It's done!

I just finished my December Days book tonight, I am soooo glad! I am sick and tired of December Days LOL! I want to scrap something different, pretty please!!! Anyway, here is a link if you want to take a peek

http://community.shutterfly.com/gallery/post/start.sfly?postId=/gallery/1/post/GMGDJgwbOGDdswbAS2JQHE

Maybe now I can go back and finish my December pages for the 365 project before the new year begins. I am not even going to post the last of the pages, you can see them in the book if you want to look at them.

I can't believe Christmas is all done with. We had a good time, dinner Christmas Eve was nice. I made tongue in Madeira sauce, which was a traditional dish my Mom used to make. It came out great, it's one of my favorite things to eat. Gabby was my co-conspirator, we didn't tell anybody what it was and we were giggling when I had to remove the skin and there were bubbles all over it. Gabrielle poked them and the water came out, she had a ball. Everybody enjoyed it, plus I had a rib roast that they loved. German potato dumplings, broccoli salad and cranberry relish completed the meal. We all enjoyed it and then there were plenty of cookies. Mass was at 9.30 and then I had to drag the gifts down after everybody was in bed and get everything arranged. It was 1.30 before I hit the pillow, but it's so worth it. I always love how everything looks.

those packages were my gifts, I did not wrap them :) I wish I could spend that much time doing presents, but it usually is a rush and get it done event for me!

I got some nice clothes and a pretty Mother's ring, with my kids' birthstones. Love it! I can't believe it's all over already, I am so glad the kids are off for the rest of the week, it's so much more relaxing! Of course Gabby has swim practice all week, she did skip today and tomorrow they all have piano, so she won't be able to go again. We really need to get back to Karate, I am going to turn into a blimp if I don't start moving soon!

Well, I hope you will all have a great week and a wonderful New Year should I not post again before then!

Merry Christmas!

To all of you out there who still find time to stop by and say hi! I hope you have a wonderful, blessed, quiet Christmas!

It looks as though we might get a newly fallen snow filled Christmas Eve, it's snowing lightly out there. I love a white Christmas. (of course then it can stop and get warm again :))

It's been a busy week, trying to finish shopping, some last minute gifts, food for Christmas Eve supper, wrapping paper, even some stuff to make a different tree topper this year.

 Gabrielle had her first swim meet on Wednesday, I really wish I could have gone, but they didn't get done until late that evening and Rachel had voice the same day. Plus there was so much to get done yet... I promised her I would go after Christmas. She was really worried about getting disqualified, since the coach had warned them about that. So many rules to comply with. She did well though, she was going for second place in free style when she conked out on the 6th run and swallowed water. Oh well, there will be a next time. She loved it though, had a really good time! Needless to say we didn't make it to Karate all week. Two kids were happy about that, but I won't let them get away with that next week :)

Yesterday I got most of my wrapping done. Holy Cow, there are a lot of packages. Just the dividing and putting into boxes took forever! I couldn't even remember what I bought for who LOL. Somehow I got it done. I just hope

Here are a couple more pictures from around the house

My birthday was on the 21st. The kids were so excited for me. They ordered me this fun cake with a camera on top, I loved it. They know what I like LOL. I had already received my birthday present. I got a brand new 70-200 2.8 Nikon lens. Finally a zoom lens that I can use indoors. I love it. It weighs a ton though, it will give me big muscles in my arms, that's for sure.

Fuer die Deutschen!

Zu meinem Geburtstag habe ich einen super Kuchen von den Kindern gekriegt. Die haben da eine Kamera draufmachen lassen, die wissen was mir wichtig ist :) Ausserdem hatte ich schon vorher mein Geschenk gekriegt, eine neue Linse! Super aber sehr schwer, muss man sich schon dran gewoehnen!

Gabrielle ist jetzt auf dem Schwimmteam von der Schule. Am Mittwoch waren sie zum erstenmal unterwegs. Es ist ganz gut gegangen, sie hat nichts gewonnen, ist aber auch nicht disqualifiziert worden.

Ansonsten ist die Woche wie immer verflogen, so viel zu tun, zu wenig Zeit! Hier sind noch ein paar Seiten fuer mein Dezember Buch

Some pages I finished for my December Days book, I have been able to keep up with those, but that's it!

After a lengthy phone call with my sister I now really have to cut this short and get myself ready for the day here, or there won't be any Christmas dinner for us!

Vielen Dank fuer den Anruf, liebe Schwester, es war super von Dir zu hoeren und mit dem Skype wird das bestimmt interessant! Alles Gute, Frohe Weihnachten und coco lieb fuer Euch alle!!!

Have a wonderful Christmas everybody!

