to journal or not to journal

Let me say this right up front...

I love to journal.

Not only do I love to journal, I love to turn others on to it as well.

A self-professed journal-pusher, that's what I am.

It began in my teen years with a simple spiral notebook. I had a lot of "issues" back then and journaling gave me a place to express myself in an authentic way. It also helped me put perspective on many things that seemed overwhelming at the time.

Fast forward 27 years. I still have a lot of "issues" and journaling gives me a place to express myself authentically while helping me put perspective on the things that seem overwhelming. My journaling over the years has evolved; at one time or another (sometime all at once), it has been the following:

• a sounding board
• a place to vent
• a place to pray
• a friend
• a place to explore
• a mirror
• a place to dream
• an organizer
• a place to make lists
• a place to be real
• a place to create
• a place to remember

Journaling helps me to SLOOOOW DOWN, something not easily accomplished these days. It helps me to live a little more intentionally instead of getting swept up in daily routines. It helps me to appreciate where I am at RIGHT NOW instead of looking back at this time five years from now, wishing I could turn back the clock to really live it.

Journaling gives me insight into my Life Story and helps me recognize God's presence in it. It gives me a place to talk with God, a place to track significant seasons in life, to help me to remember things I never want to forget and to help process the things I wish I could.

Journaling is DA BOMB. But don't just take my word for it. Click HERE for a list of health benefits related to journaling and HERE for "100 Benefits of Journaling" (an INCREDIBLE list of pros) and HERE for ideas on getting started. (You will also find a few journaling ideas on my blog as well by clicking HERE.) If you're anything like me, nothing is more inspiring than a cool journal. Click HERE and HERE and HERE for upcycled cereal box journals (yep, you heard me right). Click HERE for something a little fancier and HERE for something more subdued.

Now just grab yourself a pen and cup of coffee...

'nother one...

I keep meaning to get back to some regular posting (the non-prize drawing kind) but time just keeps slipping away. Meely had some buddies over today and I captured some great action images (our photo challenge theme this week). I'll post 'em as soon as I have the chance! I spent a good portion of my day working through 4th of July pics and trying to fix a major goof-up with my photo-editing software. Talk about time-consuming.

I do have a great new book to share... found it in the kids' section at Barnes & Noble last week. It's called My Listography: My Amazing Life in Lists and full of all sorts of journaling prompts for kids. (Just click on the orange link to peek inside the book.) I plan to use the prompts as page ideas, pairing up the child's list with large photograph of them on the same page. Here's a sampling of the prompts:

• List the times you got in the most trouble.
• List what you would do if kids were in charge.
• List scary things.
• List nice things you've done for other people.

Excited about the new find, I called up Tilly to inspire her for a change (she's the one always coming up with cool new websites, idea books, etc.) - of course, she already knew about the book!

For those of you who might be wondering, Ren is doing amazingly well. He's a little more than two weeks out for his recovery and says he feels as good as new. His breathing at night has significantly improved; what an amazing difference... totally worth it (his opinion and mine). I've been dealing with a handful of irritations myself - a toothache, the return of carpal tunnel symptoms I haven't experienced since my pregnancy with Ren, and a couple of other things. It's funny how easily small things can turn into BIG THINGS by focusing too intently on them. The good news is, my tooth is feeling much better!

I also received a beautiful email this week, from a photographer I admire. It was a total God Moment and lovely reminder that He notices every detail. God is so good.

Well, it's late (the story of my life this summer). Time to call it a night.

25 Random Things

I was tagged on Facebook several days ago by my cousin Nicole (which reminded me much of being tagged in the blogosphere). Not wanting to keep any of you non-FB ladies in the dark, I thought I'd post my list here as well. Here it goes:

1. Designer whaaaa? I wouldn't know a $30 pair of jeans from a $300 pair. The same goes for purses.

2. I devour books. I can read an entire book in one evening.

3. I used to blow dry my hair upside down... and leave it that way.

4. I secretly wish I were in a real Rock Band.

5. I am never bored. Ever.

6. I've never bought a lottery ticket.

7. I have sipping issues (coffee, tea, chai) and will often have multiple beverages scattered about the kitchen. (My husband teases me and I use the movie "Signs" in my defense.)

