Ahh the middle graders. Big feelings that sometimes seem too big for their not yet big enough bodies. I’m learning this new chapter with my nine year old, Caroline, and I can tell I still have much to learn.

As far as gifts, there also seems to be a challenging middle place. Their interests lie somewhere in the middle between little kid imaginative toys and big kid tech toys. It’s tricky to find what excites them.

With help from my daughter, I rounded up some ideas that hit the happy middle ground, mostly surrounding the joy of creativity and developing their sense of self. I hope you find some ideas for the middle grader in your life.

Creativity is where my nine year Old’s heart lies. If she can make it with her hands, she is in. In fact, I know if she was gifted a giant box of random fabrics and yarn and crafting doo dads she would be in heaven. Pair it with one of these Creativity Books to make a great gift. If you want to go even bigger, consider a Sewing Machine for your little creative. My mom found a used sewing machine that was once used in high school so it was the perfect machine on which to learn. The brand is the Singer 140q and you can find some on eBay. But this newer Singer version looks like a good size too. I was intimidated by teaching her but then came down one night to say goodnight to find her working away at the sewing machine like she has been doing it her whole life. Kids are amazing.

While Caroline is starting to grow out of playing with dolls and imagination (insert cry face emoji), I still find her setting up the dollhouse and sewing clothes or accessories for her dolls. I spotted these Mini DIY Dollhouse rooms and now I want to do one with her! How cute is that library?! The reviews say it is challenging but for patient hands and adult support, it could be a very fun project.

My girl got her ears pierced this year and she seems very sensitive to metal posts. Hypoallergenic earrings can be expensive, but I found these plastic posts on Earrings by Emma with just the cutest designs.

There are some great microphones advertised for the younger crowd, and one is on my nine year old’s Christmas list. But I’m also keeping this Podcast Microphone in mind. She has discovered podcasts this year and is always coming up with ideas of starting one of her own. Who knows, maybe I could get into podcasting too!

When I redecorated Caroline’s room, I was surprised at how excited she got over the art I chose. It reminded me how much kids this age really love creating a space of their own. Art is a great way to do this. These were some of her favorites on Etsy. For the Strong Girl. For the Magic Fan. For the Reader, or this one, or this one.

Friendships are huge at this age. Keeping up with pen pals is more fun with personalized Stationery.

From the same company, we have also fell in love with these paper dolls. Fashion is a new fun discovery for Caroline. Paper dolls are the perfect way to explore this. especially now that the company has just come out with their Coloring Paper Doll Kits.

We love these so much that I entered into a giveaway with Unusual Kind when they released the new coloring paper doll kits and I WON!! I never win ANYTHING!! And I didn’t just win one, I won ALL OF THEM!! So to spread the love I want to GIVEAWAY one packet of your choice plus one of the adorable postcards to one lucky winner!

To enter:

1.) Follow this link to Instagram and like the post.
2.) Sign up for my Raise & Shine letter. And then comment on the Instagram post when you do!

the legalese:
You must be 18+ and a U.S. resident with a valid mailing address to enter. Contest closes at 7:00 PM CST on Sunday, December 5, 2021. The number of eligible entries will determine odds of winning. One winner will be randomly selected and announced on December 5th. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram, Substack, or Squarespace. By entering, you agree to a complete release of Instagram, Substack, and Squarespace.

Can’t wait to send along the love to a middle grader in your life!

For the last ten years, the Advent and Christmas season has been a time requiring gentle care. In those years I have either been pregnant, postpartum, or in the case of last year, dealing with a global pandemic with limited options for support. Through a kind lens, I recognize my coping strategy in those years as quiet, peace, stillness. I learned to hold expectations gently, wrap myself in peace, and slowly uncover what it means to find the hopeful light of this season, a light no darkness could overcome. Seasons that require great self kindness are the ones that help us grow. For this I am grateful, and proud. 

But this year felt different. Not because the darkness of life is gone (do you read the news?) Not because life with children is easier (have I mentioned I have a three year old?) And certainly not because my body feels all great and perfect now (hello perimenopause.)

What felt different to me this year was more what *I* want out of the holiday season. I want a new narrative, one that leads me feeling strong.

Literally. I want to be stronger, not just in spirit but in my body.

This is where I feel I need to shout from the rooftops THIS IS NOT ABOUT BODY IMAGE! The wellness industry has left me so upside down it is difficult to even trust my own health instincts. But similar to how I feel about the women and wine industry over Rachel on the Rocks, I want to take back the narrative of my own health. I want to be able to choose, celebrate even, lifestyle choices that feel right for me. Not because I should, and not because I want to be better than I am, but because celebrating what my body can do feels right to me. Getting by was about all I felt strong enough for in the last decade. That was perfectly ok, great even. But now I feel ready to be stronger. 

This week I was reading through an advent devotion and I came across these words, twice actually. First in Luke 1:80 speaking about John the Baptist “And the child grew and became strong in spirit.” And then later in Luke 2:40 regarding Jesus growing up “And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.”

The word “strong” rang in my heart. This is what I want to feel. Perhaps through the dark seasons, the challenges of early mothering, the moments of forced quiet stillness listening to God has been helping me grow, helping me build strength and wisdom. That time is valuable. Now, it's time to focus on a new kind of strength.  

