An introduction...

On Tuesday we displayed a bump so today we thought we would showcase an adorable way to reveal what was hiding in a bump! :) And didn't they do this so nicely?

Who: Sharon, Mark, baby Grant and Chloe the beagle

Location: Our Home

Props: Basket was purchased many years ago; stuffed puppy is Jelly Cat; baby blanket was custom made by Haley Davis.

Clothes: I have no idea what we were wearing - I was still in new baby haze. And sweet Grant was in his birthday suit! :)

Comments: Throughout our pregnancy we used a "chalk board" theme for fun updates and announcements. Starting with our pregnancy announcement, where our sweet dog Chloe presented a chalkboard sign stating, "I'm going to be a big sister" followed by weekly chalkboard signs to show my growing belly that also compared the baby's size to fruit or described my cravings that week. When we announced baby's gender we used chalk paint on a cardboard box (boy or girl) and gave a friend our sealed results to fill the box with the correct colored baloons, which we released in a park to discover we were having a boy! Therefore, when our photographer showed us a birth announcement/Christmas card with a chalk board theme, we knew it was the one! We also like that the template was front and back and allowed for multiple photos to be displayed.

Designer: Bird Design (recommended by our photographer)

Photographer: Sarah Burns of Butterfly Chaser Photography

Favorite Thing: We treasure these photos and love that our dog was included. She's been part of our family for ten years and will always be our "first baby". 

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Katy's Thoughts: Love the use of a consistent theme throughout - even if the parents are the only one who really know. The colors are simple so the focus stays on this sweet family and precious baby! And that bottom left picture of Baby Grant - to die for! :)

Cindy's Thoughts: In our very first post we discussed our love for receiving mail.  The number one reason mail is fun is because it is ALMOST always GREAT news!  Have you ever received an invitation to a funeral, no!  You have received invites to parties and weddings! And I don't know if there is anything more wonderful than the announcement of a BABY in the mail!  A Christmas card and a baby announcement...well this Merry Momma is in heaven!  I love this card because it is clean and crisp yet is also a chalk board style (sometimes the chalk board style can look messy to me!).  And I love this card because that baby is just precious, my favorite picture is the one of Grant with the stuff animal - so sweet! 

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How can you recreate this card?: There are tons of birth announcement/Christmas card combos. To make this your own, just think about what is important to you. Do you want a double sided card? How many photos do you want to include? Do you have siblings, pets, other relatives that would add to your design? Mom also kept the design simple so the focus is on the family and most importantly their special package! :)

Get PINspired:

1. If you are looking for a precious way to announce your special gift then click here, here and here. And this one makes our ovaries do a little dance. 
2. If you want to get the family/siblings involved then click here, here, here and here. (We tried finding more examples with fur babies but can't - so if you have any pinned please share in the comments!)
3. And if you are looking for chalkboard inspired cards, then check out this board. 

Have a great weekend!! Be sure to check in on Monday because we have BIG stuff coming up next week...

TBT - All of the family!

It's Thursday and you know what that means...

THROW BACK THURSDAY!

1994 

1998

2012

Who:  A BIG SHOUT OUT to the Houchin Family for sharing their Christmas cards with Your Merry Mailbox!  Gary Houchin, the dad/granddad of the group, is Merry Momma Cindy's Dad's first cousin (follow that?).  He has an adorable wife named Mary and together they have raised four awesome kids - Tamera, Tonya, Trisha and Todd.  Now, all four of those kids are married and have babes of their own!

When: 1994, 1998 and 2012

Katy's Thoughts: Watching a family grow is just amazing!  I love that over the years the friends of the Houchin's were able to keep up with the family and see it grow!  I love that Mary has "stuck to her guns" and had these pictures done year after year.  What fun family memories!  

Cindy's Thoughts:  There are so many things I love about these cards, I am going to have to make a list!

1.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE that they send "extended" family cards!  Watching a family grow and change and then grow some more over the years is just awesome, amazing and fun!

