It's Always Time To (Christmas) Shop!

Friends always comment on how organized I am. Around  September or October I will hear "I bet you already have your Christmas shopping done, right?" I will answer with "Yes, and wrapped, too!" They know me. What they don't know is that I start my Christmas shopping for the next year as soon as Christmas is over. I plan my Christmas theme so I can get the the decorations on sale. I buy size up clothing for all the grandangels. I plan my wrapping paper colors and buy them on clearance. 

So - here we are January 19th and what have I bought so far?
A  white Christmas tree so I can put my black one upstairs next year.
All denim and burlap and red ornaments for the white tree.
A big wreath that I can decorate myself.
My wrapping paper theme next year will be puppy dogs - so I have 6 cute rolls of Christmas wrap and bags with dogs on them. Too cute.
Denim and Burlap decorations for the mantel/hearth.
Christmas paper plates, cups, napkins. 

I will have 8 GrandAngels that will range in ages of 1 year to 17 years next Christmas.
I cleaned up on long sleeve shirts at Old Navy last week so 3 of them already have several gifts.
I have hit great clearance sales at Marshalls, Kohl's, Hobby Lobby, Burlington Coat Factory and Palais Royal, to name a few.
I have even found a couple of items for the hubs already. This gives me plenty of time to get some of their "wish" gifts, too.

I would stress like crazy if I waited until December to shop. I even have a couple of friends who wait until the last week! 
I stay away from Black Friday - I am usually completely done by then. 

I am never really out of the Christmas shopping mode - which is kind of fun, I think.

What is really fun is when I get ready to wrap - and I pull everything out of the spare closet or attic and most of the time it is a surprise for ME because I have forgotten what I bought early on. I love it.

 

Patty Cake Patty Cake - Cake Mix & Diet Pepsi

I've seen recipes where you can add your cola of choice to a box of brownie mix. I have also heard that Weight Watchers says you can make a cake using diet cola and your favorite cake mix. Today I decided to put it to the test. The only cake mix I had in my pantry was German Chocolate. I always have either Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi in the fridge. Simple enough - no eggs, no oil - just 12 ounces of Diet Pepsi - add to the mix - stir stir stir. ( I am not motivated enough to drag out my mixer, put it all together and then have to clean it up - put away again:-()

I made mine using 2 layer cake pans. Once out of the oven - I decided at the last minute to put a layer of Nutella on one of the cake layers while it was still hot. I LOVE Nutella. I let them cool just a bit before putting the layers together. I sprinkled powdered sugar all over the top layer and then cut into it while still warm.

It was amazing! It was so gooey inside with the Nutella melting into the bottom layer - I think the next time I make it I will add some caramel sauce to it. That will really set it off. I don't think this would meet Weight Watcher approval, but then I don't do WW - so no problem for me!

So - now I know - any flavor cake mix - diet coke/pepsi - Nutella, caramel or chocolate sauce - or any other favorite topping - and a yummy quickie cake is born.