1200 Some Miles

January Craft Spending

2012-01-31T20:01:00.000-06:00

Moving is a way to keep your craft spending low (but not your other spending...)! In January I only spent $3.66 for photo printing at Costco for my Project Life Album. I have been busy unpacking, so I have not checked out some of the stores near me yet: Michael's and Memories Live On. I made a brief stop at JoAnn's but just to browse. In February, I plan to keep my spending low but find some time to scrapbook and make cards.

Yes Dear

2012-01-30T22:59:00.000-06:00

We must day "Yes Dear" more often than we realized because Alex picked it up and says it often. Today at the grocery he said "Yes Dear" to the cashier when she asked him a question. When we got home I asked him about having quiet time and he said "No Dear" even though he was tired. He fell asleep on his bedroom floor while playing.

Over the weekend John and I had sodas in the car. Alex asked for juice in the car, but we usually only let him have water in the car. I told him that he had to be 10 [years old] to have juice in the car. He said, "No 5." Is this the beginning of negotiation skills?

Two Weeks in CA

2012-01-29T01:23:00.002-06:00

Week 2 in California was an eventful week with it's share of ups and downs. Monday was a crazy day, but we saw a rainbow in the morning. My mom needed to head back to Texas. We had to call a cab to take her to the airport since we were waiting for both the movers and my car to arrive. The movers had to unload onto a smaller truck in order to get into our apartment complex, so the unloading process took up most of the day. In the midst of all of that my car arrived safe and sound.

Our apartment went from almost empty, to filled with boxes, and then to mostly unpacked this week. We still have some unpacking and organizing to do, but things are mostly functional around here. We weeded out a lot of stuff in Texas, but there is more weeding out to do here. We have a large donation box ready to go. You do not realize how much stuff you have until you move!

This week I discovered that Alex is at an "in between age." I thought that joining the YMCA would be a good thing for Alex and I to do, but this one does not have as much for an almost-three-year-old who is not potty trained yet. The local Mother's Day Out and Preschool programs that I found at an affordable price are full of course. Alex is not at a good age to go with me on all of the boring errands that are part of settling into a new place. I am looking into some other childcare options to help while I look for a job.

Story time at the library and playgrounds continue to be a hit with Alex. He also built me three houses one morning.

We ended the week with a picnic lunch and a brief hike in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This was Alex (and Paddy's) first trip into the mountains (or "mounts" as Alex calls them).

Project Life

2012-01-22T10:37:00.000-06:00

I have started a 2012 Project Life album. I feel like I am jumping on the Project Life bandwagon, but this approach to scrapbooking is awesome! Project Life is developed by Becky Higgins, and and I am following a weekly approach like Ali Edwards. Last year I bought some of the nifty Project Life page protectors, and I received the Turquoise Core Kit for Christmas. The Clementine kit is really cute and popular, but I wanted more masculine colors.

I started my album before the move and now it is in a box en route to California. I am looking forward to working on it when our stuff arrives soon. I like that Project Life lets me mix photos, stories and ephemera. There are also Project Life books on Shutterfly, so I may also try some photo books. I am really enjoying this approach to scrapbooking. I can also mix in some traditional and digital layouts into the album if I want.

First Week in CA

2012-01-21T21:38:00.002-06:00

I have lived in California for a week and our move is still in progress. Our stuff and my car will arrive early next week. I have a lot of unpacking in my future! John only had a week to find us a new place, and he did a great job.

We figured out how to live in a semi empty apartment for a little while. Ikea and air mattresses have really helped!

We are looking forward to having our stuff again, especially the beds and kitchen table. I am sure that Alex will be happy to have the rest of his toys.

It will take us a while to settle in, but I am learning my way around the immediate area. I am working on establishing my new "5 mile radius", although my next job will probably be more than 5 miles from home. I've had two job interviews so far, but it will take a while to hear back on them.

My mom flew out with the dogs on Thursday, which was a huge help. In the moving process, I realized that there was no way that I could fly with a toddler and two dogs. The dogs did well overall on the plane ride, and we were happy with how United treated my mom and the dogs. Frida rode as a carry on, but Paddy had to go with checked bagage. They are both making themselves at home.

December Craft Spending

2012-01-15T23:26:00.000-06:00

I spent $16.86 on craft items in December. I ordered titanium refill blades for my Fiskars paper trimmer, but I have not had a chance to try them out yet.

I had a gift certificate from 2 Peas in a Bucket burning a hole in my pocket. I spent $8.87 over the amount to get brand new Hero Arts Stamps. I am looking forward to trying them out. Kristina Werner used the zig zag stamp for a Make a Card Monday video. I also bought a versatile set of sentiment stamps.

Since we are moving, I am going to have to rework my craft space. I think that this is supposed to be a linen closet, but I am eyeing it for craft supplies.

Checking Things Out

2012-01-15T22:23:00.000-06:00

I had the opportunity to make a trip to out to California before the move to check out the area and have a job interview.

I had the chance to get outside during my lay over in San Diego, and it was a beautiful day.

As we flew north up the California coast, I could see the sunset, mountains and water.

We had a delicious brunch at La Mere Michelle in Saratoga before heading into the Santa Cruz Mountains.

I took my first trip across the Golden Gate Bridge and enjoyed great views of San Francisco.

We had lunch in Sausalito at Fish and enjoyed walking around the area before heading into San Francisco.

I had a job interview at San Jose State University and enjoyed seeing the campus. (It will be a few weeks until I hear back about the position.)

It was a good weekend in the middle of all the craziness of moving!

Grateful

2012-01-04T20:34:00.001-06:00

After seven and a half years, today was my last day as a staff member at the University of Texas at San Antonio. I do not think that this has totally sunk in yet, but I did have a good day today.

Last night I started thinking about my last day at work. I am sad to be leaving, but I am mostly grateful. I am grateful for all of the opportunities that I've had at the university. This is the foundation of my professional career in higher education. I am grateful for the wonderful colleagues and supervisors that I've had in two offices at the university.

I had to go to Human Resources today for an exit interview this morning. Then I had some time to chat with a former student leader who is now a staff member in HR. He was one of the first people that I met at the university. It was good to see him on my last day.

I enjoyed lunch today with my office. It was emotional saying good-bye at 5:00 P.M. It really hit me when I was saying good-bye to four staff members who were all with the office when I started in 2006.

It is weird to know that I am not going to work tomorrow, but now I need to prepare for an upcoming job interview in California.

"Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened." -Dr. Seuss

The 2011 Roller Coaster

2011-12-31T20:49:00.000-06:00

We are saying good bye to 2011 today. As I look back, I don't really remember the first half of the year. There were six uneventful months. And then the roller coaster began as John started applying to jobs in the San Francisco/Silicon Valley area. It was just on a whim, but then he started getting interviews! The process began in July 2011 and will last into 2012.
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We've had our ups and downs. We have examined so many aspects of our lives. We are willing to let go of many good things to open the door for new possibilities and growth. I wonder how I will reflect back on 2012 when the year winds down. I expect it to be a year of many new things, but I am not exactly sure what is coming.

Over the past few months, I have realized the my family of three is the most important thing to me. (Other things are important too: my extended family, friends, job, home, etc.) What I need most of all is John and Alex. When I saw this video posted last summer, it clicked with me.

I wish you a happy 2012! Soon my blog title will be outdated: I have another 1600 some miles to travel.

Christmas

2011-12-27T08:00:00.001-06:00

Alex woke up on Christmas morning and immediately tore into one of his presents from Grandma Mickey. There was a look of sheer delight and he jumped when he saw the presents under the Christmas tree. He managed to wait to open the rest of the gifts until my parents came over. We ate our almost-burnt cinnamon rolls while we waited. Santa Claus brought Alex his own digital camera so that we would stop trying to use mine. John recently got an iPhone, so both boys took lots of pictures on Christmas.

Alex wanted to play with each gift as he opened them. At the end, the area was a mess, but we all had a good time. Alex was in miss matched pajamas since he woke up with a wet diaper.

We skyped with my brother and then had lunch at Rudy's. My parents have been the last two years on Christmas, so now it is a tradition. You know that you are in Texas when you can get barbecue on Christmas.

Alex enjoyed playing with his toys and one of John's new co-workers sent Alex a gift. We watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (while Alex watched cartoons). John was able to skype with his family later in the day. We enjoyed this Christmas in San Antonio and we'll see where we are next Christmas!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-26T22:13:00.000-06:00

Alex is starting to get Christmas this year. We put up a smaller and child friendly tree on the 17th. Alex rearranged and played with the ornaments and knocked over the tree once. After a couple of days, we were able to enjoy the tree without constantly wanting to touch it.

Somewhere Alex picked up the idea that Santa Claus likes cookies. On Christmas Eve, Alex, my mom and I made cookies for Santa. It was fun but messy. Alex is not too into sweets, so he only ate one cookie. We left two cookies out for Santa that night. We kept Christmas simple but enjoyable this year.

Christmas Lights

2011-12-23T07:33:00.001-06:00

We made it downtown earlier this month to see the Christmas Lights on the Riverwalk and the San Antonio Christmas tree. I love the new LED lights, and Alex loves Christmas lights in general this year. We had dinner at Schilo's and I took a picture of another favorite restaurant, Casa Rio.

Checking in

2011-12-22T21:31:00.000-06:00

Bit by bit, we are getting ready to move to California. I know that things will move even faster in January. I am sad to be leaving my current job the first week of January but excited about some job prospects in California. I am nervous about selling our house but excited about our new place even though I have not seen it yet.

I finished my Christmas shopping but have not even started wrapping...

Merry Christmas!

November Craft Spending

2011-12-01T09:56:00.001-06:00

It turned out to be a "no spend November." With the upcoming move, I resisted buying craft items. This was hard with all of the advertisements for Black Friday sales!

I am still pairing down my craft supplies in anticipation of a smaller craft space in our next place. Right now, my hope is to set up our large folding table and the big red shelves that John built for me in a corner.

I sold some craft items at our garage sale on Black Friday. It is hard to let go of stamp sets, but the wood mounted ones take up so much space. I felt better about parting with some supplies when a gentleman explained that he was buying items for his 12 year old granddaughter for Christmas. She loves to stamp. :)

December will remain low to no buy for me, but I may do a little craft shopping in the new year.

Stuff

2011-11-29T22:39:00.001-06:00

It is so easy to accumulate stuff! We are cleaning out some things before the move and preparing to live in a smaller space. The movers estimate that we have 4,718 pounds of stuff to move to California. It is weird to think about the amount of stuff you own in pounds!

Thanksgiving Weekend

2011-11-27T23:08:00.000-06:00

We have really enjoyed the Thanksgiving Weekend!

Our Thanksgiving decoration was a turkey that Alex made at school. He likes that it is hanging on the refrigerator.

With the craziness of preparing to move, we decided to keep our Thanksgiving simple:
Thanksgiving Menu
Turkey
Gravy
Dressing
Mashed Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole
Cranberry Sauce (from a can)
Pumpkin & Apple Pies (Baked by HEB)

Everything tasted great and our meal was ready ahead of schedule. We have just enough leftovers to enjoy.

Alex watched a little of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but it did not hold his interest. He spent lots of time playing.

We found out that one of our neighbors was planning to have a garage sale on Friday. It was perfect timing, and we also had a successful garage sale. It is easy to ignore Black Friday sales when you are preoccupied with clearing out extra items for a move.