2.  1994 - Denim.  Need I say more?  Probably not, but I am going to anyway.  I am a denim lover.  Always have been, always will be.  I think I got my first denim jacket from Harold's (oh, how I wish that store hadn't gone out of business) in 1991.  I also had LOTS and LOTS of denim shirts, vest, skirts, shorts...every item of clothing that is made, I had it in denim.  And, I have started building my closet back up in denim.  If you didn't know, denim is kind of a big deal these days.  J. Crew even says so, see!

3.  1998 - Leopard.  Another trend for 2013 - IT IS the new neutral!  This family is always right on trend or maybe even a little pre-trend!  Way to go HOUCHINS!  (I am a little sad none of the men embraced the leopard print...maybe 2013?)

4.  2012 - I love that they had professional pictures taken to celebrate Gary and Mary's 50th wedding anniversary.  50 years -- that is something to celebrate!  Congrats!  I love that each family had their own unique style, yet it blends well and no one family or person stands out too much.  

Get PINspired:

1. If you have a large extended family, check this, this and this out!  And THIS one is too cute!
2. Go get two or three pieces of leopard print things now!  Maybe this adorable jacket, or these cute shoes!  We both are going to order this belt!
3. Denim is in!  If you follow Pinterest Told Me Too, then you have heard of the MUST HAVE JACKET.  (If you don't then well, you should!) Merry Momma Cindy has it and all the things are true!  ORDER IT NOW!  Also, Dad, Mom, sister, sister and brother can all wear denim and look FAB!  We heart denim!

What We Love Wednesday: Aggie Football

It is T-minus three days until the kickoff of Aggie Football season which means Aggieland is all abuzz with football - including the Merry Mommas! So Howdy - Gig'Em - Whoop and welcome to What We Love Wednesday...

What:  Aggie Football

Why:

1.  Johnny Football - Love him, hate him.  Either way...he's fun!

 (We totally got all these images off Google!  Thanks, Google!) 

2.  SEC - We enjoyed the Southwest Conference...the in state rivalries were fun and the Cotton Bowl is a good bowl game.  We were okay with the Big 12...I mean we won the conference in 1998 while the Merry Mommas were in college.  BUT, we all know the SEC is where it is at!  Period. No arguing.  No fussing.  No "buts".  SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC!

3.  Traditions - If you want a college with traditions...well, Texas A&M University is your school!

12th Man

Aggie Ring

Muster

Howdy!

4.  Tailgating - Who doesn't love hanging out with family and friends while eating the best food in the world!!

5.  Football - The game is actually fun to watch!  And we win quite often!

6.  Community - All the stuff above is fun and great...but why do we Merry Mommas really love Aggie Football.  Well, it is the reason we LOVE Texas A&M.  Being an Aggie means more than just going to college and rooting for a team in a certain color.  It means you believe in something bigger than yourself.  It means that you lend a helping hand.  It means you do what it takes to be the best (not win, be the best).  It means that you are held to a higher standard.  It means that you stand by your team in the good times and the bad. It means there is a network of people out there to help you.  It means...well, it means you are part of a community...and isn't that what makes life fun!

Gig 'em!

A Roll Acosta Christmas

Who: Julian and Amber

Location:  College Station, TX

Props:  For this shot, the only prop we used was a bow.  I bought the ribbon at Hobby Lobby and a friend of mine tied the bow for me.  I made the “From God” gift tag, and transformed my big belly into a big present!

Clothes:  My clothes were primarily from Motherhood Maternity since I was preggers.  My husband’s sweater was from Kohl’s and his pants are from Macy’s.  I topped off my look with a red scarf, also from Macy’s.

Comments:  While the photos were a small portion of our maternity photo shoot, I specifically wanted the ones where I wore a bow around my belly because I knew that our baby girl was a gift to us from God.  I remember spending a lot of time that Christmas thinking about the gift that God gave us all of His only son, and all that really Christmas represents.  It was a blessed time in our lives!

