a quick reminder that Daylight Savings ends this weekend, as we “fall back” to standard time at 1:59 a.m. on Sunday, November 2nd.

This is a great opportunity to get an extra hour of sleep, unless — like us — you have little ones who don’t really care what time the clock says.

To minimize the effects of Daylight Savings changes, we usually start adjusting our kids’ sleep schedules 15 minutes at a time in the days leading up the official switch. They still tend to wake up a little earlier after the time changes since they’re used to getting up with the sun, but hopefully they won’t be up too early!

Many people replace the batteries in their smoke detectors when they change their clocks (which is a great way to make sure you’re doing it regularly and avoid being woken up by a chirping detector in the middle of the night!).

Here is a list of additional activities you might consider with the time change as well:

Change the batteries in your carbon monoxide detectors (and maybe your thermostat(s) as well).


Check medication expiration dates.


Restock your first aid kit.


Check and replace car lights as needed.


Swap seasonal clothes.


Switch the direction of your ceiling fans (for most people, this will be clockwise, but it can depend on the orientation of your blades, so test it to see which direction pushes air up to mix it without blowing directly on you).


Make biannual dentist appointments.


Practice a family fire drill.


Update your emergency kit.


Make or replenish your winter car emergency kit.


Check the seal of doors and windows and look for other ways to winterize your home.

What other seasonal activities would you add to the list?

Mandi Ehman is the founder and publisher behind Life Your Way as well as a wife and homeschooling mom to four beautiful girls. She lives with her family on a little slice of heaven in wild, wonderful West Virginia and loves coffee, chocolate, easy meals, beautiful things and minimalist spaces.

Meet the 101 Days of Christmas sponsors:

King Arthur Flour's Baker's Hotline: free professional help with any holiday baking challenge
World Vision Gift Catalog: share a full life with children in need by giving unique, life-changing gifts
Plant Therapy Essential Oils: 100% pure, undiluted oils you can trust at a price you can afford
Life Your Way Christmas Shop: get your 2014 Christmas planner today


Reminder: Daylight Savings Ends on Sunday + Other Seasonal Reminders

© 2010-2014 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved