Christmas Cards

I have a love for pretty paper, stationery, notecards, and photo cards. When Caroline was born, I found TinyPrints and ordered her birth announcements from them. I've since ordered Valentines, twin birth announcements, Christmas cards, birthday cards, and photo thank-you notes from Tiny Prints.

Christmas cards are my F-A-V-O-R-I-T-E though!I start planning for my family Christmas cards in July (what are we all going to wear? I want us to match but not be too "matchey", do we wear Christmas colors? where should we have the pictures taken? will I have a good hair day? when do I need to schedule my next hair appointment so my highlights are fresh for pictures?). Luckily Nicole Faby is a family friend and top-notch photographer, so I know that she'll get some good ones when I finally get my act together and decide on our outfits (and get my hair appointment made).  I also know that if I order from Tiny Prints that my cards will be perfectly made. The selection is organized well and the colors are classic and lovely yet still unique. While other photo sites seem to be more "cookie-cutter" with every card being a version of what another vendor is selling, Tiny Prints cards stand out. Here are some 2012 contenders for our family photo card:

I love these colors!

I love this saying! The older I get, the more I like seeing cards that help our family keep "CHRIST" in Christmas!

Another beautiful saying and lots of room for a great picture.

Tiny Prints has some great deals going on right now that make ordering your Christmas cards affordable! Check out their specials page!  I am also going to sweeten the pot by giving away one lucky reader a $50 credit to Tiny Prints (aren't they a peach?!). To enter, leave me a comment telling me what you have planned for your family Christmas card. The giveaway will end on November 18 at 8pm. The credit cannot be used with any other offer or promotion and shipping is not included. Tiny Prints sponsored this post and this generous giveaway.

Now the hardest part will be narrowing down which card you are going to get (and what you are going to wear in your card)!Christmas Cards

Happy Halloween

Love Her!

Sports

I'm not what you would call a "sports nut". 

But I am pretty nutty about my kiddos...

 Caroline is playing soccer and loving it.

Sam and Emma Kate are playing t-ball.

 Emma Kate is loving it.

Sam participates. Most of the time.

He did a great job this past weekend and stayed on the field for the duration of the game, which is a milestone. 

I think they are super cute and bobble-headish in the helmets.

Pink for Miss Priss? What else would you expect?

Waving from 3rd base.

Smiling from third base.

Matt was away this weekend on a trip with his dad, but my parents came up to cheer the kids on. It was the best weend! Wonderful weather, great games, happy kids, lunch at Moe's...

or maybe it was a trip with my feeling-pretty-generous Dad to Trader Joe's that made it such a great weekend. I digress, back to sports.

So remember from this blog in years past the little girl who cried and wouldn't get off of my leg to enter preschool? Or dance class? Or a birthday party?

Yep. That's her. She's pretty awesome. 

Go Sports!

Rainy Days and Mondays...

We had a wet day. It was stormy, cloudy, dark, and hard to get out day. I'm not going to lie...I loved it. We colored together. We tidied up a bit. We made messes a lot. We used eyeliner to make mustaches. We played in makeup. I think I should get mother of 2012 for letting the kids play in my makeup in the bathroom that I had just cleaned, but I digress...

It's a bit alarming to me how pretty these faces are with makeup, but I prefer them freshly washed and unadorned best. 

For the next 177 school days, this little lady leaves me for almost seven hours! I am chomping at the bit to get to carpool and can't hardly wait until she is in the car again...I miss her!

In all three years of preschool, Caroline was a reluctant participant and would much rather be at home with us.

In Kindergarten, she cried the first few days, but it started to get easier.

This year, she has jumped in feet first! First grade is her grade!

She is playing, learning, and having a great time.

I still think she'd choose home over school it the choice were hers, but it isn't.

She told me after school today that they had to draw a picture of their family and write story about how many people they live with. Then she said, " I almost cried because it made me really miss you guys, but I just kept working and it went away"...well, it just about did me in!

She has come a long, long way. 

We are SO proud!

{but, I miss you too, big~time Coco!}

Summer is G~O~N~E!

This summer has found my house forgotten, my laundry abandoned, and this blog neglected. We've been busy! Too busy to edit these pictures even, but I'll post them anyway!

We went to the beach

We dressed up. A lot.

Caroline and I went to DC with Mindy, Jake, and M.

We rode the train there!

We saw an Imax movie, lots of museums, and swam in the indoor pool. SO MUCH FUN!

We ate dinner at the American Girl Doll cafe and adopted Julie while we were there.

We had a Popsicle playdate at the preschool.

We began t-ball (the twins) and soccer (Caroline).

Whew, boy! That coach is C~U~T~E!

And as summer has come to a close, we now have a first {gulp} grader in our midst. No tears, no clinging, no begging to stay, and no sad faces. I'd like some credit, I've come a long way. 

Oh, and Caroline didn't cry either :) 

She is a pro at school. She went right in with a huge smile on her sweet face! I love this girl!

I am missing her big-time right now and can hardly wait until carpool time!

Hmmm...too cool for posed pictures at school? I thought that started at middle school...

I hope YOU have had a great summer!