Picking Out Holiday Cards

Don't you think the above photo (sans the photographer) would make a cute Christmas card?

I do too!

We finally have the CD of our family photos we had taken a few weeks ago and now we are trying to figure out which ones to frame, which ones to put into a photo book and which ones to use for family Christmas cards!

Now, I am not planning to sending out photo holiday cards...not sure anything screams "I'm a single lady in my 30s" than a photo card featuring me, myself and I!

However, my mom really wants to send out a Christmas letter featuring photos of the family, especially her half dozen cute grandchildren. Instead of a letter printed out on her trusty (and not so crisp) printer, I am trying to convince her to use Tiny Prints to create her Christmas Photo Cards.

They have some great options in their 2012 Holiday Collection, including many styles featuring their new Premium DoubleThick™ Matte Paper. Check out this short video about the new paper.

As I was checking out their website, I picked out a few options for my mom AND my three sisters, who all have gorgeous families to show off on their Christmas cards.

For Mom...

I chose this great tri-fold card for Mom so she could feature a variety of photos of the family. She can choose between a matte or semi-gloss finish at no charge or for a bit more she can upgrade to a pearl white shimmer finish (fancy, fancy).

The best part of choosing this card? No need for a lengthy letter, the photos can tell the story!

For my older sister...

I love the colors of this card and it would go very nicely with the colors of our family photos. She has three boys so she can feature a photo of each of them and one of the entire family (or their dog Zoe).

If she wants to go with a more traditional photo card, I think this is a great option...

It's a bit less than the fancier square cards but just as attractive! If you are on a budget (aren't we all?), be sure to check out their Special Offers page.

For my younger sister...

She has two cuties so she can single each of them out and give a quick update on what they are up to and also feature a few other of the great family shots taken at the family photo shoot.

For my baby sister...

She has an only child so I think she needs to take advantage of that and feature JJ and her big blue eyes, gorgeous blond curls and impish smile front and center on her card.

I had such fun picking out cards for my mom and my sisters. Hopefully they will read this post and be inspired to create their own fun Christmas photo cards!!

Now for you, my dear readers, Tiny Prints would like for you to create your own cards and to get you started they are giving away $50 off your total order (expires 12/14/12)!! Just enter by clicking on the Rafflecopter widget below (it's within this blog post). Contest runs through November 11 and I'll post announce the winner here on November 12.

Good luck!!

BTW...Tiny Prints did sponsor this post/giveaway but the opinions (and choices of cards above) are my own  like always!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Celebrating Mom and Missing My Grandmas

Happy Mother's Day to a mom who raised four daughters.

From the years of posing us for the annual Christmas card shot. (I'm the one sporting the ultra-cool sweater vest.)

To the years celebrating the milestones like graduations, weddings and births of grandchildren. (I'm the one rocking the denim dress.)

My mom has been a great role model, strict taskmaster, good sport (we tend to tease in my family), and ultimately a wonderful mother.

Happy Mom's Day!

While this weekend has been fun, celebrating Mother's Day with a relaxing cookout at my sister's house last night (look for my pasta salad recipe later this week), it's also been bittersweet.

Not only is it the first year of my life when I don't have either of my grandmas here to celebrate the day. Tomorrow is also the second anniversary of my Grandma K's passing.

I miss them every day, but I am always thankful that they were a part of my life for 30-plus years.

 Granny H

Grandma K

My Grandmas and Me

So, to all of the moms out there, I hope you have a wonderful day. You deserve it.

Listen To Your Mother

"Me Me, your car kind of looks like that show Hoarders."

That's a line that you never want to hear from your 6-year-old nephew.

In my defense, my car isn't THAT bad. Just look past the pile of reusable grocery bags and six half-empty plastic water bottles (and, yes, I see the irony in the previous words) and push the three jackets out of your way and take a seat!

However, that one line did more than anything else to convince me to start being more diligent about keeping up with the housework.

I just hate cleaning and clutter doesn't bother me that much - or even really at all.

I've tried different systems, downloaded organizing programs and lectured myself but the motivation rarely sticks past a weekend of heavy cleaning.

