Happy Birthday WCS!

Welcome to the write.click.scrapbook blog hop!

I love write.click.scrapbook. I love it for the focus on story telling. (Because to me that's the most important thing.) I love the variety. I love the philosophy. I love that there's no pressure to be caught up, because I never will be. I love that it makes me laugh. I love that it inspires me with layouts and mini albums and photography and journaling. It makes me happy and it reminds me why I love scrapbooking. Thank you, WCS, for letting me be a part of such scrapbooking awesomeness for the last three years!

This month I was inspired by Amy's layout:

Here's a sneak peek of my layout.

You can see it and the entire June gallery here. 

Collecting letters?

You can head over to Francine's blog for the next one, but first a giveaway!

Leave a comment here and you can win a $10 gift card to The Lilypad. I've found some great journaling cards there for Project Life and even if you're not doing PL, you're sure to find something great!

Comments will close at 11pm on Sunday, June 3rd. Winner will be posted Monday morning.  Please check back to see if you've won.

Once you've collected all the letters head back over to write.click.scrapbook for your chance to win a surprise prize! Thanks for taking part in the write.click.scrapbook. blog hop today!

First Day/Last Day

Today was the last day of Preschool for Mackenzie. She was excited. Although I think a good majority of the excitement was for the party at a classmate's house after.

You can see that on the first day she had a fresh hair cut, it was nicely brushed and she let me put in a bow. Today, we barely got it brushed - too many tangles, the girl has crazy bed-head - and she finally consented to a barrette. She was not in the mood for pictures either. The sun was too bright and she didn't want to smile for too many photos. I'm lucky I got this one. But I did get it. Her last day of preschool. One year under her belt. Next year she'll got 3 days a week, with extended day on Monday. Then Kindergarten will be here before I know it. 

She made cards for her teachers. We got them gift cards to Dairy Queen (I managed to forget about the need for teacher gifts until last night, so ice cream it is.) and she drew ice cream cones in the one card, then moved on to triangles for the second. Cones without the ice cream?

You might notice the scribbles. While we were upstairs brushing out the tangles in Mackenzie's hair, Ryan was very quiet. Very, very quiet. When I called out and he didn't answer I knew he was up to no good. And he wasn't. He climbed in the chair, grabbed the markers and started coloring on the cards. I didn't have the heart to tell her because I knew she'd be upset and we didn't have time to re-do them. And I really didn't want to start off her last day with a meltdown. We have enough of them as is. So I hid the cards.

And then promptly forgot them. Thankfully she didn't notice and I brought them to pick-up. 

She had a good last day though. For show-and-tell she took three mini markers. She said she told them she likes to color with them. I asked if she told them she gets in trouble for leaving the caps off. She just looked at me. Then said yes, although I'm guessing she didn't really. 

This year has been good for her, although at times a struggle. She does very well at writing; she's been really in to writing all our names, other words and can write all our letters. She's a smart 4 1/2 year old. But  she's not a morning person and mornings could be rough. One thing could go wrong and a meltdown would ensue. She had plenty of days where she cried at drop-off (whether the morning at home went well or not) and I had to wriggle out of her grasp and leave. Of course, she stopped crying within a few minutes and went on to have a great day. She just had a hard time separating from me. She had to work on sharing and playing nice and giving up control but she needed that. Her teachers were so wonderful and patient with her and she's really improved and grown. She had so much fun learning and doing all the crafts and of course loved snack time. And she likes the new friends she has made. And this is new to her, to have friends that are separate from Emma.

Today she brought home her name magnet, hang tag for her coat and her get-to-know-me photo apple. And with that her school year is over.  

Any May a Beautiful Change

My friend Marie's sister Katherine has written a book. A book I've heard is absolutely fabulous and is on my to-read list. 

May is all about celebrating this wonderful book. You can read about Any May a Beautiful Change here on Katherine's blog. There are also links to many others sharing their stories about a Beautiful Change.

For me, the beautiful change in my life was becoming a stay-at-home-mom. It's something I never thought I wanted. I knew I wanted kids and I was excited to become a mother one day. But it wasn't until I met Michael and we started discussing having children one day that I realized I wanted to stay home with them. I thought for sure I would be a career woman. I was in college long enough, I had to work to make that degree worth it, right? But no. The next work day after I found out I was pregnant I told my boss (who was also my friend) that I was putting in my nine-month notice.

I love staying home with my kids. 

I can't say it enough. For me, it's the perfect choice. I get to spend every day with them. I see every milestone occur. I get to experience all the things they learn right along with them. I get to have pajama days where we snuggle in the chair and watch cartoons. I get to color and craft and do puzzles with them. I'm able to teach them and watch them learn. I get to help in their classrooms and attend their school parties.  I get to eat breakfast and lunch with them. I get to take them with me everywhere I go - errands, to the gym, the library, to visit friends and out to lunch. I can grab a hug and a kiss whenever I want. 

Now that's not to say there aren't times when I need a break. I'd be lying if I said every moment was joyous and every day runs smoothly. They aren't and it doesn't. But that's okay. I'll take the bad with the good and embrace it. Because before I know it all three will be in school and my time with them will become limited and I'll be wishing they were there to drive me crazy.

So I'll take the temper tantrums and crushed Kix and underwear left all over the house (I have no idea how this happens) and messes and frustrations and whining and the constant calling of my name.

I'll take it all and I will treasure it and try to remember every little detail and embrace it. Embrace them.

This is what I'm meant to do. Be a mom. Be home with my kids.  

I wouldn't trade it for a thing.

Softball.

 

Last year Emma played t-ball on a co-ed team. But with Kindergarten comes softball. She’s had two practices a week (one for 1 hour and the other 1.5 hours) until her first game this past Saturday. Now the practices are over and it’s just games. Which thankfully have a time limit.