Designer: Sarah Giles Burns, Butterfly Chaser Photography

Photographer: Sarah Giles Burns, Butterfly Chaser Photography

Favorite Thing:  I loved being able to share with family and friends this special time in our lives as we were about to become parents for the first time. 

Blog: A Roll Acosta Life

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Katy's Comments: I just love that they incorporated baby J into these pics. What greater gift than new life can you ask for? Simple and stunning. You don't need a ton of bells and whistles to make a lasting impression. 

Cindy's Comments: Baby bump AND a Christmas card!  You can't help but smile at that!  I love the baby bump of course, but I also love the red and gray color scheme.  It says "Merry Christmas" to me!

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How can you recreate this card? The colors of this card are great - the pops of green in the background against the gray and red make us happy. This would be adorable at a Christmas tree farm! If you are some where that actual winter exists - snow on those trees would be lovely.

And - we have to be honest...there is a lot of "what not to do" when it comes to displaying that precious bump. Since we try to stick to our southern roots most of the time, we will just nod and say "bless their hearts"... 

Get PINspired:

1. Babies really are the merriest thing around. So what better way to show off the most precious gift you will ever receive than with your Christmas card. Check out our favorites bump pics here and here.
2. Wanting to spread the great news pre-bump then check out this, this, and this!
3. And, we believe in real honesty around here. I honestly don't want to share these because this may be on a King Christmas Card in 2014, but because you are loyal reader, we give you the Christmas Tree Farm pics...

Kindergarten!

As promised, here are the darling photos of Merry Little C and Merry Little R this morning!

The Merry Mommas are anxiously watching the clock, waiting until their day is done and pondering...HOW ARE THEY EVEN OLD ENOUGH FOR KINDERGARTEN!

OMG!

OMG!  Little Merry R and Little Merry C start kindergarten today.  And while we love all of you lots and lots and we are so appreciative of you coming here everyday to see amazing cards, we are off busy doing what KINDERGARTEN moms do - cry and pray!

Check back later today, we'll treat you to some awesome FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL pics!

Love, 

Merry Momma Cindy and Merry Momma Katy

PS - If you are dying to read fun blogs this morning, go check out our personal blogs - Katy's here and Cindy's here. 

From the family

Family version

Friend Version

Who: The Fulgham Family (Julie, Keith and Paige)

Location:  Lexington, Texas (Julie's Dad’s back 40)

Props:  None, the bench in the ‘family’ picture was pulled from my dad’s living room. Paige actually picked the cowboy hat at the last minute and decided she must wear it... I think she rocked it!

Clothes:  Paige’s outfit was from Next Direct, my sweater is from Michael Kors and tank from Old Navy and Keith’s shirt is from Dillard’s.

Comments:  Since the entire family (minus our littlest sister – teenagers always have better things to do than family time!) was meeting for the picture, we choose a location that was central to all of us – which is our Dad’s house.  Therefore, we selected warm, rich colors that would work well in the woods (in the fall).  We coordinated everything off the girl’s shirts and everyone picked their own outfits.  It blended well together!

Designer: Four Leaf Prints (design)  Vista Print (prints)

Photographer: Alex and Tamara Garza of Garza Photo and Design 

Favorite Thing:  I love my sisters and so my favorite thing is the family version! I just wish our little sister had made the picture – that is my least favorite thing, her missing the photo session. I choose to print ½ of the cards with the family back and ½ with just Paige since obviously I have a lot of friends that do not know my sisters, but my list is not an exact ½ and ½ split between my friends or our family and mutual friends so sending them was a mess and I ended up just throwing my hands up in the air and started addressing! A small review of my list prior to printing would have eliminated the unbalance. 

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Katy's Thoughts:  I love the idea of having 2 versions of a card. (We did this last year, too.)  I think it makes it more personal for the sender and the receiver...BUT it makes it slightly more difficult.  The lighting in these shots is just gorgeous, warm and inviting - just like the holidays!

