December Daily 2010 | Closing The Covers

The end of December is here and I am finally putting the finishing touches on my album, and getting ready to put it away until the holidays next year.  This was my first year doing this project, so I wasn't really sure what to expect, or even if I'd be able to finish!  In the end it definitely kept me busy, but I'm really glad I was able to take the time and make this album.  I know my kids and I will enjoy pulling it out at the beginning of the next holiday season and looking back over these memories!

December Daily 2010 | Days Twenty-Four and Twenty-Five

DAY TWENTY-FOUR

Christmas eve is finally here!  For today's page I shared this photo of Matt and the kids snuggling up and reading on the couch (pictured above). 

December Daily 2010 | Days Twenty-One, Twenty-Two, and Twenty-Three

DAY TWENTY-ONE (pictured above)

I so enjoy reading the kids' letters to Santa each year.  This year before they were mailed off I scanned a copy of each and tucked them into these envelopes for Day Twenty-One.  I added the days' number using the Advent Calendar Rub Ons by Making Memories.  It's been so fun using these rub ons with this album...three sheets for something like five bucks...totally worth it.

December Daily 2010 | Days Nineteen and Twenty

DAY NINETEEN (pictured above)

Today's page was another one of the pocket pages in this album.  I added the numbers to the tag using the Making Memories Advent Calendar Rub Ons, and slipped a few things from the past week inside.  A few images from the Christmas cards the kids made for their classmates, some "good for" tickets from Katie (one is to Maggie, good for 'holding you', and the other is to me, good for a hug).  I loved those!  I also included a thumbnail print of some photos from our trip to the Festival of Lights:

December Daily 2010 | Day Eighteen

Hard to believe that Christmas is almost here and December is almost over!  It's been a very busy last week, but thankfully I've managed to find a little time to try and do some catch up on this project.  My album has grown and I am loving it!  I love that I've captured so many memories about this past month that I think otherwise I just wouldn't remember if I hadn't.

Family Photos 2010

A family friend took our photos the other Sunday afternoon.  Thankfully we were lucky enough to get a day without rain so we could capture these moments.  Loving my family right now! 

December Daily 2010 | Days Sixteen and Seventeen

DAY SIXTEEN (pictured above)

Today I thought I'd include a few things that have come from some of our shopping trips this holiday season.  I just matted them onto the page using my Hermafix and played around with some of the Making Memories Noel Advent Calendar Rub Ons and a bit of paper from the same collection.  I included some journaling on the inside of the card: 

December Daily 2010 | Day Fifteen

Today's page is very simple.  It features a photo I took of my daughter earlier in the month.  I added some of Ali Edwards' Loving Life Word Art and some Holiday Word Art to the bottom before printing it out.  Then I matted it onto the patterned cardstock from the Anna Griffin Calisto Christmas collection.  Originally I was going to cover a file folder page with this photo, but it wasn't really working for me so instead I just printed and matted the photo.

December Daily 2010 | Days Thirteen and Fourteen

DAY THIRTEEN

My holiday album wouldn't be the same without highlighting my love of coffee somewhere in there.  Today's page is all about that, and sharing a neat little story about my trip to Starbucks this morning.

December Daily 2010 | Day Twelve

Above is a look at the front of Day Twelve.  We had our holiday photos taken by a friend, and Matt took this shot after we got home. 

December Daily 2010 | Day Eleven

Simplify. Simplify. Simplify.  That is why I love these pocket pages, because they make that so easy to do!  Today pages are very very simple, and for me that's okay.  Things around here have been so busy lately, I really need to keep things simple! 

December Daily 2010 | Day Ten

Today I did a couple of photo enlargements to cover the file folder page for Day Ten.  Loved it!  Especially the contrast between front and back.  The front is very playful and fun (fitting for Josiah) and the back captures the sweet feeling of the photo of Katherine and Maggie.  The front is pictured above. 
I added the sentiment using Ali Edwards' Hand Drawn Brushes and Stamps, as well as the number 10 printed from my computer and a few stickers from the Making Memories Wordfetti Noel collection.  I love his smile.

December Daily 2010 | Day Nine

Today I finshed up one of the pocket pages in my foundation that I was planning on using for Day Nine.  I used one of those Hambly Overlays that I'd heard about and attached it with some tiny brads from a Making Memories Scrapbook Basics Holiday Pack.  I will have to order some more of those overlays to use later because they are really great quality.  Glad for the recommendation on those!   Inside I put a few papers that have come home with the kids from school.  Right now it's very much a school homework dinner routine with little time left over during the weekday, so it'll be nice to have some full days to spend time together and just play.