On Saturday, we had some time to rest and a fun play date with friends. We continue to organize and weed out extra things. I feel better about selling or giving away items when I know that someone can use them. I feel less sentimental than expected about letting go of baby items since I have so many photos of Alex from that time. I don't feel that I need the physical items since I have the photos and memories.

Thankful Thought #2

2011-11-26T07:00:00.001-06:00

I am thankful for where I am from, where I am now, and where I am going.

Alex's Photos

2011-11-25T22:28:00.000-06:00

Alex got ahold of the camera last weekend and took some pictures:
Uncle Shrek

Bearded John

I took a picture of our little photographer in Grandma's sunglasses.

Photos taken 11/20/11.

The Next Chapter

2011-11-23T21:14:00.001-06:00

We are preparing the for next chapter in our lives. Over seven years ago we moved to San Antonio when I was offered a job at the University of Texas at San Antonio. I told John that the next move would be his, and now it is time for new opportunities. John has been offered a job with Apple in Cupertino, California.

I am excited and nervous, and we are still working on the exact timeline for the move. We accumulated some things in the last seven years to move, including a toddler and two dogs. We also have a house to sell.

UTSA and San Antonio have been good to us. It will he hard to leave behind our family and friends here! I expect to use technology (iPad... hint, hint) to keep in touch and will come back to visit. This has been a good chapter of our lives.

Congratulations on your new job, John! I am so proud of you!

A Little Bit of Fall

2011-11-20T11:06:00.000-06:00

We got a little taste of fall on Friday. We went to Boerne for lunch at The Dodging Duck and a walk at the Cibolo Nature Center. We are enjoying a weekend of family time and football while my brother is in town.

My Craft Space

2011-11-20T09:33:00.000-06:00

My craft desk was actually clean for a few days, so I took some pictures. We bought the desk at a local office furniture store, and I like that I can lock the drawers to keep little fingers out of them.

I really like the clear plastic drawers for organization. I've picked up a few sets over the years at Walmart. The striped box holds finished cards. I keep my basic supplies in the blue case, so they are easy to grab or take to a class.

The two accordion files hold 12x12 card stock and patterned paper, and they are more portable than other options for holding paper. The purple binder hold items for me to scrap, but if it is out of site I do have the tendency to forget about it. The clear bins hold a mix of items to be scrapped and some supplies. The black case holds stickers, and my magazines are next to it.

I divided up my punches into a couple of storage options. The smaller punches are in drawers and the larger ones are in the brown bin. I also have some acrylic blocks. I recently condensed some stamp sets. I don't want to part with wood mount sets, but the clear mount stamps take up a lot less space, which I love.

On the top shelf, which my husband made, I keep my Big Shot, dies, and some small embellishments. The large box holds paints, and the striped box holds photos.

I keep my inks locked in a drawer, and other items that I don't want Alex to get into.

I organize my 8 1/2 x 11 card stock and scraps by color in the bottom drawer.

I enjoy crafting in our family room and expect to keep my craft stuff in a shared space. I can relate to the Paperclipping Roundtable episode about shared crafting spaces.

My Stamping Buddy

2011-11-16T22:26:00.000-06:00

Alex is learning to stamp, which is messy and fun!

In the video Alex is stamping a cupcake and saying "birthday cake."

November: 10 Things on the 10th

2011-11-10T21:10:00.000-06:00

I still can't believe that it is November already! In the U.S. we will be celebrating Thanksgiving later this month. I think that it is important for this holiday not to get lost in all the hype of Halloween and Christmas. Not only do I enjoy cooking and being with family for Thanksgiving, it is a time to focus on gratitude. This month, I will share 10 Things that I am Thankful For:

My Husband
My Son
My Family
My Friends
My Health
My Job
My Education
Crafting
A Little Quiet Time Alone
Our Home

For more "10 on the 10th of the Month" entries, visit Shimelle's Blog.

Alex's Outfit

2011-11-08T21:42:00.000-06:00

Yes, Alex chose his outfit today: dinosaur t-shirt, basketball shorts, Alamo socks, and bug shoes. He usually has a little "bed head" in the mornings.

November Happiness Blog Hop: Pay Attention

2011-11-07T08:36:00.003-06:00

This month's Happiness Blog Hop organized by Scrapworthy Lives is themed Pay Attention. Gretchen Rubin dedicates a chapter of The Happiness Project to this topic, but I think that scrapbookers have a head start on this part of happiness. As scrapbooking has shifted from mainly scrapping the big events (weddings, vacations, bithdays, etc) to also including our everyday lives, scrapbookers are paying attention to the little things. Ali Edwards has been promoting everyday scrapbooking for years, Becky Higgins brings us Project Life, and Stacy Julian teaches us to make connections through her Library of Memories system.

I find that blog and scrapbook projects help me pay more attention to my everyday life. I started with A Day in Photos last April while taking Shimelle's Beyond Blogging for Scrapbookers class. I also tried Ali Edward's Week in the Life for the first time in July. I blogged about my week and want to make a photo book with the pictures and stories. Next, I would like to complete Ali Edward's December Daily. I am thinking about ways to approach this project. I could mainly use my blog, but making a mini book would be fun too. Elise Blaha sells cute holiday mini books on her Etsy site, which would save me some prep time. These projects help me take more everyday photos and tell more stories about our everyday lives. Alex is growing so fast and life changes quickly, so I know that I will treasure having these details now and in the future.

I would love to hear how other scrapbookers pay attention in their lives and if you have any tips for completing December Daily.

Your next stop on the blog hop is Scrapping Mojo. Thank you for visiting today!

Here is the list of participating blogs:
Fun Mama
Kiss & Tell Scrapbooking
Melissa’s Blog
Nihao, Cupcake!
Nuggets
Our Life with Spiky Potatoes
Pie for Breakfast
Scraps & Sass
Scrapworthy Lives
Scrap Your Life
Slice of Life
Take a Picture and Remember This
This Kalil Life
1200 Some Miles (You are here.)
Scrapping Mojo
Your Memory Connection

October Craft Spending

2011-11-05T09:37:00.000-05:00

For most of the month, I was on track with my $40 craft budget, but I went over budget at the end of the month. I was definitely tempted by some "good deals" last month! I had extra money in my overall monthly allowance, so my craft spending was not a problem. I do like staying aware of how much I am spending in this area.

Here is what I bough in October:
1. I spent $10 on a Living Social deal for $20 worth of scrapbooking products at The Scrapbook Store. I am looking forward to checking out this store! Unfortunately, one scrapbook store near me completely closed and the other one is temporarily closed.

2. I was lured to Michael's on my lunch hour one day with a buy one, get one 50% off sale. My two crafty friends came with me but managed not to buy anything. I spend $29.71 on the Ranger Craft Mat, two Copic markers (V06 & R29), and about 10 sheets of Bazzil card stock in white and kraft. The Copics were on sale, which is rare. I arrive at 12:30 PM the day of the sale to find the Copic selection already picked over. I like the craft mat, but I am glad that I got it with a 40% off coupon.

I planned to stop my shopping at that point, but I found 2 other great deals:

3. I spend about $10 for a Memory Keeper from Paper Coterie. I wanted to take advantage of a great deal posted on The Mom Creative, and it will be a good place to store Alex's memorabilia.

4. A while back I won a gift certificate to Ella Publishing. I spent and extra $2.47 to have my gift certificate cover 3 e-books on scrapbooking, photography, and card making. 31 Thank You Cards is on sale through 11/7/11 for $6.49, and I am enjoying this book.

My total was about $53 on crafting this month, but I am happy with my purchases.

Do you like Giveaways?

2011-11-01T21:11:00.000-05:00

It is hard to resist an opportunity to win something. The first raffle prize that I remember winning was a small TV when the Payless Shoe Store opened nearby. Maybe I was 10 or 12 years old? I will have to ask my mom if she remembers when it was, but I think that I got to keep the TV in my bedroom.

I still love the chance to win something and there are lots of giveaways in blogland. I have won some Ella e-books from a couple of blogs and am enjoying them. Next I would love to win the Studio Calico & Ali Edwards December Daily Kit that will be given away on Elizabeth Kartchner's Blog. This kit looks great for both scrapbooking and card making! With or without a kit, I am starting to consider participating in December Daily this year (maybe a scrapbook, photo book or just blog posts).

Memory Keeping

2011-10-31T08:24:00.000-05:00

I have been thinking about the evolution from just "scrapbooking" to "memory keeping." I keep seeing the term memory keeping used more and more and I love it. Yesterday, I went to Jessica Turner's blog, The Mom Creative, to read some of her "31 Days of Memory Keeping" series. Ali Edwards now uses the tag line "Memory Keeping for the Modern World" for her website. Finally, I could not wait to download the new e-book from Ella Publishing, which provides "Memorable Reads for Memory Keepers."

I think that this is both a philosophical shift and practical shift for many scrapbookers. We do a greater variety of memory keeping now including photo books and Project Life. (I love Shutterfly and Paper Coterie for photo books.) For me, the big shift is using my blog for memory keeping. I enjoy being able to quickly share my photos and stories. Some of this evolution may be due to time constraints in our lives, but I think that people are enjoying the many forms of memory keeping available. I dabble in a little digital scrapbooking with My Digital Studio. My scrapbooks provide a home for some photos, ephemera, layouts (paper and digital) and Alex's artwork. I only occasionally create a traditional scrapbook layout, but I still call myself a scrapbooker because memory keeping has become a part of my life. I hope that others will find the forms of memory keeping that fit them best.

Busy Weekend

2011-10-30T23:43:00.000-05:00

Drinks with friends Friday night
UTSA Football Game on Saturday (with a win in OT!)
Pumpkin Carving Party Saturday night
Lunch with friends today
Sunday dinner with my parents

Summer Artwork

2011-10-23T06:00:00.016-05:00

It was so hot outside this summer that Alex's daycare had to cut their afternoon time outside. This resulted in A LOT of artwork. Alex enjoys painting, and he managed to get paint everywhere. One day he had pink and purple spiky hair after putting some of the paint in his hair. Of course we needed to stop at the grocery store on the way home that day! Another day, he had blue hands after painting and looked like a Smurf.

Here is some of Alex's artwork from the summer:

Love Card

2011-10-22T20:21:00.000-05:00

I forgot to post the card I made for John for our anniversary (at the end of July).

Supplies Used:
Paper: Life of the Party from Basic Grey
Card Stock: Crumb Cake (kraft) from Stampin' Up!
Stamp: Hero Arts Graph Background
Inks: Fired Brick Distress Ink & Chestnut Roan chalk ink from Color Box
Stickers: EK Success
Corner Rounder: Crop-a-dile Corner Chomper from We R Memory Keepers

These seemed to be my "go-to" supplies last summer, and now I am obsessed with butterflies!

Color Combo Blog Hop

2011-10-15T10:00:00.007-05:00

I can't believe that it is already the middle of October! It is time for another Color Combo Blog Hop. I will have the entire list of participants at the end of the hop so that you don't miss a stop.

For October, we chose between three fall color combinations from Design Seeds. Here is the one that I chose:

After reading this article earlier in the week on Scrapbook Update, I was attracted to the combination with grays and yellows. Last night, I scrapped one of my favorite photos of Alex from the summer.

This is a digital page designed in My Digital Studio, and most supplies are from Stampin' Up. I also used a stamp designed by Ali Edwards available at Designer Digitals.

The journaling reads:
Our neighbor was nice enough to let you help water his lawn on some hot summer evenings. You had fun watering the plants and playing with the hose. One day, you exclaimed, "My belly's wet!" We could not help but laugh! Not only was your belly wet, but you were soaked from head to toe.

