"It's that time of year" Christmas in August?

The setting: August 16th, 8:00 pm, in Phoenix ARIZONA. Guess what's on my mind?

Christmas cards.

Yes, you read that right. It sounds crazy, I know. But you need to understand, I am NOTORIOUS for having great intentions, and then not remembering or not having enough time to follow through. And every year, I SWEAR I'll send my Christmas cards out the day after Thanksgiving. But I run out of time.

After all, those things are TIME CONSUMING!

• Buy the cards (or find the ones you bought last year at the after Christmas sales...who can remember where they are? Not me!)
• Print out the list of recipients (You DO have a separate database for those contacts, right?)
• Type up the "what we've done for the past year" update letter
• Get the copies of the family photo you want to include
• Sign each card
• Stuff the letters into the cards
• Stuff the pictures into the cards
• Stuff the card (complete with above mentioned items) into an envelope
• Address the envelope
• Stick your return address labels onto the envelopes
• Stick the stamps onto each of the envelopes
• Go to the post office
• Send out the cards

Whew! That makes me tired just thinking about all that is involved.  But I've got a better way this year, and
I'm so excited!  Since Christmas cards were on my mind today, I decided to go ahead and send them....NOW. Can you even imagine?! Here's the way I'm doing it this year:

• Log onto SendOutCards.
• Upload my favorite picture of my daughters and I together
• Create the card's front by using the picture and adding a festive frame (that is a part of the SendOutCards Picture Plus! system)
• Write out the inside of the card, wishing happy holidays and a brief personalized message
• Send the card as a campaign (the system will input the names from my pre-determined list of recipients)
• Choose the date I want the cards to go out (December 1st would be good, don't you think?)
• Click Send

Wow! Guess how long it took me? About a half an hour....but only because I was having a hard time choosing what picture to use! And just like that, my Christmas cards are ready to go! And just because I'm doing it on the computer doesn't mean it sends an email-card. No....this will send actual high-quality greeting cards out via the US Postal Service.
If I want, I can change them later. But at least now I know I'm covered, just in case I once again get too busy in the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving to think much about my holiday cards.
And if you know me at all, you know that this in and of itself is truly a miracle! You have no idea how excited I am to turn over this new leaf!
Until Next Time, remember to Card Everyone!
Jacki