December Daily Album 2014

  
December Daily has become one of my favorite holiday traditions. I love documenting the special and ordinary moments each Christmas season. (Here are my past albums: 2013, 2012, 2010.)

Sometimes, though, pulling it all together--the words + photos + papers + embellishments--into an album takes time.

For me, it rarely happens in January, much less the end of December. And this year, it was Valentine's Day before I completed my album. But hey, it's finally done...and I'm pleased with it!

Before I share photos + snippets from my album, let me tell you a little bit about the products I used.

I fell in love with Simple Stories in the fall of 2014, so it's probably no surprise that I used a Simple Stories album and the Cozy Christmas paper line, also by Simple Stories. (I bought the album at Michael's--with a 40% off coupon--and I purchased the supplies online here.)

In addition to using a whole new product line, I also tried something totally different (and completely out-of-character for me): I didn't fuss about the dates.

Now, I realize it's kind of odd to call it a daily album and not see any evidence of dates--that is except December 25th. But as I was flipping through my past December Daily albums in late November, I noticed something: It didn't matter to me whether we went to the library on Dec 6th or Dec 12th. It didn't matter whether we attended Polar Express earlier in the month or later in the month.

In the same vein, it didn't matter whether I told one or two or five different stories each day. It didn't matter whether I took one photo or ten.


What mattered most to me was the whole: A record (in photos + words) of our everyday activities, our holiday traditions, the funny things Noah said, the adorable things Noah did, and the people we spent time with. 

There's no way I could share the whole album here--it's over 25 pages long--but here are some of my favorite features:


1 | "Around Here"
Basically, I just sat down during the fourth week of December, grabbed a piece of card stock, and listed out whatever I could think of that was going on in or around our home. As you can see, it's a smattering of everyday moments like frolicking at the park, painting with watercolors, playing at BusyKidz, and jumping in puddles--as well as special holiday moments and memories like drinking eggnog, opening up another door on the Advent calendar, decorating the top half of our tree with ornaments, and enjoying the lights with friends.


2 | "Counting Down"  
Here, I went into more detail about how we counted down the days until Christmas, and mentioned the outdoor decorations. 



3 | "Funny Moments"
I made a point to capture some funny moments with my iPhone or DSLR--like when I discovered that Noah had taken some of the lights off our tree (see photo above--bottom of the right page).
 
Photo caption: "Busted! I walked into the family room and there was Noah, lying on the floor, playing with the lights he had taken off the tree."


4 | "Overheard"
On this page, I wrote down anything funny or insightful or interesting that Noah uttered in the month of December. (Many of these were taken from an iPhone note I kept adding to during the month.)


5 | A Note to Noah
Dear Noah, 
One morning, as I was standing in the kitchen by the sink, I looked up to see you flipping through my December Daily album from last year. I sneaked over with my iPhone and snapped this photo of you. 
 Why? Because I was so excited to see you looking at the photos. This is why I take so many pics, why I journal, why I scrapbook. So you and Daddy and I can remember all the wonderful times we've shared together. 
Love, 
Mama
 

6 | Favorite Stories

A. "The Stockings"

When I look at this photo, I don't just see three stockings. I see three stockings, which I bought with a gift card and two coupons at Pottery Barn. Stockings that I waited to buy until we had a child. Stockings that all match and look oh-so-grown-up. Stockings that have our names embroidered on them, just like my family did growing up. I also see a fourth hook with no stocking hanging from it. One day, there will be another stocking--a matching one--with a baby girl's name on it, hanging there. I just know it. That's what I see when I look at this image.


B. "The Balloon"

"Brian and Noah went to the market one afternoon. While they were waiting in the checkout line, N spotted this "Somebody Loves You!" balloon. He asked Brian if he could have it and B said, "No."
Seconds later, N said, "For Mommy?" Of course, Brian caved and bought the balloon. 
When N presented me with the balloon, I was so touched. I gave him a big hug and said, "Thank you!" Later on, Brian told me the back story and I was laughing so hard. Apparently, N really wanted that balloon!"

7 | Noah's Wish List
One morning, I nonchalantly asked Noah what he wanted for Christmas and then quickly jotted down his response on a pad of paper in the kitchen. Later on, I transferred the three items (a train, a tunnel, a track) to a cute tag and included it in my album.


