Merry Christmas!!!

Today is the last day of Blogmas and I feel pretty good. I truly enjoyed myself this Holiday season. I have been off with my children almost a whole year and it has been awesome! I do not miss the daily punch in and out or begging for PTO. We did a lot of creative Christmas activities and spent quality time together.

I learned this year that time with the family is the most precious gift anyone can receive. I have been blessed to watch my children grow, help them learn and learn through them. This has been my greatest joy.

I will spend this Christmas Day praising Christ for the many opportunities and blessings he has bestowed upon me seen and unseen. I will celebrate the moments of today with my family. I will make an effort to live in the moment and worry less about the next day.

If you are a believer in Christ you know this is a special day. A day to celebrate our Saviors arrival. We use this day to celebrate with gifts, because Jesus was our gift and he was presented with gifts. However, gifts should not be our only focus.

Jesus arrival was a divine purpose and the new beginning for our world. As I reflect on today, I celebrate the new beginnings ahead in my life and my readers. So Merry Christmas to all and I wish you and your families: Peace, Love and Prosperity!

Love Tahnee

Hey everyone it is Christmas Eve! Time to make Christmas cookies, finish wrapping gifts, drink hot cocoa, and get ready for Santa.

I spoke to Santa and he told me he would be on time this year due to the mild weather. I was glad to hear from the big guy so we will leave him four big chocolate chip cookies.

I love Christmas Eve because of the excitement everyone feels. This Christmas Eve my kids will be working on a play that I will be recording. I was so excited because it was their idea. They made their own creative speeches and costumes. They will be singing all the popular Christmas songs and acting out various scenes from Christmas movies. I thought it was pretty neat watching my kids use their own creative energy to make their own Christmas show. This might be a Christmas Eve tradition we pass down years to come. What are some of your Christmas Eve traditions and plans?

My blog of the day will be a list of things I do with my kids for Christmas. I tried to keep the list short, but so far we have done everything except make our Christmas cookies, but we will save that for Christmas Eve. Comment below some of your ideas that you do with your family during the Holiday Season.

1.Visit a Tree Farm

2.Make a Gingerbread house

3.Visit Santa

4. Ride on a Train

5. Read Christmas books

6.Visit a toy making factory

7.Make hot cocoa and cookies

8.Visit Family

9. Volunteer at a shelter, elderly center or adopt a family

10. Go see a Christmas Play

11. Go to a Tree lighting Ceremony

12. Make Christmas Ornaments

As a busy mom, I know how it feels to be exhausted and overwhelmed around the Holidays. Honestly, I have learned that the best thing to do is get help. Even paying for help is great. Here are some of my tips to enjoy the Holiday Season and stay organized.

RELAX

The biggest help you can give yourself is RELAXING! I suggested kicking your feet up and watching a Holiday movie or two. My Holiday favorites are: Home Alone and The Preacher’s Wife. Taking a break gives you a chance to avoid the chaos and just enjoy the atmosphere.

ME TIME

This is similar to taking a break, except I suggest doing something for yourself. Allow a specialist to work their magic on you. Make a way to enjoy a spa date, manicure, pedicure, massage or even a new hair style. I recently got my hair cut and I have been seeing a skin care specialist to treat my skin. It is time to take care of yourself and prepare for the “Best You’ for the new year.

DO SOMETHING FUN AND FESTIVE

This is my favorite part. The kids and I are usually doing something fun most weekends, but the holiday season is just an excuse to do more. Ice skating, visiting Santa, making a gingerbread house, visiting a tree farm and so much more. Check your local neighborhood events during the Holiday season.

DRESS UP AND GO OUT

There is nothing like going out during the holidays season. I have the best date nights during the Christmas and New Year season. I put on my red lipstick, my fancy dresses and even bring out my fur coats. The lights, the trees, the drinks and the music makes the atmosphere and the date way more exciting. So get dressed up and enjoy a night out!

EAT TREATS

This is the time to bake your best most tastiest treats and not feel guilty. Yes, Christmas cookies, gingerbread men, holiday cupcakes and more. It is now an excuse to indulge just a little. Just don’t forget to get your exercise in!

