Christmas Eve Checklist

Christmas Eve Checklist

  Every year at Christmastime, especially since having children, I promise that I am going to put away the laptop, put down the scissors, leave the transcription and focus on celebrating the season. I am notorious for forcing everyone around me to BE FESTIVE, DAMMIT! STOP WORKING! PLAY GAMES! EAT! DRINK! But somehow I always end up alone in my upstairs office, as late as Christmas Eve and usually a few hours on Christmas Day, working on just a few more things. Or on the couch sending just a couple more emails while the rest of the family is having a Christmas movie marathon in the background. Not this year, friends. I wrapped up the last of my open orders on Monday morning and closed my shop for the rest of the year, and I have gotten up earlier than usual all week to finish transcription, pay bills, clean, run and everything else that may get in the way of having a holly jolly ol' time over the couple of days. One last project was to make a Christmas Eve Checklist to make sure we squeeze as much holiday fun into the next 24 hours as possible.

1. Decorate Gingerbread Houses

2. Video Interview of Trent and Emmy about Christmas

3. Help T&E Write Letters to Santa to Put in Keepsake Book

4. Trent and Emmy's First Hot Chocolate

5. Walgreen's Stocking Stuffer Shopping Trip (a family tradition)

6. Let T&E  Pick/Wrap One Gift for Each Other

7. Watch Love Actually, the Holiday, Christmas Vacation and Elf. On repeat.

8. Deliver Treats to Neighbors

9. Make Christmas Cookies

10. Drink HollyNog

11. Wear My Traditional Christmas Eve Uniform (black sweatsuit, leopard santa hat, slippers, glass of prosecco).

12. Annual Christmas Eve/Christmas Eve Eve Donut Shop Trip

With near 80 degree temps in North Texas this week, my sweatsuit uniform may have to be modified a bit this year, but other than that I plan to check everything off my list starting NOW! We actually got a head start yesterday and ticked a few boxes already. 

What fun things will you all be doing this Christmas Eve?

COMING SOON!

As I've already promised, I am going to recommit myself to blogging this coming year. But 2016 will also bring another exciting change that I have been talking about for years now. As many of you know, I have already undergone several shop revamps and changed shop locations (sites) more than once. While it is frustrating to start from square one, lose my sales stats and build a new store each time, it has been important for me to stay fresh and relevant. And while each new chapter has improved upon the last in some ways, my dream has always been to have my own, independent eCommerce site. That is still somewhere in the future, but in the meantime I am thrilled to finally be making the jump to Shopify in early 2016! 

www.sweetorangefox.com

I'll be working hard creating and shooting new products, stocking the shop and designing the site over the next month or so, and when it goes live you will be able to find it at the current blog URL (www.sweetorangefox.com). There will be a link in the shop back to the blog, or you can get to the blog using the original address (sweetorangefox.blogspot.com). 

Check out these badass pens I purchased as promo for the launch. Family, you know what's going in your stocking this year! AnyPromo literally has EVERY shape you could think of in these pens, and they are fully customizable with color, text, etc. I have 350 hot pink flamingo pens sitting in my cart as we speak, and I'm trying to tell myself it totally makes sense to place that order...

Last week I had a blast shooting some new product photos with my bff, Holly Natale of Holly Natale Photography. Here are a few sneak peeks!

Enjoy the first day of your Christmas week, foxes!

Giving Back in New Ways

Tis the season for so many things. Being thankful. Reflecting. Choosing love. Counting blessings. Cherishing family and friends. Giving. And giving back.

As my business has grown by leaps and bounds these past few years, it has become more and more important for me to find ways to both give and give back. I have long had the dream of starting an annual gingerbread house contest to benefit local organizations (read about my love of gingerbread here), and I'm thinking 2016 will finally be the year for that to become a reality. 

