get minted

i love sending handwritten letters to people.

it's such a rare thing these days, but i try to do it very once in awhile.

and i try to have my kids do it too. just because i think it's something thoughtful i can teach them. and i'm sure grandma's and aunts love getting sweet handwritten cards. i know i would.

in comes minted.

they have the cutest stationary. and i am so in love with their journals.

one of my new years resolutions is to keep a journal.

so i ordered this cute journal and put on the front

Thankful

Have an Attitude of Gratitude

it turned out super cute i think.

i ordered a travel journal too. just for fun.

plus when you sign up through this link, you'll get a $25 credit.

i got an email a couple days after i signed up that said i could get free shipping too.

so for $7, i got two of the cutest journals around.

check it out. they would make adorable gifts.

twisted silver ... i can't stay away

i used to wear jewelry every single day.

since having kids, i don't do it as much. but i do at least wear earrings.

that's where twisted silver comes in.

i am DYING over their jewelry. i just love it.

i secretly bought myself three pair of earrings to sneak them in my stocking.

then jake kept seeing the little twisted silver boxes around the house wondering how many things i have bought from them. i don't really want to admit that, but i can't pass up a good thing. and right now, until december 20 they're offering 50% daily deals.

i seriously can't pass it up. you can get free shipping too.

check out their upcoming deals, you won't be disappointed.

i'm loving the tibet necklace and the flatiron brass bracelet.

love them!

christmas books

thanksgiving for us is never too exciting.

since we don't have family here, we usually go out to eat.

it's kind of lonely.

so i'm already looking ahead to christmas and getting excited.

one of my favorite things is reading a different christmas book each day.

the kids love it and we usually end up reading 15 books a night by the time christmas comes around. they love to read them over and over again.

here's a list of our favs. i'm hoping to add a few new ones, so leave any suggestions you may have.

merry christmas curious george

you can do it, sam

a christmas dress for ellen

yes virginia, there is a santa claus

llama llama holiday drama

Santa Claus: the world's number one toy expert

the night before christmas

the longest christmas list ever

my story of the first christmas

the christmas sweater

a wish to be a christmas tree

the berenstain bears and the joy of giving

duck and goose, it's time for christmas

bear stays up for christmas

merry christmas big hungry bear

mrs. wishy washy's christmas

merry christmas mom and dad

merry christmas stinky face

snowmen at christmas

polar express

mortimer's christmas manger

it's christmas david

clifford's christmas

maisy's christmas day

olivia claus

froggy's best christmas

a very marley christmas

i've seen santa

merry christmas, splat

shall i knit you a hat

when we're helping we're happy

we didn't do very well with day 7 of the Happy Day Prjoect.

but we will for sure do it soon. it takes a little more preparation than the others.

i think it would be fun to do on thanksgiving day or weekend. what a good way to think of others.

one of the days when we gave something to someone who is homeless, kelan was with me.

he asked me why they don't have a house. and told me we have room at our house for them. so why i don't i let her get in the front seat of the car and let her live at our house. it made me tear up, and i wish i could have. unfortunately that is not the way the world works. but it's hard to explain that to a 4 year old.

i love this image that poprocksdesign has over on etsy. my kids absolutely love this song, so i think it would fit perfect on our home. but as i was doing this project the past week i realized it is totally true. and doing service is addicting. i couldn't stop thinking about what i wanted to do next, or who i wanted to do something nice for. it wasn't the best week for me personally, and i had some lame health stuff going on. i was happy to have something else to think about instead of feeling sorry for myself. service is addictive! so try it, see for yourself how happy service can make you.

day 6

day 6 of the happy day project was to appreciate those in service.

we made some super yummy pumpkin choc chip bread and had some vitamin water ready to run out to the mail-woman. she passed our house so quick that jackson had to chase her half way around the block. i've started christmas shopping and i always do a lot of it online. i realized that our mail-woman had to get out and deliver stuff to our door a whole lot lately. i told her the other day that i was sorry, and she told me that it's just the beginning for her. she'll be getting a good work-out in the next month and a half. i don't personally know anyone serving in the military right now (at least not to my knowledge), but i really appreciate them. i think about the sacrifices they make, and the sacrifices their families make on a daily basis.

my favorite pumpkin chocolate chip recipe

2/3 C. shortening

2 2/3 C. sugar

4 eggs

1 (16 oz) can pumpkin

2/3 C. water

3 1/3 C. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. cloves

2/3 C (optional) nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips

heat oven to 350. grease pans.

mix shortening and sugar. add eggs, pumpkin, and water. blend in flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves. stir in nuts, raisins, choc chips. pour into pans.

in the small pans i get 7-8 loaves. bake for 45 min.

i dropped off a book by richard paul evans to a sweet friend of mine today.

day 4 of the The Happy Day Project was one of my favorites.

i love books, so how can you go wrong?

i'm reading unbroken by laura hillenbrand right now.

i've heard nothing but greatness about it, so i'm excited.

there's nothing i love more than wrapping myself up on the couch in my heated blanket, next to the fireplace. sipping on hot cocoa. the quietness after the kids go to bed. it's the best.

we went to the book fair at the school tonight. it made me happy that i've already instilled in my kids a love of books. i only let them pick out one book each, and it was such a tough decision for them. they wanted too many of them. here's a few of our favorites.

The Magic Tree House Series

Library Lion

Magic School Bus Series

any book by David Shannon

Guess How Much I Love You

Pat the Bunny

Leslie Patricelli books

i can't wait until december 1st to start reading our christmas books.

so happy i started the tradition. and i can't wait to add to my christmas book collection this year! any must-read christmas books you suggest?

plum district + pear tree

so excited that plum district is offering pear tree greetings today.

you can get $40 worth of the cutest stationary, christmas, cards, invitations, announcements, and more for only $20. i bought a few of these last year for christmas cards and stationary for the boys. they had really great customer service too.

if you haven't signed up before, i think you may even get $5 for signing up.

day 3 + rascal and natasha

today was day three of the happy day project.

which was give a giftcard (or two or three) to someone that's homeless.

i love love loved the post by jeanette at life rearranged.

read it. it just may change your way of thinking. cause it did for me.

oh and p.s.

did you watch the cma awards?

taylor swift was perfect as always, but i really loved rascal flatts and natasha bedingfield.

have you heard there song together? these are two of my favorites so i have to love it.

today

today we did the happy project. day two.

i used my cute postcard art from the dreamy giraffe to write a few notes.

aren't they adorable?

so excited that HowDoesShe blog is having their second birthday.

that means you can get $30 to spend at paper coterie FREE.

and you know me, i love free.

torn between two honda colors. crystal black pearl. or polished metal metallic.

opinions?

today i'm thankful for two things. more than that. but these two stick out today. #1 - that my husband has a somewhat flexible schedule. if i need him in an emergency he can tweak things to help out. #2 - pinterest. i just love it so much. i love all the inspiration. it makes my mid reel, and i love that. if you need an invite tell me. you'll soon be thankful for it too.

happy day project

i started a fun project today.

have you heard of it? it's called the happy day project.

and it's all about spreading the sunshine.

can't wait for all the fun things we'll be doing this week.

check it out, they have the cutest printables to go along with each day.