Project Life Week 1

The first few weeks of the year have been busy for me on all fronts. Especially with Mr almost 6 starting school, that took some adjusting.
I have been struggling to find my rhythm and time for me. It has been forever since I scrapped. Hopefully that will be soon. Last week I gave myself a lot of time to catch up on my Project Life. And I really enjoyed it. And I am gradually working a system to keep the wheels in motion closer to weekly.
So here is my cover. Love stopping to look at those smiley faces. Not sure on what will go in the top right yet. Something will come along or I will create something.

  

The week in full view. I am having trouble remembering to keep paper bits and pieces, I am getting better at it. And I love seeing the bits in the album.

 

Week one left side closer up. Some weeks I write a lot, some weeks I write little. If I am organised I will write down something that the kids have said directly onto the card and slot it in. I love these ones the most later on. I do also keep the album out on the dining table (hidden amongst the sewing at the moment) so it is out and easily accessible with the cards handy to jot down stuff.

 

And  the right side closer up. Some days I don't take photos, some days there are a few I love. To put them in and look back over the weeks is already lovely to see. I love looking at what we have done.

And a tip, I jot down on a note what has happened that week. I found I don't always use all of those details, but I wasn't sure I wanted to through them away either. So I have used one of the cards folded in half to jot down the week. Some times this sits in its own sometimes it goes behind another item (they have a tab which pokes out).

 

Are you doing Project Life? What are your thoughts? Anything you would like me to answer?

I do also love the way Ali Edwards has included some extra pages on special things. I am waiting for some 8.5 x 11 sleeves to arrive and I think I will give it a go to. I like the idea of a few things being elaborated on. 

And I have made notes along the way of the bits I would like to do a scrap page on for the kids albums.

Feels good to blog too. Hopefully I can keep it brief and then I can fit in more frequent posts.

If only I could do a post straight from my head, IE plug into the computer, think I would be onto something. 

Hope you are all well.

On the twenty fifth day ....

Is January whizzing by quickly for you also? We are a few days in I am playing with the beginnings of my project life 365 (I gave up last year so I'm using the kit from then) and wanting to make it simple enough to keep up. Will share soon. I am also trying to finish of my December Daily before December blurs in my mind. I am also itching to sew, but I am struggling with so many half done things and wanting to hang out with the kids too.

So here is my pages for December 25, I will get through them all, hopefully picking up pace as I go before January whizzes by too. Hope you are taking it slowly and enjoying the time with family.

On the twentieth day ....

I was on such a roll. And then I stopped to actually try and do a page. It took a long time and I didn't get it finished. Then I gave up and didn't save it grrr you can guess what happened. Since that was 4 days before Christmas I didn't do much more. It was a little busy.
So here is that page I was working on re done. I will have a go at printing and embelishing a little later.

We had a quiet day after our big and very late adventure into the city. That post will come soon.
It seems funny posting this in the new year. Looks like it is going to be a hot one here.
Happy New Year to you all, we are wishing for a happy, peaceful and calm one here. Perhapls calm will be my word for the year. We could all do with a bit of stability, routine and normal here. Xxx

On the nineth day ....

I am not sure I need to remember all the details of each day, but I am just jotting. I like the run through the day to see if I missed anything. I know my page for today will be about the Carols in the evening and hanging with my kids. I put it on facebook so I will go and grab what I typed there, and I loved the post where Ali typed about all the things she loved, not sure if I will use it here, but I will use it somewhere.
Thursday is group day, and I am sure we headed for a late yum cha so I sewed before we left. Then Noah split his eyelid on a toy so I took him to the Dr, it was fine no stitch needed, thank  goodness he was worried.
Lunch which they didn't eat much of, no more yum cha for us, I don't eat seafood so I don't order much, and the kids don't like it, we've tried it, that's it. Then I dragged the kids around the shops a bit getting a few small things and looking at Lego. Noah has asked Santa for a Lego train, he wrote his letter back in July, and hasn't wavered from it, but the train is $300 and I have explained that it is not likely that Santa can afford such a toy, have I mentioned Andrew was made redundant again for the second time in 4 months! Yes just before Christmas, End of November, thankfully most of the shopping is done. Amy I had better send him your way for some slave labour!

Noah was hard to sway, he did like a few other bits, but kept coming back to the train. So I went homing contemplating it. I came up with a plan, a few vouchers, a return of some Thomas bits I had and 25% off Lego in Myer. See day 10 something about a successful mission.

In the evening I decided to take the kids to Carols at the local shops. The best bet is that they have a lovely stage outside surrounded by restaurants. So we booked a table, sat outside, watched and listened and ate at the same time. The kids played with the pizza dough and colouring from GPK and then got a show bag with lots of fun bits, kept them entertained for ages. They danced and sang and ate. They were the most well behaved and delightful children, I think it was some one on one time with Mummy they craved. I am so glad I went on my own, I am sure if other kids came it would not have been the same. The glass of wine with dinner may have helped! We finished with ice cream for desert and went for a wander to check out the Lego in Myer (how I found they had 25% off) we came back thinking Santa would have arrived at the Carols but they were packed up. After waiting so long and them getting bored we missed it! We went home via some Christmas lights, that made them happy and they fell asleep on the way home. It was 9 pm!
This is my fb post, may just use it, sums it all up.

"Enjoying the christmas carols at Erina Fair with the kids. GPK pizza, a goodie bag with a candle light, dancing, singing carols and delight at hearing songs of Jesus what more could you want. They even packed their best manners. I love Christmas! And family. Xx"

On the tenth day.....

