Faces In Places....

A few weeks ago while "surfing the web" I came upon such a fun blog called Faces In Places... A photographic collection of faces found in everyday places. After you look at the fun pictures on this site, you start seeing "faces" in the most common, everyday things! It's fun...check it out!! :0)

Fun night out....

Last night was fun...dinner and a movie, two of my favorite things to do!!! And, even better...
dinner at PF Changs...we love it, and don't have the opportunity to go there often enough.
After dinner we went to "Charlie Wilson's War", an excellent movie starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts:Based on the true story of how Charlie Wilson, a Texas congressman, persuaded the CIA to train and arm resistance fighters in Afghanistan to fend off the Soviet Union. With the help of rogue CIA agent, Gust Avrakotos, the two men supplied money, training and a team of military experts that turned the ill-equipped Afghan freedom-fighters into a force that brought the Red Army to a stalemate and set the stage for conflicts in the Middle East that still rage to this day.

A very fun evening, and sharing it with Jon and Sarah made it even better!!

Brrrrrr.....

Wish I could say I took this picture, but I didn't!! Even so...it kinda looks like this outside Jon and Sarah's house tonight...we had snow today (we only got 4-5" though, thank goodness)!! Hopefully we will get outside tomorrow and get some great "snow" pictures....you know, always thinking scrapbooking! :0) I love it here...they put salt on the roads, so the snow is off them fast!! I know it rusts the cars, but it sure makes for great, non-slick roads, and for those of us who don't like driving on icy roads, this is wonderful!!
We are having so much fun with this little guy...he just turned 2, and is busy!! It's so much fun to hear him talking...seems like he uses a new word every day! Getting in all the snuggling we can...it has to last us a while!!

Christmas Top 5....

"Top Ten Favorite Things About Our 2007 Holiday Season:

1. Our traditional "Fine Diner's" Santa party at our house...always a special, fun evening with friends and family! We packed lots of people into our house, lots of little kids...and it was so much fun to see their excitement and anticipation as we all waited for Santa's arrival! His visit was definitely the highlight of the party...I have enough pictures to keep me scrapbooking for at least a year!!

2. The ladies only "Girls Night Out" at our house...another fun evening with friends---not a tradition yet, but I think it will become one!! We ate, talked, and just relaxed. It was fun to spend a quiet evening..."de-stressing" from the hectic holiday season!!

3. Family time...celebrating Christmas, 2007, with ALL of our children and grandchildren...on 3 different days and in 3 different states!! Even though we wern't able to all be in ONE place---which we would have loved---it was very special to get to spend this time together!!

4. Our new "pre-lit" Christmas tree...YEA, a 2 day process (setting up the tree and getting it all decorated) was shortened to 2 hours!! :0)

5. Grandchildren....shopping for them, wrapping their presents, and seeing their excitement when they tear open the packages! It is so much fun to have an excuse to go to Toys Are Us again!!

TELL ME ABOUT YOURS...LIST YOUR TOP 5 FAVORITE MEMORIES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON !!

Almost ready...

4 days and counting...where did December go?? But, I think I'm "almost" ready for the the big day! Today is one of my very favorite days of the season...first, we are having our annual "Santa" party tonight with many friends, children and grandchildren! There is nothing more magical than seeing the faces of the little ones when Santa rings his jingle bells and comes through our door! They believe!!
Second, I love this day, December 21st, because it is the shortest day of the year...woo-hoo, we add minutes of daylight beginning tomorrow!!! I know it we have to add up many of these "minutes" to start making a difference, but we have to start someplace, and soon it won't be dark at 4:30 PM! Yea!! :0)

Kids of the Year....

The choice of Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, as TIME magazine's "Person of the Year" was announced on Wednesday. As I walked on the treadmill listening to this story, my mind was racing about a scrapbook layout...I could choose my own "person/people of the year!" Above you see the finished product...these 5 little people are my choice for the award for 2008...and every other year, too!!

Lovin' this layout...

I love this layout, not because it's anything special "scrapbook-wise" (is that even a word??), but because it shows an adorable little boy (with such kissable, sweet cheeks) having a great time on a beautiful, sunny summer day!! (We're not getting much sun in our part of the world these days!) We get to see this little guy "in person" in just a few days...can't wait!! :0)

Cheers....

What a fun, relaxing evening I had last night with good friends, good food, beautiful Christmas music, fun conversation and Oprah's Pomegranate Martinis! We're kind of "scrunched" in this picture (our photographer, Jim, was having trouble getting us all in!!) but we decided we needed a picture of us that we can send to Oprah telling her how much we liked her recipe and then she will probably be so excited that she will send us free tickets to be guests at her show!! Won't that be exciting!! :0) But, back to reality....we had a wonderful, "stress-free" evening in the midst of this hectic holiday season! (Thanks for the idea, Jean!!)

Random Favorites...

Five random favorites this time of year:

*hearing from "long lost" friends

*Starbucks lattes

*December 21st...the shortest day, is only a few days away!

*sunny days (when we get them!)

*on-line shopping

It is so easy, this time of year, to get all caught up in all the craziness around us. This special time can become not so fun---presents to buy and wrap, cards to send, goodies to make, house to decorate, etc., etc., etc. And, pretty soon, this "most wonderful time of year" becomes a time that we trudge through just hoping to make it to the new year!! So...take a little time today to think about some of your favorite things this time of year! (Hopefully "updating your blog" won't be on that list that becomes "not so fun!!") :0)

Holiday baking...

