Reality Scrapbooking

Wow. I've been watching this thread http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/mb.asp?cmd=display&thread_id=1501807 at 2peas for awhile now. Everyday the title changes. It's been a countdown. I've been paying close attention since oh, there were at least 15 days left to submit. I told Nick about it. I told him that I could definitely do this, just if I had the time. Only if it wasn't Christmas time, and the Christmas cards didn't have to be made and this didn't have to be done and ... well, you know. Yesterday, I was on the message boards and reading Laura's post about there only being 40.5 hours left to submit - and it just hit me. Why can't I take one day and do this?

First of all I want to say Laura and Tara are just awesome! This book is such a brilliant idea and I can not wait to see it. I can not imagine getting through it without my emotions carrying me away. The layout that I worked on yesterday and will finish today made me cry from the start. It is something that I needed to do and didn't even realize it.

I'm off now to finish my submission and then continue doing all the Christmas "things" that need to be done. But I'm really grateful that I took the time to stop and concentrate on my life a little bit. Sometimes our perspectives need a little tweaking.

Christmas cards

I'm making my Christmas cards. Just like every year. Except I'm just not motivated - at all - to finish them. They are designed, I have all the necessary supplies, they are even almost finished. All that needs to be done is the ribbon. I suppose that isn't all that needs to be done.

Last year I wrote a Christmas newsletter and sent it out with my cards. It seemed to be something that everyone enjoyed receiving, especially those we don't get to see very often. This year was just...gosh, I don't even know were to start. Our family had one heck of a year to be quite honest! God has definitely blessed us and brought us through it and I suppose that is what I should write in my letter. I suppose I'm just not sure what details to include and which not to. Christmas newsletters can be a touchy thing. They are a great way to keep distant friends and family up to date with what's going on in your life but if you're not careful they can also seem conceited and "braggy". Oh well, I guess I will just have to just do it and use my best judgment. Wish me luck.

3 months have passed?

Wow, I can't believe it's almost been three months since I've updated my blog. I am so ashamed! My friend Norma just started one and it reminded me that I actually have one. Yes, one that is poorly neglected I know.

So anyway, I was reading my last entry from September and I don't even know where to begin to tell you how much my life has changed since then. I'm no longer working. I have mixed emotions concerning this. I really enjoyed my job, but I was also missing out on a lot of time with my children and husband. Not to mention my brand new scrapbook room that was just sitting empty and lonely with nobody to fill it with creative messes.

It's "funny" how situations work themselves out. We did finally sell our "summer" home. As we had come to call it. We no longer have double mortgage payments - YAY! The irony of it all though is that after we closed on the house, not two weeks later did I find out that my store was closing and I was losing my job. I had been praying for guidance in making my decision on whether or not to keep working or to just cut down my hours after we sold the house. Well, God spoke.

My experience managing the scrapbook store was an awesome one. I loved it. I have wanted to be someone other than "just mommy" for a long time. I was able to reinvent myself if you will. I have learned a lot from being out in the "real world". One of the most important of these things is that I love being "just mommy". It's quite an important job, if I do say so myself.