Trying a new schedule today...

I've tried new schedules many, many times--usually with the same results (improved productivity/cleanliness for a couple days, then a return to the status quo), but I'm cautiously optimistic that this time will be different!! It's flexible, includes everything I hope to get done during the day, and works with my natural inclinations (sort of--I do still have to do housework!). My tendency is to put off the stuff I don't want to do until afternoon, and then I do that stuff instead of scrapping. With the new schedule I should have 2 hours to scrap every afternoon and still keep the house in relative order and do school with the kids every day. My house is doing pretty well today, and would actually be doing *really* well if I hadn't found Elijah's floor in need of carpet cleaning this morning.

In other news...

Shiloh finished learning her letter sounds this morning (actually she's known them for a while but I wanted to get all the way through to Z in our letter book), so now we get to start learning to read!! So cool! I'm totally excited about the world that will open up to her once she can read by herself, and about how our schooling will change when she doesn't need me to explain everything to her.

Mariah is 29 mo. old now, and it's about high time I start potty training her. I think the hardest thing for me about parenting is that they change so fast! I finally get used to our life, and then someone's needs change. Esther becomes mobile. Shiloh becomes more capable and therefore needs more responsibilities. Elijah and Mariah getting old enough to be rivals.

It's amazing to think that someday my life won't be about this.

Dan and I have been doing devotions together for the first time since Jan. 2000, when I found out I was pregnant and refused to get out of bed before 7:45am (and I only got up then because I had to leave for work at 8:00!). We're reading Romans together and I'm loving the discussions and prayer time we have--what a great way to start our day! And I think he loves that I'm up early enough to make his lunch! ;)

Ok--the schedule beckons...

The geriatric snowman

No, he doesn't have wrinkles, walk with a cane or have osteoporosis. But he's the oldest snowman I've ever seen (being that in Washington the average life expectancy for a snowman is about 3-5 days tops, and this guy's been around for months).

That's Alaska. Well, that's Fairbanks anyway. It was so different from anything I've ever experienced. People were totally undaunted by the snow/ice (which I know is to be expected, but not something I'm used to). Fairbanks is freezing or subfreezing for 6 months out of the year. My friends have a cooler on their porch that serves as their freezer--more effective than most deep freezers! People in Alaska drive like the roads are bare. The snow sticks to the trees, rather than just sitting on top of them. The buildings are much more spread out than they are here (even in Bonney Lake, where we still have a few stretches of forest on the main highway). A mall consists of 10 stores sandwiched between a Safeway and a Michael's. Crazy.

I had a great time--we stayed inside and scrapbooked for most of the weekend. We were working on my friend's wedding album, and she wanted my "professional opinion". Gotta love that! It was way simpler than anything I've done in a long time, but came together much faster and turned out beautiful. Beautiful pictures and a beautiful story do help a lot.

Now, my goal is to get started on mine, as my wedding was over 6 years ago...

Turning thirty

Yes, I had a birthday. No, I didn't tell anyone, so don't get mad at me! I'm weird about things like that, partly because I feel like I'm asking for attention if I tell people, and partly because it means so much when people who know me remember without being told.

Anyway, happy birthday to me! We celebrated by going to the Melting Pot, which was probably the most amazing food experience of my life. Everything was delicious, and fondue is just fun! Though really, any time I get alone with Dan is wonderful. :)

I'm not freaking out about getting older, but being 30 definitely feels different than being 29. First of all, I'm "in my 30's". I've been in my 20's most of my adult life. I'm not young anymore. And I'm 10 years away from being 40!! On the bright side, many of my "well-seasoned" friends have said that their 30's were the best years of their lives. Still young enough to be active and energetic, but without the constant change of the 20's. I can see that. I'm more mature, more secure, happier, more stable, better off financially than I was 10 years ago--by far. I know what my calling is and I've learned a little bit about how to live it out. And most importantly, I've seen God's faithfulness and am more sure than ever that I am kept by His grace, and that He will be faithful to complete the good work He's started in me. I have a loving, encouraging, supportive husband and a marriage that is constantly growing in understanding and communication, 4 kids that bring me joy and make me laugh every day, wonderful friends and family, a home that I love (and never want to leave), a church filled with great people, some enjoyable ministry opportunities, and a pastor who loves God's Word.

So I have much reason to believe the upcoming decade will be a blessed one.

Of course, that's if I survive my upcoming trip to Fairbanks, AK! It's -25 this week (that's Farenheit, btw)! I have to admit, I'm a little nervous about it. The idea of going someplace 70 degrees colder than it is here is unfathomable. Not to mention they only get an hour or two of daylight this time of year--and that's a relative term. Anyway, I'll be sure to post pictures next week, if my camera can handle sub-freezing temperatures!

