The lady of the blog was wondering where the days in December went.
That post about an attitude check a little while back. Well, I was coming down with something "big time". Really ill with some type of flu or cold or virus – or maybe all three. I ended up sleeping for most of about 3 days. My birthday was pretty much a wash out – though I did feel well enough to cook some dinner while the others all went off to swim training.
So I guess some of what I was feeling was due to the pre-getting sick phase. But it was also there, the blue "I can't get into it feeling". I did do a layout for it too. Maybe I can post it here soon.
I missed so much too. My daily December album went out the window and I am not sure I will get it done – though have managed a couple of pages including one on the blues.I might get it done in time for a Christmas is July post..LOL.
My girlfriend had her baby girl and I still have not got to see them yet. Maybe tomorrow. I consoled myself with making her a baby album which I will post here next week after she has seen it. 
And other things.
No matter – things are looking up and little by little Christmas happened around me anyway. Youngest DD put on some Christmas music every day after she discovered it in iTunes. We pulled out the Nativity set and some decorations – just a few though, as the thought of putting it all away was too much.
Lighting some candles is always a nice way to improve the mood.
It was also my eldest munchkin princess's birthday and we celebrated that too.
Anyway I am here to say I am feeling better, looking forward to tomorrow and I hope that you all have a very happy and blessed Christmas day, sharing about the Lord's birth and with family and friends.
Tonight we have a surprise for the munchkins who are not expecting any gifts. We'll eat snacks and watch a movie together and give them their traditional Christmas eve new PJ's.
Happy Christmas to you!!
Two more pages for my 2009 Christmas Album. Both of these are for December the first.
The first layout is more about where I am at and what I hope to achieve with this album. Not really cheery or Christmasy – but that is ok – it's how I feel. Life is not all perfect happy roses – even though sometimes it seems to come across that way in blog land.
Time to be real folks!
It is also based on Shimelle's journaling prompt for the 1st which involves a manifesto or statement about your Journal Your Christmas album. Credits are here.
Being the birthday of MP#2 on the 1st of December of course we had to have a page celebrating that. After all our month starts with this momentous occasion.
Credits here.
I cheated improvised a little and used part of her birthday babe layout on this page. Adding in a couple of other elements to tie it in helped with the seasonal theme and celebration. I have journaled about such a blessing reminding us of the "birthday" gift that Christmas is essentially all about.
Which makes me sit back and wonder what it is that I am so "non-Christmasy" about?
Just that reason, that precious sacrificial gift alone should be my whole reason for rejoicing at this time. Nothing else matter nor compares. Even if I had nothing else that should be enough!
Maybe I need an attitude check?
Well here it is the 4th, and I am already behind. It's that "not feeling it" thing.
However I did get a start on the cover. This album will be small and hopefully simple by last years standards. I am trying to be a little more frugal this year. Inks are hard to come by at this time, which means trying to get more on a page before printing.
This determined my 5 x 7 sizing. I can get two of these on my Epson Presentation Paper which is what I plan to use for the printing.
They will be semi digital/hybrid. Not so many lumps and bumps. But I just can't bring myself to make them totally digital and flat. If I follow these lovely templates from Pamela Donnis, making it digital to start with, I should be able to drag all my photo's onto glossy photo paper at the end of the project, print them and stick them down to their spot on each matte page in the album.
Little touches may also be printed out and raised with mounting tape – like the 2009 on here. You may even some some external elements. You'll see what I mean when they are printed and can show you here…when I get some of that elusive ink.
If you want to join in all the fun, head over to Shimelle and join the 2009 Journal Your Christmas Class. Once a class member you are always a member from then on.
I have used Christmas Magic and Joy by Karla Dudley. Alpha by Kelley Mickus
Templates based on combined ones from Pamela Donnis
Took these photo's last night at Chilli's. Munchkin Princess 2 had chosen to go there for her birthday dinner. Which of course is rather a change for how we normally do things. In the past I have usually cooked their favourite meal, baked a cake and decorated a cake – and we have celebrated at home.