8. I have two children here and three in heaven.

9. I like order.

10. My sister Stacey and I are the same age right now and will be for another month.

11. We sponsor a little girl (Elina) in Tanzania and I hope someday to meet her. (My friend Karen has an AWESOME story about her family doing just that.)

12. Colleen's son calls me "Patina" and I love it.

13. I used to sell my plasma and have the scars to prove it.

14. I love pumpkin and believe in my heart of hearts it will be in heaven, along with coffee.

15. I love getting to know people. What I really like are the deep stories - real life stuff - as opposed to superficial small talk.

16. I can lose myself in a journal, behind a camera, and while blogging.

17. I am an introvert. As much as I love people, my favorite time is alone.

18. I've had surgery three times.

19. I love the pre-dawn quiet and set an alarm so I can enjoy it.

20. I avoided speech class LIKE THE PLAGUE in college. Now I speak every month in front of a group of women... with a MICROPHONE. Crazy.

21. I might be a teeny weeny bit competitive.

22. While we were building our home, I wrote scripture on the framing of each room - doorways, walls, and floors. I did it in pencil but wish I would have been bold enough to use a Sharpie.

23. PMS? Try twice a month.

24. I have a tendency to procrastinate and therefore need lists. Funny thing is, my youngest is the same way... we call it "getting side-tracked" - yeah, it happens a lot.

25. I still have an old boyfriend's class ring. If I could return it anonymously, I would.

How about taking a stab at it yourself? It's been a lot of fun reading everyone's lists - very insightful. It's funny how much you can learn even about yourself by taking a look at the little things.

January Faithbooking Lesson

This lesson was written on the heels of some very stressful "things" taking place in my life... the sort of stuff that knocks the wind right out of you. It happens to all of us at one time or another - you're cruising along at a smooth pace and WHAM!, you hit a pothole. The road of life is full of uncertainties, though we may not understand all of its twists and turns one thing is sure: God is in control.

I was reminded of this as I sat at my computer, gathering notes and numbers for an important telephone call. A dreaded telephone call. An email popped up on my screen entitled, "Waiting for God's Answer."

It couldn't have arrived at a better time. Here is an excerpt:

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. - Romans 5:3-5

The Christian life would be easy if the space in time was small between when you first believe God's promises and when you receive what He promised. If you could read about it one day and get it the next, wow - wouldn't that be great!?

But life's not like that.

The hard part is in the waiting between God's promise and His answer; and even harder, when the waiting comes with uncertainties. We all have areas of uncertainty where we need to hold tightly onto what God has said while we wait for Him to work. I couldn't go forward another day if I didn't believe what He told me. So here's what we each must do: We must review His promises all the time. We must remind ourselves that our faith is in God and not in what He does for us. He knows what He has promised, He can't lie, and He can't forget. He will deliver on time, all the time.

God knows that it's hard for us to walk by faith. So He assures us, I'm not going to leave you wondering what I'm going to do. I don't want you to be overcome by fear. So I'm going to make some promises to you so that you can get through the difficult days. You don't have to take your view of life only from what you can see happening right in front of you. You're not imprisoned by the crazy talk someone is putting into your head that you know isn't true. Hang onto the things that I told you.

And while we wait, God builds our faith. ~ by James MacDonald

It was meant for me, of this I have no doubt. As I made my way through the day, through the difficult phone call and the many more that followed, things looked bleak. But I continued to remind myself of His well-timed message and the one thing I am certain of: God is in control.

This lesson isn't, of course, about making real predictions about the road ahead (God is the only one with that information). It is, however, a great way to put your hopes and dreams for the year ahead on paper.

