template love.

so my sweet friend crystal, asked me to try out her new templates.

you know me, I kinda love crystal, and I kinda love everything she makes, so it really wasn’t hard to say yes.

I used three different templates, from two different packs.

what do I love about them? well, let’s just make it easier and list what I don’t love about them.

(insert crickets chirping here.)

see for yourself:

this is from template pack #1, and perfect to showcase some of my favorite pix from our recent lagoon trip.

I love the white background, but also the option the template gives to change that up whichever way I choose. I love to have the pop of color on the very background, but still have the clean feel of the white behind my pictures.

I used pebbles “seen & noted” paper and elements to tie this all together.

and that stitching.. perfect to pin down all of those little tid-bits.

crystal has made this so super easy, with all the shadows and overlays, even the stitching pre-set (but with the option to turn those layers off if you are not in the mood).

I love this picture, and decided that while it will definitely hold a spot in my weekly project life layout, it deserves a page of it’s own..

I used a template from template pack #4 and “chasing rainbows” paper and elements from dani mogstad. perfect to express that feel of blissful childhood I so totally see in this picture.

this was easily one of the happiest days of our summer so far..

my sister-in-law came home from her 18 month mission to nashville, tennessee!!

(totally deserves to be documented..)

I used another template from template pack #4 (guess you could say it’s my favorite pack? maybe?..) and LDS missionary sister edition from becky higgins project life designed by kimberly church.

I am so completely happy with how easy (and quick!!) these were to use.

now if you have been scrolling through, checking out what these babies have to offer, maybe even clicking on the links, following them to the stores where you can purchase them from, well, I have some completely awesome news for you..

and it really isn’t my news, it’s crystal’s news, I just get to spread it!!!.. and we all know that I am so incredibly good at that…

she is offering a 50% off coupon to purchase her templates here.

just enter the code CWTEMP50 at checkout before june 22nd.

want more eye candy? check out her blog and what she did with a layout a day with these awesome templates.

weeks five + six: strawberry edition

even though we didn’t get much snow this year, it was still winter at the pitcher house.
and how do I know this?
1) I had the uncontrollable itch to re-arrange, re-decorate, and just shake things up in general around the house.

we moved the two youngest upstairs in the loft area, moved their tv room downstairs, and my studio from the basement up to peyton’s old room on the main level. the hopes are that now, every little girl in the house will sleep through the night (I know, 11, 9, and 6.. they got on a fear kick in october, and it still isn’t over), and the other hope is that I will get some of my fun stuff done. it’s not fun going down to the basement alone. where no one else is. to work. where it was not motivating.

(my studio is still a work in progress.. but it is progressing.)

we were also tv starts for a second on a local show, studio 5.

(link to segment here.)

my nephew was baptized.

we enjoyed too much sweet stuff on superbowl sunday (but seriously, that is what the superbowl is all about..).

took a trip to the natural history museum of utah, which was AWESOME and totally AMAZING, and WE WILL be going back. there was so much incredible stuff to see, and we didn’t even get close to seeing it all.

the last little bit is a homework sheet from peyton’s homework packet. I LOVE the phonetic spelling.. her favorite season: summer. things you wear in summer: “swimsoot”. I LOVE this!

and 2) three pictures from this particular week have to do with different people being ill.
seriously.
the ONLY thing I hate (absolutely HATE!!!) about winter.

lynn participated in her first science fair. we tested gum. our jaws are still recovering.

(but 5 gum is the best, in case you are curious.)

took ash to the doctor for what I suspected was strep. it was just a virus (which = a wasted co-pay).

took peyton in to the instacare the next day, for the flu.

wick girls = drama + emotion. this was a quiet moment.

got some sweet thank you gifts from teresa hunsaker for the studio 5 segment. she is SUCH a SWEETHEART!!

this is peyton’s fever.. back again.

took lynn to the 5th grade maturation program and traditional ice cream and “ask me anything you want” afterward.

page 1 credits:

becky higgins project life template “F”

strawberry edition project life

kraft paper and paint brush from liv.edesigns

number 5 from sarah gleason

staples from dani mogstad

paper heart from amy tangerine

stitches from crystal wilkerson

page 2 credits:

becky higgins project life template “F”

strawberry edition project life

staples from dani mogstad

stitched heart from crystal wilkerson

arrow from clementine edition project life

fonts:

“week” bebas

“six” lobster two

journaling and dates done in frenchy

project life failure

my intentions were good. oh soooo good!!

