Thoughts, Plans And Shenanigans
I have joined forces with thirteen other ladies from around the globe. We will be posting weekly scrapbooking challenges/ideas on a new blog we're starting.
Sound interesting?
Our first post will be next week – January 3 – with weekly (Sunday) posts from each of the members.
Join us!
I’ve gotten a few more pages done today. Hoping to do some more tomorrow…
this will be the facing page for the one above:
Just for you StoryBook Creator Plus users…
Here are some templates you might like to try out! (Merry (late) Christmas!)
Here is a sample of the first one:
And here is the template: (click on the image to download)
You can read the blog post where I talked about the layout above here. BUT – use the link above (in the photo of the template) to download the .page file template. I posted the other template before I knew the easy way to share templates and if you use the new link you will download a bunch of junk you don’t need.
Here is the second one:
And the template:
You can read the blog post where I talked about the layout above here. Remember, use the link above to download the template here so you only get the .page file and not a bunch of junk you don’t need.
And, a special bonus template for you:
I don’t have a sample layout yet – but you can use your imagination. :-) Click on the image to download the .page file.
If you have never downloaded templates before, here are some tips on how to bring them into your SBC+ program. You can’t just open the .page file.
Here is a link to the CM website where they tell you all about importing template pages.
I’m working on some more templates. Hope to have them posted next week sometime!
One of my favorite things about the holidays is not having to get up early – well, except for Christmas morning when the kids come bounding into the room at some ungodly hour, bouncing off the walls and onto the bed, insisting that we get up! get up! Santa’s come! get up!
Other than that exception, it is SO NICE to be able to sleep late. This year, especially, since I have not been feeling that well. Generally speaking, though, I am part bear and love to hibernate in the winter (heck, I love to sleep year round!).
There is nothing nicer than nestling down in the warm, soft covers knowing that you don’t have to go anywhere or do anything until you want to. The days leading up to Christmas are certainly not that way, but those precious days after Christmas are my favorites. Lazing around with only the things you want to being the things you have to do. Chores can wait, cooking? who is cooking? leftovers, baby. But the bestest part is the napping and sleeping in.
When the girls were smaller, they didn’t sleep past 6 AM or so. Actually, until last year, that was the case. However, now they are sleeping (gasp!) until 7:30 or 8:00 (isn’t it sad that I am excited and consider that sleeping “late?”). And the best part is that their dad usually gets up with them (part of why he is my SuperMan) and lets me sleep even later. (sigh)
I’m not looking forward to getting up at 5AM next week, but I’m sure enjoying my lazy days this week.
There is nothing quite like being sick during the holidays. After all the cooking, cleaning, baking, preparations and anticipation, my body simply decided it was done. Quit. Finis. Full Stop.
Thank goodness I have a very understanding, loving, and compassionate family. SuperMan did most of the cooking (including our delicious Christmas Day dinner) and general taking care of things. The girls were so well behaved (for the most part) and just played with their new toys and patted me on the arm as they went by. Me? I spent most of Friday and Saturday either on the sofa or in my recliner in a snot-induced haze. Gross imagery, I know, but true.
I am finally starting to feel a little more like myself, although I think a trip to the doctor is still not out of the running.
However, yesterday, SuperMan took the girls for an afternoon outing with friends. They went to see the new Alvin & the Chipmunks movie – The Squeaquel (I love that play on words!). They had a great time and then MB went to spend the night at a friend’s house. They were supposed to be staying here, but we decided there were too many germs in our house so they moved the party.
While they were gone, I thought I would do a little reading or scrapbooking. Turned out, I got to do both. I am reading Dan Brown’s new book: The Lost Symbol. It is very engaging and from about page 50, I was hooked. I have been carrying the book around under my arm everywhere I go in the house this weekend (from the couch to the recliner… from the recliner to the couch :-) and reading every second I can. Basically, it’s similar to the other Dan Brown books although this time it’s not focused on the Catholic Church – it’s about the Masons. Pretty interesting.
Anyway, I also sat down to do some digital scrapbooking (my scrap table is covered in Christmas paper right now and I didn’t feel up to cleaning it off) only to find out that the new “patch” of the StoryBook Creator software I’d installed had completely erased all the links to my content. Argh! So, I spent close to two hours re-linking all the files. While this probably was a good thing in the long run (it cleaned up my mis-mashed linking I had before) it was SO not how I wanted to spend my afternoon of silence and solitude!
