This is how I prepare for the season of giving

For optimal enjoyment in the month of December I like to have at least a dozen gifts on hand by the first week. These are used for hostess gifts, neighbors and other special people in our lives.

I typically purchase multiples of my favorite things. I prefer Hygge inspired gifts (comfort, warmth, wellness, contentment).

The gift boxes I made last year included my Grandparent’s Kolacky recipe, hot chocolate spoons, candied pecans, magnolia bowls, peanut butter truffles (just peanut butter mixed with powdered sugar and dipped in chocolate), and my favorite candle.

This is my favorite way to recycle all the shipping boxes we receive this month. I try to avoid using plastic and instead make the storage part of the gift. You can find unique and inexpensive bowls and glassware at Homegoods or TJMax. I purchase these canning jars every year for the smaller edibles and love the Magnolia line I mentioned above. Cut some green from your garland

One year I purchased kitchen towels and wrapped pears inside attached with a mini photograph.

Gift giving is all in the heart, and the presentation. I like to include my favorite things because I think it helps with the idea of it coming from a place of love.

Happy gift giving.

My favorite socially responsible companies

*** edited with a few additional favorites ***

All your favorite brands are sending you black Friday emails… SO, I wanted to share some amazing brands you might not know about; the brands/companies that make you feel good about spending your money!

I think one of the best ways you can put thought into gift-giving is supporting small businesses and/or purchasing goods from those who are giving back and are socially responsible.

Living in Austin we’ve been lifetime supporters of the local Toms shoes. We moved to Austin months after their business opened in 2007 and we’ve purchased a few pairs of toms every year thereafter between the 6 of us. The way we look at it is shoes are a need, so we make the choice to spend this money on a shoe company that gives one pair for every pair purchased. Another “one-for-one” brand is Warby Parker (we’ve been purchasing our eyewear from them since we found them operating out of an old school bus in Austin). They now have a beautiful storefront and their inventory includes sunglasses. These companies have inspired me as a consumer!

My search for companies that make a difference is the reason I started selling Noonday! If you want your money to make a difference in some of the world's most vulnerable communities, Noonday partners with Artisan Businesses that share a passion for building a flourishing world. Working with Noonday has grown my knowledge of how important it is as a consumer to be socially responsible for our purchases. You can read more about Noonday here.

One World Play Project - This company sells soccer/playground balls that can withstand the toughest playing conditions in the world (Unpoppable, Unbreakable, Non-Deflating, Non-Toxic) and with the help of your purchase gives playground balls to communities in need.

MiiR - where every product funds trackable clean water & health projects.

Twice as Warm - Each purchase provides a new clothing item to 
a person in need: ‘Wear One, Give One.’

The gift of something edible is simply easy to please! In my opinion, especially if it involves Chocolate or coffee:

With fair-trade coffee and a clear mission statement, ‘to make a difference in the world’, Dominican Joe Coffee Shop is seriously admirable and socially responsible. Local to Austin!

Goodio Chocolate - Goodio was created on the principles of sustainability, well-being, and transparency.  It's a vision to bring Nordic-inspired flavors to a chocolate brand for the global consumer.

Patagonia - In addition to selling sustainable clothes and accessories, this company donates its time, services, and a portion of its sales to making the world a cleaner, greener place.

Feed - founded in 2007 with the simple idea of creating products that would engage people in the fight against hunger in a tangible way. Every one of their products has a number stamped on it that signifies the amount of meals or micronutrient packets provided with its purchase. I found Target selling a few of their products years ago and purchased a sweatshirt and have been following the company since.

WakaWaka - Every purchase of safe and sustainable WakaWaka products will help spread light and power to the more than 1 billion people without access to electricity.

Conscience Step - A company that believes it’s more than how it looks, feels and lasts, but knowing that it’s creation didn’t happen at the expense of people and planet.

Some of my favorite gifts to give are the With fair-trade coffee and a clear mission statement, ‘to make a difference in the world’, Dominican Joe Coffee Shop is seriously admirable and socially responsible. 

