Week 7

Journaling: I didn’t take many pictures this week. I think I may still be traumatized by the camera almost being broken. I am very proud to share that Brenna can draw a dinosaur. It is a pink dinosaur, of course! Because “pink and purple is my favorite colors, Mommy.” We celebrated Valentine’s Day with heart-shaped pizzas from Papa John’s when Sean got home from being gone for four days. Another long trip but we all made it through. Thankfully the snow let up enough for him to get there and back safely. We have been innundated with snow...and I am sure there is more to come. I’m so wishing for spring.

Week 6

Journaling: What to say about these photos...Brenna’s point of view while mommy takes a shower. The mother of them all though is the pure white photo that took as she dropped the camera right on the lens. Yikes, I thought for sure it was broken and I was really mad at myself for leaving the camera where she could get it. The camera, which had captured 7858 of our memories, that I tend to have as an extension of my arms, that my brother gave us as a gift two Christmases ago, that I cannot do without because something might happen and I want to get every single shot, the camera that makes me care about photography again, the camera that inspires to me to get the perfect shot, that camera had a very crooked lens. Said camera would not turn on, the lens wouldn’t retract, it was broken. I was crushed...thank goodness for Sean. I was afraid to push the lens back in, “Why? When it is already broken,” you may ask, “I really don’t know.” But my awesome husband just pushed on it...and it closed, and it turned on, and it took pictures and it IS NOT BROKEN! While I haven’t determined whether the quality has been compromised, I can still get the shots, and keep the memories attached to those shots. Lesson learned: keep the camera away from the small child that lives in our house!

Needless to say, it is apparently very important to a 3 year old to take pictures of whatever she may be watching on tv, and the dogs back end, and her chair, and the hall/kitchen floor on the way to show mommy that she has the camera, just before the deadly (or not-so-deadly)drop. She took 14 pictures in 4 minutes.

Here is that famous "oh my gosh, it's broken" photo...it makes my heart drop just thinking about it! Doesn't look like much does it?

Week 5

This week has been fairly uneventful and for that I am very thankful. It was nice to have a “normal” week. We managed to watch the Grammys Sunday night. Sean taped Taylor Swift’s performance so Brenna could see her sing. She immediately ran for her guitar and started singing “You Belong with Me” right along with Taylor. Then she ran and got her “stand” which was a puzzle that she decided to stand on as her stage, I guess. We’ve continued to make this a nightly event, often 4 or 5 times in a row before she has had her fill. I managed to catch this on video and posted it to Facebook so the family and friends could have a peek into our evening. She is just such a funny girl. She’s destined to be a star, I think...or for greatness anyway...

Learning new things...

So I tried something new with my PE6 today...thanks to this tip from Ree...check it out!

Before
After
Love it...I need to tweek it to really perfect it but not bad for my first try! I may even have to go back and edit my Week One layout to reflect this new little trick...I love that the snow is white, not gray!

Week 4

Week 3

I’m not sure how I managed to capture this look, but I did and I absolutely LOVE it! The anticipation of eating one of the cupcakes that “Auntie Michelle” (Michelle Carey) sent home with daddy for the little girl, the very specific choice of the cupcake with the mini, swirled chips, and the sheer delight in completely devouring half of said cupcake, makes this priceless in the mommy book of memories. This week we have pretty much been back to the normal routine, minus one smearing of toothpaste, lotion, baby soap and vaseline all over while a little girl was suppose to be napping. Sunday through Thursday have been pretty great. It’s much easier to be a patient Mommy when my little girl is back to her happy self. Brenna is VIK (Very Important Kid) this week at day care, it is a job she takes very, very seriously. We’re trying not to let it go to her head, tough when she is already a little princess. Yes, we admit it, we caused it, we know it, and we love her! We’re looking forward to having daddy home again on Friday after another few days of travel for work. Friday nights are so cherished in our house!

Super Excited!

Wow, am I ever excited about my Saturday morning today! I decided it was time to enter the last of my Gifts to Grow Points from all of the packages of Pampers diapers and wipes (minus a bunch because I was saving the wrong thing for a while (all those preemie diapers?, yeah, they didn't count - boo).

Today I was able to score the following from Shutterfly
~one 12x12 photo book
~200 4x6 prints
~one photo package of 25 4x6 prints, 2 5x7 prints and 1 8x10 print

I am one happy mama! I have been wanting to do a photo book and now I get too...if only I knew what I was going to put in it...hmmm, I feel a project coming on! And to get 200 prints for free, with the way I have been editing and scrapping lately that could potentially be 800 photos printed (I like to put multiples on a print because let's face it, it doesn't matter the size of the photo sometimes, it's about getting down and being able to remember the moments right?). Luckily I have some time to figure it all out!