And while I always try to support causes near to my heart when I can, I decided it was time to get more serious. Taking cues from many of my fellow shop owners and entrepreneurs, I am launching a program starting in January to give 5% of sales to a different charity each month. I am excited to kick off the year by donating to one of the most important foundations in my life, UREF. You can read more about it on the website, but UREF is a men's health research and education foundation. As much as I love my ladies (kisses!!), I do have a bit of an issue with the emphasis placed on women's health versus men's. Let's not forget our guys!

Another unique way I have found to give back and double my return on precious hours is by using the new app Charity Miles. Shout out to hubs for the great find! Like most of us, I use RunMonster or something similar to track my activity, calories, etc during my runs. Charity Miles has most of the same functionality (GPS, activity log, etc) but also allows you to run your favorite tracker app in the background as well. For each mile run or walked, 25 cents is donated to your charity of choice, paid for by sponsorship partners. Bikers earn 10 cents per mile. The charity partners currently consist of the larger and more familiar organizations, but they are chosen based on demand...so I am hopeful and confident that many, many more of your dearest causes and charities will be added as the app gains popularity. (download here)

Finally, AmazonSmile. Especially during this time of year, I know almost ALL of us are taking advantage of Amazon and Amazon Prime. But so few of the purchases on Amazon are made using AmazonSmile, which gives back a small percentage of each purchase to your chosen charity. Unlike Charity Miles, any organization can register for this. If you are looking for something to support, I urge you to input UREF as your charity of choice. Follow the steps below to do this, and simply go to smile.amazon.com (it will automatically link your normal Amazon profile and info) each time you make a purchase. It costs you nothing and changes nothing about your Amazon experience but will help many organizations more than you can imagine. 




Happy holidays to all of my foxes, and happy giving!

Merry Kissmas!

I wish I could say I found this idea while actively searching for class gift ideas, but I was really trolling the internet for some sort of alcohol/motherhood-related meme when I came across this gem. Thanks, Joleen Pete! Tomorrow morning is the kiddos' last day of Mother's Day Out for the year (omg!), and I still haven't actually printed these out or assembled them, but I emailed the link to myself so I feel like I am one step ahead of where I usually am these days! Midnight, I'm coming for you!

Next year I would love to make my own printable, but for now I borrowed this one from AnOrganizedFamily , and it will work perfectly for end-of-the-year teacher and student gifts for Trent's three year old class. I found some Frozen-themed Lipsmackers at good ol' Target, and for the teachers I couldn't resist my all time favorite Candy Cane Chapstick (hoard this NOW, friends, before it is gone for another 49 weeks!). 

The BEST thing about these, you can run to Target or 24-hour Walgreens and grab all of your supplies RIGHT now. RUN! Merry Kissmas, foxes!

I'm Alive, and I Have Great (better) Skin!

"Last published Jun 4, 2015" is the first thing that pops up when I opened Blogger this evening. What in the holy what? Every week/month/year I say I am going to get my shit together and keep up with regular posting, and every week/month/year I seem to start a new project or have a new baby or something along those lines. As usual, one of my "resolutions" for 2016 will be to blog on a schedule, but I figured why not start tonight and get ahead of the game with a few early IOU posts... because we all know come the second week of January I will be knee deep in Netflix, and those Christmas decorations aren't going to put themselves away.

In my six month absence, I am pleased to say I have found the time to do things like brush my teeth occasionally and get one bang trim, but in all seriousness one of my biggest accomplishments recently is finally finding a skincare regimen that works for me. I have always, always had problem/acne-prone skin and large pores, and since having kids I have battled other skin issues including patches of discoloration. Add to that my quickly-approaching 30th birthday with all the associated wrinkles (laugh lines, my ass!), and I was feeling hopeless. As I have transitioned to a vegetarian/organic/natural lifestyle this year, I first tried out many of the vegan and natural product lines. Unfortunately my skin didn't react well to most of them, and I took the advice of one of the most strictly adherent vegans I know who told me to just do what works for me, all-natural or not. She herself admitted (in confidence, which is why she shall remain nameless), that she uses two non-vegan products from time to time including Dove bar soap. Like me, she gave many of the natural brands a try before simply settling on what worked best for her skin. She has always told me that if you can't find an all-natural/vegan/organic substitute that works or tastes (in the case of food) as good or better than the original version you used, then just stick with what you know and love. So I set my guilt aside and explored some of the "normal" lines you can find in Target, Ulta and even the grocery store. Mixed in with a few of my new found Whole Foods favorites, I came up with the perfect recipe for battling adult acne, signs of aging (aka STRESS) and more. VOILA!

