Love Letters to the Kids

Through February 14th, this amazing little template is available for free here, from Katie the Scrapbooking Lady. With a few minor changes, I made these ATC-sized Valentines for my children for V-day:

Highlights from Epcot; Day 1

We spent our first day at Epcot. The weather was wonderful - about 80 degrees at the high. Here are some highlights from our trip:

• Rose rode a super fast rise, Test Track, and loved it. She is definitely my roller coaster girl.
• We rode Nemo, the Mexican boat ride, and Norway's Maelstrom together.
• We ate a late lunch/early dinner at the Biergarten. It was such a treat to have the German buffet and we love the Oopma show.
  
• The kids loved - I mean really loved - the miniature village outside of Germany. Johnny and I loved the Kim Possible trick that turned the village people into zombies.
  
• We played at Innoventions together and Christopher and Rose sat through a hurricane simulation. Graceblew her $25 disney card on candy and a necklace. I think she felt regretful about all the candy - she said it came out of the dispenser "really fast."
• Rachel kept searching for princesses all day, and called for Jasmine all through Mexico. I think she's a little confused.
  
• We were really dragging by the time we got to America in the World Showcase. I was ready to head home and sent Grace into The American Adventure show to retrieve Johnny who was waiting for us to come out of the bathroom. She came out carrying a nicely scripted card, saying that our family had been selected as "The First Family." It was actually really cool - we got a special balcony seating to wait a singing group and then we were able to enter the theatre first. We also were introduced to the whole theatre. We thought Grandpa would have really liked that.
• We finished the night by tasting soft drinks from around the world, and then riding Spaceship Earth, which has to be one of my favorite rides in the whole park.
• We are going back to Epcot later this week. Here's what we have left on our list to do: Ride Soarin' at the Flight Pavilion, have Mom ride Test Track, Ride Mission Mars, Shop at Japan, Tour China and see the Dragon Legend Acrobats, take Dad to see the Beatles cover band in the UK, and watch Honey, I Shrunk the Audience.
• By the end of the day, we had logged almost 17,000 steps according to my pedometer, a little more than 8 miles.
  

Goodbye, Cleo

We had to say goodbye to our sweet cat, Cleo, today. She had been drooling for a little while and her tongue seemed perpetually stuck in her mouth (although she could move it). It turns out that she had a sizeable tumor in her mouth that was unremovable. She was in little pain and was still somewhat playful at home, although very much slowed down. I keep thinking of the last 13 years with her and wanted to keep a list to scrapbook some time when the tears stop.

• I got Cleo from the SPCA as a tiny kitten, right before Johnny and I got married. I brought her to my parent's house the weekend before the wedding. She loved my wedding train and would jump on it, much to our horror. Now it's one of my favorite memories of her.
  
  
• She is a runt. I always loved her petite size and her fluffy tail.
  
  
• She is all black, but never gave anyone bad luck.
  
  
• She loved water and would balance precariously on the toilet, trying to reach the low-pressure water level.
  
  
• She also would jump into the shower after I was done to lick the floor and walls.
  
  
• She was my laundry buddy. She would lay across the clothes and then attach each one as I lifted it up.
  
  
• She loved strings and up until the day before she died, would play with any dangled before her. Yesterday I was wearing a brown sweater vest with a tied string belt and she loved to play with that string.
  
  
• She never yowled or complained. I haven't heard her cry in a long time, until today when I put her in the car to go to the vet.
  
  
• She never got over her hatred for our other cat, Caesar. She daily...for 13 years...hissed and clawed at him if he got too near. She really didn't like many other people at all, come to think of it.
  
  
• Cleo loved me unconditionally. The past two years have been so wonderful with her. I haven't been pregnant (when I avoid the cats due to fear of toxoplasmosis) and I have been able to snuggle with her each night. She has curled by my feet or head every night for the past two years. Much of that time she has been purring...loudly.
  