Our neighbor also blogs, and you can read his great food blog at http://www.sanantoniojoe.com/ .

Your next stop on the blog hop is http://sugarandscrap.blogspot.com

You can see more ways to use this color combination and two others by following the entire hop:
http://www.abstractsmixedwithextracts.com
http://suealthouse.blogspot.com
http://xnomads.typepad.com
http://michelleroycroft.blogspot.com
http://throughthecameralens.typepad.com/
http://scrapyourlife.net
http://spud-pickle.blogspot.com/
http://curlyscrapbooker.blogspot.com
http://1200somemiles.com (You are here.)
http://sugarandscrap.blogspot.com
http://alyssephotographs.blogspot.com
http://handmadebykirsty.blogspot.com
http://adriennefalzon.blogspot.com/
http://helenascreativemaven.blogspot.com
http://digipage-blog.everything-digital-scrapbooking.com/
ttp://scribblesstickingstitchingstroking.blogspot.com/

Thank you for stopping by!

Ten Conference Highlights

2011-10-10T00:01:00.003-05:00

For my October Ten Things on the Tenth of the Month post, I want to share highlights from the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Conference that I attended in Denver, Colorado from October 1-5, 2011. This was a wonderful conference!

1. One of my favorite sessions from the conference was on "Women Thriving in Higher Education." An extraordinary panel of women honestly shared their career experiences and advice. One woman pointed out that in your career sometimes you do things out of desire and sometimes you have to do it out of need. They discussed changing positions to stay in line with your core values and the topics of taking a pay cut or a part-time position. They shared their various experiences with completing a doctorate degree. Their willingness to honestly share their experiences made this session so valuable.

2. I was happily surprised to see my graduate school advisor at the conference. I did not pre-select my conference sessions, so I did not know that she was presenting. She has served as a reference for me and we email occasionally, but I had not seen her in seven years. Of course, I attended her presentation.

3. Since I did not pre-select my sessions, I took advantage of going with the flow and attended great sessions on a variety of topics: Sophomores/Second Year Students, Assessment, Technology in Advising, First Year Students, and Graduate Interns.

4. I hung out with two conference buddies in Denver. I enjoyed spending time with these ladies.

5. I also had the opportunity to connect with other UTSA advisors who I do not regularly get to see at work. We enjoyed getting together for dinner two nights in a row.

6. The weather was beautiful and I enjoyed walking around Downtown Denver.

7. A friend introduced me to Pinkberry frozen yogurt. If you have one in your area, go get some peanut butter yogurt with your favorite topping for me. There are not any locations in San Antonio. (Someone with more money than an Academic Advisor should start a franchise here!)

8. I got to meet other academic advisors from all over the U.S. and the world. I chatted with advisors from Ohio, California, Hawaii, North Carolina, Florida, Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, Texas, Oklahoma, and Hong Kong.

9. I learned so much, including more about Sophomores/Second Year students and Assessment. I have taken a lot of ideas home with me and hope to use and implement them.

10. I am finally on Twitter and looking forward to the Academic Advising Chat each Tuesday.

For more Ten Things on the Tenth of the Month posts, visit shimelle.com

Thanks to one of my conference buddies for taking my photo at our hotel.

While I Was Away...

2011-10-08T22:09:00.001-05:00

I uploaded some photos from our camera and found this one that was taken while I was away at a conference.

I'll be saving this one for when Alex is in high school. :)
Photo taken 10/2/11.

September Expenses

2011-10-06T20:49:00.001-05:00

I give myself a monthly budget of $40 to spend on craft supplies (including classes, idea books/magazines, photo printing etc.), and I was under budget for September. I have done some fall cleaning and condensed my supplies.

Early in the month I spent about $3.05 on adhesive. I used some Michael's store credit on this purchase, so it would have been about $10 normally. Later in the month, I spent $3 on a butterfly stamp, which I have already used.

My local stamp store, Stamp Antonio Arts, did a great job organizing their first ever "garage sale." I shared a table with a friend and made $20 by selling some craft supplies that I was longer using. I also swapped some card stock with a friend at no cost.

Alex Stories

2011-09-29T23:41:00.001-05:00

By the end of the day, I had three stories to share about Alex. There is a lot of personality in that two and a half year old!

This morning, Alex's teacher mentioned that Alex started opening the door from the playground to inside the classroom when he is done playing outside even though it is not time to go in yet... The teachers catch him, but now we need to watch all of the doors!

I picked up Alex a little early today and he was playing with a doll. His teacher walked over to tell me a story. Alex and a little girl both wanted to play with the doll. They went back-and-forth staying "My baby" and "No, my baby." Then, Alex said, "It's our baby." Well, at least he is learning to share!

We are seeing Alex's sense of humor develop. Alex usually tells me that his banana peel goes in the compost. Tonight I asked him where the banana peel goes, and he proceeded to give me a variety of answers each time I asked: ear, head, knee, sky, etc. We both thought that it was funny.

Thankful Thought #1

2011-09-26T23:11:00.000-05:00

One of the first blogs I read was Ali Edward's, and I am still reading it regularly since she shares valuable information and insight on scrapbooking, family, motherhood, and life in general. She started sharing Thankful Thoughts and I related to her post today. She wrote about keeping in touch with her family across the country on Facetime. I have not tried that program yet, but we Skype with my brother on some Sundays. Alex brings out his stuffed Skrek while he talks to Uncle Shrek, and they make silly faces on the video chat. Yesterday, Alex wanted to stay by the computer instead of taking a bath. Alex wanted to count and sing his ABC's but not talk sports. I am thankful for all of the technology that helps us keep in touch with our family and friends.

Alexander

2011-09-24T20:46:00.000-05:00

We mainly call the little man "Alex," but sometimes we call him by his full name, Alexander. Actually, it makes a fun song if you sing Alexander over and over. He calls himself "Alex", but recently he has caught onto the idea of his full name. He decided that John and I need full names too. I am "Mommy-zander" and John is "Daddy-zander."

Alex is pictured on 9/18/11 standing on a stool and playing with the printer.

10 Things: Favorite Baby Products

2011-09-10T06:00:00.038-05:00

It is already the 10th of the month! Here are my ten things and other bloggers are sharing their posts at Shimelle.com

Alex is no longer a baby... I did enjoy that phase, but I also enjoy watching him grow and develop. As I watch friends prepare to and add to their families, I thought that I'd share my 10 favorite baby items. (In no particular order.)

Infant car seat aka the Baby Bucket

Crib Mobile

Pack-n-play

Onesies, especially from Carter's

Umbrella Stroller

Sleep Sack

Robeez (shoes)

Jumperoo

Baby Monitor

Glider

We still use the stroller, glider and baby monitor at two and a half. What are your favorite baby items?

Happiness Blog Hop: Gratitude

2011-09-05T08:07:00.007-05:00

Welcome to the September Happiness Blog Hop organized by Stephanie at Scrapworthy Lives. If you have been following the hop, then you should have arrived from Take a Picture and Remember This. I will list all of the participating blogs at the end of the post in case you missed any.

In The Happiness Project, Gretchen spends a chapter "Contemplating the Heavens." The part of the chapter on gratitude sticks in my mind the most. Scrapbooking helps me be more grateful for the big and little things in my life. I have scrapbooked the large events (Alex's first birthday) and the everyday (Week in the Life). By scrapbooking, I take time out to examine, record, and remember our lives. It is easy to get busy, but when I stop to think about what I have, then I am grateful.

I could make a long list of what I am grateful for in my life, but I will focus on my family. I love my little family of three and the time spent with "my boys."

Journaling Reads: I am so grateful for my family. I love our family of 3 and spending time with "my boys." Photo taken 3/6/11. (I also added in photos taken 12/14/10 and 8/9/09.)

Supplies Used:
Stmapin' Up!: Whisper White and Riding Hood Red Card Stock; Riding Hood Red Ink; Tag Corner Punch
Basic Grey: Patterned Paper (Oliver) and Ribbon (Recess)
Becky Higgins: Journaling Card
EK Success: Letter Stickers
Papertrey Ink: Buttons
Copic: Black Pen
American Crafts: Slick Writer Black Pen

Thank you for visiting today! Enjoy the holiday if you are in the U.S.! You next stop is Slice of Life.

Here is the full list of participants:
Scrapworthy Lives
Pie for Breakfast
Scraps & Sass
Take a Picture and Remember This
1200 Some Miles (You are here.)
Slice of Life
Abstracts Mixed with Extracts
Your Memory Connection
Kiss & Tell Scrapbooking
My Creative Days in Beijing
Melissa’s Blog

UTSA Football: Still Undefeated!

2011-09-03T20:51:00.001-05:00

When I started working at the University of Texas at San Antonio seven years ago, I saw a funny t-shirt in the campus bookstore. It said, "UTSA Football" on the front and "Still Undefeated" on the back. At that time, UTSA Football was only an idea that people talked about and thought, "maybe someday."

The day was today and the bar was set high. The university hired a well-known head coach and will join the Western Athletic Conference in 2012. There was no need to build an on-campus stadium since we have the Alamodome in town, but the dome is huge. (It holds 65,000 people.) Even though the first season does not include well known teams, it would be difficult to win with a team made up of so many freshmen and sophomores.

Today UTSA made history and exceeded expectations! UTSA set a new record for NCAA inaugural football game attendance by packing the Alamodome with 56,743 people. UTSA beat Northeastern State (Coach Coker's alma mater) 31-3.

We had a blast today at the game! Alex did well with the crowds and noise. He was sad to leave the game and was asleep in the car as soon as we hit I-10 on the way home.

UTSA Football is still undefeated! Go Roadrunners!

August Expenses

2011-08-31T21:00:00.000-05:00

John and I started a new budgeting system this month, which is working well so far. We each get a cash "allowance" for our wants, and eating out, and I knew that it was time for me to set a craft budget.

I am allowing myself to spend up to $40 a month on crafting supplies. Right now, that includes photo printing, our photo books and classes, but I do have some flexibility in my budget. We get enough money not to feel deprived, but we still have to think carefully about our purchases.

Early in the month, I spent $28 at Papertrey Ink. I split this order with a friend, so we qualified for free shipping. (Yay!) I bought white card stock, pink card stock, buttons, ribbon, and two small stamp sets. This was my first order from this company, and I am happy with the items.

Late in the month, I bought some letter stickers at Target. I did not watch the racks carefully, and they were $4.99, which is more than I like to spend on letter stickers. Next time I will check prices more carefully at Target.

I made it $7 under on my craft budget, but it will be tough to stick to the budget in September. There are a few online classes that I am interested in taking. Do I buy supplies or take classes???

Saturday

2011-08-28T22:11:00.000-05:00

We had a fun Saturday with an impromptu trip Downtown. First, Alex wanted to explore the kitchen, and he likes to get his stool and says "high up."

We learned about Dinosaur Quest and headed Downtown to check it out. Alex had a blast running around and wanted to ride the dinosaur models...

We headed to Schilo's for lunch, which was very yummy.

Here is a look back at Alex's first trip to Schilo's in May 2009.

Today

2011-08-24T21:24:00.000-05:00

Today is the first day of classes at UTSA. Work has been crazy busy. Today is also my mom's birthday. Happy Birthday Mom! We went out for a yummy dinner to celebrate.

