currently - again.

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giving up on: One Little Word project. What a big fat FAIL that was for me. Why I thought I could manage that, Project Life, actual life, working & being a mom is beyond me. In 2013, I will NOT over commit myself...right?

not entirely enjoying: working on my December Daily. Honestly, I LOVE the idea & LOVED my finished product last year, but this year, it's somewhat overwhelming for me & I'm not finding myself so excited to work on it, though I have made a point to have pictures to document every day so far. I know I'll put it all together at some point and I'm really only 3 days behind, it's just that the enjoyment and sometimes my scrappin' mojo is just not there.

worrying: about how I will really manage to complete/stay current on both my December Daily & Project Life when my office gets invaded on Sunday and remains occupied through Friday. Gonna be hard to print pictures etc. Yes, I could go in there, but I choose not to. I will set up a small table in my bedroom w/scrapping goodies, as I am certain it will become my "refuge" for the week. And I WILL need a "refuge" I am sure!!

reading: just finished "Porch Lights" by Dorothea Benton Frank - a fabulous story about Sullivan's Island...can't wait to get there!! Next up is "The Shoemaker's Wife" which my mom and I have decided to read at the same time so we can talk about it. It's a long one....448 pages!! I also (finally) obtained a "real" (read: not electronic) copy of "The Happiness Project" from my public library to look over. I was planning to buy it but then after reading so many mixed reviews, I decided to save my money. I'm anxious to see just what she has inside the pages...a lot of the reviews said there were no "earth-shattering" secrets to finding happiness, so my expectations are low but I'm hoping to be surprised. :) A note about this being a "real" book...while I absolutely LOVE my Nook, I have found that for this sort of book, I much prefer the real thing as it's so much easier to flip back & forth to reference points throughout. 

checking: every single day - my Barnes & Noble Nook book wishlist for any sales on the many books I've been wishing for. :)

believing: that the best days of my Christmas vacation will be the ones spent in South Carolina!! Hurry up December 29th and get here!! In a lot of the books I have read about that area, people speak of how the Lowcountry sort of "captures" you and I truly feel that has happened to me. I find that I am full of peace & joy when there and I will venture to add that a certain other family member of mine has become quite transfixed w/the area & finds it to be a place of calming for him...which in turn helps EVERYONE feel happier. I absolutely love being there.

still loving: watching Ethan's JOY at finding "Thomas" (our elf) every morning. He loves seeing all the new places that Thomas chooses to "hang out" during the day. This has been so much fun this year!!

listening: nothing seems to be calling out to me, so it's been pretty much some random Christmas music every now and then.

wanting still anything on my Christmas list  but especially hoping for a healthy Barnes & Noble gift card...so many books I want to read that I can't get through the library. 

currently

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eating: nothing too exciting really, though I'm eating a lot "cleaner" than ever before. As proof, I'm down 17.5lbs since 09.14.12. Hooray!! Still hoping to shed another 10lbs!!

drinking: still lots of water. some diet dr pepper and there have been a few SBUX iced chai here and there too.

enjoying: working on my December Daily, though I haven't done much with it yet. 

wishing: keeping my same wishes with hope that they someday come true...that I either had a job that allowed me to work from home or I could be a stay-at-home-mom.

thinking: how fabulous it is that there are only 10.5 school days left until Christmas break. Thank.Goodness!!

missing Christmases of years gone. specifically the years when I was a kid and Christmas meant we were ALL together...all 9 of my itty-bitty extended family. Now Grandma & Grandpa are gone. Aunt & Uncle are divorced. Aunt & cousins live in TX so we only have Christmases together every other year or so. This Christmas is bound to be a LEAST favorite of mine...no matter how positive I try to be. That's just the way it is.

believing: that some Christmas magic will happen & make the holiday a lot brighter than I anticipate it being right now.

making: this should be more like "trying to make"---my Project Life of course, in which I am still working on November & now with trying to keep up with December Daily it's even more challenging. And I'm 3 days behind on DD already. 


planning: to have a TON of fun in South Carolina over New Year's Eve this year. So looking forward to that getaway. It's truly the ONLY time a certain someone is calm & able to focus on family & fun.

loving: watching Ethan's JOY at finding "Thomas" (our elf) every morning. He loves seeing all the new places that Thomas chooses to "hang out" during the day. 

listening: some random mixes of music. some Christmas music. some Andrea Bocelli. some country. really not "feeling" a certain kind right now. need something new. 

wishing: that there were more hours in the day...I am feeling so short on time lately. By the time E & I get home, have dinner, dishes, get lunches ready for next day, do bath time, put on PJs, it's time to get into bed. There is NEVER any downtime. I know this is the case for most (all?) working moms, but it is wearing me down. alot. Once Ethan's asleep I always hope to get back up to do scrapbooking but can't muster up the energy and end up just reading a few pages and then going to bed. I'm so ready for the holiday break - though not happy that the first 1/2 of it will NOT be restful or stress-free for me. Ugh.

feeling: tired. see above.

reading Proof of Heaven by Eben Alexander. It's really good already (50pgs in) and will likely impact my sleep time keeping me feeling tired for a few more days.

wanting anything on my Christmas list  but especially that self-timer remote for my Canon Rebel. Oh how I would LOVE that!!

December Daily - Days 1 & 2

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I am participating in Ali Edwards December Daily project again this year. This is my 5th year participating, but last year was the FIRST year I managed to FINISH the album. It's a challenge to keep up and get it completed, but I absolutely love and cherish my 2011 album.

This year I have decided to do a 6x6 size album. So far, that seems to be working for me for the page layouts. In early November, I had created my own album using chipboard, covering it with Christmas pattern paper, paint & twine and used binder rings to hold it together. I never felt 100% happy with it and that feeling has not gone away and so I will be switching over to an American Crafts 6x6 album w/red spine just as soon as it arrives to my LSS. 

I absolutely LOVED that December 1st was a Saturday this year...I think that helps with getting off to a good start on the album. We ended up going to pick out our tree that afternoon and I snapped a couple pictures while we were there. The one of Ethan on the back of the truck is a bit brighter IRL. 

Sunday, December 2nd was spent decorating the tree...such a time-consuming chore, though I'm so glad once it's all done, lit up and looking pretty!! Ethan had such a good time helping too!!

a little late...sorta.

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I'm a little later than last year, but I just ordered our Christmas cards...so if you are on our mailing list, this will ruin any element of surprise when you receive your card. :)

Once again, I ordered from Shutterfly. It's so easy and this year I had bookoo coupons...a $20 off card that came in the box when I bought Photoshop Elements on Black Friday -woot- also, the cards were 40% off through TODAY (Dec 2) and in addition to that Shutterfly is offering FREE SHIPPING...which is like "magic" words to me. 

Here's what we went with this year:

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.