Project Life...

Well thanks to my friends, Kelly and Lindsay, I am taking plunge into Project Life! I will start by saying that I hope that they are still my friends by the time I am "trained" in this new world of digital scrapbooking.

IT IS HARD! I don't know why I am having such a hard time grasping this, it is soo overwhelming to me. I thought maybe it was because I am having to train myself to think outside of my "normal" scrapbook life, I have been doing paper scrapbooking for years and finally feel like I got that down, now I am learning a whole new way to capture the memories of our life.

I have chosen to do a book for Mason before his high school graduation. If you remember from last year I did one for Rachel too. Last year though, I went to a weekend scrapbooking retreat and cranked out almost her entire book; I basically ate, slept, and breathed her book for a few days and got it finished. I am starting earlier on Mason's but with a whole new process to learn.

I also wonder if I'm struggling because I am trying to re-create a life of 17+ years into this book. I am having to dig through tubs of pics to find what I need and ask for photos from other people because I wasn't Mason's mom from day one, I have pics of him from age 6 and up. I also have a hard time choosing his pics from that early age because I wasn't there, I don't know why the photo was taken or what the memory is that goes with it, I don't know if I am choosing the right photos for the right reasons. Hmmmmmm, uggghhhh, I am struggling!

I also am fighting with the "old fashioned" photos, remember when they were printed on 3x5 instead of 4x6? Well I am scanning them all into my computer and wow! they are little things that I now have to try to fit into the squares. Hmmmmmmm!

I know I am sounding really negative, but I am VERY excited! Just scared to death. :) I will figure this out, I know I will.

I spent a few hours with Kelly today, getting some valuable lessons and have started putting them to use and actually finished a title page and the first layout for Mason's book. I am hoping, and Kelly and Lindsay are promising that once I get the hang of it, I will be moving along much faster, I sure hope so or I won't have his book done until Mason's kids are finishing high school.

So, here are my first finished pages. I will see if I still love them tomorrow, if not... the great thing about digital is that I can fix them, right?

So a big thank you to Lindsay and Kelly. I promise to stop bothering you soon, not real soon, but soon!

Mason's Senior Pics

We found ourselves ready for Mason's senior pics this year and we had the pure luck to catch Lindsay with www.5ivephoto.com before she moved out of state. What a true blessing for us, for Mason especially. Mason is incredibly shy and I was worried that he would just go and give his usual look and we wouldn't get anything different. Wow, was I wrong. Lindsay was able to get this pretty laid back teenager to smile and actually relax for her and got some amazing shots of him. She took us to a location that I would have never thought of and got a lot of different shots that I am so pleased with and more importantly that Mason actually loves, that right there should tell you a lot about his experience, who likes their own photo?

Here are some of my favorite ones

My Grandma always told me when I was little that in life, it's not what you know, but who you know. This is just another example of how well this lesson has played out in my life. Without my friendship with Lindsay, Mason would not have had this great experience for his Senior Pics. So a big thank you to Lindsay. Now I just need her back here in time to do Brady's (Lindsay you have 5 years to move back or we are doing them in Reno).

Last of 2011 in a Nutshell...

So obviously, I have been a slacker! Instead of getting all carried away with what I haven't posted, I am going to just do a quick recap, get current and move on.

What we haven't shared over the last few months ---

-Mason had his senior pictures taken (I will actually do a separate post on this because they are really great and I have to give a big plug to our photographer).

-Went to The Rio downtown (haven't been there for over 10 years) with friends and learned that for some reason there is no longer a 3 margarita max - I had 4.5 and then remembered why I hadn't been there for 10 years (that's how long it takes to be ready for a Rio marg again).

-Brady turned 13 (I cried most of the day). Had 5 teenage boys spend the night and eat and drink me out of house and home. Also learned that teenage boys are indeed just as hilarious as teenage girls, they can sing the sh*t out of I'm sexy and I know it and I now know every word to that song.

-Did an 8-week challenge at the Rec Center with some friends and lost 15 lbs. and actually learned how to work some weight equipment. Had a ton of fun.

-Celebrated Thanksgiving at our house with only a little family drama

-Rachel came home for Thanksgiving and Christmas (she is still here!)

-Spent the holidays hanging with friends and family (I had to learn and deal with Christmas as the mom of a bunch of teenagers and not little kids. I actually mourned having little kids this year and had a hard time learning my "new" type of Christmas, which is actually quite different than what I was used to.

-Brady is still in a cast, it's an acrylic one that will be on for at least a couple more months, but he is doing well.

-Brady was released to start playing indoor soccer and has his first game last night.

-Became obsessed with Pinterest.

Ok, I realize this is really lame, but if I get all caught up in wanting to post pics and do seperate posts on everything than I will never get this blog caught up.

So..... here's to 2012!