I ordered my mom's gifts from a relatively new site, Paper Coterie. I am really happy with the photo calendar and swatch photo book that I ordered. Ali Edwards and Jessica Turner shared products on their blogs if you are interested. A $40 coupon code is available through the end of the month, and you do still have to pay the shipping and handling. The details are here.

I am still slowly working on the words from the Big Idea Festival. I like that I can go at my own pace with an online class.

Blog Hop Follow-Up

2011-08-20T22:19:00.001-05:00

I worked this morning and then visited a friend, so I did not make it through the blog hop until this evening. There were many great layouts, cards, and photos that inspired me to use this color combination. I was able to think about using orange for more than just fall and Halloween projects.

I loved the card at Snaps and Snippets, and here is my interpretation:

Supplies Used
Card Stock: Papertrey Ink White, Stampin' Up! Peach Parfait
Patterned Paper: Stampin' Up! Designer Series Paper Patterns Pack - In Color (retired/hostess)
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Think Big Favorites #3 and Stampin' Up! Doodle This (retired)
Inks: Stampin' Up! Pear Pizzazz Marker, Memento Tuxedo Black, and Distress Ink Spiced Marmalade
Buttons: Papertrey Ink Spring Mix Vintage
Tools: Stampin' Up! Ticket Corner Punch and Square Lattice Embossing Folder
Misc: Flowers

August Color Combo Blog Hop

2011-08-20T10:00:00.032-05:00

Welcome to the August Color Combo Blog Hop. If you have been following the hop, then you should have arrived from Sugar and Scrap.

Here is the August Color Combination from Design Seeds:

Now I have a confession... I did not make a new project for this month. Instead, I thought more about the process of using a color combination.

For some reason, this color combination makes me think about fall. It certainly does not feel like fall is coming to South Texas anytime soon! Maybe I will be more inspired to use these colors more when the it cools down here.

I also find it difficult to use the color orange. I do not use it often, but I did find a couple of past layouts using orange.

I mostly associate orange with Halloween and Fall. I am having a hard time breaking away from that, and I want to buy this stamp set mainly to color the pumpkin orange: http://www.lawnfawn.com/products/harvest-season. This is a good pumpkin stamp too: http://www.simonsaysstamp.com/servlet/the-26567/2010-Hero-Arts-Rubber/Detail. I may have to work a pumpkin stamp into my fall crafting budget.

I do have some supplies on hand that will work with this color combination. I have a mix of the card stock and some copic markers and colored pencils. Orange with a hint of yellow would work well when coloring some flowers.

Wonder

2011-08-16T21:35:00.000-05:00

Today's word for the Big Idea Festival is wonder from Tami Morrison. In contrast to yesterday's post, I do not have anything specific to share. Sometimes it is helpful just wonder to ourselves. In my late twenties, I thought that I would have life all figured out in my thirties. Oh, I was wrong! But, it is the questions, the challenges, and the changes that keep us moving forward. I wonder...

2011-08-15T22:30:00.000-05:00

The (free) Big Ideas Festival began today at Big Picture Classes. Today's instructor is Amy Tan and the word is share.

I am hesitant to take on too many projects during the summer since work is so busy. This class appealed to me because it is FREE and I can use supplies that I have on hand. I think that I am going to make a mini album using Becky Higgins 3x4 journaling cards. (I bought them from Amazon.com, but her stuff is being restocked this fall.)

Journaling
I immediately thought of my blog for this word. This is the place that I can share with my friends and family both near and far. I enjoy sharing my pictures, stories and creations.

Supplies
Journaling Cards: Becky Higgins
Ink: Riding Hood Red & Chocolate Chip from Stampin' Up!, Chestnut Roan Color Box chalk ink
Stamps: Pedaling Past from Stampin' Up!
Letter Stickers: Reflections

Project of the Week #8: New Card Size

2011-08-15T12:58:00.000-05:00

When I started making cards on a regular basis, I gravitated to the "standard card size" of 5 & 1/2 x 4 & 1/4 inches. I was inspired by the CAS-ual Fridays Blog to try a new card size, 9x4 inches. The appeal of this card size is that it will fit in a business envelope. It does take a couple of trys to get used to this size, but it is fun to play with some new layouts and options. I really like using letter stickers right now.

Supplies Used
Card stock: Tempting Turquoise, Kraft and Whisper White (textured) from Stampin' Up!
Ink: Broken China Distress Ink from Tim Holtz
Embossing folder: Tim Holtz Retro Circles
Stamp: Hero Arts Graph Background
Tools: Sizzix Big Shot & We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper
Letter Stickers: Glitz Designs

Saturday Morning

2011-08-13T09:29:00.000-05:00

Alex wanted to help me wash the dishes. He was helpful and nothing was broken!

Now he is watching Elmo. He is a kid who "zones out" when watching TV and videos. He has John's Xbox controller and my "baby."

10 Things We Love about Living in San Antonio

2011-08-10T06:29:00.061-05:00

These are in no particular order.

1. It is a big city with a small city feel.
San Antonio’s growth really took place after the 1968 Hemisfair. The city retains the feel and friendliness of a smaller city. As long as you can avoid rush hour, you can get around the city quickly. During the week, we can get to work in 10 minutes and on the weekends we can be in Downtown or Alamo Heights in 20 minutes.

2. So Many Good Restaurants!
This is not always good for the waistline or pocketbook, but it sure is fun to go out to eat around here.
Favorite Pizza: Rome’s Pizza
Favorite BBQ: Rudy’s
Favorite Deli: Shilo’s
Favorite Tex Mex: I could not pick just one...

3. The city has a unique character.
San Antonio has been influenced by Texas, the South, Mexico and German immigrants. All of this mixes into a culture that I don’t think can be replicated. Where else can you find the Alamo, Riverwalk, and surrounding Hill Country towns?

4. Spring, Fall and Winter
When it is not 100 degrees, the weather here is great.

5. Our Friends
We have made great friends here. They are the friends that you can have fun with who will also be there for you when you need them. We are grateful for the friends we’ve made over the past seven years.

6. Having Family Here
John's sister lived here for a few months and now my parents live here. We’ve tried to persuade more family to move down but no luck so far...

7. We’ve created a home here
We been in our house for five years and have slowly made it our own. (Well, Alex’s stuff quickly took over when he arrived!) It has been satisfying to work on projects including Alex’s room, the garden, and the shed, and we have many more to do. (I’ve torn down about half the wallpaper in the master bathroom...) We have good neighbors and can walk to the swimming pool and playground.

8. Being part of UTSA
I started working at UTSA in 2004, and John was not far behind in 2005. We have both held a couple of positions within the university, but we have been “part of the university” from day one. We have seen the campus continue to grow and change over the past 7 years. We are now watching the University start a football team and have our season tickets.

9. There is so much to do in San Antonio
We have lived here for seven years, and I still have a list of things I want to do here. We still need to visit Sea Word, The Witte Museum, and the Children’s Museum. There are fun annual events including Fiesta San Antonio and the Texas Folklife Festival.

10. There is so much to do just a short drive from San Antonio
There is the Hill Country and Austin within an hour or hour and a half from the city. In a few hours, you can be on the beach.

Fore more "10 Things" posts, visit shimelle.com. Coincidentally, she wrote ten things about her city today.

Papertrey Ink

2011-08-06T23:46:00.000-05:00

I listened to the newst Papertrey Radio podcast while making a card tonight. My call was aired about 7 minutes in and was a response to the following question:
"Do you try to vary the stamps and sentiments you give to one recipient? How do you keep track? Or is it just something you don't worry too much about."

I realized that I do not vary my sentiment stamps much. I have a few "go-to" sets that I use over and over again. I am assuming that my recipients do not notice since I do vary the color, style, paper, etc.

I actually just placed my first order with this company, Papertry Ink, and purchased a couple of sentiment stamps to add to my collection. I'm tracking my craft spending and will blog at the end of the month about how I did with with the new budget.

This Morning

2011-08-06T10:49:00.000-05:00

At about 7:15 AM, I heard this over the baby monitor:
"Mommy... where are you?"

"Mommy, open the door... now."

Conversations with Alex

2011-08-05T21:04:00.000-05:00

Here is a morning conversation that Alex and I have most mornings when I get him up:
Mommy: How did you sleep?
Alex: Big Boy Bed
(Alex does not seem to now exactly what "how" means yet, but he often reminds me that he sleeps in a big boy bed now.)

Another morning conversation while getting dressed:
Alex: Car shirt?
Mommy: Sorry, it's dirty
Alex: Let's wash it!

For some reason Alex approaching two and a half next month sounds older to me. I am not ready for him to be two and a half yet...

Alex is pictures on 7/23/11 wearing Grandma's sandals.

August Happiness Blog Hop

2011-08-01T08:00:00.005-05:00

Welcome to the August Happiness Blog Hop organized by Scrapworthy Lives to connect the lessons of The Happiness Project and scrapbooking.

This month's theme is Buy Some Happiness and you should have arrived from Scraps & Sass if you are hopping along.

When I read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, I enjoyed this chapter. This blog hop challenged me to relate the chapter to scrapbooking and crafting, but you can follow along on this hop and Gretchen's blog without reading the book. This topic is timely as my husband and I have been discussing a new family budget. Gretchen's key points from the chapter are to:
1. Indulge in a modest splurge
2. Buy needful things
3. Spent Out
4. Give something up.

Two "modest splurges" from the past year or so came to mind as I typed up this post. The first splurge was the "My Digital Studio" software, which allows me to make digital scrapbook pages with less stress. I find the software more intuitive than Photoshop Elements, and I can jump back into using it after taking a break. I am happy with this splurge. My second modest splurge was the Big Shot die cutting machine. I resisted buying a die cutting machine for a while, but this one has been worth the cost. I can use it for both card making and scrapbooking, and I love it.

Gretchen discusses the balance between overbuying and underbuying as it relates to "buying needful things." This is a challenge for many of crafters that I know, including myself. It is easy to overbuy, and it is also easy to get stuck during a project when you run out of a necessary item such as adhesive. After paper crafting for a few years, I learned from the experience about over and under buying. I learned not to overbuy themed items. (I bought way too much stuff for my wedding album...) I learned to stock up on some basics including quality card stock and lots of adhesives. (I have a drawer dedicated just to adhesives and another one full of card stock.)

Stephanie wrote a great post about "spending out" on Scrapworthy Lives recently. For me, spending out has been about donating craft items that I am not using. I try to purge my supplies a couple of times a year. I am a happier crafter when I can focus on using products that I enjoy. It also helps me keep my supplies confined to a smaller space. I do not find myself missing the items that I have given away, and I hope that someone else is able to use them.

For two and a half years, I participated in a Stamp Club with a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, but I gave it up last spring. Through the club, I fell in love with stamping and card making. I learned many new techniques and made dozens of cards and projects. For the club, you agreed to spend $25 per month on product (not including shipping and tax.), and received their "hostess benefits" about twice a year. Over time, I built up a nice collection of stamps and supplies. I was continually impressed with the quality of products offered by the company. Unfortunately, I rarely stuck to just my $25 order. I found it too easy to buy more than I needed each month, so I gave up Stamp Club last spring. I have continued to stamp and shop, but I have been able add in products from other companies. I have enjoyed trying some different supplies and experimenting and learning on my own over the last few months.

My husband is supportive of my hobby and has not been surprised by the money that has been spent on paper crafting. As we put together our new family budget, I knew that it was time for me to set a crafting budget for myself. Even though my craft spending what not causing conflict between us, it is too easy for those little purchases to add up over time. I have set a limit of $40 per month on crafting, including supplies and classes. If I want to purchase anything big, then I will need to "save up" for a few months. I think that this new plan will allow me to continue to find happiness in my hobby but also to be more aware of my spending.

