So, in lieu of finally updating my blog and posting a little something, I found a way to save a little for the holidays Shutterfly has decided to award bloggers with 50 free Christmas Cards all for a little shameless promoting.
Last year I designed and ordered our Christmas Card through Shutterfly and they were a hit. It was super easy to do, and the most difficult thing I had to deal with was deciding which format I wanted to go with. Here was our final project........
I loved the opportunity to use two photos which included one from our wedding and a current Christmas picture with Santa. Naturally we didn't order enough last year so I'll definitely be ordering more this year.
Currently I am deciding on which photos to use, as well as starting to get ideas of which layouts to use. Here's one I'm a big fan of, but don't know if it would work for us when we only have pictures of us!
Also, I know I have cousins with little ones who may be looking for Christmas gift ideas for Grandmas and Grandpas.... many of them love and still use wall calendars. Just a thought :)
Lastly, for those of you who prefer the more traditional Christmas Cards without photos, Shutterfly has a great selection here. Just as wonderful and creative without including a photo.
Good luck with your Holiday Card Shopping! If you're anything like Steve and I your cards will be arriving in mailboxes around the same time Santa is coming down the Chimney and not a moment sooner! Happy Holidays all!
2010 is not going well. In the past five months I have lost an organ, had a cyst removed, had my grandma's husband pass away, and now my dog has passed away. I'm scared to see what else 2010 is bringing my way.
I know, I know it’s been a long while since I wrote an update and I apologize! I’m gonna go ahead and blame it on our crazy work schedules. But since it is the end of our Christmas break and we are currently driving back to Connecticut I figure my free time in which to write an update is running out. I say we are driving but in all honesty Steve is driving which I really appreciate!
We have spent the last two weeks back home in Ohio soaking up conversations, memories and hangouts with friends and family. It was wonderful and we so appreciated and needed that two weeks. We spent the first 6 days at Josh and Stacy’s in Cuyahoga Falls and saw as many friends and family as possible. We went to our favorite restaurants (Franklin Square Deli and Lockview), got to spend a morning at Mosaic with our community, and just caught up with people. Christmas Eve was spent in Parma and Lakewood with Steve’s side of the family and included a hilarious family photo, a dying bird, and a great dinner. It was really great to spend time with JoAnn and Steve’s brother Mike and catch up with them in person instead of on the phone. Christmas morning we spent with Josh, Stace, Zig and Murph and had a cozy morning with gifts, monkey bread, and stockings. Steve got his first ever stocking with presents in it and loved every minute of it! Stacer and Josh spoiled us with their love and Steve and I spoiled each other as well. Best gifts of the morning? The “Perfect Brownie Pan” that Steve got me and the flannel and mountain man hat that Josh and Stace got Steve! You’ve never seen a grown man so excited to get flannel and a hat. After packing up we headed down to Columbus to spend the rest of Christmas and the next 6 days with my parents and brother. We were spoiled again by my parents and brother including but not limited to some screaming monkeys who have rubber bands in their arms so you can make them go flying across the room and crash into the wall! Sounds weird, but it was hilarious. The next day both sides of my family came down to do Christmas at my parent’s house. The rest of our days in Columbus we continued to see friends and catch up, spent time relaxing, and even caught a night to go to the Zoo to see the Zoo lights. New Years Eve we headed back to North East Ohio to go downtown Cleveland to celebrate the New Year. We spent a few more days in Hudson at our friend Matt’s watching the OSU Game, hanging out with friends at houses and various restaurants and had another fantastic dinner with the Caspar’s before heading out of town.
It was such an amazing break and it went just slow enough for us to savor it and see as many friends and family as possible. We are glad to be heading back to CT to get settled back into our apartment, we just wish we could take more of Ohio with us!
Even though we were overly ready for Christmas Break we continue to love our jobs at Grove. We have made some really great friends and have really gotten comfortable with our positions in the classrooms and in the dorms. This semester ends mid January and we’ll be starting second semester already! In the art department we are developing new classes for spring including Crafting for Etsy (arts and crafts selling website), Fashion Design and Graphic Design. As well we are working on perfecting an art blog which will allow parents to see what their kids are working on in the art classrooms since we know from experience that not all high school students necessarily communicate with their parents what they’re working on! Steve continues to do great work with his middle school guys and consistently works on building his patience! His guys love him and he often gets “how do you do it?” and “Your dorm is really tough” comments from staff as they are shocked at his patience for these guys. We have both been blessed with really wonderful co-dorm staff who have become really great friends. My dorm will be going through some shifts as a couple girls will be moving out into a dorm which has only 3 female students and no dorm staff and the 3 who were in the more responsible dorm will be moving back into my dorm. If you think about it send a prayer by way of the Emmerich that teenage girl drama wouldn’t ensue as a result of the moves!
Coming Up…
Our one year anniversary is January 24th and we’ll be headed to Boston for the weekend to celebrate and tour the city!
Wedding season for us is beginning! We have one in two weeks, one in April and three in May. We will be doing our best to attend as many as we can.
Spring break begins March 26th and goes through April 11th (plans tbd!)
We love and miss you all and were so glad to have seen so many people over break. If we didn’t get a chance to see you let us know and we’ll try to see you at Spring Break (though we have no idea what our plan will be for then!). We felt so spoiled by love and gifts and time with everyone over break and we head back to Connecticut with full hearts!