With my left over points I was able to donate 7 vaccines for Unicef, and entered to win free diapers and wipes for a year, not that we need them, but I could always donate those to someone in need as well!

And, because a post without a photo has been deemed boring, here is one of my favorites from this month...little girl's hair is getting longer!

Have a great weekend friends!

Calendar Time

It occured to me that I forgot to post this on my blog since I posted it on FB. Our Paper Pin-Ups calendar is out for 2010. Hand or digi-scrapped by some really amazing women, we were all running a little behind this year but it is up and ready at Cafe Press...all proceeds will be donated to benefit children and women who have been abused. March was my month.

Week 2

I've decided that I will copy the journaling into my post since it is difficult to read in the picture. It has been a rough week in the life of this little girl, but we are hoping that with a little time, consistency and lots of love, she'll get back on track... Journaling ~ week 2
This little girl is exactly three and a half today. It has been a rough week for her and us, to say the least. It has been a week of aggressive, unusual, and downright mean behaviors for her. Between not wanting to go to bed, to pushing, kicking and punching friends, to ending up in the office at day care on Wednesday...we're hoping it is just a phase. We're at a loss as to the reasoning and are happy that today was a good day all around! The focus now needs to be on getting her back on track and looking forward to what is to come. Brenna is such a smart and feisty little girl. We thank God everyday that she is fine~100%, absolutely, and wonderfully amazing. We know that we are very blessed that this is the case, because so many others in our position weren't so lucky. We know that her feisty personality and intelligence have gotten her to where she is today, and can only imagine what the future holds for her. Happy three and a half day, Brenna! We love you!

2010 - a year in weeks...

Thanks to my friend Marie's template talents, I have managed to get my first week completed. I changed it up a bit to fit my needs but it is completed just the same. I think this photo-a-week is going to be a challenge in that choosing just one photo is hard for me, but I'm finding it much less daunting than actually completing Project 365. I'm aspiring to complete a 365 one year, just not this year. So here's week one, hope you like it...

Capture

The last ten years have brought some pretty major changes to my life...getting married, gaining a dog, and having a child...memories that I will not soon forget. I am so looking forward to what will be ahead in the next decade. Not so sure where the road will lead us but I'm sure we're up for the adventure, as every year of the past 10 have been, so will the next be a continuation of that trend.

I feel a little nostalgic as I write this, knowing that I can't go back but can only hold to the memories that have been made. Would I change anything you ask? Not one, I can honestly say I wouldn't be the person I am now if I hadn't experienced every single thing that has come my way. It wasn't always easy, and sometimes it was downright difficult, but I made it through and know that everyday it's my choice to decide how I will respond to whatever may take place ~ easy or difficult, good or bad.

So I have decided that this year, I want to CAPTURE the important moments...there are so many things I feel like I miss - and I want to be able to remember those important moments. So my word for the year will be CAPTURE. How? I'm not completely sure yet, I don't think I am up for the 365 challenge...I started it last year but didn't make it past February. Maybe it will be a 52 week challenge...a photo a week for 2010 that I can scrapbook. Maybe it will be completing a 10 on Tuesday every week for the year. I'm not sure, but I will be deciding today.

It's important to me to make sure that I capture all of this. I want to record the important and the everyday so Brenna has something she can look back to when she is my age, to know what she was doing and what was going on in our lives.

Happy New Year friends...capture your memories in whatever way you can...

The last post of the year...

I managed to take all but one of my December daily album photos and have even added the first 7 days of photos and journaling to the album. That is a major accomplishment over last year's attempt at a 12 days album. I'm pleased! I'm also excited that I already have the paper for next year's December Daily album...and I may be scraplifting the general idea from Missy...mine definitely won't be as polished as Mis' but it will still be an attempt at something less haphazard and more put together.

So Happy New Year to all of my family, friends, and blog readers...if there are any left after this sad, sad year of few blogs...

Yes, this is the cheesy last post, but I am excited about my first post of 2010! Check back after midnight...

PS...I actually digi-scrapped...check out the new banner!

December so far!

We've had a busy December so far. Sean has been travelling a lot but our family has been great, we appreciate all of their help.

I have been working hard to keep up with my Photo-A-Day for December 2009. I have even set up my ae December Daily album. This year I will actually get this done! I am very determined. Here's a sneak peak (maybe not) apparently I have exceeded my uploads. That's what I get for trying to back up my photos online. I have too many photos! I guess part of Christmas break will be spent backing up photos to cd, or I will just break down and pay the 5 bucks to get 20gb worth of storage for a year at Picasa!

Brenna has discovered video games...she has figured out how to do her 2 button plug and play Sesame Street game and does pretty well. Not sure how I feel about this!

So I guess that is all since I am annoyed about the whole photo thing. Back soon to update and add more posts!

