Spreading Kindness This Holiday Season With Stonyfield

I have always emphasized kindness to my children. I tell them often, that we may not be the smartest, richest or best looking person in the room, but there is no reason that we can't be the kindest.  Unlike wealth, good looks or intelligence, kindness is a choice.

When I told them that we had the opportunity to be kind and spread some holiday cheer with someone who needs it this holiday season, they didn't hesitate to get on board. I explained that because of the generosity of Stonyfield and my relationship with them this year, we had received a gift card to be used to pay it forward this holiday season. We brainstormed on how and who we could help, finally deciding to select two stars from the Wall of Kindness at Owen's elementary school.

How to Avoid Holiday Hazards for Your Pets

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This post is sponsored by Royal Canin. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Royal Canin’s veterinary-exclusive gastrointestinal diet, but all opinions are my own. Royal Canin is not responsible for the content of this article.

The holidays are coming. While it is an exciting and magical time of the year, it can also be riddled with hazards for our pets.  In fact, according to a recent Veterinary Pet Insurance Company’s report, upset stomach and diarrhea rank among the top 10 reasons owners go to the vet with their pets. I don’t know about you, but that most definitely does not put me in the holiday spirit!

I was fortunate to have a variety of pets growing up. My children are much less fortunate, much to their chagrin.  I had a few dogs, plenty of cats, a rabbit, a myriad of small furry creatures and the occasional rescued turtle. The most I’ve had as an adult are my cats (unless you count our Carnival Goldfish, who is going on 2 years old now).

Do Your Kids Follow Santa's Christmas Eve Ride?

If you celebrate Christmas, you may have followed Santa's Christmas Eve journey around the globe on NORAD.

Believe it or not, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is celebrating the 60th Anniversary of tracking Santa’s yuletide journey!  The NORAD Tracks Santa website, www.noradsanta.org, launched on Dec 1 and features Santa’s North Pole Village, which includes a holiday countdown, games, activities, and more.  The website is available in eight languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Chinese.

3 Ways to Save Money This Holiday Season

I don't know about you, but I feel like my wallet opens the day after Thanksgiving and doesn't close until after New Year's. There's no doubt about it, this can be a very expensive time of the year.Besides the gifts, I find myself spending money on things like decorations, party food and clothes. It all adds up for sure.

My philosophy is to save where I can and spend when I have to. But with a little creativity, it's easier to save  on the "extras" of the season. Here are a few of my favorite ideas for saving money this holiday season:

5 Ways to Get Organized for the Holidays Right Now

I like to take each holiday as it comes. What that means for me is that there isn't any Christmas, until Thanksgiving is over. Now, if I happen to see the perfect gift form someone in August, I buy it. But our Christmas tree and lights don't go up until the turkey is put away.

With that said, today kicked-off the beginning of the holiday season for me. That means I need to get myself organized so that everything that needs to happen before December 25th, happens. If Christmas isn't your holiday, these tips work for Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the Winter Solstice too.

Happy Thanksgiving

In this season of thanks and gratitude - I just wanted to say how very grateful I am to those of you that come to my little home on the web. I hope you leave here filled with ideas and inspiration to make your awesome, amazing life that much richer.

catch you soon -

Get Lucky With These Easy Green Velvet Cupcakes

St. Patrick's Day is not a big holiday around our house. Even though we have some Irish blood, it's just never been part of our family celebrations. But that lack of past celebration doesn't mean I don't want to have a little fun with the kids for St. Patrick's Day.

I figured why not make festive green cupcakes. I searched around for recipes, and determined that this was the easiest method for me:

What You Need:

1 boxed White Cake Mix (or your favorite recipe for white cake)
2 oz of semi-sweet chocolate (chips, baking chocolate, etc)
Green Food Coloring (boxed, natural, etc)
Vanilla, Buttercream, Whipped Cream or Cream Cheese Icing (canned or your favorite recipe)
Lucky Charms

What You Do:
Make Cake Mix according to package directions or your favorite recipe for 24 cupcakes.

Melt the semi-sweet chocolate and stir into cake batter.

Drop in green food coloring until desired shade is achieved.

Spoon mixture into prepared baking cups, bake according to package or recipe directions.

Let cupcakes cool completely prior to icing.

Ice your cupcakes with your favorite icing.

Generously sprinkle your cupcakes with Lucky Charms, allowing them to fall playfully on to your plate or cake stand. Add some gold coins (chocolate works) for luck!

