Monday, January 25, 2010

Signing off

So for the next few days I really won't be on the computer because
1. I should be finishing packing
2. The computer will be packed :)

We're getting closer to being ready....though the basement flooding wasn't on the list of to do's thats for sure! But what can you do...but keep going.

We are almost done doing laundry. We cleaned out the fridge and freezer upstairs and things are packed up and ready to go. Started packing some kitchen items - finish that tomorrow. Packed Freds clothes for the rest of the week and all the remaining close in large bags. And the house looks like a mess - I HATE it!

4 more sleeps until I get to sleep in my new house! Hope its basement is dry! Ugh!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

More Pack

Tonight was a good night, a didn't stay in town like I had thought -- haven't been feeling well and Fred and I thought it was wise I come home, pack a little and then relax some too.

I have half of the spare room packed up - now its just clothes left so thats a really good feeling. I have no doubt it will all get packed in time - I can't believe its 8 days away until we are out of this house -- so crazy!

On the side bar of the blog I have a portion where I am going to keep track of the books I read. I purchased "Thats (not exactly) Amore" by Tracey Bateman for the church library. However I was surprised with how little it talks about God or more so how little it talked about being a Christian. I thought it was a good "light" book to read but I would have preferred it to go a little deeper on the Christian side.

I have been trying to read that book by Anne Graham Lotz and have been struggling - its a good book just not something I am able to focus on right now. So I have this book my mother in law loaned me -- wow like over a year ago -- called "Not Without my Daughter" so I am going to try moving on to it for a bit.

Mind you as I pack everything up I realized that my non-fiction book list is really long --- so many on my book shelf, bedside table and living room. Once settled in the new house (sigh) I hope I can do lots more reading!

So excited to be settled. I don't think I have felt "comfortable" in our home since we listed it. There is always that feeling of unease -- if that even makes sense. So yes super excited for Jan 30th (LOL after the move).

Ok I better get back to a few things - put dishes away, laundry and try to pack a few more things and then off to bed!

Monday, January 18, 2010

Monday Check In

So remember that post late Friday night about all I wanted to accomplish over the weekend.....well it kinda happened and kinda didn't.

I was able to do
- 3 loads of laundry (2 of which still need to be put away)
- washed the bedding
- packed up all my books/movies/decor in the living room (minus a few remaining things)

and then I got sick - horrible headache and just felt awful.

So the goal for this week (I have no choice the move is less then 2 weeks away)
- finish the office with Fred's help
- finish the last few things in the living room
- wrap and pack all wall hangings
- start and finish the spare room
- make list of things to pack separate to live out of (clothing and bathroom stuff) for the last few days 26th - 30th
- pack all decor items in master bedroom

So we'll see how I do - I have asked Fred to help me out. But we loss Wednesday night because I should work late and he has Junior High. So here is to a full week. My biggest prayer request is that my devo's dont' get pushed aside and that my energy level increases and I don't get stressed out.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Finish it Friday!

Wow what a crazy week - its 11;26pm Friday night as I type this and I'm so tired and yet full of energy...let me explain. I helped Fred out tonight with youth. He was teaching from 1 Peter 3 where it talks about wives submitting to their husbands, not always easy to talk to girls about -- especially when you're a guy. So, though I was feeling very "rusty" in my teaching I helped out. And I forgot what it was like afterward - being around 15+ teens is exhausting.

Anyways its been a crazy week. I was off on Monday and then had a very busy and stressful week of work and life. Packing....ugh! Thats all I'm going to say. I was so overwhelmed with everything I stopped doing my devotions - not the thing I needed to do to myself. But things are looking up and I had a really good prayer time and reading tonight before youth.

So on to Finish it Friday, I follow this blog called Creative Organizing and every Friday she creates a list of projects she would like to finish over the weekend...so I thought I would give it a try.

I would like to finish packing the books/albums in the living room as well as all the movies. Finish packing up the office. Finish laundry. Start to pack the spare room. So lets see on Monday how I do...

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

The Watt Wedding Album

For a wedding shower gift I gave my bestest girlfriend April an empty scrapbook album with the gift of putting together a wedding album for her and her hubby, Aaron.

Once the wedding was over and the pictures were collected I put together a list of questions and had the bride and groom fill in the blanks. So the scrapbook had their journalling (much more meaningful to them!).

Well the project was much more intimidating then I had imagined - I wanted to make sure the album was perfect! And that I displayed everything just so.

