All I Want for Christmas

Now that Halloween is over, it's time to start talking about Christmas. Not to knock Thanksgiving, but Christmas is my favorite. And if I'm being honest, I've been thinking about it for months.

This is all I want for Christmas...well this and a camera.

If you think about it, just about everything in your house has a place to be stored away- a drawer, a box, the garage. But this can not be said for wrapping paper. It's too long for many drawers and boxes and yet it can't just be tossed in the garage because it'll be crushed or ruined. Right now, I have all of my wrapping paper rolls laid out upstairs in our storage room with my ribbons and bows downstairs in a basket. I'd love for it to all be together in one safe, clean and organized space. That's why I want this :)

I also want a new camera because both mine and Jon's are 5-6 years old and have seen a better day. It's definitely time to get a new camera that will document our lives (and projects) much better than the ones we're using now. If you have any suggestions about what kind to get, please let me know! I'm definitely looking for some advice.

Now back to wrapping paper. The other day I was searching for some personalized gift stickers for our holiday presents. It turned out to be quite a task. Seriously, I looked and looked for the perfect one. I won't divulge exactly how much time I spent for fear of showing just how truly ridiculous it was. The problem was that I wanted to get a sticker that would match all of our holiday papers. Yes, I'm that OCD. Some stickers wouldn't have the right colors or their pattern would compete with the paper, etc. Finally, my search came to an end when I found this bad boy. I love it. It's simple and sleek and will go well with all of our paper. It was actually intended to be an address label, but I think it will serve its purpose well. Now I can move on to buying the actual gifts on which these will be applied. My goal is to have all of my Christmas shopping done by the end of November! That way I can sit back, relax and enjoy looking at all of the beautifully wrapped gifts under the tree (that I still have to convince Jon we need to buy...but more on that a later entry).

While conducting my gift tag search, I decided that as soon as I use up all of the wrapping paper we currently have, I'm only going to buy solid colored paper. It's perfect because it can be customized for any occasion simply by accessorizing with ribbons and bows. You can even make your own design with stamps. And you'll never have to run to the store to buy another roll because nothing you have is appropriate! Yes, I can see butcher block paper in my near future, and it makes me very happy.

I also discovered these adorable gift stickers. Hello silhouettes. So personalized and adorable. I ended up not getting them because they were too pricey, but given all of the images available online, I'm sure they wouldn't be too difficult to make yourself. I love the idea of showing your whole family on the sticker, including your animals, but for now I'll just settle with "The Reutters."

New Coffee Table

After more than a year of debate, I've finally decided on and ordered us a new coffee table! As mentioned here , there were several styles I was considering. However, in the end the tufted ottoman came out on top. Not only was it versatile, so it can be used for years to come, but it also will be good for when we have kiddos down the road. I can't tell you how many people I know who have had to either remove their coffee tables for the safety of their kids' noggins or have had to add those tacky corner protectors. I did not want to invest in a new piece only to have to stow it away down the road. So this seemed to be the perfect solution. And thanks to my Joss & Main membership, it turned out to be the perfect price too. I was all set to order a tufted ottoman from Ballard Designs. I had already received a swatch sample of the fabric I selected and everything. But a few days later, I got a notification from Joss & Main of a sale event called The Tufted C

Our Living Room Mood Board

Our living room is slowly but surely coming together. The biggest To Do's are ordering a new media console, painting the room (which is unfortunately open to the dining room, kitchen, office and breakfast area which means lots of painting to be done!), order a few lamps and a console for the long wall behind the couch. I realize I haven't shared any pictures of our "new" house (we moved in at the end of last October) with you guys. So here's a glimpse of the living room before we moved in. This is what you see when you walk in the front door. The dining room is on the left, the living room is straight ahead and the office on the right. A closer look at the living room. Florida loves their plant ledges...I do not. You win some. You lose some. I also want to replace the tile around the fireplace. A view from the back of the living room looking toward the front corner of the house. The room behind the half green wall is the office sans the Fr

A Heart

Lately, baby prep has been on the forefront of my mind. Getting the nursery ready, packing the hospital bag, washing all of her clothes, setting up a pediatrician and the list goes on. Sometimes I have to step away from it all (literally and mentally) so as not to get overwhelmed. I put this pressure on myself to get it all done and done right. I tell myself that all of these things are so necessary for her to be a good place upon her entrance to the world. Sure cute, clean outfits and a nice room are nice things for your child to have, but how lost I can get in the worldly things. More than anything else, I know that the best thing I can give my daughter is a great example of a good heart. A heart that empathizes and serves. A heart that loves the Lord and longs for his relationship. A heart that is thankful and joyful even on the worst days. It's a frightening thing to ask myself "Will she learn this from you? Will you be able to be that example?" That carr

House of Hydrangeas

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