{goodbye 2007}

I can't believe 2007 is over. I wanted to post a couple of things I did over the weekend to close out the year. I ended up making another card... I wish someone would have told me sooner that cards are a great way to use up your scraps.
As for scrappin' I've done something CRAZY... I entered the Get a LOAD of this challenge at BPS. That means a LayOut A Day for the entire month of January.. that's right 31 layouts in a month. After hearing the audio message from Lain (mastermind behind the challenge); I decided this would be a great thing to try and complete. If if I don't get them all done I still win right? So why not. It will definetly help me meet my 5 page goal for January!!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy new year. I can't wait to see what 2008 has in store for me and my family.

{2 more days?}

The year is almost gone!!!! I can't wait to start 2008, I feel like it will be a pretty awesome year. In an effort to end this year on a high note and start the new year off right... I have completed another page. I figure this year I can at least get my "resolution" page done before June. Hopefully I will have a slow weekend and can get another couple pages done before the year ends. As for my page... the scan was a little funky because of the buttons so the colors may look a little off.

{time's up}

Okay...it's Christmas Eve and no I didn't get Santa pictures done... I guess I have to start next year. I did however manage to find a copy of "Twas the Night before Christmas" that I love (at my favorite store and yours) and we were able to read it before bed. So I got one new family tradition started. I will state this for the record... NEVER AGAIN will I wait until the last minute to get my Christmas shopping done. I don't wish that on anyone.
On a scrappin' note I did get a package today and I waited to open it so that I could really enjoy it at the end of the day. Even though I really want to complete a couple of pages tonight, I am so tired that I doubt I stay up very long. (But you never know). This is another Christmas present to myself. :o) I probably shouldn't have, but I did. And I've said it before... can you ever have to many Thickers.
Merry Christmas to me!!!!

{that wasn't the plan}

Today we went to meet some of my friends for dinner here. It was the first time that I had been out with the baby for an extended period of time. She did really good... although I spent all my time tending to her and was only able to enjoy a small portion of my meal. I'm starting to think that will be the norm form now on.
Well, we didn't make it to go see Santa but I haven't given up. I will make sure Caitlyn gets her picture taken BEFORE Christmas. I am spending the evening packing as we are headed to Grandma's house tomorrow. I never realized how much stuff you have to pack for an infant when you go out of town.

{ i met my goal }

These are my takes on Page sketch # 38 and Card sketch #36. I can't believe it... I am so proud of myself. I set out to do 5 pages for the month and I did it!!! I even have like 11 days left so I might get some more done. :o) THANKS to this site, Janelle has provided me with the inspriation that I needed. And as you can see I even completed a card thanks to Janelle's other site (SketchThis:Cards) I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can keep this pace up once I return to work.

We are planning on taking our Santa photos tomorrow... I have gone back and forth about this for at least a week, but I figure if I don't start the tradition early than I will never do it. I hate for my daughter to end up like her mom (31 years old and never had a picture taken with Santa). Sad I know - maybe I will take a picture with Santa tomorrow as well.

{not lovin' it}

I finished another layout this evening and I have to admit that I'm not really lovin' it. I couldn't figure out how to scrap these football pictures and for a minute I decided not to even do a page about it, but then I remembered it's about capturing the memory. My whole reason for scrapbooking was to capture our life for our children to look back on and now that we actually have a child... well I need to do the pages and not worry about how they look to me. I'm sure 20 years from our children will love having them.

{another page completed}

I can't believe it myself... I have actually completed 3 pages toward my goal for the month. At this rate I might be able to increase the number from like 5 to 8. ( yeah right, let's not kid ourselves) Anyway, this page is my take on the #37 sketch from the SketchThis site. I have to admit it was really fun doing this and it seemed like I was able to get a page done much quicker. I might go back and do some of the older sketches if I find myself with "scrappers block"... is that a real thing?