December Daily 2010 | Day Eight

Welcome to Day Eight of December Daily 2010! 

December Daily 2010 | Day Seven

Well, we are seven days in and already my album is getting full.  Blame that on my penchant towards adding little things with dimension here and there to my pages.  So far this project is so much fun!  I am loving how I step into each day with this kind of expectation of what story I want to share. 

Two Months Old

I love this face.  And of course, everything else about this little one who has changed my life so much.  Most of my days are spent with her.  Feeding her.  Changing her diaper.  Cuddling with her.  Playing with her and listening to her coo.  Sometimes it can be exhausting...the 2 am feedings...trying to find the balance with everything and still find some me time in there...but at the same time I am so in love with this little girl and can't seem to get enough of her.  Her chubby little face...her smiles...the way she just loves to snuggle and listening to her discover her voice.  My precious Maggie Elisabeth...thank you God so much for this little blessing.

December Daily 2010 | Day Six

For day six I decided to use a few photos I've taken of some of the decorations around the house.  I love decorating for the holidays and the magical feeling it creates around me. 

December Daily 2010 | Days Four and Five

One of the things that I love, and also one of the things that's the most challenging, is the busyness that comes with the holiday season.  This last weekend was all about trying to find the balance between doing the fun things I want to do with some of the other tasks I have to do.  I think my pages are going to reflect more and more as the month goes on.  So, I'm keeping it simple so that I actually have a chance to do this album.  Even though there's not a ton of embellishing, I'm really loving how each page turns out. 

December Daily 2010 | Day Three

Day Three highlights some of my favorite photos from trimming the tree.  The card that Josiah is holding is from the Advent Cards project I made for December this year (you can find that project post here).  Each day the kids get to choose one activity from the tree to do.  The end of November and beginning of December have been fairly busy with school and homework, but we've gotten to do a few of the activities so far.  I like that the kids look forward to looking through and choosing something they get to do every day.  Here is the photo for the front of Day Three:

December Daily 2010 | Day Two

 Let me just start by saying I love my Christmas tree. : )  Each year it's a little different, a little better.  I really love the older ornaments passed down from my mom, and the handmade ornaments that Katie and Josiah have made.  I also try to pick up a few ornaments that catch my eye each year to add to my collection of, and Day Two's layout features some of those.  It also tells the story of our tree this year.

December Daily 2010 | Title Page & Day One

Ahh December...it's finally here!  I love love love this month.  Even with the busy schedule and everything that must be done, one of the things that I've been looking forward to is December Daily.  Documenting the holidays as they happen with words and photos.  

Holiday Activity | Advent Action Cards

Around here we are so excited, the holiday season is finally upon us.  One of the things my kiddos enjoy each Christmas is the Advent calendar I made them a few years back.  Each day they look forward to opening that box and discovering what yummy, tiny treat they get to eat!  Here's a picture of it...can't wait to fill it with treats for December:

Mama's Holiday Wish List

Josiah Benjamin, Christmas 2008

It's the day after Thanksgiving today, and a huge pastime for a lot of people today will be, of course, shopping.  Also popular: creating a meal with Thanksgiving day leftovers, watching football, and decorating.  While I typically don't brave the crowds on Black Friday, I do enjoy the rest of this list, and hope to do a little of each today.  While checking out what's up online I happened upon this great giveaway by Today's Mama and GameStop.  They're giving away some great prizes bundles, and a grand prize: a $1,000 GameStop gift card.  All you have to do is participate in Mama's Holiday Wishlist Meme.  So here's my take: 

Halloween Minibook | Part 2

One of the things I'm loving most about this time of year is the chance to quiet down and just stay in, and with school conferences and the Thanksgiving holiday break from school, this week I am getting to do just that.   Having a bit more time and a few evenings free has giving me the chance to finally finish up the Halloween minibook I started earlier in October.  The foundation was already laid out (you can view that earlier post here), the photos I ordered finally arrived, and I was finally able to put the finishing touches on this project. 

December Daily 2010 | An Introduction

One of the things I have looked forward to most about this fall is the anticipation of all the holidays that come at the end of the year, and what they bring with them. Excitement. Joy. Spending time with family. Trying new recipes, enjoying old ones, and gathering around the table to say thank you with our families.  Enjoying the magic on my children's faces on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  These are just a few of the special things about this time of year that I just love.This year I'm excited to participate in a project that is all about capturing the moments and memories of the holidays: December Daily.  This project, made popular by Ali Edwards, is something that has become pretty popular in the past few years, and this year I'll be joining the fun!    You can learn more about this project by checking out Ali's December Daily compilation page, as well as take a look at how others are approaching this project by checking out the December Daily 2010 Flickr gallery.

