Our Christmas with Mixbook

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree, how lovely are your branches??
Joy to the World, the Lord has Come!
Away in the Manger the poor Baby wakes…
Silent Night, Holy Night, All is Calm, All is Bright…

These songs (and so many more) are on repeat in the Glass house and we are watching all the Christmas movies too. Do you know what else we are doing this holiday season? Updating our photos! As usual for our printing needs, we partnered with Mixbook, and I am so glad that we did.

Since our first year of marriage, Asa and I have sent out Christmas cards. At first I think he thought I was kind of silly [they included photos of us awkwardly posing, and our multitude of pets], but over the years, he admits that he loves it just as much as I do. [Wives know best right?]…….#KIDDING

Anyway, Mixbook has always been great and our Christmas cards come out beautifully! When this post goes live, you all will still have one day [by 12/15] to get your photo presents by December 24! Calendars are also going on sale until 12/19, but I’ll get there in a second.

One of my gifts for my mom has always been a 12-month calendar. She has always hung one in their kitchen, right above the small desk and work space. It’s one of the corners in their house, where I grew up, that is sentimental for me in a sense; making calendars for her full of photos from our past memories is something that I LOVE to do. This year was no different. I compiled tons of photos and asked my brother and sister-in-law to share theirs too. I plugged in birthdays and designed each month exactly how I wanted to. When the package arrived I was so excited to open it and flip through each month—the quality is excellent and pages sturdy. I can’t wait for her to open it when we get to visit for Christmas this year!

The last thing we gifted ourselves this holiday season, was an updated canvas in our living room. My sister-in-law takes our photos for us and we haven’t updated it in a couple of years. I love having our family photo being one of the first things people see when they walk in! These too have always had great quality with clear resolution, and accurate colors. You can see in the photos below our living room gallery too, which is full of photos we printed from Mixbook :)

Let’s face it, at the end of the day you know there are a million (plus some) photos on your phones, screaming to get and be printed. I promise you that Mixbook is the company to help you with that. Pictures are worth a thousand words and make the sweetest holiday presents for your loved ones. If you make your own order this year [or ever] let me know! I would love to know what you purchased. Photo books, cards, invitations, and calendars…this company has so much to offer!

Holiday Finds for Everyone with Tuesday Morning

CHRISTMAS!! You all know this is the Glass Family’s FAVORITE. With two small kids ages six and seven, we are still at that fun stage of Christmas shopping! And because we recently discovered Tuesday Morning and how much they have to offer in all seasons, we were so excited to partner with them again for our Holiday finds. As soon as we walked in, 1.) our kids were ecstatic and 2.) we knew we could buy for so many on our list! We have avid DIYer’s to think of, entertaining experts, and imaginative little ones and guess what—Tuesday Morning had SO MUCH. One of my favorite parts was that they had so many unique wrapping solutions too.

The kids wanted to help with choosing presents for their cousins and Grandparents; that part is always fun for me as their mama. They actually take time to consider each individual person, and as they walked up and down isles, I could hear them discussing with each other what, “GG would like,” and “Cousin Arie,” or “Uncle Noah,” etc. Reese put a bunch of fuzzy socks in the cart because SHE said, “Mama loves fuzzy socks so we have to get her all of these.” I laughed and told her they could wait on buying for me but that I loved how she thought of me. Both our kids have such a big heart and are showing themselves to be super thoughtful people!

What I love the most about this store is that it really can be a one-stop destination to shop gifts; there is a TON of variety of products and categories, and all for inexpensive prices. We got things like fuzzy socks for family (of course), glassware for the host enthusiasts, remote control cars for some nephews, electronic gadgets for our nieces who love technology, giant Yankee candles, and even some bath goodies. Browsing through the home decor section I found an adorable pillow that I knew would look great on our Navy couch, and then the kids walked past the Christmas ornaments. We love to help them add to their ornament collection so they each chose one which is very fitting in their current seasons: Reese is such an animal lover, so she chose a kitty, and Pierson is obsessed with all things sports, so he found a football player.

Where is your nearest Tuesday Morning? Aren’t sure?? Click here to find out so that you too can enjoy an exciting holiday shopping experience FULL of savings. You will be able to shop for so many people on your list, if not ALL, between the gourmet food options, holiday decor, bath & body, small appliances, stationery, and gift wrap galore!

Cookies with the Kids: Making the Holiday Sweet

If you have young kids, I'm sure this time of year is similar in your household--look for ALL the ways to create memories with the little ones, regardless of how messy or chaotic it may be. Christmas cookies are something the kids have been SO eager to create, and I kid you not, I have never seen them work more intently on something EVER. No exaggeration here--they did this ALL morning long!! 

