Wait for it ...

Have you ever came across an idea that got you so excited that you couldn't wait to take it on ... only to realize that, well, you're still many months away from the idea becoming reality? That's what happened to me. I'm just going to have to WAIT. FOR. IT.

I was reading a blog the other day about scrapbooking. The gal does a December Daily scrapbook album. I have come quite accustomed to scrapbooking lately, except for some reason I can't manage to complete any pages at home?? Scrapbooking, to me, is a release, it's relaxing, and at the same time ... it's tiring! There's LOTS of thoughts that go into make ONE page. But each page has its signature -- love that was poured out through cutting, taping, pinning, tearing, stamping each page ... to make each page special ~ UNIQUE! --- there's that word again. {Remember I started off January with a blog about Special. Unique. Peculiar. things that are going to happen this year?}

Anyway, I'm not going to do a December Daily because I don't want to just scrapbook the happenings of December. I'm going to do a Holiday Herald that will run from Thanksgiving to New Years. So our first Holiday Herald 2011 is still MANY MANY MANY months away. :( At least it's something to look forward to, right??

Family is important to me. Most people know this about me already. I love spending time with my family and taking pictures to capture the moment I look forward to, too. Actually, dad and the kids LOVE to look at the photos of the time we had together, as well!! :) Photos are a great way to spark conversation and bring up memories. Photos can also tell about the occasion without a person saying a thing. This is why I am really trying to get back into scrapbooking. I want these photos to be in books that our children's children will be able to look at and say, "Grandpa! You look like you were so much fun!" Or "Grandma! So that's how dad (or mom) learned how to bake?!" <--- yes, I'm looking way ahead of our time, but at least I can dream right? HA!

Anyway, during the major holidays our family is always planning special things to do during that time of the year to make it extra special and MORE family-like, INSTEAD of commercial-like. Sometimes it may be things that we've never done. Other times it may be repeats from previous years.

It can get pretty busy for a lot of us from November THROUGH December .... take time to make it extra special, too, WITHOUT the hustle and bustle of life. Your kids will remember it for MANY MANY MANY years to come.

Scrappin' Time

Apart from my busy life ... homework for classes that are condensed into 5 weeks of learning verses 8-10 weeks, homeschooling our three kiddos, being a wife and hoping that I'm doing a good job at it, taking care of our home which sometimes I don't do such a good job, <---- but that's okay because it's still presentable for guests, and working with William on remodeling our master bathroom ... I am taking a break from it all for 8 hours this weekend. It's my need to catch some fresh air and do something that doesn't involve anything strenuous, other than what to put on a 12x12 page. That's. It.

What will I be doing? I'll be scrappin'. NOT fighting. That's scrapbooking for those who aren't proficient in scrapbooking lingo. ;) I haven't done any scrappin' since early 2008 ... that's almost 3 years! Crazy how fast time has gone. It's funny ... while looking at the pages, which is a very small number of them, I can remember when I did the pages. I've even got a special page from an old friend of ours and my first scrapbook page was done with her, too. It definitely brought back some sweet memories. I miss those days!!

Apart from continuing to learn new scrapbooking skills, I do agree with the kids ... my skills at taking photos has improved GREATLY!! Since I'll be scrapbooking on a regular basis now, I'm going to subscribe to Shutterfly's package deal ... 600 prints for $54! That's a DEAL!! And that's A LOT of photos!!! And that's A LOT of scrapbook pages waiting to be completed!!! :)

I'm happy ........... oh! And I've been informed by Andrew (our oldest child who is 11.5 years old) that I should make each of the kids an album that they can take with them when they move out. This is so they'll have those memories with them, too. Hmm ... he's right. A good album full of memories is always great to look at, especially when you're missing family. And according to him, he wants to go into the military ... "just like dad". <---- he'll need that album while he's away from his family, huh? More motivation to get these scrapbooks done. I'm excited!!!

By the way ... scrapbooking is so much more fun than just inserting photos into a photo album. There's more depth given to the photos on the page ... and depending on what layouts and embellishments are used, the page helps tell the story of the photos.

P.S. I have been told by all three kids and my wonderful hubby that they can't wait to see what pages I complete tomorrow. Well, technically it's today since it's already Saturday. Can they really be as excited about these pages as me?! Guess I'll be finding out soon ....