My 3 Epiphanies

Finally... here are a few crafts and layouts. I decided I would never be able to catch up on all that I want to do right now. My first great epiphany came when I decided that it was ok if I never caught up. I'd rather make the memories this Summer than document them. Maybe when the kids are back in school I'll get more time for myself but for now, I am just trying to make sure I get 15 minutes every day. In my 15 minutes, I am quite surprised how much I can get done.

First, here is a frame that I made from the sea shells I collected on Brentt and my get away to Florida in May. I love the pearl additions but best of all, I love that my favorite vacation photo fit in it.

My second epiphany was that I do not have to scrapbook every favorite photo. When Max was 6 months old I did a photo shoot of him and loved so many. My solution was that I picked one favorite and made a great layout. In the album, I have a sheet protector that holds 6 of my other favorites. This way, I still scrap the moment but don't feel pressured to scrap the other photos or (gasp!) leave them out of the book.
I usually hide my journaling because I don't like my writing. Here is what it looks like in the album.And... I did get some time to catch up on some older pics too. My 3rd epiphany came out of doing these: Not every lay out needs to be some artful masterpiece!


So, thanks for checking in and reading my rants. Make it a great day!
Christy

New Inspiration

If you have a single, creative bone in your body, you will LOVE this website I found called "Make It and Love It." (click on it) I feel like I just hit the jackpot of inspiration! It is run by a couple of busy, incredibly talented, Moms who are so generous to share their gift.

You absolutely must check out their Tutorials section. They give great detailed instructions on how to make everything from a sippy-cup leash to glass etchings to all sorts of home decor and sewing projects. Now, you'll know where I'll be in my spare time. ;)

Cheers,
Christy

Top 10 reasons I haven't blogged in almost a month:

1.Max. He is mobile and very fast now. Happy as can be and has so much fun exploring his world.2. Sam. The kid who does not have a mute button or slow-motion. 3. Madeleine. The child with one million questions. Per day.
4. 2 weeks on my parents farm in Minnesota.
So I really am a nut flying to MN with 3 kids by myself. Was it worth it? ABSOLUTELY! Check it out:
When Brentt came later in the trip, he could not help but throw a few bales around. Actually, it was probably over 150 bales on a super humid day. He loved it. Crazy!Even Sam helped out. Isn't he adorable?!?
Max with Uncle John. I swear, my brother is a kid magnet. The kids just love to jump on him and wrestle and he lets them. They just love him!5. A 9-hour road trip to my sister's in Iowa with my mom and 3 kidsLet's just say.... Iowa isn't the most exciting state to drive through. The kids were a little"challenging" on the long drive so I think we may have taken a few years off my mom's life. :)
6. Desperately trying to find time to exercise and scrapbook/craft. (I don't have pics of my latest craft projects and scrap pages but check back soon. They are great!) Why would I need to exercise? Here's the biggest answer:
Those are deep-fried cheese curds. YUM!!! My absolute favorite Minnesota treat. Then there is the awesome home-grown, corn-fed, all natural steaks on the farm. Did I mention we also made home-made ice cream? My arteries are clogged!

7. Swim lessons. The kids are just loving the pool this Summer and they have improved so much this year.

8. Living room re-model. It seems that we just can't seem to leave "well-enough" alone. We always have some new project to make the house better or customize something for someone. Storage is always an issue too (I would simply LOVE a basement!). Right now we are adding a wall, changing the kids' playroom, and

9. Meeting up with old friends. When I was back in MN, I was lucky enough to get together with one of my great high school friends (who married my prom date, oddly enough. 2 visits in one. yay!). She has such a lovely family and her kids are all about the same age as our kids. The kids had a great time playing and getting to know each other and Mandy and I seemed to just pick up where we left off. I love those types of genuine people!

Another friend we got to see over the 4th of July was my dear friend Cydne and 2 of her kids. We met when her son Colby and Madeleine were babies and they now live in Spain. I just treasure our time together and all of us, again, picked up where we left off. Another genuine friendship that I hope will stand the test of distance and time. 10. Laziness. Yep, even I take the time to be lazy every now and then. As a matter of fact, I think I hear my hammock calling. :)

So, yes, I am full of excuses for not staying up on the blog. 10 mighty good excuses if you ask me! But now we are back and ready for this week. We are looking forward to Vacation Bible School, swim lessons, finishing house projects, and making some salsa from our garden's tomatoes. Isn't Summer wonderful???

Cheers,
Christy

Where have I been???

Ever since Summer break has begun we have been BUSY! I don't know what I was thinking making that silly "Boredom Buster" jar. We haven't used it once. We really haven't been home much. We have been having so much fun so far. So where have we been?

1. Camping. A few weeks ago we went camping in Idyllwild, about 5500ft.
We had a fun time hiking, complete with walkie-talkies that may have been the best $20 toy I ever bought. Brentt and I had a great time with them!We had great weather, everyone was moving along fine on this easy trail despite the fact that the only shoes we packed Maddie were flip-flops. Max even got a nap until....Maddie fell in the creek. Darn shoes. It was actually snow run-off so it was really cold. Max was jolted awake as Brentt fished Madeleine out of the water. Now we had a cold, wet girl hiking in flip-flops and a baby who needed his nap. Ugh. End of hiking. Back to the campsite to snuggle around a warm fire. Nothing that a warm marshmellow (and a well-deserved beer for me) can't fix. By the time we got home from 4 days camping, these 3 were happy to get a bath at home.
2. We also went to the annual Adoption Center picnic where we saw Sam's birth grandma and uncle. So much fun to see so many great families and just spend the day hanging out and having fun.
They had face painting too. Doesn't Maddie look great?!?
3. The Zoo. Why we need to visit the zoo when I have my own at home baffles me! 4. I have gone miles chasing a crawling Maxwell. He is crawling and so very curious! It won't be long before he actually goes out this doggie-door.
5. The 4th of July was great fun this year.

We had our annual neighborhood bike parade and then some friends here for a BBQ. I just love the boys' matching shirts!
Sam even got a patriotic haircut. That's what you get when your Dad is an Ex-Marine.
Hmmm... Max wonders what will be next this Summer? Max is usually up for anything!
How about some cows and tractors?
I hope you are having a great summer too!
Cheers,
Christy