Project 365

Just a quick post before we leave town...
How many of you are planning on doing Project 365?

It's the latest Kit of the Month, available January 1 through Creating Keepsakes/Lisa Bearnson/Becky Higgins.
The concept behind it is that you preserve a piece of your life every day for a year.
Check out Becky's December 27 post for her description.
You can start any day, you just need to capture at least one thing each day, such as a photo, a receipt, just anything having to do with that day.
I started today, (yes, even though the kit doesn't go on sale 'till January 1) and am going to have my week go from Monday to Sunday. I think that will be easier for me since I'm used to the school and work week being Monday to Sunday.
Now the only catch...
I'll be at my inlaw's on the 1st when it goes on sale, and they only have dial-up since they live on the side of mountain, in the middle of nowhere. I'm hoping I can get it before it sells out!
Anyway, I think it will be a fun way to remember 2009.
Have a great New Year's Eve!

~Sunday

Here's a picture from Christmas morning.
Both the little kids were up early.
Both the big kids, not so much.
We had a wonderful day, Santa was very good to us all.
The festivities continued on into yesterday as I
celebrated my birthday.
It feels great to be 29. again. (ha-ha!)
Now were off to my inlaws up North to celebrate Christmas and New Years with them.
p.s. Here's a BIRTHDAY shout out to my buddy Scrapbook Joe.
His birthday is tomorrow, but I'll be out of town, so I gotta tell him today...
Happy 45th, I hope it's the best EVER!!
We need to get together to celebrate!!

~Twas the Night Before Christmas...

and the Gingerbread House has been built,

the Reindeer Food has been spread on the front lawn by an 8 year old that maybe still believes,

a cute little baby is ready for her First Christmas,

and from our house to yours,

and we wish you a very Merry Christmas!

~Brrrr!

I'm loving this cold weather we are having.
It really "feels" like Christmas is coming!
Here's a pic of Miss Gracie as we left for a walk today.

And the winner is...

.....MonicaLaPalmaCA. Congrats to you!
Please email me at picsnpages@verizon.net with your address so I can send your package of goodies.

Thank you to everyone who left comments about
what you are looking forward to this Christmas.
Here at our house, we are looking forward to spending time together as a family.
The boys are all out of school now for winter break.
My in-law’s are coming down next week.
We are going to spend the days before New Years in Mammoth.
My middle son Austin is 19 today…Happy Birthday!
and my birthday is a week from tomorrow.
(I’ll be 29 ha-ha)
I love this time of year, lots of celebrating and just being together.

How About a RAK?? **Random Act of Kindness**

In the spirit of the Season, how about a RAK??
I'll draw a name on Friday evening at 10pm,
so you have until then to enter.
Just leave a comment about
"What You Are Looking Forward To
The Most This Holiday Season"
(be sure to leave your name!)

I've put together a little collection from my stash of some of my favorite Christmas scrapbooking goodies.
I'll mail it out to the winner on Saturday!
Happy Holidays!

~Girls Day Out

Gracie and I had a fun filed day of shopping, and lunch at Shenandoah Cafe with our friend Merle. Of course I had to do a layout about our girls day out!

~A layout to share!

This is one of the layouts I came up with yesterday.
I love this photo of Andrew holding Gracie.
I still can't believe my oldest is 21,
and my youngest is 4 weeks.
Another quick and easy layout
(that took less than 15 minutes), but hey, it's done!

~Wednesday

Gracie and I are at home today. She is sitting in her bouncer next to me while I'm scrapbooking. We're having a great time!

~Time Flies

Wow what a week it's been!
I'm not sure what has kept us so busy, but it seems like just yesterday was Thanksgiving. Boy how time flies.
In between all the busyness this week, I found a few minutes to come up with these layouts. Super simple, but I think the days of 1 hour layouts are gone for awhile :) When Miss Gracie calls, the scrapbookin' has to stop, so right now it's print the photos, grab some cute paper and be done with the layout.
I'm almost caught up on Tucker's school album though, so I can't complain!
Speaking of Tucker...
Yesterday was his 8th birthday.
He wanted to go to the LA Zoo, so we took him and a friend, and had a great time.
I can't believe my baby boy is 8.
Wasn't he just 3 weeks old like Gracie is right now??
Yep, time flies.

Target Girl

Here's a picture of Gracie's first shopping day. Those of you that know me well would expect nothing less right??
You gotta love Target!
We're heading out of town tomorrow afternoon to spend Thanksgiving with my Mom and Dad in-law, and the rest of the family. There's a possibility there might be snow up in there area...keeping my fingers crossed!
We'll be back Sunday with pictures to share, and maybe some layouts too. I have some cardstock and other fun things packed, and I'm hoping to get some scrapbooking done while were there.
Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving

~The Weekend

I scrapbooked a little this weekend.
Here's 2 of the layouts.