A subscription box that gives back!!! Every product inside of CAUSEBOX has a beautiful story and helps create a better world — because it matters how these products are made, and who they empower.

If you have a favorite company/brand that is socially responsibly I’d love to hear about it!

Happy Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving break at home is turning out to be a balance of getting a few projects done, time with family, and a couple Friendsgivings filling our grateful hearts!

I found time to finish our vacation video from the last trip we took this summer! I still have our spring break trip to document, but if I don’t get around to creating that video, I’m happy having printed photographs. Our kids love going through these videos, and it’s clear to us how much it helps retain their memories. I recently switched to youtube for sharing my videos because my Vimeo account is maxed out.

I hope you can find the time to choose one simple photo or video project to organize, print or create.

If you are looking to create a video, I’ve shared video tips here.

If you are looking for a much simpler project, I’ve shared my favorite way to create simple albums here.

Happy Thanksgiving! I so thankful for this space allowing me to share all that I love.

Christmas Pajamas

New Christmas Pajamas!!

Our home gets so excited about this! New PJs is something we wrap for our children each year on the 1st of December.

It’s more a symbol, than a gift. This is the evening that begins our celebration of the season with our Gifts of Togetherness!

As December approaches I’m always on the hunt for the pajamas they will wear all month long and wake up Christmas morning in!

We’ve done the Fair Isle style many years and it’s such a classic and always tempting to recreate. With 4 kids I’ve learned it’s better to invest in quality pajamas so they last many years of hand-me-downs. I’ve included a variety of my favorite quality brands for this reason. Here are the styles I’m eyeing this year:

I hope this helps you knock one thing off your TO-DO list so you can enjoy all the simply sweet blessings the month of December brings.

You May also enjoy:

Gifts of Togetherness

Our camp gear

Investing in the right camping gear can make all the difference in the great outdoor experience.

I gave my thoughts on camping last year, and we are now in the middle of another beautiful camping season here in Texas.

I’ve heard some friends say its the investment in gear that keeps them from camping. I recently gave a friend the idea to gift her hubby for his birthday some of the camping essentials, and I thought I’d share the list here.

I’ve created a list of a few of my favorite things when camping. AND hubby also made a guest appearance listing his favorite camping gear. Keep in mind, Kevin really enjoys the camping experience (from the organizing to the cooking) and I enjoy sitting back and letting my senses take it all in! Our list should be a good balance of the comforts and passions of camping.

My camping favorites:

This backpack is made from something called Vinylon, making it dirt-resistant, water-resistant, and wipes clean. This is now the backpack we take with on all our adventures!

A hammock is how we teach the art of relaxing to our children when in the great outdoors.

This is the tent I’d recommend for a family of 4-6 people. It’s simple enough for our 7-year-old to set up, and has been through several storms, and never let us down.

Those little ties at the top of your tent, it’s meant to hang this. IMO, it’s one of the the best simple inventions when it comes to camping.

For me, this sleeping pad is a must! It would probably be the first thing I’d suggest you purchase - definitely before the purchase of a sleeping bag, and maybe even before the tent ;)

As for warmth in the tent and next to the fire, I take this cozy wool blanket along.

When in nature the kids naturally keep themselves busy, but when looking for a structured activity as a family we always gravitate to this game, where any age can get involved!

My least favorite part of camping is not having my own bathroom, but having dry shampoo and face wipes really help with making minimal trips to the bathroom.

And when you do have to attempt that middle of the night trip to the bathroom, DO NOT do it without a headlamp. Your welcome.

Kevin’s camping favorites (written by Kevin)

*These items are for car camping, not hiking:

Sitting around the campfire making s’mores with the kids is a must do - might as well do it in comfort. This rocking chair is awesome. They make several different versions - we chose this one because it collapses into a sleeve, making it easier to carry to soccer games.

You’ve got to keep food cold, especially the meat. This RTIC cooler does the job for a fraction of the cost of a YETI. One note, if you’re using your cooler to keep the beer cold and plan on opening and closing the cooler a lot, go for a cheaper cooler… even high-end coolers can’t fight an open lid.