Once I finished that chore, I was determined to get some scrapbooking done. I managed to finish the album I’m making for my brother (shh, it’s a secret!) and did a little work on the one for my mom. Then, I started on some pages on my family album. Here are a few I did:
This will be the cover page of our 2009 album. Do you get the reference?
I love the simplicity of the design –
and the fact that I managed to fit 12 pictures from the year on one page!
I think this one speaks for itself concerning the topic.
All of the elements are freebies (including the paper) that I found online in October.
Here are larger pictures of the pages:
I have been wanting to do something special with MB’s field day pictures. I think this turned out pretty well.
I used one of the free CM templates (Great Escapes) and doctored it a bit to make it less ‘travel’ oriented and more sports oriented.
Here are larger pictures of the pages:
I don’t know if I will have time today to do more scrapbooking, but I am hoping to. Next on my list of things I want to scrap are Ang’s graduation pictures, our trip to the pumpkin patch, and the Girl Scout hike the girls took in November. I am really enjoying not constraining myself to crop chronologically… although I am a wee bit concerned I may miss a few pictures here and there. But heck, when you take close to 200 a month some months, you are bound to miss one or two, right?
What have you been up to?
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
I am the only one who drinks egg nog in our house, but I anxiously await the appearance of the little jugs in the grocery store each year and then drink the stuff very slowly so I can enjoy it that much longer.
The kids love hot chocolate and are always asking if it’s cold enough for hot cocoa.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Santa is way too busy to be bothered wrapping presents! Besides, who wants to wait to see what he brought?
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
I am a white light girl. The girls, well, they like the colored. Usually, I insist on white only. This year, I compromised so we have both. All are happy.
4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Nope.
5. When do you put your decorations up?
Usually the weekend after Thanksgiving is when we start getting things up.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
everything!
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
Dinner and opening gifts at my grandparents’ house on Christmas eve.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
That he lives at the North Pole? a long time ago.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
We used to open gifts at my grandmother’s on Christmas Eve and then our family gifts on Christmas morning. Since we have started our own Christmas traditions with our little family, we do Christmas morning gifts – followed by New Year’s opening at my mom’s (she lives too far away to visit on Christmas day). This year, they changed up on us, though and came here on the 21st! So we have had Christmas WEEK celebrations.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
pre-lit tree, homemade ornaments and ornaments I’ve collected through the years from our travels, some gold & “glass” garland.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Wish we’d get some. Never do.
12. Can you ice skate?
I can’t. Probably can’t roller skate either, although that is probably the closest I’d get to ice skating around here.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
I remember the year my parents gave me my class ring for Christmas.
14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?
Watching my girls’ excitement. Spending time with people I love. Celebrating the birth of our Savior.
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
all the cookies I bake (and then wear for the next few months)
Pizzelles – they are an Italian cookie. Mom and I used to make them with Grandma. Now, I make them with my girls. I love the sense of tradition and history I feel as I teach my girls the traditions I grew up with.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Oh, goodness. Decorating the tree. Baking. Christmas gatherings. Christmas cards. The quiet and anticipation on Christmas Eve after everyone goes to bed. We usually sit by the tree and look at the twinkly lights and talk about all the things that have happened this year.
17. What tops your tree?
A Boyd’s Bears Angel
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Giving, definitely.
19. What is your favorite Christmas song?
White Christmas (The Original), I’ll be Home for Christmas
20. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum?
Yum, but I don’t eat them much anymore. Too sticky.
21 Favorite Christmas Show?
Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
22. Saddest Christmas Song?
That one about the shoes. I mean, really, who wants to cry at Christmas?
Ok, now your turn! What are your answers?
2004
2006
2007
2008
2009
My, oh, my.
How times fly.
2004
2006
2007
2008
2009
My, oh, my.
How times fly.
Our Elf on the Shelf has been much into the mischief this year…
While he was getting used to us, he hung out in our wreath.
Then, I guess he got comfy, because he TP'ed MB's bedroom
(no pictures for that one,
although it was fun to hear the kids when they woke up!)
Then, he decided to take Barbie on a date:
I guess he figured he was welcome to do whatever he wanted then…
So he ate a little snack:
That is… ate a snack while perched on the ledge above our 2-story foyer
(we think he must’ve flown up there)
It’s a good thing Santa comes tomorrow night.
There is no telling what mischief he would get into if he stayed too much longer.
Thoughts Along Life's Highway 