Maybe Christmas feels like a bad time to start a strength journey. Don’t we have enough to worry about? To me the time feels right. Instead of focusing on shoulds or should nots from wellness industry to consumerism, I want to focus on feeling stronger. Not because I want to “end the year strong” or “earn those Christmas cookies’ (Ugh, I am itchy just typing those phrases.) I want to feel stronger because I know I can. Christmas is about celebrating greatness that came from believing. I believe I can be stronger, and so I will. 

So here is my goal plain and simple: I want to do 10 pushups every day of the month. I’m not setting a time limit or speed. I’m not analyzing how well I do them. I simply want to just do it. That is all. That is the whole goal. I’m not sure how it will go, currently I think I could do maybe two without collapsing, but I know by the end of the month I will feel stronger. 

Do I have a good track record for daily challenges? Absolutely not. But this is why I’m inviting you along. Accountability is my best friend (and so is grace upon grace for when I make a mistake.) Are there ways you want to be stronger this month? Maybe you want to hold a plank position, do X number of squats. Maybe you want to be able to do a handstand in yoga or find a stronger meditation practice. I can think of some great breath prayers from Kayla Craig of Liturgies for Parents that could help you with that this season. 

Whatever it is that leads you to strength, I would love it if you would join me. Let’s do it together and be sure to share with #deSTRONGber. I imagine my marketing spouse is cringing at the word as it sounds a bit like I want to take away strength, but whatever I’m keeping it. What does he know anyway?

So who’s with me? Let’s get stronger this De-STRONG-ber.

I went to a Christmas party back in 2010 that I still think about today. It was for a friend I had just met in a leadership organization, and to be perfectly honest I couldn’t tell you to this day what her name was. But I can tell you about that party.

This was in the early days of the Mad Men show, when the mid-century modern style was all the mood. The party theme was taken straight from the hit show and guests were encouraged to come dressed for the part. The couple lived in a gorgeous modern high rise building with windows that stretched along the walls over looking Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago. I was a Northside girl so the parties with my friends were spent crammed into bars or tiny walk up condo buildings. Seeing the city in this way felt like stepping onto the set of Mad Men, classy and cool.

I don’t remember what we drank. I don’t remember what we ate. But I remember how it felt to hear the crooning sounds of Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, seeing all the guests in their skinni ties, and feeling like the fancy party goer I always imagined I would be when I was a grown up. Ever since that night I’ve been wanting to recreate that kind of Christmas party scene. I wanted to serve appetizers with those little frilly cocktail sticks. I wanted everyone to be dressed like Don and Betty Draper. And I wanted to serve only the best and brightest classic cocktails.

Don’t worry, this is not when I tell you about this great party I am hosting this weekend. Unless you consider ordering pizza delivery and watching Home Alone while my children crawl all over me on the couch and then we pass out by 8:30 a party, than CHEERS!

But I can also tell you just because we can’t have big parties right now doesn’t mean we can’t feel like our best classy selves. If I look back, I can see that this party, and the whole Mad Men vibe, was the early emergence of my love of cocktails. That Christmas I gifted Mike a glass decanter set my mom found in her basement, a cast off from a mom of one my dad’s high school buddies. We filled it with two spirits we thought Don would approve of, Bourbon and Gin. And then on Friday nights, we started skipping the boxed wine and the cases of Goose Island for Manhattans for him and Tom Collins for me in our humble little condo overlooking the L train. We made a party of our Friday night frozen pizza. It wasn’t a high-rise and it wasn’t finely dressed guests, but it felt special.

All that is to say, you can set yourself up for special, too, even in this quieter holiday season.

It starts with a festive syrup that you can easily make yourself, gift to others, and use in many cocktails. Grenadine. This isn’t the same thing as that stuff in the neon red jar with cherries. I always thought it was. No, this homemade syrup is so much more than that. And it’s rich color and taste is the festive you need this year. It makes a big batch so share with neighbors or co-workers. It works great in mocktails, too, so kids can have fun with it.

Homemade Grenadine

adapted from the Twelve Bottle Bar

1 part (2 cups) Pure Pomegranate Juice (POM or other brand)
2 parts (4 cups) Sugar
Peel of one orange*

1. Heat the juice and orange peel over a very low flame and mix in the sugar in batches until it is completely dissolved and the syrup is clear.

2. Remove 3/4 of syrup from the stove orange peel. Heat the remaining 1/4 over a medium flame until it is reduced by half. When this is done, add to the rest of the syrup.

3. Allow to cool before bottling. Store in a cool place for up to 6 months

   *The original recipe includes orange blossom water but I think adding orange peel is good enough for my taste, and much easier to find in your grocery pick up order.

I am also including some of my favorite cocktail making items that make great gifts, in case someone you know could use a little something for their stocking, ahem. * Winky face emoji. *

This is apparently the best peeler for making garnishes. I say apparently because I don’t have one. Just leaving that there.

This bar spoon is a must. You will feel so fancy when you figure out how to twirl properly.

Bitters (my favorite brand) are a fun way to add a pop of flavor to a drink.

I have a cocktail idea I need to try this winter and this ice sphere is what I need to make that happen.

You know how I feel about garnishes and these cocktail picks would be fantastic and fun. These are cute too.

Save the neon cherries for the kids. Get these for you.

And if you need more inspiration for what to mix up, don’t forget to follow along with my cocktail adventures on my Rachel on the Rocks account.

Cheers to a festive, albeit quiet, holiday from my party to yours!