Ok so these are from memory and looking at the photos. It was a Friday, so ballet and swimming. The girls had a great time at ballet, it was only a small class but they danced beautifully. Then off to swimming where they were astounded at Katelin's confidence in the water. I think it has something to with spending the entire last weekend in the water at Jamberoo and the caravan park. But it did pay off, there is another girl in Kate's class who can swim quite well. So Kate thought she would give it a go too and she swam, well paddled, she was so delighted with herself. After the lesson she was telling everyone she could swim! Finally a huge break though after a year of suffering through her dislike of lessons.

I believe a large portion of the afternoon was sewing and trying to get it all finished, I want to pack away the machines. I did use up the last of my Christmas fabric on some skirts which was exciting, I wasn't sure it would all go I did buy 6 or 8 metres, I can't remember. I just have a few dresses left.
Not sure what else happened, I believe some more tidying, ahh now I remember, a special mission to sort out a secret present with much success! While I was out Daddy and the kids put the outside lights up which they were very excited about, it is so nice to see them up. We are a big fan of looking at lights. The kids love we have our own, not much but they are there.

The end of the night was watching The Polar Express, Noah's favourite and making reindeer ginger breads for the party tomorrow. The kids had so much fun and they were up so very late, I just can't stuff everything I need to into the day at the moment. The idea for the cookies came from the Woolies cook book, we already had a pack of the greens gingerbread men, so I bought the decorating things and away we went. You turn the gingerbread men upside down!

On the seventeenth day ......

I am trying hard to make it here and make some notes each day. Too tired last night, dinner at Mums and Christmas lights, kids in bed late so I went to bed too. Just realised I still have 10 whole days to catch up on, going to do some of that too, before it disappears althogether.
I am not sure if ballet was on or not, but we chose not to got. I finished the clean up of the house. Finally all my rooms are tidy, need to vacuum though. It has been a battle to keep onto of the house stuff as well as everything else while sewing so much. The kids had a nice time opening advent calendars and haning out in pj's. So did I.
Swimming lessons and Kate is loving it, now she can "swim" since being at Jamberoo and in the water all weekend she had a new found confidence and she can actually doggy paddle to get herself somewhere. It is cute to see and she is so very proud. It is a big step after such a struggle and her disliking swimming for such a long time.
Home and some movie watching and a rest. Thumbelina and Dancing Princesses were on the menu today and a tea party with her new tea set.
I stayed for a bit and went to wrap presents. Almost done, I ran out of tape, one colour of my ribbon and had no box to put an awkward present in so I had to pack up. My fav bit was Katie writing on the tag of Noah's present, should have taken a pic. She came back and asked if there were more to do. She had fun!
Is anyone else as bad as me? While wrapping Im working out where best to put the present under the tree, and moving them 20 times so they are balanced and the big ones at the back, smaller toward the front. My husband said they look like the come from a shop! At least he noticed and said they do look nice. I also have to share, no kids decos on my tree, my second one out the back I have allowed/ given in to the fact that they should be able to have their decorations on a tree. We are waiting for our clay ones to dry and I will blog about it, and where all the decos came from.
We made reindeer cookies again. This time on cookie dough not gingerbread, Kate isn't liking the ginger bread so much. The pic is on my phone, and not sure how to get it here, you will see them in another post from Christmas earlier in the month. I did get the kids to put the decorations I had made on the tree today. I had two finger print decorations made, I really do adore Christmas! They are made from silver, the kids put their print in them and they get to work drying them and polishing, then they engrave and ready to go! They are amazing and I love them. Katelin has an angel and Noah a star. They are made by our local branch of Smallprint, who also happens to be a friend.

Off to dinner at mums and some fun with the kids as I mentioned above. More Christmas decos and a new Christmas outfit for Millie, that is a post for another day, Katie and Millie matching.

On the sixteenth day ...

I spent some time with my kiddies. I packed away the sewing machine, although it did make a brief appearance today. I think the sewing machine needs to be away for me, I have had enough of it and I want a break.

The kids are really enjoying spending with me one on one. And I with them. I really enjoyed my night with them at the Carols last week and I am trying hard to cherish those moments, and let so many of the little things slide at the moment. I heard someone say the other day (I think it was on Oprah) that a child wants to see your eyes light up when they enter the room, and every child deserves that utter adoration. It is so true and I want to make a conscious effort to acknowledge them and the things they have done.
We went to mothers group today as we do most Thursdays. 5 and a half years of catching up with these girls weekly, they are an amazing group of women, with passion, support and love and caring for each other. They are a great support and together we have an amazing power to make a difference, a passion to help. I love these girls. Digressing slightly, I am talking about the kids, but I think I would like to mention these girls on one day in my DD. The kids love hanging out too, they are all so happy to see each other an play together.
We came home and played a little, I had to make a dress and then I went to the hair dressers. My own little Christmas treat! It was lovely. In the evening we prepared dinner and the children helped. Noah had a dislike for his scrambled eggs so there was some discussion about his joining us at the table, he did as I asked however and he did indeed eat most of his dinner. He is slow at making decisions and needs time to come around. After dinner we opened Noah's day on the calendar. He got a book, The Polar Express, a favourite here. He adores the movie and I love that he will have the book to keep for years to come.
We all snuggled up in Noah's bed and read the story. I am sure we will read it many more nights to come.
He would like his own Christmas sleigh bell, and ideas girls?
This has to be my favourite moment of the day.

On a side note my bloggy friends, I am  catching up on my reading and you will notice some comments on your posts from last month, I am behind, but catching up. I have made it to the end of November. You have all done some amazing things. Nicole I am sorry I missed the challenges, but I will be back to lift a few pages, can't wait for some scrap time. Di can't wait to hear your plan for 2011. Will be a year I want to document since we have big school coming up. Amy you have been very busy and the house is coming along nicely. Sharon I would love one of those mangoes, is it in the mail yet? Miss you all. xx