Creating Christmas Wrapping Paper

I was watching a recent Tiktok video about creating cute wrapping paper with your dog or loved ones.  They mentioned that Staples was having a holiday sale and you either make your image in Canva or use one of their templates.  I chose to be fast as the discount code for the super sale was ending soon.  Jack is our newest family member, he fits right in with our simple life without our kids at home now.  Looking through my photos I found a few cute ones of Jack and us for the holidays.  I uploaded the photos to the Staples site and requested to pick up the paper in town this week.  Excited to see what it actually looks like and how much we will get for a few fun holiday packages.  Staples will continue with their holiday sale so be sure and search google for the discount code to apply at checkout.

Jack and his Red bow tie

Jack with his Paris outfit uploaded into ChatGPT and a Paris background photo was created.

Our family trip to Georgia with Jack

The quick look at the Christmas wrapping paper that I will get this week!

Or if you want to get a lot of wrapping paper I did a quick search on Amazon and they have so many options.  https://amzn.to/4awzSrh

WIth much love,

Nicole Flothe

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5 Tips on Spending the Holidays Stress Free

This week brings Thanksgiving on Thursday and then Black Friday for those that love to shop!  It's a time to be thankful and a time to spend with those we love.  My kids are now in college or graduated and luckily are all coming home for the holiday.  We have their rooms ready for the week and plans to enjoy each day with them.  Here are 5 tips on spending the holidays stress free.

Tip 1
Stock the fridge! Get foods that are filling and healthy with some easy recipes that make everyone have something they can enjoy.  I find stocking up on celery sticks, carrots, apples, and grapes are quick and easy snacks.  Also if you have those that like to fix a meal then they can cook their favorite meal too. Now that we are moving into the holidays be sure to check the Black Friday sales on Amazon for special kitchen tools and gadgets.https://amzn.to/3XgsNDG

Tip 2
Clean the house and wash the laundry.  It might seem like a task but it makes the house feel cozy and nice when it's clean and orderly.  You have room for family and friends to put down their extras and make room for fun and entertainment.  Getting the laundry done is another stress saver, clean clothes are ready for the week and there are no piles of clothing waiting to be washed.  The laundry machine is open and ready for those family that are coming for a visit and need some clean clothes during their stay.  Here is a quick search on Amazon for the best items for cleaning. https://amzn.to/4p80pju 

Tip 3

Bring out the boardgames.  A little competitiveness and fun can be a way to relax during the holidays and what a better way to do that then to bring out some classic games. We like playing Monopoly, Yahtzee, Go Fish, and dominos.  Some games can go on for long periods of time with the winners undetermined until the final end.  Other games are quick and easy to play and make for several rounds with many winners.  Be sure to get some games for your next family holiday. https://amzn.to/44sCnag

Tip 4 

Get good sleep and have plenty of clean sheets and bedding. Sleep is so important to be able to rejuvenate our bodies.  Once we have the right amount of sleep then we can make better decisions and our overall outlook on life can change for the better.  Since we have all our family coming for the holidays I have made sure that everyone has clean sheets and a nice place to sleep. This year I decided to get organized and put all my bedsheets together by size and I got some containers that could hold them in my bathroom closet.  Find some nice bedroom sets on Amazon here https://amzn.to/4rldvLo.

Tip 5

Journal and take photos.  Many studies have shown that when we actively write down our thoughts and feelings we can reduce our stress and make our lives more manageable.  Get a regular notebook or fancy journal that you can keep by your bed or bring with you during the day.  Write down your dreams, a task list, or just random thoughts to fill the pages.  During the journaling process you can also take photos and print them out or save them to an online journal.  The photos could be of family, pets, or places you want to remember. https://amzn.to/3JXoMky

Do you have any favorite tips that help you to unwind during the holidays?

WIth much love,

Nicole Flothe

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Heartbeat Magazine December 2012 Cover

I just finished uploading my lastest issue of The Heartbeat Magazine.  The family on the cover is actually my parents and their 10 grandkids.  My friend Melinda Nagy Photography provided so many great photos and this was the one that captured my heart.  So grateful for my family, my parents had all of their grandkids together for the holidays!

