Don't Toss Your Holiday Cards!

One of my favorite parts of December, besides Christmas Day, is getting the mail each day.  I get so excited to open Christmas cards from our friends and family, and quickly put them on display in our home.  Every year, around this time, it would pain me to throw them away.  Those were memories - pictures - and I was just recycling them.

Until 2012.  I started saving them, making them in to little books.  I put our card on top, and every year I lay out books of years past.  It's so fun to look through them and remember our friends and family then, and see how far they've come - with wedding pictures, new dogs, babies, new houses.  It's such a fun keepsake and I wanted to share it with you.  It's so easy, you can have this done in ten minutes - I promise!

For supplies, all you need are:

-A copy of your Christmas card
-All of the cards you recieved
-A three hole punch
-ring clips, found at any office supply store

STEP ONE.
Organize your received cards by size.

STEP TWO.
Starting with the largest size, line up 4-5 cards (depending on thickness), and punch two holes.  Try and center them as best as possible.

There is no math here - just eyeball it!

Continue with the next largest size, working your way to the smallest.

Don't forget to also put holes in your card!


STEP THREE.
With the largest size on the bottom and the smallest on the top, put your cards in a pile.  Make sure the holes are all on the same side.

STEP FOUR.
Begin on either the top or bottom holes, and wiggle the ring clip through.

Repeat for the other side.

STEP FIVE.
Be sure to add your card to the top, and you are finished!

I hope you have fun looking back on cards from the past.  We do every year!

Linking up with Ash and Anne.

For the Love of Winter... And a Giveaway

Well folks, winter finally arrived in the Midwest.  I've lived here my entire life, and I don't remember a time when it took so long to snow.  Snow usually falls in October-November, December at the latest.  And here we are in January with the first snowfall.

For a snow-loving gal like me, it's been a long, dry, brown three months.  I realize I am the odd one out here - all of my social media feeds are overflowing with comments about how awful the weather is. 

So, on this Awesome Tuesday, I've decided to share the reasons why winter is awesome.

|| You get to wear that cute new hat you bought in the Fall

|| The dead, brown, ugly grass is finally covered with pretty white snow

|| There is no better reason to stay inside and curl up with a good book

|| Seeing kids so excited about snow falling

|| Watching those kids play in the snow, so happy - like there is nothing better in the world

|| Making ice cream out of snow

|| Sometimes school and work is cancelled

|| Scarves, sweaters, boots

|| Cuddling in a warm bed

|| Comfort food.  This needs no further explanation.

Of course, there are parts of winter that aren't so great, but if I were to focus on those I might never make it through the five months!  What are your favorite parts of winter?

And now on to the giveaway!  I am helping Faith from Life w/Mrs. G and the Artist celebrate her blog's five year anniversary!

Anne @ Love the Here & Now // Stephanie @ Wife Mommy Me // 

Bex @ Butcher's Niche // Rebecca @ The Adventures of Bug & Boo // Laila @ Front Row Mama // Sarah @ Joyfully Organized // Amanda @ Knock on Wood // Hayley @ A Beautiful Exchange // Meagan @ All The Joys // Faith @ Life w/ Mrs G & the Artist

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Linking up with Anne and Amanda for the Awesome linkup.

 

2015: The Year of ME

I don't like resolutions.  I've never stuck to them.  Also, why pick one day to change your entire way of life?  I do like reflecting on all aspects of my life and picking places that can be improved, but I like gradual change.  So, while I was thinking about how I wanted 2015 to look, I pinpointed things here and there and made a list.  And after looking at the list, I came to one conclusion:  all of my items pertained to others.  Not me.

2015 needs to be all about ME.

Ever since I can remember, I've made decisions based on other people.  How will this affect so-and-so?  Will anyone's feelings get hurt?  Once I became a wife and mother, making myself a priority really went out the window.  The happiness of Tim and the girls (and Charlie!) is most important to me.  But I've been missing years of doing things for myself.  So, 2015 is my year.

Personal.  
I want to be healthy.  I want to look great and be confident in my clothes.  If I need to take thirty minutes to myself while my girls are awake to work out, I'm going to.  But along with that, I will not be so hard on myself if I slip up here and there.

I will make reading more of a priority.  I love getting lost in books, and just haven't made time for it, since high school really.

I will not feel guilty for going on a quick trip with Tim at the end of the month.  Or for a week to St. Thomas in March.  This will take some convincing, but we deserve it!


Blog.
I will continue to explore in my writing, and continue to post 3-6 times/week.

I will sponsor more blogs and grow my blogging tribe.

I would love to meet another blogger in person - but that's not entirely up to me :)


Marriage.
I will take time out of each day to really talk to Tim.  Ask about his day, and listen to his replies.  Too often we are caught up in the "business" side of marriage - kids, bills, household things - but I will make communication a priority.

We will plan a date at least once a month, even if they are at home dates.

I will be more patient - even when I feel my patience wavering.


The Girls.
I will continue to turn off all electronics on the mornings I am home with them.

We will read every night - no excuses!

Every night, I lay in E's bed and we talk about her day.  I will continue to do this, and start with A. (Even if she doesn't talk back too much!)

 What are your goals for 2015?  Does anyone else have the issue of not putting themselves first?  I might need some reminding throughout the year, but I can't wait to look back and see how different this year was for me. 

Today is Monday so I am linking up with Emily for Grateful Heart Monday.  I'm so grateful to even have the opportunity to be able to make changes for a new year.  Each day is a gift, and cherished deeply.  What are you grateful for today?

Blogger Love v.22

I hope you all had a fabulous and safe New Years Eve/Day!  Mine was fun - we dropped the girls off with their nanny and went out with a couple friend of ours to Perry's Steakhouse for drinks and apps.  Picked the girls up, put them to bed, ordered food and barely made it to midnight.  But hey - that's more than I have done in the last five years!

This week I am super excited to have Melissa from The Rambling Llama as my co-host for Blogger Love!  She is the sweetest, and if you haven't met her yet, you really really need to.

I didn't have the link-up last week, so I have a few favorites from last week along with this week's.  I hope you check them out, and link-up below!

Real Estate for Real People by The So-Called Homemaker.  Christine is a real estate agent and just announced her new series.  She'll go over buying a home, selling a home and renting your home.  I am so excited for this, as we are more than seriously considering moving in the Spring.  Destination = unknown!

Playground Workouts for Moms on the Go by The So-Called Homemaker.  Christine made my list TWICE this week!  These ideas are great - get in a quick workout while my kiddos are playing?  I'll take that any day.

Why Bloggers Need to Support Other Bloggers by The Wetherills Say I Do.  Yes.  Just a million times Yes.  If you are a blogger, you need to read this.

So This Does Really Happen by Dancin' With a Dolly.  A real-life, feel-good story right before Christmas.  A story of giving back.  I would love to do something like this someday!  (And share some love with Jenny, she needs our support) 

He's Not Aggressive. He's Just a Big Baby. by The Rambling Llama.  I hate how certain breeds get a bad rap.  It's not fair to them, or to the people discriminating.  I haven't ever had an "aggressive" breed of dog, but all of them I have met have been the sweestest, most loving pups.  Don't judge a dog by it's label!

So, there you have it.  Check out the above posts!  And, if you'd like to link-up, please do so below.  A few things we'd like you to remember: please include at least one link to a post by a blogger other than yourself.  That's it!

An InLinkz Link-up