Journal Your Christmas - Day 7

Day 7 was about making your "To Do" list...I had about 3 lying around so I just consolidated the lists into 1 basic one! (Just don't ask me if I got it all done!) ;)

Journal Your Christmas - Day 24

Okay, so I have gotten a little behind in my Christmas Journal but eventually I will get them all completed and posted. I finally got Dec 24th's entry completed the other night and so I thought I would share.


Journaling reads:
Christmas Eve is kind of like the official start of Christmas for me. The last few years we have spent Christmas Eve with Steve's brother Scott and his wife and kids, as well as Steve's mom. We have a nice dinner together and exchange gifts. The kids are always so excited to have their cousins come over. All day long they ask how much longer it will be before they get here! Once they head home to get ready for Santa, we sprinkle the magic reindeer food outside and put out the milk and cookies for Santa. I love seeing how giddy with excitement they are when they go to bed. And it is the one day of the year when they go right to bed, no questions asked! It is so much fun for me since I can remember feeling that same way when I was a little girl and even now I share their joy and anticipation. I love the peaceful feeling I get once Santa has put out all the gifts and filled the stockings. Sometimes I even have trouble sleeping thinking about how excited the kids will be in the morning!

My sister has too much time on her hands!

I am sure by now most of you have seen the "Elf Yourself" website...well, my sister found it too and had a little fun! I almost spit my coffee out when I saw it - she couldn't have chosen a better, more accurate picture!

My mother and father had 4 wonderful children. Check us out for yourselves.....

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1372965358

It might take a while to pull up but it is worth it!!!

Merry Christmas!

Journal Your Christmas - Day 5

The prompt for Day 5 was all about how we countdown to Christmas...

I actually used part of the kids' advent calendars across the bottom.

Journaling reads:

When I was a kid I never had an advent calendar. I am pretty sure the only way I had to countdown until the big day was to constantly ask my mom (and ask her often, you know, just in case anything changed!?) Ever since Alyson’s first Christmas (2001) we have had an advent calendar. The first one I bought was a really cute one I found at Michaels with Santa at the top and rows of little pockets to move the stuffed Christmas tree every day. The kids would be so excited to move that little tree each morning. We still have this one but for the last couple of years the kids have enjoyed getting the simple (and cheap, I might add!) chocolate countdown calendars. They search for the right day and then poke the “door” to get their little chocolate reward. They love them! And I love that they don’t have to ask me over and over how much longer until Santa comes! What could possibly be better than that?!

Journal Your Christmas - Day 4

The prompt for Day 4 was to talk about your perfect Christmas...

Journaling reads:

Christmas Dreams...When I think of a perfect Christmas, I think of family. And then I think of the family that is no longer with us. I miss my Nana and Grandpa Fishburn. I miss my Nana Cragle and Grams. I miss my Uncle George. I even miss my father, despite the fact that we had not spoken for 10 years before he passed. I know that Steve misses his Grams and his Aunt Vickie. It makes me sad that Stevie and Alyson will only ever know them all through pictures and stories. An ideal Christmas would have them all here with us. Stevie and Alyson would be able to know them and love them. It wouldn’t matter to me whether it was hot or cold outside or what we had to eat. Just to have our WHOLE family together for even one Christmas would be absolutely PERFECT for me. -- The Ultimate gift.

Journal Your Christmas - Day 3

Day 3's entry is all about Christmas cards...one of my personal favorite things about the holidays.

Journaling reads:

I love Christmas cards. I love sending them and I love receiving them. My favorites are the ones that have family pictures because I love to see how everyone changes from year to year, especially friends and family that we do not get to see very often. We have sent Christmas cards every year since we have gotten married and every year we include a family picture. Sometimes I will make the cards by hand and other years I will just do a photo card. Sometimes I will include a “newsletter” of sorts and other times I will just write a small note to each person. I try not to do the same thing every year; I guess it really just depends on my mood and how crazy life is at that particular time that really determines what I will do. Since my wrist is still in recovery mode from my accident back in September we took the simple approach this year with a fun photo card and a small note jotted down. I may jump into my stash of handmade cards though for a select few :)

The annual christmas card photo shoot

We went out yesterday with my sister and her boyfriend to attempt to get at least one decent pic to use for our Christmas cards this year...despite the fact that I ended up with a pretty nasty blister and was actually ready to call the whole thing off before we even got started, I think we got a few decent shots and even managed to have a good time! I have narrowed it down to these...

