Christmas Cards

I had grand plans this year.  

My Christmas cards were going to be homemade and awesome!

And of course include a perfect picture of our glorious family!

Yep.

Didn't happen.

I bought all the supplies, even made a few cards.

We had cute coordinating clothes.

We took wonderful and fun pictures while Becky was in town for Thanksgiving.

Then I pulled my head out of the sand and acknowledged the fact that we couldn't afford to spend the money on Christmas Cards.

See, it gets expensive when you buy all the supplies, print all the pictures
(cause let's be honest, pictures are the best part of the cards)
and then on top of that you have to buy all those stamps!

We could barely afford Christmas  presents for the kids this year.

So, I did something new.

I minimized.

The kids are getting 2 presents from us this year.

(plus whatever Santa brings)

I was talking to the kids about how money was super tight this year and that we wouldn't be having as much stuff.  I mentioned that this year we just didn't have as much money.  Then I stopped and corrected myself.  This year we have the same lack of money for Christmas that we have had for the past few years, but this year we are choosing to be responsible with what we do have.

It's a really good feeling and an important lesson that we are teaching our children.

So, since I'm being all grown up and responsible and stuff, I found a way to make my cute Christmas card idea work.

Without further ado....

Outdated?

I haven't blogged in so long and I'm pretty sure it's an outdated idea.  I find that I feel better when I do blog though, almost as if it's my journal.  So, I'm going to attempt to continue this, if for no other reason than at least I will have some words, somewhere, belonging to me.

I was able to visit the Temple yesterday, for our annual Relief Society Temple trip.  It was amazing.  I find so much joy and insight when I am there that I wonder, the whole time I'm there, why I don't go more often.  I think it's like childbirth, only in forgetting the awsomeness instead of the suckiness.  

I'm going through a period in my life where I feel like there is change and growth on the horizon.  

Not sure how I feel about that.

Maybe through this blog I can cope better and more effectively than if my thoughts weren't being expressed in some way.  That's my hope anyway.