I started out strong, just not strong enough.

now I am living with the decisions I made, and trying to catch up!

I set out to do project life, and got some pretty awesome tips to “help” me. some of them ended-up giving me excuses, and thousands of ideas as to why I should just start all over, but I am not. I am sticking to it. I will get there, slowly but surely.

so the things that i have learned, some the hard way, tinged with a smidge of regret, are as follows: (and i learned A LOT from cathy zileski, she is amazing!!)

- pick a template, maybe two, but the fewer the better.

- pick a kit and try to stick to it. there were fun cards and embellishments from my stash that i was able to use to mix it up a bit, but for the most part, too many choices just complicate things for me, and project life is not supposed to be complicated. i actually created a folder on my computer, and titled it "my project life" and copied the supplies i wanted to use continually throughout the album. for the most part, my background paper and fonts stayed the same. so did my template. i also edited my pictures the exact same way every time.

- calendar in a day when you project life it. have that time consistent so it gets done.

- i keep a journal on my phone with the day one app. every day i write about the events of the day, that helps when i go to journal.

- be flexible. i missed a few weeks, and that was hard to go back and fill in the gaps. when life just got too busy, i stopped. i still have catching up to do, and if i just started out being flexible with myself, i wouldn't be there. i also picked one way to start the album, one basic style to stick to, and i just wasn't loving it anymore come march. when you don't love what you are working with, you should be flexible to change it up. i wanted to keep the album cohesive, but i should have allowed myself to be more flexible so i would have stayed excited and in love with the process.

- involve your kids!! that is part of the plan for me this year. let them journal about the day or a certain event. after watching the rebroadcast of project life on creative live, i have so much motivation and new ideas to help keep this ongoing. scanning in kids art and school work is something that i want to implement.

- accountability. i have let my blog go, i don't post in galleries like i used to, and if i did, there would be some accountability. i wouldn't get behind.

I have a few weeks completed from last year, I still have A LOT of catching up to do, but it isn’t hard. two things that saved me: my photo 365 app and my day one journaling app. those were two things I was very consistent about, and now I have both of them to fall back on to fill in the many gaps of 2013.

holiday cheer.

we had a wonderful christmas!! 

here’s just a few of those moments:

(links posted below each layout.)

the lights at ogden’s christmas village.

this song by mindy gledhill really speaks to me.  it is just how I feel about my kids growing SO fast!!  I also identify with it in the respect that I wish the christmas season would just.slow.down.

wood grain paper, snowflakes, and tabs from crate paper “peppermint”.

ric-rac and staple from dani mogstad.

stitching from anna aspnes (frame here and strip has been discontinued).

glitter sheet from shalin studio.

date stamp from liv.edesigns.

fonts:  “ostrich sans rounded” and “lobster two”

 

this one is priceless!!  these expressions were captured while they opened their main gift.  happy girls!!

paper, tab, and tape bits from crate paper “sleigh ride”.

glitter from sahlin studio.

staple from dani mogstad.

date stamp from liv.edesigns.

stitching from anna aspnes.

torn photo frame from anna aspnes.

fonts:  “bebas” and “pea snow”.

 

finally, here’s december at a glance, thanks to instagram!!

so many traditions and happenings pictured here:

- christmas eve wrapping party (a.k.a. no sleep for mom and dad.)

- sleeping around the tree on the 23rd

- wrapping sister gifts

- um, winter + utah = cold.  LOVE my seat warmer!!

- lights at temple square

- white chocolate peppermint m&ms (those had better be coming back next year!!!) #addicted

- seeing ‘the nutcracker” with my girls

- our elf christopher

- our book advent

- snow

- sugar cookies!!!