Enjoy!

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Holiday Party Style | What I Wore

This week's post for What I Wore is all about Holiday Party Style. Nothing (except perhaps a wedding) can cause as much fashion angst, as a holiday party. I blame all those TV movies and magazine spreads of glamorous fancy parties, for our stress. But there's no need to stress, you've got the perfect thing to wear!

Years ago, John's office used to put on one of those very glamorous and fancy holiday parties (remember when the economy was great?) and I would start thinking about what to wear in August. Scour Nordstrom and Ann Taylor for just the right LBD. A LBD because it was versatile and I could style it differently a month later when we went to the Black Tie Tailgate . . .then we had kids. Sometimes the dress was long, sometimes short. . .but almost always black.

These days, my holiday parties are much more casual, so a great pair of dark denims or black ankle pants with a great top or sweater fits the bill. Last week I attended a Holiday Party just down the street and it was raining. After a quick perusal of Pinterest for inspiration, I started shopping my closet. I had already decided I was going to go "rustic chic" and wear my Hunter Wellies with a skirt. Here's what I pulled together:

Skirt - Eddie Bauer (old)

Sweater - Lord and Taylor Cashmere (last year - similar styles available NOW)

Tights - SPANX Tight End Footless Tights (my favorite!!)

Socks - Hue

Boots - Hunter Wellies (classic)

Necklace - Tiffany

I added a chunky dark grey sweater too. Before deciding on the black sweater, I had on a white button-down shirt and a merlot cardigan. That looked a little dressier, but still great with the plaid skirt and wellies.

Some other great Holiday Party ideas:

• For black tie, consider a Ball Skirt and Wrap Blouse or sparkly top.
• For something more casual, or cocktail attire, try a black skirt and jewel-toned jacket or twin set.

Chances are good you already have at least part of the perfect outfit in your closet already.

What are you wearing to Holiday Parties this year?

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This post is linked up at The Pleated Poppy and at Get Your Pretty On. Check them out for outfit and style inspiration.

Canon Is A Great Family Gift From Best Buy {#HintingSeason}

Remember a few weeks ago, I shared I was teaming up with Best Buy to share some great Family Gift ideas for the upcoming holiday season? Well, today, I'm back to share another great Family Gift Idea!

How about a fancy, yet easy-to-use Canon EOS Rebel T5i? 

It's confession time . . .big cameras intimidate me. I know I should be using one for my blog, but I'm so comfortable with my current Cannon SX170 IS! But I'm toying with dragging John's DSLR out of the closet for the new year. How fun would it be to have this amazing piece of equipment under the tree?!

I'm pretty sure we have purchased ALL of our cameras from Best Buy over the years, and believe it or not, they are all Canons. (When something works, I say stick with it!) Best Buy is the ultimate destination for the latest cameras to capture your holiday memories. I love that ALL the choices are in one convienent location, and you can try them all out right in the store!

The Canon EOS Rebel T5i is one of the best-selling DSLRs. This camera makes advanced photography easy and fun, and gives you exceptional image quality, along with a host of features to enhance your creative expression. Sounds like the perfect family gift for the family of a blogger, doesn't it?

Some of the cool features of the Canon EOS Rebel T5i are:

• Hollywood caliber full HD video capture capability
• Continuous autofocus while taking HD video
• An 18.0-megapixel CMOS sensor and a DIGIC 5 image processor to ensure vivid, crystal-clear images
• A 3" vari-angle touch screen to simplify navigation

Sounds perfect, doesn't it? Just think about all the school plays, concerts and programs you can capture? the possibilities are endless!

FYI - You can save $150 on the Canon EOS Rebel T5i at Best Buy from 12/7 through 12/20 (so act fast!). Visit Best Buy to learn more.

What memories would you capture with a new Canon Camera from Best Buy?

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This is a sponsored post and I have been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card for my time spent preparing this post, however, as always all opinions are my very own.

Surviving the Holidays with Healthy Essentials #Moms4JNJConsumer #ad

This post is part of the HEALTHY ESSENTIALS^® 2014 program by Johnson + Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. and The Motherhood, who sent me a box of products and compensated me for my time. Opinions, experiences and photos shared here are all my own, and I hope you enjoy them.

There's no doubt this is busy time of the year. Between school concerts, parties, shopping and cookie baking, there's barely time to sign the holiday cards (oh right - that's something I finally said "no" to). But with some simple steps, we can all survive and even thrive into January.