1. La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Gel Cleanser 

I use this in the shower each morning and before bed each night with the scrubber mentioned below. When I have time to bust out the Clarisonic, and when it is actually charged, I will use that. But these scrubbers feel like they do almost as good of a job with convenience, lower cost and the ability to be used and left in the shower. Plus they suction to the shower door/walls..bonus!

2. Loreal Face Scrubber (scrubber only, not the wash)

See above

3. Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream Face Moisturizer

I stood in the aisles of Target for what felt like HOURS trying to decipher the thousands of wrinkle creams and solutions on the market. I felt like such a newbie and didn't even know what I was really looking for. Ultimately I chose this as a good place to start with it being Target's #1 best-seller, being a halfway decent price, and being kind of an all-around wrinkle solution. And GOOD LORD, it totally delivers. I was SUCH a skeptic, but just as the box says I was able to see a huge difference in less than a week. I now use this twice a day - once just after my morning shower (before any other products), and once after washing my face in the evening, again before any other products.

4. Earth Science Almond-Aloe Face Moisturizer 

Before I found the Olay cream mentioned above, I was using this moisturizer from Whole Foods twice a day and loving it. Because of the SPF, I try to put a thin layer of this on top of the Olay a few days a week, especially if I am going to be out and about.

5. MD Complete Skin Clearing Breakout Spot Treatment 

This is one of the best spot treatment products I have ever come across - not harsh at ALL, and it truly works wonders when I feel like I have something coming up on my face. I don't have to use it often these days, but when I do use it I always get almost immediate results. Couldn't be happier with this product.

6. Biore Ultra Deep Cleansing Pore Strips (nose) 

If you try and tell me you don't squeal with delight (on the inside, at least) after ripping one of these bad boys off your nose, I'm calling bullshit. The pores on my nose are terrible, and I love the ultra strips as opposed to the regular or charcoal lines. I use these about once a week.

7. Veggies and Water!

While this combo of skincare products has my skin feeling like it NEVER has before, I know a lot of the credit probably should go to an improved diet and increased water. I have been strictly vegetarian for about 5 months now and have decreased processed foods, cheeses and sugars as well as increasing my daily water intake. No doubt this has helped my skin.

Whew, that is a lot of product, I know! And makeup on top of that! But don't forget to cleanse again at night and use a dedicated eye makeup remover (my favorite here) to combat many of your skin issues. I hope some or all of these work for you all, but remember that everyone's skin is unique. Have fun experimenting, give products a fair/long enough chance, and find your perfect skincare recipe for the new year! Cheers, friends!

A Fresh Start

We typically think of starting a new chapter with a flip of the calendar, a life-changing event or some other equally “defining” moment in time. Turning over a new leaf in these instances is all well and good, but I feel that too often we are guilty of waiting for such a moment to come along to prompt us to finally make a change we know is necessary. Just like dieting…how many of us wait for the beginning of a new week, a new month, a new year to finally get our fitness and nutrition on track? And being a more responsible saver/spender – is that always on the list of Things I Will Do Next Year or Things I Will Do Right After This Vacation/Holiday/etc?

The reality is that you can change anytime. Waiting for the “right” moment may provide an artificial sense of importance or motivation, but I don’t believe it will make change any easier and certainly not any more meaningful than a journey started on any old Tuesday in May.

