Monday, December 31, 2012

December Daily - DONE

For the first time - possibly EVER - I finished my December Daily album before January! I still need to order it, but I'm waiting for finish my two 2012 year in review albums for the Grandmas. And I really want to get them all done & ordered by Jan 15th since Blurb has a 15% off coupon through then.

Day 22 - Christmas 1 (and 2) - Visiting Extended Family

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Day 24 - Christmas Eve at my parent's house

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Day 25 - Christmas Day at our house

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Day 29 - Visiting my in-laws

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End of the album - Bryony the Elf.

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

December Daily Update

I'm still working on December Daily. I also just ordered three weeks worth of pictures for Project Life, so expect some updates next week!

Last time, I ended up a blank facing page. Well my mom sent me an email about taking Claire shopping for Christmas presents for Justin, Anaya & I, so I decided to include that. I'm not sure which day they actually went shopping, but I don't think it really matters - it's in the place of Day 14.

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Day 16 - Cookie Decorating Party

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Day 18 & 19 - Wrapping Presents & Claire's class party

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Day 20 & 21 - SNOW

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Now I have Day 22, 24, 25 and 29 left to do. I don't really have anything for Day 23, so I'm skipping it. And I'm including Day 29 since we're going to see my in-laws for Christmas on the 29th and I want to include that. I also need to throw in a page about Bryony (our elf on the shelf) at the end of the book.

I'm so excited to be almost done and I can't wait to order my book and see how it turns out!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

December Daily - Days 13 & 15

Day 13 | Christmas Lights

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Since Anaya wasn't here to look at Christmas lights, we ended up only going to Paulie's Penguin Playground. It's basically hundreds of inflatables, most of which feature Penguins. It's massive, takes up the person's entire front & side yards. There are inflatables on the roof - EVERYWHERE. Insanity. But Claire loves it. And it's kind of fun. And they take up a donation for Leuekemia Lymphoma Society.

I'm not sure yet what I will do with the facing page here. I didn't really do much of anything December 12th or 14th, but the 15th required 2 pages, so we'll see. I'll probably just make a "pretty" page.

Day 15 | Downtown

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It started out as a trip to Crown Center to see the Mayor's Christmas Tree. Probably make a run through Kaleidoscope since Anaya loves it and maybe the aquarium since Claire loves it (and we have season passes). It turned into a five hour trip of craziness. Ended up going to the City Market first to their annual WhoVille to get a picture with the Grinch. Then on to Crown Center for lunch & seeing the Mayor's Christmas tree. I took my mom with me, so after lunch we split up and Claire & I went to the Aquarium to see Scuba Santa (yes, that is Santa & an elf under water in the Shark & Ray tunnel!) while Anaya & my mom went to Kaleidoscope since Claire hates it. Then I wanted to go inside the Holiday Express train that was at Union Station, but the line was so long (seriously at least a 2 hr wait), so I went ahead and got our season pass for next year and used it to get tickets to Science City where we hung out for an hour or so. We were all exhausted by the time we got in the car to head home.

This year I am doing my December Daily project as a 7x7 Blurb book. I'm designing 7x7 images in photoshop and then I'll just use each 7x7 image as a page in the book. I'll design the pages with a slight border around the images (probably in white) that way I don't lose part of my text when the book is printed. See all my December Daily Posts.



Monday, December 17, 2012

December Daily: Days 10 & 11

So I took a few days off from working on this. No particular reason beside burn out followed by the feeling of needing to catch up first. Unfortunately I have also fallen behind with Project Life. The last week that I completed was Week 48 (Nov 26 - Dec 2), which I STILL haven't posted online. Argh, I hate feeling behind.

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Day 10 | Christmas Movies

Claire's favorite Christmas movie this year is Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas. She doesn't call it that, of course. She kind of calls it Mickey Mouse, or Popup Book (because the way the "stories" are introduced at like a popup book), or something about skating because her favorite story is about Minnie & Daisy ice skating. The picture of all the movies was actually taken this past weekend, a few days after the 10th. I was waiting on an Amazon order to arrive with some new Christmas movies before I made the page.

Day 11 | Christmas Cards

This year I mailed out 22 Christmas Cards. I ordered 25 (because that's how many came in a pack), I have one that I'm keeping that I'll put in my Project Life album, one for Claire's preschool teacher that I will send in to school and one that is just a spare.

This year I am doing my December Daily project as a 7x7 Blurb book. I'm designing 7x7 images in photoshop and then I'll just use each 7x7 image as a page in the book. I'll design the pages with a slight border around the images (probably in white) that way I don't lose part of my text when the book is printed. See all my December Daily Posts.