I don't know about you, but about a week before Thanksgiving, I have all these grand plans to make this the most elaborate Christmas of all: baking and hand-making gifts for family and friends, hitting all the holiday hot spots and activities, shopping for the perfect gifts and filling all the stockings.

But after Thanksgiving, the thought of trying to get all that done in 3-4 short weeks, suddenly makes me feel completely overwhelmed. I pull out all the bins of decorations, and then guilt haunts me until they are all put up just right.

What's a busy mom to do? Never fear. I have some helpful tips and some great savings on great products to get you through the busiest time of the year.

HEALTHY ESSENTIALS^® Program for the Holidays

With the holidays around the corner, it’s the perfect time to unwrap great savings on the HEALTHY ESSENTIALS^® website! You can save up to $35 on some of your favorite products by visiting HealthyEssentials.com to download coupons in December.

From looking your best and baking tasty treats for holiday celebrations to staying healthy and taking care of yourself and your family, you’ll find products for the holidays and every day.

So tell me, how you surviving the holidays this year?
 
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The Perfect Holiday Gifts - All in One Place

{this is a sponsored post}
Let's do a little Holiday Shopping visualization . . .

Picture yourself walking into a warm, welcoming store with wide aisles and music playing at just the right volume. As you stroll down the aisles, you find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list: a turntable for your husband, Minecraft books for your son, a Frozen music box for your daughter, a cozy blanket for your Mother-in-law, a book about American History for your father and even a yoga mat for your bestie. With your basket filled with the perfect gifts, you walk into a cozy cafe, order your favorite beverage and a tasty snack. To celebrate your gift buying success, you flip through the latest home decorating magazine while you enjoy your treat.

Sounds heavenly doesn't it?

Well get ready because you don't just have to dream about it - you can experience it! At Barnes and Noble. For real. I have long been a Barnes and Noble fan, proudly flashing my Member Card whenever we shop there. For me and my family, it's a destination - a place to go and relax, enjoy ourselves, spend some time, and discover new things.

I recently received a VIP tour of the Barnes and Noble store in Exton, PA. It was my first time at this particular store, and it did NOT disappoint! Such beautiful space filled with so many wonderful things (not just books). Barnes and Noble understands that buying the right holiday gift can be difficult. Its nearly 35,000 knowledgeable booksellers are always available to help customers find the perfect gift in store.

And this weekend, Barnes and Nobel is kicking off the Holiday Season with a fun-filled Discovery Weekend. Visit a store near you on November 21^st to the 23^rd and discover special events, featured products, and bookseller recommendations for everyone on your list. (check your local store for specific times, events and appearances)

Some of the fun includes:

• A Linkee Trivia Tournament on Friday, 11/21 for ages 14+
• Create with Artfolds on Saturday, 11/22 for ages 13+
• Learn to Draw with Mo Willems on Saturday, 11/22 for ages 4+
• Puppet Making and Holiday sing-a-long on Saturday, 11/22 for ages 4+
• Holiday Fluxx Game Night on Saturday, 11/22 for ages 12+
• Snowmen at Night Storytime, Crafts & Activities on Sunday, 11/23 for ages 4+

You can also enter for a chance to win a $1000 Barnes and Noble shopping spree with Nick Jonas in NYC.

For the first time this holiday season, personalized gift advice will also be available to holiday shoppers on Twitter. Through December 23, Barnes and Noble will extend its booksellers knowledge online by providing curated gift ideas to those who tweet using the hashtag #BNGiftTip. Follow the conversation @BNBuzz.

I don't know about you, but I am definitely planning on doing some of my Holiday shopping at Barnes and Noble this year!

What is one of your favorite places to find holiday gifts?

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I received a Barnes and Noble Gift Card during my visit. As always, all opinions are my very own.

The LG OLED is A Great Family Gift From Best Buy {#HintingSeason}

Do you do "Family Gifts"? I've never done this in the past, but I think it's a great idea and can be a really fun and festive way to get something big everyone in the family can enjoy, no matter what holiday your family celebrates. I'm teaming up with Best Buy to share a great Family Gift idea for the upcoming holiday season.

 

I've never been a big TV person, truth be told, I'd rather read a good book than watch TV any day. But the rest of my family enjoys TV and quite frankly, I've been toying with the idea of a larger screen with newer technology. Our go-to technology place has always been Best Buy. Best Buy has a great selection, all laid out there in the store. You can check out everything live and in person before you make a purchasing decision.

