My Project Life Journey2011

Ok, Here it goes...I am going to change the way I scrapbook.  I have been scrapbooking since I was about 12....and I have grown up in my scrapping.  I feel good the way my metamorphosis, so to speak, of scrapbooking has gone.  I am even more ecstatic about the direction it is headed.  I received for my birthday from my Mom a Becky Higgins Project Life Kit.  http://www.beckyhiggins.com/products/ 

I heard about it one day on Facebook from my Friend Juliette's Status...so I asked her what it was and the journey began.  Once I read her blog I was hooked.  Now, I have known of Becky Higgins for awhile now.  In fact, I used her sketches for many of my scrapbook layouts over the years.  The one thing is though...this is not a regular scrapbook, it is a non adhesive necessary photo book....No 12x 12 layouts required.  But the crazy thing is you still are scrapping...I am excited to record the next 365 days of my life in 2011.  It will be an interesting account in a very different way that I am excited to share here.

Another Year closes

It is amazing how fast time flies.  To think it seems just like 2009 and I was getting ready to ring in 2010 and to make my new years resolutions.  Funny thing is about resolutions....I mentally make them every year and really don't follow through.  This year I think I will write them down....here and see if something changes. 

My New Years Resolutios 2011
1.  fit exercise into my crazy life
2. Make more meals from scratch and learn to like cooking (not love it just like it)
3. Learn something new - Not sure what but something
4. Read for 15 mintues a day
5. Read to my kids 3 out of the 7 nights since it has gotten to be once in a while these days
6. Really try doing Project life the way it is ment to be. (scrapbooking)
7.  Send a letter to loved ones telling them why I love them
8.  stay focused on a tast and finish it. 
9.try to write in my blog more.
10 Really do Project Life 265 days worth of pictures.
 I don't want to set my goal too high so if fail
It is a funny thing these resolutions we set.  I feeling ready for a change...out with the old and in with the NEW.

Tis the Season

Tis the season to be Happy.  Happy with life, and ready to celebrate Jesus.  On Facebook everyone is posting things that they are grateful for.  I like this because it reminds me of things that I am grateful for.  I try to tell others I am grateful for them in my life but sometimes time goes by and I fail.  SO this holiday before the business of the Christmas season I am going to write down why I am thankful for people in my live. Starting with my hubby and my kids.
Travis - I am grateful for you because you work hard for us...and love me for how I am.
Madie - you love other so much
Ethan - you are so passionate about everything you do
Mom - You are my rock when I need support
Dad - You love me just as I am

I decided to also put all my Facebook status for the Grateful status month...when you put them all together they go like this....
I am  thankful for my wonderful hubby and the fact that he loves me...all of me and I love him back.
I am thankful for the beautiful children God blessed me with and the fact that they remind me every day to trust in Him....cuz I can't do these things alone.

I am thankful for a great place to work. I know God is in control...but 9 years ago when I decided I wanted to become a mom...I knew I was going to have to leave the greatest job on earth....and did not know if I would be able to come back....I did not get to go back to VCS but God provided me with the blessing to stay home and Sub and then to work with a wonderful teacher....and a great school.
I am thankful that God loves me no matter what....because I am not perfect but He takes me for what I am and I am glad I can be called a child of God.
I am thankful for my wonderful loving parents. They are always supportive, willing to lend a hand, love me and believe in me and are hardworking just great people.
I am thankful for friends. Friends that I have known forever and new ones that make me smile, give me a hug and brighten my day and life.
I am thankful for the time God gives me to feel caught up with life. And for a Son who shows respect at school to receive Student of the Month honor in his class.
I am thankful for the little things in life. Cozy blankets, Hot tea, snuggly kids and family time.

