My Project 365 by Deb

Day 43: (2.12.09) Video

2009-02-12T08:22:00.000-08:00

Today I'm posting a video instead of a photo because I can! LOL This is our crazy dog Roxxie. She loves to go for rides in the car, but she likes to bark at the passing cars. I don't know if she thinks she is protecting us or what. Now she has even started barking at mailboxes when there are no cars around. Yesterday we had a little bit of rain for the first time this year, so this is what she did the entire time we took the kids to school!

Day 42: (2.11.09) Field trip

2009-02-12T08:18:00.000-08:00

Jacob went on a field trip to Big Cheez pizza with his preschool class. Here he is operating the drive-thru window. Pretty fun!

Day 41: (2.10.09) Attitude

2009-02-12T08:14:00.000-08:00

This looks like a nice smile from Nate, but looks can sometimes be deceiving! LOL He was being mouthy, and since I had my camera in hand I decided to snap his picture. He saw what I was doing, so he flashed this grin full of attitude.

Days 38-40

2009-02-12T08:08:00.000-08:00

I'm giving myself permission to skip days 38-40. LOL I've been getting more and more behind with this project! I really need to get motivated again. When the weather gets warmer here, I will be thrilled to get outside and take some pictures. I have to laugh at how many of my recent pictures for this project have my big, black leather couch in them. Pretty sad!

Day 37: (2.6.09) Choices

2009-02-12T08:03:00.001-08:00

Jacob asked if he could play Webkinz on my laptop, but then something else caught his attention on TV. I love this picture of his profile. He is so engrossed in the show he is watching. He's just like his Daddy that way! *Check out the TV tray that my daughter decided to paint pink. LOL*

Day 36: (2.5.09) After School

2009-02-12T07:53:00.000-08:00

After a long day at school, Noah came home to veg on the couch for a little while. He was enjoying some cartoons, but he had to hold his blanket up to keep the sun out of his eyes. Check out the nice hole in his jeans. My boys are hard on their clothes!

Day 35: (2.4.09) Munchkins

2009-02-12T07:50:00.000-08:00

These are the two little ones I take care of during the week, in addition to my own four kiddos. I have been watching them for two years. Aren't they cuties?

Day 34: (2.3.09) Little Posers

2009-02-04T12:59:00.000-08:00

Jacob never gets tired of having his picture taken with Roxxie. And after every picture, he wants to see it on the screen. I love taking their picture too, so when I run out of other things to photograph, these are the 2 cute faces you will likely see.

Day 33: (2.2.09) Pizza Pizza

2009-02-04T12:54:00.000-08:00

Mmmm, I love pizza... and so does the rest of my family. We usually have it at least once a week around here.

Day 32: (2.1.09) Big Blue Bucket

2009-02-04T12:49:00.001-08:00

I bought this bucket for Jacob after Christmas. He loves having a place to put all his new toys. And he has quite a few since his birthday and Christmas both come at the end of December.

Day 31: (1.31.09) Snack time

2009-02-04T12:42:00.000-08:00

Noah and Abby (my 8 yo twins) enjoying a snack at a recent family gathering...

Day 30: (1.30.09) Future interior decorator

2009-02-04T12:36:00.001-08:00

My daughter has her own unique decorating tastes, as you can see above. One thing that is not so unique is her pre-teen obsession with one Hannah Montana.

Day 29: (1.29.09) Free sample

2009-02-04T12:32:00.000-08:00

I'm not a big coffee fan, but this was free at Mickey D's today. I keep thinking I might like coffee the next time I try it, LOL!

Day 28: (1.28.09) Growth spurt

2009-02-04T12:28:00.001-08:00

Nate has grown like crazy over the past year or so. There is no mistaking that he is taller than his mama now. He thinks that is pretty cool.

Day 27: (1.27.09) Poor kitty

2009-02-04T12:22:00.000-08:00

I think I may know why the cat usually keeps her distance....

Day 26: (1.26.09) Never done

2009-02-04T12:16:00.000-08:00

I've seen lots of laundry pics on other P365 blogs, so here is mine! Yes, I do laundry too... although sometimes my hubby and kids would beg to differ. It is so hard to keep up with laundry for 6 people. It is definitely one of my least favorite chores.

Day 25: (1.25.09) What a mess!

2009-02-04T12:07:00.001-08:00

This is the corner of my bedroom where we had to rip up the carpet. A build up of ice on the roof has caused a lot of water to leak in and make a big mess. Steve has been working on sealing the leak for days now, but it is still coming in somewhere. Ugh, I am so ready for spring!

Day 24: (1.24.09) Carb crazy

2009-02-04T11:53:00.001-08:00

88 cents a loaf! I sent hubby to the store with raincheck in hand, where he picked up 10 loaves of bread at the sale price, since we can easily go through a loaf or more a day. The cashier said, "Wow, think this will last you a while?"