On a recent trip, we were checking out the TVs, and noticed the LG OLED TVs. What is OLED TV?? (That's exactly what I wanted to know!)

First of all, it is SO skinny!  The stunning design of LG OLED TV is only 0.21" (less than a quarter of an inch!) thick at its thinnest point. Secondly, the color is amazing! Picture quality is spectacular, with Infinite Contrast that ranges from the most blazing whites to the deepest blacks. And, LG's exclusive 4 Color Pixel technology delivers bright, vibrant colors. For even more specs and details, check out LGOLEDatBestBuy.com 

It really is amazing. Now I am old enough to remember when no one had cable TV. There were only three major networks, and some smaller, local channels. I had to get up to change the channel too.  But if you've looked at the latest technology in televisions, you know that the picture quality is simply amazing. Your first kiss. A baby's first steps. The majesty of a desert sunset. Some things in life defy all explanation and must be experienced to be believed. That's the case with LG's latest display technology. With deeper and richer colors, stunning contrast and ingeniously curved screens, it is unlike any technology you've ever seen, and it delivers a picture that exceeds your wildest imagination. (and you don't have to get up to change the channel!)

So I'm definitely adding this to my holiday wish list, I hope Santa thinks we've been good!


Will you have a Family Gift this holiday?

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The reviewer has been compensated for their time, in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card. As always, all opinions are my very own.

Be Unstoppable This Holiday Season

I wrote this post as part of my participation in a blog tour for The Motherhood on behalf of the makers of Children's MOTRIN® and received compensation to thanks me for taking the time to participate, However, all opinions expressed are my own.

It's true . . .all across America, Christmas Trees are going up. As I sit here looking at my calendar, I cross off Halloween, and see Thanksgiving coming up in just 4 weeks. But I can't get the "Oh My Goodness Christmas is Coming" mantra from my head. What about all those Americans that don't even celebrate Christmas - to have 2 months of decorations, music and endless advertisements? It can make even the most sane person start to twitch.

How do you get through it? The shopping, the decorating, the guests, the gifts . . .the list is ENDLESS!! Not to mention the pressure to make it all perfect. Here are the things I am planning to do this holiday season to stay #unstoppable:

Eat, Drink, Rest
Our bodies cannot survive on stress (and cookies) alone. We need to continue to plan and enjoy well-balanced meals. We also need to stay hydrated, so that means drinking plenty of water each day. And that ever elusive rest. Getting a good night's sleep can make or break us the next day, so be sure to go to bed at a reasonable time each evening that you can.

Let it Go
I know that term is a little over used right now, but Elsa may be onto something. For the first time in 20 years, I did NOT send Christmas Cards last year. Truth be told, I only missed it a tiny bit. Not one person asked me where my card was, or complained about not getting one. So take a few minutes and think about your list (see my next tip). What things on your list can you truly let go without diminishing your holiday experience?

Make a List and Check it Twice
Even if Christmas is not your holiday, take a tip from Santa and make a list of all the things you'd like to accomplish this holiday season. Now go back through that list and mark all your MUSTS with an "A" or a star or a number "1". Can you fit that all in? See if there's anything you can move to your B-list, or better yet, let it go (see above tip). Keep this list with you - on your phone, in a little notepad, somewhere handy so when you find yourself with an unexpected block of time, you can get something accomplished.

Update the Calendar
In partnership with your list from above, mark ALL important events and to-dos on your calendar. School plays, concerts, neighborhood caroling, tree lighting ceremonies, all of it. Keep it updated as things change. Take the opportunity of a clear afternoon to check off some to-do's. Organization can be your best friend during the hectic holidays.

Live in the Moment
This is my best tip for staying unstoppable this holiday season. I vow to remember to live in the moment. That may mean not taking a picture and posting it to Facebook - it's ok, because I will get to see and enjoy the look on my child's face when they light the tree. It's important to acknowledge and appreciate your own needs and feelings throughout the holiday season. Taking care of ourselves is the best step to taking care of all the rest.

This is my Holiday Survival Plan. I hope you'll join me on the journey and keep me posted on what's working for you.

What makes you unstoppable as a mom?

