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Introducing The Merry Little Christmas Project!

October 16th, 2012 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

If you are joining us from The Merry Little Christmas Project Facebook page – welcome!  You can find all of my Merry Little Christmas posts here.  You can find this year’s 4 Weeks to an Organized Christmas series here.

Can I tell you a little story?

Last year, midst the ribbons and bows and Christmas lights and family traditions, I cried on Christmas Day.

It was one of those cries that starts in the back of your throat and you try to swallow it down, but then it just keeps on going until it reaches your eyes and you try to blink it away but instead find yourself running to hide in the bathroom because really…who is allowed to CRY on Christmas Day?!

{Now I think I can give partial credit to the fact that I was 4 months pregnant at the time.  Pregnant women are allowed to cry on Christmas Day.}

But if I’m really being honest, there were two other causes:

1) After SO much time and energy, I felt let down when my boys weren’t as thrilled about a gift as I hoped they would be.  And really… was this rushing from present to present what Christmas was all about?

2) I was exhausted.  Like so many other years, I had spent the past few nights staying up late finishing up last minute wrapping, baking, packing and so on.

I promised myself that this year would be different. 

That’s why I’ve created The Merry Little Christmas Project.  And I’m inviting you to join me.

In the next few days, I will share more details.  But if you would like to join me in my quest to make Christmas more meaningful and less stressful, why not head over and ‘like’ The Merry Little Christmas Project on Facebook right now?  I’ll be over there daily offering tips and resources to help make your Christmas (and mine!) more organized, fit your budget, and well…MERRY…of course. 🙂

This year I want to celebrate Christmas WELL.

Won’t you join me?

Check out more posts in my “Merry Little Christmas” series here.

 

Filed Under: Christmas, Merry Little Christmas, Useful Resources Tagged With: The Merry Little Christmas Project

Five Delicious Ways to Use All That Zucchini

August 15th, 2012 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

The other day, Wes brought in our first zucchini.

And I mean–our very. first. zucchini.

This is the first year we’ve been able to plant our very own real garden. And we are so excited.

But then, he brought in another zucchini. And another. And then the neighbors brought over a few more.

And suddenly I had to ask myself the age-old question:

“What am I going to do with all this zucchini?”

So the search for delicious zucchini recipes began. First, I asked for ideas on Facebook, and as always, you all came through.

Then I checked Pinterest. {Of course.}

And here are a few more mouth-watering recipes I discovered.

I can’t wait to try this recipe for Meat, Tomato, and Mozzarella Stuffed Zucchini Cups from Kalyn’s Kitchen. Not only do they look delicious, but they are just so darn pretty!

I love that this Braised Zucchini with Sun Gold Cherry Tomatoes & Basil recipe from Farm + House + Table contains several ingredients straight from the garden.

We tried these Parmesan Zucchini Strips from the Grocery Chart Challenge the other night and they were so yummy. (Even the kids thought so!) I love that they have the same delicious taste as fried zucchini, but are made in the oven. So much easier!

And, of course we can’t forget the cake. This Chocolate Zucchini Cake from Mandy’s Recipe Box contains a secret fruity ingredient that gives it a fun twist. We gave it a try a few weeks ago and it was delicious. May I suggest eating it for breakfast? ‘Cuz I did. 🙂

And last, but certainly not least, we tried this Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake from Kalyn’s Kitchen for dinner tonight. This was possibly my favorite recipe of all, plus I really enjoyed the fact that I could use zucchini, squash, and basil straight from our garden. There’s plenty of possibilities when it comes to Zucchini, and you’ll see that all over the internet – Foodaciously even have a recipe for vegan garlic bread! You’d be surprised at how much it can be used for.

And it passed the ultimate test when my 3 year old who loudly declared that he “does not like zucchini’ quickly changed his mind after taking a bite. What more can I say?

How about you? What are your favorite zucchini recipes? Leave a comment and share the zucchini love!

Filed Under: Recipes, Useful Resources

Beautiful Christmas Series: Share Your Christmas Ideas!

December 10th, 2011 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

“And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us!”
~A Christmas Carol

I hope you have enjoyed our Beautiful Christmas on a Budget series this week.  I know I’m thankful for the new ideas that I’ve gleaned from my fellow friends and bloggers this week on everything from Holiday Entertaining to Handmade Gifts and more.

If you missed the series or would like a re-cap, be sure to check out all of our Beautiful Christmas posts here.