Cindy's Thoughts:  I can't get over the lighting and the how all the colors blended so nicely.  A WARM, WARM, WARM card and I love it!

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How can you recreate this card? Our favorite thing about this card it the lighting. Seriously - GET OUTDOORS for your pictures if you can. Cameras were made for natural lighting (says the amateur momtopgraphers with fancy cameras). The right light can make the perfect picture. These outfits are warm and neutral - pops of color here and there but not so overwhelming that it takes away from anything. And this card is about family, so be different and get the whole gang involved!!!

Get PINspired:

1. Don't think your family will fit on a card? Then check out this family!
2. You could also check out this family, but they aren't exactly our style! ;)
3. If you are looking for more outdoor couch inspiration then check out this board!
4. There is just something about sun flare - click here, here and here.
5. And don't forget to follow all of our boards!!

Got any great family picture ideas? Share them in the comments below!

TBT - The Munson Kids

THROW BACK THURSDAY

is here and this week we have an exciting twist!

GUEST BLOGGERS!

Mr. Merry Munson and his siblings were kind enough to let us feature a TBT picture and do commentary!  You are going to LOVE IT!

 

Josh's (The Eldest) Comments:

I apologize for this rant, but my emotions over this photo have been bottled up inside for the last 25 years or so. I've got 3 major issues with the photo...

1) Three siblings of different sexes all matching... EXACTLY! Parents... Don't do this to your kids, or if you do, make it a good Star Wars holiday shirt like this!

2) WHITE JEANS!!! Really Mom? You can pull this off... your 11year old, middle school aged son cannot, nor did he ever want to. I distinctly remember complaining about these jeans while trying them on in Mervyn's!

3) Boys look bad in snowflakes! The sweater didn't help me pick up chicks then...  but...  I kinda wish I had an adult version of it now, because I know that Merry Momma Cindy digs on guys in a holiday theme sweater. ;)

In reality, this is probably the most discussed picture within my family, and I'm so glad we have it regardless of how ridiculous I look. Thanks Mom for coordinating our outfits and staging this picture which is still meaningful 25 years later. I love you (even if you did make me wear white jeans).

Stu's (The Middle Kid) Comments:

Wow, wow, wow!!!  I can't tell you how many conversations have started due to this picture.  Not just during the Holidays.... ALL YEAR LONG!!!!  I think this picture might be on display 365 days a year due to it's mystical conversational powers.  I do admire the courage Mother had in putting us in these outfits. If you didn't look closely, you might have missed the best detail of them all.  Those are white turtlenecks under the festive snowflake sweaters.  Yes.... white jeans, white turtlenecks.  You know what happens after a photo session during a normal Texas winter?  You remove the dreadfully hot sweater and sport whatever is underneath.  This resulted in three TOTALLY white kids running around.  I looked like the Michelin man I'm sure, Josh probably resembled an envelope, and Jessica a little white rabbit or something (couldn't come up with a good comparison).  But look how happy we were!! I really don't remember having any problems wearing this at the time, other than the insulating properties of the snowflake sweater.  My Nikes were pretty sweet too!

All kidding aside, it's pictures like this that make me smile.  Memories....  We had no idea at the time that we would STILL be talking about this picture twenty or so years later.  Thanks Mother for providing us with this great photo that has brought us so much laughter!  There might be Snowflakes Version 2.0 to come.  Stay tuned ;)

Jessica's (The Baby and The Only Girl) Comments:

Personally, I think this picture is adorable! However, this is probably due to the fact that I am the most adorable thing in it. I have to give props to Mother for being ahead of the game with the themed Christmas photo and choice of background. The green carpet really brings out the color in the sweaters. She missed a little with the shoes, though. I know Stu and Josh would have much preferred wearing Keds. 

This picture comes out every year during the holidays and I think Mother (yes, we call our mom Mother) leaves it up a little longer just to remind us all of that time in our lives. However, the nut does not fall far from the tree. We now dress our own children in matching themed Christmas sweaters. I think a part of it is so they too can look back on the picture in 20+ years and recall the same memories as we have been fortunate enough to enjoy.