Get ready for the onslaught...

of December pages! Yikes! I have been pretty good about keeping up with those, that's about the only think I am getting done right now. Between getting the photos edited and taking more...I wish there was more time in a day. As it is the kids are saying that I spend all my time on the laptop and they are probably right. At least it's right in the room where they are, so I am still in the middle of it all LOL. Pretty pathetic, isn't it?
It's really gotten cold around here, we had quite a bit of snow, then it went away and 2 days ago it started again. The kids had today off and early dismissal yesterday. They were pretty happy about that. Michael has grown so much, the poor kid didn't have a winter coat anymore. So we went out to Siberia this afternoon after piano (it's Richland, which is a higher elevation, it's always a lot colder than down here and it's only 20 minutes away). Anyway, we found him a nice 3 in one coat and some snow boots and pants, plus a hat. He was in hog heaven and was thanking me all evening! It made me happy to see him so happy!
Yesterday our tree went up, it's a really nice one, 9 feet tall and narrow with soft branches. Michael and I got the lights put on, now we just have to decorate it, maybe still tonight, if I get everything else done.
Last night I got my website template link, so I can start working on that. That is so exciting, I have to pick the photos to put on there and figure out how I want it to look. Kind of scary to go out there... oh well.
The baby shoot on the weekend was such fun. It wasn't quite the shoot I had envisioned, he is a busy little bugger, but boy is he adorable! We got some really cute ones with the parents too. What a sweet couple, they are so blessed! Okay, let me show you my pages so far...

sorry about all those pages, I guess I should have updated the blog sooner :) Well, at least you get to see them in sequence.

Here are a few pictures from the other family shoot I did that sunday. Did I not forget to change my ISO back!!! I shot the whole time with 2000, I am such an idiot. Good thing I have a good camera and Photoshop. They still turned out okay, I just wouldn't want to blow them up too large.

these are just a few, they got a lot more on their CD :)

I actually bought a few actions from MCP, they do have the coolest stuff! I need to play with these photos and make them look funky. These are good for them, because most people just want normal pictures, but I like to see something different. We'll see what I can do when I have a little time.

I didn't quite get to the baby shoot yet, I think I might have a couple of shots...

these are the parents. She was so tired when I got there, she had been up most of the night with the baby. I just loved the scene and the light on their faces!

Isn't he just adorable?

Sorry about making this post so long, at least photos are easy to look through fast...:) Michael keeps asking me to decorate the tree so I better get in there and do it!

Until hopefully soon :)

First Family

No, not that one! I had my first family photo session yesterday, whew! Now I know I can do it! It was actually fun, little Allison reminded me a lot of Michael when he was little, she was all over the place, and I mean all over the place, behind the backdrop, all through the room LOL. Her little brother was the complete opposite, totally chilled and happy. We did a few good shots though and she does look like a little angel! I am still working on the pictures, but here are a couple I got finished

 

Isn't she a cutie? I'll have more pictures soon.

Here is another little girl, who is just a natural poser :)

We really had a great time and she is a cutie!

I was so happy to find these pieces of linoleum at a local discount store. I got two of them and they look like a barn wood floor, wonderful!!! I have a couple more girls tomorrow, maybe with parents, I'm not sure yet. Soon I should have a start to get my website ready, at least I'll have a variety of photos. A few more adults would be nice...

Well, December is here, hard to believe. Where did November go? I followed everybody at Designer Digitals and started a December Daily book. I know, I need more stuff to do, plus I already do the daily photos, but I just couldn't resist. Then I started with a blue theme and now I am thinking that I got myself scrapped into a corner. I want to be able to use those gorgeous Christmas colors....oh well, I'll figure something out, I'm sure. For today's pages I added a little bit of red, I am getting it in there slowly LOL.

Here are my December pages so far

I also got a few more weekly pages done, two more and I will be caught up...

a few more pages...

Not a whole lot, but hey, I have been busy with photos. Oh yeah, there are a couple more of Catie, Gabby's friend. She is the one who is coming back tomorrow with her little sister, we'll do some Christmas pictures :)

We were just playing around with the props, but I liked them anyway. Of course Max had to get in there too, he is such a nosy little guy.

I actually started putting my decorations up, I don't think I have ever started this early. Tonight I want to get the lights in the windows and maybe get the staircase done. I always do way too much anyway and it takes me forever! At least I will get to enjoy it all a bit longer, since I am starting so soon (well, for me). We won't get our tree until the middle of the month I believe, our neighbor is going to cut one for us. That works out okay, at least I'll have everything else done by then (I hope)

Gabby is going to sing at a local Church with her school choir tomorrow. She is not happy, they have to be there early in the afternoon and they won't sing until evening. Her whole Sunday will be gone... I am planning on going. I do want to hear them sing, I might just skip choir practice for once..they also have a display of nativities from all over (and refreshments LOL) Lots of things to take pictures of, I need to plan for my December pages :)

Oh well, back to decorating. I am really trying to get the feeling of Advent, I want to be more conscious of the days and the meaning and not get drowned in all the things that need to be done, like every other year!

I hope you all have some relaxing days!