And now it’s your turn!

Have you written a post about Christmas that you’d like to share?  We want to see it!  It can be about any aspect of Christmas–favorite recipes, decorating tips, family traditions and so on.  Just leave a link below that takes us right to your post.  If you don’t have a blog, feel free to leave a comment in the comments section sharing your idea.

And of course, I leave you with a heartfelt “Merry Christmas!!”  May yours be a Beautiful One.

The season of Christmas holds such deep meaning for me.  I just really want to celebrate it well.

Don’t you?

That’s why for I’ve teamed up again with three other bloggers to share tips on how to have a Beautiful Christmas without breaking the bank.  We are going to share practical, simple advice to help you enjoy this season to the fullest and save money at the same time.

To get us started, Sharon at Good, True, and Beautiful will be sharing some simple tips on how to make gorgeous Christmas decorations for free.  Grab a cup of coffee, set your Pandora station to something Christmas-y, sit back and enjoy her wonderful post.

Here are a few teasers for the rest of the week:

Tuesday: Katie at Frugal Femina will be busy in the kitchen cooking up some festive goodies.

Wednesday: Come back on over here where I’ll be sharing ideas on celebrating the season with fun and meaningful traditions.

Thursday: Traci at Beneath My Heart will give us the scoop on how to make beautiful gifts on a dime.

Friday: Head back on over here where I’ll have a place for bloggers to link up their Christmas ideas.  This will be the place to be for everything Christmas.

Get ready to sit back and enjoy.  And have yourself a Beautiful Christmas!

Filed Under: Useful Resources Tagged With: Beautiful Christmas Series, Christmas Ideas

Beautiful Christmas Series: Simple Handmade Gifts

December 9th, 2011 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

“And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us!”
~A Christmas Carol

It’s Day 6 of the Beautiful Christmas on a Budget series and Meg at Frugal Fun and Fortune is showcasing some creative and thrifty homemade gift ideas here.   Her ideas are simple, yet such a thoughtful way to make someone feel special at Christmas.

I totally LOVE the Hot Chocolate stirrers, don’t you?

Be sure to come back tomorrow for our Christmas Link-Up party.  This will be the place to be for all things Christmas!

In case you missed it, here’s what went on the rest of the week:

Sunday: Karen at Saving the Family Money shared some simple tips on how to make gorgeous Christmas decorations with recycled items.

Monday: Shelly at Coupon Teacher gave us ideas for baking up some festive goodies.

Tuesday: I shared my thoughts on celebrating an imperfect Christmas with Simple Pleasures.

Wednesday: Kelly at Kansas City Mamas shared her 25 tops tips for Stress FREE Holiday Entertaining.

Thursday: Sarah at Give Me Neither will share about generosity on a budget.

Friday: Meagan at Frugal Fun and Fortune will showcase some creative and thrifty homemade gift ideas.

The season of Christmas holds such deep meaning for me.  I just really want to celebrate it well.

Don’t you?

That’s why for I’ve teamed up again with three other bloggers to share tips on how to have a Beautiful Christmas without breaking the bank.  We are going to share practical, simple advice to help you enjoy this season to the fullest and save money at the same time.

To get us started, Sharon at Good, True, and Beautiful will be sharing some simple tips on how to make gorgeous Christmas decorations for free.  Grab a cup of coffee, set your Pandora station to something Christmas-y, sit back and enjoy her wonderful post.

Here are a few teasers for the rest of the week:

Tuesday: Katie at Frugal Femina will be busy in the kitchen cooking up some festive goodies.

Wednesday: Come back on over here where I’ll be sharing ideas on celebrating the season with fun and meaningful traditions.

Thursday: Traci at Beneath My Heart will give us the scoop on how to make beautiful gifts on a dime.

Friday: Head back on over here where I’ll have a place for bloggers to link up their Christmas ideas.  This will be the place to be for everything Christmas.

Get ready to sit back and enjoy.  And have yourself a Beautiful Christmas!

Filed Under: Useful Resources Tagged With: Beautiful Christmas Series, Christmas Ideas

Beautiful Christmas Series: The JOY of Giving

December 8th, 2011 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

“And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us!”
~A Christmas Carol

It’s Day 5 of the Beautiful Christmas on a Budget series and Sarah at Give Me Neither has an inspiring post filled with simple ways to experience the joy of giving  here.

All I know is that these peanut butter balls would be one simple way to bring me JOY.  Yum.

