Choosing our Christmas Cards

We're getting our photos taken for our Christmas cards this weekend and I'm so excited! We tried for it last year after I got a great deal on professional photography ($45 for a 45 minute session!), but we got snowed out and ended up taking our own selfie photos with our iPhones. Luckily they still turned out great, but I'm very excited to have photos taken of our family where we can both be in the shot without our arm extended lol. I've been browsing Minted's selection of Christmas cards, and I think I've narrowed it down to the top contenders...

1. I love these super simple foil-pressed cards - they really make the photos the focus, and that simple gold-dipped edge is just perfection:

2. Love this year-in-review style card as well. It'd be such a cute way to share some updates with family and friends without writing the full-on Christmas letter:

3. Maybe it's the baby and the toy car, but I think these cards are completely adorable:

4. These gold foil cards are pretty amazing as well - I love the calligraphy and the clean, simple look:

5. Another option I'm considering this year is the ornament card. I love the idea of our friends and family being able to hang it on their tree and use it from year to year as a decoration if they so choose, rather than tossing it in the trash after one season:

Which do you think we should choose? And keep your fingers crossed for us that we don't get snowed out again!

Holiday Gift Guide 2014: Little Travelers

My kids have family in both Germany and Australia, and we very much love to learn about the world around us. Here are some of my favorite gifts to inspire your little ones to learn about faraway places and distant lands...

U.S. Map Puzzle: Land of Nod
Statue of Liberty Nanoblock: Alex & Alexa
Scratch-off Map: Amazon
Scratch-off Globe: Urban Outfitters
Sydney Opera House Nanoblock: Alex & Alexa
Pop-up Book London: Alex & Alexa
World Chalkboard Map: Dirtsa Studio on Etsy
Maps Book: Amazon
This is the World Book: Amazon
Paris Play Set: Anthropologie
London Guard Maileg Mouse: My Sweet Muffin
London Bus: Anthropologie

P.S. Don't forget to enter the big holiday giveaway - over $1100 in prizes to one lucky reader!
P.P.S. More gift guides right here

Holiday Gift Guide 2014: Little Movers

Boys and girls alike, everyone loves gifts with a little action. Here are some of my favorite finds for little movers...

Wooden Riding Toy: Amazon
Wooden Marble Run: Amazon
Street Tape: Amazon
Wooden Pirate Ship: Amazon
Boxed Wooden Airplane Set: Amazon
Handmade Wooden Car: Ooh, Look - It's a Rabbit! on Etsy
Unpainted Train Cars: Amazon
Wooden Push Cart: Pottery Barn Kids
Slinky: Amazon
Wooden Sailboats: Poketo
Pinky Hi-Bounce Balls: Amazon
Wooden Cars: Candylab Toys
Wooden Railroad Set: Amazon

I also love these road play mats and these handmade custom neighborhood mats. And did you know that if you use Amazon, using Amazon Smile will allow you to donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice - even local ones! It makes me feel a little bit better about all of the online shopping that I do! Because let's face it, getting out and shopping with two tiny people in tow during the holidays is a recipe for disaster! xo, Lauren

(And no, this post wasn't sponsored by Amazon or Amazon Smile, I just love the idea!)

P.S. Last years' Little Movers Gift Guide
P.P.S. Don't forget to enter the 2014 Holiday Giveaway - over $1100 in prizes to one lucky reader, including an Ergo360!