8 | Letter from Santa
I found a Santa spiral-bound notebook at a rummage sale last fall and thought it would work perfectly for notes to Santa and notes from Santa. Since Noah is only three, I wrote the note to Santa (with help from Noah) on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas morning, we were delighted to read Santa's response. The notebook is now packed away with all of our Christmas gear, but rest assured, it will make another appearance on Christmas Eve 2015.

The majority of the photos above were taken with my iPhone 5S, while a handful were shot with my Canon 5D Mark III and edited in Lightroom and Photoshop. 

Your turn: Did you make a 2014 December Daily album? What gems did you collect? Please leave a link in the comments, so I can see what you created!

P.S. Want to learn more about December Daily? Check out Ali Edwards' website.

My 2014 Favorites

As we say farewell to 2014, I want to share a round-up of some of the {rad} things I've stumbled upon in the last 364 days.

Keep in mind that most of these items were not released in 2014; I simply discovered them this year.  I've also recommended ONLY those items I (or my hubby Brian) have tried and loved.

Best Cell Phone Case | Lifeproof
I've had this {awesome} phone case for three months now, and it has protected my iPhone 5S from bath water (twice!) and survived multiple drops to the ground. A definite must with a toddler.

Discounted Lifeproof cases for fire, police and military personnel are available here. 

Best Music Classes for Kids | Music Together
I wrote about our experience last semester here.  And we'll be starting a new session in two weeks! 

Best Website Building Platform | Wix
Easy-to-use (even for those of us who don't know a thing about HTML), free, and their customer service is awesome. I used Wix to successfully build our adoption website.

Best Parenting Book | The Whole-Brain Child
Hands down, the best parenting book I've read since Noah joined our family in 2012. 

Best Online Store for Pet Prescriptions | Pet 360
Our Lab Lucy has diabetes, and we've saved some serious money ordering prescription dog food and medicines through this site.  (We also fill some of her prescriptions at Wal-Mart.)

Best (Mostly) Instrumental CD | Saving Sarah Cain
I listen to A LOT of instrumental music on Pandora when I write, and that's where I discovered this beautiful movie score.

Best Free Printable | Thank You Cards from Caravan Shoppe
I just downloaded these free thank you cards, and I can't wait to use them in 2015.  

Best Movie | Philomena
If you haven't seen it yet, check the library or RedBox. Have Kleenex handy when you watch it. 

Best Fun Photo Product | Fridge Magnets from Sticky 9
I ordered a set for my sister for Christmas, and they're so cute that I ordered two more sets, one for my mom and one for my grandmother.  Next up? A set for our fridge! (If you place an order at Sticky9, use code FRIEND10N2E to get 15% off your order.)

Your turn: What great product/class/book/movie did you discover this year? 

*This post contains affiliate links. What does that mean? If you click on a link and make a purchase, I'll receive a small commission--with no extra cost to you--which helps to keep my blog humming along. Thanks, in advance, for your support!

Christmas 2014

Seeing this photo instantly takes me back to Disneyland, where I was kneeling on Main Street and shooting up at this gorgeous Christmas tree.

Disneyland is so magical, especially when it's all decorated for the holidays.    

Not only am I a fan of Disneyland, but I love good bokeh, too!

Because I wanted the lights to be out-of-focus, I switched the lens I was using (a Canon 50mm f/1.2 that I rented from Borrow Lenses) from auto focus to manual focus. Then, I turned the focusing ring as far as it would go to completely blur the lights.

I was shooting in manual, and although this image was shot at f/2.2, it probably would have been even better with a larger aperture (smaller number) such as f/1.2.

In post-processing, I made a few simple edits in Lightroom and then used RadLab in Photoshop to boost the color saturation and add contrast.  Lastly, I sharpened the image using a free action from MCP.

It's seriously super simple to capture holiday light bokeh! Here's an easy tutorial and some great tips if you want to give it a try.

Last December,I learned you could customize your bokeh, creating nearly any shape. I made a hood (out of black card stock) with a heart shape, took a few shots, and shared this image on my blog.