So, as much as I hate to do this...I'm going to listen to my mother (please don't tell her) and start with the small tasks. This is what she tells me at least once a month when I moan about how messy my house is.

I have always known my mom is one smart lady and my opinion was validated when I saw the quote below.

Source: simplystated.realsimple.com via Megan on Pinterest

My mom and Henry Ford think alike. Go figure.

Wish me luck in this journey. I took the first step and moved my boxes of Christmas decorations from the dining room to the garage (next step is to con a brother-in-law into carrying them up the ladder to the attic).

Small jobs, people. Small jobs!

I probably won't blog about my progress - no one wants to hear about the bookcase I dusted or the stack of magazines I threw away - but I'll let you know if I come up with any great organizational tips. Don't hold your breath though!

Easter Traditions Through Instagram

Easter is just around the corner and I was lucky to have Good Friday off of work. 

I probably should have used the day to do laundry, put away my laundry, clean my floors or even put away the boxes of Christmas decorations that are sitting in my dining room!

Instead I spent the day with my family doing some of my favorite Easter traditions. 

While at Blissdom, Hershey's asked us to share our favorite Easter traditions, tips or tricks on our blogs as part of their virtual Bunny Trail. I will admit right now that there might be some not-so-virtual Hershey's Easter candy in the house right now...Yummy!

There have been some great posts shared on Hershey's Bunny Trail and a couple of my pals from over at The Real Farmwives of America and Friends are even featured in a video on Hershey's website - www.CelebrateWithHersheys.com. Be sure to check it all out.

As I said before, it was a day full of activity. It started at my parents' house with my mom and me in the kitchen preparing for my FAVORITE Easter tradition. More on that later...

Another Easter tradition that I enjoy but rarely do now that I am an adult is coloring Easter eggs!

My two oldest nephews had early dismissal from school on Friday so I picked them up and treated them to ice cream before heading to the farm to color eggs.

On our way home, we stopped by the local greenhouse and the boys picked out some Easter flowers from their mom (my older sister) and grandma (my mom).


It was great to see how seriously they took their task and I think they chose beautifully.

My two younger sisters met us at the farm with the rest of the nephews and nieces and we got down to business. The first half dozen eggs were carefully lowered into coffee mugs filled with colored water. We got a bit more creative with the second half dozen.

I loved to dip the eggs in multiple coffee cups as a kid and I introduced my nephews to this tradition and we got some very cool colored eggs out of it!

After we dyed the eggs, I sent the nephews outside with a couple baskets of plastic eggs to "practice" hunting them in preparation for a Saturday Easter Egg Hunt at church and Sunday's main event.

While they were outside, we got down to business on my FAVORITE Easter tradition - my Grandma's Butterscotch Rolls. Every Holy Saturday during my childhood (and into my adult life), my grandma would make these gooey, cinnamon rolls and we would eat them warm out of the oven the evening before Easter Sunday.

My mom has taken up the tradition in recent years and I made them for the first time last year. So we decided to make them together this year, and they were WONDERFUL.

Now, I know what you are thinking...if you always have them on Holy Saturday, why were you eating them on Good Friday? Good question!


The family is heading to an Indiana Pacers game tonight because two of our favorite former Purdue University basketball players are on the opposing team and we hope to see them play in the NBA. So we decided to bump up the tradition a day instead of not doing it this year.


I think Grandma would approve!

Ladies in My Life

This week a few things happened to remind me how lucky I am to have some extraordinary women in my life...women whom I have known for just a year or so and women whom I have known my entire life and women whom I have know in between. (That's a terrible sentence and I know at least one person who will be very disappointed in me - sorry Mom.)

When I started thinking about how to write this post, I headed to my Pinterest boards to find some inspiration.

Here are a few that sum up my feelings about my gal pals...

Source: boxergifts.com via Megan on Pinterest

My family is actually extraordinarily ordinary. I am a product of two parents (who are still together after 40-plus years) who raised four daughters who actually like each other.

Crazy, huh?

Source: fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net via Megan on Pinterest

I'd like to think the above saying refers to me, but I'm not sure. Luckily, I am blessed with three sisters who are some of my best friends. I always know even if I say or do something that makes one of them mad, they won't stay that way long. Why?

Because...