• Where do you hope to see yourself a year from now in regards to your home, job, and/or relationships?
• In what ways would you like to see yourself grow?
• Do you have any unfinished projects looming? If so, list them on your page.
• Are any of you facing difficult circumstances that you would like to see resolved by this time next year? If so, add them to your scrapbooking page.

For more journaling ideas, just click on the lesson to enlarge. My page is below (the design came from THIS BOOK):

where a kid can be a kid (and a grown-up can be one too)

I posted this image of my hubby on Flickr several days ago and had meant to blog about our afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese... but alas, life got away from me. We brave the chaos of CEC several times each year to reward our children for working hard in school. (Personally, I favor Space Aliens Grill & Bar but am outvoted every time.) As much as I detest the undercooked pizza and large rodent, I have to admit there's something almost nice about Chuck E. Cheese. It's a place where families with young children gather and someday soon, we will no longer belong. The hubby and I began to speculate on where the boys will want to celebrate report cards when in middle school... perhaps Brunswick Bowl (we've heard good things but haven't had a chance to check it out yet), Grand Slam, or something else along those lines.

For now, I'll learn to savor the undercooked pizza.

Journaling Ideas: In what ways do you celebrate or recognize accomplishments in your home? How do you encourage yourself or your children to work hard? Do you reward yourself for a job well done? Why or why not?

i guess i'm not the only one

Apparently, there are others who have a love-hate relationship with Facebook as well. It's all about finding b a l a n c e.

Well, we woke up to SNOW this morning. And a sick child. Thankfully, Meeley already appears to be on the mend. I captured a shot of him in The Sick Spot:

What caught my eye were the details... he'd surrounded himself with a few favorite things:

The Sick Spot is a thing that we do. It's a thing my mother did and I'm sure a thing her mother did as well. Mom made THE BEST comfy spots when we were sick, somehow it made things more tolerable whether it be a twisted ankle, chicken pox, or the stomach flu. Meeley made a sweet comment after I'd gotten him set up: "Dads are the ones to mainly have fun with and Moms are the ones who make us feel better when we're sick." He did explain that you can also have fun with a mom... sometimes. (Perhaps I need to work on that "play" thing a bit more.)

Journaling Ideas: What "sick" traditions do you have in your home? (That sounded really bad, didn't it?) What do you do when you're sick - lay low or work through it? Do you have a favorite place or routine that brings comfort when you're not feeling well? How do you care for those around you when they're feeling under the weather? Why do you do what you do? The idea is to capture those little moments we tend to take for granted.

i think they're on to us

Ren approached me yesterday with tears in his eyes, "You went to Dairy Queen?"

"What makes you think that?" I asked evasively.

"I found this receipt on the counter." (Oops.)

Then Meeley confronted me today with, "Have you and Pa been making secret trips to Dairy Queen?" (Um... yeah.)

"Why do you ask?" I innocently replied.

"Because I've found Dairy Queen stuff in the garbage a couple of times now." (We never thought to bury the evidence.)

I explained to the boys that there are "special things" husbands and wives do together, late at night after the children go to bed. (Ice cream, ladies, I'm talking ice cream - Peanut Butter Cup and Butterfinger Blizzards to be exact.)

Journaling Ideas: What kinds of "special things" do you do with your husband? If you're not married, how do you treat yourself once in a while? What makes it feel like such an indulgence? Does your late-night ice cream run (for example) have any connection to childhood promises to DQ that were never kept? I tease because one of my childhood friends would bribe us to play with promises of banana splits and rides in her dad's convertible... many of my childhood DQ moments are tied to Tanya. Do you have any childhood memories or moments tied to your grown-up indulgences (shopping, perfume, bubble baths, etc.)? If so, what is the connection?

have yourself a friendship reunion

As I mentioned in an earlier post, last week was a week of friendship reunions. We all have them, those friends who've been around FOREVER though you only see each other sporadically. You were likely very close at one time, possibly even roommates. You've seen each other at your best and worst. Even though you may hook up only once a year, it feels just like yesterday.