If you're interested in making your own unique bokeh, here is a simple tutorial.

Whether you find yourself behind the lens, in front of the lens, or a combination of both this Christmas, here's hoping your heart is filled with peace and joy.

Blessings,

2014 Video

Last December, I posted our annual family letter here on my blog, instead of enclosing it with our Christmas cards.

I loved that I could share MORE photos and MORE stories with friends, family members, and blog readers.

So, this year, I decided that I wanted to do something similar, but with a slightly different spin.

I knew I wanted to share photos; if you've been reading my blog long, you know how obsessed I am with taking and editing photos. :-)

But, to be honest, I just wasn't up to penning a long letter. 


So, I created a video, 2014. (When you click this link, you'll be taken to Vimeo to view the video.)

It's a 3-minute slideshow (created using Animoto), which highlights some of my
favorite photos from this past year. I threw in a couple of captions for good measure, but all-in-all, it's really basic and simple.

I've watched this video several times now, but every time it brings a big smile to my face.  Lots of wonderful memories were made this year.  

Thanks for watching!

Week in the Life 2014

Welcome, December. You are quite possibly my favorite month of the year.

Today begins December Daily, an annual practice I've come to love, in which I snap at least one photo a day from now until December 25th. 

It's all about documenting the stories of my life leading up to Christmas.

Today, Brian, Noah and I unpacked all of our Christmas decorations, and I had so much fun flipping through my previous December Daily albums, reminiscing and laughing and reflecting and "awwing" at how little Noah was (in 2012 & 2013).   

Usually by now, I have a December Daily album started, but not this year.

The good news is that I've ordered bits and pieces from Simple Stories' Snapbooking Christmas Cozy line, and I'm super excited to bring it all together later on in the month. (Simple Stories also has a December Daily kit available in case you're interested.)

Before I embark on my December Daily, though, I want to share my Week in the Life album.

In this album, I used Simple Stories' SN@P everyday collection, which I serendipitously discovered at Michael's recently.

Seriously, it was love at first sight. 

I was drooling over the bright colors, the hearts, the stripes, the polka dots, and the chevron patterns. They are SO me.  And of course, the camera graphics are awesome, too.  

SN@Pbooking is similar to using Project Life, but on a much smaller scale. You buy the divided page protectors (they come in a variety of sizes), stuff them full of photos + journaling cards + ephemera, and place them in an album.

Scrapbooking simplified. #totallyrad 

Here's a look at my Week in the Life 2014 album:

I learned a really quick and easy way to create a 4x6 layout that includes (1) 4x4 photo and (2) 2x2 photos without using Photoshop.  

Using the PicFrame app (which costs 99 cents), I was able to quickly create 4x6 layouts, fill them with photos from my camera roll, save them to my iPhone, and then upload them to Costco's website for printing. 

(If you need step-by-step instructions, check out this awesome tutorial!)

This process was so much faster than PS, and I loved that I could do it all on my smartphone.   

 As you can see, I kept the journaling pages super simple. I didn't want to spend extra time decorating them; for me, it's all about the words.

About one-third of the photos were taken with my Canon 5D (examples: the four 4x4 photos above) and two-thirds with my iPhone 5S.

 I adore that "winking" photo of Noah.

That jack-o-lantern photo above is just screaming for some word art down the left side. Definitely want to add that in and reprint.  

Again, a super simple journaling page with lots of words.  I used the "some days" prompt to include a look at our daily activities.

 Celebrating Halloween with two toddlers: In a word, magical.


I wrote this letter to Zoey (above) detailing the happenings of her birthday party (since she won't remember it), and I'm also planning to print out this blog post and slip it into the album.   

Another week in my life lived and documented.  Feels good.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Zoey!

Today, we celebrate a special little girl who entered the world two years ago.

I remember the day my niece Zoey was born very well--for I was in the delivery room--along with my sister, Nichole (Zoey's mom), and my mom.

It was my first time (and so far, the only time) witnessing a child take her first breath.

I know what you're likely thinking: But what about your adopted son, Noah? For reasons beyond my control, I wasn't there. But it's probably for the best...since he was delivered by C-section and I might have fainted at the sight of, you know, blood and stuff. I'm serious, I faint so easily--just ask my mom, dad, fifth grade teacher (long story!), or husband. (Perhaps, I'm part goat?! Just kidding.)