{Photo Shoot}

Today we went and had our first professional photo shoot (and by we... I mean Caitlyn - mom hates to be in front of a camera). I didn't think that it would go all that well, but I was pleasently surprised. Caitlyn was only wide awake for the second half of the photo shoot so of course those ended up being the best photos. Although she refused to smile for the camera she did entertain everyone by sticking her tongue out for almost every shot and in the end my favorite picture ended up being a "tongue shot". I have to give myself some credit for the picture because using the teddy bear was my idea... but of course I didn't take the picture so can I say it was a joint effort between the photographer and myself? (One day I will take professional looking photos). The best part about the whole thing... Portrait Innovations gives you all of your "raw" photos on a disk... and you know what that means - more photos for scrapping. I can't wait to do a page with this picture!!!!

{In the mail...}

I'm actually a day late posting this, but my camera came a day early. The UPS man dropped it off on my porch yesterday morning (I love the UPS man!!). I have been spending all of my free time reading the instructions. That is a first for me... I usually just start using stuff (i.e camera, cell phone, DVD player). Well, my thinking is if I really want good quality pictures I need to know how to take them. As for scrapping... I happened upon two very interesting sites called SketchThis and SketchThis Cards. The sites provide a new page sketch and a new card sketch every week for inspiration and they even invite you to share what you have come up with. I have decided to try and participate in the weekly sketches to help me meet my goals for 2008. I plan on getting started this evening.

{My latest purchase}

I realized earlier this week that I am unhappy with my camera. I guess after taking pictures of Caitlyn everyday it became apparent to me that I need more than a "point and shoot" camera... I mean I am never going to get these moments back and I want to have great looking scrapbook pages right :o) Well I reached out to Susan W. - one of the people that I thought took the best pictures and asked her which camera she uses. Her reply was that she uses the Cannon Rebel XTi but that she just ordered a Cannon 40D... well I am in no way ready to make that kind of commitment at this time. So I decided to purchase a Fuji FinePix S800 which should be here on Tuesday!!! Congrats to me. Hopefully I made a good decision.
On a scrappin' note... I just received my Mosh Posh kit in the mail so I plan on getting a couple of pages done today. Also, I renewed my subscription to Mosh Posh for another 6 months... I can't wait to see what Kristen has planned for 2008.

{she's 1 month}

I can't believe that our little girl is already one month old. It's seems like just yesterday that we were coming home from the hospital. It's amazing how she seems to grow right before my eyes. And I think this picture says it all...I
have to say she spends most of her "awake time" trying to figure out how to suck her fist/thumbs. I know it's mean, but it's soo funny. My plan is to make an appointment to get some "1 month" photos taken really soon. As for scrappin... I got another page done but I'm not counting it toward my 5 monthly pages. (Not really sure what's going on with those lines on the page) It is for the pregnancy/baby book I have been working on since March. I do plan to get another page done tonight that will count against my 5. Wish me luck.

{I'm on my way}

I finally completed my first layout.... I know it's a simple page and not the best picture, but I figure since I haven't picked up a paper trimmer or piece of cardstock since July... it's okay. I found some patterned paper from my January 2007 Mosh Posh kit and came up with this simple and quick layout. I really feel like I'm on my way... only 4 more pages to go and of course 5 cards. I had around 40 pictures printed this weekend so that I have plenty to work on, hopefully I will be able to produce at least one more layout this week.

BTW... if you haven't seen Notes from the Underbelly... watch it. It is the funniest show and anyone that is or has been pregnant will really appreciate it. Okay well I'm back to scrappin before the little lady wakes up.

{December already}

I can't bring myself to believe that there is only one month left in the year. It will be 2008 before I know it and at this rate I still won't have any pages completed. I assume it is obvious that I didn't get my page done for November. I did manage to make it to Recollections and buy a few things.

Of course it's all stuff that I really don't need, although I can justify buying at least one of the magazines as it contains "217 playful page prompts"... and due to the fact that I can't seem to get it started... it's exactly what I needed. And HELLO - who can turn down a chance to by Thickers? Okay, so now that I have no excuses left... it's time to scrap. I am totally prepared to produce at least 5 pages and 5 cards every month from this point forward. Wish me luck.