Happy Tears

The last couple of weeks have been crazier than normal around the Sweeney house. I have been burning the candle at both ends planning the YWCA's 10th Annual Men Who Cook event which is our biggest fundraiser of the year. Various men from the community cook a 4-course meal for 21 tables of 8. Nick and some friends cooked for 2 tables this year. So on top of regular Mom & Dad duties we both had this on the side.

Dirty clothes are piled higher than usual. The fridge is more empty than usual. My patience is thinner. Plans have been broken. Nights sleep have been lost.  Too many nights. The five of us haven't had a lot of time to spend together for the last 3 weeks. Thank goodness Nick went shopping for Ellie's presents and cake because I simply could not squeeze one more thing is- even my daughters 2nd birthday.

Than I came across this blog post that has been shared a gazillion times on various social media sites and it resonated right to the middle of my heart.

http://momastery.com/blog/2012/01/04/2011-lesson-2-dont-carpe-diem/

Men Who Cook was Saturday night. Yesterday morning the five of us were being good and lazy. Nick and I were nursing sore joints and feet. The big girls were coming down from their "we had a babysitter" high from the night before.

And Ellie? Well- she was my moment of Kairos time. She stood in the middle of the living room and started to dance. With her whole body. Singing a song that only she knew. Then she wanted her pj's off to dance in just her diaper. She just kept going. And somewhere in the middle of it all I started to cry happy tears. Just seeing her genuinely happy. Nick looked at me and said "She's all yours!" Yes, yes she is.

There are days that come and go without so much as a moment to be grateful for what you have. But yesterday, Ellie dancing in the living room? That was my moment when I knew that while I can't seize every moment- I can seize some. Some really good ones!

Happy 2nd Birthday Ellie!

Happy Birthday!!

Ellie at 2

• I hate that we call you this, but you truly are a beautiful hot mess. Your hair is always crazy and you are always into something.
• Favorite Phrases: Dada, mine, no no no, on/off/on/off, water, bo-bo, baby. Can you tell what's missing? That's right- mama. Kid will not say Mama.
• Favorite Foods: Cheese, yogurt, granola bars, bananas. You pretty much eat anything and plenty of it.
• Favorite Toys: Babies, your Bo-Bo, purses/bags
• Favorite Shows: Winnie the Pooh, Looney Tunes
• I love that she likes to snuggle on our laps. I don't remember her sisters slowing down to do that.

To Me You Are Perfect

I have this unrealistic and unattainable goal of scrapping around the same number of layouts for each of my 3 girls. I just don't want to hear the "Mom- Scoutie has more layouts than I do- you love her more" garbage. I doubt that would happen, but I try to keep things somewhat even.

I recently realized that I hadn't scrapped photos of Scout in awhile. She was next up on my list :)

I am participating in the Scrapbook Nook's online crop. The challenge was to scraplift a favorite layout of your own from 2011.

One of my favorites:

 And my new lift.

The title is from the movie "Love Actually" one of my favorites!

10 Things on Thursday

1. We spent the majority of last weekend catching up around the house. Cleaning, laundry, projects. And it still looks like Christmas threw up from one end to the other.

2. We are finally getting snow. The temps have been crazy warm, 40-50's. Which for Wisconsin in January is just plain weird. Save those temps for March.

3. Bennet, Scout and I went to Clay Corner for the first time last weekend. Bennet painted a cat, Scout painted a new bowl for our cats and I made a polka dot mug. Can't wait to get them back!

4. Very happy that new TV episodes are back.

5. I read this book over the holidays. I enjoy World War II history so this was a great read for me. I did like his other book, "A Devil in the White City" better though.

6. I finished this one too. It's the first book in a trilogy. Vampires, daemons and witches. Perfectly riduculous fun!

7.  I had a layout picked up for Creating Keepsake's upcoming special issue - Scrapbooking Ideas for Every Season. They emailed to see if they could keep it to display at their booth at CHA (Craft & Hobby Association) Trade show later this month. Kind of exciting.

8. Ellie turns 2 in two weeks. The first time I've had a 2 year old and not been pregnant with the next one or had a newborn.
9. When we were up at the cabin between Christmas and New Year's Bennet had a sledding accident. She didn't roll off her sled and instead whacked her face on a boat trailer. An hour drive on snow covered roads to the nearest ER and a couple stitches later and she was good as new.

10. Finally saw 'The Help' and it only made my girl-crush on Emma Stone worse. Love her!

2011 Stories

Last year I made a layout with the covers of all the books I'd read in 2010. I did it again for 2011. It's a 2-page 8 1/2 x 11 sized layout for my Book of Me. I created the photo collage in Picasa- quick and simple.

I am also participating in the Scrapbook Nook's 5 week crop. Crop will run for 5 weeks starting Sat. Jan. 7 and ending on Sun. Feb. 5. This layout was for the 10 different patterned paper challenge.



All Star Sketch Class

Last year I served on the Inspired to Scrap Design Team. I was honored to be asked to help create for their current class.

“All Star Sketch Class!”
January 2-31, 2012

The class will present 17 brand new sketches, samples by the Design Team “All Stars” as well as tips and techniques along the way! This is going to be a class you definitely do NOT want to miss! We will have BIG weekly prizes and lots of scrappy fun!!! Believe me when I tell you this will be the class of all classes and it is going to be a great way to start the new year. SBC+ templates will be available for digi scrappers!

And it's only $15. It's not too late to join. Sign up here!

Here is a layout I made for the class. You know how I love my simple grid layouts. These photos are so Ellie- hair totally a mess and food from head to toe. That girl!
TITLE: Crazy for the Cone

Top 10 (ok 12) layouts of 2011

Many scrapbook bloggers pick their top 10 layouts of the past year. I decided to pick 12- one for each month of the year. I don't set firm scrap goals for myself beyond making sure that I create time in my schedule to create. Lately I've been doing more sewing than scrapping, but I'll get back in the studio soon!

In no particular order here are my favorite layouts of 2011.