52/52

"A portrait of my girls, once a week, every week, in 2015."

Christmas morning smiles. I'm not sure you slept at all the night before- you were way too excited to see what Santa Claus left for you under the tree.

The magic of Christmas was alive and well in our home....and it was an absolutely beautiful thing. 

Joining in with Jodi for the 52 Week Project.

When Will I Ever Learn?

"It is strongly suggested that you darn in your ends as you go along"

Sound advice that I regrettably did not heed.

I'm joining in the Winter Project Link Party at Thistlebear.   

51/52

"A portrait of my girls, once a week, every week, in 2015."

We asked you to smile nicely for the camera....

I love you girls so very much.

Joining in with Jodi for the 52 Week Project

This Week

• My Christmas cactus burst into bloom. Absolutely gorgeous. And amazing - a houseplant of mine is actually blooming rather than shriveling up before my eyes.
• The weather has been grey, dull, and rainy/misty until today when the skies cleared and the sun came out, instantly lifting my spirits.
• I have been preparing meals from whatever is leftover in the pantry and the fridge. It feels good to use some things up, and save a little on the grocery bill...
• I have become completely obsessed with working on my Cozy Stripe Blanket. Every night has gone like this: dinner, girls to bed, me in my pajamas settled on the couch crocheting....
• I've begun wrapping the presents. It always amazes me how time consuming this task is, but I find if I do it a little at a time then I can relax and enjoy the process. A small glass of apple liquor sipped slowly while wrapping also helps with the relaxation aspect of things, just saying.
• I am feeling more organized and ready for Christmas this year than ever before, likely because I worked on my Christmas Tasks a little at a time, and I have simply said 'no' to some things (and therein lies a very valuable lesson learned)....
• My favorite pajamas - with giraffes on them - have ripped beyond repair.
• Tomorrow is the last day of school before Christmas break and I am looking forward to not having to pack lunches for two weeks.
• I've been considering choosing a word/theme for 2016....more to come on this, maybe.

I hope you have had a lovely week.

50/52

"A portrait of my girls, once a week, every week, in 2015."

Claire: This week your first tooth fell out and you lost it at school. You were not worried though because you reasoned, quite confidently, that even though you did not have your actual tooth to put under your pillow, the tooth fairy knew it had fallen out and that she would still bring you something. But just to be sure, you wrote her a note: Dear Tooth Fairy, I lost my first tooth. Can you still give me something? Love Claire

Bridget: Decorating the gingerbread house requires serious concentration. It is also "great Mommy and Bridget time."

Joining in with Jodi for the 52 Week Project.

You and Me

I've been very busy getting ready for the holidays - meal planning, shopping, decorating - and I needed a little break from all of that. So I made myself a cup of tea and sat down for some much needed scrapbooking time. The latest sketch challenge over at The Memory Nest provided me with some inspiration....

and I created this layout using pictures of Steve and I that were taken on our twelfth wedding anniversary.

Twelve years! Really? Where does the time go???

The paper I used for this layout is old (Granola by Basic Grey), found in the depths of my paper bin, but perfect for these pictures. All of the embellishments are also from my stash; it has been quite some time since I have bought any scrapbooking supplies as I have been enjoying working with what I have on hand.

As usual, the other members of the Design Team have created some beautiful layouts and cards based on this sketch - be sure to check out their work.

This is my last contribution as a member of The Memory Nest Design Team. I want to thank Leslie for the opportunity to be a part of this incredibly talented group. I have learned a lot, created a lot and have had a lot of fun.

49/52

"A portrait of my girls, once a week, every week, in 2015."

Jamming to Taylor Swift.

With headphones on, listening to different songs, you were both singing aloud. Yes, it was loud. And absolutely hilarious, especially when you each performed your dance routines.  

Joining in with Jodi for the 52 Week Project.

Let Christmas Begin...

I am absolutely in love with our new Christmas tree.

We bought a new tree this year: pre-lit (thank goodness because stringing the lights on the old tree was the worst - think scratched arms and needles all over the floor), and much slimmer (which fits in our living room better).

We also splurged on new decorations; they are big and pretty and coordinated.

Most of the decorations are from a local shop. I also added a few stars and bells that I had from past years, as well as some adorable mushrooms from IKEA.

Oh, and did you notice the bow on the top of the tree....best topper ever.

The most beautiful Christmas tree ever is now standing in all its gorgeousness in my living room. I love how pretty it looks both with the lights on and off, and that it seems to fit and coordinate with the whole room much better than the old one ever did with its mismatched decorations.

Let Christmas begin.....