WOW, that was quite a tangent.  Let's get back to Zoey's birth, shall we!

It was nothing short of miraculous. A God moment, for sure. The kind that gives you goosebumps and makes you tear up. (I was tearing up then, and I'm tearing up now thinking about it.)

I remember holding my sister's hand during labor, and then letting go just as Zoey made her appearance so I could capture the moment with my DSLR camera (which at the time was my Nikon D90).

I won't be sharing those pictures here (for obvious reasons), but I'll always treasure those photographs. And I know my sister does too.

Instead, I am sharing this series of photos which I took on Thanksgiving in 2012. (And if you want to see a photo of 2-day-old Zoey and 10-month-old Noah, check out this blog post.)

Oh my, Zoey was so little (which in my head comes out wittle).

Sometimes, smiley.

Sometimes, sleepy.


She was precious then, and she's precious now.  

Over the past four months, Zoey (whom I affectionately call Zo-Zo), has danced her way right into my heart. 

I've hugged and played and bathed her.

I've fed and comforted and clothed her.

I've cuddled and tickled and read to her.

She's become like a daughter to me.


I have no idea what the future holds, but I know one thing for certain: Zoey will always occupy a special place in my heart.

When I think about being Zoey's aunt and what a blessing it has been, I think of my aunt Susie (my dad's sister), who was also in the delivery room the day I was born. 

Way back in 1978, forever and ever ago, when Susie was just 16 years old.

That's what happens, time marches on. 

The bond I have with my aunt has always been special. She's always made me feel loved and supported. 

She's cheered me on in countless ways--like in 2006 when I opened up an Etsy shop to sell handmade greeting cards and she was one of my first customers.

Not only has she loved and supported me, but she's also taught me through her actions what it means to care for others. What it means to set aside your own wants and serve others. She's taught me that it's important to show up, even when it's not easy or convenient.

Like she did over five years ago, weekend after weekend, when her mother got sick and needed care. During that difficult time, my aunt Susie showed such strength, such compassion, such devotion.

She's also taught me that it's important to laugh--sometimes, at yourself--especially when it comes to being a mom.
 
I'm hopeful that I'll learn more from my aunt in the coming years. And, in the future, I hope to model some of these same qualities, these same actions, for my niece, Zoey--and of course, for my son, Noah.

But for today, I'm going to stay right here rooted in the present. I'm going to focus on celebrating Zoey--and her two years of life--among family.

We're planning to live it up, Elmo-style (because well, Zoe IS Elmo's best friend after all!), and celebrate a sweet, smart, spunky, and silly girl (my left-brain loves that all those adjectives begin with the letter s!) whom we've all come to adore.

Zoey: Thank you for blessing our whole family (including your mom, Uncle Brian, Cousin Noah, Nonni, Pop, Aunt Katie, Uncle Preston, me and many others) with your light.  

Keep shining on, sweet girl. 

We love you. 

P.S. Speaking of Aunt Katie and Uncle Preston: Happy Anniversary, you two! Hope you have fun today celebrating your first year of marriage. We wish you many more years of happiness!

My Thoughts on Week in the Life 2014

"For what is joy if it goes unrecorded, and what is love if it is not shared."

This quote from last season's final episode of Call the Midwife really resonated with me. So much so, that I paused the DVR, jumped off the treadmill, grabbed a pen and paper, replayed the scene, and jotted it down word for word. I then reread it out loud and thought, Yes, yes, yes!  

I didn't have a clue what I'd do with the quote, but I loved it.  It articulated two things I wholeheartedly believe: 1) That documenting life matters; and 2) That loving others is one of the main reasons we are here on this earth. 

It seemed fitting to share these words today because this coming Monday, I will be recording my joys and loves during Week in the Life, a 7-day documentary project started by one of my favorite scrapbooking gurus, Ali Edwards.
 
If you've been reading my blog for a year or more, you know that this is not my first rodeo. I participated in this project in 2013, 2011, and 2010.

I love looking back at the photos + words from those weeks, reminiscing about what life was like back then, and taking note of all that has changed from then to now. 