Tag--I'm it!

My asterisk buddy Sara tagged me (probably as a ploy to get me to update my blog!) Ok...

Four jobs you have had in your life
1. Admissions office caller (calling prospective students)
2. Delivery driver for Godfather's Pizza
3. Preschool teacher
4. and now, Stay-at-home-mom, with the recent addition of "homeschooling" to that title

4 Movies You Could Watch Over and Over
1. LOTR trilogy (yes, I'm a geek)
2. Napoleon Dynamite (see above)
3. I'm kind of a once-is-enough person when it comes to most movies
4. Yeah.

4 Places You Have Lived
1. Everett, WA
2. Olympia, WA
3. Port Angeles, WA
4. Bonney Lake, WA

4 TV Shows You Love To Watch
1. LOST
2. 24
3. HGTV
4. but I don't have cable so don't talk to me about Lost or 24--we watch them a year later on DVD

4 Places You Have Been On Vacation
1. the Oregon Coast
2. Victoria, BC
3. does camping count???
4. uhhh....

4 Websites You Visit Daily
1. Two Peas
2. Pink Martini designs
3. my friends' blogs
4. does my e-mail inbox count?

4 Of Your Favorite Foods
1. coffee
2. diet coke
3. pizza
4. ice cream

4 Places You Would Rather Be Right Now
1. Scrapping at my dining table
2. Taking a nap in my bed
3. Taking a bubble bath (but not in my bathtub, it's too shallow) (but not in someone else's either, that would be weird)
4. Shopping, but only if someone gave me money--much easier to spend other people's money!

4 Bloggers You Are Tagging
1. Tia
2. Mimi
3. Keisha
4. Dan

:)

A fresh start

...is my favorite part of New Year's! That last week of the year, after all the Christmas stuff is done, lends itself so well to reflection, looking backward and looking forward. Dan is off work and we usually take a small trip (the last two years it's been to the Oregon Coast). I love it. Without the distractions of home, I'm able to get a quiet hour to think through what I want my next year to look like, what I've accomplished by God's grace over the past year, the events of the past year and how they've changed me, etc. Then Jan. 1st hits and I get to put it all into action.

So far this year...

1. I'm committed to following God more closely, personally and as a wife and mom. It's been hard to make my time with Him and in His Word a priority as my life has become so full, but I need to. My relationship with God the most important part of my life, and it effects how I raise the kids...I have this great book that puts their behavior and attitudes in Biblical terms and shows what Scripture says about how to encourage/correct them.
2. I'm committed to losing my extra weight. Part of me wants to make it my goal to lose it all this year, but the goal I set was 35 lbs. I think this is reasonable, and of course if I'm able to do it quickly I can keep going! I restarted the South Beach Diet (well, a modified version of it!) on Monday, and so far, so good!
   
3. I'm committed to taking care of myself. We have dental insurance for me now, and I'm getting my teeth taken care of. 1 more root canal, and at least 3-4 crowns. It's really hard for me to spend our family's money on my teeth, which is an issue I'm working through as well--that my needs are as important as everyone else's. I'm committed to exercise as well, though that's been off to a rocky start! :P
   
4. I'm committed to homeschooling. We've eliminated our morning movie time, and I'm making sure we do school at least 3x/wk. That gives me a day for errands and chores if I need it.
5. I'm committed to growing as a scrapbook designer. I have some great opportunities as a teacher and Design Team member, and I believe my work is getting consistently better.
6. I'm committed to new dish towels, lighting candles, using the good plates, lip gloss and date nights--those little indulgences that are so necessary for the enjoyment of life!

May your 2006 be full of God's grace as you seek to grow in character and accomplishments!

Promotions

Here at home, my goal is to work myself out of a job. ;) Some moms struggle with letting their kids do work around the house because they "don't do it right." I, however, will do just about anything to get out of housecleaning, and would rather see dishes in the wrong place than sitting on the counter dirty, hence...

• Shiloh has been promoted to dishwasher emptier
• Elijah has taken over her former responsibilities as silverware sorter
• I am now kitchen manager

Big deal, right? It's a huge deal to me, which probably tells you all something about my life...

However, lest you think I'm overwhelmingly pathetic...I've been asked to join the Ben Franklin Design Team, which means I will be designing scrapbook pages for them to display in the store. I actually dug out my Social Security card and filled out a W-4 for the first time since 1997! This will nicely complement my teaching opportunity there, and I'm thrilled to be working with great people and at a great store that sells great stuff!

