A Thousand Memories

Photo Shoot - 1 Year Old

2011-08-09T11:55:00.000-06:00

It is impossible for me to pass up the opportunity for a mini photo shoot. Beautiful and willing models and a great background... who could resist!

Happy 1st Birthday Rhett

2011-08-09T11:42:00.000-06:00

Summer birthdays are fantastic. To celebrate Rhett's 1st birthday we headed to our favorite campground for the weekend. Family and friends came to play and party. Rhett spent most of the afternoon pushing his ride-on car around the campsite and playing. As with most young kids, he opened one present and was satisfied. After some encouragement he slowly made it through them all. Trucks and farm animals remain his favorites. Oh, he did have a tantrum when I tried to get the toy TV remote controller and his new Toy Story Woody doll out of the box. Packaged toys can't be opened fast enough for little boys. Greg cooked burgers and hot dogs before we dug into the cake. Rhett reached for the cake as soon as it was placed in front of him. He was covered in icing before I could light the candle. Everyone agreed to let him dig into the cake himself and we could salvage what remained, but he only destroyed the nose which was easily scrapped off. His buddies Burke and Mason helped him blow out his candle. I have to admit that I got a little tear in my eye as we sang Happy Birthday for the very first time. Time has passed so quickly this year. It was wonderful to have our friends and family join us for this small, but important moment in Rhett's life.

Monkey Cake

2011-07-19T15:45:00.001-06:00

I am very proud of my first attempt at a decorative cake. I have never been so happy to see someone destroy one of my creations as I was watching Rhett tear into this poor monkey's nose.

Our Family of 3

2011-07-19T11:25:00.000-06:00

We took advantage of a hot afternoon to escape to our favorite camping spot by the creek. We cooked bush pies on the fire and enjoyed a nap in the cool shade. Rhett enjoyed his first dip into the creek. The cool water didn't seem to bother him at all.

Family Photos 2011

2011-07-19T11:22:00.000-06:00

1 Year Later - A Mother's Thoughts

2011-06-25T15:12:00.000-06:00

Framed Scrapbook Layouts

2011-06-25T09:57:00.001-06:00

These are a couple of scrapbooking projects I have been working on recently. The framed layout was given to my dad for Father's Day with the special pictures of Rhett's first branding. I used my digital scrapbook program to create the layout of Rhett, Rachel and Jake. It is the best picture we have of the 3 kids together. I plan to hang this layout on my bedroom wall with my other family photos.

Father's Day 2011

2011-06-25T08:32:00.000-06:00

On Father's Day, we decided to cut Rhett's hair for the first time. It was starting to hang in his eyes and look fairly unruly. Rhett stayed quite still and Grandma Beth did a great job. However, as I look at these pictures now, Rhett doesn't seem very impressed. Maybe he was aiming for the long, shaggy hockey hairdo. Sorry, buddy! It will grow back.

Stanley Cup Finals

2011-06-25T08:16:00.000-06:00

We cheered. We cheered loud and Daddy taught us a couple of bad words too. It was an unfortunate end to the Canucks' season, but we will be back to cheer again next year.

PS - Don't worry there is no beer in the bottle. He is practicing for his 19th birthday.

Our Beautiful Baby Boy

2011-06-08T15:35:00.000-06:00

Photo Taken By: Kendra Fahselt

11 months old

2011-06-06T09:51:00.000-06:00

Every couple of months I try to take a picture of Rhett in his car seat. It is a good way to measure how much he has grown in the quickly passing months from his trip home from the hospital to today. As his first tooth arrived last week, he toddles around the furniture and pushes his tractors around the living room floor our little man has continued to surpass our expectations. As much as I want to keep him little and cradled in my arms, it is truly a miracle to see the boy we have created.

Rhett's First Branding

2011-06-06T09:41:00.000-06:00

We had been waiting all spring for branding. With the unpredictable wet weather, we weren't sure if we would get to be apart of Grandpa's branding this year. Rhett has taken such an interest in farm and ranching life this spring that it would have been a shame to miss out. Rhett and I spent the first part of the morning watching from outside the corrals while the cows were processed, but when it was time for the calves we were ready for the action. Rhett still shows no fear and would have loved to be inside the pen with the calves. He was reaching over the side of the squeeze to pet them and grab their ears. He enjoyed watching the whole show and only showed signs of concern when the odd little calf would let out a heartbreaking bawl for its mother. If you have ever been in a barn during branding you know that it is not the quietest place, but that didn't stop Rhett from catching a quick nap in his stroller as the branding continued around him. We are already looking forward to next year when we are sure he will be the one chasing the babies around the barn and "helping" Grandpa.

My Little Green Wagon

2011-05-23T08:48:00.001-06:00

Cars, Trucks and Tractors

2011-05-23T08:47:00.004-06:00

For Rhett's first birthday we decided to get him a ride-on toy to build his walking skills. Since, his birthday isn't until July he got this race car as an early present to get moving now. As soon as he noticed the box on the kitchen floor he was thrilled. You can see the excitement on his face in the pictures above. Over the last month, he has become obsessed with trucks and tractors. There is a look of pure joy on his face and his little legs start kicking when he sees the semi being loaded or the tractor rolling through the fields. At home, he is often seen pushing his cars around the living room floor while making the innate running motor sound that only little boys can make. I was surprised at how young he picked up on these skills. Since Rhett can't make his own birthday wish list yet, it is fantastic to see him so excited about a toy that we have choosen for him.

