A New Look

This morning as I was reading my favorite blogs while sipping my coffee, I came across this post on How About Orange.  Jessica is offering pieces of art which are public domain, as a way to spice up your Facebook timeline.  Since I do not have a Facebook account I thought one might look nice as my blog header.  I have been trying for years to find or create a header that I love and it never happened, and believe me I tried.  Anywho, the one above is perfect.  I love the colors and I adore the birds.  It's as though the one bird off to the left is the mom and the other three are the babes.  What do you think?

Old School Scrapbooking

It was approximately 11 years ago when I began to scrapbook. I became interested when a little store opened in town. I walked in and was hooked. All the beautiful paper, albums, and stamps. However, it was more about the memories I wanted to record than the pretty things. I do not have a baby book, or any art from school, only a few school pictures, and about 5 years worth of report cards.  How I wish I had more of those things to look at today.  Little bits and pieces of the girl I used to be. That is my driving force behind why I scrapbook. Each of the kids has a detailed baby book, hundreds of pictures, and many scrapbooks. I record everything I can.  I save a lot of their papers from school, artwork, report cards, etc. I date everything too.  I want them to have those memories forever.  

You are probably wondering how I have room for all this "stuff"?  I don't.  I pick and choose what I want to keep, what I think is important. Once it goes in a book, it's all contained in one place, and all it takes is a little bit of paper, adhesive, and a pen to record the story.  (I also take photos of some of the artwork once I feel it's time to throw it out)  You can be very creative or not at all. It doesn't matter how it looks, what matters is that the story is there for whomever you are making the book for.  That's what's most important to me, the story.  

As I was growing up not only did my mom not save much, I didn't either.  It wasn't until I was in my senior year of high school when I began to have this need to start saving some of these "things".  Things I thought were important to keep, such as the pictures of the first preschool class I ever worked with (which was in my high school), all the year book pictures friends had given me, prom invites, and everything from graduation.  I saved quite a few things from college too.  Then I met The Husband and I began to save EVERYTHING, including every card he wrote me to the petals of flowers I let dry (I still have them in a mason jar today). Tickets to shows we saw, from movies to Broadway plays.  Bits and pieces from all the trips we took from Disney to Italy and all the places in-between.  

All these memories have been in a box for many, many years.  After I started scrapbooking for the kids I thought it might be a good idea to get all that "stuff" out of the box and into some sort of book.  I liked the idea of an old school scrapbook.  The kind where you glue what you want to save in a book. No fancy papers, no strategic placement of pictures and objects.  A plain book similar to something older generations might have used.  I didn't want to put a lot of money or creativity into this book so I did some searching and fond this 

in the Exposures catalog.  It's a large book, 13 x 17.  It's perfect for all my memorabilia.  (I bought this book about 8 years ago, ahem.)  Anyway, I finally got around to placing those items in there a few weeks ago and I am very happy with the results.

Below are some of the pages inside.  I used scrapbook safe adhesives and plan to do some writing (the story) and dating on the pages.

Here are the hospital pictures of J and A.  I placed their pictures on an envelope.  Inside are the calendars I used during my pregnancy for each. I also included the pregnancy tests and some of little things I received at their births and in the hospital.  (Is it weird to save your pregnancy tests?) I had to save C's because I took it on Valentines Day 2006 and put it in The Husband's card!!  Surprise!

Here are some of the tickets and the covers of the playbills from some of the shows we've seen (there are several pages worth)

Do you remember the Absolut Vodka advertisements?  Do they still make them?  I had to save these of course.

The left side is some of the pictures I have from my high school preschool class and more playbills on the right.

Here are some of the color swatches of the paint we've used in the house, there are more, but I haven't come across them in the box as of yet.  On the right side is a smaller envelope with the prayer cards from all the wakes of family and friends that I've been to. 

I also have pages of all the preschool/daycare classes I've worked with, newspaper clippings of friends engagement announcements, birth announcements, as well as my own. I have the time magazines from 9/11, obituary's (in the envelope on the left side of the prayer cards), and cards and handwritten letters from the special people in my life.  

I am very happy with the results.  

What do you think?

Do you save all the little bits and pieces?  

Random Sharing

• I'm amazed by Baby Bee who has to be the happiest baby I have ever know, truly.
• Our Keurig K-cup maker broke this weekend and my heart nearly broke too.  I loved that thing.  Now we have to purchase a new one.  Not a cheap investment = not happy.
• I wouldn't be surprised if Stacy London and Clinton Kelly show up on my door step today after I went for a coffee this morning in my pajamas (which is a pair of exercise pants and a sweat shirt), unwashed hair, and no bra.  Yup I went out without a bra.  I had a big winter coat on and a scarf so I'm pretty sure no one noticed.  However, the guy at the gas station gave me my coffee for free.  I figure he noticed I didn't have a bra on or he thought I was homeless. Either way I got free coffee : )  Why am I so lazy???
• I'm placing orders today to make these with the Kindergartens (including C's class) during Celebration of the Arts (An annual event full of creative activities at the kids school.  More about this later)
• I miss making bread.  I need to get back to it and stop being so lazy (see third bullet point)
• I've been working on a new scrapbook which includes all the things I've saved over the years.  It's more of a traditional scrapbook; a paste your memorabilia in a book type.  No fancy papers or embellishments. I'll share soon.
• Since I've been caring for Baby Bee I have watched way too much T.V.  I need to find something else to do with myself.  I forgot how much work babies are and how sometimes it feels impossible to do anything but talk to, feed, and change the baby's diapers.  I entertain her all day and nothing else gets done.  After 6 years without a baby I feel like a new mom who can't figure out how to balance it all!
• I've been inspired by Meryl and will be taking a Honeybee keeping class in April.  I'm looking forward to it.  I keep dreaming of having my own little homestead.  Chickens, bees, a big garden.  Dreamy...  (Homesteading and laziness - not a good combination, I'm guessing)
• I've been having some trouble with adult acne lately.  I recently read this and it's got me wondering.  Has anyone gone gluten free and noticed a difference in their skin? Please share.
• Anyway, that's a little bit of what's been going on around here and in my head. 