- my newest nativity

- favorite christmas carols

- stack o’ cards

- christmas village

papers, border, button and santa from dani mogstad.

staple from dani mogstad,

zig-zag stitching from anna aspnes.

circle stitching from anna aspnes.

vellum piece is actually a torn photo frame from anna aspnes with the opacity adjusted.

brown bag paper from liv.edesigns.

fonts:  “bebas” and “pea hilary marie”.

this layout is my last for the creative team at jessica sprague.  it has been a fun couple of years!!  it was a dream come true to be accepted as a part of this team.  I was scared to death to submit to the call, but thanks to the encouragement of one designer, I did it.  one of the happiest days of my digi life was when I got an email from her congratulating me.  I’ve made some wonderful friends and have learned so much!  thanks for all the good times ladies!  xox

many great scrappy things are happening for 2013.. 

I will stay on creating and loving all the goodness that is liv esteban (a.k.a liv.edesigns) at jessica sprague.

(yay!!!)

and I will also be creating and having way too much fun at ac digitals.

I also have MANY goals for the new year, and most of them are craft/scrap/photog related.  time to get back into an awesome routine and start to catch up!!

happy new year!!!

Paper Kiwi

I recently got a book printed with Paper Kiwi.  They are local (to me), just a couple of hours down the road. 

Let me tell you a little about my experience:
I created my book in Photoshop Elements, saved the files as jpegs and uploaded them into their software (that you must download) dragging them into place (super easy).  You can create your book using their software too.
I loved how you were able to select your style of book, how it let you preview exactly how it would look while you were building it (to see how pages would merge together and such), and I loved how easy it was to add pages! 
The final step was to proof just how the book would look, catch any mistakes before you click on that final submit button.
I ordered my book late Tuesday night and had it, in my hands on Saturday afternoon. (!!)  Can you say fast?
I chose a hard-bound cover, in color, and was amazed at what I saw.  It is gorgeous!  The colors were a little darker than I saw on my monitor, but my monitor isn’t calibrated either.  That would be one detail I would have to remember for next time, to amp that up a little bit.
The first two pages were perfect, great weight of paper, colors vibrant (but still a little dark), and then the pages were sideways. 
I had to giggle.
Then I notified customer service via e-mail, and they responded later that evening.
(Fantastic customer service!!)
They informed me that they would begin re-printing my book first thing Monday.  And they did.
(Awesome customer service!)
A week later, my corrected book arrived, all things in their proper order!

My experience was amazing. 
I had read other reviews about slow software, but I didn’t experience any of that as I didn’t use their software to create my book. 
Comparing it to my Shutterfly book, I would have to give Paper Kiwi the upper hand.  The cover is thicker, more substantial, the pages seem to be a little thicker to me.
I definitely plan on using their services in the future. 
(Did I mention that their customer service was incredible?)
Love my book!
**My review and opinion of this company and it’s services were compensated with a free 8x8 printed book.  Just sayin’.*

Evaluating…

I have been dreading this part of the year (aka, the beginning..) and the evaluation that comes with it.
I look back on last year, and all of those fabulous goals that I set at the beginning of it, and think, no, I KNOW that I was crazy, or under the influence of something, like too much sugar.
I set a goal that I would scrap 144+.
The + being the traditional layout I would do for every digital layout scrapped.
(Does anyone else hear the sound of failure?)
Ready for this last year’s tally?
No drum roll required….  really, don’t get excited, DON’T.
76
I didn’t even bother to count how many were traditional or how many of those are digital.
Why bother?
I think we all know that the majority are digi anyway.
So this year, I am setting realistic goals.  Goals such as: “Eat a piece (or two) of chocolate and/or candy everyday.”
See, I can do that!  Set a goal to not, and I might last one week, might.
So in the way of scrapping, I am setting a goal to get Peyton’s first year completed.  I got to two weeks (I think) and she will be three next month..
It would be a lot easier to scrap those pix if I didn’t cry every time I busted them out…  watery substance and scrapbook paper do not play well together.
I would also like to get the family pix scrapped from when I was preggers  with her… 
Other than that, I am not putting a number to anything, just to get to a certain point in my scrapping. 
Other goals (maybe) and some more de-junking and house-cleaning as far as blogging goes will soon follow…  I just need to find the motivation.
Changes are to come!

Word for the year..

