May you always, always...

10 Ways To Get Into The Christmas Spirit!!!

There is something awfully wrong with the world today. Well, many things for that matter. But don't worry, I won't go all global warming on you. To me it really is about the smaller things. We go about our days and nights always in a rush, sometimes forgetting to breathe. Literally. To take a long deep breath before we go on to the next big thing. Everything goes faster around this time of the year. Days get shorter. Sun sets earlier. Places get crowded. Traffic gets unbearable...and with each year, ever since I can recall, Christmas is less of what it used to be and more of what it shouldn't. 

I have this perfectly clear memory of a small girl at the age of six or seven, snuggled in her bed with a glass of milk and one too many chocolate chip cookies (they were not even home made, but store bought; I never was the baker...), watching A Christmas Carol on TV. I can't remember which of the many versions it was or the actors in it, but I can remember the feeling of laying there, knowing there was no school for another three weeks; with not a single care in the world. Life was so simple back then. For my five year old, christmas is mostly about getting a letter on time in order to receive whatever she's seen on TV. This year: a plush dolphin, a swimming doll, and a glow in the dark pillow. I have to admit it is mostly my fault. I guess it's easier. Hit the mall, buy the gifts, and be over with it.

This Christmas however, I plan to rediscover it's magic. For her, and my whole family. I want to relive and share that feeling I still recall from that memory. I want to go back to basics. I want to stop and take that long deep breathe. I want the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg, and cookies in the oven (even if they came out of a box) and the sight of flickering lights. I want to gather around the tree and give thanks for all what we have and who we have. I want a story to tell. I want the myth. The film version. I want my own christmas miracle, and my little one to be excited about  the little things just as I once was.

So I came up with a short list of all things possible that could get me and my family in the christmas spirit (whatever this was, I'm about to remember!) As clichéd as you may find many, I'd love if you'd join me in this journey and try a few, maybe even come up with a few of your own and give this famed spirit a try year-long!!!

1. Give.

I hope you didn't stop reading right at Give, just to drive straight to the mall. We've taken Giving around christmas pretty literal, and though I can't deny I'd still love to get that beautiful bag I've been lusting after for sometime now, this year giving will have a whole different meaning. Let's give a smile, a Please, a Thank You, a Have a Good Day, a Merry Christmas, a kiss, a hug, a pat on the back, a It's going to be OK, a How are you? Let the kindest word and the unexpected pleasantries be the best gift of all.

2.  Bake Something.

Whip up something. Anything for that matter. It doesn't even matter if you're any good at it. Involve your children, invite your friends, gather round the kitchen, send some over to the neighbours... I promise there is nothing in this world the smell of chocolate chip cookies in the oven can't solve. 

3. Make some DIY ornaments and gifts.

Avoid the crowds and log in to Pinterest from the comfort of your home to get the best DIY ideas for making your very own christmas decorations and gifts. This is a great opportunity to spend some time with the little ones. Create something beautiful for someone you love with your own two hands. Craft your own gift tags. Give your ornaments a makeover. Discover the joy of spray painting!

4. Dim the lights. 

You read that right. Strategically place string lights around the house. Light some scented candles. You'll immediately relax as you arrive home and set a holiday mood.

5. Compile a Christmas Playlist. 

Play it while you make dinner for your loved ones, or while stuck in traffic. Teach your kids some carols. Put them to bed with a christmas song. C'mon, who hasn't ever sang along to Mariah Carey's All I want for Christmas is You??? Ok, so maybe a few of you haven't, but trust me, it's catchy!

6. Make & send your own Christmas Cards.

Do it the old-fashioned way. Write and actually mail or deliver a few lines. You might be surprised and reminded how beautiful your handwriting is. No impersonal E-Cards this year!

7. Read a Christmas Children's book.
Relive the magic of christmas through classic holiday stories. Read a few pages every night, or introduce these stories to your little ones at bedtime.

8. Make a difference. 

Donate. Volunteer. Organize a Toy Drive for a children's hospital. Organize a Soup Kitchen or just drive around and distribute meals for the hungry and the homeless you encounter on your drive.

Keep someone warm. Go through your closet and your children's closet. Select items that don't fit anymore or that you haven't used in over a year and donate them to those in need. 

Check out this great Facebook page for everyday ideas of little things and small acts of kindness you can do to make someone's day...or your own!!!  https://www.facebook.com/sisosbuenoquesenote

9. Create a new tradition.
Come up with your very own family tradition for the holidays. Choose any of the above and make it an unforgettable evening for  your friends and family. Whether baking, watching a movie, reading, writing your own Christmas cards, trimming the tree, caroling...Remember, tis' the season to laugh, love, share and create those special memories you'll cherish the rest of the year...years from now!