Here’s what’s going on the rest of the week:

Sunday: Karen at Saving the Family Money shared some simple tips on how to make gorgeous Christmas decorations with recycled items.

Monday: Shelly at Coupon Teacher gave us ideas for baking up some festive goodies.

Tuesday: I shared my thoughts on celebrating an imperfect Christmas with Simple Pleasures.

Wednesday: Kelly at Kansas City Mamas shared her 25 tops tips for Stress FREE Holiday Entertaining.

Friday: Meagan at Frugal Fun and Fortune will showcase some creative and thrifty homemade gift ideas.

Saturday: Head back on over here where I’ll have a place for bloggers to link up their Christmas ideas.  This will be the place to be for everything Christmas.

The season of Christmas holds such deep meaning for me.  I just really want to celebrate it well.

Don’t you?

That’s why for I’ve teamed up again with three other bloggers to share tips on how to have a Beautiful Christmas without breaking the bank.  We are going to share practical, simple advice to help you enjoy this season to the fullest and save money at the same time.

To get us started, Sharon at Good, True, and Beautiful will be sharing some simple tips on how to make gorgeous Christmas decorations for free.  Grab a cup of coffee, set your Pandora station to something Christmas-y, sit back and enjoy her wonderful post.

Here are a few teasers for the rest of the week:

Tuesday: Katie at Frugal Femina will be busy in the kitchen cooking up some festive goodies.

Wednesday: Come back on over here where I’ll be sharing ideas on celebrating the season with fun and meaningful traditions.

Thursday: Traci at Beneath My Heart will give us the scoop on how to make beautiful gifts on a dime.

Friday: Head back on over here where I’ll have a place for bloggers to link up their Christmas ideas.  This will be the place to be for everything Christmas.

Get ready to sit back and enjoy.  And have yourself a Beautiful Christmas!

Filed Under: Useful Resources Tagged With: Beautiful Christmas Series, Christmas Ideas

Beautiful Christmas Series: Stress-Free Holiday Entertaining

December 7th, 2011 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

“And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us!”
~A Christmas Carol

It’s Day 4 of the Beautiful Christmas on a Budget series and Kelly at Kansas City Mamas has a fantastic post with 25 tips for Stress FREE Entertaining here.  I think you will love her approach to holiday entertaining for Real People.

I totally want to go to a Holiday gathering at Kelly’s house, don’t you?

Here’s what’s going on the rest of the week:

Sunday: Karen at Saving the Family Money shared some simple tips on how to make gorgeous Christmas decorations with recycled items.

Monday: Shelly at Coupon Teacher gave us ideas for baking up some festive goodies.

Tuesday: I shared my thoughts on celebrating an imperfect Christmas with Simple Pleasures.

Thursday: Sarah at Give Me Neither will share about generosity on a budget.

Friday: Meagan at Frugal Fun and Fortune will showcase some creative and thrifty homemade gift ideas.

Saturday: Head back on over here where I’ll have a place for bloggers to link up their Christmas ideas.  This will be the place to be for everything Christmas.

The season of Christmas holds such deep meaning for me.  I just really want to celebrate it well.

Don’t you?

That’s why for I’ve teamed up again with three other bloggers to share tips on how to have a Beautiful Christmas without breaking the bank.  We are going to share practical, simple advice to help you enjoy this season to the fullest and save money at the same time.

To get us started, Sharon at Good, True, and Beautiful will be sharing some simple tips on how to make gorgeous Christmas decorations for free.  Grab a cup of coffee, set your Pandora station to something Christmas-y, sit back and enjoy her wonderful post.

Here are a few teasers for the rest of the week:

Tuesday: Katie at Frugal Femina will be busy in the kitchen cooking up some festive goodies.

Wednesday: Come back on over here where I’ll be sharing ideas on celebrating the season with fun and meaningful traditions.

Thursday: Traci at Beneath My Heart will give us the scoop on how to make beautiful gifts on a dime.

Friday: Head back on over here where I’ll have a place for bloggers to link up their Christmas ideas.  This will be the place to be for everything Christmas.

Get ready to sit back and enjoy.  And have yourself a Beautiful Christmas!

Filed Under: Useful Resources Tagged With: Beautiful Christmas Series, Christmas Ideas

Beautiful Christmas Series: Holiday Baking

December 5th, 2011 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

“And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us!”
~A Christmas Carol

Welcome to Day 2 of our Beautiful Christmas on a Budget series.  I’ve teamed up with five other bloggers to share tips on how to have a Beautiful Christmas without breaking the bank.

