Happy New Year

Welcome 2011.

2011, wow. First time I've "written" that. New year, new goals, new perspectives... new. Love it. I'm still working on my "hopes" for 2011 and some highlights from 2010. One thing I want to do more of is journaling and documenting our life, so you may see that more on my blog now as it's a great way to go back and remember (or find useful journaling for scrapbook pages when I'm *behind*... or simply working backwards!)

This was our SIMPLE Christmas card this year. Had to be simple. I'm amazed how much time a baby requires in a day and just how little I actually get done - I think that's the part I forgot about it the most. I wake up with a list of things to do and go to bed with the very same list!

You know what though.... I don't really mind. I am savoring this special time. I *do* remember how very quickly they grow up and so those midnight snuggles and morning smiles - *bliss*

There will ALWAYS be dirty dishes, a messy floor, and "hot spots" throughout my house, I'll clean them up.... eventually!

Actually, you'll hear me spouting some FLYlady in the next while as I've decided to get back on my FLYlady routines to bring a little order to this {somewhat} chaotic, but happy, little home.

School starts again tomorrow - I wonder how that will go?

☺

Kraft & Read Red cardstock (SU) and snippets of both SU and Basic Grey design paper. Linen thread, Fiskars border punch, SU rounder punch, clear stickles, copic markers, paper piercing tools, and buttons.

Done.

Braided Headbands

My oldest loves to craft and I love watching her create and find joy & pleasure in all her crafts - everything from paper twirling, to sewing, to drawing, to baking... she's "playing" and enjoying the process of creating. We found this tutorial and Megan loved the headband. So the other day we found some colors and off she went and created this "one of kind" headband in less than an hour! She loves it and is already thinking of color combos and getting ready to make some for her friends.

Christmas week is here!!

Merry Christmas,

❄

Savoring Moments

Two things: First, I am still here. Second, I'm savoring! Do you do that? Savor? When life gets busy....too busy...I tend to shut down. The focus shifts to priorities and everything else hangs in a state of pause. My blog was paused as the children & I finished up school before the holidays, baked special Christmas treats & began soccer season. Wow, it's been busy!! Hopefully I'm back to blogging a little bit more & sharing with you some of our special Christmas moments :)

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas tree is finally up :)

Matthew is 4 months old today!!

Goodbye long shaggy hair, hello my Joshua!!

♥

Quadding in Arizona

Nothing beats quadding in the heat! OK, not too hot (gets stuffy in those helmets!)

Another LO to share - woot! woot!

I'm starting my Christmas cards now so once those are done, I hope to get scrappin' again!

2-page spread

A little close-up

I used a Karen Foster Kit for putting this together and a few embellies I had kicking around.. USING up stuff!! NO MORE HOARDING. :)

I'm having troubles with my printer right now. Bums me out. I know it's CHEAPER to get photos printed at a local print place, but I do like the convenience and smaller sizes I can get off my printer. PLUS, I'm really hoping to do a December Daily album and will need my printer for that. I shall continue to try and figure it out.

Stay tuned.... :)

12 weeks this week

Hard to believe 12 weeks have nearly passed.

We are so blessed.

♥

He is cooing, smiling, giggling, & playing... so precious.

A little at a time....

It's working! {insert big smiles here!!} I'm leaving my scrapbooking stuff out and as I wander by I catch 5 minutes here or 10 minutes there to quickly add this or that. Of course that has forced a bit of homeschooling upstairs, but I can live with that :)

Pages take me longer to do as I don't have big chunks of time, but I am so enjoying the time I am getting between the schooling, laundry, cleaning, meal preparing... well you know!

This is a page from last summer - photos aren't great, bad lighting in here, but I wanted to snap a shot before I put them in the album.

I used a SU scrapbooking kit which helped pull things together (and speed things up), a bunch of letters (as I went through ALL my stickers & rub-ons I found quite a variety!), some new chipboard from Maya Road (aren't those little trees darling?!) ... I was so pleased to get my second spread done - feels good to be on my way.

I got 100+ photos from Walmart and just went through them tonight. SO disappointed, the quality is the pitts. Total waste of $20 plus bucks. Live and learn. I think I will try out shutterfly or another online service next time. For now (as I don't want to break the roll I'm on) I'll try printing a few must haves on the computer and fishing out a few I can save from the pile (ones that we don't all look like we've been smothering ourselves with fake tanning creams!)

I need to start thinking of Christmas cards too! I have a little idea in my head, but my goal is to USE what I HAVE so we'll have to see if I can generate something with supplies I have on-hand. I know it's sort of a lost tradition - sending "real" cards in the mail. I do wonder if people realize we still have postal services and not just e-service :) But I am determined to keep those paper hugs flowing... and I love doing it!

I hope you're finding time in the business of life to create - it sure refreshes me!

♥

15 minutes here and there = SCRAPBOOK TIME!

I did. I finally did it!!

I SCRAPBOOKED!

YAHOOOOO.

Seriously felt like an eternity, but so fantastic to be back!

I have lots I want to scrapbook: our big adventure, our day-to-day and of course Matthew! So I have to step back and go through photos and just work my way back into it :)

Just ordered over a 100 photos from Walmart today so soon I'll be all set - I even ordered some new goodies online that should be arriving this week.

Bring on the inspiration!!

This was the beginning of our big adventure last year - Lincoln City! I think you can click on the image and it will enlarge. Hopefully that works.

I kept it simple. Remember it's been over a year since I had my scrappin' hat on!

Some SU rub-ons along the sides (white & green), a few elements in the way of stickers and rubons... nothing fancy, but I've started, and boy does that feel good!

♥