Nothing is a more versatile cooking tool than a dutch oven. Lodge makes THE go to camp dutch ovens. Be sure to get a camp version, which have three legs allowing for charcoal to be placed underneath. Don’t forget the lid lifter and tongs. Don’t be intimidated… there are a ton of videos online that teach you how to cook using a dutch oven. Already know how?, this is my go to spot for recipes.

If you’re using a dutch oven, you’re going to need coals. This starter chimney is amazing. Its large size ensures you’ll have plenty of coals and the whole “science” behind heat rising makes lighting coals without the use of lighter fluid a breeze.

And, if we’re really going to get serious about dutch oven cooking, this cooking table is awesome. It collapses for easy transport, has a wind screen that helps keep coals hot, is sturdy enough to stack up to four ovens at one time and serves as a place to tell this kids “stay away from this table, it’s hot!”

Disposable plates, cups, and cutlery take up room in the car, generate garbage that you need to pack out and are just not great for the environment. A mess kit per person solves for all of this. This mess kit is one of my favorite, as it doesn’t use an all in one “spork,” allowing you to eat like an adult, is made of stainless steel instead of plastic and has a bag to store everything together.

I keep everything stored in this camp kitchen. It allows me to just grab it from the garage and go when packing the car, keeps everything organized at camp and provides a place for my camp stove.

Speaking of camp stoves, this stove does the trick. Starts without needing a lighter or match, is big enough for two skillets, is fairly easy to clean and has decent temperature control compared to other camp stoves.

If you’ve got some room in the car, this turkey frying kit is a luxury worth packing. Not for cooking turkeys, but rather, a source of hot water for cleaning dishes, washing hands or washing your face at the end of the day.

and Kevin :)

My secret to life

Show up!

The act of simply showing up, I believe, is the best way we can show someone they are loved, and in turn, love ourselves.

This is my strength. Some years it’s been stronger than others of course. Those 10 years of pregnancy and nursing were hard y’all. But I still knew my priorities in “showing up”.

Kindness, honesty, compassion, grit, loyalty, trustworthy - I believe all these qualities simply come from showing up.

A friend recently came from out of town to surprise and support me as I hosted my first Noonday party! The love she brought me will stay with me and our friendship forever!

I’ve dropped everything a couple times to fly across the country and show up when I knew emotional support was needed. One of those trips was seriously life-altering.

I believe every day showing up for your family and friends can turn life’s simple pleasures into magic.

Over the weekend I showed up for my husband by planning an unique date night out. On Sunday our family made the choice of showing up at a friend’s dinner invite, instead of our plans to attend another Halloween trunk-or-treat. On Monday we showed up as a family cheering for our daughter’s friend at her last volleyball game. I cried when they had the girls run to their parents to hug them to show their appreciation. Today my husband and I showed up to vote, and showed up for our preschooler giving him a special one-on-one date! And this weekend our family of 6 will be involved in cooking for a family going through some change.

The act of “showing up” will look a little different for each of us.

I’m someone who loves the comforts of my home, and I understand how showing up can be extremely hard for some people. I make a choice to make the efforts and my bucket always feels full in the end!

If there is a secret to life, I think this could be it.

AND of course this includes showing up for yourself!

Lovely Links in October

Well Helllllooo October - are you really halfway over and I’m just saying hi?

Here’s my interesting share of perspectives. My daughter was up late the other night and joined hubby and I for the last 15 min of This is Us and asked what it was about. We paused the show and looked at each other and quickly acknowledged we had an answer for her. My husband’s response was, “Life is complicated” and then I responded with what felt like me correcting him with “It tells the simple story that all we want is to love and be loved in return”. He’s the yin to my yang for sure. Yes, I get that the family dynamics are complicated but at the end of every episode, love wins.

On a lighter note, I recently colored my hair for the first time at home with this product and it was amazingly simple, saved me time, and saved SO much money! I’ll get it professionally done in the summertime to include some highlights, but for the winter months, I’m sold on this product!