I Scream For Ice Cream

2011-05-23T08:47:00.002-06:00

Great Grandma Nelson had back surgery a couple of weeks ago, so we travelled to Alberta for a few days. Most of our time was spent running around the city shopping and visiting G.G. at the hospital. Unfortunately, she wasn't discharged from the hospital while we were visiting, but we had some fantastic quality time with Great Grandpa Clare. As a special treat, Great Grandpa wanted to take Rhett for his first ice cream cone. Rhett had no objections to this idea. He was very proud to have his very own cone and it must have felt great on his sore gums. Althought the ice cream was devoured quickly, Rhett's favorite part was the cool, mushy cone. What a special memory to share with Great Grandpa!

Cousins in Training

2011-05-23T08:46:00.000-06:00

Jake and Rhett have an interesting relationship right now. They love each other. They both are very excited to see each other when Jake gets a chance to visit. Rhett thinks Jake is his cool cousin with the fun big boy toys and funky sunglasses. Jake seems to enjoy being the older cousin and know that Rhett is looking up to him. He is very proud to help and guide Rhett and never afraid to make sure he is doing the right thing. He keeps a pretty close eye on his little buddy. Although, things are no always perfect between these two boys. One minute happily playing together and the next minute working through power struggles over toys and adult attention. There will be more challenges ahead as these two boys build their relationship, but it will be worth it in the end as they become friends.

I love the look on Rhett's face in this picture. He seems happy to get a hug from Jake... but there is a unsure look in his eyes. As if he is questioning Jake's motives, He would't let me play with his Woody doll. Why is he being so nice to me now? Evidence of their love/jealousy relationship.

My Big Cousins and Me

2011-05-23T07:28:00.000-06:00

We don't get to see Erin and Lindsay very often. Both girls are busy with university and work, but they were able to visit at Grandma and Grandpa's farm at the end of April. Rhett quickly warmed up to the girls again and enjoyed playing with them. He loves anyone who will give him special attention. It is fun to see Rhett interact with people that were so influential in my life as I grew up.

Happy Easter Captain Awesome

2011-05-23T07:20:00.000-06:00

The Easter Bunny came to our home for the very first time. There was no egg hunt just a bucket of goodies for Rhett to find on Easter morning. As he played around on the floor, he casually noticed his bucket of plastic eggs and treasures. He had the bucket emptied out in no time at all. He loved the rattle of the plastic eggs and didn't realize that they were filled little baby treats that melt away in his mouth.

We dyed Easter eggs with Grandma Debbie. Rhett was eager to participate and dip his hands into the mugs of dye. He was happy to stir the eggs in the dye and we were able to hold him back until the eggs were out of the dye. He loved playing with wet eggs and only broke one. We got some great pictures with the brillant spring colors. It is exciting to think of all the Easter events to come in the future as Rhett grows and learns to anticipate the Easter Bunny's arrival.

9 Months Old

2011-04-28T09:40:00.000-06:00

Determined in the one word your daddy and I would use to describe you at 9 months old. Not much slows you down. We don't often see you frustrated, rather you are persistent in achieving your goals. You understand the word no, but it doesn't seem to stop you anymore. You want to discover the world yourself. We watch and support you. We protect you from whatever harm you seem to find (usually in the form of an electrical cord). We hope you keep this determination as you grow into a young man and adult. Use your determination to make your own spot in the world, achieve your goals, and fulfill your dreams. The world is yours to conquer my little man.

Daddy's Little Shadow

2011-04-28T09:30:00.000-06:00

Daddy never gets to see the excitement you show when you see him coming into a room. Your tiny legs kick and your arms fly out to him hoping he will scoop you up into his arms. Daddy never gets to see the look on your face because you recognize his truck coming up the road or the way you call for him when he makes a noise in his office. As mommy, I am priviledged to spend all day with you and feel a little jealous at the joy on your face when you follow Daddy around the house. If only you could follow him outside to B-B-Q or work in the shop. As your personality develops we see more of your father in you. You may have your Mommy's eyes, but you have Daddy's sense of humor and smile. Just a couple of the things that I love most about your dad. You are his little shadow.

My Laundry Helper

2011-04-15T21:56:00.000-06:00

Before Christmas I took a digital scrapbooking course from my close scrapbooking buddy. I made our Christmas card using my new skills, but haven't found much time to play with my computer program since the new year. I got a chance to sit down tonight and this layout is the product of my hard work.

Spring

2011-04-15T14:47:00.000-06:00

We are still waiting to see the grass. Rhett is sitting in a pile made by the grater.

A Proud Little Man

2011-04-02T10:48:00.001-06:00

One morning I was delighted to walk into Rhett's room to find him sitting in his crib and dangling his feet waiting for someone to let him out. Four days later, I walked into his room and he was standing up as proud as can be. He was suppose to be going to sleep. Like any good mother, I grabbed the camera to capture this triumphant moment. The one thing I have learned this week is that I, your mother, no longer control the napping routine. I can put the little man down to sleep, but he decides when he closes his eyes now.