And that is exactly when I started a new journey in my life. Tuesday, May 19^th, 2015. I can’t wait to share with you all of the ups and downs, triumphs, sacrifices, and joy I have found in just these last few weeks.

The first thing I want to talk about is one of the biggest shifts in my attitude: embracing the idea of “Quality Over Quantity” in nearly every aspect of my life. This concept is so very powerful and beneficial in countless ways. Looking at things with this new mindset has already helped me to become a more responsible consumer, both financially and socially. It has forced me to reevaluate not only the things in my life but the people, relationships and pursuits as well. It has empowered me to clean up my life from top to bottom – food, fitness, clothing, friends, time, space and more – and I can truly say I have never felt the sense I freedom I do right at this moment. I have never felt healthier. I have never felt happier.  And I can see the effects on those closest to me as well, which is actually the best and most unexpected benefit of all. I have long been a skeptic of “The Ripple Effect,” but I have to admit that I am a true believer now.

I am so excited to share more details about what I have been up to, and I hope you will follow along! Until then, I challenge you to use the idea of quality over quantity to make over just one thing in your life. You’ll be shocked at how easy, how addicting and how energizing it is.

See you back here soon!

Back to My Roots

My forever birthday. It is finally here. 'Finally' sounds like I have been anxiously awaiting its arrival, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I have never been one to worry about age, but something about 29 makes me feel as though I have reached the beginning of the end, or perhaps the end of the beginning. I am not sure which of those I would prefer it to be. I have gotten through these last few weeks resting on one of those cliché resolutions to make this last year of my 20's the best year ever, but as the sun came up this morning I decided I was being silly. I don't need the pressure of a number to dictate the next 365 days. I don't need to create some forced and unattainable bucket list just because that is what you do when 30 is nipping at your heels. No, I need to get back to my roots. 

For a good while now I have  been unknowingly feeding one of my worst habits: searching. In my late teens and early 20's, I was definitely one of those people on a never-ending quest for...something. I dabbled in so many different pursuits, toyed with countless different career choices and moved across the country more times than my bank account actually allowed - always searching for some sort of calling. Settling on just one direction was terrifying to me. Over and over, I came back to the same industry: event planning. And over and over, I returned to Texas. And it is only now, 10+ years later, that I have finally decided to accept that this is who I am, where I should be and what I should be doing.

Why now? Why have I accepted all of these fates now? Not because 30 looms. But because now, for the first time ever, I don't see choosing a path and putting down roots as a sentence. In fact, I have learned to think of it as the opposite. After so many years, I can't begin to tell you what a relief it is to finally have an identity. And to finally understand that my identity is not a limit. I don't have to be just a mother, just a wife, just a medical transcriptionist, just a runner, just a banner maker or just a blogger. I can be all of these things and so, so much more. I can enjoy all the advantages of making Texas my home base, and I can travel to the places I dream of living. The time I spent not committing fully to who I am (and who I want to be) handicapped me in ways I wasn't even aware of.

Do you remember the t-shirt business I started? And then the headband shop? Both of which were open at the same time as my successful party decor operation? I was doing what I always do - using the fear of defining myself to justify continuing that crippling search. The time, effort and money put into all those side ventures was siphoning away resources - including creativity - that should have been used to grow my main business. 

So now, empowered by the idea that I know who I AM and who I can BE, I am getting back to my roots. We made the decision to accept Texas as our forever home should that be the case. And I made the decision to focus on SweetOrangeFox Party Decor as my sole shop. It occurred to me that we mustn't be afraid to define ourselves. It is not a limitation. Think of those words with definitions that span pages and especially those that have changed completely over the course of history. A definition, to me, gifts a feeling a purpose but is also open-ended.

The excitement I feel is tangible. I am not just okay with defining myself (in part) as banner maker; I am bursting at the seams! No longer will I lose sleep and precious productivity worrying about walking this road, but I will now be able to put so much more of myself into it than ever before.

Maybe, just maybe, this actually will be the best year ever..