Yup.. play.
We do a lot of this, as it is already, but I wanted to make a more concerted effort, to play this year.
To play in many ways..
Play in the kitchen, try new things.
Play in the craft room, try new techniques, learn some new skills.
Play with the kids, put work down and just play.
Play with Merrill, relax, let go and play when we are together.
Play as a family.
In The Family: A Proclamation to the World, it states:
"Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities."
See, play..
We have been doing a lot more playing so far this year. I find it very relaxing to play house with the girls, although I end up being "the babysitter", while they go out on "dates". The plot lines they implement while we play Barbies together, help me to forget about my current worries or stresses. We have also begun playing before bedtime, still reading, but added playing. It has been so much fun to play with Peyton, especially. To see the understanding of new concepts in her eyes is very fulfilling.
I also plan to continue to play with my friends..
On that note, I would love to have a "scrappernoon".. leave me a comment for when works best.. after Peyton's birthday and Valentine's is over of course! :)

Header...

I cannot take total credit for my header..
In the November CK, "Dear Lizzy" column (pages 105-106), Elizabeth Kartchner gave directions how to do this.. using traditional scrapbook supplies and PhotoShop (someday!!!).
I used my supplies, made it 8 x 2 1/2 inches and embellished away!
I scanned it in to my pictures at 300 dpi, and saved it, then re-sized it to 650 x 250 pixels.
I went into my Layout tab, clicked on the header, and uploaded the desired file. Saved the changes. I already had my template set to "Minima", which you have the option to do black or white, and changed my font and outline colors to match..
Super easy..
So customized...

Back in the saddle again...

See my other bog for some cute layouts... ;) If you wanna...
I have been trying to get back on track with my one a day layout goal. Today I got two done!!! So how can I not scrap when Peyton is taking such good naps, and when she's not, she loves that dang jumper... she squeals at the jungle animals hanging above her head and talks to me too. We began playing this game where I shake my head at her and say, "Not the fingers!" I am trying to get them out of her mouth all the time... she now turns-up her nose at the bink! But that is what makes her happy, especially when she is tired... she squeals and laughs so hard when we play "Not the fingers!!!". It is so cute! I love it... I have also found some tickle spots, those are great. But she'll have not much to do with me (feedings are the exception...) when Mer is home.
The girls have been so funny about saying prayers lately. They will tell each other things to say during one another's prayers in this super sweet voice that makes Mer and I smile at each other through one cracked eye during the prayer.
We always have to remind Ash to "bless the food", and yes, it is "bless the food", instead of "bless the bood". We have been working with her on her f's. She says "fartknocker" really well!
So today, Lynn was blessing our lunch...
Lynn: "Heavenly Father, we thank thee for this day. We bless our family. We bless the Holy Spirit. We bless that we can get married in the church... uh... I mean the temple someday...."
Ash: "Bless the food..." in that super-sweet voice...
Lynn: "...Bless the food. Help our bodies to be strong..."
Ash: "Bless the HOTEL..."
Yes she suggested that Lynn bless the hotel!
We went there last night to see the third floor. It looks awesome! I didn't think I would be so nervous with the girls though. I know just how dad felt at Dead Horse's Point in southern Utah now with us young-uns. Us, 30 feet away from any viewpoint, which has guardrails and chain-link fencing, dad in front of us with arms bracing us, holding us back: "Can you guys see?"

Fun night... aggresive day...

Had scrap night with some fun girls... you know who you all are... I actually got a couple of layouts done for Pey's book, but you can check the other blog for those :)...
Ate some Whoopie pies too...
Mer and the girls had a fun "daddy-daughter night" out. Work, it just put it off, they girls could hardly stand the wait, but had so much fun once it began. They had McDonald's again, they had it the day before for lunch when we went to watch them work on the hotel... so naughty... Mer went and played with Austin. Boys are so funny. I asked him if he wanted to go hang-out with Austin while us girls were doing our "girl stuff", and he said, "What do you think I am gonna do, call him and ask if he wants to play?" I am glad that the brothers can be brothers again.
Ash fell asleep watching "Short Circuit" with her hands down her skirt... that's our Ash. But Lynn was up for the party...
This morning, there were two baptisms that were going on. I didn't get to go to either one of them, no babysitter... Pitcher's Sports in springtime makes that possible ;)... But that's okay, I had a bad attitude.
So I went and finished cleaning out the flower beds with all of my aggression. Long enough for Peyton to get in a good nap and me to get a cute sunburn... part farmer tan, until my wrists, where my gloves gave an awesome stopping point to the burn... I look dang sexy! Oh, and so do my flower beds!
Now Ash, Pey, and I, are watching, "BooBah" on "OnDemand" while we wait for Mer and Lynn to get back from a delivery and set-up in Park City... love the springtime!!!

