This past weekend we did not celebrate one child’s birthday, no we celebrated the twins’ birthdays. It most certainly did not catch me by surprise.

Our Saturday morning did not start with an invitation to a movie night with our girl cousins, and if it had, I certainly would NOT have asked my husband to “sell” the idea to the twins in lieu of a friend birthday party, simply for my own convenience. I certainly would not have forgotten to bake the requested carrot cake on Saturday morning for Sunday’s post-church family dinner and party. That’s just not my style.

I absolutely did not throw myself out of bed early Sunday morning to bake the cakes before my workout. I would NEVER dream of yelling at my husband in bursts of breath in the most excruciating part of the workout “Cupcakes. Out. OVEN.” We never yell at one another at our house.

Even if our morning had started that way, we would not have had ZERO presents wrapped to present to the twins at the family party. That would be wrong. We certainly would not attempt to make it up to them by taking them on a shopping trip to Toys R Us and buying them the toys they wanted, sale or no.

That’s just not how this organized mom of four does it. < rolls eyes >

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

It’s hard to find the balance, especially during the holidays. I’m not sorry to say I spent it with people & not the computer. January arrived with a few days of hot tea, a blanket & my sofa. Then a day or two of whipping my house back into shape after the holidays once the kids returned to school and then the cold snap hit. A few inches of snow, wind chills below zero and no school due to “inclement weather”, and a blogging mom’s best hopes are de-railed. Kids went back to school Monday, and are currently completing their first FULL week of school in nearly two months. Notice how that correlates with how long it’s been since I’ve posted. Bad Dog, I know.

You know it’s cold when the kids will only play in the snow for 12 minutes. This photo is about 2 minutes into the outside time, and isn’t it telling? It’s a real chore to keep 4 kids busy inside the house for 4 days in a row. Exhausting!

Also of note, my husband, Mr. T turned the big 3-0 yesterday, with mild fanfare. That happens to be just the way he likes it.

Today I’m spending my day writing posts today to share with you in the upcoming days. Some crafts, gifts and projects that I couldn’t share with you in the midst of the holidays. So hopefully if you get snowed in like we did, you’ll have some fun ideas for your projects.

Stay tuned. I promise to return!

Today’s deal is especially great for stocking stuffers for the infant you know. Burp cloths are $5, custom burp cloths are $6.50, and I even picked up a burp cloth to send to Operation Shower for $3.60! Resa is incredibly generous as she discounts any items purchased for Operation Shower and ships them to the organization on your behalf for FREE!

Speaking of Operation Shower, I recently participated in a MomTV special show hosted by Danielle of Extraordinary Mommy. Danielle highlighted Resa and many other mom-made businesses that are participating in Holiday Shoperation. It was really amazing to see what these fantastic women are doing to support military families. Catch the replay of the November 17th show here on MomTV. Choose Menu – View Movies – Live Recording 11/17/2009 to learn more about all the shopping deals.

Another mom business I was introduced to during the show was My Doodle Bop. Kristin has created several different styles of signs to hang on your infant’s carrier to help friends and strangers think twice before touching your precious cargo. The signs sport the phrase “My hands are clean, Are yours?” The signs are only $9.95 with free shipping & during the month of December, 10% of all sales benefit Operation Shower. Kristin gave out some of her signs as prizes for those chatting during the MomTV broadcast & I won one. I am so impressed with the design, a bit larger than I expected, they are sure to grab everyone’s attention. They are very sturdy, I suspect they would last through many babies, so they’d be a great gift for a first time mom.

What is on your shopping list for those experiencing their first holiday season?

Since I anticipated this crazy week, I adjusted my grocery shopping. I’ve never been fabulous at this sort of thing, so I started by grocery shopping late at night. The store is less crowded, kids were at home asleep, and I had more quiet time to think and search the store for things that would work. Of course, you can always do the casserole or slow cooker thing, but these are my tips that don’t fall into those categories, for those of you who may not have an intimate relationship with your Crock-Pot.