This year – due to circumstance I am not ready to go into just yet, we have changed it up. It is hard for me to accept that I am not doing it. I love to be that kind of "homegrown" Mum. Doing it all for them. I guess it is how I also show some of how much I love them.
Feelings of letting her down and not being fair are more in my head than the childrens. Letting go of things can be tough sometimes!
She does not really even like cake and most times it has to be an icecream one. So her choice for dessert "birthday cake" was perfect! Ice cream and a little chocolate cake. Molten Lava Cake to be exact.
She had a fabulous time and thoroughly enjoyed her dinner. You can tell by her face that this change, this "new way" of doing things is ok!
Right?
Still does not sit right with me.
Last year I attended the Shimelle Journal Your Christmas class for the first time. I enjoyed the process – though I probably bit off more than I could chew – making it too big, and time consuming
Given the way I feel right now, so totally not into the whole Christmas thing, I was not even sure that attempting it this year is the right thing to do.
But – yes there is always a but!!
I know that I will be disappointed in myself in the future if I don't at least have a go at it. So with that in mind I pulled out last years album.
The munchkins begged to have a look as soon as they saw it. Pretty hard to miss with that bright red cover!
They sat in the lounge for quite a while, really enjoying the experience of looking through the album. After all the oohing and ahhhing it was decided there and then. It really did need an attempt. Seeing them enjoying reading about the past, laughing over their photo's from last year and commenting about how everyone had grown and changed, how could I not?
Hopefully I can do it justice. Even if I am not feeling it, this time is a season in our lives and needs to be recorded – the good, the bad and everything in between.
My youngest hits double digits this coming week. Acck!! Actually I don't mind it that much. She truly is a blessing and such fun that each day of her growing older is a real treat.
We usually do something extra for turning ten. As opposed to having a big party each year we have selected a few birthday's that we "do" something beyond our normal family celebrations. She has watched her older sister and two brothers have theirs and couldn't wait for her special day.
Instead of a party she opted to take her sister and two close friends out to the movies and for a special chocolate afternoon tea.
This was a nice treat for me to enjoy too. So we headed out and saw Toy Story in 3D. For one of the girls this was extra special as she had never experienced the whole 3D thing.
Then we mooched through the mall to a local specialty chocolate spot called "Maya". The girls chose to have chocolate pizza and chocolate fondue. Lots of drippy chocolate and messy faces later it was declared a success!
They even have a sugar free range so guess who got to indulge??
Yes indulge is definitely the word. First I had a hot chocolate with rose. Sounds weird right? I like rose water in my iced fruit tea so having it with chocolate seemed like a nice idea. It was prefect!!
Then of course I had to try ordered their signature chocolate drink. A small candle warmed pot comes with milk in it and a tray of chocolate on the side. You add it to the milk then stir with the metal spoon/straw. The chocolate slowly melts and thickens, and you sip through the straw.
Delish!!
Words really can not describe how beautiful it was. Mind you, I think the Rose Hot Chocolate won out and would be my first choice if we ever go there again.
To ease myself back into the whole online scrapping thing after being away so long what better excuse than a layout celebrating the birthday girl?
At least this one is on time and scrapped right around the birthday! The kit used is from The Digi Chick and is called Fashion Plate. Right now – for a few days only – you can get it free with a qualifying purchase. Find it here before it disappears.
I am back from holidays and finally back sorted out with the internet and online again. Now as soon as I have our routine established and mountains of washing done I should be able to find some time to post again.
It beats me how a house that has sat empty for 7 weeks with no-one to mess it up or make it untidy can get so dirty. So there is that to tackle as well!
I'll be back when I can see daylight. LOL
I am traveling overseas for the next couple of months so my normal posts will be on holiday too.
I hope to check back in occasionally.
In the meantime – you might like the chance to read back over some of the older posts. Enjoy!!
This week I played with a collab kit from MKC Designs and Sarah Jones. The colours were perfect for these photo's of the youngest Miss Munchkin's last birthday. It has the cutest elements with a lot of similar design to them but in many forms. Spoilt for choice!
The design is a template for the template challenge this week at The Digichick and is made by Julie Fish. The kit is called Cupcake and really was a treat to work with. There are way more cute elements too.