DEEP CLEAN

I do not know about anyone else, but my house is usually a mess after Christmas. After the holiday happiness wears off, you are left to deal with fitting in all the new presents where they belong, wrapping paper all over the place and an overall big mess. I suggest hiring someone to come over after Christmas to deep clean the house. This is especially great for the new year. Out with the old and in with the new! Carpet cleaning, clean curtains, fresh walls, dust removal, etc. Get a clean house and a clean mind!

GIFT WRAPPING

I am one of those DIY moms, but honestly wrapping gifts is not my strong point. I think I am going to do it this year as a fun project with the kids. However, I do not mind paying to have someone wrap the gifts for me. If you do not have time or you just don’t want to, do not hesitate to get someone to help.

GET HELP

I do not know if I said this before, but I am not a big fan of washing clothes. I do it because I have to, but we have a ton of clothes and I get sick of the washing and folding process.  I think it is because I am so meticulous on how I wash the clothes. The underwear in one load, socks and towels in another and so on. It can be so tiresome with 600 loads. LOL! Luckily, I found a wonderful local washing service that not only cleans my clothes the way I want, they fold them and drop them off. Did I mention they pick them up? I have never spent over $50 dollars for this service. It is not something I use all the time, but when I feel overwhelmed I call them up. This service has been extremely helpful to me!

Do you get the help that you need?

I did not have much to say today besides the fact that I adore my children. They fight like siblings do, but they are so close. Despite their almost 7 1/2 year gap they are the best of friends. This picture truly captured how much my son loves and admires his sister. I just really love this pic. What is your favorite picture of your child or children?

So maybe all your plans for 2017 did not happen exactly the way you had planned. You did not reach your desired weight. Your business is not popping like your fellow Instagram Entrepreneurs and you still work at the job that you hate. It is very tempting now to just eat the whole bag of Christmas cookies and give up on your goals. You might as well forget about exercise right? Wait until January to get things right, huh? Hell to the no! Now its ok to have a Christmas cookie or two, but mama you have had damn near fifteen cookies. Put those damn cookies down and get some fresh air. Breath, meditate and think! There will be a big difference next year if you continue to persevere. So what if it is that last month of the year. Save the best for last. You seriously had 31 days this Month and 744 hours; however, today is December 11, so you have 21 days and 504 hours left.  That is more than enough time to make an impact on your future. So let’s keep the momentum up and step it up. The new year is approaching!

Here is my MOTIVATION for you!

START NOW– Remember starting now is better than Later. It is easy to procrastinate and put things off later. The later that you start the later you will reach your desired destination. You have goals to achieve so it is time to put everything in perspective and act now.

REWARDS– It will feel so good when you start checking off your goal list. It will feel great when you start to see your abundance manifest. If you do not start now then you will not see any change and there will be no rewards. We want REWARDS! We want REWARDS!

AND LASTLY……..

FRESH START– Remember when we could not wait to get our new school supplies. New notebooks made us anxious to take notes in class. Remember? LOL Well it is the same with life. That fresh start will bring out a certain happiness and anxiousness to start. Just do not lose momentum like most people do after January rolls around and their results are not immediate.

ARE YOU STILL MOTIVATED?????

It is funny how we smile and pretend that Christmas is the most joyous time of the year. Yes, it is a wonderful time, but it is also a time that brings on a lot of stress. Gift giving can turn into a competition or even a financial burden.

Out of town trips can be tiresome and expensive. Christmas even makes some realize how lonely or unhappy they actually are. Joint custody becomes more noticeable. While a deceased or missing family member is mourned three times as much as usual. Yet, we are expected to smile, sing Christmas songs and eat cookies.

Yes, I love Christmas, but I refuse to be fake about my emotions. I spend a lot of time doing activities with the children. Most of the time it compensates for the mixed emotions I feel about the Holiday. I am not a small child waiting on Santa to drop me off a ton of gifts. I am now the parent and the responsibility rest on me.