I'm feeling better everyday.
We even took Gracie out for her first shopping adventure to Target of course!
Yes, I took the camera!
I'm loving being a mom to my sweet baby girl and her 3 big brothers.
**after I finished the layout of Tucker and Gracie, I showed it to Tucker. He looked at it said, "Well ya, except that if I was a Super Hero, I would be able to fly".
Ahhh kids.

~Tuesday

Things are getting back to normal today. I'm not quite as sore, and was able to stand up without Clayton having to help. Yeah!
Sore or not, there are still pictures to be taken,
here's one from this morning.
***Thanks for all your emails and good wishes, it's nice to know we are loved!***

She's Here!

Gracie is finally here, and we couldn't be happier!
She arrived Thursday afternoon weighing 9 lbs. 1 oz. and 21" long, via C-section which kinda threw in some excitement to say the least.
We are home as of last night, and doing well.
I'm not sure that I will ever walk upright again, but the pain can't last forever right??
Here's a quick picture of sweet Gracie. I've taken over 150, but those will have to wait...time to go rest again!

~Looking Forward to Thursday...

Today is Wednesday, but here's where I'll be tomorrow at 5:45 a.m.
I've never been induced before, so we'll see how it goes. We are excited, but a bit nervous too. It seems like it's been forever getting here, but now that I know the exact day and time, ummmmm can I maybe have one more day. LOL
I'll be back in a few days to share the first pics of baby Gracie!

Love These!

Here's a peek at the pictures we had taken yesterday.
These are my two favorites...of course I loved them all!
Today is Clayton's birthday, and since he's still not feeling great, I think we will celebrate at home tonight. He's hoping we will be celebrating at the hospital with Gracie, but somehow I don't think that's happening today.

~Thursday

Still no baby!
My due date is technically 10 days away still, but I sure was hoping she would be here early.
Clayton and Tucker were both home sick today...soooo not a good thing. I don't need to catch whatever they both have!
I got my haircut today, soooo much a good thing! I haven't had it high-lighted/colored/cut since February, because I didn't want any of the chemicals while I was pregnant, especially in the beginning. But I'm far enough along now that all is ok.
I didn't sleep hardly at all again last night...not a good thing, but while I was up, I scrapbooked, definitely a good thing. I got 5 layouts done. A not so good thing though, since I can't stand very long (which is how I like to scrapbook) I was sitting on the floor. It looks like a tornado went through my scrapbook room!! Ugh!! Now I have to put it all away. Ummm maybe tomorrow. Here is my first ultrasound pic...had to get that one finished for Gracie's album. (it's not really crooked, just me taking a crooked picture)
Clayton and I have an appointment tomorrow to have pictures taken. (assuming he is feeling better) I've always wanted to have pictures taken while I was pregnant, but just never did. Since this is the last baby, I figured I better do it, or I know I would always regret it. Nothing like waiting 'till the last minute. I'm hoping they are a good thing!
The bracelet I ordered for Gracie (see September 15 post) arrived. It is so cute!!
I ordered the one with white pearls, and now I think she might need one with pink pearls too. Remember my motto, a girl can never have too many bracelets!
One more good thing...I noticed tonight that I've had over 10,000 hits on my blog. WOW! I can't believe in just a year and a half that that many people dropped in to see what this crazy scrapbooker and her family are up to. Thanks for stopping by!

~Another Layout to Share

Here's another layout I made last night for Gracie's scrapbook. It's an older ultrasound from June, but I want to include all of the ultrasounds in her album. A few more layouts to go, then I'm ready for hospital pictures. I just wish I was this caught up on her 3 older brother's albums!!

**I went to the dr.'s today for another check-up. If I haven't had the baby by next Wednesday (the 12th) he will induce me on Thursday.

~Waiting and Scrapbooking

Here's a layout I did for Gracie's album. I love being able to use pink paper, glitter and rhinestones!
14 days and counting, but today would be just fine.
Clayton is holding out 'till the 8th (his birthday)
but like I said, today would be just fine!

~Wednesday

We got home late last night from Great-Grandpa Joe's funeral. It was a nice service, and a very enjoyable afternoon spending time with family and old friends.
After everyone had left, we spent some time walking around the farm. That was the hardest part, realizing it's the end of an era. There's a developer that has wanted the property for quite some time to build houses on, and since there really isn't anyone to live there now, it will probably be torn down in the near future. It's strange to think of this huge piece of land, that goes as far as the eye can see, full of houses someday.
We picked grapes, pomegranates and apples from the trees, sat on the old tractor one last time, told stories and just enjoyed being there as a family.
I took a ton of pictures and tried to capture some of the memories we all have of the 'ol farm.





**I went to the dr. today for a check-up. Gracie is doing fine, and growing quite well, that means I get to go back on Monday to check her size again. He's just making sure she doesn't get to that 9 lbs he is thinks she might be. Ugh!