Source: etsy.com via Megan on Pinterest

Or it may be because they need a sitter for Saturday night. Either way works for me.

Source: holidaysnobs.blogspot.com via Megan on Pinterest

My mom is great. She still feeds me, takes me shopping (well, I usually drive) and listens to me ramble on about my life, even when I know she just does it because I'm her daughter. My home will ALWAYS be where she and my dad are at...even when they are living in my attic when they get old (just kidding).

Source: google.com via Megan on Pinterest

Judging from the number of "friends" pins I have on Pinterest, I either have a lot of friends or wish I had a lot of friends!

I recently got an invitation to the baby shower of one of my BFFs from elementary, junior high and high school.

It made me smile.

It made me remember all of the stupid things we did as kids.

It made me wish that she still lived down the road so she could pick me up on her way to school.

It made me realize that even though we haven't talked in AGES, it will be like no time has past when we see each other again.

It made me realize that I have lots of friends like that and reminded me that maybe I should pick up the phone and catch up with them.

Source: etsy.com via Megan on Pinterest

Speaking of phone calls, one of my BFFs from college called today. I immediately acted like we were in junior high and asked her if she was mad at me because I hadn't heard from her in "like a week."

She laughed at me and all was right with the world. I know that we'll probably be having similar conversations when we are in our 80s. (Well, she'll be 80 and I'll be her younger, hotter friend at 76.)

Source: yellowdoggrannie.blogspot.com via Megan on Pinterest

When I read this one, I immediately thought of one very special friend who befriended a lonely Midwest girl trying to find her place on the East Coast. I know she has my back FOREVER!

Source: Uploaded by user via Megan on Pinterest

This one hit home as I stood in line tonight with three women waiting to hug another lady as she faces life without her dad...all of whom I got to know through this wonderful thing called Social Media. She saw us, smiled at us, and hugged us.

I realized that while I'm blessed with many friends I am equally blessed to have true friends both old and new.

Source: Uploaded by user via Megan on Pinterest

Do you have a favorite saying that sums up the friends in your life?  If you do, please share.

Showcasing My Favorite Author

My favorite author is Gene Stratton-Porter. I'm not sure when I first read her book A Girl of the Limberlost but I do remember falling in love with it. I've read and re-read it many times over the years and even have the movie adaptation on VHS.

Even though it is set in the early 1900s, the story centers around young Elnora and her bitter mother and even has a love story that probably fueled my enjoyment of a good romance novel to this day. 

When my mom realized how much I loved Gene Stratton-Porter and her books, she started giving me old copies of her books for my birthday and at Christmas. I even have a couple first editions in my collection.

I have always loved decorating with these books and they have traveled with me from Massachusetts to Indiana and from my apartment to my condo over the years.

Last weekend I tapped into my "crafty" side to showcase them in my new-to-me china cabinet. I think my "I'm going to get crafty" inspiration board on Pinterest inspired me!

Most of my books don't have the original paper covers but the books themselves are so pretty, I never missed them.

However, when I started moving the books around this weekend, I discovered the paper covers inside a couple of the books. They were colorful and interesting and I wanted to find a way to display them.

In my closet, I found a couple of 8x10 frames and placed the covers on top of the mats and I think my "book cover art" project turned out very cool.

What do you think?

I just love the copy on the book cover above.

I love that Stratton-Porter's books center around rural America (often rural Indiana) and her A Daughter of the Land is another favorite of mine.

Even though they are very different, I think the two covers look nice next to each other. Here's the final shelf complete with my bird from Poland, a wooden butterfly ornament (of course) and my "creativity" rocks...

I think I may just need to curl up with a Gene Stratton-Porter book tonight...

My Excitement is Budding

I'm so excited. 

This is my Sweet Autumn clematis...

Isn't it gorgeous?

Look at all of those potential blooms!

I planted this last summer from a transplant my mom gave me. 

I have always loved clematis. I worked with a lot of different varieties during my summer job in high school working for a nursery. Clematis with large dark purple blooms. Clematis with light purple blooms. Clematis with large white blooms.

But I have not had the chance to enjoy Sweet Autumn clematis before and am so looking forward to sitting on my patio when this is in full bloom!

