My Favorite Blogs to Read

Happy New Year! Each new year brings a great time to reflect and plan for the coming year.
One thing I'd like to focus on this year with my blog is to be more defined in the topics I write about and really find my niche when it comes to blogging.

There are several bloggers I really look up to and find inspiration from.
There are so many blogs that I love reading or following on their social channels,
so I wanted to share a few of my favorites!

Images from respective bloggers Instagram profile pictures:
@juliahengel
@carly
@ashleybrookedesigns
@emilyschuman

Julia from Gal to Glam
Julia Engel from Gal Meets Glam is one of my favorite bloggers to follow on social media. She and her husband take all these fabulous trips and I love getting to see where they go! They recently moved to Charleston which is one of my favorite southern cities and I think she's just so classy, I love her style and she's a blogger I really look up to!

I even had the chance to get to meet Julia in person a few weeks ago when she and her husband came to Atlanta for the day.

Meeting Julia in Atlanta

Gal Meets Glam Blog
Gal Meets Glam Instagram

Carly from The College Prepster
The College Prepster was the first blog I really started following on a regular basis back in college.
I appreciate how open and honest Carly is on her social channels and through her blog. She has great style, advice and is about my age so easy to relate to.

We share a love for Lilly Pulitzer, dogs, fitness and we both started our blogs while we were in college. I would love to get to meet Carly one day!

The College Prepster Blog
The College Prepster Instagram

Ashley from ABD Designs Blog
I discovered Ashley on social media a few years ago with the adorable mugs she designs! She makes many other precious products that I wish I could buy ALL OF THE THINGS! She just came out with these adorable workout tanks and I just can't wait to buy one. Her ABD shop has the perfect girly gift ideas for friends, coworkers, your mom, sister, etc.

I had the opportunity to meet Ashley over Christmas and she's so joyful, generous and down to earth!

My first ABD Mug that I keep at work and admire each day!
Houston gave this to me for Christmas a few years ago.

Ashley Brooke Designs Blog
Ashley Brooke Designs Instagram

Emily from Cupcakes & Cashmere
My sister, Betsy introduced me to Emily Schuman from Cupcakes & Cashmere several years ago. I think Emily has the cutest ideas and I love her book my mom gave me a few years ago about styling, receipes and hosting ideas.

Cupcakes & Cashmere Blog
Cupcakes & Cashmere Instagram

I have more of my favorite blogs listed on the right side of my blog under "Favorite Blogs."
Do you have any favorite bloggers you keep up with?

xox, A

Merry Christmas from the Houghs!

Wishing you and your family a very, Merry Christmas!

And CHEERS to exciting adventures ahead in 2017!

Love, Anna & Houston

Christmas Cookie Exchange

This year, I hosted my second annual Christmas Cookie Exchange.

For 25 years, my mom hosted her own cookie exchange for friends and she has passed the tradition along to me! 

My mom and sister Betsy flew up from Orlando to come to the party which was so special to me to have them here with me.

I used Postable to mail out invitations for the party making it super easy!

(Also used Postable to send our Christmas cards this year)

I asked friends to bring 3 dozen cookies to share. I made homemade Nutmeg Cookie Logs which are a family staple for us at Christmas. They certainly take some time to make but are SO worth it!

It was also helpful to have ladies bring some food to help me, which was a lesson I learned last time.

I had some Christmas music playing in the background from a Spotify playlist I created. When ladies arrived, I had them sign the guestbook (I'm hoping to keep the guest list going each year), then we mingled in the kitchen for a while. My sister helped me make 

a simple and delicious Champagne cocktail which I shared the recipe on the blog last week. 

Then we took our food and sat in the living room while I read the Christmas story out of the Bible in Luke Chapter 2. I enjoy getting to read it at the Cookie Exchange with friends, I rarely get to hear it myself except during church on Christmas Eve so I loved sharing it.

Here are a few pictures from our fun night together!

So special to have my mom and sister Betsy fly up from Orlando just for the Cookie Exchange

Champagne cocktail recipe here

I love hosting and enjoyed having such special friends over!!

xox, A

Christmas Champagne Cocktail Recipe

Last night was my 2nd Annual Christmas Cookie Exchange and I knew I could count on WhitneyA for a brilliant and simple cocktail idea and she didn't disappoint!

Check out the recipe and video below for instructions on how to replicate:

Ingredients

2 bottles champagne/sparkling wine

2 cups pear nectar/juice

2 cups cranberry juice

Garnish with mint leaves and frozen cranberries

Have you had any fun, holiday cocktails recently you'd like to share? 

Please add them in the comments section!

xox, A

PS - I'll share more on the Cookie Exchange later, but wanted to share this cocktail recipe since there were a few requests via Instagram 🎄🍾🍪

The Easiest Way to Mail Christmas Cards

One thing I love - and certainly got from my amazing mother - is the love of Christmas cards! 

But as a working young professional, I don't always have the time to address and mail them myself. 

That's why I love Postable.com. 

This company makes it super easy to collect addresses from your friends and family to create your own address book, then you can use their website to send all kinds of cards (not just Christmas cards) like birthday, anniversary, thank you notes, invitations, the list goes on and on.

So for the past two years, I've uploaded a picture of Houston and I and picked out a Christmas card design I liked. Then selected who to send cards to from my address book and the best part...

they address and mail them for you!!!!!

Seriously, I wish I came up with this idea. Jump on over to Postable.com and check out their cute Christmas cards to choose from!

Here are our Christmas cards from the past 2 years that we ordered from Postable.com:

2014 Christmas Card

2015 Christmas Card

Trying to decide which adorable card to use this year from their Christmas card designs!

xox, A

PS - This is not a sponsored post, but Postable.com if you want to pay me I would happily accept 😉

I love to tell others about your company!