 

And because we love you so much and know you are dying to replicate this pic...

1. Click here, here, here and here for some awesomeness in the form of Christmas sweaters.
2. Looking for more inspiration on how to coordinate your family - then check out these trendsetters.

 

Now go forth and coordinate! Take silly pictures for your families and friends to discuss for years from now!!

Share the MERRY!!

After all, isn't that what the holidays are about...

WWLW: Back To School Prep

What:  Back To School Prep

Why: 

1.  The Clothes
An excuse to shop...need we say more! Seriously, though...what is more fun than buying fall clothes with the anticipation of those brisk autumn mornings.  Some of our favorite stores are Gap, Old Navy, Boden, Next Direct.

We also LOVE Persnickety and they just introduced their new line - Nob Hill.  It is to die for!  (Hint, hint to some lovely grandmothers out there! ;))

Matilda Jane is a favorite of ours as well!

And we LOVE boy clothes too!  J.Crew has adorable boy clothes!

2.  School Supplies
Y'all.  If you don't love a new set of sharpie markers...well...we can't be friends!  Fun notebooks, a pretty new calendar, colored pins, new, fresh and clean everything.  It's like CHRISTMAS for organizational freaks!

If you are looking for the perfect back to school stuff - Tiny Prints is running a sale right now!

3.  Pictures 
So, maybe we LOVE photo shoots.  And maybe, just maybe, we love styling them.  You know, it is kind of the entire premise of this blog! ;)  What is cuter than a styled Back To School photo shoot?

These cute kiddos belong to our friend the SUPER TALENTED Jenny of Bella's Bowz and Sewz!  Go check out her stuff, it's amazing!  The pictures are by Bella Jewel Photography.

To check out other darling BACK TO SCHOOL photos click here, here and here and be sure to follow our Back To School Fun board!

4.  The Actual Preparation Part
So...we Merry Mommas are INTO celebrations!  Check out our twinkie instagram pics! We both posted these within minutes of each other on Sunday evening!  The Merry Husbands are looking into buying us a house so we can just live together and make all of our lives easier!

5.  Football
We are from Texas; home of the real Friday Night Lights. We are both from tiny little towns that shut down on Friday nights.  And we are Aggies.  We love Aggie Football!  HOWDY! GIG 'EM! WHOOP! Oh, and JOHNNY FOOTBALL!

 Photo credit - CBS Sports

What do you LOVE about back to school? Favorite tradition? Let us know!!

The Darling Dudleys

This sweet couple is one of the most darling pair of newlyweds we know. Really... what is more merry than getting MARRIED!?!

Who: Ryan and Katelin Dudley

Location:  Lake Jackson, Texas

Props:  No props, just a good old fashioned limo!

Clothes:  Wedding Dress (Tara Keely), Suit (David’s Bridal)

Comments:  I knew for our Christmas card we wanted to use one of our recent wedding pictures, so I went for a simple black and white image with a template that tied it all together!

Designer: I designed the card myself on Zazzle. Super easy and fairly cheap! 

Photographer: Kathlyn Dragna of Kathryn Dragna Photography

Favorite Thing:  This was one of our favorite pictures from our wedding day. We were getting in the limousine, ending the most wonderful day of our lives, when the photographer captured this image. No props or special background, just pure love.

Blog: The Darling Dudleys

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Katy's Thoughts: Well, this is a personal favorite of mine because this sweet couple is near and dear to my heart. I LOVE that they incorporated the most important day of this year (and really, their lives) to this card. I LOVE that he really looks at her like that all the time. And I LOVE that she loves him so. Just perfect!

Cindy's Thougths: Swoon!!!!  The couple is gorgeous.  The card is classy.  The look they are giving each other is authentic.  Perfect card!