Congrats--you've finished the race!!!

This is the 8th and final clue to the knowledge of who our {hip}santaclaus is!! I can't wait to find out myself, she (?) has been beyond generous and has brought some serious holiday cheer to the Pub.

Anyway, this 8th and final picture is supposed to complete the puzzle and reveal Santa's identity. Cut and paste it into your word processing document and e-mail it to hipsantaclaus@yahoo.com along with Santa's name. If you don't know yet, you can pea-mail {hip} for the answer.

Congrats on making it this far--and good luck!!

I *heart* days off...

Dan had to use up some vacation time, so he took a half day on Friday and a full day off yesterday. The best thing is when he takes a day off and everyone else is working, because then we don't make plans with other people....isn't that horrible??? It's not that I don't love getting together with friends, it's just so nice to stay home, get caught up on things here, have him field some of the interruptions, etc.

Anyway, we're back to the daily grind today. The kids have already trashed the house, I'm still in my jammies, have a mile-long to do list. Here's a few things on that list...

• finish apps for 2 design teams
• finish up Christmas cards
• weekly cleaning (I try to do it all in one day)
• make my sister's Christmas present (a decorated journal)
• finish Shiloh's present (a decorated box)
• wrap some presents
• do school

I'd better not add anything more to this list!! I think it's already past what I can reasonably do in a day!

Have a great day, and I hope whatever's on your list is getting accomplished. :)

Homeschooling update

Since this blog was initially about homeschooling I thought I'd give a little update.

1. I'm realizing we've done way more than I've given myself credit for. Shiloh is on letter P, Mariah (who's 2) counts to 13, and Elijah does puzzles like a champ and draws dinosaurs!
2. We've learned about a bazillion random things that really aren't random at all. The Fatherhood of God, properties of light, clouds, flowers, counting, making 10, poetry, comparisons, trees, day/night, seasons (to name a few).
3. I've learned a system that works for keeping a 2- and 3-year-old productively occupied while teachind Kindergarten.
   
4. We take a lot of days off. As in, we've probably only done 2-3 days a week tops for the last couple months. BUT, when I reviewed my monthly calendar last night, I realized I'd given myself 3 weeks off in December that we won't need. So if we do 4 days of school between now and next Friday, we'll be caught up!!!!
5. I need a math curriculum. Shiloh's ahead of the preschool level in our curriculum, but not to the kindergarten level. She has a hard time counting to 20. And the curriculum doesn't give me much for how to teach math. I think she's just not math-inclined. And I am, math has always just made sense to me. So I've got my eye on something with a little more detailed instruction.

I don't love homeschooling the way I thought I would. I know it's the right thing for our family, and I think I'll enjoy it more when the kids are older. My ideal for homeschooling is everyone busy doing something interesting and meaningful, having conversations about what we're all learning about, in-depth Bible study, library trips, volunteering together and talking about it afterwards, sitting around the table working on math problems or some kind of necessary homework together, singing, learning hymns...a lifestyle of learning that has structured times of instruction but isn't about that. A life of strong family relationships, learning in context, and Christ at the center directing, teaching, guiding. I think we're building to that, and that makes it worthwhile.

Published!!!

I got an e-mail this morning that I'm going to be published in a scrapbooking magazine for the first time!! So exciting!! The funny thing is that people tend to think of scrapping as a Mom thing--you know, moms taking pictures of their kids and writing their memories and thoughts about how much they love them. But the page I got picked up is one I made about Dan! Anyway, keep your eyes peeled for the Jan/Feb/Mar issue of CorrespondenceART magazine...probably will be on the newsstands in a couple months or so. :)

What are you doing Dec. 9th?

If you're within driving distance of Bonney Lake Ben Franklin, I hope you'll be taking my Holiday Tags class! We'll make the tags in the picture to the left, and learn some of the many uses for tags for sprucing up your Christmas presents or embellishing your scrapbook layouts. You can sign up on their website, the cost for the class is $15 and supplies will be about $5.

While we're on the subject, what is the best scrapbooking class you've ever taken? What did you like about it? Any suggestions for a newbie teacher?

Have a great day!

Rosy needs...

Got the idea from Sara W. to google my name + needs and see what comes up....I'd explain these, but they're funnier without knowing the context. :)

1. 'Rosy' Needs Some Weather
2. ROSY needs your help and that of your friends, family, colleagues and associates
3. what Rosy needs is a good psychiatrist.
   
4. this rose needs some soil amendments and mulching.
5. Once the lock was filled, the lock-keeper opened one gate, which is all Rosy needs.

Had to look up Dan too...