This year, though, with everything we have going on, I considered not taking part. But after looking through the photos + words from past years, I've decided to do it. Why? Because I think it's important to document what life looks like for us right now.

No matter how crazy it is.

How imperfect it is.

It's our reality.

It's our story.

And the great thing about this project is that I can make it anything I want it to be. I can choose to make it as big or as small as I want.

This is the attitude I've adopted this year: Something is better than nothing. I'd rather take a handful of photos and scrawl down a few words than have zero photos and no words at the end of the week.

With that said, in an effort not to get overwhelmed, I'm going to focus strictly on shooting and writing next week and leave the rest (the photo processing and blog posts and possible album making) for future weeks (okay, more like months since the holidays are fast approaching).

Here's my game plan:

1. Shoot every day--with both my iPhone 5S and my Canon 5D Mark III.

2. Post at least one photo each day on Instagram. #weekinthelife #weekinthelife2014

3. Jot down some of my thoughts; they can be related (or unrelated) to the photos.

4. Hand the camera over to Brian, so I will be in some of the photos, too. (First, I need to show him how to use back button focusing.) 

Here are my ideas for possible photos:

• A pair of Noah's and Zoey's shoes

• Their favorite toys

• Their potty chairs

• Most requested bedtime books

• Bath time (take the shot sitting on the floor)

• Music Together fun

• Costumes (shots taken during the day for better lighting)

• Zoey and her mom

• Pumpkin carving (with Brian)

• Kids gazing at the jack-o-lanterns in pitch black (may need tripod)

• Baking the pumpkin seeds

• Just Brian and me

I'm sure I'll think of more ideas when I begin shooting with my Canon 5D. I'm pumped to capture our daily routines from behind the lens. To detail on paper the little things happening in our lives. To slow down a little bit and take stock of all that I have--all that I am grateful for.
 
In the meantime, I'll be charging up my camera's batteries and gathering up some paper and a few pens. 

Who's with me? Will you be participating in WITL this year? For more information, check out this post by Ali Edwards.

Happy documenting,

Summer List 2014 Update

Each summer, I love creating a Summer List. It gets me excited about the season--about being outside more and soaking up the sunshine and frolicking in water and enjoying time with family and friends.

For the past two summers, I've completed nearly everything on my list. (Here's a look at my 2012 list and my 2013 list.)

And then this summer happened. Things came up I hadn't anticipated. God sent a few large curveballs in my direction. My priorities quickly shifted, and I had to make choices about how I was going to use my free time.

Truth be told, because I'm a Type-A person, that didn't sit well with me--at least initially. I yearn to do, do, do and go, go, go, checking items off my list and accomplishing as much as possible.

But...as I get older (and hopefully, wiser), I'm learning to breathe...and just recognize that "it is what it is." I'm learning to be grateful for what I do accomplish, instead of focusing on what I don't get done.

Here's a look at what I did this summer:

1 | Get my Nikon D700 repaired and shoot away!
Check! I did get my Nikon camera fixed, but then I sold it--along with ALL of my Nikon lenses and gear. A few weeks later, I bought a Canon 5D Mark III! Yep, you read that right: This summer, I made the HUGE leap (well, huge for me!) from Nikon to Canon, and I'm really happy I did.

2 | Finish sewing 6 pillows for the family room couches.
Still to be done. I'm slightly embarrassed to write this, but the truth is, I made one pillow cover and it looked s-o-o ridiculous that I promptly packed up my sewing supplies and moved on to the next project on my summer list. Then, a few weeks ago, I asked a seamstress how much she would charge to sew six pillow covers and she said $60. I know that's A LOT of money, but I just may take her up on it, so I'll have some pillows on my couches before say, next summer.

3 | Complete our adoption website.
Check! I put a lot of time and effort into our website, and I'm pleased with it. Hopefully, it will help us connect with more birth parents. 

4 | Start a photo journal, adding one new photo per week.
Still to be done. I didn't get around to creating a photo journal this summer, but I want to make it a priority this fall. 

5 | Visit Oregon with Brian's family.
Check! We loved visiting Bandon, Oregon.  What a beautiful town!