Menu Monday

Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Cashew Chicken
Wednesday - Homemade Pizza
Thursday - Tuna Sandwiches
Friday - Peppercini Pork Sandwiches Mac & Cheese
Saturday - White Chicken Chili Peppercini Pork Sandwiches
Sunday - French Toast Burgers from Culvers

Monday - Leftovers (Peppercini Pork)
Tuesday - French Toast w/ Bacon
Wednesday - Homemade Hamburger Helper
Thursday - Potato Corn Chowder w/ Homemade Bread
Friday - Chicken Fried Steak w/ Mac & Cheese
Saturday - Leftovers
Sunday - Sausage & Egg Breakfast Pizza

I'm having Menu Monday burn out.

Monday, December 10, 2012

December Daily - Intro & Day 9

Day 9 | Painting Ornaments

This year I am doing my December Daily project as a 7x7 Blurb book. I'm designing 7x7 images in photoshop and then I'll just use each 7x7 image as a page in the book. I'll design the pages with a slight border around the images (probably in white) that way I don't lose part of my text when the book is printed.

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We do this every year. I'm not sure if we'll continue this tradition much longer though. Anaya seems to be mostly over it. Claire isn't into it. Since Claire isn't into it yet, as soon as she is done (which is usually after about 5 minutes), I can't do much. Which leaves Justin (who doesn't really care about this in the first place) as the only one left painting his ornament. But it is fun to be able to look back at our past ornaments.

I also finally did the inner title page. I knew what I wanted to do, but I had to wait for Anaya to be here to get the picture! And I LOVE this page. Love love love love love love love it. This would be a great Christmas card picture...if I hadn't already ordered (and received & addressed & stamped) my cards.

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See all my 2012 December Daily Posts.

Menu Monday

Monday - Crockpot Chicken Salsa
Tuesday - Stadium Brats
Wednesday - Chili Cheese Tater Tot Casserole
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Crockpot Pizza Soup
Saturday - Chicken Tikka Masala Breakfast Casserole
Sunday - Breakfast Casserole Chicken Tikka Masala

I was OUT of salsa (not sure how that happened) so I ended up throwing some other stuff in the crockpot and calling it good enough (although it ended up not really being that good). Then I switched Saturday & Sunday because we (I) wanted to go to a Living Nativity on Saturday so I didn't want to spend a lot of time cooking.

Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Cashew Chicken
Wednesday - Homemade Pizza
Thursday - Tuna Sandwiches
Friday - Peppercini Pork Sandwiches
Saturday - White Chicken Chili
Sunday - French Toast

We have quite a few leftovers from Friday & Saturday, so we're going to have to clear out the fridge by eating leftovers on Monday night. I'm really enjoying homemade pizza - we'll probably do Chicken & Bacon with a white sauce. Tuna Sandwiches were not originally on the plan (I make dinner menus once a month), but we were out of Mayo and the store had it on sale for $1.98 with a coupon to get $2 off if you bought 2 cans of Tuna and the cans of Tuna were on sale for a $1 each. So either the Tuna or the Mayo was free...now we just need to eat it. The last time we had Peppercini Beef, Justin requested that we try it with Pork, so we'll do that on Friday. I haven't made my normal white chicken chili yet this winter, so it's time for that. Then a few weeks ago I made some amazing french toast from a recipe I found online. It was so yummy that I have been craving it.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

December Daily - Day 8

Day 8 | Santa Train

This year I am doing my December Daily project as a 7x7 Blurb book. I'm designing 7x7 images in photoshop and then I'll just use each 7x7 image as a page in the book. I'll design the pages with a slight border around the images (probably in white) that way I don't lose part of my text when the book is printed.

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This year, instead of going out to the mall to see Santa, we drove out to Baldwin City and rode the Santa Express! The train ride was MUCH longer than we expected - almost 2 hours instead of 1, but we had a pretty good time. Claire got to visit Santa - this was actually her second Santa visit since she saw him a week ago when we went on the Luminary walk. She asked him for a Bike (a pink one) and he gave her a Candy Cane.

I did buy a 5x7 picture of her with Santa, but I'll probably just include that in the Project Life album since this is a digital book. I took one picture of her with Santa - not the best picture, but I like it.



See all my 2012 December Daily Posts.

December Daily - Day 5, 6, & 7

This year I am doing my December Daily project as a 7x7 Blurb book. I'm designing 7x7 images in photoshop and then I'll just use each 7x7 image as a page in the book. I'll design the pages with a slight border around the images (probably in white) that way I don't lose part of my text when the book is printed.

