A Night on the Town

Saturday night Nick and I went to the 20 Friends party at the Grand Theater in Wausau. My brother-in-law Tony is part of a group called 20 Friends. Every other year they put on a big black tie party the Saturday after Thanksgiving. They rent out the Grand Theater on Arts Block downtown and invite a couple hundred people to the event. They have 3 different musicians/bands, drinks and fun throughout the night.

This year was a Spy Theme. Nick designed the invites this year and made a website to go with it.  (use any password). He went all out and wore a cool spy watch complete with video capabilities and a holster w/a gun.

Don't we clean up well? A huge thanks goes out to our friend Jess for taking all three girls overnight. Talk about being an awesome friend. They had a blast and so did we!  We danced, we laughed, we drank, we enjoyed a night with just the two of us!

 Self portrait :)

Eleanor Margaret at 10 months

How is it possible that we'll be celebrating her 1st birthday in 2 short months?

I know that it is normal for parents to gush over their children. I am no exception. But when it comes to Ellie I am just smitten! Her little personality is really starting to emerge and it simultaneously makes my heart swell and my belly ache from laughter.

• She crawls super fast.
• Is pulling herself up on furniture and attempting to cruise. Will we have a walker by Christmas?
• Is pretty much eating what we eat. She LOVES to eat- All.Day.Long. Spaghetti, meat and bananas are her favorites right now.
• She is a great sleeper. Usually goes down without a peep at 7 p.m. and sleeps until 7 a.m.
• Naps twice a day.
• Size 4 diapers.
• Size 18 months or 2T clothes.
• At her 9 month appointment her stats were 22 lbs. 3 oz. and 30" tall. I think she's going to be tall like her Mom. She's close to 24 lbs. now.
• Ellie thinks Bennet hung the moon. B can get her to laugh better than anyone else. 
• Has 4 teeth. 2 on the top. 2 on the bottom. 
• Is getting over another cold. Ear infection again.

Holly Jolly Christmas- ScrapFreak Dec. Kit

ScrapFreak's December Kit- Holly Jolly Christmas

I did two holiday themed layouts and one non-Christmas layout this month. I just loved the sheet of tiny alphas.

TITLE: Archive at 35

Design Notes: This is my favorite layout of the month. I had so much fun listing things about me from my past year. I used a bunch of the tiny alphas along with some Cosmo Cricket word stickers.

TITLE: Your Holiday Joy Shows

Journaling: This year you were old enough to get truly excited about Christmas. We loved singing carols, baking cookies & talking about the "nice or naughty" list. You were on the nice list for sure. 12/09

Design Notes: I cut up the die cut cards and added some patterned paper on the top. I layered the chipboard alphabet on light brown paper to provide some contrast/

TITLE: Labor of LoveJournaling: Nick spent hours toiling away in the garage making the girls rocking horse. Usually layered up to brave the cold, Christmas songs on the radio. Picking out the right wood and screws. Deciding on some special touches like the gold painted rope & embellishments. Everytime I'd go check on his progress I'd tear up a little bit. Such a wonderful gift from a father to his daughters. I can't wait to see their faces on Christmas morning. It's something they will always cherish. 12/09

Design Notes: I found the patterned part of the die cut paper to be distracting for this particular layout so I cut the center out and used the edge.

Let Me Eat Cake

I think birthday layouts are my least favorite theme to work with. Poor Scout doesn't have any layouts for her 2nd birthday. But I did get one done for her 3rd birthday.
TITLE: Let Me Eat Cake
Journaling: This year you were all about the cake- you were very specific. You insisted that Dad make it. It had to be this exact shade of blue. Dad went to get special dye and edible pearls to complete your 'blue cake'

Supplies: Scenic Route pp, Making Memories pp, American Crafts pp, Cosmo Cricket pp, October Afternoon alpha, American Crafts alpha

Moments from my 34th Year

Today is my 35th birthday. Today I move into the next age demographic on all those surveys and forms. Today I am 100% happy with my age. As my Dad says, "Better a year older than dead". Today I feel blessed to have a husband who loves me, kids that adore me, family that accepts me and friends that choose to spend time with me. 

Here are some of the highlights from my 34th year. It was a busy one!

Top to bottom, Left to Right:

01. Movie Date with Bennet
02. Nick's homemade rocking horse for the girls for Christmas
03. 9 months pregnant with Ellie
04. First photo of my three girls
05. Spending lots of time in the wrap (Ellie birth-8 weeks)
06. Storytime at the library
07. Trunnell family visit Valentine's Day weekend
08. Ellie smiles
09. The Great Stomach Flu of 2010
10. Dying Eggs in Elk River
11. Easter weekend in Wausau
12. My first Mother's Day as a Mom of 3
13. MN cabin weekend with just us girls
14. First Fat Tire post Ellie
15. Memorial Day weekend at the cabin
16. WooHoo Wednesday picnic at Grandma Barb's
17. Homemade Zombie doll for Nick for Father's Day
18. Backyard camping with the big girls
19. 4th of July weekend in Wahkon, MN
20. Woodchucks Game
21. Date night to celebrate Jess's birthday
22. Madison weekend for Brett & Caitlin's wedding
23. Scrapbook weekend at Tall Oaks Retreat with ScrapFreaks (plus monthly crops with the girls!)
24. Family walk to the Farmers Market and breakfast at The Mint
25. Jason Yarrington Memorial Weekend in Eau Claire
26. Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay
27. After a decade as a redhead I go to my natural brown
28. After a year being unemployed I start my new job at the YWCA Wausau
29. Beef-A-Rama in Minocqua with the Mann's
30. Looking at the fall colors on Rib Mountain
31. Me & Ellie in the leaves
32. Sewing Bennet's Halloween costume
33. Chaperoning Bennet's Field Trip to School Forest
34. Surviving the day-to-day of raising 3 wonderful girls!

Fun Friday Facts

1. Did you see that Ryan Reynolds was named People's Sexiest Man Alive? Oh- he totally does it for me.
2. Taught a little paper bag scrapbooking class at a middle school this week for the YWCA GIRLS Club. I'll be doing it at the two other middle schools in the area as well.
3. Loved last nights episode of 'Community'. I want to build a giant blanket fort now.
4. Trying to find matching pj's for sizes 6, 4T and 18 months is tough so I'm going to sew some pj pants myself. Adds a personal little touch.

5. Bennet's first school photos came home this week. I love that she's wearing some random novelty necklace. It's so her.  

6. Going to the Wausau Country Club for lunch with Nick today.

7. Scout makes me laugh. She was eating some fancy sundae Nick concocted the other night and said (spoon in mouth)- "mmm... now this is good"

8. I'm already preparing for the Thanksgiving dinner. Not the actual preparation but the eating.
9. My friend Brett and his new bride Caitlin are coming to visit tomorrow/night. I am looking forward to seeing him and getting to know Caitlin better!
10. Starting a new book, A Secret Kept by Tatiane de Rosnay. I really enjoyed Sarah's Key so hopefully her new novel won't disappoint. 

Play x 2

I said that I normally don't scrap the same photo/layout for each of the girls albums. If they are in a photo together I just alternate which album I put it in. BUT- I really liked this photo. It summed up what their relationship this summer.

TITLE: Play
Journaling: The other day the two of you were playing in the living room & giggling non-stop. It made me so happy hearing you enjoying each other. It won't always be the case but I will remember the day you did.

Product: JillibeanSoup, Cosmo Cricket, October Afternoon

Product: Bazill Swiss Dots, October Afternoon, Jillibean Soup, Cosmo Cricket

TITLE: Play

Journaling: Today you were sisters and friends.