Cyber Monday: 25% off!

Hop on over to CMhandmade today, for 25% off all headbands and bowties- perfect for the holidays, your family photo shoot, or just for fun!
{Just enter coupon code CYBERMONDAY25 at checkout.}
Support handmade this Cyber Monday! Happy shopping!

happy days: handwritten tuesday

Tuesday's activity happens to go hand-in-hand with getting some happiness in the mail to Kevin's grandma, who has sadly had a really rough year health-wise. She is possibly the sweetest grandma in the world, and is the first to get handmade cards in the mail for all of us- never missing a single occasion. Grams is also the genius behind the best ever apple crisp.

We hope we could brighten her day with a little GOBBLE GOBBLE. And if have a chance to say an extra prayer for Grams and her brave husband, our family would be so grateful!

happy days: cookie monday!

Are you playing along? Day one of the Happy Day Project focused on surprising your neighbors with a treat! Since I have already done cookies in a mason jar for our neighbors, we created cute take-out containers for four families... full of brownie-dipped Oreos.

Surely, everyone has seen some version of these delightfully amazing cookies by now, but here's a recap:

You'll need:
-box of brownie mix + whatever it calls for (have you tried TJ's truffle brownie mix?!)
-box of Oreos (makes about 24)

Then:
-Preheat oven to 350.
-Grease or paper-line 2 muffin tins.
-Prepare brownie mix according to instructions (you may want to add a splash of milk if it is really thick).
-Coat each Oreo with brownie batter & place one per muffin cup.
-Bake about 12 minutes...
That's it!

You will definitely make somebody's day with this recipe up your sleeve! I only hope your baking assistant is as cute as mine!

Next up for the Happy Day Project... a good old handwritten note. See you tomorrow!

and speaking of kindness...

Today is the big reveal of Jeannett & Julie's Happy Day Project,
inspired by another random acts of kindess story, very similar to the one I shared yesterday!

Here is a sneak peek of what's on the agenda for next week...
I can't wait to get involved, and I hope you'll join me!
Spread the word!

thanks, kindly!

Thanks and kindness, I think they go hand-in-hand. What better way to express gratitude than to be kind? Beginning yesterday, we are trying out a new praise-based reward system: Caught in Kindness. Specifically, we are working on sharing in your siblings' joy (less competition, more encouragement for one another) and respect for grown-ups (less back-talk, more serving with enthusiasm). The goal is to be caught being GOOD, and to fill up those envelopes with redeemable tickets. We'll see how it goes.

Instead, be KIND to eachother, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. -Ephesians 4:32

Also... a few great Thankgiving-inspired ideas worth checking out:

I just sent my family members the sign-up sheet for Blessed to Bless bags, as part of our Thanksgiving celebration. My favorite new tradition, thanks to Leslie!

Rachel started 'Thankful on Paper' last November. Love it!

This blogger celebrated her birthday by delivering Random Acts of Kindness all day. I'm thinking one per day, all of November.

And yes, just like eating turkey shouldn't be limited to November, we should obviously be practicing these acts all year... but Thanksgiving month is just too convenient a way to get our kids inspired and excited to bless others.

Halloween week

Hello, November! I love October, but after a solid week of scrambling to finish costumes... a preschool party... a grown-up party... our annual family harvest dinner... an elementary school parade... and an overabundance of crap candy... I am so ready to put the Halloween decorations away! Festivities included appearances by Bert & Mary, Rapunzel, Mustard & Ketchup, a spooky bat, an adorable shark (and his poor victim), and the Giustino girls as the cutest ever peacock & ladybug! Camden and Leila are old pros at trick-or-treating now and pretty much wish they could go without us... which Chloe actually DID do for the first time this year! Will this be the last year we have all four kids in costumes?! *tear!*