10. Watch Love Actually. 
Simply the best film ever to get you in the mood for anything. Period.

Why Bebé isn't driving Maman Crazy...

I sometimes watch a TV show featuring the world's toughest jobs. This got me thinking and conducting a small, very unprofessional research of my own, during which I came across a number of publications ranking the toughest jobs, the dirtiest jobs, and the most stressful jobs. From sales, accounting, IT, teaching, to, ready for this?...Owl vomit collecting (I'm not kidding on this one), you could find pretty much every job on the planet. Yet not ONE of these multiple rankings, included what for me is, the ultimate toughest job of all: Parenting. 

Let's face it. Parenting is a blessing, but it can be as rewarding as exhausting. I constantly find myself asking two questions: 1. Is my kid happy? and the hardest and most recurring one: 2. Am I doing it right? With time I've understood these are not necessarily related. The first one is a question of 'yes' or 'no' answer, while the second one however has no definite answer. There will be good days and bad days, ups and downs, happy days and sad days, smiles and tears, victories and failures; I will make mistakes. These however will and should never define me as a parent, much less a good or a bad one. This definitely won't define my kid. I've heard the expression before on how children should come a with a handbook, but wouldn't this take all the fun out of it??? 

I can't tell you s#*t about parenting. I began brushing my daughter's teeth at two years old, because I never thought about it. One day I asked a friend if she brushed her daughter's teeth already and said she'd been doing it since her first teeth began to show. I felt like such a terrible parent. For a week or so, I brushed her teeth four to five times a day, as if trying to make up for all the months I hadn't done it before. One day my husband told me I had to stop beating myself over a simple mistake any new mother could have made. He made me take a good long look at her, there she was, happy and healthy, beautiful smile and all...That was one of the many memorable mistakes I've made. And boy have there been many more!!!

It's good to have someone to talk with about these parenting tricks and tips, but the first piece of advice I could probably give you that I've learnt the hard way is never compare your parenting experience or style to anyone's you know or read about. The truth is, when it comes to parenting nothing is set in stone. The second piece of advice is to buckle up and enjoy the ride!

In my trying to figure out this whole motherhood/parenting thing, I've come across a number of books and guides, all written by real mothers trying to figure the whole thing out, day by day. My all time favorite is Pamela Druckerman's (An american journalist living and parenting in Paris) journey to discover the wisdom of french parenting. I myself recently witnessed there is something, somehow the French are doing right. On a recent trip to Paris, every meal for my then four year old consisted on a side of frites. I remember the horrored look on each and every waiter that took our meal orders for more than a month. At first I made nothing of it. Then, with each outing it began to hit me. I can say I don't recall any children in all the restaurants we visited having a cheeseburger, fries, chicken fingers or anything along these lines. Or any mothers for that matter, trying to shove a piece of anything down their throat, while simultaneously wrestling them in order to manage sitting them down. In fact, most menus didn't even have kid's options. Food was food. For grown ups and children, the only difference if any would rely in portion size... and parents actually seemed to be enjoying a meal out; even with their youngest.

Her recount of parenting in France is not only accurate but hilarious. French Mothers are not obsessed with reading pregnancy, birthing, or parenting guides (ahem...), and children are surprisingly joyful, well behaved, and in control of their attitudes, behaviour and emotions. Not to mention they'll eat whatever is on their plate. Druckerman explains "there's something about the way the French parent that makes it less of a grind and more of a pleasure". Druckerman's work of investigative parenting is built on the premise that "to be a different kind of parent, you don't just need a different parenting philosophy. You need need a very different view of what a child actually is". See, most of the time we begin in the wrong end, trying to figure out what a parent is and should be, forgetting it is not actually about us, but it really all is about the child. 

Druckerman had me at this line which I'll now leave you with, which basically summarizes everything I aspire to as a parent, and will hopefully be enough for you to download away!: "The French have managed to be involved without becoming obsessive. They assume that even good parents aren't at the constant service of their children, and that there's no need to feel guilty about this".

I highly recommend reading Druckerman's full work. However, if you are too busy...parenting... I was recently introduced by one of my favorite new Mommies to BEBE DAY BY DAY also by Druckerman. It's basically the lowdown on her complete investigative works on French Parenting. It's the witty, mostly common sense, easy-to-read guide of the keys and lessons of bringing up gourmet babies without losing your calm parenting ways, with special emphasis on saying non the right way. Druckerman's cherry on top is a list of her favorite recipes from the Parisian creche (day cares); I suggest you keep this one handy!

