Week of October 30 – November 5: This week we celebrated Halloween, but shifted gears to begin sharing holiday and Christmas ideas and inspiration! Plus we shared and reviewed some cozy sweaters and shackets that are great for fall and winter, or as gifts.
Happy November!
Good grief.
We may have said it before, but it bears repeating: if only the –ber months could pass at the same pace as the –ary months…
Because January and February kind of feel like they last f o r e v e r, while our favorite time of the year passes in the blink of an eye.
We handed out candy on Tuesday, but we’ve completely shifted gears to all things Thanksgiving and Christmas.
We both deal with some seasonal affective disorder issues. So we decided that we’d see if getting our holiday decorating done earlier than usual would make turning the clocks back this weekend a little easier to bear.
After all, shorter days are somehow less dreary when surrounded by twinkle lights!
This week also marked a pretty huge milestone for Simply2Moms… we’ll share more below, but first, let’s check in and see what’s been going on in our homes.
AnnMarie’s Week
Christmas started making an appearance in my house the day after Halloween!
For years I’ve waited to deck my halls until after Thanksgiving but since we started blogging I’ve been starting a bit early.
However, this is the earliest I’ve ever begun decorating for the holidays…and I’m loving it!
This weekend we rented a cabin in the mountains and headed to an App State football game yesterday.
We had so much fun…it’s always so great when Chris and I get to spend time with all of the kids together.
Time goes by so quickly and seems even faster as our children grow up so I try to soak up every minute I can with them.
Our oldest, Jake, will be 26 tomorrow. Say what?! I can’t believe that one!
I certainly can’t be old enough to have a kid that old, can I??
Anne’s Week
I am an excessively slow DIY-er.
If we’re being transparent, I don’t always enjoy the process of redoing a room!
So procrastination definitely slows me down…
But I’m super close to finishing up a pretty big project.
This was my son’s bedroom.
When he officially moved out on his own, I decided to turn it into my office and a place to store and display decorating items when I’m not using them in other places in my home.
It’s been a big undertaking that included selling all my old newborn photography props and gear.
I also felt a little guilty, that I was somehow displacing him, even though he is so happy in his apartment with his longtime girlfriend.
Well, this week, I finally turned the corner with this project and moved myself in!
There are still a number of projects to do to officially finish it up, but it’s felt so good to be working here instead of at my kitchen table.
I’m so much more focused!
I’ll be sharing more about the overall project plan soon, but I had to show you how it’s shaping up.
Once those cubes get their second coat of paint and the paint is cured, I’ll be able to tackle my current room of shame…
Our rec room is where everything has been stashed for the past 8 months and I’m excited to actually have all of this stuff organized and put away!
This Week on Simply2Moms
We hinted earlier at some big news for Simply2Moms, and we’re kind of pinching ourselves right now!
Over the past year, we’ve hired our kids to do some things for our business.
It became even more essential when we had that big burst of growth on Instagram this summer.
However, all our kids are either in college or working full-time jobs of their own, so the time they’ve been able to commit has been limited.
This week, we hired a virtual team member, our good friend Jen from Midwest Life and Style, and we’re so excited to have her join us!
We’re also finalizing details to begin work with a PR management company that will take on handling all of our brand deals and negotiations.
Our goals when we started this blog back in 2018 were so modest, and it’s truly humbling and mind-boggling to us to be at this point.
We couldn’t be here without YOU, and we are so grateful that you visit our website, comment on our articles, and share them with your friends.
Thank you for being part of Simply2Moms! We’ve got some things planned to show you just how grateful we are.
On the Blog This Week
We’ve completely shifted our focus to all kinds of holiday and Christmas inspiration on the blog this week.
Okay, it’s been our focus on social media too.
This Christmas tree hack will make your life so much easier, so be sure to check it out before you pull out your trees this year!
Speaking of Christmas trees, AnnMarie is showing you how to decorate a neutral, farmhouse-style tree.
Her 9 simple tips are super easy for you to follow.
But here’s the best part: everything is also really cheap and affordable!
Here’s a question for ya: What do you do with Christmas cards when you receive them each year?
Anne shared a super easy DIY project that basically turns them into part of your holiday decorating!
Not only is it inexpensive, you can use it all year long to display family photos and more.
Do you decorate your foyer or front entryway for Christmas?
AnnMarie is sharing her insider secrets to help you make your entry extra special this year.
She’s sharing how to make everyday items look Christmasy, and even how to repurpose old decorations that maybe don’t match your current style!
Whether you’re shopping for some new sweaters or outfits for yourself for cooler temperatures, or you’re looking for some holiday gifts, be sure to check out Anne’s reviews of some popular Amazon finds.
She’s sharing exactly how things fit, how well they’ve held up after washing, and what the colors actually look like in real life.
You’re gonna love these selections that range from cute options for date night to cozy loungewear.
More Ideas and Inspiration From Our Friends
We’ve been seeing so many amazing ideas that our friends shared this week.
Some of them are “slap your forehead and wonder why you didn’t think of that” kinds of fantastic!
Of course, we’re going to share them with you. Tell us if you’ve seen any of these before.
Like the easiest way to decorate for Christmas.
This homemade skincare item that would be an awesome gift.
An affordable and simple way to preserve magnolia leaves.
Fantastic tips for kitchen organizing, just in time for holiday entertaining.
A timely reminder for November.
This simply delicious recipe I made last week that’s going to be on repeat on my meal plans.
If you have any questions or suggestions, contact us or leave a comment below.
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