Welcome Little One

Welcome to the world little one! We welcomed our second daughter Maggie Elisabeth on October 14th, weighing 7 lbs 10 oz, and 20" long.  She is our little peanut and has instantly captured our hearts. : )

Getting Ready to Remember

I love fall.  It is most definitely my favorite part of the year.  Cooler weather, warmer meals, time spent with family, having fun with make believe and giving thanks.  Getting ready for the excitement of Christmas, Santa Clause, hot cocoa, and remembering and celebrating the Christmas story, and why we really celebrate.  These are just a few reasons why. 
I know this year with the baby girl on the way I will be busier than I have been in recent years, so I'm trying now to be as organized and prepared as I can be.  I've been trying to get some of the projects I want to do ready and prepared so that when I'm ready all I need to do is write about the moment and capture it with photos.  I remember so many things this way!  If it wasn't for my hobby of 'scrapbooking' there are a lot of memories and special moments that would simply be lost, but it's amazing how much even a single photograph can remind you of.

Halloween Minibook

With these next few weeks fixing to be probably the busiest of the entire season for us, I've been making sure I have what I need ready so that when I get the chance to document a special memory everything I need is prepped and ready to go, whether it be our baby girl's first moments, Autumn celebrations...I want to be ready.  I thought it would be fun this year to make a minibook of some of the fun activities we like to enjoy around here when October hits, so I took some time to put together the base for a small album.  All that's left is to add my photos and journaling as they happen...I won't have to worry about those fun memories being forgotten or left behind, I can just record as I go. 

Here's a few photos of the base of my project.  Getting this project ready just makes me so excited to enjoy the events as they happen!

Welcome Autumn And All of Your Fun

One of our favorite activities each fall is taking a trip out to Brosi Sugar Tree Farms to visit their pumpkin patch.  The kids always have so much fun there, even though the routine seems to stay the same: hayride, picking just the right pumpkin, navigating the corn maze, then back to the market stand for snacks and silly photo taking.  Here's a few of my favorite shots of the kids from the day.  Oh Autumn, how we love you! ♥

Expecting Baby

Over the past few days I've been doing little things here and there to get ready for the arrival of the new baby girl. 

Baby Love and Thank You Cards

Thought I'd share this pic of the centerpiece from this past weekends baby shower. Too cute! Those ladies totally blessed me...a nice way to celebrate baby girls upcoming arrival! 

I'd thought about ordering some thank you cards, maybe something personalized from Shutterfly, but decided against it after looking at the price...more than I wanted to spend and not personal enough; and since the packaged thank you cards I saw in town just weren't gonna cut it, I decided to make them myself.

I was doing this on a budget, so I decided to use supplies I already had on hand, and came up with a design I could put together without using adhesive (clever and thrifty).  After a little brainstorming and sketching a few different ideas I came up with this:

Freedom From Fear

Being just a few weeks away from having our daughter, I've had lots of different thoughts running through my mind, and a mixture of varying emotions that come and go.  Ahh the roller coaster of pregnancy hormones!  For me the best way to deal with these is to find out what God says.  So I did a little searching, and happened upon this on Joyce Meyer's  website, so good I had to share it!  Here's an excerpt:

Picture Day

I don't have a very good memory, especially of my school years as a child, but one of the things that helps is looking back at some of my old school photos.  Picture day for me was always so exciting!  Making sure I looked just right, with my outfit and hair just as I thought it should be...I would even practice smiling to see which 'look' I liked best. : ) Silly, I know (did every little girl do this?).  Now that I'm a mom picture day for me is just as exciting.  I love doing what I can and helping to make sure my kiddos have good memories of those childhood experiences.  I may or may not decide to order the school photos depending on how they turn out (leaning more towards may though, since I can't help but think my kids are the cutest things since sliced bread!), so this morning we took a few photos to capture the moment for each child.  Hopefully when they grow older they'll be able to look back at these photos and remember this part of their school experience fondly. I know I will!

Josiah ~ 2nd Grade

Yakima and the Columbia River Gorge, WA

Towards the end of August Matt and I took a trip up to Washington to see Keith Urban and John Mayer perform live at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, WA.  Along the way back we made several stops and photographed the landscape, which was stunning!  Here's a few photos I've edited from that trip.

One. Two. Three.

A few photos I got this last week, completely capturing the spirit of my little boy.  I caught a glimpse of these couch acrobatics and knew I had to get a shot, and of course he was obliging.  I love my boy.