Day 5 | Jolly Design

I was planning to do Christmas Movies for Day 5, but I didn't really like the pictures that I took. I still have my journaling ready for when I do a page about watching our Christmas Movies - probably sometime next week. Instead I designed this fun image. Once I get the book, I will probably use a pen that will write on the pages and circle the number 5...or not.

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Day 6 | Dear Santa

Tonight, Claire & I wrote her Santa letter. We flipped through the latest catalog from Toys R Us and picked out some toys that she wanted. Then I cut the pictures out and we taped them to her big piece of paper. I did the writing (obviously) but we wrote her name together.

She wants: A Pink Bike w/ Training Wheels, LaLaLoopsy dolls & movie & video game (although I only see a DS game and she doesn't have a DS), a Train Set and Care Bears.

Day 7 | Decorating the Tree

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We wanted to wait for Anaya to be here to decorate the tree. Tonight after dinner, I turned on some Christmas music, pulled out the box of Christmas ornaments (including our new ones for this year) and we started decorating! Anaya could remember which ornaments were hers and which were Claire's. I didn't pull out my box of childhood ornaments as we have accumulated quite a few for our family. I surprised Anaya with a Justin Bieber ornament, I just handed it to her as the next one to hang up.

And I admit it, I made the girls change clothes before we started decorating. Claire's shirt had paint on it and Anaya was running around in a BRIGHT green tank top.



See all my 2012 December Daily Posts.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

December Daily - Day 4

Day 4 | Around the House

This year I am doing my December Daily project as a 7x7 Blurb book. I'm designing 7x7 images in photoshop and then I'll just use each 7x7 image as a page in the book. I'll design the pages with a slight border around the images (probably in black or "kraft") that way I don't lose part of my text when the book is printed.

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Since Day 3 was a single page layout and I really didn't have any pictures for today (I was at work all day and then had happy hour with some co-workers so I wasn't even home until almost 7pm), I ended up just doing a single page with some pictures that I took of our decorations over the weekend. I like having this as the facing page for the Christmas tree, seems kind of fitting.

This is the first year that I've really done much mantel decorating and I really like what I did. The wreath, trees & "ornaments" on pedestals are all made out of the pages of a couple of books. The wreath was originally going to be for Halloween, but I never really finished it with bats & such. So I put it on the mantel. The trees were next. Then I wanted some red so I made the ornaments and bought three black candle stick holders to set them on. I was digging through my Christmas closet and found the blocks that my sister-in-law made for me last year and figured they looked good with everything else. I knew I wanted to do the JOY frame, but it still needed a little something on the right, so the nutcracker & the vase with stems stuck it in are from Hobby Lobby.

Some Links:
Paperback Book Christmas Trees - I mostly followed these directions for the first one, then I got tired of folding the pointy part up into the book & Justin said that leaving it hanging down made them look more like Christmas trees.

Book Page Ornaments - I didn't run the cord through it to create a hook & I painted the edges of mine and rolled them around in glitter.

Subway Art + Holiday To-Do List - I changed the To-Do list a little bit because I didn't want the designs they had for the list part.



See all my 2012 December Daily Posts.

Project Life: Week 47

Week 47: November 19 - 25

This was going to be a really super busy week. It included Thanksgiving and was going to include a little bit of our Christmas traditions that I was going to do while we had Anaya. Then I got sick on Friday and took a total of 67 pictures over the weekend...and 59 of those were family Christmas pictures for my mom of our entire family and for my sister-in-law of their little family + dogs. So as far as pictures go, this week ended on Friday.

The first page is from earlier in the week. I took Wednesday off work and we had Anaya so we did a little running around - went to Hallmark and bought our annual ornaments.

Week 47 (1)

After we got home, we had to rake up some leaves in the backyard. But before you can rake up the leaves you have to PLAY in the leaves. Claire was sad when we finally did start raking and she pouted under the trampoline.

Anaya and her friend request some pictures by the Christmas lights, but they didn't understand the concept of don't move so much! Then it was Thanksgiving day & Claire woke up not feeling great and we watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!

Week 47 (10)

On Thursday we spent Thanksgiving with my family.

On Friday, we went to see Justin's family.

Week 47 (12)

The last page has the 3 pictures that I took between Friday last afternoon & Sunday evening that weren't family portraits. Then I went ahead and included the family pictures with notes about deciding to take them ourselves instead of hiring someone to do it.