Cousins

2011-04-02T10:43:00.000-06:00

The kids were home last weekend much to Rhett's delight. Does he ever love his cousins! As soon as we walked in the door of Grandma's house, he plopped down on the floor and began to play with Rachel and Jake. Rachel is at the perfect age to play and supervise Rhett. She is very patient with him and he couldn't get enough of her. He didn't need Mommy or Grandma when Rachel was in the room. She would feed him every meal and played music for him so that they could dance and play. On the second morning, he took one look at her, giggled with joy, grabbed her cheeks (that is how he gives out hugs) and smothered her in wet kisses. He does hand out kisses to anyone. You have to be very special in his heart. He sure does love his big cousin and I am pretty sure she loves him just as much!

Four Generations

2011-04-02T09:56:00.000-06:00

If you know Rhett, you know that he is one of the happiest little boys. Which leads to the question... what was he thinking during this picture?

Fearless

2011-04-02T09:52:00.001-06:00

You could say that Greg and I have a problem. Rhett doesn't seem to be afraid of anything. Small dogs, big dogs, cows or horses. Nothing seems to worry our little man. In fact, after only a couple of minutes around the horses and cows he began talking to them. Waving and chattering away. I guess I worry that one day we will find him in Grandpa's barn all by myself between the legs of a horse just like his Great Grandpa Woods found Grandma Beth as a little girl. We can only hope this means that he will enjoy spending hours outside with the animals and Grandpa branding, chasing, riding and finding a sense of peace that can only find on the back of a horse.

Early Morning

2011-03-30T08:31:00.000-06:00

Rhett and I spent a couple of days visiting Grandma and Grandpa. Calving season has started on their farm which means getting up each morning and checking the calves. One particular morning we were out when the sun was just rising over the horizon which made for some beautiful photos. Can you tell that I am LOVING my new camera!

Photography Challenge - Day 25

2011-03-10T10:49:00.000-06:00

Would you believe there are gophers out already?

Photography Challenge - Day 24

2011-03-10T10:46:00.000-06:00

Photography Challenge - Day 23

2011-03-10T10:41:00.000-06:00

Photography Challenge - Day 22

2011-03-10T10:10:00.000-06:00

We headed to Moosomin last week to visit Great Grandma and Grandpa before the busy farming season starts. Rhett had to show Grandma and Grandpa all of his new tricks!

Photography Challenge - Day 21

2011-03-10T10:02:00.000-06:00

Photograph Challenge - Day 20

2011-02-25T08:05:00.000-06:00

Photograph Challenge - Day 19

2011-02-25T07:54:00.000-06:00

The baby boy is crawling!! It is amazing how fast his skills improve and he finds new things to discover. Yesterday he crossed the invisible line between the carpet and lino venturing into the new world of trouble... the kitchen. For the first couple days, he would crawl up to the line and slap the lino, but never cross into the kitchen. He would turn around and go back to his blanket. Not anymore! I have spent all week slowly baby proofing. Adding plastic latches to the kitchen cabinets, buying baby gates and reorganizing anything he can reach. Only to watch him play with something I never even thought about. Rhett is delighted by his new freedom. He is so proud when he finds something new to touch including Daddy's computer equipment and Mommy's scrapbook albums. Why would a little boy play with his toys when there are so many other interesting, forbidden treasures to discover?

Photography Challenge - Day 18

2011-02-23T13:10:00.000-06:00

Photography Challenge - Day 17

2011-02-23T13:04:00.000-06:00

Photography Challenge - Day 16

2011-02-23T09:48:00.000-06:00

Photography Challenge - Day 15

2011-02-23T09:40:00.000-06:00

Photography Challenge - Day 14

2011-02-23T09:37:00.000-06:00

Photography Challenge - Day 13

2011-02-23T09:33:00.000-06:00

You have to see the sequence of these photos to really appreciate the love.

Photography Challenge - Day 12

2011-02-23T09:13:00.000-06:00

Photography Challenge - Day 11

2011-02-23T09:08:00.000-06:00

I was trying to catch the water droplets on film while Rhett was splashing.

Happy Valentines Day

2011-02-14T09:45:00.000-06:00

Our Little Heartbreaker!

Photography Challenge - Day 9

2011-02-12T12:31:00.000-06:00

Why do we buy our children expensive toys with blinking lights and noises??

Photography Challenge - Day 8

2011-02-12T12:26:00.000-06:00

Photography Challenge - Day 7

2011-02-12T12:20:00.000-06:00

Photography Challenge - Day 6

2011-02-09T09:29:00.000-06:00

Photography Challenge - Day 5

2011-02-07T14:13:00.001-06:00

I couldn't pick just one photo today. I have been trying for a long time to catch him sucking on his toes when I have a camera near by. I stood on a kitchen chair above him to catch the perfect moment from the perfect perspective. Our little human pretzel!