Emma got a hit her first at-bat, albeit not the prettiest one.

It was cold though. As in 40 degrees cold. There were snowflakes as the game ended. Emma was frozen. In fact, as I was trying to get a picture of her at her first game, she was yelling at me to take her to the car. In fact, I’m pretty sure I capture the word “car” right here.

Her second game is tomorrow and it’s supposed to be in the 80’s. At she can’t say she’s cold! And maybe she’ll even pose for a picture or two.

Project Life Monday

Look at that, I really am blogging! The plan is to post my Project Life pages on Monday. I’ve got quite a few to get to, but to start with, here are the weeks that were posted on write.click.scrapbook. last Friday.

Week 9:

Week 10:


Week 11:




Week 12:




If you have any questions about product, let me know in the comments and I’ll be sure to reply.

And with that, I’m officially back to blogging.

Twelve in '12

So, obviously it's been a couple months since I've blogged. But I'm back (at least for today!) with my resolutions for 2012.

Here are twelve things I want to accomplish in 2012.

1. Run 500 miles. This is my friend Melissa's challenge. I strongly dislike running and I'm hoping this makes me at least hate it less.

2. Run a 5K. I ran the 3.5 mile leg of the Akron Marathon Relay back in September, but I'd like to do an actual 5K.

3. Write down the 52 books I'll read in 2012. I'm fairly certain I read at least 52 books last year. Our library has a 52 Books challenge, but I could never remember to enter them online.

4. Learn to use my camera. Right now I pretty much keep it on P, but I'd like to learn more. No, I need to learn more. I need to get the most out of my camera, and take the best pictures I can take.

5. 52 Projects with my girls. I'm planning on doing one project a week with my girls, and creating a mini-album documenting them. These might be cooking, baking, crafting, an outdoor adventure, or something else I haven't thought of yet. So much of my time is spent with Ryan that this will be a fun way to spend more time with them.

6. Project Life. SO excited to start this!

7. Take my videos from over the years and turn them in to movies. Must learn video editing.

8. Control the clutter. I'm a pack rat. Enough said.

9. Monthly family photos. I want to take one the 12th of each month.

10. Read the New Testament/spend time each day reading and studying my Bible. I have quite a few books I want to read, a couple which are Bible studies, that have been sitting on my nightstands as well. Must finish Crazy Love.

11. Six dates with my husband. We don't do this enough. Like never.

12. A Month of Thank Yous. My Bible study is doing a month of thank yous in January where we write a note each day thanking someone for something they've done or the impact they've made in our lives. This was inspired by the book 365 Thank yous and I'm really looking forward to this. There are so many people who impact our lives and I want to acknowledge and thank them. So far I've written notes to my husband, my mom and my high school keyboarding teacher, Mrs. Arndt, who taught me how to type.

Happy 2012!

Emma's first day of Kindergarten

Emma started Kindergarten last month, her first day was August 18th. They split the Kindergarten classes in to thirds (there are 12 classes) with each 1/3 going on one of three days - the 17th, 18th or 19th. I took Emma to school that day at 9, and she rode the bus home that afternoon. She was so excited to go. she woke up before 7 asking if it was time for school yet.

She'd seen this pink dress in the Gap the day before when we went to get her back-to-school haircut. She told me if she could, she would wear her on her first day. So of course I ran out that afternoon and picked it up as a surprise. She was so surprised and thanked me over and over.

I took a lot of pictures. I had to. I probably would've taken more than I did if she'd have let me!

Before leaving for school









With my mom, Grandma McIntyre


With her friend (our neighbor) Caroline. They get to ride the bus together which is fantastic.


First Day of Kindergarten



Walking in to school. I love how they're holding hands.



Her locker


Her table



Please mom, haven't you taken enough?


One more, just one more, Emma! I had to beg to get this one.


The moms after drop off. Surprisingly dry-eyed.


Emma was laughing and really, really excited when the bus pulled up.


Mackenzie was so happy to see Emma!



Ta-da! First day is done!


Daddy was there to see her get off the bus.


Family self-portrait.


Emma loved her first day. Liked her teacher, liked her locker, liked eating lunch, she liked it all. I still can't believe I have a Kindergartener though.

11 months. (10 and 9, too)

Totally slacking on the monthly Ryan updates. I do have pictures now though.

11 months old. We were at Grove City College Saturday and I took these on a bench outside one of the buildings.

He kept yelling. Happy yelling. But yelling and not smiling. Also, he wouldn't sit still for very long.


Instead he made his way over to the side.



@ 11 months, Ryan is adorable. Of course. Crawls fast. Very, very fast. Pretty much wants to just go up and down the stairs all day long. He stands and can bend down and pick something up without falling but so far doesn't try to walk on his own. He will walk with the push-walker though. He discovered he can throw and therefore does so repeatedly. He loves food. Really. You wouldn't believe how much this kid eats. Still taking a bottle, but I'm reducing the amount in the anticipation of being formula-free in less than a month. We call him Grabby-Grabby. He takes everything.

10 months. 7/19/11 @ what used to be Jellystone Campground. Michael and the girls were in the lake and Ryan and I hung out in the shade. No sand for us, as he would've most certainly eaten it.






@ 10 months. First stitches. That's about all I remember at the moment. Must go back through photos and rack brain for more milestones/stories of note.

9 months. Well, technically still 8 as I took this the night before. But no photo from the day he turned 9 months or the days after have him sitting still like this. Too busy exploring.




@9 months. Cute. Skinny. (although I didn't necessarily notice it at the time, he's very skinny compared to the food-chowing baby he is now.)