1. Dan Needs Bush Hogging
2. Dan needs a new Car.
3. Uncle Dan Needs You
4. dan needs the love too, y'all.
5. Dan needs to overcome himself

It's been brought to my attention that I need to update my blog...

Yes, it has been a couple weeks! And I've actually had blog-worthy things to share, just not the mental RAM to make it happen. Did I actually just make that joke??? Evidence that I spend *way* too much time at the computer. :P

1. I've been given the opportunity to teach Scrapbooking and Paper Crafting classes at Bonney Lake Ben Franklin! I'd been wanting to get into teaching classes for a while, and I've gotten to know the Class Coordinator, who is running an amazing program! You'd think a craft store in a town the size of Bonney Lake wouldn't have much to offer, but they have a huge scrapbooking dept. and monthly crops that are attended by 60+ people! Anyway, I made her aware of my interest and she's letting me give it a go. My first class is Dec. 9th at 7pm, I have a really fun project planned and am excited to see how it goes! If you're in the area, you're welcome to come--more information is on the calendar page of their website.
2. I was named Pubster of the Day on Nov. 14th! POTD is a huge honor, if you're into that sort of thing, which I am. :) My online scrapbook gallery got lots of attention and I got to know a few people better.
3. Dan and I celebrated our 6th anniversary! It's been a crazy, action packed 6 years, and I love him more than ever. Dan is truly the most caring and fun husband I could have ever imagined having. My mom babysat, and we went out for dinner using a gift card we'd been holding onto since last December! I didn't want to go pregnant, and Esther's just now to the point where we can leave her for half a day. We had a great time!
4. Homeschooling has slowed down somewhat. I had planned to take Thanksgiving week off, and it turns out we'll be using that to make up missed work! Good thing she's not technically school-aged yet. My mom brought down lots of educational goodies, and I've been better about library trips, and I'm grateful that one of the great things about kids is that they're still learning even when we're not doing anything formal.
5. I'm studying the book of Judges in my Wed night Bible study, and keep seeing how the Israelites failed to pass the knowledge of God down through the generations, and how their children would fall into sin and idolatry as a result. A good reminder to take seriously my job as a parent to teach my kids to love the Lord and walk in His ways.

Ok, hopefully this will be enough to keep Sara happy for a while! Have a great day!

Cheap tricks pt. 2

Ok, here's another before and after shot. The after shot isn't fabulous, but I thought it was a good recovery of an unusable photo.

Just in case anyone was wondering (which I'm sure you weren't) we don't really celebrate Halloween. We do carve pumpkins though. This one is Marshie. You have to leave a comment if you know who that is.

Had to add in Elijah. The great thing about a 5MP camera is that you can crop way in and still get decent pics.

Since Hanni didn't, I will

Today's ND giggle:

"I made like affinity of those at scout camp."

Cheap tricks

There are many wonderful things about being married to my husband, one being his knowledge of Photoshop! For an amateur photographer, Photoshop can be a huge benefit! Here are the before and after versions of a photo I took yesterday. There's more that could be done color-wise, but the trick I'm most excited about is that I selected Esther's eyes using the magnetic lasso, and brought up the contrast. So many little things that can be done to improve mediocre photos! I'm looking forward to exploring this. I'll keep you posted.
**ETA** The two boxes on the bottom are the same photos the first time I tried to upload them. The ones you can see are the before and after. The after shot looks more bluish here than IRL, for some reason.

Esther

My baby has eczema so bad that her cheeks are bright red and scaly most of the time. So I take a bazillion photos of her when they're normal. Here's my favorite from Monday's photo shoot:

All in a day's work.

Cat and I got together yesterday to assemble the goodie bags for our dinner this weekend. It was truly amazing to see so much product in one place! Definitely makes me feel proud to be a part of the Pub.

The only thing cooler than all the free stuff is knowing that I get to meet so many amazing people on Saturday! So many people that I respect as people as well as artists will be at the convention. Even if all I was doing was getting away from the kids for the day, it would totally be fun. But getting out for the day + classes + shopping + new friends + old friends...wow.

American Crafts

You know how you think every once in a while, "This food is so good, I could live on it for the rest of my life and eat nothing else"? That's how I feel about AC letter stickers. They are just perfect. I don't even know what makes them so much better than other stickers, they just are. They just work. So much so that I made a page title with them that took up most of one page! I had so much fun with it, especially considering the subject.

If you have faith like a little child...

I love hearing Shiloh express her love for the Lord, her desire to follow Him, her growing understanding of what we believe. It is a blessing to pray with her and to be the one to teach her about God's Word and His ways.