Thank you for visiting my blog, and the next stop is a Slice of Life.

Here is the complete list of participants in case you missed any:
Scrapworthy Lives
Scrapping Mojo
Pie for Breakfast
Scraps & Sass
1200 Some Miles (You are here.)
Slice of Life
Our Life with Spiky Potatoes
Abstracts Mixed with Extracts
Your Memory Connection
Kiss and Tell Scrapbooking
Melissa's Blog

Week in the Life: Sunday

2011-07-31T23:37:00.000-05:00

Alex slept in until 8:30 A.M., which is rare. After breakfast, he played with his new puzzle and some spatulas.

The toys continued to take over the family room, but they are now cleaned up at the end of the day.

Sundays are usually quiet days spent around home. Alex and I dropped off a donation to Goodwill and then put gas in my car. While Alex was napping, I took Frida to the vet for a check up.

After his nap, we went to the neighborhood playground.

Alex tried some corn on the cob at dinner. After dinner we Skyped with both my dad and brother, since my dad is visiting him for about a week.

Alex was being a difficult two year old today. He was moody and whiney at times and into everything. In the spirit on Sesame Street, the Word on the Street is No and today's blog post was brought to you by the letter A and the number 2.

This post wraps up The Week in the Life. It was my first time trying this project, and I learned two things. First, even a simply version of the project takes time and dedication. Second, I want to continue to work on my photography skills. I am still thinking about making a photobook from the week using the photos and blog posts.

WeeK in the Life: Saturday

2011-07-31T13:44:00.000-05:00

The day started with breakfast. Banana and Crispix cereal are Alex's favorites. Paddy and Frida hover near the table waiting for Alex to drop some food. He does not need his high chair or booster seat anymore.

There are usually toys all around the family room.

Alex likes getting into our closet, which means that it is more difficult to keep it clean and organized. Today he wanted to wear John's boots. Once he realized that they are heavy to walk in, he decided that Daddy should wear them.

Alex watered his tree, which is having a hard time with the heat this summer.

Alex wanted to go to the pool, and first he swam in the big pool with his boat.

Alex is into horses right now, so Daddy was the horse as they swam around the kiddie pool. Alex kept saying "Yeehaw." We don't know where he picked that up...

There were lots of clouds on Saturday and even a little rain.

John and I had a "date night" on Saturday to celebrate our seventh wedding anniversary the next day. My mom watched Alex for a few hours. First we went to Borders to use a gift card before they go out of business. We bought Alex a cool puzzle with locks and latches. I really like bookstores, so it was sad to see this one all messy and on the verge of closing. Although, I was not a regular Boarder's shopper. I mainly shop Amazon and Barnes and Noble or try to check out books from the library.

We went to Kona Grill for dinner and had some potstickers, sushi, drinks and dessert. I forgot how to use chopsticks, so John helped me with it. Everything was delicious, and we had a great waiter.

Saturday was a good day. I especially enjoyed our time at the pool and a date night with John.

Week in the Life: Friday

2011-07-30T23:26:00.005-05:00

Our week continued to be about flexibility, which is key when you have two working parents and a two year old.

Alex was extra tired in the morning and harder to wake up than usual. We all carpooled to work/daycare in the morning since John was still getting over an eye infection. Light sensitivity and the summer, South Texas sun are a rough combination.

My cell phone was going off (just vibrating) in a morning meeting, which usually is not a good sign. Alex needed to be picked up from daycare. John made him an appointment at the pediatrician, and I picked him up from daycare. He was his usually happy self, but he had a suspicious red bump in his face. The pediatrician confirmed that it was a mild case of Impetigo and prescribed an ointment. There was a notice on Alex's classroom door about a case of Impetigo in the center, so the teachers were watching for it. For the first year of daycare, Alex did get sick regularly, but it has really decreased since then.

We dropped off Alex's prescription and ate lunch at Alex's favorite restaurant, Subway, while it was being filled. One of the staff members there recognizes us now, but he was not working on Friday.

We made it back home in time for naps for both Alex and Mommy.

Alex's teacher sent home some of his recent artwork:

Since I had taken the car, my mom was able to bring John home from work. Their buildings are pretty close on campus. We had tacos for dinner before John left for his softball game.

Alex watched some Elmo before bed. We limit his screen time and use some DVDs, Netflix and other shows online. Alex has wanted his jaguar this week, but sometimes he calls it a tiger or lion.

After Alex went to bed, I had some crafty time and made two cards. Friday did not go as planned, but it was still a good day.

Week in the Life: Thursday

2011-07-29T23:15:00.002-05:00

Thursday turned out to be a good day.

Alex is pictured in his pajamas shortly after waking up. We don't always match pajamas for two reasons. First, Alex likes to pick out his own sometimes. Also, he outgrows the tops before the bottoms.

Alex is reading on the way to daycare. I needed to be at work at 7:30 A.M. and drop off Alex at daycare, which opens at 7:30 A.M. Problem. I am lucky to have a friend that I can text at 7:00 A.M. asking her to bring my "orientation bucket" to the ballroom for me. I was only 10 minutes late to work and ready for my 8:00 A.M. group. John was able to get an appointment at the eye doctor that morning for an eye infection.

At work, this is what we fondly refer to the "orientation bucket," which serves as a mobile office for group advising at orientation. I had 4 groups of 7 college freshmen throughout the day. After meeting with nervous parents on Wednesday, I was expecting nervous and difficult students on Thursday. Actually, I had well prepared groups and the day went smoothly. I had a "Keep Calm and Carry On" sign just in case the day was nuts. This was week 9 of orientation, and we have 3 more orientations for the fall semester.

After work, I met my mom at the rec center to walk the track. We try to meet once a week after work to exercise.

Before Alex goes to bed, we all brush our teeth in the master bathroom. I am not sure how this part of the bedtime routine started but it has stuck. Most nights, Alex is good about going to bed.

Week in the Life: Wednesday

2011-07-27T23:01:00.002-05:00

Long day, short post. Once I got to work, I forgot to take photos.

I started my day with breakfast and reading some blogs. I did not get up until 6:30 A.M., so I was running a little late. This was the calm part of my day.

Alex is out the door and on his way to school. He likes the tools on this shirt.

I stole the term "five mile radius" from a friend, and I do not have to go outside of mine many days. From my driveway to my parking spot at work this morning was only 3.8 miles. My short commute averages out to about 10 minutes.

I have been listening to NPR lately on my morning drive into work. I am surprised that I did not discover NPR earlier in life.

Once I got to work, this became my mantra:

The last few orientations get extra crazy, and we have hit that time in the summer. I spent a lot of my day telling worried freshmen and their parents that "it will all work out."

One of the highlights of my day was having an impromptu lunch with my mom. I saw her having lunch on the way to buying my lunch. It is nice working on the same campus.

The other highlight of my day was having a potluck dinner with the book club ladies. I made some hummus. I am in the most laid back book club. There is no shaming if you don't get to finish the book. Since summer is busy for people, we are taking two months to read our current book and just had dinner and chatted this evening. I even went outside of my "five mile radius" and inside Loop 410 for the evening!

Good Night

Week in the Life: Tuesday

2011-07-26T22:41:00.000-05:00

This project may just highlight bits and pieces of our lives, but I hope that it is still a good documentation of things that I have not shared on the blog and scrapbooked before this project.

John and Alex leave for the day usually between 7:15-7:20 A.M. Alex prefers to climb into the car seat himself. This can be a slow process and he says, "Alex do it!"

This is how Alex's room looked after he left this morning. He needed to take all of his t-shirts out of the drawer in order to chose one to wear. He also wanted to play with the fire station this morning.

My work bag:

Today at work:
I sent 12 emails, took 3 phone calls from students, called 3 other students, saw 5 students for walk-in advising, and prepped files for next week's orientation.

Here is what Alex painted yesterday at school. He did mangage to get paint on the paper and not just on himself.

Alex requests to listen to "Science" in the car. This is a good CD. We skipped their ABC's and 123's albums and went straight to Science. I think that it is ok because Alex can say his ABC's and count to 10 sometimes.

Sometimes Alex helps feed the dogs. He is getting better at measuring out their food.

Grocery List
It is a short one this week:
Bananas
Strawberries
Wine
2 bags of Pita Chips
2 packages of Pita Bread
HEB Lite Sausage
Bread
Rice Cakes
Brown Rice
Thin Spaghetti
Spaghetti Sauce
Crispix Cereal
Special K Vanilla Almond Cereal
Granola Bars
Aluminum Foil
Frozen Fruit Bars
Sweet Potato Fries
Yogurt
Milk
Creamer
Light Sour Cream

We tend to stock up at the beginning of the month, and then have shorter lists towards the end of the month. For a while, I was grocery shopping each week on Sunday mornings with Alex. As Alex has gotten a little older, it is harder to grocery shop with him for the big trips. He does well on the shorter trips, especially if he can drive the "truck" shopping cart. John shops once a week after work, which is a big help. The funny thing is when he calls me from HEB to ask were an item is located.

I did not end up cooking anything for dinner tonight because we were not very hungry.

At first, Alex did not want to take a bath. After sitting on the potty (he just sits for a minute, but it is a start), he wanted to take a bath. Afte he went to bed, this is how the coffee table looked.

Laundry! I try to do some loads during the week so that it does not pile up too much. We think that folding all of the laundry is optional.

What are we reading?
Alex

Sara

John

Good Night

Week in the Life: Monday

2011-07-25T22:21:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my Week in the Life, a project pioneered by Ali Edwards. I have followed her blog since 2006 or 2007 and love all that she contributes to scrapbooking.

Preface
I am hesitant to take on a blogging and scrapbooking project at the time. We are in week 9 of Orientation at work, and I am tired. I don't know if I have the energy, but it is worth a try. I was drawn to the chance to document our everyday lives, especially during a busy time. The tasks that seem mundane now will be looked back upon with fond memories someday. Alex will not be little for very long. I wonder about the things that will change in our lives over the coming years. I want to be grateful for all that I have in my life. My initial idea is to take pictures and blog each day, and then make a photobook of our week.

Monday
I dropped Alex off at school this morning. John does the drop-off most days, but it was easier for me to do it this morning. I like that we have our routines, but also that they are flexible to change when needed.

Alex likes to read books in the car. He is wearing his favorite "car" shirt today. I read him two books in his classroom, and then I said good-bye.

I made three piles of files this morning at work. The first pile on the left are my new files to prepare for group advising next week. The middle pile are the files that are ready for advising this week. The last pile are the ones from last week that need to be checked and returned to the front of the office. I had a productive day and there were a lot less files on my desk at 5:00 P.M.

By mid-morning, I realized that I was not going to make it to lunch without a trip to Starbucks. We now have two Starbucks on campus, but I try not to make this a daily trip. Today, I needed some iced coffee!

I went to the bank over my lunch hour, and it was already 96 degrees at 12:30 P.M. according to my car's temperature gage.

After work I picked up Alex. They painted today and he had purple paint on his face, ear, arm, shirt and in his hair. I knew that it would be bath night and having spaghetti for dinner made for a messy toddler.

At around 5:30 P.M. my temperature gage read 104 degrees. This is the first summer that the heat of the summer is really getting to me. It got hot early in June, and the problem is that this kind of heat could last for another six weeks here. For now, I am spending a lot of time in the air conditioning.

