A Change in the Air... Moving!

Friends of Pretty Organizer,

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.  I've received a lot of loving letters and questions about where I've been all year.  Well, I've always said that I work with priorities and this year the priority has been my family.  Like many of you dear readers, the Pretty Organized family has been busy with budgeting, job hunting, teenager raising, preschooler schooling and figuring out how to keep all of our plates spinning at the same time.  Thank you to you sweethearts who amid your own busy lives, take the time to reach out to the bogging recluse (me) and spread your well wishes and desire to keep in touch.

In an effort to keep in touch, I happily announce that the Pretty Organized family is moving!  Yes, that sweet friend Melissa at The Inspired Room, I'm in the middle of packing during Christmas... and it's a bit messy, and chaotic, and at the same time, a great excuse to slow down all of the fluff and focus on things that matter.  We're leaving beautiful Arizona and heading to Dallas, Texas!  Hubby has been working there since the beginning of October so you can imagine my excitement to join him with the six kids.  Don't be a stranger.  I may get back to regular posts and would love to hear about how "ya'll" are doing:)

As a result of simplifying this year, North Pole Secretary will not be offering Santa Letters.  Santa's secretary decided to buy a $9 silver tinsel Wal Mart tree and set it in a corner this year.  That's it.  We plan to move the day after Christmas so decorations are on the sparse side.  Please visit again next year as I'm sure Santa's secretary will be ready to take orders for deserving kids to receive their personal letters from Santa.  I actually miss the letter business terribly right now. It was such a blessing to read the accomplishments of children all over the states.

I hope you have a blessed holiday season and please feel free to keep in touch!

Send ME your kids letter to Santa!

Okay,
I'll admit.  Business is slow.  VERY slow.  The economy has taken it's toll and my usual first batch of letters has shrunk to below 2/3rds of what it normally is.  SO, being the momprenuer that I am, or have to be, I'm adjusting my business strategy... tweaking things to make them better.

Send ME your kids letters to Santa.  I will reply with a personal note on their letters, send the original letters WITH  a personalized letter postmarked from North Pole Alaska, and an instruction for the kids to put them in their scrapbook!  I'm only offering this bonus to people who purchase letters on my website and mark "Write Back" in the PROMO code area (so I know to look for your letters).  Letters to Santa need to arrive at my house by no later than DEC. 10th!

If you're interested, hurry and purchase your letter(s) at my website www.NorthPoleSecretary.com and contact me via email at NorthPoleSecretary@cox.net so I can match up who has purchased and start looking for your letters in my box.  Letters can also be emailed to NorthPoleSecretary@cox.net  I will print those letters and include them with your personalized letter.

Looking forward to reading all of those wish lists!
Thanks for your business and please pass it on!!
Pretty Organizer

Visit the Website, Click on the Button Below!

A Mom's Letter to Me about convincing her "doubter."

I think I have glue poisoning from licking all of those Santa Letter envelopes... I might go blind.  I'll need a braille machine soon.  Still not too late to order from Here. Friday, December 10th is the LAST DAY!!  Your letters help me to wrap up Christmas for my kiddos and I know they'll help make Christmas special for your kiddos too.  

Check out what one mom said about the letter she sent her kids from Santa...

I've had the North Pole Secretary send my kids letters for the past 2 years now. The first year, my skeptic 8 year old looked at the return address on the envelope for probably 2 minutes straight. You could see the "wheels turning in his head" as he finally had to admit that Santa had indeed sent him a letter. At that time, my 6 year old was ecstatic that Santa sent him a letter and even more excited to find out what Santa might bring him! Last year we wrote to Santa to let him know we were okay with a few less toys so he could give them to other kids who needed them more. They were touched that Santa would acknowledge their kindness.
These letters have helped my older children hang on to the magic a little longer, my younger children glow with excitement - and reminded all of them that Christ is the real reason for this joyous holiday.
Heidi B.

Whether Santa delivers your mail into here...

or this fancy lady here....

It will all arrive from the North Pole (with cancellation stamp), with a message from Santa about Christ and service, and be personalized to your kiddo. Check out the sample letters at NorthPoleSecretary.com.  Due to the amount of families with tight funds, we have made Family Letters this year to reduce your cost.  Just $18 to include everyone in one letter WITH a pat on the back from Santa for a family accomplishment!
I'm printing tonight, mailing them to the North Pole tomorrow and every Monday until they're out!

Teaching your Kids to Serve

As Thanksgiving and Christmas quickly approach, there are many opportunities to involve our kiddos in one of the greatest life teaching experiences available: Service.  Somehow, our children transform when they are serving... and so do we.  Whether you host a car wash to raise money for a needy family, mow a neighbors lawn or offer to babysit for free so a couple you know can enjoy a much needed night out... the act of serving softens hearts and creates relief for those you've served and gratitude, empathy, love and family unity for the ones who offer service.  True service is born of love and enlarges the capacity of those who give to give more the next time.

This little punk-a-noodle is mine. She's 4.  She worries about how much milk is in HER glass, who's playing with HER doll, and why the gift we brought to her friend's birthday party isn't going home with HER.  As a family we have enjoyed small moments of serving together and as a parent I LOVE watching the transformation in my children.  We clean the church together on Saturday.... on Sunday they treat the church with more respect.  We babysit for a family who has kids with special needs... my kids take pride in teaching those kids all of the things they're good at and together all the children feel love and are unified.  We make cookies for a neighbor who's struggling.... we watch with excitement and love when those neighbors smile and know we love them.

What I have learned from giving service:

• We love those we serve... if we didn't before, we do after we truly serve them.
• My capacity to accomplish MANY things increases when I serve.  Somehow everything gets done.  There's always time to do something for someone in need.
• My children feel better about themselves.
• My children are grateful, excited to serve again, and truly happy.
• We all have SOMETHING to give.  