Steve responded, "Oh, yeah... I'm on that new french toast diet."

The cashier got a confused look on his face and said, "Seriously?", while behind him another cashier busted up laughing.

My hubby's a goofball.... you learn not to take him too seriously after a while. There is never a dull moment when he's around!

Day 23: (1.23.09) Budding photographer

2009-02-04T11:43:00.000-08:00

Whoa, I got way behind on my project 365 in the last couple of weeks. I have still been taking pictures when I remember, but I haven't posted them regularly since I have been preoccupied with other things. So in an effort to catch up, I'm gonna cut the chit chat and get down to business, LOL!

Here is a self-portrait by Abby, my budding photographer. She is constantly sneaking off with my camera to capture all sorts of interesting subjects. I think I know what she needs for her birthday!

Day 22: (1.22.09) Little Piggy

2009-01-22T10:50:00.000-08:00

Here's a picture of Misty, our guinea pig. I couldn't get a decent picture of her in the cage, so I put her on the couch and gave her some lettuce to munch on. After that, she was happy to pose for me! She is a sweet little thing, as far as guinea pigs go, I guess. She never bites, and she doesn't mind being held. She just gets a little nervous when you take her out of her cage. She is happy as long as you hold her close so she feels secure.

Day 21: (1.21.09) Her Highness

2009-01-22T10:45:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin doesn't like to pose for pictures. I interrupted her nap on my daughter's bed to get this shot. She's a variegated calico, very pretty... but she mostly keeps her distance from the humans. LOL

Day 20: (1.20.09) Snuggles

2009-01-22T10:39:00.000-08:00

Another picture of a boy and his dog... aren't they cute?

Day 19: (1.19.09) Sleepy Roxxie

2009-01-20T06:05:00.000-08:00

Roxxie is exhausted from her Dance Dance Revolution workout!

Day 18: (1.18.09) Will it ever end?!

2009-01-20T05:29:00.000-08:00

I am so tired of the snow! Ugh! Here is the view out my back slider door. Actually, it is kind of pretty, and I wouldn't mind it so much if I could just stay home in my nice warm house. But, of course, that isn't possible. Ahh, well... spring will come eventually, and the wait will make it that much sweeter!

Day 17: (1.17.09) Ouch!

2009-01-20T05:22:00.000-08:00

I'll be the first to admit I'm a bit of a clutz sometimes. Yesterday I was taking a pizza out of the oven (from the bottom shelf), and since I was in a hurry, I neglected to pull out the shelf first. That lovely burn you see on my hand is the result!

Day 16: (1.16.09) Snug as a bug in a rug!

2009-01-16T17:35:00.000-08:00

I bought a new winter coat for Jacob today at the Old Navy clearance sale. (Only $12.49 for a $60.00 coat!) I plan to save it for next winter. When I got home, he tried it on for me. He loved it so much, he didn't want to take it off. He was watching his brother play Wii, and next thing I knew, he was curled up on the couch, fast asleep. Yes, he has his boots on too! I love how he fell asleep with one foot resting on the other knee.

Day 15: (1.15.09) Masterpiece

2009-01-15T19:40:00.000-08:00

This is a project my son Noah brought home from school the other day. I love the bright colors, it helps distract me from the cold, dreary weather and mountains of snow outside!

Day 14: (1.14.09) Complete set

2009-01-15T08:20:00.000-08:00

I finished the hat that matches Abby's scarf. I'm glad to be done... I've got too many projects swirling around in my brain, so it feels good to have one less to think about. Abby loves her hat and scarf; she couldn't wait to wear the set to school.

Day 13: (1.13.09) May I have this dance?

2009-01-15T08:14:00.000-08:00

Thankfully, Roxxie is very good natured with our kids. Here she is taking "dancing lessons" from Jacob.

Day 12: (1.12.09) Chocolate-y Goodness

2009-01-15T07:46:00.000-08:00

Trying to play catch up here. My internet was down for two days, talk about torture! I kept on taking my photos, though, so now I just have to post them. My photo for today is the yummy chocolate chip cookies I made. I love to bake yummy treats, and my family obliges me by devouring them before they even have time to cool! I've made a lot of cookies recently... what else do I have to do while my internet is down? (Certainly not that mountain of laundry that is lurking down in the dark recesses of my basement, LOL!)

Day 11: (1.11.09) Letdown

2009-01-11T19:48:00.001-08:00

So, my sister and I went to see Twilight tonight, and I have to say... we were both sadly disappointed. Now remember, this is just my personal opinion, but the acting was pretty pathetic! Oh well, I still found it amusing to watch, and it doesn't take away from my love of the books. (Plus I just enjoyed hanging out with my sister!)

