The "Sweet Day" album page...

Here's how it turned out!

Sweet Day

While going through my photos yesterday trying to decide where to start my scrappin', I came across this one...

An OK snapshot of a pretty rose but nothing outstanding.  Enter Lightroom...Gotta LOVE Lightroom!!

OK, so now it's an interesting picture of a pretty rose, but why did I take it?  I couldn't for the life of me remember why I snapped it in the first place!  Then it hit me.  I frantically searched for the notebook/box that I stick little memories, thoughts or funny things the kids say in (hmmm...that might make a good post).  Yes, I frantically searched...I REALLY need to do some organizing of life (and my desk)!

This is why I snapped this shot:  June 12, 2009~

Cody:  "Here Mommy.  I picked this pretty rose for you!  Do you like it?"

Mommy:  "I love it Cody, thank you!!  It's beautiful!  Mmmmm...and did you smell it?"

Cody:  "No, I only picked it, and it only poked me a couple times."

Mommy:  "Here, smell it.  Doesn't that smell yummy?"

Cody:  "Mmmmm...it does!  It smells like a sweet day!"

Love you sweet boy.  This one for sure deserves a page in the album!

Year by Year

I've finally decided how to organize my scrapbook albums.  I know, ridiculous perfectionism at work again! It's only taken me about five years!  I couldn't decide if they should be by person, event, date or what.  I've made up my mind.  Each album is going to be for one year.  All the pages for a particular year, regardless of who or what they're of are going in an album.  The exception being the kids individual baby books.  We'll see how it goes.  I think I'm going to like it.  The beauty of digital scrapbooking is that when the time comes to pass the albums on to the kids, all I have to do is print them their own copies and my books stay intact!  Love it!!  Here's a few favorite pages from years past that I came across while organizing my files today.

Pop Pop Popcorn

So one great thing that came from my time when I was off of dairy while nursing J, was my renewed love of stove top popcorn.  It's FANTASTIC!!!  I used to make popcorn on the stove top all the time, but have in recent years fallen into the microwave trap.  Don't get me wrong, I love my microwave...and microwave popcorn is good too...but it's got nothing on stove top.  It's really rather easy.  See for yourself....

Start with a large pan/pot that has a good fitting lid.  Add some olive oil to the bottom of your pan.  By "some," I mean just that...enough to put a good coat on your pan and give your corn a reason to pop! :0)  Heat your pan and oil on a Med/High setting.  For my stove it's "5."  You may have to experiment to see what works best.  When things start to heat up a little add 1/2 C. of popcorn.  It's really cheap and you can find it in big bags at Wal-Mart or any grocery store.  Important...put the lid on the pan!!!

No you're ready to get popping!  When the kernels start popping you need to stay close by.  You want to shake your pan around every once in a while to make sure nothing burns...burnt popcorn...yuk!

So, pick up that pan...carefully!! and give it a good shakin'.  I use the side to side method, but whatever works for you.  See we're starting to pop in there!

Listen to the popping and when you hear it slowing down, pay attention.  Keep shaking and wait for the popping to die down.  Turn off your heat, but don't take the lid off yet!!  You'll still get a few more pops if you leave it on....OK, now you can take it off.

Ummmmm...doesn't that smell wonderful?!?...OK, so you can't smell it, but trust me, it does!  Sprinkle on some salt to taste, and there you have it.  A delicious afternoon snack, or movie night treat!  Today it's an afternoon snack and it's being accompanied by an ice cold Cherry Pepsi...this mamma's tired!! :0)

Enjoy!

Convicted

So I was convicted today. No, I'm not a felon! But a crime, I have committed. (Do I hear Master Yoda in here?...My DH might be the only one who gets that, sorry.) I must make a confession. I've been paralyzed by perfectionism. My friend Jennifer decided to start a blog today, and she did. Just like that...decided to do it and did it, all in the same day. And then she posted on Facebook that she'd done it! I decided a month ago to start a blog, and I did...sort of. But then I had to mess with the look of it, and get that right (it's still not). It hasn't been "just right" in my mind, so here it sits. I didn't have just the right pictures to go with my posts, so I waited to post. Only I didn't post. My computer died on me so I was waiting to get it fixed. I could have posted on DH's computer, but I didn't. Why didn't I? Perfectionism! It's a horrible, nasty, disease. I'm trying to get rid of it, but sometimes I don't even realize it's controlling me. I have this quote above my desk and it stares at me every time I sit here, "DON'T be paralized by perfectionism!!!" Yes, I know paralyzed is spelled wrong. On my quote the "i" is written through and changed to a "y." It drives me CRAZY...every.single.time. I look at it! But I leave it like that to serve as a reminder not to let my perfectionism take control. WOOPS! No, more! This blog is going to be out there. Perfect or not...and it's not...bare with me. Baby steps. :0)

Beyond Discouragement

So today was NOT the best day ever. Through most of it I felt discouragement crowding in on my joy (with the exception of this morning watching C finish his last day of swim lessons...I was laughing out loud as five little people ran with rescue cans tucked under their arms, jumped in the pool and took off swimming to "save" their instructors...priceless).
But soon after, the gloom started to set in. J was crying most of the day. I felt like we'd gone back 3 months to those days when he cried all day and I wound up crying with him. I tried to shake the clouds off, but as the day ran on...and on...I got more and more weary.
When R came home he knew it had been a long day. Not even he and the kids singing "Rejoice In the Lord Always" kicked it. You know the one place I failed to look today for cloud chasers? The one place I should have looked first!
R and the kids gave me a new Bible for my birthday. I've been wanting a slim line one that would easily fit in the diaper bag or my purse. They found one. "The Busy Mom's Bible"...excellent choice. Throughout the Bible there are mini studies. I opened tonight to this one, "Beyond Discouragement-A Crown."
"In that day the Lord Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people." (Isaiah 28:5)
The study spoke to my discouraged heart. "God promises to adorn us with his glory, to encircle our bowed and tired heads with this magnificent crown; his presence...When you feel discouraged or oppressed, picture God's presence, like a beautiful crown, resting on you and strengthening you."

Lord, open my eyes to your presence resting on me. I don't know why I so often need reminders of your loving presence, but I praise you for providing them when my heart is in need. I rejoice in the blessings from my day...the laughter at swim lessons, the smiles, hugs and "I love you's" from my precious children, a husband who cares enough to sing "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice!" to brighten the day, and a beautiful 4 month old who now sleeps peacefully beside me. Thank you Lord for holding my family and I in your hand today.

You Are The Precious One

We were running late this morning. I was trying to get everyone ready to head out the door for swim lessons and somehow missed the fact that H was still in her pajamas. PJ's over the head, clean shorts on, trying to get her t-shirt on as she's dancing around driving me crazy! Then her little arms wrap around my legs and she looks up and says, "Mommy, I like you. You're my precious." Holding back a chuckle I stop and look at her. "I'm your precious?" "Yes, Mommy, you're my precious and I love you because you're my precious." Ah, my sweet little girl...YOU are the precious one. Thank you for causing me to stop, in my hurried morning, and smile.

Learning to rejoice

...or at least TRYING to!