iscrapbook

Yes, it is true. But I have not gotten as many layouts done in the last little while. Digital files need to be sorted through and printed. I have needed to organize what I’ve already done.

So tonight I had some time (ha ha ha, really it was time I should have been doing something that would help me prepare for my upcoming student teaching, but it is Sunday, so we’re going with the “Family History” thing.) Anway, I took the time to pull out all the layouts I have ever done. 1/8 of them are in page protectors, the rest have been waiting for a home. Well, I finally decided on what kind of album I’m going to use – black 12x12 3-ring binders. I feel better having finally made that decision. I got one for Christmas and was feeling excited to start filling it up. But I didn’t know what I wanted in that one. So I started to organize my layouts. In typical “Sarah is organizing” fashion, I sat on the living room floor and spread the layouts into piles all around me. When I was done I consulted with Todd about how I wanted to get them into the album(s). I wanted to begin with the end in mind. So, what am I going to do in 15 years? Send the albums with the kids? Be 50 and sitting at home going through them myself? Well, I think I have this figured out too now. I will put the layouts in the albums chronologically. I’ll mix pages that are Xander’s  or Cassidy’s with family pages. And I’ll continue to make mini-books, as a way of fueling my creativity and to highlight special events or special pictures. Then, in 15 years, the kids may take some of the layouts and have a biography of sorts, or they may not care or put as much thought into as I do and they’ll just let the books be buried with me. Not that I’m saying I’m going to die at 50…Oh anyway, I feel better now that I’ve sorted that out in my head. We can all sleep peacefully tonight.

money, money, money...

You know the song from “mama mia”? the one when she sings about not having money? Sure, that could be my song.

There always seems to be something that needs to be fixed, bought, paid for…so my worthy, do my heart good purchases keep getting pushed back. Waaayyy back!

But tonight, I was proud of myself! Now first, let me say, I am not a coupon-er. I have not had the time for it. I haven’t even tried to figure out how to play that game.

However, with Todd’s help we download coupons onto our grocery store card, collect the few that come in the mail and even hold onto the ones that come with the receipts from previous trips to the store.

And tonight we saved $75.00! That is the most I’ve saved in one trip and I am super excited about it.

Will it get me my new couches or hard wood floor? Nope, but it sure felt good anyway.

coming to an end

this week has gone by in a blur. kids back in school, taking down christmas, prioritizing what needs to be done before my free time is gone.
i have one more week at home, and then i'll be part of the work force again. well, technically i'll be in the work force, but not getting paid. not yet anyway. i'm finally beginning my student teaching to complete my master's degree. i begin on january 17th and will continue until mid april. i have been placed in a third grade classroom. i met my cooperating teacher and briefly her class. in all her 13 years of teaching this is her best class yet. after some of my recent pre-k classes i'm very happy to be training in a well-behaved, respectful class. in addition, i have heard amazing compliments for the cooperating teacher i'll be learning from. if i'm going to become a teacher, then i want to be a teacher that students want to come back to and that parents request for their other children. i want to have a classroom that runs well with routines and schedules. organized and well-maintained. make no mistake about it, i am nervous and anxious. maybe about the amount of paperwork i have to do along with the lesson plans.
crossing my fingers!

it's quiet around here

Everyone is gone. Todd is back to work. The kids are back to school.

I admit it. I took a nap. I had to. I didn’t sleep well last night and it was so quiet…it did me in.

It was so cold today. Coldest day in a year…? That’s what they said on the weather report.

Oh, and I started taking down Christmas.
Here they come…the winter blues.

things i love...

a friend's email prompted me to start thinking about some of my favorite things...
so i thought i'd put a few down. some seem to be seasonally related, as we just went through the holidays.

drinking vanilla coke through a straw * laying in a hammock outside on a warm sunny day * cuddling with my kids * warm socks and slippers * getting something accomplished and crossed off a list * calendars & planners * getting christmas cards * scrapbooking for me and vainly, getting recognized for the scrapbooking i do for others * hot chocolate * summer & 4th of july * bread bowls * reading * a clean house * being loved

it's a new year

and i'm thinking about TIME
as i sat in church on sunday morning, after staying up late to toast the new year with the husband, sister and kiddos... and feleling just a wee bit sleepy, i couldn't help but feel that i was in the right place, a great place to start off the new year.
several talks were given this morning, but one in particular was just what i needed to hear. the speaker devoted her talk to TIME and how quickly TIME is moving, with the craziness of schedules filled with activities and technology that speeds everything up for us.
but we need to find TIME to do those activities that are good. we need to find TIME to serve. we need to find TIME to better ourselves.
so my goal for this new year is to work on TIME...
for my blogs
for children
for myself
for exercise
for cleaning and decluttering
for reading scriptures
for keeping in touch with family

some of these seem to echo years past, and it maybe something that i am always working on, as we know, TIME is always moving, always changing.

happy new year!