New Developments...

This is my new pic... as much as I loved the one Brookers took of me when I was prego, I wanted to update, just like I want to on my template, but don't dare... I felt a little cheeky...
Peyton has started playing this game today while she nurses. She stops nursing to smile at me, and then goes back at it, then stops, and gives me another smile. It makes for a little longer meal-time, but I can't complain, I love it!
Meanwhile, my three year-old Picasso has been updating our couch... about every other week, there is a new addition... she started the masterpiece about a month before Peyton arrived, what a stinker... notice the technique on her circle though... very impressive!
Yeah, that will be fun to clean... but I'm hoping to not do it tonight. I am hoping to go have fun scrapping with the RS sisters. Just me and Peyton... maybe not too much scrapping, but some much needed "girl time"... and not the kind that you get hanging-out all day with a tired and hormonal 3 year old and a sheriff of a 5 year old...

Kankles...

Here is as close as I got to a layout today... between Church, Sunday Meetings, and a birthday-birthday party (two nephews...), I really didn't have time! I'll do two tomorrow!!!!
This is my HOF submission confirmation.... eeekkk!

Please forgive the un-kept state of my toenails (little Hannah, where are you?), and the dryness of my skin, but these are my swollen ankles. They are not bad, but since they have only been swollen three times this whole pregnancy... this is the worst I've seen them this time around... I can leave an impression in them...

I think that maybe, just maybe, my body has subconciously been holding back until I submitted my entry... so maybe, just maybe, tonight? Tomorrow?

Even as we speak, I am making me some Broccoli and Cheese soup, with rolls... yum... I have wanted soup, and Milk Duds, all day long. I got home from correlation this afternoon, to scour the cupboard, trying to find something chocolate. The Milk Duds got slipped into my church bag...

The birthday party was so fun tonight! Cade and Evan... how cute. To think that next year, there will be a 3, 2, and 1 year old!!! Bet everyone is excited for their budgets that month! I heard for the third time today, about walking with one foot on a curb and one foot on the ground, how it's supposed to put you into labor... I tried it. My in-laws have one long step to go into the music room, like 10+ feet long... I went back and forth, countless times. I did have one great big long Braxton Hicks, and my niece and daughter laughing at me... I almost went and jumped on the trampoline (indoors, no snow on it), but I thought about how I pull muscles just rolling over in bed, and thought it not a wise idea.

I have plans, emphasis on the s in that word, for tomorrow, just stuff that needs to get done... we'll see how well the opposite thing works out...

P.S. I haven't had to take one antacid today.... weird...

Still...

We had a fun day today, out and about. I got lots of fun things to scrapbook with... I was too stingy to use my favorites tonight, that and I didn't have the pics I really wanted to use printed off.
I am sooooo tired... I am wondering if I am supposed to get a really good night's sleep, and then it will happen...
I did bring a towel with me today, just in case nothing happened...
So who's still in the running, you might be wondering...
Ashley (has less than 3 hours...)
Nat & Chrisite - 9th
Jen - 10th
Ally0005 - 12th
Kelly - 13th
Brooke & Rachael - 14th
Jenny - 16th
Jaclyn - 17th
Good luck...

