Have a Good Christmas!

This month was hard. I have a built-in rest system where my brain turns into a ball of cotton fluff and I can no more put together a sentence, let alone a full blog post. So my plans for posts will have to wait.

When the introverted side of my personality becomes overwhelmed by social obligations resulting in my hiding in the bedroom under the covers after hosting a class party for forty kindergarteners complete with allergen-free snacks…

When taking a nap is the only cure for being worn out, both physically and emotionally, because the drama, I cannot take it any more, for the love…

When my ambitions and intentions are interrupted by car repairs (we’re a one-car family) and a flooding laundry room…

When my brain just wants to snack on pictures of animals wearing sweaters and past seasons of Burn Notice cued up on Netflix…

then rest is the only reasonable thing to do.

So I have been taking some time to distance myself from my computer and to-do list for long enough that the urgent things don’t feel quite so urgent, and I can get over myself in time for Christmas.

The bathroom renovation will not be finished in time for Christmas, nor will the backsplash, the entry light fixture, the bedroom, nor the office. The online work projects are paused. I was going to sew and hang all of our curtains. I took down the old curtains months ago, and our house has been curtain-less ever since. Sorry, neighbors. Maybe you’ll see us get new curtains next year because right now it’s the holidays.

Have a good Christmas, and I’ll be back to posting here at Small Notebook on Monday, Dec. 26 (assuming my brain comes back from its vacation.)

Thank you for reading here, and for being the most lovely readers that make writing this blog feel like a privilege instead of a job. And because I don’t want to keep a secret, the week between Christmas and New Year will be Beauty Week at Small Notebook for answering questions about skin care, hair, and makeup. (Organizing will wait until January, but there’s quite a bit of that too.) See you then!

Quick Clean Hardwood Floors

A dust mop can clean 1000 square feet of hardwood floors in less than five minutes.

I wanted to find one that was extra wide and good quality, so I bought it at a janitor-supply shop. It has a machine-washable cotton head (air dry). It works without cords, without electricity, without motors, without noise, and without attachments. It’s just a dust mop, but it really works.

Because it’s so wide (24 inches, though it can be longer) the cleaning goes fast. As you push it, it glides across the floor and the head swivels to make the turns without your picking up the mop. I don’t use any sprays or treatments on it; the cotton fibers do a good job holding the dust. Then you shake it out, and wash the mop head once every few weeks.

I highly recommend it for caring for your hardwood floors, along with a good door mat.

Things to Make and Do with Kids During Christmas Vacation

A month ago we turned the clocks back for the end of Daylight Savings, but I neglected to mention it to the kids. They don’t know they’ve been going to bed an hour early every night since then. (They still wake up at the crack of dawn, just like always.)

One day they will know how to tell time, but until then, the seven o’clock bedtime is so, so sweet.

Here are some fun things to do with the kids that I shared at Alphamom:

Christmas Craft: Beaded Snowflake Ornament

Create A Video Slideshow To Share Your Pictures (I can see older kids having fun doing this when school is out next week.)

Kids’ Apple Craft: Paint Embellished Apples For A Holiday Table

Tradition: Start A Christmas Ornament Collection For Your Kids

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You know that I like to keep my crafts simple, mostly made with felt or paper or pipe cleaners. When the instructions say something like, “Now get out your modge podge…” I’m probably not going to do that one.

The Pipe Cleaner Christmas Trees to make from Pure and Noble are totally my crafting style.

Spy training when you’re stuck inside because of the cold weather. (Via Tsh on Pinterest).

Sometimes it doesn’t even have to be a craft. The scissor practice activity just bought me a few more minutes to finish writing this post. I drew a crazy line on the back of a piece of paper and now she’s cutting up all the fliers that come home from kindergarten. (Also via Tsh on Pinterest).

Craft Cinnamon Ornaments

The full directions to make cinnamon ornaments are at Martha Stewart.

Decorate them with white puffy paint to look like icing.

The woodland cookie cutters are from IKEA (not sure if they’re still available.)

Special thanks to Megan for sharing this idea on Pinterest.

I love to decorate with food for the holidays. More ideas:

• Dressed-up mantel with coffee and clementines.

• Advent wreath of cranberries.

• Orange slice garlands. (And popcorn too!)

• Walnut ornaments.