Matt is one of those friends for my hubby. He and his family put many miles on their vehicle to stop by last weekend (I suppose a visit with his mom might have had something to do with it as well). It was wonderful catching up on the ins and outs of life. Though it had been a very long time since our last visit (they even have two beautiful grandchildren now!) - it was as if time stood still for my hubby and his friend.

During our visit, Matt's family kept making reference to The White Book (e.g. "...we'd be lost without The White Book"). My curiousity was piqued and I just had to ask, "What in the world is this white book you keep talking about?"

Turns out, I was in for a big surprise. (And now by virtue of our blogging connection, so are YOU!)

The White Book is an incredibly detailed travel companion created by Matt in his disappointment over AAA's newly-revised TripTik. The White Book consists of the following:

1. A white 3-ring binder;
2. A blank calendar page for month of travel (click HERE for a printable version);
3. Tabbed divider sheets for 3-ring binder.

To assemble The White Book, use a blank calendar page to outline the vacation, using it as the first page in your binder. Then, create a tabbed divider sheet for each state you plan to travel through (each state will have its own section). There are a variety of free online resources to help you map out your trip. FreeTrip.com, MapQuest, and Rand McNally are just a few. Matt highly recommends Next-Exit.com to help you locate food, gas, and lodging along the way (it lists the highlights of every exit for each highway you travel). Be sure to including sightseeing opportunities along the way. Just Google "what to see in ______" (inserting your state of choice) to locate points of interest along your journey. FamilyFun.com also has great travel information, including snack recipes and printables to help make your journey more enjoyable.

Be sure to include state maps and hotel reservation information as well (just insert maps into the binder pockets and create a special tab for all of the hotel confirmation numbers).

It was mighty impressive. And despite its great marketing potential, Matt has graciously allowed me to share it will all of you! Now, that's friendship.

Journaling Ideas: Create a scrapbooking layout regarding one or more of your friendship reunions. A fun way to do so might be to compare and contrast the "then and now" of your relationship. When you first became friends, what were the music and fashion styles of the day? How do they compare to now? Was your friend easygoing or energetic "back in the day"? How does that compare to now? What were your common interests and how do they compare to today? What things have changed about your lives and relationship? What has remained the same?

Emily Dickinson I am not.

when i was six i played a game

i'd stand in grass and spin around

arms out wide round and round

falling softly on the ground

i'd look into sky of blue

and pillow clouds floating through

while the sky was spinning circles

inside my head i felt so dizzy

staring up i found connection

i felt God reaching down

in those moments i left the earth

floating on the hand of God

i learned of peace

i knew the silence

forever connected

to a loving presence

in my life at only six

painful days and tear-filled nights

i found inside i could escape

within the swirl i found that day

~Debby Rosenberg

Journaling Ideas: Try shaking up your journaling with a little poetry. (Not to fret! Unless you are feeling extremely creative, there are many poetry helps available... just keep reading!) It's one thing to have a beautiful picture, but another to add beautiful words that evoke emotion. (Take this cute shot of my niece, for example.) Click HERE for a great resource offering a large number of "Instant Poetry Forms" (I used something similar to create the personalized poem for my niece). Click HERE for another cool website offering a fun selection of silly poems that would work well with photos of children... you'll find everything from homework to birthdays. And then of course, there's Thena Smith - click HERE for her website. She writes beautiful poetry on a variety of topics. Poems make great title pages for your scrapbook; trying printing the poem on vellum and use it as an overlay on a special photograph. And for those of you walking on The Dark Side, a transparency might be nice...

my life verse

Many people who follow Jesus have what they call a "life verse" - a portion of scripture that carries great meaning for them. Mine for example, is Jeremiah 29:11: "I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