Wishing everyone a Beautiful Holiday & Happy New Year.

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Gingerbread House and Holiday Cookies, so many Decorating Decisions?

My parents have 10 grandkids and this holiday was the first time they had all of them together.  We had an early celebration on friday and even had professional photos taken.  This months cover will be a photo of them with their 10 grandkids.  Can't wait to share soon!  After the photo shoot, I took my niece and my kids over to my in-laws and the kids made a Gingerbread house and we made 12 dozen cookies for a cookie exchange.  There are so many choices when it comes to creating your Gingerbread House masterpiece.  How do you decide?  With the cookies we made a mix of cookies, and each one was so different and delicious.  It made for a wonderful afternoon and evening with family!  Heartfelt memories for my kids and for me!  That's my favorite part of the Holiday season.

Building the Gingerbread House, so many steps.

         

Cousins enjoy the finished results!

                                             

Grandma & Grandson making the cookies.

                                              Oh so delicious!!

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Being Outrageous is essential to life!

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How do you Decorate Your Christmas Tree? WW entry

There are so many ways to decorate a Christmas tree. A simple design with just a few colors or a mixture of family ornaments that have been passed down from generation to generation.  A few days after Thanksgiving my daughter begged us to put up the Christmas tree.  She had so much fun looking at all the cute and pretty ornaments that we have collected over the years.  I enjoyed watching her Holiday excitement. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?   Here are some ideas on decorating your Christmas tree for the holidays on Pinterest and a search on Google.

New Ornament from my Cara Box gift exchange, so cute!

Kids were so happy to have decorated our Christmas Tree!

Lastly, since it's National Cookie Day, I found this awesome recipe via Pinterest!  Yummy!

Have an amazing week.  If you participate in Wordless Wednesday, please be sure to leave your blog link, looking forward to reading your posts.  Also, only 10 days left on the Starbucks Giveaway:)

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Gobble! Gobble! by Jake WW Entry

Gobble!  Gobble!  by Jake age 9

Gobble!  Gobble!  AAHH!  Jordan the turkey sprinted as fast as he could possibly go into the thick raspberry bushes.  Whew.  "Glad I made it in here before the chef caught me and roasted me."  Hmm?  What should I do so I don't get caught?  OH!  I'll disguise myself.  OK so now I've got that, but what should I disguise myself as?  Oh!  I'll make myself look like Michael Jordan from when I won the Championship with Jake the Turkey and another turkey named Evan.

Jordan scurried off to his zone of the farmers plain.  "Ughhh!  Where is it?  Yes!  My jersey!  I found it!  OK now I can protect myself but what about all the other turkeys?"  Let me think...I got it!  I'll talk to the farmers and convince them that turkeys have a disease.  I can do that since I look like a human now with my jersey on.  Jordan bolted straight for the farm.

When he got there no one was outside, so he rang the doorbell.  Ding! Dong!  As soon as the sound faded the farmer popped his head out the door.  "Hello" said Jordan.  "Why hello" replied the farmer.  "I just came by to tell you that turkeys have been carrying a disease so you shouldn't eat them on thanksgiving"  said Jordan.  "How long will they carry this disease?"  asked the farmer.  "Oh!  Well ok.  I'll make sure to tell all the other farmers and stores nearby" the farmer said back.  "Good" said Jordan. After that he flew off to the bushes and shouted at the top of his lungs "YES!"  So that's why no one eats turkey on thanksgiving anymore.

Jake playing basketball with his Heartbeat Magazine Teammates!

Jake's Dream!

Cute Thanksgiving Typography found at Graphic Design Blog.

Quote of the week.  Provided by @projectalicia

To all my American friends Happy Thanksgiving everybody!  To all my other friends, Happy Holidays!!  Two days left for this months Giveaway:)  If you are participating in Wordless Wednesdays please leave me your website link, I can't wait to visit!

xoxo,
Nicole
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