Alex sat at John's computer after dinner watching the screen saver. The computer was locked and Alex tried to get in with no luck. John and I chatted while he did the dishes. Alex took a bath and watched some Elmo. By the time 8:00 P.M. rolled around, he was exhausted. He was a little cranky this evening but still went to bed okay.

I also want to highlight some general things about our lives this week. Here is Alex's school menu for the week. He likes to be lifted up to see in the kitchen window as we walk back to his classroom in the mornings.

Entry for Lawnscaping Challenge #14

2011-07-24T23:09:00.001-05:00

I had fun playing with my inks and stamps the other night to "stamp a scene" for the current Lawnscaping Challenge. I experimented with some masking and am happy with the results. I used removable adhesive for my masks since I do not have masking paper.

Supplies Used:

Lawn Fawn
Stamp Set: Plus One

Stampin' Up!
Card Stock: Whisper White and kraft/Crumb Cake
Ink: Bashful Blue
Markers: Night of Navy and So Saffron
Tools: 1 3/8 Scalloped Punch (to make clouds) and sponges

Other Supplies
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black & Staz On Forest Green
Removable Adhesive: Dotto
Marker: Zig Black
Adhesive Eraser: EK Success

Vacation Highlights

2011-07-24T20:51:00.001-05:00

Last weekend we took our third annual beach vacation in July. We only live a few hours from the beach, so a trip over a long weekend is a nice way to beat the heat in South Texas. This year, we stayed in Port Aransas, but also went into Corpus Christi a couple of times.

We arrived on Friday and ate lunch in Corpus Christi. As we pulled up to the marina, Alex kept saying, "That's a big boat!"

Friday's lunch at Landry's Seafood was delicious. We enjoyed the fish tacos, crab cake sliders, and the po-boy. They also have a nice selection on their children's menu. We arrived in Port Aransas and could walk to the beach from our cabin. Alex was a little hesitant to get in the ocean, but he got comfortable in the water after a while. One of his favorite activities was throwing the shells and rocks back into the ocean. We sat in the water and played, but we did see some sting rays!

Alex also enjoyed playing in the sand. I wanted to show him how to make sand castles, but he preferred to make sand cakes. The main goal was to smash the cake.

For lunch on Saturday, we went to the Port Aransas Brewing Company. Their acclaimed Stopher Burger did not disappoint! It was worth the wait, which can be part of visiting during peak season.

It was nice to have the grandparents along on the trip. The offered to watch Alex on Saturday evening so that John and I could go out to dinner. We had spent our first anniversary in Port Aransas in 2005 and discussed going back to a restaurant from that trip. Instead, John wanted to rent a jet ski. Neither of us has been on one before. After driving around, we found the place and went out on their last run of the day. It was terrifying an fun all at once! We were not prepared for how fast the guide went and how choppy it was out in the ocean. John drove and I held on for dear life. Once we made it out to the "play area" we slowed down and enjoyed ourselves. The highlight was seeing dolphins!

We visited the Texas State Aquarium on Sunday and had a great time. It is good to go early to beat the large crowds. Their new water park looks fun, so we will need to bring our sunscreen and swimsuits next time.

We also had some down time at the cabin, and Alex was funny in his sunglasses.

July is peak season in Port Aransas, but it is still a good time to visit. We plan to book early for 2012.

July Color Combo Blog Hop

2011-07-16T10:00:00.052-05:00

It is time for another color combo blog hop. Welcome to all who arrived from Through the Camera Lens. If you missed any stops, you can visit Amy's blog for all of the details. Our color inspiration is the Summer Hues palette from the Design Seeds blog.

Of course, I made another card for this one. This "thank you" card is for a friend. (I may see her in person before I get around to buying some stamps...) I gravitate towards cards with these color palettes because I am a card stock junkie. I have a file drawer full of card stock in a rainbow of colors to make cards (and want to buy more). I also wanted to play with some new blue Copic markers.

Supplies Used:
From Stampin'Up!
Card Stock: Marina Mist, Bashful Blue, and Basic Gray
Stamp: Doodle This (retired)
Ribbon: Real Red 1/4" Grosgrain
Punches: Ticket Corner and Modern Label
Embossing Folder: Petals-a-Plenty
Buttons: Real Red

Other Supplies
Neenah White card stock, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Lawn Fawn stamp (gracias) and Copic Sketch Markers (B21 & B24)

The next stop on the hop is Helena's Creative Maven. If you would like to leave a comment, I am curious to hear what kind of inspiration strikes you when you see different color combinations. Do you think about scrapbbooking, cards, other crafts, fashion, home decor or something else? Thanks for visiting!

Detours (Part 2)

2011-07-13T21:43:00.000-05:00

I wrote the first Detours post in April with the intention to highlight how my life took detours that I did not expect. It turns out that many of the best things that have happened in my life were not exactly what I had planned. (And I like to plan things!) I'll start with a little more background information for this post.

I do not blog much about my job, but I do throw in some bits and pieces. I work at a large university as an academic advisor for freshmen. I advise students for all majors, and I especially focus on science and engineering majors. Right now is our busiest time of the year with weekly orientations for new students.

As you can expect, I did not plan to be an academic advisor when I "grew up". I went through a variety of possible careers, including teacher and writer before my interests shifted to science in high school. By the time I was a college freshman at my orientation at Case Western Reserve University, I was pre-med with the intention of becoming a pediatrician or family physician. I was debating between majoring in Biology or Psychology.

My orientation was the week before classes began. Overall, it was a good week, but there were some rough patches. One evening, we had to meet with our freshman advisor (a faculty member) in groups for dinner. At the session, we received our official class schedule for the fall semester. I had carefully selected a schedule earlier in the summer and mailed in my registration form as instructed. That evening I did not have a schedule. What?! The campus offices were closed, but my faculty advisor, Dr. Gilmore, assured me that it would be fixed the next day. (He was very nice and helpful.) As the evening wore on, I headed back to my room instead of going to the activities. I was too stressed about my schedule to enjoy myself.

My schedule was located the next day. While my maiden name is not super common, there were two of us in the freshmen class that year with that last name. Maureen's advisor received her schedule and my schedule. When I received my schedule, it was just what I wanted, including General Chemistry and Calculus to start my pre-med requirements. I am sure that I told lots and lots of people that I was pre-med during orientation. (It seemed that everyone was pre-med, pre-dental or an engineering major.) I attended the pre-med information session and joined the Pre-med Society on campus.

Now I advise students each week with plans for medical school. For many students, their intentions are good like mine were as a college freshman. They want to help people like I did. They will often tell me what they want to specialize in after medical school. I smile, being a little older and wiser, and encourage them to get a good start on those science and math courses. I have no regrets about not pursuing medical school, but it was not an easy decision for me to make as a sophomore in college (more on that in another post). When I see stressed out students at orientation, I try to remember how I felt at my orientation. I was nervous, uncertain, overwhelmed and excited all at once.

Project of the Week #7

2011-07-12T06:00:00.002-05:00

I recently made two cards with my new Copic markers and Prismacolor colored pencils but did not take pictures. They quickly were given to recipients to thank them for thoughtful birthday gifts. I finally photographed a card made with some new supplies. I have added some Tim Holtz products to my collection and love that I can use them for more masculine cards. The sun ray embossing folder used below is quite a general use item.

Supplies:
Card stock: Yo-Yo Yellow from Stampin' Up! and Neenah White
Embossing Folder: Tim Holtz
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Scattered Straw and Mustard Seed Distress Inks from Tim Holtz
Marker: Copic Sketch YR68
Punch: Modern Label from Stampin' Up!
Stamp: Lawn Fawn
Misc: Prismacolor colored pencils

10 Things that I Miss about Dayton

2011-07-10T00:01:00.000-05:00

I had started to draft a different post for July's 10 Things, but then I changed my mind after seeing a photo on Facebook. I have lived in San Antonio for seven years, and here are 10 Things that I miss about Dayton, Ohio:

1. Family
I grew up living near most of my family, and I miss having them nearby. Our families have spread out, but most of them are in the Dayton area.

(Christmas 2007)

2. Friends
Many of my friends are still in Ohio, and I miss them. Facebook, email and visits help.

3. Spring, Summer and Fall
I have never been a fan of winter, but we only have 2 seasons in South Texas: Hot and Not Hot.

4. Dayton Dragons Minor League Baseball
The games are a blast! Someone posted a picture on Facebook from their 815th sell out game, and got me thinking about the things that I miss from Dayton. It is especially fun to watch some of the guys go up to the Cincinnati Reds.

5. Marion's Pizza
It is the best thin crust pizza ever!

6. Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm
I can't wait to take Alex there. I spent a lot of time there growing up, and then John and I had our wedding and reception at the Center.

(My friends and bridesmaids before the wedding at Aullwood in 2004.)

7. MetroParks, including "The Englewood Reserve"
I also spent a lot of time there growing up.

8. Festivals
The Dayton area has a great variety of free and low cost festivals including City Folk, the Celtic Festival, and the Aullwood Festivals, and more.

(Cherish the Ladies at the 2005 City Folk Festival)

9. University of Dayton
I loved the two years that I spent as a student there for graduate school and still cheer on the Flyers.

10. It is home.
There is a history and familiarity there that will take decades to develop anywhere else.

For more 10 Things posts, head over to Shimelle's blog. Please come back on August 10th for 10 Things that I Love about San Antonio.

The Big Boy Bed

2011-07-07T21:26:00.000-05:00

I had been putting this off for about a month now. I knew that Alex was outgrowing his crib. If he wanted to, he could have climbed out. During the three day weekend, I could not put it off any longer. Alex was ready for a "big boy" bed! John took the side off of the crib, which made it into a "toddler" day bed.

We are now on night 4 of the bed boy bed, and Alex is doing well with the change. He was excited about it on Monday. He stays in bed at night, but he may test some boundaries later. I may not have been ready, but Alex was ready.

Photo taken 7/5/11.

Happiness Blog Hop: Make Time for Friends

2011-07-04T08:00:00.001-05:00

This month's topic for the Happiness Blog Hop is how scrapbooking relates to Gretchen Rubin's "make time for friends" resolution in The Happiness Project. If you are following this blog hop and arrived from Take a Picture and Remember This, then you are in the right place.

For over three years, I have been getting together with two friends on a Sunday afternoon for our monthly "scrapbooking." We meet at one of our houses and have lunch first and then "scrapbook." I put scrapbook in quotations because scrapbooking only gets done some of the time. It is just as much about having a time to get together and chat. By meeting at someone's house and bringing or making food for lunch, it is a low cost way to get together. By using scrapbooking as a theme for the gathering, we give ourselves ample time before rushing back to the responsibilities of home, family and the work week ahead. I look forward to this time each month, and I even sometimes complete layouts.

To enter the giveaway from Scrapworthy Lives, be sure to comment below! I would love to hear how you make time for friends! You can earn one entry per blog. So that means if you visit everyone’s blog and comment on each of their blogs, you can get 9 entries! All entries must be posted by Friday, July 8 at midnight Central Standard Time (Chicago, IL, USA). Stephanie will ship anywhere in the world. The winner will be announced on Sunday, July 10 on Scrapworthy Lives.

Here is a list of all the blogs:
Scrapworthy Lives
Scrapping Mojo
Pie for Breakfast
iStampScrap&Craft
Scraps & Sass
Take a Picture and Remember This
1200 Some Miles
Slife of Life
Our Life with Spiky Potatoes

Your next stop on the blog hop is Slife of Life. Thank you for stopping by and Happy 4th of July to everyone is the U.S.!