We'd just moved and I was on the lookout for artwork for our new home. While browsing through the church bookstore, something behind the checkout counter caught my eye. It was a black, rectangular picture frame that had some sort of verse in the middle. I leaned WAY OVER trying to read what it said but the only thing I could make out was Jeremiah 29:11. I wasn't familiar with the verse and thought I'd look it up while waiting to pick my son up from preschool (the plan was to work on Bible study homework at a small table just outside the bookstore). I sat down and dug up Jeremiah 29:11. "That's nice," I thought, though it really held no special meaning for me. It was time to launch into my homework; I opened the workbook to where I'd last left off and the question before me was:

In what way do we need to seek God? (Jer. 29:11-13)

Now that caught my attention! It felt as if the Lord were speaking directly to me... that this verse was extremely important. Although I wasn't sure how the hubby would feel about it as our first piece of artwork, I decided to go ahead and purchase the frame anyway.

Little did I know the significance this verse would come to hold for me.

In the months that followed, I suffered two more complicated miscarriages. As I faced the possibility of never having another child, I clung to God's promise to me for hope and a future. I made the choice to trust Him, to trust His plan for my life no matter what that meant. It was during that tender time I learned the true meaning of surrender.

That is how it became my life verse.

Journaling Ideas: Do you have a "life verse"? If so, share your story on paper. If not, you could create a page about your "BirthVerse" (thanks for the tip, Mellissa!) - look up yours by clicking HERE. What significance does this verse hold for you? How is God using this verse to speak to you?

coffee w/the Amys

It has been WAY TOO LONG since I've had the opportunity to be in the presence of both Amys. Yet here we are, catching up over coffee, at Brewberry's in St. Paul. What a fun afternoon! Though I regularly see my sister-in-law Amy, we rarely have a moment to simply visit - in fact, I believe this was our very first coffee date ever!

I'm also thankful to have had the chance to reconnect with our friend Amy; it was almost like the good old days! Our conversation was filled with laughter as we tackled many important subjects: transitions, the necessity of current passports, life without Disney, glammin' in up for coffee, toilet paper counts, electrician referrals, the business of kindergarten, poker ladies, and of course - scrapbooking. How we managed to go this long without checking in with one another on these weighty issues is beyond me!

Inspired, I left feeling ready to tackle the day (granted it was almost 3:00 pm by the time we parted ways). In a caffeinated whirlwind, I buzzed through our much neglected basement - three very large bags, several cardboard boxes and assorted objects later... I feel like a new woman. Just what I needed.

Journaling Ideas: Celebrate special friendships by documenting your common interests - hobbies, places, and projects you share (e.g. the Amys and my first friend connection took place at a Camp Iduhapi scrapbooking retreat seven years ago). Create a page spread that reflects the unique flavor of those friendships.

that's my boy!

If I had to choose one word to describe my youngest, it would have to be:

Ren never ceases to entertain us with his clever banter and crazy antics. Just the other day while visiting our new couch and chair, we stopped by the "cookie shop" for a snack. (For all of you HOM never-beens, they offer free cookies, pop, and coffee!) After finishing his cookie, Ren leaned WAY OVER the table and began sucking up crumbs... all the while making a vacuum cleaner noises. The hubby and I just looked at each other and laughed. What Ren said next was even better.

"Can you believe I came from you, Mom?"

Yep, that's my boy.

Here he is in his latest creation... a paper hat labled "Bomb Squad" (apparently, it's protective head gear).

Yep, my silly boy.

