Resolutions

I haven't done this for years, but I think I want to make some goals this year...

1. To be closer to God- everyday read and pray at least a little.
2. Write a Saturday Letter a week to my girls or someone special.
3. Spend one special time totally devoted to each person in my family every week.
4. Keep the house cleaner- something little everyday if possible.
5. Eat less.... and exercise some or at least move around more.
6. Work on my photography-maybe a picture a week or something.

So...
-I need to get my old blog up and running for new pictures.
-Get a place to write my letters- maybe a special box or journal.... i think they will need to be handwritten or printed (I HAVE A PRINTER NOW!!!! Yay!!)

Tonight, we are having Josh and Alison and Jeremy and Nicole over for New Year's Eve.... I'm glad that they still like to come over! I love that we have a little group that comes every year. Now, lets hope that we all can not fight this year... It seems like one set of us ends up not getting along by the end of the night... So, crossing my fingers for a happy night for everyone!!! Wishing that Jas didn't have to work today and that the house would magically clean itself...

With my Christmas GC.....

...from Catscrap and After 5 Designs (presents for the CT), I got some of these fun goodies from the Lily Pad!!! The rest are mostly from Catscrap!! Don't you just love that wordart from Joana @ Catscrap?!! Poor Kylie!! My new camera was torchuring her on Monday!! LOL!! (Click for full credits) Oh, and this is for the Hodge Podge Challenge this week...

Luke 2:1-14

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Merry Christmas, everybody!!!

I tried a lift of Amanda's amazing LO "God's Grace Alone"

http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=66211&cat=500&ppuser=8555

After trying it, I'm not sure what I was thinking... I messed with it for a long time and still don't feel like it is right yet.... You just can't match up to a page like that!!! lol!!!

Pictures...

my roses from jas-9 Christmases together

Someone who feels just like me...

I don't think I could explain how I am feeling at Christmas time this year any better than this lady did on her blog.... (Bliss)... in her post "Happy Un-Holidays"

For a challenge....

I LOVE TaylorMade stuff, and she has a contest for a $25 GC to her store! This page went together so quickly- like her stuff was made for me! Anyway, I had fun doing a non-CT layout just for fun!!!

And, I did my first blog post at Catscrap! I was so excited when I saw it-after Ranie helped me fix the link to the freebie problem! :) Here is my page for the designer spotlight-Lynne-Marie!

*screaming and jumping up and down*

GUESS WHAT?!!!!! I was hugging Jas last night in the kitchen, and happened to glance over at our tree; and I see this sitting under it....!!!!!!!!

.....At first I just asked what it was because it didn't even register... Then, I was just in shock!! I mean, I thought I might get that for Christmas as a combined gift from Mom and Dad and Jas or something, but he said it wasn't a Christmas present because he had promised never to go over our limit ($50)... So, he had just gotten this for me early so that I could have awesome pictures of all the Christmas stuff!!!! I still feel guilty about it, but I'm really happy!!! Take a look at my new toy!!!!!! It's a Canon Rebel XSi!!!!

New Page :)

Here's one that uses mostly Holiday on the Rocks from A5D:

Today, Kylie had her school Christmas program, and she got to be in the "stampede" at the beginning with her "horsey pole". The morning was rushed getting her all ready for the big production, but it was all worth it because she looked so cute!!! Over to the right, you can double click to see it larger... This is the last song, and you can't really see her very much, but the teachers are funny and the little dance cute....

Challenge in the English Corner...

And you could win a $10 Gift Certificate to CATSCRAP!!

Here's a link to the challenge.

And, here's my example page (click for credits):

I don't very often get my hopes up for things going a certain way anymore; but, last night, I did... I was picturing how fun it would be to watch the kids put up the ornaments while listening to music and smelling Christmasy smells.... We would take our time and just enjoy it. etc.... Note to self... don't expect kids to do things the way you envision them.... I was setting up the atmosphere, and Kylie just kept wanting to light the tree up.... Then, Ari wasn't really interested in putting up the ornaments that I handed her (with my little stories about who they were from). Jas fell asleep. Kylie dumped the boxes of the nativity out.... And, I found an ornament that Grandma had given us.... Well, put all that together plus a few other things, and it equals tears... So, last night wasn't all that I had ennvisioned... I still need to learn to always just go with the flow... :)

A Song for Moms...

Lynne-Marie from Catscrap shared this with us, and it
was just so true... The Mom Song

Here's my page using the new collab from Cathrine and Lily

available @ After 5 Designs!! Great for everyone who's having summer right now or maybe anyone who just wants to pretend that their not freezing!!

Ok, while trying to finish this post, I hear the dog starting to hurl in the other room. So, I race to try to get him out in time, but find that I didn't quite make it.... Then, when I go to let him in after thinking that I was done cleaning up the mess, I discover some on the Venitian blinds... He must have coated those in his effort to get around them on the way out! Uh.... YUCK!!!!!

Using Syrin's new Christmas Kit and stitches and Vinnie's new Templates and various other Catscrap goodies.... (click on LO for complete credits and links to products)

Using Creashen's new Uptown Kit @ Catscrap (clickable LO)