It's Time for the 12 days of Cookies!

Tomorrow starts my Photo-A-Day for December. I'm going to do my best! But it also starts the Food Network's 12 days of Cookies. While I haven't ever made the cookies, it puts me in the mood to bake and decorate and really get even more into the spirit of the holidays. I'm even looking forward to seeing some snow!

Tis' the Season

And so it begins in the Sullivan house...Christmas, that is. We decided to get the house decorated early this year since we didn't have much of a chance to enjoy it with all of the basement work we did in an effort to be ready for the holidays last year. Brenna woke up this morning and before her little feet hit the floor she asked, "Mommy, where's all my presents?" Oh my, are we in for it this year? I sure think so. I hope to have time to get a countdown paper chain made so that she can see how long it is until Christmas, hopefully that will bring her excitement down at least a little bit. Without further ado...our tree, and a very excited little girl.

The other little girl was quite out of sorts with all of the holiday decorating and rearranging. She was a bit upset that we moved her bed...this is the face I got for all of our hard work. She is so sweet.

Getting into the Spirit

We plan to get the tree up and decorate this weekend which I am very excited about because last year we were so busy we barely got the tree up with a decent amount of time left to enjoy it. I always struggle with how to best display our Christmas cards, they usually end up in a little Christmas basket that we have, or stuck to the wall with blue painter's tape (which I love for hanging B's projects on the wall of her play room, easy to put up and take down). This year though, I got a little crafty. I saw this at one of the scrapbooking blogs I read and thought...cute, maybe I should make my own! So I did...the photos aren't the greatest but you get the picture right? I love being crafty and just don't make time to do it more often. I dressed up the clothes pins with Making Memories FaLaLa Paper and inked the edges. Thank goodness for glue dots! My tape runner just wasn't gonna do the trick. P.S. I used some of last year's Christmas cards which should be in my 12 Days album that I haven't started yet...oops.

The Other Thing

I would love to have more time for lots of stuff...spending time with Sean and Brenna, family, friends, scrapping/crafting, and photography. Here are a couple of my faves from my recent trip to San Diego.

A monument for Veterans at the top of Mount Soledad in SD. Definitely the place to go for a 360 degree view that looks down on the entire area.

Mast of the Star of India.

Not bad for my little point and shoot huh?

Dreaming of the day I can even think about getting a DSLR!

He was a good boy

We got the news last night that our niece's dog Chooch was hit by a car. We were so sad to learn that he didn't make it. Rest peacefully Choochie.

I spent a long time giving Bailey the attention she deserves but doesn't get as often as I know she would like. We would be devastated if we lost her - we are firm believers that we have Brenna because Bailey put the thoughts and stress of trying to get pregnant away. She is our first child, our furry baby, who is a true member of our family. We are trying to determine how to explain this life changing event to Brenna. She's old enough now to notice that Chooch is gone, and that people are sad that he isn't with us anymore. While I want to protect and shield her, death is a part of life that she is going face, hopefully not often. It's such an abstract concept for a child, so we will do our best and know that this sad event for our niece and family will lead us down one of the more difficult roads of parenthood.
We are a dog family, and all of our dogs are so much a part of our lives. Sammy, Bailey, Chooch, Bella, and Pepper make all of our lives better.

Rest peacefully good boy. Your family loves and misses you.

The pics of Chooch are from when he was a puppy...

Technical difficulties!

Let me just start by saying that I love my iPod, my hot pink, 2nd generation shuffle. I'm a little frustrated though. While perusing iTunes, I discovered a couple of audiobook selections, and thinking that might be an interesting way to pass the daily drive time, I downloaded them, assuming they would load into the pod with no problem. Hmpf! I got all excited because I know that my library has downloadable audiobooks, so I went over and downloaded a couple of books from their site as well. I definitely got ahead of myself...first, the library books wouldn't transfer to my itunes, which the website assured me they would. Then, the books that I got right from itunes wouldn't load! There must be a way, but sometimes, I am just technically challenged! So, I guess I'll stick with my music for now until either a) I figure it all out or b) I upgrade to a "big girl" ipod. Stupid technology.

Family

As I woke Brenna up to go to school, Sean stood in the doorway watching. I pulled back the blankets, she sat up and stretched, saw her daddy and ran to him, sleepy faced and crazy haired. As they shared that good morning, sleepy hug, I had to take a mental picture of that warm and cozy daddy-Brenna love. It brings tears of joy to this momma's eyes. I love our family so much and have a deep need to hold tight to every one of these moments. Some moments aren't photo worthy because a photo simply wouldn't capture the true feeling and love. Plus, that would mean I would need the camera to be permanently attached and while I love taking photos, I'm not taking the camera every single place this body goes! Happy Friday!