Much Needed Me Time

Thanks for the positive comments about my new layout! Someone asked where the link to my 365 Blog is now. That link can be found in two places - on the "Favorite Sites" page (along with a link to our YouTube Channel) and also on the far right side bar, right under the search bar.

This past Saturday I was in definite need of some "me time". It had been a long two weeks of Nick working a lot, including an overnight staff retreat and a 12 hour day on Sunday and Wednesday. Lucky for me, I had an All Day Crop (scrapbooking) lined up for Saturday! From 9am until 10pm (with brief breaks for lunch, dinner and time in the nursery with the boys while Nick attended church) I did some serious scrapbooking. I'm now only about 6 months behind. Whew!

By the time I arrived home shortly after 10pm, I was feeling totally refreshed. Normally I don't look forward to Sunday's, due to how long they seem to me, but this time I wasn't dreading the day ahead. I was looking forward to some play time with the boys in the morning! (Of course, they ruined that feeling by 10am the next day when I was breaking up the 5th fight of the morning and administering what was probably the 12th time out of the day so far.)

Below are some of the layouts I came up with! I'm so glad one of the ladies brought her Cricut to the event - just makes everything so much cooler!

 

  

I had a lot of fun using chalk on my pages. I think it especially pops on a black background!

The chalk drawing on the right page is like the giant chalk man the boys' uncle drew on the deck (which you can kind of see on the left hand page).

 

  

  

  

  

My Crafty Side - Another Giveaway!

You all already know about my love of scrapbooking, but did you know I have other crafting urges? I recently acquired an old (older than me even!) sewing machine and have begun to figure out how to use it - even hemming some pants (mine and my sister's) and fixing some shirts and pillows. I even have grand plans of making the boys' Halloween costumes (don't worry I'm starting simply). 

Speaking of Halloween and crafting, how would you like to win a $50 e-book from You Can Make This?

Here are just a sampling of the How-To's included in the bundle:

Fancy Filled Tutu

Frayed Applique

How to Applique the Easy Way

Table Runner Instructions

Cool stuff, huh? Even if you aren't into crafting yourself you can win this for the crafty person in your life! I'm also pleased to tell my international friends (that includes you Canadians) that this contest is open to you too!

Here's how you can win!

• Leave a comment telling me in what area you're crafty or wish you were crafty!
• For extra entries blog, tweet or facebook about the giveaway and let me know you did in separate comments.

 Contest will end at 7pm CST TOMORROW (Saturday). Winner will be drawn randomly Saturday night and winner will be announced the next morning. Winner will have 2 days to get in touch with me before an alternate winner is selected.

Did you enter my PJ giveaway yet from yesterday? If not, click here!

Me Time

Yesterday was a crazy day, and therefore I never got around to the blog. The day was a good kind of crazy though, as the whole first part was filled with "me time"! I fully believe it is so important for any mom, whether she has 1 child or a house-full, to find some sort of "me time". It could be just letting the dishes sit for an extra couple of house while you do some reading, or having your husband put the kids to bed so that you can escape to a local coffee shop for some peace and quiet for an hour. My personal favorites are the mom's group at church (Building Better Moms) and scrapbooking!

Yesterday morning Building Better Moms started it's '09-'10 year! I'm co-leading this particular group with a friend and it has been so exciting just doing all the planning over the summer, but yesterday was really wonderful. I loved being in a room with 47 other women who are all at the same point I am - living life with early childhood aged kids. I'm so looking forward to the rest of the year and only wish the group met once a week (instead of twice a month)!

My other "me time" is my once a month scrapbooking night at church. For 3 hours once a month it's just me and a bunch of women in a room cropping away! Later this month we have an all day crop (13 hours!) and I'm really looking forward to that. Because of my commitment to "me time" I'm only about 5 months behind in the boys' books - and that's even with doing 1 book for each of them!

As requested by several friends, here are some of the recent pages I've done. (Sorry for the glare on some of them.)