Wow - with all this winter weather - a.k.a. snow storms and/or below freezing temps - I have gotten a lot of scrapping done . I love it! What is it about preserving memories that is so enjoyable? These first two are Jed & Stella at 1 week and 1 day old, respectively.
(all images should be clickable for credits or the shop)
Haynay Designs just released the kits I used. You can get them separate or as a combo pack. She's also got a cute, coordinating word art freebie on her blog if you're interested.
I've been wanting to scrap these photos of Jed outside for a long time. I finally got the chance with a great collab kit by Haynay Designs and Happy Scrap Girl.

These are more recent photos of Jed - I had a blast editing them and creating this LO for a speed scrap at ScrapMatters. I used another one of Haynay's kits - Sweetheart Surprise. I used the same kit here for a scraplift challenge. I love this photo of him - so unlike him to be muddy!
Jed started crawling - err, excuse me, creeping at Christmas time.
This photo of Stella was taken while we were decorating the tree this year. It was completely unplanned, but turned out really well!
Here's our silly boy in the tub, drinking the water.
I've got tons more photos to scrap, I just need some more time! :) Wait, who doesn't need more time? If I don't make it back again soon - Merry Christmas!

A Month Already!?!

Wow - I can't believe that it has been that long since I've updated. Well, maybe I guess I can. I've spent a lot of my free time and holding cranky baby time scrapping instead. I've had a blast - trying some new things and reliving memories that I'm afraid will fade if I don't capture them and think of them often. I've been busy figuring out forums and doing Christmas Shopping. I actually thought I was finished with my Christmas shopping - then Jarrod reminded me that we have these . . . people to find a gift for as well. Well, we are a few steps closer to being finished.

I finally am able to scrap all the photos I have of Jed and trains! :) Haynay Designs (Heather) put together this super kit and I made a LO the night I got it! I didn't want to forget our little green caboose. (click images for credits)



If you like here kit, you can find it at the ScrapMatters store and a wordart freebie on her blog, here. Haynay also revealed her grab bag there - it is super! I used her Mint Chocolate Chip Paper Pack and a template from the grab bag to create this LO of my roomies when we had our Pie Party. I can hardly believe that it was 5 years ago! This was just about a month before Jarrod and I started dating. At this point I was still in denial that I liked him (alot!). My roomies knew and aparently discussed it together. I'm just thankful they never talked to me about it, because I would probably have avoided Jarrod then. Back to the party . . . I remember that I hardly spoke to Jarrod that night. We had so many guests in and out of our apartment. I do remember Jarrod brought this horrible vegan, peanut butter tofu pie. I put on a nice face when I tried it and later after I knew I could be truthful with him and not hurt his feelings, I was able to share how much I didn't like it! :) I kept the recipe after we got married, just for sentimental reasons. :)
In her grab bag there was also an add-on to her Fall Splendor Kit.
I created this LO of Jed from his first Christmas. He had just started crawling, so he was pulling up onto objects that were not where we had originally set him down. It was lots of fun seeing him get around - but not when he was reaching for the tree!

And lastly, I saw a one kit CT call out there for a designer whose stitches I love to use when they aren't provided in a kit, Redju Designs. I sent in an email and she chose me to create a LO w/ her kit! :) (Click on the image to get to her store)
I made this one of Jarrod and I. The picture is from Christmas 2006, but the journaling is me reminiscing on the night that we first discussed he and I being 'us'. If you'd like to read the journaling, click the image to get to the credits.

I've still got a whole lot of ideas floating around in my head of LO's. So stay posted! :)

Back to Blogging - Blessings #7-10

Well, it's been four days away from the computer, five from blogging. That is a long time for me. I've been quite busy with some sick kidlets. Thursday was an awful night with him - up often with him coughing. Friday I let him stay on the couch and watch PBSkids in his PJ's all day, with the exception of his nap. After his nap, he had a fever of 102.3!! We were able to see a Pediatrician shortly after Jarrod got home from work. Turns out Jed had Croup. UGH! They gave him some oral steroids and he's been just fine. He's still coughing, but it's not the "seal bark" anymore.

Just as we think nights will get back to normal, little Stella starts having problems sleeping. Yesterday I took her in because I thought she was getting quite hoarse for a little one and was worried she had Croup too. She doesn't - just a bad cold. She has a difficult time breathing if she's not propped up, so we slept in the recliner together last night. Slept is an overstatement. I think I remember every time the clock changed from about 12:30 to 3:00. Then about every 20 minutes to half an hour till 6:00. But we slept hard from 6:00 to 7:30. I woke up worried, because Jarrod is supposed to be leaving for work then and there were no signs of him awake. Turns out he decided to take the morning off. He got up and took over with Stella and I slept for another hour. He ran Jed hard to tucker him out and then headed off to the museum.

So after all that excitement, here I am to catch up on my blessings. Because the little ones are still sick, I'll only catch up with a few today and won't elaborate much.

Blessing #7: Our healthcare - I am so thankful that we have solutions for something like Croup. During our little episode, my mind kept going back to sceens from Anne of Green Gables, when Diana's little sister is sick with Croup - knowing that back in the day it was a common cause of death.