The end of week 47. Only 5 more weeks (+ one day) until the end of the year!!!

The Mom Creative


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Monday, December 3, 2012

December Daily - Day 3

Day 3 | Oh Christmas Tree

This year I am doing my December Daily project as a 7x7 Blurb book. I'm designing 7x7 images in photoshop and then I'll just use each 7x7 image as a page in the book. I'll design the pages with a slight border around the images (probably in black or "kraft") that way I don't lose part of my text when the book is printed.

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Normally I do a two-page spread, but all we did tonight was set up the Christmas tree. We didn't decorate it since we're waiting until Anaya is here. And I didn't get any picture of Claire looking at the lights happily because she CRIED whenever I turned it on. Which is so weird because she loved it last year. And she's seen lit Christmas trees at my mom's house and at church already this year without a problem. Anyways, that means I took a picture of our tree and that's it. If I don't have enough for a two-page spread tomorrow, I'll just have the 3rd & the 4th as single facing pages.



See all my 2012 December Daily Posts.

Menu Monday

Monday - Leftovers/Sandwiches
Tuesday - Pork Fried Rice
Wednesday - French Toast & Sausage
Thursday - Crockpot Ravioli Casserole
Friday - Pepperoncini Beef Sandwiches
Saturday - Chicken Enchiladas Leftovers
Sunday - Leftovers Deli Sandwiches

I think I actually mixed Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday around a bit...but I can't remember at this point what we ate which night. We ate all three of those meals in SOME order on those three days. On Friday we had my parents over for dinner. We had quite a few leftovers of the Ravioli & Peppercini Beef so we had leftovers on Saturday. Then Sunday afternoon Justin was running to pick up some Project Life pictures for me and said he really wanted Deli Sandwiches, so he picked up the ingredients while he was out.

Monday - Crockpot Chicken Salsa
Tuesday - Stadium Brats
Wednesday - Chili Cheese Tater Tot Casserole
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Crockpot Pizza Soup
Saturday - Chicken Tikka Masala
Sunday - Breakfast Casserole

Nothing much is going on this week. We're decorating the tree & possibly painting Christmas Ornaments on Friday night so I didn't want to have to fit cooking in there too and soup sounds good. Justin has been wanting a Tater Tot casserole, so he's getting his wish this week. Mostly just normal boring food this week.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

December Daily - Day 2

Day 2 | Children's Music Program

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Tonight we had the Children's Christmas Music Program at our church. I took a cute picture of Claire in front of some Christmas trees set up in the lobby before the performance. As I was walking away with Claire I heard three other parents saying that was a good a idea and start lining up to do something similar with their kids.

Claire did such a good job in the performance. She didn't sing much, but she stood (mostly) still and did some of the motions and paid attention to what was going on - as opposed to last year when she sat down and lost her shoe and started searching for it. But let's face it, when you have a children's music program for 2-5 yr olds, it is really for the parents.



See all my 2012 December Daily Posts.

Digital December Daily - Cover & Day 1

A few weeks ago I looked at my last four December Daily albums. This year, I am attempting to go Digital. We'll see. I haven't bought any of Ali's Christmas themed products yet. I am fairly adept at Photoshop, so we'll see what I can do on my own before I spend money. Currently, I am setting this up as a 7x7 Blurb book. I think that I may just put any stuff (receipts, tags, programs, tickets) in my project life album this year. Also, in an effort to lower my stress about what goes where, Christmas/Holiday specific things will go in December Daily. Holiday & non-Holiday things will go in Project Life.

The first thing I did was choose a couple of colors that I like:
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Then I made my cover art. I already had a couple of ideas and this is the one that fit for this year:

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I am still working on some backgrounds. I'm not sure if I will use them much, so I don't want to spend too much time on them. I think I'll probably have each page be mostly full of pictures. I'll probably design each 7x7 layout in photoshop & just upload the 7x7 layout to blurb to put in the book.

Day 1 | Advent + Elf on the Shelf

Day 1 is about our countdown "advent" calendars. We have a felt one with velcro ornaments that I made way back before Claire was born. This year we also got one of the Lego advent calendar sets, specifically the City set. Justin loves Legos - although he's more into Star Wars Legos, but I couldn't bring myself to buy this year's Star Wars Lego advent calendar when Santa Yoda was in last year's set. Anyways, I'm pretty happy with how the two pages turned out. We also got an Elf on the Shelf so I went ahead and included that today too.

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December Daily is a memory keeping project started (more or less) by Ali Edwards.

See all my 2012 December Daily Posts.