I was kind of thinking this one would be fun but Steve didn't think so! ;)

And here is my sister Rachelle and her boyfriend Dan...aren't they just too cute?

My sister snapped some of just Steve and I and this is my favorite out of those.

My sister also took a pic of Steve kissing me (which I am not posting!) and Alyson decided she wanted to kiss me too...this is my favorite pic of the day...

Journal Your Christmas - Day 2

The prompt for the second day was in regards to Christmas weather...

For most people Christmas is synonymous with freshly fallen snow, hot cocoa, mittens and scarves, roaring fireplaces...none of which you will really see here in The Sunshine State. Typical weather around these parts in December would have highs in the 70’s and lows in the 50’s; not so great for making snowmen! Although we actually did have a snow once when I was a kid, back in 1977. It didn’t last much past lunchtime but it was just enough to make a small snowman with my neighbor friend and throw a snowball or two. On occasion I do miss looking out the window and seeing how beautiful things look coated in a blanket of crisp, white snow but, I really do enjoy the warmer Florida winters.

Journal Your Christmas - Dec 1st

My first LO for my 2007 Christmas Journal is complete...it is simply the manifesto...Journaling reads:

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year, but in the last few years my joy and excitement have been taken over by hurt and anger instead. Starting today, December 1, 2007, I am taking back my Christmas!
I am going to keep a Christmas Journal. In it I will write something everyday to reflect on the holidays of my past, enjoy the holidays of the present and dream about the holidays of my future.To some this will just be a stack of paper and scribbles, but not to me. I hope that by taking a little time each day to reflect, to write, to create, that I will keep my Christmas alive and well and that I may remember just why I loved Christmas in the first place, and that may be a very magical moment indeed.

My first altered project!

I have finally completed my first altered project and I am so excited! I know it is not as fabulous as some other things I have seen altered but I am loving it nonetheless! I played along in a challenge at The School of Scrap to complete an altered "Thankfulness" project...and this is what I came up with.

It is one of those wooden photo boxes that I found on clearance for about $6. It has a place for a photo on top and then inside are little holders for tons of 4x6 photos. All the patterned papers and embellies are from BoBunny except for the ribbon. Inside each year I plan to have us all hand write what we are thankful for and maybe even add a small picture as well. I thought it would be a nice new tradition for us to start and I know it will be so cute to look back on when the kids get bigger.

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

I can hardly believe Thanksgiving has passed and everything is already full steam ahead for the Christmas holidays...WOW! We had a nice Thanksgiving holiday in NC visiting the Biltmore estate (family pic was taken there) and then in VA with Steve's dad, grandfather and brothers. We also had a chance to visit with some friends in NC on our way home. I think my favorite part was just being able to really experience fall...the changing leaves were just gorgeous (Alyson and I couldn't stop "oohing" and "aahing" over them) and there was just the right amount of chill in the air! LOVE IT!

These are a few of my favorite pics...

What Do the Holidays Mean to You?

What The Holidays Mean to You

For you, the holidays are about emotional connections and bonds. You are happiest being around those you love. You celebrate the holidays in an over the top style. If something is cute, you'll buy it. People end up with a lot of gifts from you - and your house is like a holiday wonderland, full of decorations. During the holidays, you feel magical. You love all of the decorations and how happy people are. You like to sit back and take it all in. You think the holidays should be energetic and packed with activities. You'll double up on caffeine and sugar if that's what it takes to get you through them. Your favorite holiday memories strongly evoke your senses. You are vividly aware of all the tastes, smells, and sounds of the holidays.

What Do the Holidays Mean to You?

I am cast free!