P.S. I HATE bras.  

Valentines Day Surprises and Baby Bee

Valentines Day began with a big surprise from The Husband.  Usually we don't buy for each other so when I walked into the kitchen I was truly surprised by what I saw on the counter (and a little guilty because I only bought him a card!). I did ask him for a chihuahua so I'm guessing he wants me to forget I want a chihuahua or drown my sorrows.  Either way  I think he wants me drunk.  (I do love a glass of wine but it can't take the place of a chihuahua. It just can't!)

All three kids had their Valentines Day parties in their classrooms.  I went to C's first.  All of the children in there loved the baby.  Some thought she was C's sister.  I heard him telling the other children "That's my cousin."  One little girl kept telling me how cute she was and another poked her face (gently) about a hundred times!  I have to say Kindergartners are hilarious.  I laugh so much when I visit his classroom.  They do say the darndest things.  Next month I'll be doing a special literacy project with all 4 Kindergarten classrooms.  I have a feeling I will be having a very enjoyable day!

Next we visited J for a short minute.  

Finally we visited A.  This was the highlight of her day.  She must have talked about Baby Bee so much that when I walked into the classroom her teacher said "Here's the guest of honor."  And then every able bodied 4th grader came over to see her.  She was surrounded by so many children I couldn't see her face.  

It seems Baby Bee may be the best Valentines gift my children have received this year!  They love her so much and couldn't wait to share her with their classmates.  

A True Winter Wonderland

The snow began early Friday...

School was cancelled Thursday night.  It was a good call.

Pay no attention to the garbage cans.  (I said that like the Wizard of OZ!)

The kids wanted to play ASAP!  This was only the beginning and there is about 2 - 3 inches on the ground here.  The kids are using Snow Crayons from Auntie Karen.  

We woke to a winter wonderland on Saturday morning.  Here are our front steps. We wont be going in or out this door anytime soon!

Here are the paths the kids made while playing outside at least three times a day for three days.  

The snow has covered the swing seats.  

When all said and done there was 3' of snow on the ground! 

This is what Mogley thinks about the whole thing.  He's not impressed to say the least.  I on the other hand love it!  There is nothing as peaceful as a snow storm even a blizzard.  The world is so quiet when it snows.  Has anyone else noticed that?  How quiet everything is at the end of a snowstorm....

Today it rains.  Blah...

Guess Who

found her toes

28 Days of Kindness

Last month I was thinking about creating an advent of sorts, for the kids to do for the month of February.  Perusing Pinterest I found a few inspiring projects one of which I was planning to make.  You can see it here.  However, last week the children come home with a letter from school with a 28 Days of Kindness Calendar attached.  Well thank you Kids School!  The work has been done for me.  Couldn't be easier now!  We hung it in the kitchen and each morning we look at it and see what we're to do for today's act of kindness.  It's not as cute and pretty as I had planned but I find the activities perfect and they incorporate school, home, bus drivers, other family members, etc.  The one I would have made on my own would have been more home and family based.  I like the fact that the children are asked to write a thank you note to a soldier on February 4th and greet all the cafeteria helpers on February 27th.  Honestly, I like them all!  J is in his 6th year at this school and this is the first year this activity has been sent home.  I am curious if more like it will follow?  My mind can't help but think of Sandy Hook and if the school(s) are looking to include more lessons on kindness, understanding, tolerance, love, etc.  It does make me wonder.....

28 Days of Kindness::

1. Say "Good Morning" to every adult you see on the way to your classroom
2. Call a grandparent and say "Hi!"
3. Help with the dishes
4. Write a note to  soldier serving our country
5. Let someone else go first today
6. Pick up a piece of trash today
7. Pay a compliment to a classmate
8. Thank your bus driver
9. Do all your chores without being asked
10. Love the Earth - recycle!
11. Hold the door for someone today
12. Thank Mr. Craig for keeping "school" so clean
13. Invite a new friend to play at recess
14. Give a friend a "secret Valentine" 
15. Thank your teacher for helping you learn today
16. Donate an old toy or clothing to a child in need
17. Leave a note for mom or dad on their pillow
18. Say "I love you" to each family member today
19. Leave a thank you note for your mail carrier
20. Thank someone special in your family for loving you
21. Bake cookies for a neighbor or a friend
22. Mail a letter to a friend or family member
23. Hug Day! Give out lots of hugs today!
24. Ask mom or dad if you can help around the house
25. Put up a classmate's chair at the end of the day
26. Smile today! It's contagious!
27. Greet all of the cafeteria helpers
28. Write a thank you note to your favorite teacher

What are your plans for the month of Love?