Menu for Jan. 16 - 22

Saturday, Jan 16

Cabbage rolls

Sunday, Jan 17

Minestrone
Bisquick Drop Biscuits with garlic butter

Monday, Jan 18

Quiche Lorraine
Steamed Broccoli

Tuesday, Jan 19

Chicken spaghetti (Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook; we made two last week and froze one).
Crescent rolls
Salad

Wednesday, Jan 20

Slow-cooker Cranberry Pork
Mashed potatoes
Green beans

Thursday, Jan 21

Baked ziti (Mom's recipe)
Green beans
Garlic bread

Friday, Jan 22

Pizza

I've Been Having Fun

I love browsing all of the digi shops/shoppes and drooling over the goodies. I downloaded so much stuff this past weekend (mostly free, but there were several kits from The Sweet Shoppe) that my satellite bandwidth is approaching the max level when I get throttled back. So, I'll have to wait until I am next at work to download some more. This is actually a good thing, because it forces me to use what I have. Many of these templates are extremely versatile. I want to push myself to use them many times, rotating or flipping them, turning large photo spaces into 2 smaller, etc.

Here is one that I did with one of the December Digi Files, a cool kit from Wetfish Designs. The template is from CK - it's their downloadable PSD from the Jan issue:


And this one is from the January Digi files, a kit by Traci Reed called "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong." The template is from Laurie Pecotte at Jessica Sprague:

Dabbling in Digi

I've been a paper scrapbooker for the past 12 years, since I got married and my mother-in-law dragged me to a workshop to learn how to scrapbook my honeymoon photos. I never considered myself crafty - I'd always had a head in a book or writing a story during my childhood - but I quickly grew to love this new hobby. In 1994 I learned how to set an eyelet, and left Creative Memories for more artistic forms of scrapbooking.

I like how digital scrapbooking has evolved over the past couple of years, and how some notable paper scrappers, like Ali Edwards and Cathy Zielske, starting embracing the digital format and creating some stylish templates and kits. But I have maintained that since I sat in front of a computer several hours a day as a Web developer, I didn't want digital to be my outlet. I love working with paper and putting things together with my hands.

But something happened to me this past fall. I have been very inspired by the work of Katie the Scrapbooking Lady, starting with her Tuesday Tutorial on Ali's blog about using the same template in different ways. The flexibility of what she was describing impressed me - purchase one template, use it many times for different types of layouts. I bought one of Ali's templates and created a layout. A month later, I used the same template again. Then, the possibilities seemed amazing to me. I visited blogs, downloaded lots of freebie templates and kits, and purchased the Daily Digi's monthly Digi files, which seem to be an amazing value.

I've been having fun. I've scrapped more layouts in a couple of weeks than I usually do in a productive month. I love how digital allows me to tell my story more completely and more freely than the constraints of paper. I just uploaded my first batch of layouts to Costco in lustre and glossy formats to compare, and I will file them away. Another bonus? I can print more than one copy if the layout applies to more than one child. I love that.

I can't imagine leaving paper totally behind right now. I love making cards and I think that holding that on your hand is a special connection. But for me right now, this works.

Here are some of my recent digital layouts:



-Ali Edwards Template 13
-Paper and elements - Carina Gardner 2Peas Freebie



-Ali Edwards Template 13
-Paper and elements - Tracy Howard Snow Day kit, part of December Digi Files



-Jessica Sprague Template 02
-Crystal's December Sparkle Christmas Pack & Holiday Decor, JessicaSprague.com



Quick Page from January Daily Digi by MLewis (not sure of the artist's name)



Papers - Citrus Tea Collection by ScrapArtist, part of December Digi Files
Template by Janet Philips from the Daily Digi

Menu – Sunday, Jan. 3 – Friday, Jan 8th

Sunday –
Roast Turkey
Stuffing
Steamed Asparagus

Make 2 chicken pot pies and freeze

Monday-
Beef and mushroom stew over rice

Tuesday-

Chicken Pot pie – just bake (Pioneer Woman Cooks, p. 127)

Wed-

Loaded Potato Soup in crock pot (Southern Living recipe)
Steamed Artichokes

Thurs-

Fancy Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Acorn Squash

Fri-

Homemade pizza

December Round-Up

I got the idea for the December round-up from Katie the Scrapbook Lady, whose blog I have come to love in the few short months since I found out about it. This is a great way to summarize your month and provide a springboard for new layouts.