Today, Shelly from Coupon Teacher is sharing tips for baking up some festive holiday goodies and sharing with friends!  {I love her Cookie Baking Party idea, don’t you?}

Head on over and enjoy her post.  Then be sure to stop back here tomorrow night when I’ll be sharing my thoughts on meaningful Christmas traditions.

The season of Christmas holds such deep meaning for me.  I just really want to celebrate it well.

Don’t you?

That’s why for I’ve teamed up again with three other bloggers to share tips on how to have a Beautiful Christmas without breaking the bank.  We are going to share practical, simple advice to help you enjoy this season to the fullest and save money at the same time.

To get us started, Sharon at Good, True, and Beautiful will be sharing some simple tips on how to make gorgeous Christmas decorations for free.  Grab a cup of coffee, set your Pandora station to something Christmas-y, sit back and enjoy her wonderful post.

Here are a few teasers for the rest of the week:

Tuesday: Katie at Frugal Femina will be busy in the kitchen cooking up some festive goodies.

Wednesday: Come back on over here where I’ll be sharing ideas on celebrating the season with fun and meaningful traditions.

Thursday: Traci at Beneath My Heart will give us the scoop on how to make beautiful gifts on a dime.

Friday: Head back on over here where I’ll have a place for bloggers to link up their Christmas ideas.  This will be the place to be for everything Christmas.

Get ready to sit back and enjoy.  And have yourself a Beautiful Christmas!

Filed Under: Useful Resources Tagged With: Beautiful Christmas Series, Christmas Ideas

Welcome to the Beautiful Christmas Series 2011!

December 4th, 2011 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

“And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us!”
~A Christmas Carol

I’m so  happy to share that this week I’m bringing back the Beautiful Christmas on a Budget series.  I’ve teamed up with five other bloggers to share tips on how to have a Beautiful Christmas without breaking the bank.  We are going to share practical, simple advice to help you enjoy this season to the fullest and save money at the same time.

To get us started, Karen at Saving the Family Money will be sharing some simple tips on how to make gorgeous Christmas decorations with recycled items.  Grab a cup of Hot Cocoa, set your Pandora station to something Christmas-y, sit back and enjoy her wonderful post.


Here are a few teasers for the rest of the week:

Monday: Shelly at Coupon Teacher will share some ideas for baking up some festive goodies.

Tuesday: Join me right here as I share my thoughts on celebrating the season with fun and meaningful traditions.

Wednesday: Kelly at Kansas City Mamas will inspire us with her tips to make holiday entertaining more fun.

Thursday: Sarah at Give Me Neither will share tips from her kitchen on how to create Delicious Holiday Dishes on a budget.

Friday: Meagan at Frugal Fun and Fortune will showcase some creative and thrifty homemade gift ideas.

Saturday: Head back on over here where I’ll have a place for bloggers to link up their Christmas ideas.  This will be the place to be for everything Christmas.

Get ready to sit back and enjoy.  And have yourself a Beautiful Christmas!

The season of Christmas holds such deep meaning for me.  I just really want to celebrate it well.

Don’t you?

That’s why for I’ve teamed up again with three other bloggers to share tips on how to have a Beautiful Christmas without breaking the bank.  We are going to share practical, simple advice to help you enjoy this season to the fullest and save money at the same time.

To get us started, Sharon at Good, True, and Beautiful will be sharing some simple tips on how to make gorgeous Christmas decorations for free.  Grab a cup of coffee, set your Pandora station to something Christmas-y, sit back and enjoy her wonderful post.

Here are a few teasers for the rest of the week:

Tuesday: Katie at Frugal Femina will be busy in the kitchen cooking up some festive goodies.

Wednesday: Come back on over here where I’ll be sharing ideas on celebrating the season with fun and meaningful traditions.

Thursday: Traci at Beneath My Heart will give us the scoop on how to make beautiful gifts on a dime.

Friday: Head back on over here where I’ll have a place for bloggers to link up their Christmas ideas.  This will be the place to be for everything Christmas.

Get ready to sit back and enjoy.  And have yourself a Beautiful Christmas!

Filed Under: Useful Resources Tagged With: Beautiful Christmas Series, Christmas Ideas

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My  name is Kaley. Wife, Mama, and Dreamer, I have a passion for saving money, living simply, and helping others find creative ways to live large on a limited budget.

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