Year in Review 2006

Wow, now this page was a challenge!

I have never before placed so many photos on one page... and I still included journaling! This was not an easy project. But, I did it, and now I want to do one for last year as well, which will be another challenge, lol.


Journaling:
Special points of interest: In March we visited Grandma and Grandpa in Green Valley, Arizona. In September and October we visited Mimi and Papa in New York. During this trip we also visited in New York: Niagara Falls, Manhattan and Mimi’s house. We also took side trips to Plymouth, Massachusetts and Cape Cod. On our way home to Mimi’s house we spent the day in Mystic, Connecticut. We also toured Washington D.C, for a few days and then checked out Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While on the East Coast we spent several days at Star Lake Conference Center in New Jersey for the Gaines family reunion and Mimi and Papa’s retirement party.

Rachel’s milestones: During 2006 Rachel learned to crawl and walk. She went from bottles to sippy cups and from being fed to feeding herself. Rachel celebrated her first birthday in May with a wild animal theme. This was also the year when Rachel began to talk, and she has a huge vocabulary for her nineteen month age at the end of 2006.

Elizabeth’s milestones: During 2006 Elizabeth began first grade, which included her first time spending entire days away from home and riding the school bus. Elizabeth went to her first slumber party, roller skated, ice skated, played soccer, and grew before our eyes. Elizabeth turned seven years old and celebrated with an art themed birthday party. This is also the year that Elizabeth cut her hair.

Other News: During 2006 our family pet, Zoe passed away. A few months later Elizabeth picked out a new dog from the Humane Society and we chose the name Lola for our newest family member. In July Shaun and Alissa celebrated their fourteen year anniversary. For Halloween Elizabeth dressed as a ‘rock star’ and Rachel dressed as an ‘Indian princess’. As a family we spent many afternoons in our backyard; we sat around the fire pit, made s’mores, climbed on the play structure, played in the fairy garden and ran wild among the plants shooting each other with water guns. 2006 was a fun year.



















Credits:
Michelle Coleman: Serendipity papers, paint brush and stamped alpha.
Katie Pertiet: Curled photo frame.

I hate being sick.

I have been sick for a week now. Not only me, but both of my girls too. We've had fevers and a terrible cold on top of it with coughing. So, I haven't been feeling too creative lately, lol. But I was inspired today when I scrapped the Beach layout posted below, and I am actually quite happy with the result.

It uses Tracey Monette's new paper pack, colorful marble, and I love the veins which give it quite a bit of texture.

Are you ready for Christmas?

Normally by now I have everything not only purchased, but wrapped. This year I am way behind on my Christmas duties. I blame illness. Oh well, I guess I'll catch up over the weekend. Definitely by Sunday night, lol.

Happy holidays everybody!

Beach

a northwest beach.

Journaling:
Every summer you go with Dad on a business trip down the Oregon Coast. During this trip you always make several stops at the beach to play in the windy sunshine. These quick stops at various beaches are filled with running, exploring and lots of sand. 8.22.2005.


















Credits:
Tracey Gilbert Monette (SBE): background paper (colorful marbles, available on Sunday) blended with the green Funky Flower paper to change the marble veins from black to green, dotted ribbons.
Linda GB: mesh, cardboard (Ophelia).
Natalie Braxton: thingz on stringz.
Jen Wilson: fleur squiggle.
Miss Mint: tin foil stars.
Sausan Designs: pressed leaves.
Kim Christensen: acrylic alpha.
Nancie Rowe Janitz: schmootzy frame.

First Bubbles

Journaling:
It took three months of concentrated effort, but you finally got it. You can now blow bubbles! March 2006.

















Credits:
New fun Modern Art kit by Tracey Gilbert Monette (Clever Monkey Graphics) available Sunday at Scrapbook-Elements. Messy Deckled Matte by Tracey Gilbert Monette. Painted Notebook Alpha by Tracey Gilbert Monette. Miss Mint’s vintage mix stamped alpha. Stamped frames by Rhonna on the designing with digital cd.