The makers of Children's MOTRIN® are asking moms to post their tips and tricks to the MOTRIN® Facebook page under each week's Kelly Ripa question video. For every post, Children's MOTRIN® will donate $1 to Safe Kids Worldwide, a global nonprofit that provides moms with the tips they need to help keep their children safe. You could even win weekly giveaways of $100 gift cards, just for posting! *

What are you waiting for? Good Luck and stay #unstoppable!

catch you soon -

 *NO PURCHASE NECESSARY, OPEN TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND D.C., 18 AND OLDER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Promotion ends 11:59pm ET on 12/28/14. Sponsor will donate $1 for each approved Submission made as part of the promotion, with a minimum donation of $30,000 and a maximum donation of $50,000. For Official Rules, and complete details, visit www.unstoppablemoms.com. Sponsor: McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc. To learn more about Safe Kids Worldwide, visit safekids.org.

How-To: Handmade Poinsettia Ornament

I happened to catch some of The Chew last week, and saw Clinton Kelly make a poinsettia ornament. He's so adorable, and he made it look so easy, I had to try it at home. What I like about this handmade ornament is that is uses things I already have on-hand in my craft stash.

What You Need

• Paper Towel or Toilet Paper Rolls
• Coffee Filters
• Red Spray Paint or Acrylic Paint
• Glitter (of course!)
• A button, small pinecone or other decoration
• Ribbon, Twine or String
• Glue Gun
• Scissors

What You Do
Flatten out the paper towel roll and cut it into 5 equal pieces, approximately 3/4 - 1 inch pieces.

Flatten out your coffee filter - you can use a rolling pin to make it extra flat.

Paint each "petal" and your coffee filter red. I let my 7 year old do this step with acrylic paint.

Let all the pieces dry.

Run hot glue around the bottom edges of all your "petals" and attach them to your coffee filter, leaving space in between.

Let those dry.

Trim around the outside edges of the petals.

After you have all your petals cut out, hot glue them together at the inner corner.

Let it dry.

Spray the whole flower with spray glitter. (optional)

Attach a button or tiny pinecone to the center of your flower. (optional)

Cut a length of ribbon, twine or string to make a loop to hang your ornament. Attach it to the back of your poinsettia.

Truth be told, this was a little more difficult than Clinton made it look, but not over the top.  The kids can help depending on your level of perfectionism, and know that it took a little over an hour (including drying time).  I'm super happy with the end result.

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A Great Book - A Great Gift

 Q: Why are so many people afraid of spiders?

A: We're not born afraid of spiders. It's something we learn. Some scientists think humans are naturally worried about animals that move quickly, as spiders do, and the fact that some spiders are poisonous certainly adds to the fear factor.

Lots of people I know give books for holiday gifts. It's a wonderful idea, and books can be enjoyed and shared for years to come. We received a copy of the latest edition of TIME for Kids Big Book of Why:Crazy, Cool & Outrageous and lately, and the boys and I agree that this book would make an awesome holiday gift.

Crazy Technology Fact: If there are aliens out in space, they could listen to radio shows from long ago. TV and radio signals are still traveling through sapce, as are cell phone calls.

This book is filled with more than 1,000 fascinating facts.  So if you have kids like I do, that are always seeking answers and finding out how things work, this is perfect.

This book is a follow-up to the first Big Book of Why, and has 192 pages of new and interesting content. The book is divided by subject area - the human body, animals, nature, the Earth, space, science, technology, transportation, US and world history, world culture, arts and media and sports and games. Each answer is accompanied by a full-color photo or illustration.

Outrageous Nature Fact: Flowers are supposed to smell sweet, right? Well, don't get a whiff of the massive Titan arum. This plant, which only flowers every four to six years, smells like rotting meat!

If your kids get TIME for Kids at school, they may really enjoy having this book at home to explore. It's available from www.timeforkids.com/why and retailers nationwide. This book would also make a great birthday or classroom gift.

catch you soon -

Disclosure - I received a complimentary copy of this book to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are my very own.

Holiday Crunch: Relax - There's Still Time

Christmas is right around the corner. This year, there were only three full weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I don't know about you, but I could tell!

Trying to squeeze in gifts, cards, wrapping paper, food . . . it's enough to keep a person up at night. But there's a solution to make your life just a little easier, and still get it all done before the 25th.

I had the opportunity to take a Holiday Blogger Tour of my local BJ's Wholesale Club, and trust me - you can get everything you need under one roof here. And BJ's takes coupons - their own in-store coupons AND all manufacturer's coupons - so you know you're getting the best deal.(You can even shop online at BJs.com)

Besides plenty of staples like diapers, paper towels and pasta, BJs has an amazing selection of specialty items like fine cheese, gourmet frozen appetizers, and fresh baked desserts. BJs carries over 7,000 items, including organic, all-natural and supermarket-sized staples. So if you're hosting family over the holidays or throwing a festive party, check out BJs for party supplies, entertaining necessities and of course, delicious food.

