Christmas

While the craft stores have displayed their red and green since summer and the big box stores put out evergreens and jingle bells well before Halloween, many of us are just now starting to think about the upcoming holiday...

Gone are the days of being a student, when I had weeks to a month off around Christmas. I miss being in college and having a crazy week of finals, but knowing that once they ended I could relax...

It’s Christmas time.  A time for cheer, love, baking, gifts, and all of the joys of the season.  I am sure we can all recall a special tradition from our childhood that as an adult we either keep going...

Winter is a great time to snuggle up indoors with a stack of books and a warm mug of hot chocolate as the snow falls gently past the window (or just covers your car in a disgusting crust of...

The holidays are upon us. This is literally one of the most wonderful times of the year as we enjoy the embrace of family and friends. However, it can be less-than-wonderful if you’re non-crafty and/or not especially talented in...

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve said, “We’ll just wing it!” I’d be able to pay off my student loans, afford organic produce, and buy everything on page 32 of the Pottery Barn catalog. Whether it’s...

Feliz Navidad! This year we will be spending our first Christmas overseas in Madrid, Spain. It’s been a mixture of emotions–excitement for new traditions but also sadness for being so far away from family. Either emotion, we want to make...

Listen. Sometimes a person just needs a feel-good movie with a pleasant soundtrack, a predictable plot, plenty of cozy holiday elements, and a happy ending.  If we put it into checklist form, does it make you feel like you're accomplishing...

The holidays are underway, and in our house that means a calendar filled with activities from late October through Christmas. I never used to give it much thought. We genuinely enjoyed the busy schedule, even amidst the bumps. But...

'Tis the season for cheesy holiday movies! I love the schmaltzy predictability of sweet holiday movies where the main characters find true love and Christmas miracles happen. If you love holiday movies, too, play along with us in Iowa...