I AM Thankful!

I took this photo on a whim with my tripod set up in our front yard in Savannah. I did not know them the significance this photo would have. It is our only family photo with Joey! You don't realize that your photos of someone may someday have a finite number assigned to them. Sometimes it's hard for me to scrap photos of Joey because once they are done, they are done. So I choose a few here and there and save those that I'm not ready to scrap yet. It's ok to wait.

I am grateful for many things this holiday season:
* My family (on earth and in heaven)
* Good health (I'm so grateful Joey no longers with cancer!)
* A warm home
* Loads and loads of extended family
* Good neighbors
* Lots of amazing people that I've met through this hobby
* The uplifting music that fills my home during this holiday season
* The ability to hug and touch my other children whenever I want
* My hardworking husband
* That my father is still with us

There are so many things to be grateful for. I was telling Katelyn yesterday how much I appreciate her responsibility when it comes to helping take care of her brother. She's becoming quite the little lady. I think kids and spouses need to her "thank you" more often. I tell you, I swell a little bit when someone mentions how good dinner was or how nice the house looks. A little gratitude goes a LONG way!

Fun to Do, Fun to Do!



For those of you that don't recognize that title, it is an LDS Primary Song that the children often sing during the Sharing Time hour each Sunday. It's a "busy" song, and Jimmy LOVES it. :)

What are you doing that's fun in your life right now?

Me?

I am going to my Mom's house for our first Thanksgiving Dinner of the season.

I finished up a layout that I really love but can't share just yet (in hopes of it getting picked up).

I'm slowly pulling out Christmas decorations for the tree (in hopes that dh doesn't notice).

I'm going over my Black Friday list over and over again.

I'm watching my neighbors put in a beautiful yard (and looking for inspiration for my own dirt pile).

I watched "Moonlight" last night, which I'm so loving so far.

I'm sure I'm not the only one having fun in their lives. So share!

Here's a layout of Jimmy having fun:

Little Things Do Mean a Lot


I am not a fan of having my picture taken, and yet I'm not afraid at all of sticking the camera right in your face to take a few hundred shots. What a funny dichotomy. I'm working on it, though. My compromise is to let my children take my picture. I just feel more comfortable around them. They just don't intimidate me or something. ;)



So on our fall walk a few weeks ago when Jimmy wanted to take my picture, I courageously handed over the camera. Now he knows that his eye goes on the back of the camera, but he really doesn't "get it" yet that he should be looking through the eye piece. He's just gluing it on the back of the camera anywhere he can. So to take a photo, he typically just points the camera downwards.



So to get this particular shot, I was down REALLY low looking up into the lens, making sure it was at least pointing at me. The fact that it is in focus is only because his little fingers have to press twice to get the photo and my camera automatically focuses. Thank goodness for that!



So see . . . small things do mean a lot. Like getting a decent photo of their mamas, and that's a pretty big deal to me. :)

Because Tomorrow It's Supposed to Snow . . .

I felt like making some Fall cards. I am really in love with the Deja Views lines. Especially with the embellishments that go with the papers. I love not having to think too much and just grabbing the fabric borders, wonderful rub-ons, and delicious chipboard shapes. And get this?!! The Timeless line has corrugated shapes and letters. They're ba-a-a-a-ck! I loved them "back in the day" and I love them even more now. Some peeks for your pleasure:

And this one:

Frost & Flurries

Yes, I really do have Christmas on the brain. I did, in fact, warn you of that; but it's getting worse as companies like Deja Views create yummy goodness like this:
I mean, seriously? Don't you think Santa would love getting letters in this cute little mailbox? I know I would.

















Here's another "get you in the mood for Christmas" project:

'Fess up. I'll bet you already know what your tree is going to look like. I know I've been putting myself to bed at night thinking of the twinkley magic I'd like to create with my little trees.















And finally, a tribute to those festive cards we all love to send:
May your November day be merry and bright as well. :)