6 | Indulge in a massage.
Still to be done. The gift certificate (from my thoughtful hubby) is riding around in my purse, and I'm hoping to cash it in soon.

7 | Host a play date with friends.
Check! We spent lots of time with friends--at our home, their homes and several local parks.

8 | Go on at least one date per month with Brian.
Check! And we have an August date scheduled for this weekend.  (Thanks, Mom and Dad!)

9 | Hike with family and/or friends.
Check!

10 | Attend a county fair. 
Check! The photo above was taken at the Nevada County Fair earlier this month.  

11 | Swim with Noah.
Check! We swam at several friends' houses and at two local pools.    

12 | Finish an article about search and rescue dogs and submit to a magazine. 
Check! I'm still waiting to hear whether my article has been accepted.

13 | Create a scrapbook layout about Noah's name.
Check! If you missed it, you can view it here. 

14 | Explore how to build a free little library for our neighborhood (with help from Brian).
Still to be done. I've pinned ideas to a Pinterest board and I hope to make this a reality in our neighborhood in 2015.

Your turn: What did you see/do/experience/eat/create this summer?

Summer List 2014

Taken with iPhone 5S; edited with Camera+

In our neck of the woods, the signs of summer are everywhere:

• I'm sporting tank tops, shorts, and saltwater sandals. (Who says they are just for kids?!)

• Our local pool opened this past Sunday. (Woohoo!)

• School is out!

• We've been to the splash park four times already.

Because I've got summer on the brain, I created a summer list. (Here's my 2012 list and my 2013 list, in case you missed them.)

I always enjoy the process of brainstorming what we want to do in the next few months and documenting those goals here.

I try hard to keep my list to a manageable number because too many things for me to do in a short period of time = an overwhelmed me = a cranky me.  (Nobody likes cranky me--even me!)

And I know myself well enough to know that if I have several active days with lots of going, going, going (especially if it involves social interaction), I'm going to need down time to recharge.

At the end of each summer, I love looking back at my list and reflecting on what we did and didn't do. (And it's totally okay if we do NOT get everything checked off.)

{2014} Summer List

1 | Get my Nikon D700 repaired and shoot away!

2 | Finish sewing 6 pillows for the family room couches.

3 | Complete our adoption website.

4 | Start a photo journal, adding one new photo per week.

5 | Visit Oregon with Brian's family.

6 | Indulge in a massage.

7 | Host a play date with friends.

8 | Go on at least one date per month with Brian.

9 | Hike with family and/or friends.

10 | Attend a county fair. 

11 | Swim with Noah.

12 | Finish an article about search and rescue dogs and submit to a magazine.

13 | Create a scrapbook layout about Noah's name.

14 | Explore how to build a free little library for our neighborhood (with help from Brian).

What's on your {2014} summer list?

Currently

Thinking fondly of our 10th wedding anniversary weekend in Graeagle where I snapped the above photo.

Creating a layout for Scrapbook Circle's May sketch using photos from said weekend.

Listening to B92.5--a new country station that plays 55 minutes of country music every hour. Yeehaw!

Reading The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor. The Kindle edition is only $1.99 here. I'm about halfway through it, and although it's a blend of fact and fiction, I'm really enjoying it. I've pretty much been obsessed with the Titanic since seeing the movie.  (Which, by the way, I saw in the theater, four times, I think. A record for me, for sure.)

Munching on this sea salt popcorn. (We bought a BIG bag of it at Costco.)
 
Watching Call the Midwife and Mr. Selfridge (when I'm running on the treadmill). 

Sneezing. A LOT.  And listening to Noah sneeze, too.  It appears that we both have seasonal allergies.

Taking iPhone pics of a gaggle of geese (including 14 goslings) at our local park.

Catching myself talking in the third person a lot, as in "Noah, Mommy wants you to ________" or "When you __________, Noah, Mommy got hurt."

Delighting in how excited Noah is to go camping tomorrow. Today, he kept saying, "Sleep in the trailer.  With mommy and daddy. Eat in the trailer. Bath in the trailer. "  He's pumped and so am I.

Drafting a summer 2014 list. (Blog post to come.)

Loving how my husband, son, and parents spoiled me on Mother's Day.

Hoping you have a happy day!