Zoo

2011-07-03T19:34:00.000-05:00

My birthday outing was to the San Antonio Zoo. Alex was 10 months old on his first trip to the zoo in January 2010. This second trip to the zoo was very different since now he can run around and identify many of the animals. We all had fun and plan to go back sooner than later.

Alex & Grandma

Alex and Grandpa

Elephants

Birds in Africa Live

More birds in Africa Live

Zebras

Okapi

Photos taken 6/25/11.

More on Podcasts

2011-07-02T23:31:00.003-05:00

I called into the Papertrey Radio Podcast to answer Erin's question,

"Are you a slave to the trends or do you adopt trends into your personal style on a more permanent basis? Tell us what trends have taken hold of your heart and creative side and aren't letting you go anytime soon. Or, tell us how you love always creating with the latest and greatest motifs and elements."

Those of you who know me can already guess that I am not a slave to trends. I had some thoughts to share, and my voicemail was played on the podcast. Once I got over the "I sound like a dork" feeling, it was quite fun to hear my answer and be part of the episode. You can listen to the episode on Nichole's blog or download it to your computer, iPod, etc. (My voicemail is about 7 minutes into the podcast.)

I am trying to narrow down some choices for my first Papertrey Ink order. They have a great mix of stamps and coordinating dies and are known for their quality card stock. I know that I do want some card stock to add to my card stock drawer. You can never have too much card stock and color choices!

Open the Door!

2011-07-02T22:27:00.000-05:00

Alex is talking more and more. He does a lot of commands, including Hold on, Daddy, sign me out (at the end of daycare), and Mamma, sit down. Last night at dinner, I realized that he has moved onto using some sentences. I was showing him how to make a taco and he said, I like it.

Alex is still using his crib. (For a little longer... He just doesn't realize that he can climb out if.) This morning, we woke up to Alex yelling, Open the door to get us to come to his room.

Counting & ABC's

2011-07-01T06:00:00.002-05:00

Alex has been working on counting, which usually goes 1-2-8-9. He can sing most of his ABC's, but I few letters getting muffled in the middle.

Yum!

2011-06-30T06:03:00.001-05:00

We tried a lentil taco filling for Taco Night on Wednesday. It was quite yummy and passed the husband and 2-year-old taste test. The recipe is from food.com.

If you cannot tend to it the entire time, add LOTS of water. I added 2 cups of water before bed, but some of it stuck to the side of our crock pot. It still turned out fine, but next time I will add more water.

It is a good thing that dinner was healthy because I keep snacking Landes cookies sent from Ohio. We have awesome friends!

one weekend 2 shots (June 25 & 26)

2011-06-29T06:30:00.002-05:00

We had a family outing to the San Antonio Zoo and lunch at The Cove for my birthday. (The zoo gets its own blog post soon.) Lunch at The Cove was awesome. (If it is good enough for Guy Fieri, then it is good enough for us!) We all liked our food: hamburgers, lamb burger, shrimp taco, fish taco, grilled cheese and sweet potato fries. They even have a playground for the kids, which Alex enjoyed. An older girl showed Alex how to correctly drive the steering wheel.

On Sunday, I got together with a couple of friends. John had to work, so Alex came along and had a blast playing at Toby's house. He mentioned Toby's house last night, so I think that he wants to go back. I explained that it is our turn to invite them over and share our toys, but he quickly jumped to wanting to watch some Dinosaur Train before bed.

Painting

2011-06-28T22:36:00.001-05:00

For my birthday, John built me awesome shelves to hold my craft stuff on my desk, and Alex wanted to help with the painting. Paint dries fast in the San Antonio summer heat! I have some more organizing to do before I take a picture of my improved craft desk. Thanks Honey!
Photo taken 6/17/11

Favorite Podcasts

2011-06-27T06:00:00.002-05:00

There are 3 Podcasts that I listening to regularly:
1. The Paperclipping Roundtable
http://www.paperclipping.com/category/roundtable/
(You can listen on their website or through iTunes.)
I have listened to every episode of this weekly podcast about scrapbooking. I love the contributions of the regulars and guests. They have even answered some of my questions and taken a couple of my topic suggestions.
2. The Paperclipping Digi Show
http://www.paperclipping.com/category/digishow/
(You can listen on their website or through iTunes.)
Even podcasts can have successful spin-offs! The show focuses on digital scrapbooking, but the content can apply to general scrapbooking. If I listen enough, I may get the motivation to conquer Photoshop!
3. Papertrey Radio
http://nicholeheady.typepad.com/capture_the_moment/papertrey-radio-podcasts/
After listening to scrapbooking podcasts, I thought about how it would be great to find a cardmaking podcast, and then I heard about Papertrey Radio from Papertrey Ink. At this time, you can listen or download from their website.

Updated 6/28/11: The Paperclipping Digi Show will now be at http://thedigishow.com/

A Week in the Life

2011-06-25T21:27:00.000-05:00

Ali Edward's "A Week in the Life" Project is a month away. I have not participated in any of these large scale projects before, but it seems interesting. I think that I will keep it simple since my job and Alex are keeping me busy this summer. I plan to carry my camera and take lots of everyday photos. I hope to blog daily and scan in some ephemera and pieces of our lives. In the end, maybe I will make a Shutterfly photobook with some of my Pampers points. This seems doable.

In Print

2011-06-22T12:47:00.000-05:00

In the age of digital photography, it is easy to share an enjoy your photos without printing them. While I do not print all of the photos I take, I still enjoy having a tangible product. There are countless ways and places to print photos and projects, so I will highlight 3 of my favorite sites that I have used recently.

Shutterfly.com
I love Shutterfly's 8x8 photo books! I have printed multiple books and just printed 2 for Father's Day gifts. If you subscrible to their email list, you will find that they regularly run sales. I am currently using my Pampers Gifts to Grow points for these books, so I only pay for extra pages, tax, and shipping. The custom path option is getting better and better on this site. Make sure to save often, since I did have the site crash on me once. I love their books for printing a large number of my photos in an organized manner and for making gifts.

Tiny Prints
I just used this site for cards recently and was happy with the result. They have cute, quality photo cards. I plan to order more cards from them in the future.

Scrapbook Pictures
This is my go-to site for printing unique photo sizes and digital scrapbook pages. I have been using My Digital Studio for over a year and finally printed out my 12x12 digital scrapbook layouts. I orginally wanted to print them through Stampin' Up!, but I did not find their printing service as intuative as their software. I went back to this site, and am happy with the results. I may give the Stampin' Up! printing services another try, but it is hard to beat the price and quality of prints from this company.

Next, I want to try out a service that will print your blog into a photo book.

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T13:49:00.000-05:00

Happy Father's Day to all of the dads out there, especially to my dad and to my husband!

John - You are such a wonderful dad to Alex! John and Alex are pictured on June 3rd.

John is pictured with his (early) Father's Day gift, a Kindle.

Color Combo Blog Hop #2

2011-06-18T08:00:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the second Color Combo Blog Hop organized by Amy at Abstracts Mixed with Extracts. If you are "hopping" along, then you should have arrived from Everything Digital Scrapbooking. Amy found a great "summery" color combination. We seem to be getting an extra dose of summer this year in San Antonio with 100 degree days in June. It makes me want to stay in the air conditioning and craft.

For the blog hop, I decided to make a card. I searched my stash for the colors and found patterned paper, ribbon, card stock and some paper flowers. I die cut some butterflies, and they pretty much took over the card. I even added crystal effects to some butterflies to make them shiny. I did not add a sentiment just yet to give the card more flexibility. It could be a birthday card, thank you card, or congratulations card. I will probably stamp a sentiment on the inside.

Project of the Week #6

2011-06-17T06:00:00.006-05:00

I have been avoiding the "Copic craze" due to the cost, but I recently gave in to it. Copics are awesome markers that illustrators and artist use that have crossed over into crafting. I recently purchased my first Copic Sketch marker (B24 Sky) at Stamp Antonio Arts (along with some other items). I have 6 more Copics coming from eBay.

It takes a little while to get the feel of the marker. The ink colors smoothly and richly. I made two birthday cards the other evening with my new marker and Basic Grey paper. Yes, I am hooked and I have not even starting blending with the markers yet.

Supplies Used
Stamp Set: Happy Moments from Stampin' Up!
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Riding Hood Red from Stampin' Up!
Marker: Copic Sketch (B24) Sky
Card Stock: Kraft and Riding Hod Red from Stampin' Up! and Neenah Solar White
Paper: Life of the Party from Basic Grey (6x6 pad)

Texas Folklife Festival

2011-06-16T06:00:00.004-05:00

Last Saturday we had a great time at the Texas Folklife Festival at the Institute of Texan Cultures. We walked around the museum and grounds, enjoyed Japanese and Greek food, and Alex got his first UTSA jersey. We went early enough to beat the heat and the crowds.

Last year at the festival, Alex was barely walking.

This year at the festival, Alex was running around and big enough to ride the car ride. What a difference a year makes!

Alex's Favorite Outfit

2011-06-15T06:36:00.003-05:00

Alex wore his favorite outfit on Monday, which includes his "car shirt" and Elmo socks. Many days he asks to wear his "car shirt."

Favorite Stamp Set

2011-06-14T08:24:00.001-05:00

I have been stamping for over two and a half years, and Sincere Salutations from Stampin' Up! continues to be one of my favorite sets. It is versatile and easy to use. I go to it over and over for cards because the flowing font does not have to be lined up perfectly to look good. It only comes in wood mount, but I do not mind that it takes up more space than clear stamps. Anyone else have a favorite stamp set?

10 Things

2011-06-10T07:00:00.004-05:00

Shimelle created a "long-term" blogging project for the Beyond Blogging for Scrapbookers class. Welcome to my first 10 Things post on the 10th of the month. We will start with my Top Ten Scrapbooking/Stamping Supplies:

10. American Crafts D Ring Album These are great quality albums at the good price.
Overstock.com
9. American Crafts Thickers I love these alphabet stickers, especially in white foam.
Scrapbook.com
8. EK Success/Stampin' Up!/Martha Stewart Punches I have acquired quite a collection of punches over the past 6 years, and I like the quality and design of these punches.
Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch
7. Sizzix Big Shot I resisted the Cricut Craze and did not plan to buy a die cut machine. After using the Big Shot and finding a great deal on Overstock.com, I could no longer resist.
Overstok.com
6. Crop-a-dile Corner Chomper It's the best corner rounder!
Scrapbook.com
5. Bazill Textured Card Stock Great for Scrapbook Layouts!
Scrapbook.com
4. Stampin' Up! Smooth Card Stock Great for cards!
Kraft
3. Versa Mark Ink It is great for watermarks and embossing.
Stampin' Up!
2. Staz On Black Ink It is easy to use and gives crisp images.
Scrapbook.com
1. Fiskars Paper Trimmer I am on my second one now and found one that I love. It is portable and cuts straight.
Scrapbook.com

I thought of this topic because I have been cleaning out some extra supplies. I donated some to a local YWCA, and next I want to send a box to scrapbookers in Joplin, MO who were affected by the tornado. Here is a link explaining where to send supplies by 6/22/11: Scrapbook Supply Drive. I like the idea of passing along supplies to women who will use them. Cleaning out extra supplies helps me focus on the ones that I use and love.