I am thankful for friends, dinner and movies.
I am thankful for organization...even if I am much less organized now that I have kids.
I am thankful for busy days that keep me happy and with my family.
I am thankful for windy cold walks at night with my girl.
I am thankful for the sun that wakes me up and it is not too late, it means it is only 6 am not 7am.
I am thankful for sweet waking E when he is happy and well rested and snuggly. I am thankful for camping and the time my wonderful hubby puts in trying to keep everything in working order.
I am thankful for Live Oak...a pretty cool place to go to school, volunteer, and work!!!
I am thankful forbeing able to sleep on long drives.
I am thankful for good camping fun with great friends.
I am thankful for fun rides in the dunes.
I am thankful for home sweet home and my soft comfy bed.
I am thankful for Monday's....it is the only official day I work and I get to do what I love - Teach.
I am thankful my kids wake up early so I can take them with me and they love to visit me during the day

I am thankful for my son. He is funny, sweet, loving, caring, sometimes has a bit of a temper...but I love him for all of it and thankful he came into my life and made it that more fun and challenging. Thanks you E monster

I am thankful for for my education. I am thankful I went to a Christain School from K to 12 and then the a Christain Universtiy. I am thankful I taught at the Christain school I went to and have found friends that lift me up

Some would think 18 days of being thankful would get hard....but really it makes you analize your life and realize you have a blessed and wonderful life....so as my friend Tara said .....I am simply thankful. And that is that

I am thankful for....getting to throw parties in my girls classroom with fun kids, great teacher and some really cool parents. Thanks room 23 parents for all your help...it should be a great one.

I am thankful for impromtu cold park days that turn into warm up with tea and coco
I am thankful my little girl came into my life today-9 years ago. Happy birthday my sweet M. You make life better, crazy and worth every minute...I love you and thanks for making me a mommmy

I am thankful for food. Trying new things and quite houses. My kids when they are surprised and get things done and me too

I am thankful not pulling the trailer but still getting to Glamis at 7.
I am thankful for awesome rides in the dunes.
I am thankful for for yummy dinner on my birthday and people that make some yummy food and Drinks to share it with

I am thankful for sleep and snuggles.
I am thankful for kids having a great time.
I am thankful for a truck to bring us back home in

I am thankful when the time goes slow and I look forward to a slow, relaxing and fun Holiday season

I am thankful for the warm heater that is set to go off just as I get out of bed....and the cold crisp weather that makes me love this even more....Last day of November
Here's to a Season of being grateful and really living life to its fulliest

Wondering

I was wondering the other day, how come when I was little life seemed so slow and now that I am a grown up it is so fast.  My kids were just thoughts in my head it seems like just yesterday. I planned for them watched my tummy grow and now they talk and walk and do things for themselves.  They talk back, they don't always obey, and yet they are little verison of me walking around.  I love it when my sweet blessings come up to me and just hug me.  I am blessed with love caring, giving children that show respect.  I love how they look out for each other and love each other all while yelling you meany at each other.  They would do anything for each other including tell on each other.  But to hear them play and share and love each other is so sweet.  I hope that their relationship grows to become a friendship that they will be able to count on long after I am gone.  Let nothing come between them  and help them to remember that they are family and family is what makes life so much sweeter.

Stop the maddness

So I am done trying to play catch up.  I am going back to my Creative Memories roots.....Start where you are.  Or as the Flylady says...Jump in where you are ...and go forward. So here it is September 2010.  I now have a nephew who is cute as a bug, my kids are growing up too fast. I am way busy all the time...with Teaching, mothering, PTAing, scrapping, you name it....I do it.  BUT that is what makes me happy.  I love being a Stay at home mom even though I never am home.  I love that my kids can count on me for anything and that my hubby loves me so much.  I go through times when I wish it was all different and but when it all boils down to it....I would not change a thing.  One important lesson I have learned over this trying year...Life is way to short....love the ones that love you back, keep a smile on your face, life really is not worth crying over and always have fun.  I look around me and realize I do these things but some people I know don't.  I wish that they will find that, that happiness that I have that comes from within knowing I am a child of God and I have a place in heaven.  So here's to the rest of the 2010 year....May you have a fun filled fall season and blessings during the holidays

The New year 2010

January started slow and steady just like most years....We celebrated the close of 2009 and the beginning of 2010 in Glamis, CA.  Camping has been a fun way to start the new year...and we loved doing it again this year.  It really is exciting to see the stars and smell the campfires in the air.  This time around I went to tuck Ethan in bed before 12 ( he was riding all day and pooped out) So I tucked him in and laid down for what I figured to be a few seconds.......well I missed it.  I slept right through it....and NO ONE woke me up.  I was sad that I did not bring in the new year with a kiss and a loud Happy New Year...so the next night I had them do it again.  They were funny....and humored me a bit....I will make sure I am up next year...

