What I Got for Christmas

I got some darn good presents for Christmas.  All of them are making my life easier, and, honestly, is anything better than that?

Early in December, we got a TV.  This was a big deal for us because we haven't had one in about ten years.  Honestly, I didn't want the TV in order to watch it...I wanted the TV in order for my kids to watch it. (Mother of the Year?)  It has been soooo nice to keep the kids busy for a bit during the day.  Sally's favorite show is Little Baby Bum on Youtube, and she will actually watch it for a solid half hour while I get ready for the day.  Hallelujah!  Noah's favorite is Octonauts on Netflix, and he would watch it all day every day if I let him.  I don't. ;)

Ryan and I still don't watch much, but it's nice to have the option when we want to rent a movie or catch up on Downton Abbey.  Overall, I'd say this was a great purchase, and Noah was so excited about it that he invited two of his friends over to watch a show with him, and I think they were a little bewildered, like, "What's the big deal?  It's a TV."  Ha!  What can I say...we've finally entered the 20th century.

That early Christmas present was certainly enough, but as the weeks approached Christmas, Ryan was fretting that he hadn't gotten me anything and didn't have any ideas.  I told him, "All I want for Christmas is a day off every month for the year--so I can write and work on projects uninterrupted!"  I wasn't sure if he would follow through, but he did. 

Could there be a more heavenly gift?  I used my January day-off last Saturday, and I went to the library and got so much work done, sorting photos and videos from 2015, writing blog posts for Power of Moms, catching up on an online class I am taking...I mean, it was astonishing how much I got accomplished in those several hours and reminded me why I was able to "do it all" before I had kids.  Those little cuties are sure time-consuming! (But worth it!)

My little sister's present might take the cake for best present of 2015--or ever. I've mentioned before what a huge stress meal-planning and cooking are for me.  I am not kidding when I say that these tasks can be paralyzing for me and are a constant source of stress in my life.  Well after hearing me complain about it for years, my little sister Laura decided to take matters into her own hands.  As my Christmas gift this year, she made me an eight-week meal plan with corresponding grocery shopping lists!!

Isn't that just the greatest thing ever?  You can buy meal plans online, but I haven't had much luck with any of them because the recipes aren't familiar to me or they are too complicated.  Laura's meal-plan includes many of our easiest family-favorites, and it's so doable and convenient.  I have been using her meal plans for the past few weeks, and it is incredible.  I wake up on Monday morning, grab my meal plan binder, and head to the store.  Zero stress.  For the first time in my life, I've had hot meals on the table by 6:00 every night.  Life-changing.  And isn't my shopping buddy cute?

So now I have a TV to occupy my kids for a little while during the day, a day off once a month to work on my hobbies and projects, and a simple system for meal-planning, grocery-shopping, and cooking for my family.  Yeah, I'd say I hit the jackpot for sure.  Merry Christmas 2015 to me!