Blessing #8: Our small group. We meet with 5 other couples every Tuesday night for socializing and bible study. Jarrod and I have been a part of this group for one year now and are so thankful for their friendship, encouragement, prayers, thoughfulness, fun and fellowship. They are our La Crosse family and don't know what we'd do without them. We've all ready been through so much as a group and are looking forward to the future with them!

Blessing #9: My husband's job. He works for the county and every year his job could be potentially cut. He's not a necessity - he is the director/curator of the county museum and research library. So we go through an emotional rollercoaster every time the budget comes back up for approval. The final budget meeting was last Wednesday and there were no cuts for Jarrord. We are feeling better knowing we have one more year.

Blessing #10: Sleep or rest. We, as a society, take this for granted. Or we see little value in it. We so easily burn the candle at both ends and fill our schedules full so that we have little time for rest and sleep. During this time of sleepless nights I think often about how God created the world in 6 days and then ordained the 7th for rest. Work is good, but rest is too. Let us make sure to take some time to rest today and not judge ourselves or others for rest.

Hope you all have a day full of things to be thankful for!

Blessing #6 and Other {exciting} News!!

OK - Blessing or news first? You got it - Blessing.

Today I am so thankful for the health my family has been blessed with. With the exception of colds, we have a wealth of health. I have many family and friends who are struggling with some sort of health related issue. For some it is serious, whether short term or the long haul, I see that it is not an easy road to be on. Prayers go up to the One Who Can Heal everyday for you.

This is heavy on my heart today because both of my little ones had an accident today. First, Jed falls of the stool he has not had any problems with for over a year! He split his lip good. Lots of blood and tears. The Lord gave me just enough strength to make it through getting the kids into the van and driving to Urgent Care because the bleeding was too much for me to see the severity of it all. Of course it stopped on the way and they said that he's fine, it's a good split, but not in an area where they would suture it.

Once home, I'm putting Jed down for a nap. Stella is sitting on the bed with me while I read books. I stopped to give Jed a hug and tell him how thankful I am to Jesus for keeping him safe. Stella tumbles off the bed - a foot off the floor - and lands, I think on her head. So there is crying and tears and my emotions start going crazy. I called the Nurse Advisor line since she was acting OK and just wanted to know what to watch for . . . Stella is fine, but I am officially an emotional wreck.

Let's change the subject, just a tad . . .

So, if you've been with me from the beginning, I've been scrapping for about 6 months total -with a break somewhere in the middle. I've gotten used to the digiscrapping community online and found that you can participate by being on a designer's CT or Creative Team. I applied to be on a designer's CT about 3 weeks ago and was accepted! I'll be creating for Haynay Designs. A link to her blog is in the links sidebar. So, watch for her stuff in my LOs! It's really great stuff!

She's actually hosting a Speed Scrap tomorrow at Scrapmatters. This is a lot of fun and I'll be there if the kids are napping by then. She's got a great PP or Participation Prize (see below).


I'm totally digging the papers. That purple polka-dot is calling to me! Well, that's all for today. Thanks for 'listening' - I'm starting to feel a bit better!

Blessing #5

My sister, Pam. (You're not less of a blessing than #3 - it was just a good day to post that one! :) )
Wow, where do I start. I have the wonderful privilege of being her older sister and her sister in Christ. We had our rough times growing up, but we have become such fabulous friends. We can laugh, share, cry, pray and play together. I know that I can call her anytime I need an ear to hear and a heart to join in my happiness or sorrows. She has the most amazing tender heart that overflows with mercy and grace for who is there to receive it. She also knows how to be silly. Thank you for teaching me to be silly! (I often bust out with random dance moves - ya know!)

I can't wait till this spring. She'll being doing a clinical - her last one before graduation - here in town! That means that we'll be able to see each other more than just every other month or less! This will probably be the most we've been able to spend time together since we lived together during the summers between my sophomore and junior year of college. I'm so excited to get to share life with her in a more practical, everyday sort of way.

Then shortly after graduation, she'll be marrying a wonderful guy! I am so thrilled for her. She has walked with the Lord through this whole dating/courtship thing and it really shows in their relationship. He is such a blessing - a follower of Christ - who overflows with his love for others. I will be proud to call him my brother-in-law!

OK, I've been long enough today. I'm off to do some housework! Love you Pam!!

Blessing #4

Have you voted yet?

Well, today's blessing is our country and the freedoms we are granted. My purpose here today is to reflect on the good and positive things about our country and freedoms rather than take sides or pit the parties against each other. I also am focusing on what we as country are striving for - the ideal, rather than the reality; because it is not the constitution's error, but rather our error as imperfect citizens.

I'm so thankful for:
-Our constitution says that all are equal and should be treated so. I pray that each of us strives to make this so very true on a daily basis as a citizen of the US.
-Religious Freedoms. That we all can worship without fear of persecution.
-Freedom of Speech.
-All that our country does to aid others. Bush's administration has given more aid to Africa than any other before and this is only one example.

These are just a few, but my kidlets are needing my attention. Thanks for 'listening.'

And don't forget to vote!!

Blessing #3

My children! Jedidiah and Stella are so wonderful! I absolutely love them and everything about them, even though at times it can be hard to admit that I love being up in the middle of the night when they're not feeling well or just learning to sleep through the night. Or when they whine or spit up all over you at least once a day. It's moments like these - when you see that they have the capacity to love and do good, to learn and apply that you feel the most emotion.Credits