In the Middle of the Ocean for our Girls 8th birthday

WOW what a lucky girl she is...well we all are lucky...cuz we were in the Carribeain this November...and our sweet little Madie turned 8.  I am amazed at how she is so grown up but so little...she still needs me and I am glad for that.

Here she is on her birthday....So beatiful

We went snorkling all day...We were on Cast away Cays The Disney Island and we really enjoyed the day

At the beach on Cast away Cays with Minnie

Our family

November and December FLY BY

It has always fascinated me that the months of November and December are so full.  SO many holidays and celebrations and that is not counting my beautiful Madie's b-day or mine.  Fall is my favorite time of year and I love that in California I can wear flip flops still but need to wear a sweatshirt at night.  I love leaves and wish that we would have the change of colors like they do back east but we don't.  Fall in CA is more about the feeling then anything...the chill in the air, the warm up with a cup of tea.  Those are the things that I love too.  The meals that you cook...and I just don't cook much but for some reason Fall brings out the hidden cook in me.  This November and December were no different in the fullness of the thing we did...in fact it was pack...here is a overview so that I will almost be caught up with life on my GOOD LIFE blog....

I celebrated my B Day at Dland with my family

Thanksgiving day...

I love Birthdays and we had fun celebrating at Areli's Grotto for dinner.

My first time really making a Thanksgiving dinner...WOW...all my doing * with my moms help* but only because the real chef was sick....in bed...came down for dinner said it was yummy and went back to bed....Hee hee So say he was sick but so proud of myself for doing it all.

December flew by once again

Our Tree Angels

Our morning...

I got a cricut YEAH

I am most thankful for the wonderful family I have around me.  I am a good person because of them.  I love how my kids get excited for the season and I pray that this year will be full of more wonderful memories.

Some great times

The Indian writing we found

On the raft....

Once we got through the first months of school...we had fall break.  Fall break is a great time of year because we are able to be off and go places and the rest of the world really is still at school.  Unlike Winter and Sping break when everyone is off and places are crowed.  We were able to go to the River again this year.  It is a fun and exciting time for the kids and us.  We set up camp on the river and some of our friends come too.  One of our friends has a boat.  Of course this is the highlight of the trip.  Crusing down the river...to the sandbar.  Grilling hotdogs and enjoying the fresh cool water.  This year we were out on a mission to find the Indian writing...and we were sucessful.  This is a trip we hope to get to do every year for years to come...Thanks Stich family for introducing us to a great place to camp.

Travis catches a Cat fish

E on the boat

Sand bar

What a great time we had

Our beautiful girl on the boat

                                                                                                                              

Been a while

Well it has been a while. Got on a jag and just could not find the time so I think I will give an over view of the last 7 months give or take....Or at least I will try...so here it goes.   (some PICTURES - EEEE Tired 10 times to get some of  them to up load NOTHING....

Sept 2009 - Madie performs at the COC half time show....With Elite Dance team.

Not letting me upload the beautiful picture of my beautiful dancer

                  

  Ethan lost his first tooth

                

   We were in the wedding of the century...WOW...SO much fun and the kids looked so cute...

Oct 2009 - We went to Disneyland for Travis Birthday

For Halloween the kids were Star Wars Characters...crazy ...They had fun at school and dressing up and going out for the evening.  We stayed up way too late and so much fun.  I am thankful my kids have great imaginations and love to be creative

The dance team was great once again when they performed at the Kids Expo.  I am so proud of my baby girl. She has such a great attitude and I love to watch her perform

M's Little Cuz Cat came to watch with Grandma and Grandpa....That made her smile