CLICK HERE TO BUY BRINGING UP BEBE ON AMAZON.COM

CLICK HERE TO BUY BEBE DAY BY DAY ON AMAZON.COM

If you loved these titles, you might want to check out the following:

CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON.COM

CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON.COM

CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON.COM

XO

Today's Pick: Melissa Kirsch's THE GIRL'S GUIDE TO ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING

2. THE GIRL'S GUIDE TO ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING, Melissa Kirsch

This book really lives up to it's title. When Kirsch says everything, she means EVERYTHING. 

From the Spinach-on-the-Tooth Rule (I'm not kidding on this one) to what to do when you feel like crying at work (or this one!), it covers pretty much every aspect of the modern girl's life.

At first, the all text and no pictures layout, tiny illustrations and sidebars can be too much for the eyes and a tad overwhelming. I suggest you tackle it by chapters. Don't go specifically for the subtitles that  first get your attention and think might apply to you. You'll be surprised with the very useful practical advise you might find under retirement plans.

This girl has thought of everything. From the thirteen essentials of table etiquette and how to get a haircut you don't hate, to e-mail etiquette, how to act when you're home for the holidays, the pros and cons of casual booty, the woman's sexual bill of rights, dating on the job, questions to ask a potential roommate, the buying vs. leasing debate, checkbook balancing, to choosing the right bra size and why you really must quit smoking today.

I love that Kirsch goes beyond all beauty, lifestyle and etiquette guides I've read. Sure knowing all about the latest beauty trends and makeup applying tricks is much more fun than considering ways of advancing in your career or evaluating whether you should buy a new or used car, but let's be realistic: in your real day to day life, you'll be faced with these less than fun dilemmas more often than whether you should ever wear a fannypack (also in the book...A No No from ALL perspectives!)

Kirsch's guide IS everything; a witty, helpful, practical, insightful, empowering, straight to the point, laugh out loud useful survival guide to adult life: not to mention it would make a great gift for your girl friends!

CLICK HERE TO BUY THE GIRL'S GUIDE TO ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING ON AMAZON.COM

XO

On My Nightstand: My Fave Reads

Boy, does it feel good to be back! I love writing without schedules and deadlines. I can however get a little lost in everyday tasks and put it away till the next day. Next thing I know, it's been two weeks and I haven't written a sentence! So I thought, what better way to start my week than with the only thing that rivals my passion for writing?... reading! 

I used to have this self-imposed rule: Never begin a new book if I hadn't finished the last one! Result: I ended up with a half-read book for a year. With time, I've discovered I can read several books simultaneously and in fact, I like reading different books according to different circumstances, places, seasons and moods (Yes, I am one of those cliché readers who enjoys cuddling with a cup of hot chocolate and a holiday novel right around christmas! Or that sexy summer novel I'll take to the beach...) In case you we were wondering, Yes, I've heard about kindles, Ipads, and the whole e-book craze, and yes I do occasionally download a few titles, which I will mostly turn to, during my waiting hours.  These I will read on my devices at school, in traffic, at work...but most of the time you will see me carrying a dishevelled good old book, pages falling apart and all.

For the past few months, my reading material has built up on my night stand. Today I'm in bed with a cold from hell and decided to catch up a bit, in both reading and writing about it.

By now you know I am no stranger to guides. In fact I love guides. Style guides, travel, cooking, fashion, parenting, whatever you can turn into a guide I will buy. This week is dedicated to the latest titles I'm loving,. So much, some are my second time around, so pick the one that best suits your interests and lifestyle and read on!

Today's Pick:

1.  THE EVERYGIRL'S GUIDE TO LIFE, Maria Menounos

You gotta love this girl! Maria Menounos is the ultimate down to earth, no-nonsense EveryGirl next door. This guide is a literal lifesaver, and the very best part? it feels like it has been written by your best friend!. Her tips include matters of the heart, family and friendship, organization, beauty, makeup, fitness, travelling, décor and well-being. Born into a working class immigrant family, Maria is not only talented and gorgeous inside out, but has managed to keep her feet on the ground even in La La Land. She is a busy busy girl who still manages to do her own hair and makeup for her TV gig. Her EveryGirl Mottos are the perfect starting point to this guide and keeps coming back to them throughout the book. 

You'll love her tips for building your dream closet, home renovatings, office organizing essentials, her nail, hair, beauty, and five-minute makeup routine, red carpet looks, avorite beauty products and her lazy woman's workout. I especially loved her chapter on EveryGirl's emotional foundation, health and well-being. You might also find her recipes quick and easy to whip up, healthy and yummy. 

I love the layout of the book in general, and the pictures remind me of those I might snap with my phone to share with my friends on Instagram. A recurrent read you'll devour over and over, and might want to keep on your night stand year round! It has definitely earned it's permanent spot on my nightstand!

CLICK HERE TO BUY THE EVERYGIRL'S GUIDE TO LIFE ON AMAZON.COM

XO!