Photography Challenge - Day 4

2011-02-06T20:59:00.001-06:00

Photography Challenge - Day 3

2011-02-06T20:50:00.002-06:00

Photography Challenge - Day 2

2011-02-05T08:14:00.003-06:00

Imagine trudging through a stubble field with snow up to your knees while pulling your 7 month old baby in his sled. Suddenly, you realize it is pouring rain. Yes, rain in February. All to get these pictures with my zoom lens. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Photography Challenge - Day 1

2011-02-04T07:20:00.006-06:00

My friend, Kendra, has given me a photography challenge for the month of February. The challenge is to get to know my new camera by posting a picture each day in February on my blog and she is doing the same on her blog. I struggled with how to start, but spent one day organizing and posting my Christmas photos. I spent most of yesterday staring at my camera and Rhett and wondering what to do. Finally, I got out my camera and tripod laid on the floor fiddling with all the functions. I would like to understand how to use my camera in manual mode, but I find it hard to remember all of the details. I did get a couple of good pictures and deleted way more. How can I not get a couple good shots with a model this darn cute!

Sitting Up

2011-02-02T14:27:00.004-06:00

Shortly before Christmas, Rhett began sitting up with little or no help for short periods of time. He enjoys the ability to see everything and reach his toys. As the last month has passed, Rhett has become much stronger and his balance has improved. It takes him no effort to sit and play with toys for 30 minutes or more. Usually until he falls off balance while stretching to reach a new toy. His latest achievement is the ability to go from sitting up to flipping onto his belly so he can wiggle to the toy. We never know where we will find him when we come back into a room. We are often left wondering how exactly he got to a toy across the room.

Photo Taken: December 17, 2010

On The Ice

2011-02-02T14:06:00.002-06:00

Rhett didn't want to be left out of the action when Jake and Rachel went skating at Christmas. He was happy to be pulled around in his sled and watch the skaters. His face lit up when Daddy skated around the ice with him in his arms and even more excited when Daddy pushed him around with his feet touching the ice. It won't be long before he has skates on too!

Playing in the Snow

2011-02-02T12:16:00.005-06:00

While the kids were home for Christmas we were blessed with some beautiful days to play outside. Rhett loved being pulled around in the baby sled that the kids handed down to him. Greg got out the quad and Rachel spent hours being pulled around the yard. Jake didn't care much for being behind the quad, but loved driving it with Greg.

The Christmas Stocking

2011-02-02T12:08:00.003-06:00

Grandma Debbie made Rhett's Christmas stocking. We had to take the opportunity to take his picture while he could fit inside it. I don't remember my stocking ever being that big!

Rhett's First Christmas

2011-02-02T10:49:00.005-06:00

Rhett was very lucky to celebrate Christmas twice this year. An early Christmas with my family in Maple Creek where his uncle let him scratch his first lottery ticket. Christmas morning was spent in Eastend with his cousins. We didn't think Rhett would get into the excitement of Christmas yet this year, but we were pleasantly surprised. He loved the tissue paper and wrapping paper! He quickly figured out how to rip into his gifts and eat the wrapping or gift. Rhett's favorite gift is the a set of stacking blocks. We stack them up and he knocks them down. He doesn't need bells or whistles simply a toy to bang on the floor and eat. Santa brought him a stocking filled with treasures, a Sock Monkey and a penguin which rolls around when you push it. We gave him his first Vancouver hockey jersey and some cars with a spinning race track.

Merry Christmas 2010

2010-12-23T12:33:00.001-06:00

Our First Family Photos

2010-12-23T12:19:00.004-06:00

These family photos were taken at a local camp ground at the end of November. A talented friend of mine has started a photography business, Kendra Fahselt Photography. There is a link to more of her photos on the sidebar. I used a couple of these photos to make our first photo Christmas card this year.

Giggle, Baby, Giggle

2010-12-23T09:34:00.001-06:00

Visiting Great Grandma and Grandpa

2010-12-23T09:23:00.003-06:00

In early December, we took the long drive to Moosomin to visit Greg's grandparents. Rhett had not met any of his cousins or aunts and uncles in the Woods family. He was on his best behavior for Great Grandma and Grandpa. Aunty Lorna and Uncle Garth had everyone out for dinner one evening. Grandma took Rhett and I out to the Tea and Bizarre for a local church. We attended the Carol Festival at Grandma and Grandpa's church and listened to Aunty Marie play the piano. Grandma Marilyn introduced us to many new friends and seemed to enjoy showing off her littlest great grandson. I don't think any of us will forget when Grandpa Ralph was singing to Rhett and put him to sleep at the kitchen table. Or how the first thing that Grandma Marilyn would do each morning was give Rhett a kiss. Greg and I enjoyed watching Rhett with his great grandparents. These are memories that he may not remember, but the adults will cherish forever.

Hanging Out With Grandpa

2010-12-23T09:11:00.004-06:00

Everyone has some special memory of their grandparents. A unique memory or item that represents the relationship between a grandparent and a grandchild. When I see owls I think of my Grandma Eileen. She was a scholar and owls represent wisdom. I will never forget the smell of Grandma Nelson's face cream or the camp fire blanket that I still use when we camp. The blanket was made from Grandma's old bedspread. For Rhett, I hope he remembers the unique items that Grandpa Darrell enjoys. For example, his fur hat. Rhett loves the feel of this soft hat. Even though it was gigantic on him, he looks like a little mountain man. Take note of Grandpa's beard. Rhett loves to reach up and grab a good handful of it. Grandpa always squirms and cringes, but never seems to mind. However, Grandpa does seem to be getting quicker at catching Rhett's little hand before it snuggles to deep into the beard.