Sisters 1942

This is my Mom and her sister (her name is my middle name) in 1942. My Mom is on the left, she was two years old. The writing on the lo is my grandmother’s handwriting from the back of the photo.














These pretty papers are from Iron Orchid Designs’ latest paper pack, called ‘All her own’ at ScrapArtist. The chipped enamel alpha is also by IOD. The paper clip & staple are from the IOD essentials pack. The deckled frame is by Katie Pertiet and the pressed flowers are by Sausan Designs and lace is from LindaGB.

Beautiful

Last night at dinner I decided I had to add this journaling because my sweet and pretty little girl is such a contradiction, lol.

Journaling:
My beautiful little girl. At 19-months old, you are a beauty who loves to spit. Spit, spit, spit: one of your favorite activities.

















Credits:
This is the new collaboration kit by Corina Nielsen and Vera Lim called So Beautifully You. Folded ribbon and staples by Corina Nielsen, paint stroke by Nancie Rowe Janitz, stamped alpha by Katie Pertiet, pressed flowers by Sausan Designs. Everything else is from the Collaboration kit (FPD).

What's your Grinch name?

Mine is:
Woefulmonster Snottyshorts

Click here to find your Grinch name.

Washington Monument

Journaling:
Elizabeth, you are so full of personality. During our visit to Washington D.C. you kept everything interesting with your observations, your questions, your ability to make friends anywhere with anyone, and your fun sense of humor. You certainly were entertaining at the Washington Monument, where you gave me my favorite photo of our vacation, pretending you were scared Daddy was going to push the Washington Monument over on top of you. Your sense of humor is definitely one of the many things we love about you.











Credits:
Background paper: Gina Cabrerra. Orange paper: michelle underwood Stripe paper: LBA. School paper: Holly McCaig. Plume by Ana Aspnes covered in school paper. Brush circle: MST. Stamped alpha: Michelle Coleman.

Color

You live life in full color.

Journaling:
Elizabeth, you have been asking me if you could have pink hair since you were five years old. I have always answered you the same way though, ‘When you are a teenager we can talk about it.’ So this year for Halloween I decided to give you a treat, and we colored your hair. You couldn’t have been happier with the result and you made the cutest ‘rock star’ ever.

Now, if you still want pink hair when you are a teenager, we’ll discuss it. But the deal is, if you have pink hair, then you have to wear my doc martens as well… you know, those boots I have that you think are the ugliest things you have ever seen? Yeah, if you’re going to have pink hair, then you have to wear my docs. End of discussion. Well, sort of… we will still need to convince Daddy that pink hair could be cool for more than Halloween. Age 7; 10/31/06.

















Credits:
Funky Flower kit by Tracey Gilbert Monette. The painted notebook alpha also by Tracey Gilbert Monette (Clever Monkey Graphics). The messy deckle edge will be available on Sunday, also by Tracey Gilbert Monette at Scrapbook-Elements. The gingham ribbons by Amy Martin. Paint by Meredith Fenwick.

Zoo Dates

Journaling:
April 2007. Daddy always finds time to take you to the zoo. Animals are a shared love between the three of you.


















Credits:
Embellished Polaroid frames: ‘My guy snapsthots’ by Corina Nielsen.
Note papers: ‘Dooley Noted’ by Corina Nielsen.
Background paper: Tuscan Villa by Corina Nielsen.
Mesh: Arsenal #2 and staple: Arsenal #1 by Corina Nielsen.
Pressed leaves: Sausan Designs (This particular use of the leaves was inspired by Christinas’s ‘Nature’ layout.)
Stamped Alpha: Michelle Coleman.

First Christmas

It was your first Christmas, and you opened your own gifts using any means possible. December 25, 2005
















This is the IOD Christmas kit available only to gold members at digitalkshop. The tag is from IOD’s essentials kit. Anna Aspnes: tape corner, plumes (recovered in IOD). Miss Mint: stamped alpha. SMD: paint strokes.