First stop was the produce aisle. I looked for quick cooking vegetables to be easy side dishes. One of my favorites for fall & winter is squash, our family loves acorn squash. Prepare it easily by slicing it in half, scooping out the seeds (think carving your jack-o-lantern) and topping it with your favorite spices. My husband and I prefer a more savory squash, topped with a bit of butter and dry spices. Make it extra easy by using a spice blend like Mrs. Dash, it comes in a variety of flavors! My kids prefer their squash with a light dusting of brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and for extra appeal, I like to toss a small handful of dried cranberries in the cavity of the squash. Our 6 yr old always asks for a second helping when I do this. If your house is divided, make each half of the squash a different flavor. Microwave it in 7-13 minutes (depending on size), until flesh is soft (much like a baked potato) and you are done!

My other go to produce items include the variety of bagged salads that any hubby can toss together and pre-washed bagged vegetables like baby carrots, carrot chips, sugar or snap peas, or veggie mixes of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. These are great because they can all be served raw, or quickly microwaved or steamed.

December is a great time to pick up a box of clementines or tangerines. They are usually easy enough for kids to peel and eat on their own. We also try to keep a bag of small apples available at all times. My kids know where to find them, how to wash them and eat a whole apple since they are just the right serving size for them. Both fruits are great for dessert or even as an appetizer if something goes wrong and dinner isn’t served quite on time.

My next stop was the meat department. It’s unbelievable the variety of ready-made meat products now. If you want something that’s a step above just a plain sandwich, check out the ready-to-heat barbecued meat products next time you are at the store. We’ve tried a few, and although they aren’t as tasty as our homemade, slow roasted version, they certainly fit the bill and are cheaper than take out. Don’t forget to grab hamburger buns to serve it on!

I also discovered some great main dishes in the frozen foods department. I’m sure every mom knows about Stouffer’s lasagna, but did you know they have a whole line of main dishes? My husband loves meatloaf, so I picked one up for him to try. They even have several meat-less options for your family. Dishes have both conventional oven and microwave directions. Add a side or two and you are ready to go.

Then it was time to think about lunches and snacks for my sons. Late nights for me mean strained mornings. I’m not a morning person by nature, so routine changes don’t help me at all. My son likes the Smucker’s Uncrustables. Sure, not the healthiest thing ever seen, especially with that white bread, but if it doesn’t suit your needs, take the idea and use it. During the day or on a weekend, make several sandwiches in the flavors your child loves, flash freeze them on a cookie sheet and package appropriately. Pull them out in the morning to save yourself some trouble. I also splurge on the pre-portioned individual servings of fruit for my child’s lunch when I know things will be busy. Fruit cups, applesauce, etc. can all be found on the shelves, but don’t forget about the newer products like pre-sliced apple wedges in the produce department.

Not only did I change my shopping, I also changed my routine. I had lunches for the three children at home that were more involved, so I could save the quick cook meals for dinner time. I had a full dinner plan for each night. I had the fall-back microwave chicken nuggets for those days when nothing went as planned, and that’s okay. I started cooking earlier than normal and had things ready to serve when my husband walked in the door. Whenever possible, I also had the kids’ snacks and lunches already designated, labeled and either in the backpack or on the designated shelf of the refrigerator. I aimed to give Mr. T the dinner instructions in 60 seconds or less. Any more than that and we were distracted or interrupted. Mr. T also knew it was okay to text message me with questions or clarifications. Please, just don’t text a reply to your hubby while driving!

My other time saving secret: cold-press coffee. I started it in the afternoon or evening as I helped the kids with the next day’s lunches and snacks and started dinner. It saved me a ton of time in the morning. I get my coffee much sooner, and that makes everyone much happier. Feel free to do your own search to find other recipes, tips, tools and options. There is a lot of info on cold press coffee out there.

Just remember, a little planning goes a long way in busy times. Sure, it may not be as healthy as you normally would cook, or as green if you are using pre-portioned, plastic-packaged products, it’s still okay. These tips are great for busy times when a spouse may be traveling, holidays or even just the occasional girls’ night out. If it is an extended time, several days or weeks, don’t forget the time at home needs to be meaningful to your children. Spend time loving, playing, reading with them instead of prepping & cooking. It really pays off, they never really remember what was served, but the do recall the time spent together.