~Friday~

I've been printing pictures this afternoon so I can go scrapbook tomorrow at my LSS. It will be my last time to go to a crop for awhile (only 23 days to go until my due date!) so I'm going to try and get caught up on Tucker's school pictures.
As I was looking through all the photo files in my computer, I came across this picture from this past March of Tucker running down Grandma and Grandpa's dirt road. I love it. He's running along without a care in the world.
We will be heading up to Grandma and Grandpa's again on Monday for my Mother-in-Law's Dad's funeral. I'm hoping to take more pictures like this one.
Pretty soon he will have a little sister following him down the dirt road. I can't wait!
Have a great weekend!

Stephanie's Blog

I "met" Stephanie earlier this year through the internet.
She is an awesome scrapbooker, and I love seeing all the fun things she makes.
She is also the wife to Jimmy, a soldier serving in Afghanistan.
Check out Stephanie's Blog post from October 22 that has a news report from the Today Show.
I don't know how she goes on knowing this is the danger Jimmy faces everyday.

I scrapped tonight!

A quick layout I did tonight. I should have scanned it instead of taking a picture...the color is off. Oh well.
I'm going to add this journaling tomorrow when I'm not so tired, and my handwriting isn't so sloppy:

When Tucker came home from
School today, I showed him the
ultrasound from my dr.'s
visit this morning.
He looked at it and said
“look mommy, Gracie has a halo.”
I had looked at that same picture
at least 10 times throughout the day
and all I saw was the dark oval of amniotic
fluid surrounding her head.
He looked at it for 2 seconds and saw a
halo. If we all could only see the world
through the eyes of a child, what an amazing
place it would be!

~Friday~

Today was my first day at home. It was so nice to just kick back and relax!
I ran a few errands, scrapbooked a little, ordered this sweet pink and green owl clock for my scrapbook room
(perfect clock for a scraproom right?? Yep, I'm up way too late, and a true Night Owl while in my own little oasis of a scrap room) and tonight I am taking Tucker to see a play while Daddy is working.
Here's to 30 more days of rest and relaxation!
(well, 30 if Baby Gracie is on time, but I would gladly give up the rest and relaxation to have her here a few weeks early!)

Counting Down

Today was the start of my last week at the store before baby Gracie arrives. Only 3 days to go. It seems like I've been counting the months, and the weeks forever, but today I think reality sat in as I was trying to tie up all the loose ends until I return. I know on Friday it will seem strange not to drive to Cerritos and open the store like I do every Monday-Friday. I'll be off a month before she's born, and I'm sure the time will fly by. I can't wait!

"Boo" Mini Book

Here's a few pages of the "Boo" Mini Book I'll be teaching on October 22 at Strictly Scrapbooking. I love the mummy on the front cover!! The class is from 6-8 pm, and we'll be having fun using papers from the NEW My Minds Eye Halloween Collection, a few goodies from the NEW Teresa Collins Halloween Collection, lots of ribbon, pipe cleaners, glitter alphabet stickers and a few surprises too! Stop by the store, or call to sign up...(562) 924-3345

7:33 a.m.

Today is National Walk to School Day, and Tucker's school is participating, so here's Tucker and Daddy as they start the 20 minute walk. I would have liked to have walked with them, but being 8 months pregnant would have added another 20 minutes to their walk, so I chose to stay behind and take pictures instead :)

Just One More Dress

The day after the amazing Baby Shower for Gracie (well, and me too!) Clayton and I went through all the beautifull clothes we received for her, (and all the fun things we had bought for her too!) and both vowed to not buy any more clothes, since she probably has enough right now to last her until she is two.
That was until I saw this.
Afterall, every little girl needs a Christmas dress!
I can't wait to see her in it.
Red satin, with the cutest little sparkly red sweater.
Don't you love it!

8x8 Album

Here's another page for the 8x8 Pregnancy Album I am working on. I have about 5 pages to do to be totally caught up with it. Only 47 days to go until she arrives, so I better hurry up and get those pages completed, and get started on the 5 or 6 more that I know I want to add to the album. Then it will be on to her baby book. It never ends for a scrapbooker! But, that's one of the things I love...another day, another memory made.

SURPRISED!

And boy was I at the Surprise Baby Shower for me on Saturday! I seriously had no idea! It was the perfect day, and I had the best time ever. I don't think I've ever seen so many pink clothes, hairbows, quilts, blankets and baby girl things all in once place. Here are just a few pictures I pulled off the CD that was made from the over 500 pictures taken. (I haven't had a chance to look at all of them yet!!)
Thanks so much to my amazing hubby for helping to pull this off, to everyone that arrived early to decorate while I was out of the house, and a special thanks to Jessica, Joe and Sal for all the work they put into making my day so special. I love you all!