I took a couple pictures at the theater tonight... I chose to post the one of the sign listing all the movies now playing. It's kind of funny, there are 5 movies I want to see on there, and I think I chose the worst one to spend my money on, LOL! I guess I'll have to wait for the others to come out on DVD, because I don't see movies in the theater very often. Such is life... ;)

Day 10: (1.10.09) I think I can!

2009-01-11T08:31:00.001-08:00

My daughter had been asking me for three days if I would take her and her friend Maddie ice skating on Saturday. I decided it would be fun, so we made the plans. She was really excited; that is, until we got on the ice. LOL I tried to give her a few pointers, and I stayed close to help her, but she was very unhappy. She whined, "I can't do this... I want to go home!" I encourage her to keep trying, but she just repeated, "I can't do it!"

That's when her friend said something like, "If you think you can't, then it will be true..." Wow! Such wisdom from an eight year old! It was so cute... Maddie said, "That's something my Dad taught me."

I didn't give in about going home. We just kept doing laps around the rink, with Abby hanging on to the wall. Then we decided to go into the middle of the rink, where some of the younger kids were playing. About 20 minutes before we had to leave, she finally started getting it. It was so nice to see her smile come out!

Day 9: (1.9.09) My current obsession

2009-01-11T08:20:00.000-08:00

This is what I did with every free moment on Friday. I didn't understand the obsession with these books at first, but my curiosity finally got the best of me, and I picked up Twilight a few months ago. I thought it was good, but not that big of a deal, lol. It was a couple more months before I decided to read New Moon. For some reason, I really got into the story in book two... I read it in a couple of days, and couldn't wait to get book three. I have really enjoyed Eclipse so far, hopefully I can finish it today. And later tonight, my sister and I are going to see Twilight in the theatre. I can't wait!

Day 8: (1.8.09) Just Chillin'

2009-01-08T17:51:00.000-08:00

All 3 of my other kids have been featured in my Project 365, so today is Nate's turn. I love this picture of him relaxing on the couch with our Sheltie, Roxxie. Roxxie is such a sweetheart... she has been a wonderful addition to our family.

Day 7: (1.7.09) The Two of Us

2009-01-07T20:23:00.000-08:00

I love this man! We're coming up on 15 years of marriage in April, and I love him more now than the day I married him.... he's fun-loving, positive, generous, and also a total goofball! Life is never dull when I am with him!

Day 6: (1.6.09) Handmade with Love...

2009-01-06T10:20:00.001-08:00

I finished my very first crocheted project last night.... a scarf for Abby. She wore it for the first time to school today, and she let me take a picture before she left.

She loves her new scarf! It is kind of bright, and it doesn't really match her coat, but that's not the point! She says it is pretty, and I am happy to be learning a new craft. It feels good to be successful with my first project. Now I just have to make the matching hat!

Day 5: (1.5.09) Can you feel the excitement?!

2009-01-05T21:10:00.000-08:00

The kids all went back to school today.... Hallelujah! Since there was a snow day on Dec. 19 (the day before Christmas break started), they all missed out on their class Christmas parties. So all of them got to have a party on the first day back at school. Jacob was very happy to go to preschool again. He really loves it.... I wish all my kids were that excited to go to school!

At the end of the day, Jacob and his preschool friends sang Christmas carols for the parents. They all wore reindeer antlers and Rudolph noses. It was absolutely adorable! Jacob sang and danced along for the most part. You never know what to expect when you have a big group of 4 and 5 year olds, but they all did great! This picture of Jacob cracks me up! He looks less than pleased about his get up...LOL! He actually had fun, I just caught him between smiles... ;)

Day 4: (1.4.09) Male bonding

2009-01-05T21:07:00.000-08:00

Steve went to church in the morning to run sound, but the kids and I played hooky again. I slept in too late once again. After Steve got home we all had lunch together, and then I got ready for work. My hours were 2-7 pm....

I snapped this picture as I was about to walk out the door. I just thought it was so cute how Noah was hugging his Daddy's neck. I love that he will still give hugs and kisses all on his own, without any prompting. He is such a sweet kid! Steve has a very "focused" look on his face here, because he is playing a video game on Wii. That is what Dad and the kids do a lot when I'm at work!

Day 3: (1.3.09) Christmas Celebration #4

2009-01-05T20:50:00.001-08:00

Today was a busy day! Steve and I spent the early part of the day cleaning the house and preparing for a family gathering. We were getting together with Clay and Mari Ellyn, Tammy and Brian and Nicole for a little belated Christmas celebration. Unfortunately Mari Ellyn was not feeling well so she was not able to make it. We missed her a lot, but we still enjoyed the opportunity to visit with Clay since we don't see him often.
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I made chicken fajitas for dinner, which everyone seemed to enjoy. Then the kids opened their gifts from Papa Clay and Mari Ellyn. Nate got some hunting knives and a puzzle, Noah got some modeling clay and a remote control car, Abby got a crochet kit and ballet slippers, and Jacob got a wind up vehicle w/ track and an art kit. They were all very sweet, thoughtful gifts, and the kids were very happy. I also got some gifts.... a hanging notepad holder and the gingerbread decoration in the photo above. It is too cute! (Tammy got one that is a bumblebee...)
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We had a very nice visit. I wish I would have taken some photos of everyone that came, but I was so busy. When I am the hostess, I tend to get a little stressed (that may be an understatement...LOL!), and I spend most of my time flitting from here to there and back.
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Clay and ME are heading to Arizona and California on the 15th... they will be gone for two months. Lucky them!! So that is another reason I'm glad we got to see Clay. We don't see him enough, and the kids love their Papa Clay!