Sleep, Hugs and Roughriders- Grey Cup 2010

2010-12-01T22:16:00.003-06:00

Young children in Saskatchewan are trained from birth to cheer for the Roughriders. You can cheer for any hockey team, but when it comes to football there are no other options. Even if your mother was born and raised in Alberta. The green blood runs deep and strong.

Uncles

2010-12-01T22:07:00.003-06:00

Rhett, you are a very lucky young man to have so many strong role models in your life. You are blessed with two uncles who will teach you everything your parents would not want you to know. They both have such different skills and talents that you should be a very well-rounded boy.

Photos Taken: November 2010

Those Brown Eyes

2010-12-01T21:59:00.004-06:00

Everyone comments on your beautiful, dark eyes. Even strangers on the street. One of the older ladies in town told me that she didn't recognize you because you have grown so much, but she did recognize your eyes. There is a lot of stories to be told behind those eyes. When you smile they twinkle. When you are serious they are piercing. Someday, you will use those beautiful eyes to charm the girls. Those eyes melt my heart.

Photos Taken: November 3, 2010

Happy Halloween

2010-11-14T10:18:00.003-06:00

Greg and I enjoyed our first Halloween with Rhett. Of course, he had no clue what was going on, but he enjoyed trick-or-treating to visit a couple of friends and Great Grandma Queenie. He didn't get any candy, but we took cookies to his friends. I guess it was reverse trick-or-treating. Isn't our Tigger the cutest!! You can't help but smile when he smiles at you.

He is on the move!

2010-10-21T09:21:00.005-06:00

We have been practicing rolling over for a couple of weeks now. Playing on the floor and pushing Rhett over from back to front or front to back. All this preparing has finally paid off as he finally rolled over all by himself this morning. Although, as luck would have it, nobody saw the triumphant moment. Here's the story. Rhett was watching his mobile in the crib and getting sleepy. I could hear him begin to grunt and whine, but these are common sounds when he is falling to sleep. When I peeked around the bedroom door to check on him, I was startled to find his leg hanging out of the bars of the crib. My panic quickly changed to excitement as I realized he was on his stomach! I had left him playing in the middle of the crib on his back and now he was falling through the bars on his stomach. It is a very simple moment and seems silly to journal, but it is another step in his young life. Greg and I have been watching him wiggle and waiting for this moment. Knowing in the back of our minds that life would change again when he starts moving around.

Photo Taken: September 28, 2010

Our First Walk

2010-10-19T17:19:00.006-06:00

A good friend made this layout for me shortly after Rhett was born. The colors worked wonderful with pictures Greg took of us on our first walk. Click on the picture to enlarge the image.

3 Months Old

2010-10-19T16:53:00.004-06:00

3 months old...oh, how he has grown. Rhett is 12 lbs. 14 oz. and 25" long. He is not rolling over yet, but wiggles non-stop if he is awake. He will sit up if someone is holding him and likes to stand up until his bum wiggles him off balance. He usually prefers to sit up and see the world, rather than laying down. When he is happy, he talks and laughs non-stop to anyone or nobody at all. We often hear him playing on the floor by himself and killing himself laughing at his own jokes. His favorite toy is still Gainer the Gopher (the Roughriders mascot), but he seems to get mad when Gainer won't talk back. We weren't sure what color his eyes would be with a brown-eyed mom and blue-eyed dad, but Mom's chocolate brown eyes seem to be the winner. He is starting to play shy and keeps a pretty close eye out for mom. Rhett is pretty excited that harvest is over, because he lights up when Daddy walks into the room.

Photos Taken: October 10, 2010

Bittersweet Moments

2010-10-19T16:33:00.005-06:00

It is bittersweet to watch Rhett grow. His personality is appearing and his looks change a little everyday. He is becoming his own person. At 3 months old, he took his first bottle from Daddy last week and another from Grandma Beth his morning. Both bottles were pretty uneventful. He played with them in his mouth for a couple of minutes and then suddenly the milk was gone. Although, he still prefers Mommy. When he nursed after the bottles he cuddled in, held on tight to my shirt and closed his eyes to block out the world. He seemed pretty relieved to know that Mommy was still there and things were as they should be. I was relieved that to still be his #1 girl (and food source). It is wonderful to see him happy and healthy and taking the next steps in his development, but bittersweet to see watch him do things without me.

Life As We Know It

2010-10-17T06:30:00.004-06:00

Life as we know it has changed forever! I might add life has changed for the better. Our little boy arrived on July 8, 2010. Everyday is full of surprises. Things that I knew would change have changed. Things that I thought would change haven't changed and things I didn't think would change have changed our family forever. For example, using the computer. I didn't think it would be very hard to get onto the computer. Now, I am lucky to check my email every couple of days. This morning Rhett has decided to sleep in, so I am taking advantage of my "extra" time. Does this smile not melt your heart?

Photo Taken: August 27, 2010

Counting Down The Days

2010-07-02T08:51:00.005-06:00

Our baby is due in the next few days and we are eager for that day to arrive. I enjoyed scrapbooking the baby's first photos, although I had high expectations for these layouts. I wanted them to be perfect, because they are so special to me and my husband. I think I achieved my goal. One of the aspects that make these layouts special to me is the hand stitching. It takes a little bit longer to complete a layout with stitching, but I love the homemade feeling it adds to a layout. It is a personal touch and not store bought or manufactured. Some photos instantly bring up feeling when you see them and I enjoy taking extra time on these layouts to make sure the layout is as special as the photos.