Still shopping for gifts? I was amazed at the selection of gift items that BJs was offering. They had perfect solutions for all those "hard-to-buy-for" people on your list. Not to mention a great supply of the hottest toys.

They even have outdoor decorations!

So don't worry that you're out of time - check out your local BJ's Wholesale Club and start crossing things off your list.

catch you soon -

Disclosure - I was an invited guest of BJ's Wholesale Club, and received a swag bag for attending. As always, all opinions are my very own.

Favorite Holiday Books

We are half-way through our Holiday Book countdown to Christmas. So far, we have opened some really great books. The nice part about holiday books, is that it can really set a mood for the holidays. and we try to read every night before bed anyway, so why not add a dash of holiday spirit to that - right?

Here's a little preview of the books we've opened so far, and a few that are my favorites.



What's your favorite holiday book?

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Getting CyberCHIC on Cyber Monday

How did you spend CyberMonday? I was lucky enough to spend mine with a bunch of local Blogger friends at Cyber Chic.

This fun, fashion-forward event was co-hosted by Element Associates and All Things Chic and was sponsored by Lands End.

The room was filled with great gift ideas for everyone on your list. A few of my favorites from Lands End included this retro faux fur wrap and leopard clutch, a Leopard-print twinset and a faux fur throw.

Lands End also had gloves, bags and more on display to add to your wish list.

Anyone who knows me, knows I "jingle" when I walk, as I constantly have a stack of bracelets on my wrists. I was introduced to  Joseph Nogucci jewelry and as a fan of stack bracelets, this was a super fun table filled with endless possibilities.

Photo courtesy of Sherry

Emile M. handbags had the perfect bag to go with my favorite pair of riding boots. the best part? These gorgeous bags are all under $100!

The event featured three charity partners, Champions4Kids, Goodwill and Alex's Lemonade. Whole Foods sent a cheese Monger (I DIE), and thanks too to Dave and Busters for a great location and yummy food.

All in all, a fun event and a great day with some great friends.

catch you soon -

Holiday Memories

The holidays are full of memories. I had a wonderful holiday childhood full of traditional family gatherings. My favorite of all of those was Christmas Morning at my grandparents. My brother and I would wake up and have our own awesome Christmas morning at our house (we must have been really GOOD every year). Then we would head next door to my grandparents house, in our pajamas and have Christmas morning there too. And a huge breakfast, that everyone would cook together. After that, we would go home, play with our toys, get dressed and head back over to my grandparents for a big dinner. It was a huge day and one of my most favorite memories from my childhood.

I hope that I'm making great memories for my own kids during the holidays!

A Favorite Holiday Memory and How Our Family Spends Christmas Eve



What's your favorite holiday memory?

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DIY Holiday Memory Album

The Holidays come and go so quickly, in a blur of wrapping paper, lights and cookies, and then it's all over but the clean up. If you're anything like me, you take a bunch of pictures that then sit on your computer, rather than taking time to capture the things you really want to remember.

To remedy that situation, a few years ago I created a simple Holiday Memories Album. It took me only a few hours to put together and covered our entire Holiday Season. There are similar ideas floating around out there if you search for "December Daily", but they can seem overwhelming and involve a lot of time.

For this album, there are only a few steps and you can do it all in one afternoon, or spread it out over the entire season.

First, pick up a festive album. It doesn't have to be fancy. The one I used is a simple 4x6 photo album from Target. I used my craft stash to add embellishments to the cover.

I pre-cut 4x6 pieces of white cardstock and holiday print paper; enough to fill all the pages of the album.

For my set up, I wanted the facing two-page spread to have holiday paper on the left and a picture on the right. Behind the picture, is a piece of white cardstock where I journaled my thoughts about the event, activity or picture. I attached a tab to keep it festive and easy to pull-out. (a ribbon pull would be adorable!)

Once your album is set up, you just take pictures (or use ones from past holidays), print them out and journal.

By the time New Year's Eve rolls around, you can have a little album to commemorate another great family holiday.

Behind on holiday memories? Cover several years in one album - the choice is up to you.

How do you record the holidays for your family?

catch you soon -