Monica is busy, busy, in Christmas-shopping mode.

“It’s a bit of a challenge,’’ the singer , 31, says from her home in Atlanta. “I’m trying to get to the stores in the midst of the pouring rain. But we get it done around here!’’

The Boy is Mine crooner (born Monica Arnold) always puts her ducks in a row before she sets out with Santa’s list. “I’ve always known you’ve got to stay focused. I’ve always been the type to plan it out and execute everything in a certain way because I like to do it all myself.’’

This year, she has a lot to celebrate — her second Christmas with husband, Phoenix Suns player Shannon Brown, whom she met last year while they filmed her video for Love All Over Me. The couple will ring in the holidays with Monica’s two sons from a previous relationship, Rodney, 6, and Romelo, almost 3. “We really get into the spirit and go all out.’’

As for the meal, she’ll be in the kitchen making her special recipes: black eyed peas and Southern fried chicken.

“I do it the way my grandma taught me, and my husband seems to like it. It’s his favorite.’’

Forget the live tree. This year they went for an artificial one that .... spins.

“The kids are totally fascinated with it. You plug it in and get to see all the ornaments because it moves nice and slow,’’ she says. “You can’t get something like this from the soil of the earth!’’

Speaking of nice and slow, they have no big plans for the New Year.

“I never do resolutions or anything of that nature so it’ll be calm with the hopes that the year will be the same way,’’ she says. “I want to be able to work diligently and keep a focused mind.’’

Monica needs focus now that she’ll be releasing her seventh album, New Life, in February. It’ll be a mix of sounds from her early years, starting at the ripe old age of 14, and her style now.

“I’m reinventing myself in some aspects, but keeping old factors that are more engaging to the audience who have been kind enough to support me all these years.’’

Grammy winning songwriter Diane Warren and singer Missy Elliott are among those who helped out on some tracks.

“Missy is a dear friend. Working together is really easy. We have this unspoken agreement. As women we can relate on different ends of the spectrum,’’ Monica says. “When you record with guys, you have a naturally different point of view. Whether it’s love and relationships to breaking up and making up.’’

The Atlanta native wants her fans to know that she has not exactly changed; she has evolved. “That’s why I titled the album New Life. I’ve grown and learned.’’

After one season of BET’s Still Standing, she said she’s done with that format of reality TV of cameras following her family around. She wouldn’t rule out judging a talent show the way she acted as a guest on The Voice, or doing something that can teach up-and-comers how to survive in showbiz.

“I’d like to show how hard it is to constantly reinvent yourself but not lose yourself,’’ she says. “Young people should really understand the strain that this lifestyle can put on you and your sanity sometimes.’’

But Monica is glad that Still Standing showed viewers that her life was actually pretty normal.

“You can be in this industry with kids but totally out of the industry at the same time, making your music and living your life,’’ she says. “I think that show was a representation of never giving up and finding ways of doing what you love with the people you love.’’

Madeleine Marr