I never knew my perspective of the Holiday would change so much over the years.  Even though I get sheer joy out of providing all the gifts my children want; I can’t deny that most of the time I love seeing the Holiday over.

I even try to focus on the fact that it is about Jesus Christ. Yet it is hard to focus on that when now most people argue that this particular day is not even about him. However, if you take the children to see Santa you are criticized for taking attention from the true meaning of the Holiday season. Some even go as far to say that Santa actually means Satan.

It seems like every positive aspect you look at about Christmas, there is always some issue trying to prevent pure happiness. Then there is life in general, causing us to shift our view of the Holiday. Life can bring on so many challenges and changes that it is hard to focus on the goodness and Holiday cheer.

Despite everything going on, I have been choosing to smile. I have been spending my time focusing on what this Holiday means to me personally. Being true about my emotions and focusing on my self care and self reflection. I am choosing to reflect on the good in my life. I am taking it easy and remembering that this season is about giving more than receiving.

This season is about celebrating the memories of the love ones who are gone. This Season for me is celebrating the birth of my Savior. I will spend my Christmas season spending time with my family without materialistic focus.

I will spend more time enjoying our family traditions without focusing on the opinions of others or their personal beliefs.  Lastly, this season is also about me remembering that time is passing and that another year is approaching. Reminding me that life is short and time is precious. Seasons Greetings!

Tahnee Cole

It was love at first sight when the kids first met Zippy. He is a very kind Elf, but he has a no nonsense demeanor. Most of all he is quick. He definitely lives us up to his name. Before the kids know it, he is already in a new spot watching their every move. Yet he is helpful. When Heaven misplaced her pencils he was there to help her find them. When Jr. lost his favorite cup he was there to help him.

However, watching two kids is a lot on one Elf. The kids suggested I get him a buddy that could help him with his shifts. I hired Jolly and they became a dynamic duo. Life was pretty good for the Elves, but then one almost fatal day arrived.

I  was washing clothes, helping the kids with homework and cooking. Then I noticed that Zippy was dirty. He had moved from the kitchen to the bathroom to the window seal in a matter of hours and now his pants were dirty. Since I was washing clothes I figured I could just toss him in the washer. I made a big mistake! Everything was going fine at first. I went in to check on him once and he was tumbling around the washer quickly. Then for some strange reason I went back to check on him and I saw a horrible sight.

Zippy’s head was caught in between the face of the dryer and a huge comforter. His feet were dangling over his head. His body was twisted, distorted and trapped. He looked like he was suffocating. His eyes were squinted and desperately looking right at me. Unfortunately, when the washer is in motion you cannot open the door. I could not open the door to set him free so I prayed that he would just find a way to break free. However, the comforter was extremely too heavy for the little guy. Zippy looked like he was gasping for air and seeing his entire Elf career flash before him. I was sure if he survived, he would resign from being our personal Elf. But then the time went from one minute to off. It seemed like the longest one minute ever. I rushed to open the washer. Zippy fell out.

“My bad Zippy.” I said.

Zippy just looked at me.

I guess I will just spot clean him next time.

By the way he is still our Elf!

I made an error and schedule Day 3 Blog on Day 4. So there will be two blog post today. However, the show must keep going. This is my first year being apart of Blogmas and I am enjoying it all. The good, the crazy and the mistakes!

Today I want to talk about Holiday Play Dates. So my friend and I were discussing how we really need to get the kids together during or around the Holiday season, but then we agreed it was too busy around this time. However, I thought of a great idea. We could use the Holiday season play dates to double as convenient shared babysitting. We could then take turns getting all of the stuff we need to get done. She can drop the kids with me while she does her Holiday shopping or house cleaning. I can do my usual crafting with the kids and then we can take turns. The children will be so busy entertaining each other and engaging in fun activities they won’t even notice our brief absence. Busy parents can utilize this time to get things done around the Holiday such as: cleaning, shopping, running errands or even just a nap. I am going to use my time to meet up with Santa to discuss exactly when he will be dropping off the gifts! Do you have a reliable parent that you can exchange Holiday play date shifts with?