holidays

Are New Years Resolutions on Your List?

Abby H.

I’m personally not doing any NYR this year, but. I know a lot of you are.

If you are on the fence and feel like it might cause you more stress than it’s worth, it’s ok to skip New Year’s Resolutions or anything else that causes undue stress. We all have enough stress in our lives.

If you want to do them, I did a round-up of the top ten NYRs in 2018 (for 2019) here. Some of the links within the articles may be outdated, but if you are looking for something specific, please feel free to reach out to me either via email, Instagram, or Facebook.

You may have noticed that my posting has slowed. I’m spending time with the kids this winter break, and I start my full-time job in the new year. I’ll still try to post here a few times a week, however, it won’t be daily unless I’ve got time. I’ll be posting more on Instagram and FB than blogging.

 

Tea Collection: $25 PJs Are Here!

Abby H.

** This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

It’s BAAACK! Just in time for holiday photo shoots and gift-giving, the Tea Collection family Pajama sale is back for three days only! Separates, Footie PJ’s, and nightgowns, all in matching patterns for the whole family.

This sale is only three days,  Monday, October 24, 2022 through Wednesday, October 26, 2022, so you need to get shopping NOW!

No Coupon Code is required!

Fine Print: Select PJ styles at $25, prices as marked on site. Offer valid from 10/24/2022 through 10/26/2022 at 11:59 PM PT. Discount taken will be pre-tax. Cannot be combined with other promotions. No adjustments on previous purchases. Not redeemable for cash. Cannot be used towards the purchase of gift cards. Limited to stock on hand. Please note: costs have increased due to growing challenges in our supply chain. We have added a 0.95 cent fee to all orders. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to service@teacollection.com.

Mabel’s Labels 2022 Holiday Collection Is Here! Get 10% Off Selected Holiday Products! #Sponsored

Abby H.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Mabel’s Labels has released its new holiday labels!

This is the perfect time to stock up early on all your holiday stationery and gifting needs!
Now through 10/31/2022, save 10% Off Mabel’s Labels’ select holiday products.

Check out the Holiday Products here!

What is included:
• Holiday Return Envelope Labels
• Holiday Gift Tags
• Stocking Stuffers
• Return Address Stamp  (This is my favorite product)

2022 San Diego Halloween Events!

Abby H.

It’s that time of year: Spooky Season! We’ve got our Halloween decor up, and I’ve started the kid’s costumes. They love wearing their costumes as much as possible, so we’re always looking for fun Halloween events.

Here are just a few that are big hits with my little ghouls:

As more events pop up I will add to this post, and post on Social Media as well.

Talk Back- If you know of any free Halloween events in San Diego, please leave a comment!

 

 

 

Smartphone on your Holiday Shopping List? Up to 15% Off iPhone 11 & 12 models with Gazelle!

Abby H.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

I know some of you are shopping for Smartphones for holiday gifts this year, either for a loved one, or maybe yourself. Gazelle has you hooked up!

Now through December 20th, Gazelle is offering your audience up to 15% off all iPhone 11 and 12 models.

And it gets better! If you have a qualified device to trade-in, you can earn some money too! Sign up For The Gazelle Rewards Program Today (click that link for more info and details- First-time customers can get an extra $5 when they trade-in).

 

2021 Holiday Resources

Abby H.2 Comments

I usually do these types of posts before Thanksgiving, but I’ve been looking for as many resources as possible to help those in need.

Much like last year, there aren’t a lot of free events, and most resources are stretched thin, as 2021 was as hard as 2020 for a lot of families.

The holidays are more than food and gifts, but no one should go hungry any time of year!

Here is my post with a list of food banks/pantries in San Diego. Many of the food pantries also have special holiday distributions, it is worth a call to find out of any additional food or gift distributions will be done.

As of now, I am not aware of any free Christmas tree giveaways, however, as I gather more information, I will update this post.

Toys for Joy will not be holding their annual event this year, instead, their site sends you to other resources such as The Rock Church for food, and The Salvation Army for other additional resources. The Salvation Army does an Angel Tree program to gather gifts for children in need. For more information about this program, contact your local Salvation Army location.

Sunday, December 19th, 2021 from 11am-2pm  is the annual H.O.P.E. event hosted by New Vision Church. Every child ages 0-11 will get a free toy! This is an all-free family fun event filled with free toys, carnival games and prizes, a live petting zoo, big bike giveaways, food, haircuts, jumpers, arts and crafts, live performances, DJ, and a whole lot more! The event will be held at both New Vision Church and Colina Del Sol Park and Recreation which is directly across the street. The entrance is at 5310 Orange Ave., San Diego, CA 92115.