Ben & Jerry's = Double Chin

So, I am sitting here, eating some Ben & Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake Swirl ice cream... (can you say YUM!) and I am wondering if this 9 month habit has helped to contribute to these cheeks and two chins. Okay, I know that the quality isn't great... the placenta and her arm cast a funky shadow, but they are there!
So after ANOTHER night of little sleep, this time it was more heartburn than pains, I was tired today. I had heartburn so bad! Nothing was helping, even my two antacids! I just prayed to be able to get comfortable so I could get some rest. I kept having this prompting to go eat a brownie and drink a glass of milk. I thought, yeah right, like a brownie and ice cold glass of milk will help? But after an hour of discomfort, coughing fits, and nearly throwing-up twice, I thought that this must be my answer... it was. See, even the things that seem the dumbest to us are still important to Heavenly Father. Don't question the answer, no matter how crazy or non-sense-like it may seem. A CHOCOLATE BROWNIE and ICE COLD glass of milk, helped. I slept well until Ash woke up, being crazy... she said it was a bad dream. Something about Michael Meyers and Sophie coming here and she was alone??? She's a nut...
I am:
2 1/2 cm
75% effaced
AND... negative for strep! WoO HOo! No penicillin drips!!!
She is:
dropped more (I knew it! There's no mistaking the feeling of a head moving in that region...)
7 1/2 pounds
and dang chubby... and cute too...
Doc says she won't be waiting until the 22nd... maybe Valentine's???
Any other bets?
This is all after a two hour wait to see him today... those other pregnant women... the nerve, having their babies when I need this information!!!
So here is the over-share of the day, but if I am going to blog like it is my journal, then I should pretend like I am really the only one reading... ANYWAY... I am losing my mucus plug... Mer got all grossed out when I told him, but to me, it is exciting!
Jaclyn got me moving last night... I got out all of my picture CDs for 2007, loaded them onto my computer one at a time, copied only the pics I needed to scrap, and burned a whole disc for scrap projects... now I need to get 2006 together, and figure out what I've already scrapped...
Here's the layout, the album is almost complete...

I LOVE my Merrill!!!

This is what I did all day today...I left the house at 10 am and didn't arrive home until 5:30 pm. That is almost a workday for Merrill! He was so good to me, letting me play all day long!
I didn't scrapbook the whole time... you know there had to be some "yip-yapping", lots of eating, and a little scrapbooking. I came home to find that he had the pizza dough ready and waiting for our pizza and movie night, the kitchen cleaned, the dishwasher unloaded, and the breakfast dishes cleaned-up. The girls were happy, and dressed. He somehow managed to keep them in clothes all day long! No little girls running-around in panties to greet me when I got home! When I couldn't stop telling him how much it all meant to me, he said, "Please remember it tomorrow when I have no gift for you." He has been looking ever since Christmas for "the gift" without any luck. He tried all night last night, and the night before, and even the one before that, hunting, and today he looked for the "back-up" without any luck. That's really okay... today means more than anything I know that he could find in any store!
I highly suggest the Vicks Vapor Rub on the feet strategy... worked very well! I slept well, considering I had a three year old who had a late night "power nap"...

And now, we wait...

I went scrapbooking tonight. I got almost two layouts done, this one, and Thanksgiving, another hit from 2005.

We had fun! It is so much fun to sit and "yip-yap" as Merrill would say. You just can't get enough, especially when it is a great group of ladies... and two very cute nine year-olds... or is Hailey ten now??... and treats. I want to somehow put Nat's entertaining sound effects with my layouts, so when you move your mouse over a certain page element, her sound will pop up too. She's hilarious...

The nursery is ready, we are just waiting. I love going in there and getting all excited! The hospital bag is finally packed with all the right items, i.e. nursing bra instead of a big ol' pregnant boob bra...

So Wal-Mart today... I went to get pics printed off for tonight and tomorrow, of course I ended-up getting some sweet treats too, but I really wanted to try this Vick's Vapor-Rub on your kids' feet thing. I have heard, from three different sources now, that if you rub it on their feet when they have a cough, it will help to stop it in the night. Less coughing = more sleeping. I am all over it! So I came home from scrapping, to find Lynn still awake, no surprise there, and Ash asleep. Mer said that she zonked-out around nine. She was up less than five minutes later, great nap! I got them all medicated-up, Ash had a slight fever, and slathered it on their feet. Lynn is out, no coughing, but Ash and I, we are watching "Snow White", again. I guess it's the late night flick of choice for my little night owl. I am so thankful that their illness episodes are so close together, it helps me to remember how to deal with it. Maybe the experience will make me a little wiser for when I have to deal with this more in the future, or maybe I am dealing with episodes so close together so I will have a big long break... either way...

So on with the Wal-Mart saga...

I get my stuff, and as I am checking out, paying for the pics too (I didn't have to leave and come back, it helped that Ashley needed to go potty while we were there, woo-hooo!), my mom calls, panicked...

"Where are you? Where would you be, besides home, at five o'clock on a Friday? Are you having the baby? I called you twice at your house. You are going to have a paniky mother until this baby comes!"

