Snow and Scrapbooking

Thank the Lord, the power just came back on!

Now, I love snow, and it is beautiful but without electricity it is just plain stressful.

I was ready ...

I carried in a bunch of wood,

Gathered the candles,

 And cleaned off my scrapbook space. Just in case I could make a way to scrap by candle light.

When the snow first started falling, and before the power went out, we were all so excited. 

A day at home all together with food and fire.

This sweet young man built me a snowman.

 Is that not the happiest little snowman you have ever seen?!

Well, the excitement ended when the power went out.

Just so you know, I can not scrap by candle light :(

Before all the snow began, I was on a scrapbook roll.

I've have had the best time. Winter just makes me want to scrapbook all the more.

Here are just a few pages I have finished in the past few days. 

Sorry about the poor quality of the photographs.

 I just haven't found the best way to photograph my pages yet. I'm working on it.

My next project is to learn all I can about stamping.
After watching a few videos about stamping, I think it is something I want to learn more about.

 My first step is going to be to have a Stampin up Party.
Doesn't that sound like fun?

You can check out their products and what they are all about
HERE

My New Favorite Blog...

I have been in full scrapbook mode lately. A new grand-baby will do that to you!

 My oldest daughter, Emily, has finally discovered the wonderful world of scrapbooking! Yay for me!

 We have spend every spare minute scrapbooking over the last week.

I have been so pumped that I even bought some new scrapbooking tools...

My new self healing cutting mat. Don't you just  love the color, it so soothing! 

Also my new ATG gun.
This has to be the best new tool to date.

When I get in this full scrapbook mode, I spend a lot of time searching the Internet for new and inspiring scrapbooking blogs and websites.

There are alot of them out there, but this one has to be my very favorite right now..
Check her out...

http://www.creationswithchristina.com/ 

Scavenger Hike Adventures

As a new year begins, I start to think about what all I want to do in the next year. It seems, as I get older, the years pass more quickly and I have a hard time working in all I want to accomplish.

One thing I really want to get back into this new year is
 Hiking.

Now, I wouldn't call us avid hikers. We are more like strollers, but we love to be outdoors
walking in the woods or standing next to a beautiful waterfall.

The Smokey Mountains are my favorite place to hike.
 They are just so beautiful...

but you must be careful

(just kidding)

I love it when my whole family goes hiking together. We laugh, talk, complain and just spend time together with no real distractions except for God's beauty all around us.

When my children were younger,
sometimes it was hard to keep them happy and focused on the trail.

A friend of ours told us about this book,
"Scavenger Hike Adventures".

 We brought it with us on a hike and we loved it. The hikes were so much more fun.
The book gives you different things to find all along the trail and turns
 your hike into more of a game than exercise.
 

The book is great because, not only does it keep the kids busy,

 but it also teaches them about nature and the history of the area they are hiking.

 

Now, we do most of our hiking in east Tennessee so this book is perfect for our hikes, but if you live in other parts of the country, you will need to find one written specifically for your area.

 

 

 

I found several copies available at Amazon.

 Here  is the link so you can get a copy of your own...

 

          

            

 I find this one for the Rocky Mountains
so I am sure there are many more from all over the country.
 

  

                   
So let the New Year begin and let's all go Hiking!

 

 

 

It Took All Day....

 

and now all of my Christmas is packed away!

 

 It makes me a little sad to put it away for 11 months, but I am so ready for a new year!

 

 

I love new beginings and fresh starts.

 

I love a new calendars, lead pencils and a new binder filled with notebook paper, envelopes and pocket dividers to organize my thoughts, budget and schedule. 

There is just nothing better!  

 

Bring on 2013,

 

Happy New Year to you all!