First Pets

We were really pleased that our congresswoman’s office was able to arrange for us to visit the Whitehouse when we were in D.C. last October. Well, it turns out that the tour was a bit dry and we weren’t allowed to bring the camera in, but we made the most of it. So where does the journaling come from? Well, Elizabeth brought home a book from the library about first pets, and some of it was too funny not to include in a layout about the Whitehouse.

“What we didn’t learn on our Whitehouse tour.

Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809): In 1807 the President received as a gift, two grizzly bears which lived in cages on the lawn, which became known as “Jefferson’s bear garden”.

John Quincy Adams (1825-1829): This president received an alligator as a gift, so he took it back with him to Washington. The alligator lived in a bathtub in the East Room for months.

Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865): President Lincoln’s son Tad had two goats which were given the freedom of the White House, including occasionally sleeping in Tad’s bed. One year for Christmas Tad grew attached to the turkey there were to eat for dinner. So the President pardoned the turkey, and Jack (the turkey) became part of the family.

Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893): This President gave his grandchildren a pet goat. They attached a cart to the goat to give the children a ride, but the goat made a run for it and the President chased the goat down Pennsylvania Avenue for several blocks before he caught them.

Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921): President Wilson purchased 13 sheep to replace the gardeners during World War I due to manpower shortage. The sheep not only kept the lawn trimmed, they ate all the bushes and flowers too!

Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929): Rebecca the raccoon started off as a menu item for Thanksgiving, but was rescued by President Coolidge. During his presidency, Coolidge received as gifts two lion cubs, a bobcat and a pygmy hippo named Billy.”

















Credits:
Michelle Coleman: background. Tracey Gilbert Monette: pony. Nancie Rowe Janitz: schmootzy alpha. Anna Aspnes: plume.

Elizabeth

Normally my husband is not the best photographer in the world. Really, he’s not. But every now and then he surprises me with a photo that I love, and this is one of them. He was standing on the top of a wall trying to get a photo of an Arizona sunset. The sunset photo didn’t turn out so good, but then he turned the camera onto Elizabeth and took this beautiful photo of our little girl. (March 2006)















Credits:
Background paper is a blending of IOD’s lemongrass paper, ScrapArtist’s kraft paper and Nancie Rowe Janitz’s Autumn Glory overlay. Frames by Katie Pertiet. Leaf and floral elements by Sausan Designs. Ribbon, and textured circle by Corina Nielsen (Tuscan Villa kit). Staple from IOD’s essentials kit.

Hanukkah

2005

Journaling:
Most of the important friendships I have had in my life have been with Jewish girls, so it only seems appropriate that your best friend is Jewish too. I’m so glad that you have a friend like Taylor where you can be buddies and still have very different backgrounds and beliefs. I hope you two have many years of friendship ahead of you; a friendship filled with both differences and likeness.















Credits:
Tracey Gilbert Monette (Clever Monkey Graphics): papers and elements from her Hanukkah kit now available at Scrapbook-Elements.
Katie Pertiet: pinned tag. Ashley Olson: flower. SMD: paint.

Concentrate

July 2005

Journaling:
You were nine weeks old and you concentrated so hard on that toy in front of you, until you couldn’t stand it any more and had to reach out and grab it. This was the beginning of your love affair with toys.















Credits:
ScrapArtist: papers from the ‘All American’ kit and the ‘Magic of Fall’ kit. Michelle Coleman: stamped alpha.
Amy Martin: folded ribbon, pinned ribbon.
Corina Nielsen: burlap flower, button.
Natalie Braxton: thinz on stringz (flowers).
Meredith Fenwick: paint brush.
Katie Pertiet: pinned tag.
Zftamp: stitching.

Two Babies

2 babies. A girl and her dog. Rachel and Lola, growing up together. November 2006.

In case you can’t tell, in the top photo Rachel is sharing her sippy cup. Next photo the two are snuggling. Bottom photo is of Rachel reading and Lola biting the book.
















Credits: Papers are from the ‘Bring it Lola’ paper kit by Lauren Reid. Crochet doily, flower and strip of paper in right corner by Sausan Designs. Paint by Nancie Rowe Janitz. Staples by IOD. Babies font by Miss Mint, covered in Lola paper.