Pocket Pages

2010-07-02T08:41:00.004-06:00

I have been trying to increase the amount of journaling on my layouts. Telling the story is why most of us scrapbook to begin with, right? On some smaller layouts it is often hard to fit journaling or you may want to write a private message for future generations. I think the most important thing to remember about journaling is that it might not be important to you today. You already know the stories. However, someday you will not be around to share your memories and your scrapbook pages will have to do the talking for you. Some stories are to good to fade away with your memories.

On the Valentine's layout, there is a pocket along the bottom edge where you see the scallop border. This is a cute layout to tuck all of those special Valentine's Day cards that your children won't throw out.

Under The Stars 2

2010-07-02T08:27:00.001-06:00

Whether I am making cards or scrapbook layouts, I find that I need some sort of idea to use as a stepping stone. Although, my final project usually doesn't end up looking like my original inspiration. Above are 3 projects that were completed using the same layout, but each project has a different purpose or feeling by simply changing the color or the size.

Under The Stars

2010-07-02T07:27:00.007-06:00

As I wait for the arrival of my first baby, I am finding myself getting very bored and going a little stir crazy. I am working on some of those little housekeeping/organizing jobs that I have been avoiding or have not found the time to do previously. Which leads to updating my blog with some of the projects that I have been working on throughout the last few months.

Under the Stars is a great little stamp set that I purchased because I liked it. I thought it would be great for future camping adventures. This was totally a splurge stamp set, but one I have really used a lot. I am finding this set very versatile. When I planned this workshop, I tried to use some typical colors for the outdoor theme such as greens and browns, but I wanted to attempt to use some unconventional colors as well. Do you ever find you get caught in a color rut?

Cypress Scrapbooking - Kendra

2009-11-04T06:51:00.003-06:00

Kendra is our digital friend, which means she now carries far less scrapbooking material and tools with her. She sent me these layouts that she completed while at Cypress. Her photos are so beautiful. She has such an eye for perfect photos! You can check out more of her layouts and photos on her blog too. The link is on the sidebar.

Cypress Scrapbooking - Jennifer

2009-11-01T08:46:00.002-06:00

Here are a couple of my layouts from Cypress. I tried to do some stitching on my layouts. This takes a bit of time, but is worth the effort.

Cypress Scrapbooking - Angela

2009-11-01T08:31:00.007-06:00

Here are Ang's layouts from Cypress. Ang has two little boys, but that never stops her from using flowers and bling on her layouts. If you double click on the black/cream family layout, you will be able to see her embellishments better.

Cypress Scrapbooking - Janette

2009-11-01T08:27:00.005-06:00

These are Janette's layouts from Cypress. One of my favorite layouts from the weekend is her Family layout. The colors are fantastic and her picture was taken at such an interesting angle.

Cypress Scrapbooking - Robin

2009-11-01T08:20:00.003-06:00

I am finally finding time to update and post some layouts from our girls scrapbooking weekend at Cypress. I asked each girl to pick her favorite 3 or 4 to post on the blog. The following layouts are from Robin. Her beautiful boys are so inspiring.

Happy Halloween

2009-09-17T17:27:00.003-06:00

One of the reasons I am posting to a blog is to keep track of some of my cards and designs. I find it hard to sent away cards that I really loved making. By taking pictures of them, I can send them away and still have an image of them if I want to recreate the card or use it as inspiration. This is one of those cards. I think the characters are to cute and I love the color combination. This was one of the first times that I used my watercolor pastels on colored cardstock. It seems as if the colors are glowing. This is using the Good Fiends stamp set from Stampin' Up. A classic Halloween stamp set that I was sad to see retire.

Heartfelt Thanks

2009-09-17T17:15:00.006-06:00

A few of my scrapbooking friends and I are heading to Cypress for our annual scrapbooking getaway next weekend. I am pretty excited to scrapbook for myself and dig into all my new wedding proofs. As I began thinking of packing up my room of treasures, I thought it best to clean house and organize. I have been taking 15 or 20 minutes here and there to empty and clean out little boxes and piles throughout my room. This leads to the following post of long lost cards. The cards above are cards that I created for a Heartfelt Thanks sampler a couple of years ago. It is always interesting finding old cards and layouts. You notice how your style has changed over the years. On some of these cards I would have used a background stamp to add texture behind the images. I still love the Sage Shadow card with three matching images and a vellum overlay. I remember making that card and thinking it was fantastic. Finding it again, I still feel like it is a fantastic! I don't use this set very often, but it is truly a classic.