We packed as many cookie cutters would fit on to the dough, and it was so cute to see the kids press down soooo firmly and gently pull the shapes out. There wasn't a favorite, they loved ALL the different cutters, however you obviously know that mine was the horse. 

We rolled dough and cut shapes and rotated pans in and out of the oven all morning. If you're reading this and you don't yet have kids but think that you want some one day--I encourage you to try to remember this one small piece of advice in your future: foster happy, positive, love filled memories in your household. If you know me, you know that I don't really love messes. I don't know if there are moms who LOVE a mess, but there are probably a LOT who handle the whole thing better than I do. For this though, I saw the flour covering our favorite dining room table, the one that has signatures underneath it from the people who have sat around it, and I tried to breathe it all in. 

Every single crumb. Every single drop of dough that was getting caked on to my hardwood floor. The flour went into the crevices of the table and the kids were wearing a LOT of it. But it was a rare occasion of no fits, no temper tantrums, no anger or meltdowns. It was a morning of determination, innocent conversations, and sharing of frosting and sprinkles. 

I walked away to take a shower came back, and they were STILL decorating cookies, completely enthralled with creating holiday whimsey. 

Do you remember what your childhood was like around the holidays? I'll never forget the no-bake chocolate cookies, my FAVORITE peanut butter balls, the rice Krispy treats my mom made, and the many other desserts that were made. 

Christmas was special when I was kid. When we first get married and before we had our children, I remember how romantic if felt that we simply had each other. And now... NOW, Christmas is pure magic. These are the parts that I never want to forget. I'm a little scared I'm going to remember a LOT of challenges brought to the table by my strong-willed child and not necessarily the goodness that existed amongst it. So here's to documenting, capturing, and holding on to every ounce of magic that happened this sweet Saturday morning. And trust me, it was SWEET! I

Oh, I've mentioned several times that my husband is an elf, well, you just look at the next photo and try and tell me he's not ;) 

What is one of YOUR best holiday memories? Either from your childhood, or from YOUR child's childhood? It feels so long ago that our kids were babies, and that they were having their 'first Christmas...' I should probably stop before I break down crying and end up inconsolable unable to post this. But my goodness they don't lie when they tell you time flies. That you'll blink and they'll be grown. Four and five years have somehow flown away, and those are years I won't ever get back. Very much reason to create and enjoy these precious moments, right? 

Happy Holidays, Y'all! 

Be Merry: Christmas Cards with Artifact Uprising

I have always been an avid lover of ALL things Christmas and with that, Christmas CARDS. Since our very first Christmas together, I have always loved designing, ordering, and sending out cards. Last year we had quite the fiasco with our experience which was so unfortunate because I had used that company for years. That's why I was extra grateful when Artifact Uprising was willing to partner with me on our 2017 Christmas Cards, and really, I wish I had used them all along! 

We went with the Foil-Stamped Merry Card, and I just love how they turned out! I'm so thankful to my sister in law Jana for taking our family photos this year, you can check her out here and see more of her lovely photography! The card size is 5x7, and photos are printed on 100% recycled paper. An amazing new addition this year for Artifact Uprising [and super awesome for you ordering these beauties!] they will now address your envelopes FOR you. You can choose your recipients' address and a return address, or a return address only [which is what I did, because I still have to hunt for every single address I send these to.] Printing for either is $.40 per envelope [totally worth it!] 

The kids got extra in to the Christmas card sending this year, and were actually a HUGE help in stuffing and licking envelopes. WHEN did they get old enough to do this though!? I mean seriously!! Wasn't it just yesterday that they were babies on the front of our Christmas cards, and I was updating the world of their first steps and victorious sleep wins? 

In all seriousness, that's what makes printing Christmas cards that much more special to me. Every year I save a card for US, and they're all stored in my big photo box collection. This year's is one for the books, and I know in the years to come I will look back and smile at our Pierson and Reese; just four and five-years old, smiling so big on that 35-degree day we took that photo on! 

If you like what you see here and would like to try printing YOUR precious moments on an Artifact Uprising holiday card, today is your lucky day. This sweet company is offering you, my readers, 20% off your order! Just use the code AG20 for 20% off holiday cards, valid 11/28 - 12/5! I know a LOT of you ordered your free prints through my last special with Artifact Uprising and you told me how excellent the quality and photos turned out. You will not be disappointed with these either, friends. And hey, if you order after reading this post? Feel free to mail me a card, I'd love to see your sweet fam!