Quick Scrapbook

What do you do with all of the snippets of life; concert/dance recital programs, newspaper clippings, certificates of achievements, sports programs/photos, heat sheets, ribbons, etc? Well I have a quick & easy answer! A few years ago when I attended my niece's graduation party, I was able to flip through her life via a 3 ring binder. My sis' mom-in-law, has saved & archived all of her important papers. It was awesome to flip through & see all that she had accomplished in her school years!

I had been saving these items for my kids since pre-school & throwing them into a drawer. But trust me, there was NO organization to it! As soon as I got home, I rushed to the office store & bought the clear sheet protectors. I use the *Avery* brand where it states "acid-free, archival-safe".

Recently I put them into the binders & did a quick "pretty up" to the binder using coordinating scrapbooking papers. This was a very easy & quick project & now all of my 3 kid's snippets of life are organized. My first grad party is in 5 years. I already have one thing checked off my list! Hope you like this idea~Cathy M

Update to Mr. F's Room~Finally!

I updated a few items in Mr. F's room last year. It broke my heart to rid it of the PB sail quilt! I did an inexpensive change of bedding, decorative items & a rug to make it more pre-teen than little boy. One thing that has been on my list was to add some decorative elements that would personalize the room to his style. If you have read my blog before then you may remember that Mr. F (my son) is an 11 year old, avid snow skier. I have had this phrase about skiing running through my head for the past year & I finally got it on the wall.

I bought the Cricut vinyl which you can purchase at Wal-Mart for about $10 for 2 pieces that were 12"X24". They come in assorted colors. A friend of mine owns a Cricut & cut them for me. All I had to do was pick the font & watch her cut it~it took about 2 minutes.

Here is the before picture (like the 5 gallon bucket & all the clutter?):

This is a picture of hubby giving me a guide, so I knew how to line up the letters. I definitely needed him for this project!

And here is my $10 update:

The picture in the frame is a photo of Mr. F. hitting a big jump this year. Here is a close-up:

Ski season is now over. Mr. F. will have a corner of his room in which to dream about next year's ski season. Don't we all need a bucketless place to dream?

*Mr. F still has his bucket, but a lot less junk as we spring cleaned his room this past week. Every drawer & basket has been organized. We found a great corner of his closet for the 5 gallon bucket:) As a bribe to get him to cooperate, he got to go to his favorite Mexican restaurant!

Morning Girl

Are you a morning girl? Do you wake up before the sun rises? Do you spring out of bed? Do wake up whistling before the birds start to sing? Do you get 15 loads of laundry done by 10 am? Not me! But, I have a morning girl. And because the sun peeked me in the eye a little early today, I was able to capture my morning girl, who was off to fill her head with learning about probability, the Roman Empire, and other stuff she will need to know to be a successful chef, which is this year's future profession!

Morning girl didn't notice me. She had other things on her mind. Maybe that new, cute boy at school. Maybe wondering if her best friend was on the bus today. Maybe wondering why her legs were still sore from track practice. But then I noticed this:

Our dog, her bus stop companion, had noticed me! I couldn't tell what she was doing (through the telephoto lens). And then I realized she was doing this:

Yep, she was taking a picture of her companion, Bella, another morning girl. So maybe she will be a chef, maybe a photographer, maybe something else. But she will always be my morning girl.

I can't wait to see her this afternoon & see how her day went. Did you talk to the new boy? Did Miss K make it to school today? How did the history quiz go? Did you see me outside on the porch this morning in my pj's? Then comes the eye roll and the groan of "Mooommmmm!". I am looking forward to seeing my morning girl this afternoon, when I am awake & ready to go!

See this Couple?

These are my parents, Dan & Sherry. Aren't they a cute couple? They have been married for 45 years! Don't they look healthy in the S. Florida sun? They certainly don't let on to what they have endured in the past 5 1/2 months. On October 2, 2009, within 24 hours, they both found out that they had cancer. Just as luck would have it.

It is horrific to find out that both of your parents have cancer at the same time. I would never wish it upon anyone. You are scared & overwhelmed & you cannot stop crying. (The best words that I received during this time from sweet friends, was, "I am sorry". Three simple words.) I cannot imagine how they felt. The concern & fear for yourself & the concern & fear for your spouse, all at the exact same time. I am sure that it was indescribable.

It is their story to tell how & what they felt. I can just say that I am amazed at their strength & their faith. Can you imagine telling your 4 children that you both have cancer? My mom says that we all had the exact same response. After telling each of us, it looked as if we had been punched in the stomach. Funny, that's how it felt, only worse.

They endured many doctors appointments, tests, surgeries, treatments, & consultations. All at the same time. It was not a walk in the park. It required my parents to be vigilant in communicating with various doctors & medical personnel. It required an extreme amount of good attitude & patience.

Dan & Sherry are now cancer free. And they are an amazing testament that if you have a positive attitude & your faith, that you can endure the toughest of times together. No one looking from the outside would even know what they have endured. That's grace.

I am thankful for my graceful parents & their ability to kick cancer!