So this year I finally got around to making an Advent calendar. I had big hopes in the past, but there just weren't enough hours in the day. I always love being able to start new traditions with the kids, and this one has been a huge success.I have been waiting since last week for a nice sunny day to get some decent pictures, and today the sun finally broke through the clouds. I had our Advent calendar first set up in our dining room, which was a great display spot, and the kids could see it, but I really wanted them to take part in it. So I later moved it to the kitchen.If you follow me on Instagram then you've already seen the boatload of Christmas decor that has taken shape around here. I ... Read More about 2013 Advent Calendar

I realized that while I shared our fall mantle this year on Instagram, I haven't actually shared over here on the blog. So I have just a few pictures to show you what I did with our mantle for fall. I looked and looked for a recent photo of what it looked like before, but unfortunately could only find this one, and the quality is less than ideal, but at least you get the idea.I know it's hard to see in this photo, but I had some little birds, a bird house, and springtime greenery up for spring. And sad to say it stayed like this for most of summer, with the exception of swapping out the birds for starfish. So when it came time for fall, I took everything down for a clean slate.I took down ... Read More about Our Fall Mantle {2013}