December 2015 - Page 2 of 4

The complete guide to storing and organizing children’s clothing: hand-me-downs, outgrown clothing, and long term storage

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ZiplocSavesSpace #CollectiveBias I love the spread of ages of my children in most instances. I love that the three of them are incredibly close friends, but just enough apart in age so that they each have their own time to shine in their different stages. Really, the only time the age difference bothers me is when I’m packing, storing, and then keeping track of all these different sized clothes, blankets, and seasonal gear. But, as miserable as running my own personal small children’s boutique can be at times, there is nothing sweeter than knowing that all of my children wore a beloved item, or when I realize how many memories are in those tiny clothes they are handing down. Stories of places we’ve been together, people that gave us the clothes who are no longer with us, or simply amazing memories we’ve made while the kids were wearing the items. That makes it all worth it in the end.

Ready to get started organizing all your little ones’ clothing? Great!

Get her before she’s gone: American Girl Grace collection is 30% off in-store!

Do you have an American Girl fan on your list? Chances are they would love to open up Grace Thomas Girl of the Year doll and accessories this Christmas. Remember how we were super excited to announce her arrival last January as the 2015 Girl of the Year? This is just a gentle reminder that you only have until 12/31/2015 to get any Grace items before she’s gone for good! Many of her really popular items are already gone, so don’t wait too long if you’re planning on purchasing.

And, want to know something really, really cool? If you live near an American Girl store, you can get 30% off the Grace collection now, including the doll! How awesome is that?

Travel: 12 reasons to visit Leavenworth, WA in winter {+ 3 things to know before you go}

Willkommen in Leavenworth, WAIt’s been a pretty hectic holiday season already and I’ve been working a ton recently while running from event to event. So, when we found out hubby had a few extra days off work, I wanted to make the most of them. We needed to get out of town and get somewhere where we could just relax and have some good family time before all the festivities next week, and I knew just where to go.

Located just a few hours outside of Seattle at the base of the eastern slope of the Cascade Mountains, very near the geographical center of Washington State, is the cutest little town called Leavenworth, WA. It’s been one of my favorite spots in Washington since I was a girl, and I love that it’s basically unchanged in the past three decades.

A little history: In 1962, Project LIFE {Leavenworth Improvement For Everyone} Committee was formed to transform the city into a mock Bavarian village to revitalize its economy. From the architecture to the specialty shops and retail, it truly feels like you are strolling through a quaint German town instead of a tiny town nestled in the mountains in Washington State.

Here are just some of the reasons why you should check out Leavenworth in the winter:

For the DIY master: Craftsman Extreme GRIP tools

Do you have a handy man/woman on your list? If so, you will want to head into a Sears store to see their awesome deals on Craftsman tools just in time for holiday gifting.

When picking tools, I’m always thinking of our next DIY projects. We always have a few projects we’d like to complete, and 2016 is shaping up to have a pretty long to-do list, so I thought new tools would make the prospect of house repairs a little bit more exciting.

Our annual tradition: Breakfast with Santa at Northgate Mall

This weekend we got a chance to cross off another family tradition on our list this year: the Northgate Mall’s annual Breakfast with Santa. Every year we look forward to the beginning of December so we can dress up the kiddos in some fancy new clothes from Gymboree and head to Northgate Mall to meet the big guy himself while enjoying a nice continental breakfast. Yes, we could technically see him any day since he has been in the mall for weeks, but there is something special about waiting for the event for the whole experience. Like last year, there were awesome crafts, we ate donuts and had coffee, and there were carolers to make it extra fun and festive.

Get back to The Wonder Years: the complete series is finally available on DVD

“Growing up happens in a heartbeat. One day you’re in diapers: the next you’re gone. But, memories of childhood stay with you for the long haul.” Kudos to anyone who recognized this quote as the narration that concluded the television show The Wonder Years in 1993. This is one of my favorite quotes from a movie/show of all time, and it has stayed with me through more than two decades.

Excited to watch the series again and introduce my own children to it, I was positively thrilled when I found out that the entire series was going to be released by Time Life for the first time on DVD this year. But, I was even more excited when I realized that it wasn’t just any multi-DVD set that was coming out, it was a special collector’s edition set with special features, a yearbook, and an awesome metal locker to store it all in. Just look at all this awesomeness. I am in 80s heaven over here flipping through the books and checking out all the behind-the-scenes goodies.

Scan your old slides and negatives easily with the Portable Digital Image Copier Deluxe

I have found the coolest new tool that every photographer of the 90s and early 2000s needs. Introducing the Portable Digital Slide and Film Converter from Hammacher Schlemmer that allows you to bring all those pictures you snapped on film into the digital era. If you know me, you know that I have been my family’s photographer since the nineties. This means that I got my start well before the digital age and I have a ton of pictures in boxes stored in random rooms and closets in my house… just in case.

25+ thoughtful and sentimental things you can do {long-distance}

Having a loving, close-knit family makes for an amazing holiday season filled with gatherings, events, and holiday traditions. But, if that family happens to live too far away to visit and celebrate, the holidays can be a really sad time. This year marks my sister’s first Christmas away from the family now that she’s living in Georgia for a few years, which has definitely been an adjustment for all of us. Normally, we’d be seeing each other a few times a week and enjoying the magic of the holidays together, so it’s been really difficult only being able to Skype and talk on the phone.

Knowing that it’s even harder on her being away from all of us, I’ve been sending her little presents to help her adjust to her new town, let her know we’re thinking of her, and give her something to look forward to opening on Christmas morning when her boys are tearing into their presents. I’ve been searching on Etsy, shopping local craft marts, hunting on Amazon, and have been busy having special presents made up just for her.

In the process, I have found so many great ideas to send to friends and family adjusting to the holidays away. Here are just a few sentimental gifts and ideas you can do to make long-distance loved ones get in the holiday spirit.

25+ thoughtful & sentimental things you can do {long-distance}:

2015 Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide

Looking for great holiday ideas for everyone on your list? We’ve got tons of options in our 2015 Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide{s}. Click on the images to see more options. For adult ideas, click here, and for kids and teenagers, click here.

Custom photo fleece blanket from Collage.com {on sale now up to 64% off!}

By now you know how much I love personalized gifts. Add in pictures of my kids, and it's basically going to be my most favorite thing ever. But, I've got a locket with photos, I have photo prints, photobooks, and even a plaque. So, what else is there?

How about a photo blanket, you say? I had always dismissed photo blankets as kind of grandma-y and never looked at them seriously, but when Collage.com sent me an email and asked if I wanted to see one in person, how could I say no? And, then I saw it in person and was in love. Seriously, is there anything cuter than this?