Getting Into The Groove

2009-09-14T07:46:00.004-06:00

I am over the back to school/get ready to work again rush and can now think of something other than prep work. I had a great time in Salt Lake City at convention. I was totally reenergized and inspired. I have 2 different sets of ideas to post soon, but I want to demo them for my club girls first. I will share some more photos from Salt Lake as I go through them. Seriously, I have downloaded them to the computer, ordered them from Shutterfly and forgotten about them. Do you ever feel like real life (specifically your full time, money making job) gets in the way of life?? Here is my one little exciting moment from convention. There was lots of excitement, but this was my "15 minutes of fame". At convention, there are walls of samples that people have submitted to share or for contests. As I was browsing through the walls and taking pictures of numerous ideas, I was startled to see my husband on a layout. Then I realized that it was a layout that I had submitted to a previous contest. It was a pretty proud moment for me to be on a wall with so many other talented artists.

Salt Lake City - Swaps

2009-07-30T08:31:00.003-06:00

On Tuesday, I am headed to Salt Lake City for the annual Stampin' Up Convention with thousands of other creative stampers. I am very excited to be attending the convention in Salt Lake as this is where the Stampin' Up offices are located and we will be touring the Stampin' Up facility. These are the card fronts I am taking to swap at the convention. I am really enjoying the new hostess set, Wings of Friendship, that I used to create these card fronts. I used this stamp set in a couple of weaving cards in the previous blog post too.

Weaving With Paper and Ribbons

2009-07-30T08:24:00.003-06:00

Here a few samples from my previous workshops. In both workshops we worked with a technique from Stampin' Up on weaving with ribbon and Designer Series paper. Weaving adds a very interesting texture to cards and scrapbook pages. You can weave with any size of ribbon or strips of paper. I find the wider the material the easier it is to weave. You will also notice that on most of my paper weaving I have added a border to the top and bottom edges of the weaving. I found that paper weaving is less forgiving and the edges don't always come out perfectly straight.

Circle Circus

2009-07-17T16:11:00.002-06:00

I am really enjoying my Circle Circus stamp set from the new Stampin' Up Idea Book. This is a trendy, but timeless stamp set that will look great on many future cards and scrapbook layouts. Circle Circus works well with the circle punches. On the 6x6 layout, I used the new Stampin' Up In Colors for 2009-2010. Also, I used the Top Note die cut by cutting it in half the long way. The first layer is trimmed at the perforations and a second cork die cut was attached underneath. The cork adds more exotic texture that is reflected in the Circle Circus images.

I have a card workshop next week and will post some new card designs ASAP.

Same Design, Any Size Layout

2009-07-17T16:03:00.004-06:00

Here is another great design that I used for numerous layout sizes. The purple M layout is 6x6. The pool side layout is 8x8 and the matching relax layout is 8 1/2x11. In the Pool Side pictures were taken in Cuba and I used the Designer Series Paper, Pink Flamingo, from Stampin' Up. The cardstock colors are Rose Red, Regal Rose and Tempting Turquoise.

Cuba Memories

2009-07-11T11:15:00.004-06:00

Check out the cute little tin album I created with some pictures from our Cuba honeymoon. I used the designer series paper, Pink Flamingo, from Stampin' Up. This paper uses very bold colors that we saw throughout Cuba. Our tour guide told us that these are the colors of the ocean. There is a black accent on each mini layout to add flow and connect all of the pictures. My new favorite embellishments are the large grommets from Stampin' Up. They are very sharp and subtle. Greg helped me create the Top Ten Cuba list and I asked him write some of the ideas so that his handwriting is a part of our honeymoon memories.

A Great Design

2009-07-11T11:01:00.004-06:00

This is one of those great designs that you find and can use over and over. Each time it looks a little bit different with different embellishments. I got the original 6X6 pink and brown layout from my friend, Jodie. I used the same layout in a workshop. One of the scrapbook club members created the 6X6 Owl Together layout from that workshop. This week I used the same design to create 12X12 layouts with pictures one of my wedding showers. It is just a classic design. Thanks for the inspiration, Jodie!!

Just a stamping note--- I heard those dreaded words from a scrapbooking friend again. She loves the stamp set, but doesn't make cards so she will probably not use the stamp set enough. These are words every scrapbooking demonstrator hates to hear. Especially since I have been working hard to show my scrapbooking club how to use stamps on their layouts. So, I wanted to point out the little black flower stamp that I added on the red accents on the wedding shower layouts above. The journalling looked disconnected from the rest of the page, but adding the little black flower helped to unify the flowers throughout the layout. My point......use your stamps on your scrapbooking pages!!!! It is possible.

Alphabet Shower

2009-07-03T12:29:00.004-06:00

I am so excited about this card. I just finished it and have to post it right away. This weekend I am heading to a shower and stagette for Greg's cousin, Becky. It is an alphabet party. Each person attending was given a letter and you are to use that letter to buy your gift. For example, if you got a B you could give a blender. I got the letter X. At first I thought they were trying to torture the newest cousin. Then I got this cute idea. I am giving Becky an apron and frilly thong so that she can be a X-RATED CHEF. As for the card details, I used the glossy Rockabilly Designer Series Paper from Stampin'Up. Inside I attached a X.O.X.O tag from the Stampin' Up Define Your Life stamp set. A very practical stamp set that I don't use all the time, but seems to always come in handy. The stamped image of the martini girl is from Bella Stamps.