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How can you recreate this card? The great thing about this card is that you have easy access to most of these elements - car, sweet glances and fun clothes (maybe not a gorgeous wedding dress). Seriously we LOVE the idea of a couple snuggled up in a car, the bed of a truck, a carriage... But clearly the part of this card that stands out is the amazingly beautiful bride and her adoring groom!

Get PINspired: 

1. For some creative ways to announce you are MARRIED click here and here. 
2. Have the perfect wedding day picture? Check out this, this and this!
3. For our FAVORITE pinterest find click here!!
4. Check out these adorable get-away car shots here, here, here and here!
5. And follow all of our boards here!

Tell us what your favorite part of getting "married' is!

A getting MARRIED Christmas

This sweet couple just got married THREE weeks ago! Check out their fun way of telling the world just how "MARRY" they are!

Who: Travis and Donna

Location:  Pilot Point, TX- my great-grandparents' farm

Props:  We didn't use any real props, but the setting of the picture is dear to our hearts. 

Clothes:  Donna- shirt Banana Republic; Travis- shirt Ralph Lauren

Comments:  Christmas was 8 months before my wedding- a perfect time to send a Save the Date.  I emphasized the word “married” as much as I did because I wanted to make sure that the recipient would immediately notice it was a Save the Date and not just put it in the pile of all the other Christmas cards.  

Designer: ME!! 

Photographer: A coworker of mine does photography as a hobby, so she took some pictures for us. 

Favorite Thing:  I like that it looks like a Save the Date card but also looks like a Christmas card without sacrificing portions of either.  It completely accomplished both tasks.  

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Katy's Thoughts: I kind of love the play on words. Cute simple and easy to accomplish with other Christmas themes as well!

Cindy's Thoughts:  Well, Donna is a bestie...so of course I love the card! :)  I think my favorite thing is the look of happiness on both of their faces!

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How can you recreate this card? I think the key to this card is just to keep it simple. Old/vintage/rustic buildings make great backdrops for pictures. They add lots of fun texture and depth without taking the focus away from the people in the pic. And the holidays are a great time to share news with family and friends - love the double purpose of this card!

Get PINspired:

1. Looking for a great way to tell the world that you are so merry about getting MARRIED? Then click here, here, and here!
2. Lots of examples of great photos with barn backdrops are here, here, and here!
3. If I was going to take pics in front of a barn, I'd want it to look exactly like this!
4. And for more ideas, FOLLOW US on PINTEREST! 

Really, what is more merry than getting MARRIED?!? Tell us your favorite thing about this card!

Love, the Hawkins

Who: Jason, Lizett, Casey and Noah

Location:  In a parking garage in Downtown Bryan, TX

Props:  None

Clothes:   Old Navy and our closets!

Comments:  Each year I try to use simple color schemes and few props in order to focus on our family and keep the look as timeless as possible.

Designer: Nichole Quick of Quick Design Co.

Photographer: Sarah Giles Burns of Butterfly Chaser Photography

Favorite Thing:  My favorite thing about our card is even though it seems quite simple it truly captures the personality of our family.

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Katy's Thoughts: My favorite thing is that this was taken inside a parking garage. A PARKING GARAGE people! Isn't it so fun how a photographer sees things so differently than we do! Don't be afraid to try something unusual because you never know just how AWESOME it may be!

Cindy's Thoughts:  All you need is LOVE is right!  And this family truly looks like they love each other (and they do, we know them)!

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How can you recreate this card?: Don't be afraid to try something new - because you may end up with some unexpected and FABULOUS. The key to this card is the classic nature of clothing - you can never go wrong with black. Lizette did a great job of the pop of aqua in a statement necklace and tying it all together with the card design. Simple, classic, and amazing!

Get PINspired:
1. Tired of the same old backdrop? Then check out this board for TONS of ideas!
2. Looking for "the" statement necklace then click here, here and where else but Pinterest Told Me To.

Have a great weekend! We'll be working on some fun finds so make sure to keep up with us on Facebook!