One...

...two...

...three!

Get Comfy

It's funny how something like a warm coffee (oh Starbucks, how I love your fall flavors!) can make me feel all comfy and peaceful.  It seems like a lot of my time lately has been focused on getting comfortable.  36+ weeks along and I've been nesting like crazy.  Washing baby clothes, picking up little things here and there for her. ♥   Organizing. Cleaning.  Decorating.  Making the little nooks and crannies of my house (yes, my tiny little house)  feel homey and warm.  Getting settled into fall, or at least what is the end of summer.  Doing my best to accept where I am at this moment, and not worry about the future and it's uncertainties.  Reminding myself of what I need to do to stay centered, and just take it one day at a time instead of trying to jump to a place that I won't be ready for until later.  Good things come to those who wait!  This little saying is so true.  So...here's a few scriptures that are really relevant for me right now, and a few photos capturing this last week.

Finding My Time Niche for Fall | Meal Planning & Shopping List

Even though I love many things that come with the change of season, the back to school transition always means a change of schedule, and leaves me looking for ways to make the most of my time.  If you know me well you know that I love to organize.  Something about having everything in order just makes me feel at peace and way less stressed!  One helpful tool I found is this weekly shopping list idea from Becky Higgins (you can download a free template of it here).  While this template was just about perfect for me, I did a little tweaking and came up with this:

I like the idea of having the weeks meals and my shopping list all on one page, and when I need more room for my grocery list (like this week--and maybe every week) I just flip the sheet over and add to it.

A New School Year Begins

Summer is finally over!  Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed spending my days with the kids, getting the chance to go on some great weekend outings and visit California on vacation, and our lazy summer routine.  But...there's just something I love about fall.  Getting settled back into our school routine and finding our niche timewise, enjoying warmer meals around the table, the changing colors of the trees, and knowing that the holidays are just around the corner.  I love it.  The kids started school this week...here are a few shots I got during the first few days back:

Project: Friends Album

I made this mini-album to highlight some of the close friendships that I've had, some since junior high, and some over the past few years.  Each page features a favorite photo and a few highlights about that friend. 

My Mind's Eye Blog Challenge #14 | Summertime

A few pics of the project I made for the My Mind's Eye blog challenge.  Entering these gives me a little creative fun in my spare time, and I thought this project would be cute to put in Katie's room when I'm done.

Sunday Evening in August

Sunday evening in August...we spent the evening at Stewart Park.  Picnic dinner, sand vollyball, the kids played in the sand while I relaxed and got the chance to catch up with some friends.  I love summer evenings like this and will miss the slow routine of summer when school starts back up.

A Few Thoughts on Friendship

Lately my heart has been very heavy about some close relationships that seem to just be left out in the desert. I've tried to understand it, I've tried to fix it...to no avail. Sometimes people close doors and you don't really understand why (even if you think you do). I think a lot of women can relate to how I feel at some point in their life. I am saddened because these relationships were precious to me.

Well I woke up this morning feeling such peace! I know that even though I feel alone, there is something that God wants to do in me during this time. I trust that God knows my desire to have friendships that are going to enrich my life...the kind of soul mate friends that will be there through all of the changes and seasons that I will inevitably encounter.  Perhaps He will bring new friendship into my life.  Or strengthen current relationships.  Or possibly even revive old friendships from the dead!  I know that anything is possible. 

God did not design us to be an island, to walk through life's journey alone.  He created us for relationship.  So I'm not going to lose heart....I know there is a purpose for why I feel like I am walking this part of my journey alone.  And I know that I am not alone!  I think there are secrets that God wants to reveal in my heart that maybe could not happen any other way, and that is something sweet to anticipate!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

On Turning Thirty...

Kind of hard to believe that I'm going to be thirty in about a week. It's amazing to me how quickly life passes by. Here's something I put together with a few thoughts on this transition and a current photo of me.

Journaling:  The countdown is on to the day I turn thirty years old.  Hmmm...I suppose I am "officially" a full-fledged adult now?  That's funny, because I still feel very young at heart, and young at life!  All proof to me that life really does pass by too quickly.  So let's take an assessment of where I "am" in life.  Twenty-nine.  Mother of two, with one on the way.  College grad.  Weathering life's storms.  Discovering what it means to learn and grow from my downfalls as well as my achievements.  Falling in love with my first love all over again and thanking God every day for the chance to start over!  Reaffirming who I am.  Anticipating the next step in this journey called life.  Some people dread their thirties.  I think mine are going to rock! ♥