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