Saturday, September 19, 2009

The best of both worlds

Sometimes I feel like I have the best of both worlds: 2 wonderful kids AND the time to scrapbook them. Don't get me wrong....I am not bragging! I'm just feeling very grateful for what I have. I know the little time that I have now will come to a screaching halt as soon as little Max arrives but for now, I'm trying to keep creating and really appreciating the time I have with the kids. Life is great! Seize the day! Here's a new layout with them too:
Have a great weekend!
Christy

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Sparkly, not spooky

I'm trying to squeeze a few Halloween crafts in before little Max is born. Here's my latest, new favorite. Its a Halloween chandelier made from some vintage Halloween images from Crafty Secrets, glittered wood halloween shapes, beads, and crystals. The center ring is actually the inside of a huge tape roll, painted silver and embellished. Its so thick that my crop-a-dile wouldn't punch through it, I had to use a drill driver. It was so easy I think I might make one for Christmas with a snowflake theme. Maybe a baby mobile? Other ideas???On another note, Brentt and Maddie have went to school a couple times on the trailer-bike. She has so much fun! I snapped this picture the other day and I'm not sure who is happier. Enjoy your week! Thanks for checking in!
Christy

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Dirty little secrets about parenthood

So, after the first week of school I've just learned another "Dirty little secret about parenthood." You know those "secrets", like the one about babies and sleep? People tell you, "The first few months are hard but once they start sleeping through the night, it will get a lot easier." LIE. It doesn't get easier, you just slip into a new phase.... like teething or some other cruel phase. Sleep through the night? My kids are pretty good sleepers but in the last 5 1/2 years, I have never gotten more than 7 nights in a row of full sleep. Someone has a bad dream, or can't sleep, or needs a drink, or had an accident or something else... It's exhausting!

So here's the new lie people told me. "Once your kids are in school, you'll have so much more time to yourself." LIE. But I really believed it. It seemed so accurate that after being a stay-at-home mom that once Maddie started Kindergarten and Sam started pre-school (isn't he handsome in that photo above!), I could (dare I hope...) scrapbook and sew or maybe read a book for grown-ups. What a dirty secret! Here's the catch: I am the chauffeur. Most of my day is spent in the car driving, dropping kids off, picking kids up, and waiting for them. Yeah, I might be alone more but this time is certainly not leisure time to myself. It's exhausting!
I'll get off my rant now and show you my big Kindergartener on her first day of school. She really loved the first week and was a little mad when she couldn't go today (Saturday).

She seems to have grown up so quickly! I am starting to forget details about the night she was born so I did a layout about it. Its so different than most of my layouts because it is almost all journaling. Using my own handwriting too! I hate to see my writing on my pages but I felt this was an important story to tell.
One of my new goals is to start scrapbooking "THE STORIES." These are the concrete memories that bind our family together. The next ones I want to get down are about the other kids' birth and about how Brentt and I met. Also, the story about when Brentt ate "Tete a vouex" on a trip to Paris. For those who don't speak French, that is Calves Brain. That'll be a fun story! Here's a new 2-page layout from the fair this summer.
Every year I save the photo Christmas cards that people send us. I stitched a pocket onto the page so we could add it to our Christmas album.
This was a favorite picture from last Christmas so I finally got around to scrapping it.
Because I was in a Christmas mood already, I pre-made a page for 2009. Lord knows when Max arrives, I'll have a lot less time to scrapbook!I have pre-made some pages for Max's baby album too. I'll show them to you soon. But for now, we have some friends who are adopting twin girls so I made her this page:
My favorite detail is the Tim Holtz crackle paint around the edges. It added so much texture and interest. Anyway, thanks for checking in. Have a great weekend!
Christy

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Those crabby days are long gone

Those crabby days are long gone. Lately our days have been filled with getting ready to start school, squeezing in the last of the summer fun, and of course, getting ready for the arrival of our new baby boy.

Here's his first baby picture:Ok... perhaps not the cute, first baby picture you were expecting but its the one we've been staring at and dreaming over. Isn't it sweet how he is holding onto his foot with his hand? Can you see it? You can also see a little bit of his face but he's hiding under the umbilical cord. His birthmom is doing great and little Max (that will be his first name, so far) is as healthy as can be. We went to the doctor with his birthmom yesterday and it looks like we have about a month left. I just get butterflies knowing that it is not far away. I can't wait to meet him! And here's his birthmom, Jordan. Doesn't she look amazing for being 35 weeks pregnant?!? Last weekend we went out to Rancho Mirage (Palm Springs) and stayed at a resort. Its just nice to have little getaways when we can do it on the cheap. But its cheap because it is so darn HOT! It was 100-110 degrees most of the day and only cooled down to the mid-90's at night. Ugh! But it didn't matter too much because we spent most of our time at the pool.Sam loves to fly! I think I captured his pure joy. This kid is FEARLESS!
This week I'm trying to take the kids on the last of our summer adventures in town. Now that all the tourists have left San Diego, the beaches are much more pleasant. And so is the zoo! How on earth is it September already? Do you like Maddie's new hair cut and style? Fresh and ready for Kindergarten! Anyway, I'm going to go seize the day with the kids! Thanks for checking in. I'll have a lot of baby crafts and scrappy goodness in my next post. :)
Cheers!
Christy