WARNING:: Sometimes it is necessary to receive service... graciously.  PLEASE, when someone wants to serve you, let them!  Perhaps you could fold those clothes all by yourself or would get around to mowing your lawn but it's OKAY to allow others a chance to serve and love you... and it's okay to feel relief that a little burden has been lightened.  Just consider how good YOU feel when you give service and allow others the opportunity to bless you!

What opportunities are you taking to teach your kids service?  Do you have traditions this time of year that help you focus on service and the spirit of Thanksgiving or Christmas?  

Kids Activities for Thanksgiving Day

Family Fun:: Turkey Day Awards

I love gathering with my family for Thanksgiving Day.  While I look forward to visiting with relatives and eating fantastic food there are the moments that I try to rehearse in my head.... they involve hungry children- 6 of them, a well decorated house FULL of people( the house isn't mine), and nice dinnerware.... a combination that is sure to make any mothers heart fail.  And, if the mother's heart doesn't fail, the grand-mother, great-grandmother or OCD Aunt's WILL!

From Blissfully Domestic

So how do you get the family together, let the parents talk, watch the kids, AND keep them out of the kitchen and away from the china?  Well, if you're my family, you give up on china.  My mother informed me we were having decorated paper plates over gold chargers... problem solved for me, no breakables... problem solved for her....less dishes!

Here are a few other links for crafs and things to keep your kiddos occupied during dinner prep.
Several Thanksgiving crafts, coloring pages, puzzles ect.  at Kaboose.com
Thankful Leaf pages... let your guests write what they're thankful for! Family Fun

Photo Pilgrim Napkin rings... featuring your family!  Let you kids put them together.

Time to Get Ready for Christmas.  Order a Letter from the North Pole... Only 18 days left.  

NorthPoleSecretary.com

What do you do to keep your chipmunks under thumb for Thanksgiving Day?

Getting your kids to Write Letters To Santa... with a reply!

Just had a friend send me the letters her kids wrote to Santa.  I'm going to put them in with the letters she bought for her kids with a note from Santa to put them in their scrapbooks.  Santa will also scrawl a few comments on their lists!   If you want to buy letters and send me your kiddos Christmas lists or letters to Santa, Message me or leave a comment and I'll give you my address.  (No axe murderers or crazy people please.)

Visit my website to order the letters.  If you want to send me all your kiddos Christmas lists and just purchase a Family letter (a cheaper option for large families) I'm happy to send your kiddos lists back in the envelope postmarked from the North Pole.  What will your children think!?!?!?  So much fun!

Don't forget to put RR (Reeces Rainbow) in the PROMO code area to dedicate your funds to little Jaysons adoption expense fund! 

Only accepting orders until Dec. 10th.  Hurry and order now while you have the change in your pockets (think Black Friday) and cross one thing off your list. TRUST ME, this will be something your kids will LOVE.  It's an amazing magical memory. Visit NorthPoleSecretary.com

The Angel Tree... Christmas with Reeces Rainbow

This is Jayson.  I love him.  I've never met him and if I didn't already have 6 punk-a-noodles, I'd be on a plane to get him!     I'm so excited to tell you about our Christmas Angel Fund Drive.

North Pole Secretary will be raising funds for Reece's Rainbow ,

a non-profit agency that helps fund adoption expenses for children with Down syndrome

35% OF ALL SALES

WITH THE PROMO CODE: RR

WILL GO STRAIGHT TO

JAYSONS ADOPTION GRANT.

Individual letters are $8
A letter to your family is $18

The letters are very detailed and are personalized for your kiddo/family and come postmarked from the real North Pole, Alaska. All letters also recognize your child for an accomplishment this year and talk about the Savior,serving and the true meaning of Christmas.

THE STORY

::My Amazing Friend Shawnie::

Shawnie has 4 children with Down Syndrome.  3 of them she birthed on her own (Braxton returned to Heaven after a year), and the fourth is a cutie she adopted from Serbia.   Shawnie and I share a love no a PASSION for adoption.  After going through the adoption process, your heart is forever empathetic to parents who are searching for their children and the struggles (financial, emotional, etc.) that they go through to get their kiddos. Shawnie is even more empathetic to parents lookng for children with Down Syndrome.  I love Shawnie.

My friend Shawnie introduced me to an organization called Reeces Rainbow.  This non-profit helps to provide adoption grants to parents for orphan children with Down Syndrome.  These darling children are waiting for families and find them quicker when their adoption expenses are paid down.

You may know that I run NorthPoleSecretary to help pay down the adotion debt I incurred with my 2 girls. That's a whopping $50K price tag.  Jayson's adoption will cost $25K.   Well, we've been very blessed by the kindness of others over the years to have our wonderful girsl.  We wanted to find a way to give back and help with those outrageous fees and help Jayson find a family even faster.

I hope you will consider purchasing a letter for you kiddos.  I'd love to see Jayson's adoption fund beefed up for those future parents who are looking for their boy and who may just need to have a little relief in the pocket book. 

This is such a fun memory for your kiddos. This is also a fun way to keep kids on their toes through December... parents tell me that their kids were extra good because they got an early letter and knew Santa was watching them! I have clients who order this as a tradition every year!

Last day to order is Dec. 10th.

Letters will begin to be sent out right after Thanksgiving for a Pre-Christmas delivery!

Please visit the website www.NorthPoleSecretary.com to order and pay with debit/credit through PayPal. ON THE ORDERING PAGE THERE IS A PLACE FOR A PROMO CODE. PLEASE ENTER RR SO WE CAN RAISE LOTS FOR THE ANGEL TREE FUND!!!

through Dec. 10th.