Its 11-11-11

Thank you Beverly at Be Glorious for a wonderful blogging opportunity.
A great day for those who get into dates, I for one probably would not have noticed except for the fact that it seems that everybody is talking about it.  I worked with a nurses aide a few years ago that really wanted to have her first baby on 6-7-08 but she ended up having him on 6-8-08 and was so happy that his last number rhymed with his name Nate.  But in honor of the date, I decided to go with 11 of my favorite photos from 2011.  It has been a busy year, Camping in Colorado, and California we live in Utah.  Trips to Disneyland x2( if you count next weeks trip), Las Vegas and China, knee surgery again and with that a visit from Mom which was great.
 Also today in the United States it is Veterans day and I want to honor four of the very special men in my family that have served our country.  I am not the worlds biggest patriotic person but I do think that these men and the service they have given are special.  3 of them served in WWII and are some of the greatest men I knew save for my father and husband, and my cousin who is still serving in the Navy to all of you and my friend Destiny and her husband who were in Yugoslavia thank you!

Sunset at Mesa Verde, Colorado

Rachel and her Gramie.

My parents and brother taking in the sun? Oregon coast.

Old building with sunflowers in the fog, California

Rachel on the Oregon coast

Abby in the river camping, I did not get many photos of her face this year.  A challenge I will take on for next year for sure.

Brittany in the river camping

Three wise men, statues in Xi'an China

Kai a self portrait

Disney California Adventure

 

City wall Xi'an, lantern festival

These may not be my best photos of the year but they do the best job of telling a story to me when I look at them.

Next in this blog event is 11 things I want to accomplish in 2011
1. Finish my Ethics class
2. Start the next class in my Masters program
3. See the Ocean (take an Oregon girl away from the beach for too long and she gets home sick)
4. Spend more time having fun with the kids
5. Cook more meals at home, we have become lazy and eat out way to often
6. Mail Brittany's presents to China
7. Send off Rachel's application for her passport, and take her to pick up her drivers permit
8. Decorate the house for Christmas this is one I am looking forward too
9. Fold the laundry when it is first dry, I have a terrible habit of letting the clean clothes pile up on the dryer.
10. Spend more time crafting
11. Spend less time on the computer.

11 things I have learned in 2011
1. Durango Colorado is not as close as it looks on a map
2. I enjoyed visiting China it was something I was not really looking forward to, now I can not wait to go back
3. Third time might be a charm for my right knee but I am not going to test that theory
4. Rachel le wee is a good driver but she still makes me nervous
5. 3 dogs is more work than 2
6. If you do not see the humor in things you will go crazy, i.e. Kai outside in 32 degree weather without pants, and the following visit from the city police.
7.  There is a thing as too much work
8.  The kids seem to need me more as they get older even if they do not seem to think they do.
9. I take much better photos of things than people, but that the people mean the most
10. I still love living in Utah
11. Family camping trips are stressful, but when I look back all I remember is the fun parts.

Thank you Beverly for this opportunity for a special post in honor of this once in a lifetime day.

10 on the 10th

10 little things I am loving this month
1. These planners from Erin Condren, got one for my self and one as a Christmas present they are so cute and appear very sturdy too, love the extra gift tags that came with them also.  Planners

2. Project Life I really want to get this for 2012, with only 2 full years with the three youngest at home I really feel the need to do this. http://www.beckyhiggins.com/products/

3. The Bo Bunny Father Christmas Paper, I have all the paper I need for this Christmas but I still find myself drooling over this paper. Bo Bunny Father Christmas

4. These stamps by Ali Edwards for Technique Tuesday, can not wait for them to get here so that I can use them in my Journal Your Christmas album. December Daily Stamps

5. My Washi tape order from here Cute Tape  It came Tuesday and I just love it and have used it so far to cover some hearts for my JYC album that I have been prepping the last couple of days.  This is the set I got but there is so much here to chose from I am afraid that I could go crazy shopping here.

6. Disneyland ok so it is not small but we are going in a week and I can not wait to play in the sun for a few days, no work, no chores just time to enjoy being with the kids and playing.

7.  The anticipation of starting this class at Jessica Sprague.  The projects look beautiful and I think that both Heidi Swapp and Jessica Sprague are wonderful teachers. 

8. My new camera  I finally decided that it was time to get a DSRL now I can take good pictures.  Not great but better although I still find myself reaching for my phone more than the big camera which goes to prove that the best camera is the one that you have with you.  I got mine from QVC but you can find it here  too. Canon T3 

9. These pinwheels I made for Brittany's 25 days of Christmas box.  They use paper from last winter by Echo Park but I am loving the non traditional Christmas colors.

10.  These Dala horse ornaments from World Market, we used to have 2 little and 2 big ones when I was a child that came out every Christmas they were always one of my favorite Christmas decorations.  I was very excited when I found these.

well until next month, I hope that you enjoy 10 of my favorite things this 10th of November.  Here is a link to Shimelle's blog where you can find many more 10 on the 10th lists. Shimelle's Blog

Getting Started JYC 2011

I always have the best intentions of doing a December Daily/Journal Your Christmas Album.  I have made albums before, I have half way finished albums before and I have skipped it all together before also.  But this year I really wanted to do something that was prepared in advance and would be easy to use every day.  I work 12 hour night shifts so on the days I work just getting a photo and a bit of journaling done is all I can manage so I knew that I had better get going, plus what a better way to avoid writing an Ethics Paper for my Masters Class or cleaning house right.  So I went shopping, I shopped Etsy, I shopped 2peasinabucket.com I shopped A Cherry on Top, I shopped Technique Tuesday and I shopped my stash.  I looked at Ali Edwards foundation pages and I wished I lived in the UK so that I could have gotten the lovely kit put together by Shimelle in full.  In the end I ended up with a stack of patterned paper that was almost an inch thick.  So I had to edit thanks to Skype and my bbf I got the stack of pretty papers down to about 30 sheets.  Then I needed so inspiration so I read posts on 2peas in a bucket, and the 2010 forum for JYC, I watched Youtube videos and I came up with a plan.  I already had the album I started last year, never got further then than the front cover and even it was not finished, so I finished it.  It came with 6 8x8 chipboard pages, I also have 6 6x6 chipboard pages, and in my stash I found some 8x8 divided page protectors.  So that is what I am going with.  As of this morning I have finished the first 2 pages and the cover of the album, except for the numbers since I am still waiting for my 2011 stamps to come from Technique Tuesday.
So here is my beginning to JYC 2011.  I will use the tags for photos or journaling when the time comes and the date will go on the circles that look pretty empty right now.

Washi Tape

I have fallen in love with this stuff and found the cutest set for my Journal Your Christmas Project this year.
Cute Washi Tape
I wish I could just post a picture of it but since I am at work it will not let me.  Anyway I can not wait for it to come so I can get to work on my December/Christmas Album.  The kids are almost grown and I really want to document this year with all of the littles still home.