Have you heard of I Mom So Hard? My abs are still recovering from the laughter. Grab some friends and just go!

Almost done with our playroom that we’ve been remodeling. The last step is the hardest - adding personality. For me, it’s creating a space of character without looking cluttered or busy. I found the site www.artfullywalls.com and love the “gallery walls” they showcase. I like the art on my walls to have a purpose or memory attached… This inspired me to dig through my kids’ artwork. I took this picture of a few of my favorites because I plan on antiquing today to find some frames or art to coordinate.

I hosted my first Noonday party and loved every minute visiting with friends while they shopped for a cause. The most sold product were these earrings. And YES, you can make an order anytime here to help support all the amazing Artisans and their families.

As we navigate our way raising tech-positive children I’m happy when websites like Art For Kids Hub is consistently a favorite in our home.

Happy Weekending!

My passion project with Noonday!

I believe one human has the power to make the world a better place.

I’m SO thrilled to share a new passion project that I’ve become a part of! I recently joined the Noonday Collection as a brand ambassador selling their handmade jewelry and accessories. Their impact on the world speaks to my heart! After reading the first few chapters of Imperfect Courage (written by the founder of Noonday), I simply thought to myself, meaningful work comes from making other people’s lives better - I must be a part of this! The timing may not be right for me, and this is very much out of my comfort zone… but my imperfect courage and the reality that timing is never perfect told me something else.

Noonday is a fair trade company, seeking to provide dignified work and fair wages for women in undeveloped countries. Their one of a kind jewelry and accessories are changing the lives of families, and in turn, changing the world!

I’d love to connect other women who crave to make a difference! Join me in empowering artisans in developing countries and support locals with their adoptions. You can read more about their mission and purchase their unique jewelry and accessories here!

“Success is liking yourself,

liking what you do

and liking how you do it.”

- Maya Angelou

---

My favorite house plants

If you are looking to freshen up your home decor I challenge you to do this one simple improvement that yields big results.  

Place one house plant in each room of your home.

You won't just be adding visually appealing decor to your space, you'll also be cleaning the air in your home.

My daughter’s rubber plant in this pretty pot.

My best tip: be aware of overwatering.  Most houseplants like to have dry soil between waterings.  I water once a week - claiming "water Wednesday". This is an easy way to remember which day I last watered.  

My son’s aloe plant in this simple tin planter.

I currently have 13 house plants and the only house plant that hasn't survived in my home is a fiddle leaf.  I will never again suffer through a rough 5 year plant relationship as I did with the fiddle leaf.  However, please don’t ask me how many plants I have lost in the outdoors.

I love adding texture to our family room with this snake plant and basket.

My favorite indoor plants are the rubber plant, aloe, snake plant, zamioculcas, and philodendron.  These all need about the same amount of water... with the exception of the rubber plant wanting a bit more.  And the aloe plant wants the most sunlight, but the others are happy in low, indirect light.

You may also enjoy:

Pool Bath Decor

---

Dear Daughter

Having the privilege of raising a daughter inspired me to start a dear daughter series many years back.  This is a simple collection of some of my favorite images where I write something short and sweet.  Sometimes my caption is a quote, and sometimes I talk about her big and little life moments.

I'm sharing with you the simple way I organize this photo project. 

Someday I plan to print these images in a book and give to her on a special occasion; maybe towards the end of her teen years.  Each photo and caption I share in Instagram is automatically saved in my Chatbook app by using inserted dear daughter hashtag.  Most of the images I do not share publicly.  For those images, I simply include manually in my Chatbook app.  You can read more of why this is my favorite photo app here!

I like the idea that when she's a young adult she can look back on these little and big moments in her life.  This childhood she's living is preparing her for adulthood. 

This is my reminder to her, to invest in her mind, her health, and herself.

I'm not quite sure when she's listening or absorbing what I'm saying.  Writing the most important things on paper I hope will inspire her future self.

---