Do you have flowers that have not yet bloomed yet?

What's your favorite fall flower?

Celebrating Mom

It's my mom's birthday and I just have one thing to say...

via

Daylilies Make Me Smile

I took a walk in my mom's garden this weekend.

Her flowers were beautiful...especially the daylilies. I heart daylilies! While I was writing for a farm newspaper, I visited a daylily farm...yes, a daylily farm! It was actually in a very lovely couple's backyard, but it was definitely a labor of love for them AND a great example of value-added agriculture.

Back to mom's garden, I got some great shots.

Like the dark red ones...

The pink ones...

The orange ones...

I'm pretty sure my mom got these orange lilies alongside the road almost 40 years ago...thus the nickname "ditch lilies."

These dark red spider daylilies...

My mom has also incorporated lots of wildflowers in her landscaping...

Out of all of the flowers, my mom and I agreed that this flower is our favorite...

I played with the PW's action sets too!

Dramatic color...

Soft color...

What's your favorite flower?

Celebrating Mom

In celebration of Mother's Day, I just have one thing to say...

Mom, I love you!

Holiday Baking...Dainty Logs

I don't know exactly why I love these cookies so much.

Could be the butter.

Could be that there are chocolate chips on the inside and outside.

Could be any number of factors.

The fact remains...I LOVE a cookie named Dainty Logs...I'd marry it if I could, maybe not but I'd totally live with it for a while.

I'm not sure where my mom got this recipe but it normally is only baked around the holidays (though I've been trying to make it a year round cookie...check out its appearance at a baby shower this summer). I have NOT made any of these yet, but these delicious and easy cookies were my mom's contribution to the Great Cookie Exchange of 2010.

Go ahead and try them. I dare you NOT to like them!

Dainty Logs

3/4 c. butter

3/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 t. vanilla

1 egg

2 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

2 c. chocolate chips

1 T. butter

2 c. finely chopped nuts (we use pecans)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine 3/4 cup butter, sugar & vanilla; beat well. Add egg and beat thoroughly. Stir in flour and salt. Mix well. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips (maybe just a few more than that, just sayin').

Shape dough into 2-inch logs. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Chocolate Coating:

Melt remaining 1 T. butter and 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (can also use semi-sweet baking squares) over hot water (or in microwave). Stir until smooth and blended.

Dip each end of baked (cooled) cookie into chocolate mix and roll into nuts. If you don't like nuts, skip the last step and stick with just the chocolate cover.

Smiling at Randomness

"It's a Social Parade Friday!"

Are there things that happen in your everyday life that make you smile or even laugh out loud?

It happens daily to me and I always think to myself, "I should blog about that." But then life moves on and by the time I sit down at my computer the thought is gone.

Well, let's be honest. As soon as my smile fades, the thought is gone. Sometimes I swear there's a giant eraser in my brain. Once I tell myself to make a mental note, that eraser wipes it right away!

Oh well, today I have had several of these funny little thoughts that I HAVE remembered, so let's see if I can hold onto them just long enough to get them all in this post!

My Christmas cactus has NEVER bloomed at Christmas! It starts blooming around Thanksgiving and the flowers hang on until about a week before Christmas and then they are gone! I call it my Thanksgiving cactus.

After I eat a bowl of my white chocolate snack mix, I look down and it's like an M&Ms graveyard. In this mix is the only time I don't enjoy M&Ms!

After a long day of work in a cute skirt, tights and sassy boots, I look down and see this...

You just gotta shake your head and laugh...and not buy expensive tights because this happens more often than I should admit!

I called my mom today and she was baking Christmas cookies with my nephew because his school was closed due to snow. This reminded me so much of all the times she baked Christmas cookies with my sisters and me. It makes me happy to know that she's passing those traditions on to the next generation. And my dad is happy because he still taste-tests each batch claiming it's his favorite kind of cookie!

My only Christmas decoration currently up is the lovely wreath my boss gave me...it's outside where I NEVER see it.

Shouldn't I put it somewhere that I can see and enjoy it? Oh well, enjoy neighbors!

I think I had a couple of more things to talk about but that darn eraser got to them before I could...maybe next time.