Haystacks on my brother, Max’s North Dakota ranch captured our daughter, Parker’s attention this holiday season.

In a day and age when technology doesn’t give kids an opportunity to experience boredom, a stack of cattle feed captured and held Parker’s attention for hours.

See for yourself…. by downloading this video: img_4212

For years, my go-to spots for gifts have been antique stores, rummage sales and thrift shops. This year, my best finds have been discovered at church rummage sales. In fact, all the items displayed below were discovered during the annual First Lutheran Church Holiday Bazaar.

This year, one of my favorite finds is for a close friend who favors Scandinavian Christmas décor. It is a beautiful Scandinavian-inspired, Christmas centerpiece. The note taped to the wax envelope protecting the Scherenschnitte art (German for scissor-cut), indicates that it was created in 1985. It looks like it has never been displayed. I cannot wait to see how my friend incorporates it into her holiday décor.

My mom has an affinity for blue glass. And, now that she’s an empty nester, she has blue glass displayedthroughout her 1930s bungalow (to be enjoyed out of reach of grandchildren). Recently, she asked a friend to help her install glass shelves across the dining room windows so that the sun can backlight some of her favorite pieces. This is a display technique she got from her grandma.

To celebrate my 40^th birthday, the three of us are going to pack up our 1958 canned ham and hit the road. During our road trip, we plan to take in the Grand Canyon, Moab National Park and then hit the Pacific Coast highway – camping in a few other national parks along the way. So, when I saw this kid-friendly atlas, I thought of Parker, our 7-year-old daughter.

Christmas books are one of my favorite holiday traditions. Passed on to me by my cousin, each year on Dec. 1, Parker gets to unwrap her Christmas PJ’s as well as a new Christmas book. This year, the book happens to be a coloring book!

Then, each morning, when she finds her Elf on the Shelf, she also discovers a wrapped Christmas book, which we read during breakfast. It’s a fun way to rediscover our many Christmas books!

Now, I’ve shared my favorite finds with you – what are your favorite finds? Please share.

As this wise tea bag quote states, it is OK to “bite off more than you can chew.” But, only if it does not have a negative impact on you or those you love.

A year ago I began a Masters of Mass Communications through South Dakota State University. With it came the wonderful opportunity to teach a Journalism Senior Seminar. I loved teaching. I enjoyed the classes I took. But, juggling everything, while working fulltime was a balancing act I could only do for one semester.

My body needs about eight hours of sleep to function. My mind needs about eight hours of sleep to remain sane. Well, 4:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. days filled with work don’t bode well for achieving either sleep or sanity. So, I decided to take the summer off. Then, the fall semester. Then, spring semester.

Before I knew it, a year passed and I was only two classes closer to getting my masters than I had been when I began the process.

Then, one day this fall, it donned on me, that if I didn’t teach, and all I added to my fulltime work schedule was one class a semester, I could do it.

Well, I’m six weeks in, and it’s going great!

Better than great I should say, because I’ve begun working on my final master’s project: Developing a PR campaign to promote and encourage a positive perception of preserving properties found within Sioux Falls historic districts.

And, because it’s a passion project, instead of dreading homework, I look forward to it. This project energizes and excites me. In fact, I have to be careful not to pour too much of myself into it.

So, although I don’t have as much time to accomplish everything, I have enough time outside of work for the people and activities I enjoy the most.

And, about this time next year, I’ll be just one class away from a Masters of Mass Communications degree.