My cast/splint came off for good today. I am actually feeling a bit naked without it! I have gotten pretty used to using my left hand...plus my right is pretty stiff and sore still. I think the doc was hoping I would have a bit more mobility in it than I do - guess I didn't exercise it hard enough these last few weeks :( I go to my first physical therapy appt in a week...and I must admit I am pretty scared of the pain that will be inflicted. I am going to work it as hard as I can over this next week but even attempting to write something is excrutiating right now. The doctor told me it will never be 100% and so I am worried as to exactly what it WILL be...this is my dominant hand we are talking about. Makes me SO angry at this 18 y.o. kid who caused all this. Wish I could just SCREAM at him -- not that it will make any difference but at least it might make me feel better.

My wrist looks so deformed to me now and I know that it will never look the same again...not to mention the scar I will be sporting now. I know it sounds so silly but it makes me feel so ugly right now. I should be focusing and remembering how lucky I am to still be here but instead I am worried about how it looks -- so superficial really. And I always liked my handwriting before but now it may never look as nice...stupid stuff, I know. I was rambling on about it all to Steve today and much to my surprise he was really supportive and even surprised me with a card letting me know he loves me no matter what.

I hate feeling so frustrated and angry about it all...but right now I just can't help it. It just isn't fair. :(

Remember Me

This was made by a 15 y.o. girl. It is so very powerful. I am so thankful for these men and women.

Halloween Cuties!

Okay, so I know I am posting these a few days late but here are my guys all decked out for Halloween...

Alyson was as pretty as ever dressed up as Princess Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) in the beautiful dress that my mom made for her - so proud of my mom! She really does beautiful work and Alyson was just tickled pink to be in that dress (pun, intended! LOL!) She was constantly twirling around.

Stevie was as tough as ever as Jango Fett and as you can see in some of the pics took his role very seriously! LOL!

Steve surprised me!

I was getting ready to back out of the driveway this morning and head out to run a couple of errands when I looked in my rearview mirror only to find a Fed Ex truck blocking my way. I figured it was something for Steve for work so I got out to grab it only to be given a long box from 1800Flowers. I can't even remember the last time Steve brought me flowers let alone actually sent me flowers so I was immensely surprised to read the card and find they were indeed from my hubby! I was so touched I couldn't help but cry. (pathetic, I know!) I have been feeling so down and frustrated with everything the last couple of days even though I have been working to put on a happy face. His gesture just made my day and made me feel so special and so loved! I just had to share my happiness with anyone who would listen!

Virginia Tech GET JUMPIN'!

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOKIES!

It's starting to look a little like Fall...

Well, maybe not...at least not here in The Sunshine State...this time of year really makes me miss living in Seattle. I loved taking the kids out to the pumpkin patch and watch the leaves change. There was always just the right amount of chill in the air to enjoy being wrapped in a soft sweater...*sigh*

Oh well, this is about as close as we are going to get to a pumpkin patch now, but at least I can just step right out my front door.

Soccer Stud!

Stevie had his very first soccer game this weekend...and he did SO great! I know I am probably biased but I reallt think with practice he is going to be a really great player. He almost seems to be a natural. He also spent a little time as the goalie as well which made me so nervous but he did a great job there as well. Daddy is the team coach which I think they are both really enjoying, too!

Where there's a will there IS a way!

I have been doing pretty well as far as keeping it together since the accident but today I had a complete meltdown. I guess it was bound to happen. Today was the day. The pain and frustration at not being able to do something as seemingly simple as putting my hair in a ponytail finally got to me. Poor Steve was trying so hard but finally had to walk away. My crying and temper tantrum even gave my kids a good run for their money. When Steve decided my pity party had lasted long enough he came back and did his best to get my hair up for me and basically told me that was it...no more feeling sorry for myself. He says he won't let me. Even though I continued to go on about all the things I can't do, he told me to go get some pictures and start planning some LOs for when I could start scrapping again. I sat at my desk and continued to pout before I finally gave in and took his advice. Once I stopped feeling sorry for myself, I even managed to come up with a way to at least cut some paper for the LOs I am planning...it takes a little more effort than usual but at least it is something!