Hope Leadership Academy is hosting an Event, Toys for Hope on December 18, 2021,9:00am – 1:00pm at the King Chavez School: 415 31st St. San Diego, CA 92102. Toys for Hope will be a walk-thru experience this year! Free toys for kids 13 and younger, free groceries, and bike raffles!

211 San Diego has a listing of all sorts of holiday assistance from food to toys, events- all free. Some programs/events require proof of need, but not all.

santeesantas.pngIf you live in Santee and need help with food and gifts for the holiday, contact Santee Santas. You can download and print forms, check into eligibility (it is income-based and they are very strict from what I’ve been told), and see what forms you need in addition to the application here.

The window to apply for Santee Santas is closing in just a few days, so if you want to apply, I recommend checking their website TODAY and apply ASAP.

Talk Back: If you know of any free local events, please leave a comment. 

Cute Holiday Dresses from DressLily!

Abby H.

Christmas Sale I know the official holiday season doesn’t for about a week, but I wanted to share some of these cute holiday dresses from Dresslily.

I have a bunch of dresses and home decor (tapestries) from Dresslily. They are of decent quality, especially when you factor in the price.

Right now they have a few deals going on:

  • All new shoppers receive 15% off their first order.
  • When you spend over $79 (which is pretty easy), you can choose FedEx shipping for free.
  • While they are size-inclusive (up to a size 5x/24), please be aware that because these dresses are made overseas, their sizing may seem off. Trust their sizing charts and order via their sizing chart, not what size you usually wear in American stores.

Here are a few of my holiday favorites:



DressLily also has cute accessories too. I’ve picked up a couple cute scarves (which I’m sure one or both of the kids will steal).  Regardless of what holiday you celebrate this winter, Dreslily has something cute and festive!

Daily Schedules for Kids (with tips for ADHD Family Members)

Abby H.

Recently, I posted our daily schedule for school days on Instagram.

Because the littler kiddo is still learning to read, I do a combination of words and pictures. I find that it also helps as sometimes when kids become disregulated, reading can be a little too much for our brains.

The Afternoon/Night section doesn’t have times because while bedtime is at a fixed time, it is important to grant the kids some freedom in the afternoons to relax and decompress from school. After being “on” all day at school, I like to give them 30 minutes to an hour after school to have a snack and relax without any kind of demands put on them.

There are of course times when that is not possible, for example when we have appointments immediately after school. Having a schedule for them to see really helps them organize and be aware.

Having two neurodivergent kiddos, it’s important to have visual reminders of schedules, family rules, appointments, etc. around the house. Each kid has a calender in room that is updated monthly with upcoming appointments, days off school and holidays. Updating those each month is something I do the first day of each month. I use stickers in addition to writing to help remind the kids of upcoming events on the calenders.

With Neurodivergency sometimes comes what we call “losing time”. The concept of time can be hard for kids to grasp, regardless of their neurodivergency. Another way that we help keep the kids on schedule is to use the old theater trick where we give them a one hour “call”, a 30 minute call, a five minute call, and then a time to go call. Grown ups call out, “One hour until X”, and the kids answer back, “Thank you one hour!” Making them repeat the amount of time they have left until we leave or transition activities puts it in their mind that whatever they are doing/playing/watching will come to an end.

Talk Back: I’d love to hear about the tips and tricks you use to keep your family on schedule!

 

 

 

New Years Resolutions: Are We Even Doing Them for 2021?

Abby H.

Seriously… Can we skip them?

I know a lot of people who feel like they have to do them because of traditions, or it helps them feel like they are in control. If that is you, awesome! You do you.

If you are on the fence, feel like it might cause you more stress than it’s worth, it’s ok to skip New Years Resolutions or anything else that causes undue stress. We all have enough stress right now.

If you want to do them, I did a round-up of the top ten NYR in 2018 (for 2019) here. Some of the links within the articles may be outdated, but if you are looking for something specific, please feel free to reach out to me either via email or via Instagram or Facebook.

The one end of year/new year tradition that I do is to buy 4 new calendars: One for the kitchen, one for my bathroom (next to my vanity), one for each of the kid’s rooms. I update them all monthly with appointments, birthdays, and holidays. I usually buy a calendar with the daily silly “holidays” on it for the kitchen. I bought this one for 2021.

You will probably start to see more posts from me (and my helpers), as one of my plans (not resolutions) is to start posting more now that I am able to have a pretty solid daily and weekly routine.

If there are topics that you would like to see or learn more about, drop me a message. I’ve got a lot of fun and good stuff planned (like quarterly Amazon Gift Card giveaways), and I’m going to continue sharing savings tips and deals, and of course crafts and recipes!

 

 

 

 

Holiday Recipe Round Up!

Abby H.

Most of us are home for the holidays, and that means that we are at home cooking.

If you are looking for some new recipes to tempt your taste buds, here are a few of our family’s favorite holiday recipes: