Happy Holidays, Dear Friends!

Itty Bit painted this at school and I thought it was terrifically charming. It’s perfect for a card filled with good wishes. May your holidays be joyous, your bounty plentiful, and may your heart be full of love. I wish you the very best, my darlings. You deserve every good thing. <3

Holiday Gifts for Children with Special Needs

It’s that time of year again, and so I’ll share what I believe to be one of my most helpful posts. Happy Holidays! This is a toughie. It can be downright hard, because there are so many emotions tied up with the holidays. We have expectations. Holidas are supposed to be a time where we express our love and gifts are … Read More

Christmas Gifts for Children with Special Needs

This is a toughie. It can be downright hard, because there are so many emotions tied up with the holidays. We have expectations. Christmas is supposed to be a time where we express our love and gifts are a way we do that. What if the child, who has special needs, doesn’t like their gift? What if they don’t play … Read More

2017’s More Realistic Holiday Newsletter

After reading a few glowing family newsletters, I am more inspired than ever to continue the tradition of the Yardley’s More Realistic Holiday Newsletter. If you ever wanted to see how we really live, this is the way to do it. And here we go! 2017 started with a bang and ended with a whimper. LUKE travels constantly for work, … Read More

2016's More Realistic Holiday Newsletter

A few years ago I started the new tradition of sharing a more realistic holiday newsletter. You can read the first here and the second here. Now it’s time wrap up 2016. Hoo boy. Hey, friends! Let’s be honest and admit 2016 sucked in almost every way possible. Somehow the Yardleys managed to soldier their way through it, because we’re not smart enough … Read More

Easy Friends and Family Gifts!

We’ve let Christmas overwhelm us. It isn’t about spirituality or kindness or even really family anymore. It’s about gifts, about running ourselves ragged, about filling our days with so much joy and merriment that it somehow turns into pressure. I’ve been trying to avoid that feeling this year, and simplifying has been a great help. I saw this on The Merry Little … Read More

Merry Christmas in July!

It’s a family tradition we’ve had since I was a child, and I looked forward to it every year. We’d decorate the tree and have small gifts for each other.It’s something that I do with my kiddos now. This is Christmas week! We’re putting up the tree. We’re making snowflakes and taping them to the windows. It’s time for Christmas … Read More

Ho Ho Ho: Horror and Holidays

Shock Totem has gone digital.  You can now buy every dark, sexy issue in a digital format.  Hooray, yahoo! But even better, you can pick up a copy of Shock Totem: Holiday Tales of the Macabre and Twisted for 99 cents.  Take a look at this beauty.  Isn’t this a stunning cover? This special holiday issue of Shock Totem features … Read More