Layout #32 - Avery

This photo is from Mother's Day weekend last May. Grant and the kids went outside to do some fencing and I followed along. I can't get over how much Avery has grown in these last months. She looks so young in this picture, and now, to me, she is this grown up grade one-er (yes, it is a word) (no, it isn't). She is so smart and kind, and worried about others, and I love to see that I am raising a child who is empathetic to others. My only concern is that she is sometimes too empathetic, and gets herself hurt in the process. Something to learn from, I guess.
TFL.

Elf on the Shelf

I went to Chapters today. It always ends up being a pricey trip. But today I found this cute little elf on the shelf and hoped he might help me keep an eye on the naughty and nice list for my kids until Christmas. If you don't know the concept, he was sent to our house  by Santa to report back to him about how well behaved the kiddos are. Then, every night he flies back to the NorthPole to report to the big guy about the day. The kids named our elf Fiddlebiddle, and he is currently sitting on the mantle watching them. They are both very excited about the prospect of having someone from the North Pole here every day. I am excited that maybe this will help curb the tattling.
I am now just in need of some ideas for things Fiddlebiddle can do while waiting for the kids to wake up each morning. So far, I have come up with crawling out of a box of cereal at breakfast, and swinging from the ceiling fan. I think I might make it into a challenge between Grant and I to see who can be the most creative.

Layout #31 - Our Home

Loved this Crate Paper line when it come out. It is so perfectly perfect for any kind of neighborhood type pictures. I, of course, don't live in a neighborhood, and currently my neighbors consist of differing types of oil wells, batteries, and flares. But you wouldn't know it from this picture. I take a picture of our house in every season, and I loved this one of spring at our place. And now, as I look at the snow falling outside my window, I can't wait for spring.

Layout #30 - 20 to go!

I love this picture of Cohen. It is truly him. He loves to be outside, and is a goofy guy at heart. So I was happy to catch this expression. I also love the MME paper on this page. (I know... shocking). I think it goes really well with the emotion of the photo. I also love that MME uses the same colors in different lines so that I can go back and find all of the unused embellishments from other layouts, and fit them into new ones. How brilliant.
TFL!

Layout #29 - My Playlist

Sory for the crooked and blurriness of this.....
I wanted to use an iTunes card on this layout, so I went through all of my album art on my phone to find a picture that would work with both the card, and the paper. I love having my iPhone. I didn't have an iPod until I got my phone, so I was often stuck listening to other people's music. And I didn't like it. ;)
TFL

Layout #28 Branding

I love how this turned out. I love that the middle of the page is the focus, and that the journaling turned out the way it did. It was so scary for me to journal on this page. It was the background paper, and if I screwed it up, I didn't have anything else to cover it up with, or more of that paper to start over, so when it worked, I was super happy.
TFL!

Layout #27 Bus Stop

27 layouts. That is all I have done this year. Pathetic. I need to get back on the scrapbook train, but I honestly can't find the time. I have been so busy with work, and volunteering at Avery's school that my favorite past time has taken a back seat... but now that the weather is getting "frightful" I have grandiose plans to hole up in my scrap room and pump out the layouts. I still hope to get 50 done by December 31.
Anyhoo, this is a layout of Cohen's first day on the bus. Avery was very careful to make sure he knew how to get on, where to wait, and which way to look to see if the bus was coming. Sometimes the mother hen in her is kinda useful!
TFL