Day 2: (1.2.09) Bringing home the bacon...

2009-01-05T20:04:00.000-08:00

I slept overnight at Kate's on Thursday, so my day began at her house when I woke up around 9:00 a.m. on Friday. We had stayed up 'til after 2:00 a.m., and I seized the opportunity to sleep in a little. Steve had to work, which is why I didn't stay at Kate's for too long. Nate was in charge of the kids until I got home, so I really didn't want to push it. I packed up all my stuff, then headed home. I got there just after 11:00 a.m. I took a shower, hung out with the kids, picked up the house a bit.... that was about all I could manage before I had to head in to work at four. (Steve got home around three, so I didn't have to leave the kids alone again.)

It was really busy at work. I was kind of surprised since things have slowed way down now that the holidays are over. I didn't mind it being busy, though... it makes the time go faster. I really like working at Michael's... and I am glad they kept me on after Christmas. I was hired as a seasonal associate, so I wasn't sure if I would be able to stay or not. But anyways, I really like it there. It really is the perfect part-time job for me. I'm obsessed with crafts, I love to create things, it's a perfect match!

I'm finding lots of new things I want to try as I'm wandering around the store straightening. Just to name a few.... knitting, crocheting, beading, felting, cake decorating, painting wood decor and furniture.... oh, and there's this book that I really want called A is for Aprons. It's all about aprons, which of course the name implies... LOL! It has a bunch of different apron patterns that are adorable! I don't know why I'm so obsessed with aprons lately. Ever since I saw I bunch of cute ones on Etsy, I have wanted to make my own. You can see what I mean here, and here, and here, and I'm not done, there's more... here. Aren't they cute?! Ok, maybe I'm just a little weird, whatever!

Back to the J-O-B...

Truth be told.... I wish I didn't have to work nights and weekends, but until Jacob is in school full-time, that is just the way it is. So for now I have accepted it, and I am lucky that I get to work at one of my favorite stores!

Day 1: (1.1.09) A Stamping tradition

2009-01-05T19:43:00.001-08:00

It has become somewhat of a tradition in the past few years that my sister, my two aunts and I get together to stamp on New Year's Day. This year we turned it into an overnighter to maximize our stamping time. Kate was gracious enough once again to host all of us in her home. We had a good time munching on snacks, talking, stamping, laughing, munching, talking.... you get the picture. Peg made some fudge and some frosted Snickerdoodles. Yummy! Before the stamping even got underway, we made a trip to Michael's (gotta have new goodies to feel creative) and ate dinner at On The Border.

We all decided to issue a stamping challenge for some inspiration. Mine was first... and I went with a color challenge from Kristina Werner's blog: rose red, pretty in pink, old olive and white. Tammy gave us a sketch challenge (see card on bottom right in photo above), Kate gave us some pattern paper to work with, and Peg randomly gave each of us a stamp set to use. It was a lot of fun! Challenges help me immensely, because otherwise I find it so hard to know where to start. A little direction goes a long way!

The picture above shows just a few of the cards we made that day!

Project 365: Overview

2009-01-05T18:20:00.000-08:00

Hi all! I am super excited about this new project I am undertaking. Project 365 is a hot topic all around the digiscrapping world right now. As soon as I read about it, I knew I wanted to join in the fun! Basically, the point is to take a photograph of anything that strikes your fancy each day, and then journal about it. At the end of the year, you will have a scrapbook of the entire year. How cool is that?!

Of course, there are many variations on this idea. You can choose to blog your photos, create digital layouts, or make a tangible paper scrapbook album. You can read more about project 365 at http://photojojo.com/content/tutorials/project-365-take-a-photo-a-day/.

Creating Keepsakes Magazine has a lot of great info available also. Here is a PDF with 365 ideas to help you keep snapping those photos...

Now a year is a long time, and I know me... consistency is not my strong point! But I'm not going to stress over this project. If I miss a day here and there, that's OK! I can play catch up later, or just start fresh the next day/week, whatever! In fact, I already have a little catching up to do since I didn't learn about this whole thing until January 3rd. I will be posting the photos soon!

Well, I think that covers it. Time to get started!