OK, so I'm thinking "holiday baking" is WAY overrated...right??!! I mean, if I were to make it, we would just eat it, and we definitely don't need to eat it, so I'm really helping us out if I don't have a lot of delicious things--fresh from the oven---sitting around the house to tempt us! I'm really doing the right thing....right?? :0) But, had to break down and make these little "goodies" for our Paper Pals party last night...in case you missed them, they came right from Becky Higgin's blog:

PRETZEL HUGS

1 bag pretzels

1 pkg. M&Ms

1 pkg. Hershey "Hugs"

Place pretzels on baking stone or sheet. Place a Hug on each pretzel and bake at 200 degrees for about 8 minutes (just watch for the Hugs to melt). Remove from oven and promptly place a couple of M&Ms on each pretzel, pressing into the melted chocolate. Allow to cool before serving. At room temperature, this takes SEVERAL hours. I would recommend making these the day before you plan on eating/delivering. Or you can put them in the refrigerator to speed up the process.
Note to self: I tried to experiment with the caramel-filled kisses (the batch before this one). Bad idea. It didn't work. But my friend, Karolyn, said that Rolos work. So maybe you'll want to try that version.
(That adorable Christmas Countdown calendar is from Tami Vik...you can order one from her on her blog.)

"Library Lady..."

I was the "Library Lady" in K's kindergarten class today, what a treat!! Besides checking in books and checking out new books to the kindergartners, I got to read some of my favorite books to the class. You all know how much I LOVE kindergartners, so this was a special treat for me today. It is the most fun ever to be facing 25 eager, squirmy, excited little learners, that all have a "story" they want to tell me...I really do miss that!! One of the books I read today is a favorite of mine, and kids absolutely LOVE it...."We Eat Dinner in the Bathtub" by Angela Shelf Medearis. If you have a child in your life that loves books, this is a MUST have!!! I chose it because it's one of K's favorites to have me read when she comes over, and my own classes of kindergartners always loved it too...so I knew it would be a hit! :0) So...if you're still needing a Christmas present for a little person, I recommend "We Eat Dinner in the Bathtub!"

Wreaths, wreaths, and more wreaths....

As I mentioned a few days ago, I'm reading Ali Edwards' new book "Life Artist" , and I love her approach to scrapbooking! She is more about scrapbooking "everyday life" and less about scrapbooking "occasions!" She encourages each of us to become "a more detailed observer of the little things happening around us." It takes practice at first, but she gave suggestions for some starting points. One of them was "possessions and collections--take note of the things that have meaning to you (especially those things you love so much that you make them a part of your home." After looking around our house, I decided one of the things that "has meaning to me" is "wreaths"....I counted 9! Now, with 3 stories in our house I have some room to spread them out, but I think I must do a layout about my love of wreaths! :0)

Making a list, checkin' it twice...

This is our kitchen counter today...I'm wrapping and wrapping and wrapping, I WILL get the gifts in the mail to Michigan tomorrow!!! :0) And, you know how it goes...I think I'm all finished shopping, and then when I check the list I always find something else I need to get for someone!! Sidenote: We have decided that the 3 foot Elmo will be in our "carry on" luggage for his trip to Michigan...our seats for the first leg of our flight aren't together, so I'll have Elmo to keep me company!! :0)

37 years ago today...

Most people think of today, December 7th, as "Pearl Harbor Day." I think of December 7th as the day that forever changed my life...the day I became a MOM! As we were about to complete our stay in Athens, Georgia at Navel Supply Corps School we welcomed our precious baby boy into our lives! All of you Mom's know...motherhood is the hardest job you will ever LOVE! Happy Birthday, Jeff!!
(On a little side note...Jeff tells us that as a child he was "terrorized" by this stuffed Santa...he thinks it is "scary" looking! Maybe it started right here, on his very first "official Christmas Card" picture! :0) )

Inspiration....

All I can say is WOW...you cannot read this incredible book by Ali Edwards and not be inspired to create something!!! My sister, Jean, brought me this book from CKU (Creating Keepsakes University)--it's even signed by Ali herself! The complete title is "Life Artist, Scrapbooking Life's Journey" and it's just full of fabulous ideas for capturing the life you are living through scrapbooking. (You can buy it here!) She has beautiful examples of creating art from "photographs, words, documents and bits of this and that...those things that help you tell the stories of who you really are." It is not only fun to read, but you cannot help being inspired AND motivated to create something to help tell the story of your life! I'm off to create!! :0)

The weather outside is NOT frightful....

I took this picture from our deck this morning....compare it to the same picture/view that I posted in my last blog--just 2 short days ago--and you can see we have had a HUGE weather change! The weather man is calling it the "pineapple express" winds and rain coming up from Hawaii! It's not bad here, there are warning of some small stream flooding, but nothing major. However, if you have been watching the news today you have seen the incredible flooding and problems that this same weather system is bringing to Seattle and the Washington and Oregon coast...it's amazing!

Our expected temperature today is in the 50's...unbelievable! :0) But, no worries, I'm still in the Christmas spirit...and I don't even have to drive on slick roads and "schlep" around in snow and muck! I like this!!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful....

...but the fire is so delightful!!! This is what it looks like outside right now...my goodness, it's really coming down, great big flakes! It certainly does get me in the mood for Christmas...I need to tackle those Christmas cards that have been sitting on the counter for a week!