While I am talking to my crazy mother, we are trying to leave the store. Ashley is seated, safely in the cart, while Lynn, against all motherly advice, is holding on to the back of the cart, and standing on the bottom rack. We hit the rug at the doorway, and the cart lurches forward, but can't make it over the edge, and rolls back, throwing her to the floor, right on her butt. I told her so... So right in front of many strangers coming and going, she's crying and yelling at me: "YOU DID IT ON PURPOSE!!! YOU DON'T LOVE CHILDREN!!! YOU HATE ME!!!"

Can you tell there have been sick coughing kids who haven't been sleeping well nights in our house???

Mom decides we are really okay and lets me go, do you think she heard?

We get out to the car.

We get into the car.

I get both girls buckled in.

I go to back-out.

Lynn is still crying and yelling at me.

I back out.

The guy next to me goes to back out too, so I back up a little. The guy across and in front of him goes to back out, I back up a little more.

"HELL-ooo!!!" Thumping on my trunk...

There is some lady yelling, "You almost hit me!" She is pointing at her cart. It is three feet away from her car, in the middle of the parking lot. Yeah, your cart is the least of my worries. Pull it in closer to your car.

"Sorry." I mouth, and throw my hands up like, what am I supposed to do? I almost hit your cart?!?

Tomorrow, more scrapbooking should be fun... Ash and I are sure to have a fun night.

Almost a box of Glue Dots...

Today I got 6 layouts done, 8 pages total. I almost went through a box of Glue Dots, that's 300 dots... busy day. Fun day too...

I am really getting annoyed with my clothing. It's really my tummy, but I'll blame it on my clothes. You see, nothing seems to cover the very bottom of the belly... you know, where the bottom of your shirt should cover the top of your pants... It's always uncovered by an inch or two. I realize it is hanging out there when I start to fell a draft... My skin feels like it's just going to tear open today, like it has stretched as far as it is going to. But I'm really not feeling that bad... I know I'll probably get more uncomfortable. Sunday has been the only day that my feet and ankles have swelled this whole pregnancy. They really didn't swell too bad, compared to Lynn and Ash who were summertime pregnancies... they're still looking kinda pudgy, but not holding a hand print-shaped impression...

I am a little worried... I heard on the news today that RSV is pretty bad around here. They expect the season to go on a little longer than expected, maybe Jen will know more for me! Lynn started in with a cough yesterday that has gotten worse throughout the day today. There had better be no sick children, or RSV restrictions for that matter, when Peyton is ready to make her entrance! I would really be bummed if big sisters couldn't come to the hospital. My goal is to be there 24 hours or less... I would much rather be home, even with all the bum-wiping I am called to do...

A Fun Day...

We had a fun day today! Us girls scrapping and the kids playing, having fun. Eating treats...
I managed to get two pages done. This one and a copy of another one I did earlier for Ashley's book, but I wanted one for the family album too!
We had a good day in the "little girl" department. Lynn slept in until almost 11:30 am! She really must have needed it... even Evan going down for a nap, didn't wake her. She woke, happy and cheerful. She was great with her little cousins, and sister, I should add. She usually has "smell" issues... sharing issues... "they're a boy" issues... Today she was so loving! She helped both Cade and Evan, she even shared her Lightening McQueen sippy with Cade and helped feed Evan his fruit snacks. She was concerned about Evan having fun and kept asking me what she could bring to him to play with him. I think I'll let her sleep in more often that late, if this is the result... Both the girls managed to keep clothing on all day! No prancing around in panties!!!
I forgot to tell the story of "My Saturday Night / Early Sunday Morning...
Saturday night, after our pizza dinner and during our movie, Ashley decided to fall asleep. It was 7:30 pm, mind you. I told Merrill to keep her awake, that I could not deal with a late night, he'd have to if he couldn't get her up. He laughed. He tried to wake her, once, then gave up. Once she's been out for 15 minutes +, there's no hope. I tried, nothing... So she slept, we couldn't wake her. We put her in bed and she ended-up waking up a little after ten, with her second wind. We all hung out for a little while in our room, then two of the four fell asleep, I was halfway there. Guess who the two were...
So after moving Lynn to her own bed, Ashley and I headed downstairs for, what I thought, would be a movie. Three movies later, and a little sleep during them, a little before 4 am, Ashley is finally out. I really don't want a night like that again. But Ashley woke up the next morning around 8:30, before the "other two", with fond memories of all of it! She remembered every movie and even the order she viewed them. At least she knows I "a-lub" her... that's Ashley speak for "love".
Speaking of the nocturnal rascal, she found my glasses last night and decided to model them for me... if only I looked as cute!

