Christmas Card Greetings

I usually don't seek out a heavier load & I always have too many things to carry, but come December, when the mailbox starts filling up, I would be happy to make two trips to the mailbox daily to get all of the wonderful Christmas cards! The weight of a stack of cards, addressed with care, full with warm greetings & smiling faces, well that extra weight is like gold.  The kids love opening up the new cards each day, studying the enclosed photos & reading little updates on what friends near & far have been up to this last year. 

I love the way that in photos or in words dear friends remind us of how God has been at work in their lives...a photo of a new baby, an adoption announcement, a graduation, a wedding or a special trip...all testimonies of God's amazing provision & blessing. And with the card comes a visual reminder to lift each family up in prayer, to thank God for bringing so many wonderful friends into our lives over the years. 

And now it is also fun on the computer to browse through so many blogs displaying their wonderful Christmas cards...the bright colors, the creativity, the joy in the photos...it all just adds to the merriment of this wonderful season. 

So I thought I would link up our Christmas card this year! (Linked up @ Kelly's Korner Blog & at Lil Light O'mine.)

I actually planned ahead this year (wonders never cease!) & contacted our sweet & talented friend Hailey to take our photos back in October. She took photos of the kids this summer (when she was just starting up her business) & wow, she's good! She didn't even break a sweat in the July heat chasing our 5 all over the yard to get some pics!

So photos were done in October & I had the images before November. I spent some time on a few of the various photo card websites trying to put together a card, but I really like folding cards with photos on all sides & I couldn't find a site that had that option. SO, good thing I have another uber-talented design friend...I sent Jessica the images I wanted to use, gave her a brief description of how I wanted it to look & like an hour later, she was sending me a proof! Just a little minor tweaking & we were good to go! Jessica has impeccable attention to detail, so when the cards arrived from the printers a week or so later & they were not quite up to her standards, she asked them to be printed again. Reprint & all, I still had the cards in hand by early December! 

Then, inspired by my dear friend Stacy's blog, I decided to hand address all of the envelopes instead of using labels this year. Following her advice for making it more personal, I also tried to write a little greeting in many of the cards (but sorry couldn't do it in all 150!) 

So here they are...the result of wonderfully talented friends (& somewhat cooperative children on picture day. Ha!) Oh, and the beautiful scenery of Jeff's parents farm!

Front of card...

Inside of card...

Back of card...

So we decided to go a little bit silly on the back of the card, but everyone seems to like it! This was one of the first photos we took & it helped get the kids in a good mood for the remainder of the photos. We just said silly faces & this is what we got...I love Lucy's expression, like who are these crazy people!

The Lord has done great things for us,

and we are filled with joy.

Psalm 126:3

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:8-9

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And here is how we like to display the beautiful "old fashioned" Christmas cards we receive.


I learned several years ago at my MOMS group how to fold them into these cute little boxes...now our collection keeps growing each year & looks sweet on the windowsill. 

The kids also love playing with them & stacking them like blocks. Sophie even made one in school a few years ago that had a tag saying "To: Jesus, From: Sophie" and on the inside there was a little paper heart!<3 span="span">

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!