Project of the Week #5

2011-06-09T22:02:00.002-05:00

Here is a card that I made for one of my co-workers:

Supplies used:
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Plus One
Ink: Staz On Black and Stampin'Up! Markers in Condord Crush andSo Saffron
Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug
Cardstock: Stampin' Up Whisper White, Concord Crush, Taken with Teal, and Daffodil Delight
Misc: White Buttons

I decided that it also fits the Lawnscaping Challenge #11 for a Clean and Simple card. I kept the embellishments to a minimum on this card.

Pasta Salad

2011-06-05T08:38:00.001-05:00

Last night I made a pasta salad with a tomato and basil from our garden. I modified a recipe from SOS! The Six O'Clock Scramble to the Rescue. This book is awesome! A friend gave me a copy, and I have liked every recipe that I've tried from the book.

Here is what I had on hand:
8oz farfalle pasta
1 large tomato (chopped)
20 small chopped basil leaves
Juice from 1 lemon
4 slices of bacon (chopped)
4 oz reduced fat feta cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste

Cook pasta and bacon, and then let them cool. Mix in other ingredients and chill before serving. Makes about 4 servings.

Forgotten Layout

2011-05-31T07:00:00.001-05:00

It was a good thing that I went through some files on my computer. I found a forgotten scrapbook page. I added some journaling and it was done. I started it back in February, but forgot about it. All software and supplies are from My Digital Studio.

The Happiness Blog Hop

2011-05-30T08:00:00.066-05:00

I am happy to be stop #2 on the Happiness Blog Hop, and I am happy that you are here! You should have arrived from Scrapworthy Lives (one of my new favorite blogs), or you can use the list below to follow the entire blog hop about scrapooking and happiness.

To enter the giveaway from Scrapworthy Lives, be sure to comment below. You can earn one entry per blog. This means that if you visit everyone’s blog and comment on each blog, you will have 14 entries. All entries must be posted by Friday, June 3 at midnight Central Standard Time (Chicago, IL, USA). Stephanie will ship the prize anywhere in the world. The winner will be announced on Sunday, June 5 on Scrapworthy Lives.

Here is the full blog hop list:
Scrapworthy Lives
1200 Some Miles
Take a Picture and Remember This
Scrap Your Life
My Life in Photos & Words
This Kalil Life
Fun Mama
Scrapping Mojo
XNomad’s Blog
Nuggets
The Constant Scrapper
Pie for Breakfast
Scraps & Sass
Abstracts Mixed with Extracts

I have been thinking about happiness and scrapbooking. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin talks about finding happiness in our current lives. She examines ways to be happier without radically changing your life, including making more time for the things that you love. Gretchen loves children's literature, so she makes time for multiple children's literature reading groups each month. I agree with Gretchen that it is important to find what makes you truly happy and not get caught up in what you think should make you happy.

I have found that scrapbooking, card making, and blogging make me happy (in addition to my family). I try to find time each week to do these activities even if it means that my house could be cleaner... Here is why scrapbooking (both digital and traditional) makes me happy:
1. I enjoy photos, both taking them and viewing them.
2. I enjoy recording and sharing stories and memories.
3. I like to get crafty and creative.
4. Many of the current trends in scrapbooking encourage us to appreciate our everyday lives.

I made a digital layout for this blog hop focusing on happiness and my everyday life. I used My Digital Studio from Stampin' Up! and photos from April 27, 2011.

Readers, now it is your turn. Please leave a comment below to enter the giveaway and answer one or both of my questions. How does scrapbooking make you happy? In addition to scrapbooking (or instead of scrapbooking), does another hobby or activity bring you happiness?

Please visit Take a Picture and Remember This to continue on the blog hop.

Stamp Camp

2011-05-29T15:00:00.000-05:00

Summer has arrived in South Texas and it is hot! The kids here got out of school last week or will finish this coming week. Many of them will be heading to camps, and I stay on the look out for camps that Alex can attend when he is older (Engineering, Archeology, Sports, Spanish, and maybe even Space camp!) I will be busy at work all summer, but at least I get to go to camp for a day.

I am going to Stamp Camp on Saturday, June 18th. If you live in the San Antonio area, you can check out the camps on June 18 & 25 on the Stamp in Strength and Hope website. The projects are good for both new and seasoned stampers and scrappers. There is even a "kit by mail" option if you cannot attend.

A portion of the proceeds benefit the Thrive Well Cancer Foundation. In addition, Stampin' Up! is donating $2 from the purchase of the Strength & Hope Stamp set and Strength & Hope digital kit (which will work with Photoshop and Photoshop Elements) to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Project of the Week #4

2011-05-26T20:43:00.001-05:00

I have been in the mood to scrapbook this week. I found a great sketch online to use. I completed a digital layout in My Digital Studio over a couple of evenings. Most of the elements are from Stampin' Up!, but I used Ali Edward's Baby Blue Patterns and Solids Papers from Designer Digitals. I am glad that I can use digital papers, stamps, and embellishments from various sources with this software. My first paper choice for this layout was too bright and busy, and this one fits much better with my photos.

Taking Pictures

2011-05-25T17:46:00.000-05:00

Alex has gotten a hold of the camera a few times lately. Here are a couple of pictures that he took:

This is a good start for a two year old. At 18 months, I kept holding my toy camera backwards. I am still working on my photography skills!

A Week in the Life

2011-05-23T22:49:00.002-05:00

Ali Edwards does a neat project called A Week in the Life. Her next one is set for July 25-31, and I am going to try to jump on board this time.

http://aliedwards.com/2010/01/week-in-the-life.html

Can I take on a large scrapbooking project during Orientation? I started prepping my files today for the first big orientation of the summer...

Project of the Week #3

2011-05-23T17:34:00.020-05:00

Here is the card that I made for Tiffany's baby shower. All items are from Stampin' Up! since she used to be my demonstrator.

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Best Yet, Bitty Basics, and Sincere Salutations (not pictured, inside the card)
Ink: Staz On Black
Stickers: from the Rock-A-Bye Boy Simply Scrappin' Kit
Paper: Travel Journal
Card stock: Whisper White and Bashful Blue
Embossing Folder: Square Lattice Textured Impressions
Punch: Ticket Corner

Some of these supplies are retired. I have been trying to use things that I have on hand and keep new purchases to a minimum. I do like mixing older and newer products.

How I resisted stamping but then fell it love with it

2011-05-22T14:59:00.002-05:00

I am making a card for a baby shower for my friend Tiffany, who helped me learn to stamp. This got me thinking about how I resisted stamping but then fell in love with it.

After I started scrapbooking, I decided to take a stamping class at the local scrapbook store. We made some pretty cards, and I bought a clear alphabet stamp set and some ink. I thought I would use it on my scrapbook pages, but it seemed messy to me. I tossed those supplies aside and went back to my pretty papers and stickers. That was in 2005 or 2006.

Fast forward to winter of 2008. I was dropping off some books (probably overdue...) to the library. A couple of women were in the multipurpose room offering free "make and take" cards. I made a card and entered their drawing for a giveaway. They were Stampin' Up demonstrators, and I had used their products to make my wedding invitations. I won a prize and chatted with Tiffany a week or so after the event. I joined her mailing list but still did not start stamping.

In the summer, I heard about her "stamp club," which piqued my interest. I joined with the intention of mainly buying scrapbooking supplies. They had cute kits and punches. Over time, I ordered more and more stamps. I liked making and giving cards. With a little one around, I found it easier to make cards than to make scrapbook layouts. I learned about embossing, die cutting, emboss resist, and more. Once I learned more about stamping and practiced, I fell in love with it. I shifted from just thinking of myself as a scrapbooker to also thinking of myself as a stamper.

Thank you Tiffany and congratulations on the addition to your family!

May Milestones

2011-05-21T00:15:00.000-05:00

I've passed two milestones this month. I have been with my current office for five years. My title has changed during this time, but I still mainly advise freshmen. This is the longest that I have stayed in one place (school/work) since elementary school. In June, I will have been with the university for seven years.

As I type this post, it was ten years ago that I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Case Western Reserve University (May 20, 2001). Ten years! That makes me feel older... How did this happen? I realized this while reading my magazine from the College of Arts and Sciences.

We'll see where life takes me in the next five and ten years. What I have learned is that I cannot plan it all out.

one weekend 2 shots (Alex's Outfits)

2011-05-18T13:20:00.002-05:00

Alex now has an opinion on what he wears. This past weekend, he was really into picking out his outfits, and the results were humorous. On Saturday, Alex refused to take off his elephant pajama shirt since he loves elphants. By mid-morning the shirt had some ink on it after he got ahold of my pen. I got some regular shorts on him, but then he wanted to wear his red Elmo socks along with sandals. I do not like socks with sandals, but I have learned to "pick my battles" with a toddler. He had my cell phone, but he can't do too much damage when it is locked. :)

I came home on Sunday afternoon, and Alex had a different outfit on after naptime. This outfit consisted of a black and gray baseball shirt with some plaid shorts. The shorts were too big, so he preferred them as a hat.

As a bonus shot, I wanted to include Alex wearing his Alamo socks, which he wants to wear regularly.

Happiness Project

2011-05-16T18:00:00.004-05:00

What happened to my Happiness Project? I got stuck on January's nagging tasks and organization projects. (I still need to finish stripping wallpaper from my bathroom, and the guest room has turned into more of a storage room lately...) It turns out that it is harder than I expected to examine aspects of my happiness on a monthly basis in a systematic way. I would still recommend the book to others because I am now more aware of my happiness. The book is available in paperback and has been #1 on the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Actually, my next Blog Hop will be on Monday, May 30th covering happiness and scrapbooking. This hop is being organized by Stephanie at Scrapworthy Lives, and she will have a giveaway. I am looking forward to this Blog Hop!

1200 Some Miles

January Craft Spending

Yes Dear

Two Weeks in CA

Project Life

First Week in CA

December Craft Spending

Checking Things Out

Grateful

The 2011 Roller Coaster

Christmas

Christmas Eve

Christmas Lights

Checking in

November Craft Spending

Stuff

Thanksgiving Weekend

Thankful Thought #2

Alex's Photos

The Next Chapter

A Little Bit of Fall

My Craft Space

My Stamping Buddy

November: 10 Things on the 10th

Alex's Outfit

November Happiness Blog Hop: Pay Attention

October Craft Spending

Do you like Giveaways?

Memory Keeping

Busy Weekend

Summer Artwork

Love Card

Color Combo Blog Hop

Ten Conference Highlights

While I Was Away...

September Expenses

Alex Stories

Thankful Thought #1

Alexander

10 Things: Favorite Baby Products

Happiness Blog Hop: Gratitude

UTSA Football: Still Undefeated!

August Expenses

Saturday

Today

Blog Hop Follow-Up

August Color Combo Blog Hop

Wonder

Share

Project of the Week #8: New Card Size

Saturday Morning

10 Things We Love about Living in San Antonio

Papertrey Ink

This Morning

Conversations with Alex

August Happiness Blog Hop

Week in the Life: Sunday

WeeK in the Life: Saturday

Week in the Life: Friday

Week in the Life: Thursday

Week in the Life: Wednesday

Week in the Life: Tuesday

Week in the Life: Monday

Entry for Lawnscaping Challenge #14

Vacation Highlights

July Color Combo Blog Hop

Detours (Part 2)

Project of the Week #7

10 Things that I Miss about Dayton

The Big Boy Bed

Happiness Blog Hop: Make Time for Friends

Zoo

More on Podcasts

Open the Door!

Counting & ABC's

Yum!

one weekend 2 shots (June 25 & 26)

Painting

Favorite Podcasts

A Week in the Life