What books and/or magazines did I read this month?




What movies, television shows, plays, etc. did I watch this month?

We got Star Trek and Harry Potter VI on DVD, so I enjoyed watching those. I also watched Emma, but it was rather slow. We wrapped up the Terminator: Sarah Connor series, which I loved and Johnny didn't like at all. We saw lots of kid movies of course, and we treated ourselves to a movie with friends in the theatre: The Princess and the Frog.

What fun things did I do with my family and/or friends?

Since it was December, we had lots of family time this month: dinners at Lovie's and Opa's for Christmas, Jenna's birthday, and just because; time at Grandma and Grandpa's; concerts at school; and a few play dates in there too. We had a few fun family excursions, like going on the Santa Train and then going to breakfast at IHOP afterwards. There was plenty of Cub Scouts (with Santa too) and Girl Scouts, and a birthday party or two for the kids. I have a run-down of daily December activities previously on my blog.

A couple of my favorites from the Santa Train -





What gifts did I give and/or receive?

Since it was Christmas, we gave and received too many gifts to mention here. Johnny got his Nautilus weight set, and I got a number of Wii fitness programs, a yoga mat, and an ab ball. I also got the new rhinestone kit for my silhouette, so I am dreaming of setting rhinestone designs for the girls' clothing. Memorable kids presents: A Nikon digital camera for Christopher and a huge Lego set; the Kit American Girl doll for Grace (she actually wept over not getting a digital camera too, but her birthday is coming up); a full size keyboard and stand for Rose; and assorted toys for Rachel.

What special or unusual purchases did I make?

Christmas gifts and Johnny's Nautilus was our big purchase for the month. We also replaced our cellar door, which cost a little bit extra and is making a big difference in the comfort of our house.

What illnesses or health concerns did I have?

This was the month of the cough. First Rachel had one, then I had another, which everyone else promptly caught and we are still. all. coughing. Rachel and Christopher's turned into croup (or upper airway distress) and they both spent a week on steroids. The nebulizer is still going daily for both of them.

I am very sad that my mother's back improved and now has worsened, and my father injured his hip and is still in some pain. I cannot stand seeing my parents suffer, and they are waaaaay too young to be having these types of problems.

What were my accomplishments this month?

Orchestrating Christmas in a relatively calm manner, even with a few weeks of illness put in there.

Wrapping up most of my work projects before taking vacation. I also filed all of my layouts in respective albums, and am working to catch up the kids' school albums.

I joined the Seasonal Reading Challenge on GoodReads and am working towards some more variety (or serendipity) in my reading selections.

What were my disappointments this month?

The massive snow storm that we got disrupted the school celebrations and performances. None of the kids have had christmas parties in class and the kindergarteners still need to put on their performance. Hopefully they will catch up shortly after going back to school.

I am also disappointed that I was not able to contain Christopher and Rachel's breathing problems better, and that they ended up back on steroids.

Anything else noteworthy to include?

We were very sad to say goodbye to our sweet family dog, Shash, on Friday, December 4th. Her arthritis was very advanced and she was unable to walk any further. I think of her every day. It snowed the day after her passing, and that was heartbreaking. She loved the snow so much.



Here we are making snow angels together in March 2009.

Layouts I did this month:









I also made card sets for teacher/scout leader gifts, and a Basic Grey Calendar for my mother (which is like doing 12 layouts).