Birthday Layouts

2009-06-06T08:05:00.003-06:00

This year, my scrapbooking club has been exchanging birthday pages. Everytime there is a birthday we all make a page for that special person. These are the pages that my friends created for my birthday. As the year has progressed, a couple of the girls have dared to even put pictures onto the layouts!! You will notice the wedding picture of my niece and myself dancing at the wedding. Thanks girls. You did a fantastic job. I just need to fill them up with pictures.

Cleaning House - Part 2

2009-06-06T07:57:00.002-06:00

I found these in my scrapbooking room. I love the tree cards. The Seasons of Friendship stamp set makes such beautiful images. I'm not a big fan of the girl cards (I can't remember the name of the set). I love the set, but I think it is the colors I used. They just don't inspire me.

Smarties

2009-06-06T07:50:00.004-06:00

I have be participating in an online Secret Sisters group for Stampin' Up demonstrators and one wonderful friend sent me a box of peanut butter M&Ms for my birthday. She is from the States, so I sent her some Canadian Smarties. It was fun to decorate them and add a little poem. If you click on the picture the poem should appear bigger. I used the Hoppy For You stamp set from the Spring Idea Book.

Interesting Idea

2009-05-18T09:14:00.005-06:00

Here is an interesting scrapbooking idea for you. I wanted to create a page about my great grandmother and had this old black and white picture from 1962. I have scanned it into the computer, because we have no negatives and it is irreplaceable. As I was scanning the picture, I remembered an old cookbook that my mom had given to me when I moved out and started to cook for myself. The little green cookbook belonged to my great grandmother and had numerous recipes written in her handwriting. I have scanned these recipes into the computer as well. Simply for safe keeping or now I can make copies for other granddaughters too. I am planning to create a layout about my great grandmother and include her handwritten recipes with on it. I will post the layout when it is complete.

Note: The Elvis Presley Cake recipe... tempting to try because the name sounds interesting. I had to check and see if the recipe included peanut butter and bananas.

Mom's Little Lambs

2009-05-18T09:00:00.004-06:00

I have to share this little video of my mom's lambs. My parents are not saying anything important, but watch the little tails as the lambs are being bottle fed. They are too cute! Here is a tidbit of info for you... Did you know that people put elastics around a lamb's tail so that part of the tail falls off? These 2 babies have since lost their whipping tails.

Check out, Kendra's Scraps, my friends BLOG (the link is on the sidebar). She has the funniest video of her son singing Cadillac Ranch. It will make you laugh out load!

I Should Clean More Often

2009-05-18T08:54:00.003-06:00

While I was sorting through a stack of scrapbooking supplies on my stool the other day, I came across these layouts that I used in a workshop back in January. They are a simple design and very versatile. Each layout looks completely different with just a change of the colors and embellishments. All paper used is Designer Series Paper from Stampin' Up. Embellishments are from Stampin' Up as well. Remember to mix larger pattern and smaller patterns to achieve a balanced effect.

Thank You Cards

2009-05-11T20:47:00.004-06:00

I haven't been working on much lately. I got done all the Thank You cards for the wedding. They have been mailed out and I can post a picture of the card since everyone should have received it by now. Greg's mom helped me to put these together. Although, she wouldn't use the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig for the initials. I found this card idea in a previous Stampin' Up Idea Book (I think the one from last spring). The initials are from the Lovely Letters stamp set and the swirl detail is from the Priceless stamp set. They went together very quickly and smoothly. This was a blessing since we made about 137 cards. We were smart enough to make them all before the wedding, so they were ready and waiting for Greg and I when we returned from our honeymoon.

It's a Colt

2009-04-27T18:46:00.007-06:00

Those of you who know me well know that my family has been awaiting the arrival of our first foal. Saturday night he finally arrived! This is our newest farm yard baby, McCoy (aka. Mac). The two horses at the fence are his father and brother. Robbie (his brother) is exactly one year older than.

Scrapbooking Club - April

2009-04-19T15:42:00.003-06:00

We had our monthly get together this morning at Paige's house. Here are the projects that I demonstrated. The little pocket pages are created with 6x6 page protectors that I had left over from the center pieces at my wedding. First, we cut the holes off. Then, we built a little pocket with a top flap and decorated the flap. The 6x6 protector is adhered onto the cardstock with a decorative paper slipped inside. Some of the girls talked about putting baby keepsakes inside or favorite music cds. We used the Stampin' Up paper, Washington Apple. While planning the workshop, I added a pocket to my engagement photos. I am planning on burning all of the originals to a cd that will be in the pocket. I used the Stampin' Up paper, Urban Oasis.

The other layout is using the textured designer series paper from Stampin' Up, Sweet Slumber Specialty. What is interesting about this layout is the scrap pieces border. This border was also used on my club challenge layout which I posted earlier today. You can check it out below. Also, I used my new favorite products. The Canvas Cuts and Corduroy Buttons. The little hippo is so cute and stamped in Close to Cocoa onto matching designer series paper.

Welcoming Babies

2009-04-19T15:30:00.003-06:00

Our group is expecting 2 new babies in the next couple of weeks and one little guy, Owen, who decided to come early. It is a tradition in our group to make scrapbook layouts for the new mom, but this time we made baby thank you cards. The 5 non-expecting girls each created 3 cards. We mixed them up and shared them between the 3 new moms. For the record, we had no communication between each other about the supplies we would be using, but we all used similar stamp sets and colors. Great minds think alike!