A glimpse of the past...

I updated the wall downstairs, and I couldn't get rid of these pics... So I scrapped them.

I just feel so blessed looking at them! To think of what we had, what we have, and what we are becoming is awesome. I know that I am blessed, I know that the Lord blesses me everyday. I am thankful to be able to recognize these blessings in my life and in the life of my family members.

I am thankful to be celebrating my birthday this week too! I get to do it in the best possible way. Pretty much a whole week of scrapbooking (Monday & Tuesday, then Friday and Saturday :) yea!!!) with my best friends and favorite family! (That means that Christie and Jen had better be there Friday!!!) I am also so blessed because I have a hot hubby who says to enjoy away... even if he still does tease me and call it "crap-booking". He tells me how lucky our kids are to have their lives documented, and he enjoys remembering too...

Today was ward conference. It went well. I feel like Sundays go by too fast now, like I really don't get to enjoy them. Primary flies by! Some weeks that is good, while other weeks, I just want to revel in it more. Either way, I am blessed to be able to be in there with my girls, with an awesome presidency (who are more like my best-girlfriends), and great people I look up to.

A story from 2006...

Here's a layout of a story from 2005... Jenny, you might remember it, you know, the Sunday I showed up at Primary with mostly black hair? Yeah, "My BIG Black Mistake..." If you wanna know the details... call, we'll chat... It's about time I get it done, that happened almost two years ago... I spent the afternoon updating and filling my albums. My display rod was full, and my drawer of completed layouts was full... so I did it. I had 2 nearly full boxes of 25 sheet protectors, each, and now I think I have 5 or 6 left... I looked at everything that I have left, planned, to create for 2005... 7 layouts. Then 2005 will finally be done!!! I feel like such an "ijuit" (that's Merrill speak for idiot, we don't want the girls to use it... as well as stubbid=stupid) I found 3 pages, 2 dated the year behind, and one dated the year ahead. See... ijuit...
Here is Ashley art form today's "crafting" session:
She is starting to draw people. I know, it's a little faint. The tall red one is Mer and I think the yellow one is Peyton. The small, and most faint one in the left corner is "Eban" or Evan, as people who can say their "v's" would say... she described every feature as she drew it... "Here is Eban's eyes, and his eyebrows... Here is his smile... and his hair... Here are his pajamas..."

While I am posting kids work, here's one Lynn drew Sunday during Sacrament meeting....
I was very impressed. She said it was me, and Doctor Bierer, squirting the "jam" on my belly so we can see Peyton inside. She even included her own version of the transducer and the cord... so cute!
So on the topic of the girls, the "wee ones" as Clint would say... As I listened to them play Barbies, their girls were getting a little sassy with one another. Ashley's Barbie said to Lynn's, "Do you wanna piece of me? Huh? Huh? Huh?"
While driving home from the warehouse tonight, after doing donuts in the parking lot... Ash was really confused why we still couldn't see the house that caught on fire down there in JULY... we were trying to explain to her that the fire was put out a long time ago... She got so frustrated with us. She sighed and said, "You guys are giving me a headache..."
I also got the "explanation of benefits" statement from IHC, from the "Kernel Incident"... Guess how much it costs just for the removal of the foreign object from the nose...
$350.00...
I know, outrageous. The least they could have done was send me home with all the tools they used for that price. It was even more on top of that to see the doctor, and that's after the co-pay... The nice thing is, when you try to call them about it, their "new and extended office hours for my convenience" end at 4 pm... I got it around 4:30 pm. I know they're closed for the weekend. Maybe I'll just wait to see how much they try to milk me for when they send "the real bill".
We ate at El Matador tonight. I have been having constant Braxton Hicks ever since the drive to get there... I guess I should probably pack the hospital bag now, just in case...