new home

Home is one of those words that brings up a lot of meaning for me. It's a physical place. A tangible place where you live, where you come back to at the end of the day. In contrast home is also a state of mind, a feeling in your heart, a drawer full of memories, a place of gathering for those you love.



There has been a lot of shifting this past year as we’ve moved from one home to the next. The weight of the change could have fallen on me quite hard if it hadn’t have been for this one constant — HOME. Gratefully we experienced a seamless transition between each move because we were there together. My family brought the feeling of home, not the structure itself. It’s definitely true what they say, “home is where the heart is”.

And so the shifting continues...

I have a new home to share with you -- an online home.

This has been a long time coming (I’ve been working on it off and on since July 2013) and I’m excited to be able to share it with you today. It’s definitely not 100%. There are still kinks to be worked out, my portfolio to fill, and posts to format, but I decided if I didn’t just do it now it was going to be another year before I rolled it out and I wanted to start 2015 off with a blank slate so to speak.

Fresh starts have always been synonymous with starting over and beginning a new and that’s exactly what I need. My intention for my new space online is to be present, connect, and share what I love and what I learn through this journey called life.

Thank you to those of you who have stuck with me through these last couple years of drought.

Welcome to my new home, amygretchen.com

gratitude journals are here

I'd like to once again share with you my daily gratitude journal and give you the chance to buy one for yourself for the upcoming year. I believe the practice of daily gratitude is not only important to keep our mind positive, but I believe it can truly change your heart.

I've had my journals available in one way or another since 2009 so I had this wild idea of redesigning the journal to celebrate the upcoming year. Unfortunately that put me behind getting it ready for print, so I apologize for such late notice in making this book available to you. But it's here and ready for purchase if you would like to join me this year in expressing gratitude.

Above you will find the gratitude journals for 2015. Feel free to scroll through the book to get an idea of what it looks like (included are only a few sample pages, not the entire book). The journal is softbound with 142 pages. If you'd like to purchase you can easily click on the shopping basket in the bottom right and purchase right from the blurb site. If you would like one of my books from previous years. Go here to find a link of where you can purchase.

If you act fast you can save 20% or 30%

These limited time offers end on December 19

20% off

Save 20% when you purchase two or more books*

(up to $150 in savings)

CODE: 2PLUS

30% off

Save 30% when you purchase five or more books**

(up to $150 in savings)

CODE: 5PLUS

12of12 | December

01) One of my fondest Christmas memories as a child is sitting for hours in front of the Christmas tree taking in the light. I find that I do the same thing now and sit in front of the tree as often as possible.
02) Saying goodbye to Megan as she heads off to school.
03) Our growing Christmas card collection. It's one of my favorite traditions of the holiday -- sending and receiving cards. Hoping mine will go out soon. I still haven't ordered them :/
04) The majority of the day I sat in this chair in front of this screen. Finishing up Christmas gifts and working on our card.
05) Lolapuppy having a playdate with her buddy June. I love these two. I also wanted to include this picture because I can't believe it was 60 degrees today! This is one of the strangest Decembers for weather I can remember. As I type this I can hear a storm brewing outside. I hope we wake up to serious snow. I am ready!
06) This is what a 12 year old selfie looks like.
07) Filling up.
08) Since I was home for the majority of my day I wore the most comfortable thing I could find that wasn't jammies. Scratch that. I'd wear this to bed.
09) Chauffeuring Bella around from ballroom practice to violin. I'm not sure what I'll do when she starts driving herself, I feel like we end up getting some great quality time in the car.
10) Megan busy working on her book report. I'm so impressed she will come home on a Friday and get it done.
11) Adam and I went out and enjoying seeing each other for once. Our evenings have been so busy it's been hard to connect.
12) Ended our night again with the lights. I tell you I can't get enough.

Can you believe that's it? Another year has come and gone. I can honestly say I remember so vividly when this year started and we began this project together it's just so hard to believe we are finished.

I hope you take a chance in the next few days to go through all your images and/or collages you made this year to see the beautiful story you created of your year one day at a time. Honestly it's what keeps me coming back to this project every year.

xo

12of12 reminder

Hello.

I just wanted to remind all of you fellow 12of12ers that tomorrow is the 12th. It's our last and final installment of the year so I hope you are ready to end it in style. 

See you tomorrow!