Journaling Ideas: Create a scrapbook page using one word to describe yourself or a loved one. Use the Spell with Flickr tool to create a cool page title (after typing in your word, the site will use photographs of various letters to create it - just save each letter as a photo. Print and assemble your title). Share a story (or several) that reflect your title and subject.

it's kinda like answering lots of questions

My name............Tina Vega

childhood ambition............To live in a loft and work in the city. I'd dream of this while paging through the catalog, choosing clothes for my future position.

fondest memory............Decorating cookies at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

soundtrack............Magnolia

retreat............The green chair in my living room.

wildest dream............To write a book.

proudest moment............The day I said "yes" and faced my fear of public speaking.

biggest challenge............Right now, balancing time and tasks.

alarm clock............Set at 5:30 am each morning.

perfect day............Scrapbooking for hours without interruption!

first job............A small pizza joint in my home town.

indulgence............Caribou Coffee

last purchase............A coat on clearance at JCPenney.

favorite movie............Magnolia

inspiration............Photography. Books. Music. Beth Moore.

My life............A work in progress.

Journaling Ideas: Create a scrapbook page about yourself using a survey (examples here and here). Type up the questions and add the entire form to your album along with a photograph of yourself! You can also use this idea when creating an album for someone else - as a birthday gift for example, asking everyone the same questions about the birthday boy or girl. I also used the idea to create an album for a teacher who was facing cancer. You can take a peek at that project by clicking here.

a lucid, pain-free hour...

I thought I'd better post before my next dose of cold medicine. It's been one of those days today. No matter how hard I try, I can't think. I've had more sleep in the last 24 hours than I usually have in one month (the downside of decongestants) and I still can't think. It the post reads a little loopy, just remember I'm writing without thinking.

We're at the doorway to 2008 with an entire new year ahead of us. New and fresh. I'm not so big on resolutions but I do like to use this time of year to reflect.

• What areas are in need of balance? What is working? What is not?
• What are my priorities? How am I living them out in my daily life?
• How has God been refining me? What has He been calling my attention to? Where do I see myself in areas of personal growth?
• How are my relationships? Have I been taking the necessary time to reach out to those around me? How can I be more intentional with those around me?
• How is my relationship with God? Am I in a deeper place than I was last year? Have I been making time for Him and looking to Him for guidance in ALL areas of my life? What could I be doing differently?
• How has my thinking been? What have I been allowing to fill those deep places?
• How are my habits? Have I been taking care of myself in mind, body, and spirit?

This is just a start. Take some time in your journal reflecting on these questions. It would even make a wonderful addition to your scrapbook album - create a page celebrating the start of 2008, print up the questions in a funky font, and add answers in your own script.

The pulsating nasal pain is making it's way back; I am afraid the blogging window of opportunity is closing. Happy New Year to you, my dear blogging friends!

Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19

for the love of stinky*face

Stinky Face is Ren's "secret weapon" and he knows just when to use it. If he's in trouble or the hubby and I are crabby, out comes Stinky Face. It never fails to make us laugh! Recently, one of Ren's buddies even told him that the only reason they remain friends is because of Stinky Face.

I'm telling you, it's pretty powerful.

It began a few years ago when he would make the face upon smelling something stinky (thus, the name). We would hold anything and everything up to his nose to catch a glimpse of the face - odd spices from the cupboard, sweaty tennis shoes, pungent perfume... Then, much to our delight, he was able to make the face on request!

I love the faces my kids make and know they won't be around forever (we've already lost all traces of Meeley's Squishy Smile). This is one of the reasons scrapbooking is so important to me; I can preserve and record the joyful details of everyday and enjoy them for years to come!

Journaling Ideas: Take a few minutes to journal about the many faces surrounding you. Maybe you have a pet that "smiles" or a child with a goofy grin... capture it on camera (preferably, with multiple poses). What do you love about that face? Maybe it's something that drives you nuts - especially if you have a difficult time getting them to STOP making the face. Either way, sharing your feelings about it on paper now will give you something to smile about later.

