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.