the three amigas

Peppermint Pattie, Motormouth, Lockjaw, Doug Noell, "Don't Cry Daddy", Billy Egan, curly-Q, April, 890-7188, Tovi, sleeping in the tent, Brenda, The Big Rock, Tommy & Mikey Gannon, Little Angel, Little Kitty, Halloween, Baby Skin So Soft, the jukebox, sleeping in the back of the truck, Dairy Queen promises, neverending sleepovers, that dang blasted megaphone mounted to the side of our house, Kiss-or-Kill, Elvis movies, the fire, that-time-we-turned-her-into-a-scarecrow, dancing with Del, smoking in the van, the Barbie townhouse, grounded to our yards, the green ghost, "God", swimming by the culvert, that-time-she-put-her-tongue-on-the-frozen-thing, the marshmallow, mud pies, making mustard with the yellow weeds, the Merry-Go-Round, the cabin, that-time-she-was-bit-by-the-dog, Blue Jay, the knitting machine, Tip Toe Through the Tulips, just use a tissue next time...

My sister Stacey invited me over for dinner, along with a childhood friend - Tanya! Though the two of them have continued to remain in touch, I haven't seen Tanya in years. We had so much fun walking down memory lane. The evening was filled with great food (thanks Stacey), side-splitting laughter, and lots of coffee.

Journaling Ideas: Think back and try to recall as much as you can about one of your childhood friendships; once you begin journaling, the memories will begin to flow. If you don't have a photograph of the friend, use a photo of an old toy (you'll be shocked at what you can find online) or one of yourself from the approximate time frame. Create a page similar to this, listing everything that comes to mind.

visions of coconut balls danced in her head...

These are my favorite treats of the season. Although I've gotten the recipe, I continue to count on Tilly to make them. This is actually my second round - she took pity on me and whipped up another batch.

And then there's my sister-in-law Amy - she makes the most amazing Santa cookies with her mom. Literal works of art. Oh, and then there's Uncle Jim's heath bars and Dad's beef jerky - treats I look forward to each year... more like, count on each year.

Journaling Ideas: What are your favorite holiday treats? Which are family traditions? Be sure to take pictures of them (as well and their "creators"). Be sure to put the photos, along with the recipes, in your album! Who knows? Someday your great-great-great granddaughter (or grandniece) might want to sample your favorite fare.

gratitude.

noun
a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation

My friend Tilly (not the gal pictured here, but HERE) has her finger on the pulse of the scrapbooking world. Now, if she only had a blog... Anyway, she had a great idea for a "Gratitude Album" - creating a weekly page spread of things you are thankful for. I'm all over that!

A variation might be to create an album of gratitude for a particular person. I did something similar to this for my son's kindergarten teacher when she was diagnosed with cancer. Each 2-page spread would include a worksheet as well a photograph of the person filling it out. Items to include on the worksheet:

1. My favorite memory of you...
2. What I enjoy most about you...
3. How you have impacted my life...
4. I am grateful for you because...

She also told me about this fantastic photo processing website I will be checking out for myself. When you do a lot of custom cropping, it makes printing photos in standard sizes nearly impossible. This website has a wide variety of print sizes - just what I've been looking for! I've linked you right up to the print price sheet, which gives a listing of the available sizes as well.

Happy cropping!

holiday traditions

I spent four straight days soaking in classic Christmas tunes at the retreat - a great way to usher in the holiday season! Upon my return from North Branch (and the hubby from his tropical paradise), we'd planned to have our annual "Decorate the Tree" party. Though the boys claimed to be unenthused, they were excitedly moving about as I pulled boxes up from the basement.

It took a while to get things in order because (surprise!) I had problems with the year old lights. I had just finished hanging the final working strand when my hubby arrived home with the pièce de résistance - dinner. Not just any dinner, but an assortment of appetizers from one of our favorite local restaurants.

To top it all off, the boys each received a new Christmas ornament in honor of our special day. Another holiday tradition.

Journaling Ideas: What holiday traditions do you use to usher in the Christmas season? Are they newly created traditions, those passed down, or a combination of the two? If you had to choose only two traditions to carry on, what would they be? How do those traditions make you feel? Why are they important to you? Do any of your holiday ornaments or decorations have a story? If so, capture it in your album (be sure to include a photo).