So finally after much consideration I jumped in - I started the album in September and was finished right before Christmas - which allowed me to do as planned (though one year behind as they were married in 2008) and give the album as a Christmas present also.

From April & Aarons Finished Album


I started with their engagement - the pictures were taken by the brides mom and were beautiful.
From April & Aarons Finished Album

I loved April's journaling about having butterflies in her tummy after Aaron proposed that I took the idea of butterflies and carried them through the entire book.
From April & Aarons Finished Album


Next was the documenting of the bridal showers. One of which was hosted by me and had tons of photos. The other hosted by an aunt that I didn't take many photos and didn't have very many given to me so I decided the pictures of April were the best. I included a pull out folder behind the pictures with all the "stuff" from both showers including invites and gift registries.
From April & Aarons Finished Album


Planning the Big Day - lots of journaling
From April & Aarons Finished Album


April created her own wedding invitation that was just beautiful so I wanted to make sure that it wasn't taped or secured in any way that it would harm the invitation they saved for themselves. So this cute little velum pocket worked perfect
From April & Aarons Finished Album


Another thing that the couple provided me with was letters they wrote to each other for their premartial class. They are beautifully writen and I wanted to include those as well:

From April & Aarons Finished Album

From April & Aarons Finished Album


Next: 2 pages about the wedding party. April and Aaron both wrote why they choose each member of their bridal party so I included that in a little pocket behind a picture

From April & Aarons Finished Album

From April & Aarons Finished Album

From April & Aarons Finished Album


I got to spend the day before with the couple but had very few photos of the actually day so I was glad they had lots of thoughts:
From April & Aarons Finished Album


I found these quotes from the couple too cute to not include
From April & Aarons Finished Album


Lots to do before the ceremony and we had some great shots - too many to choose from!
From April & Aarons Finished Album

From April & Aarons Finished Album


I always love to know what the bride chooses for her something old, new, borrowed and blue:
From April & Aarons Finished Album


Their bulletin for the ceremony:
From April & Aarons Finished Album


I loved how the photographer took the shot of the church
From April & Aarons Finished Album


And on the book a few shots leading up to the ceremony:
From April & Aarons Finished Album


Onto the ceremony - these pictures were so beautiful I didn't want to add anything to them!
From April & Aarons Finished Album

From April & Aarons Finished Album


Again they provided lots of journaling for what they were thinking, feeling....
From April & Aarons Finished Album

From April & Aarons Finished Album


Receptions are hard because the pictures are usually very dark but we did have a few to work with
From April & Aarons Finished Album


I included each of the speeches given during the reception in behind the journaling about the reception. On the back I included a list of the songs and why that were played during the dance portion of the reception

From April & Aarons Finished Album


Which then followed by a dancing page...
From April & Aarons Finished Album


And I ended it with their last song "At Last" lyrics and their thoughts on the overall wedding

From April & Aarons Finished Album


It was a large project but so much easier when all the journaling is provided! I am so happy I was able to put this together!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Scrapbook Projects

So now that we are moving – house sold and purchased another house – I should be spending my time focused on sorting/packing/tossing and giving away….however I all want to do is sit down and create!

It’s a new year and there are so many projects I want to start….

Project Life – 365 – Becky Higgins. An incredible project to take on. Take a picture a day for an entire year. Not something I can really commit to, however I LOVE this idea. What an amazing album you have left over. So instead of taking 365 pictures I will take random pictures throughout the month and document them similar to how Becky has described in her Project Life. I hope this will also help in December when I look back and wonder what we have done with the year. And this will help with my resolution to take more pictures.

Ali Edwards class – Yesterday and Today. I signed on to this class back in October and was so excited to take it on, but then life took hold and I ran out of time. Luckily I can go back to day one and still follow along. I have one of 12 layouts completed.

My Best Friends Wedding – I finished April and Aaron’s wedding album (gift to them long over due) but now need to document an album for me. So many pictures and memories…

Grandpa McCann – I want to make an album dedicated to Grandpa McCann – sitting down with Grandma and asking questions for his eulogy was amazing. It was hard, but it was neat to learn so much about Grandpa – his life was so full of crazy stories. So many great pictures I want to get and save for years to come.

Year in Review 2009 – I had done up a layout for 2007 and loved it – so I want to do that again.

Everyday Layouts – every year I say I want to just scrapbook – nothing specific just look at pictures/stories and scrap them together! My focus this year is on the stories. Getting away from the “fluffy” of scrapbooking and get down to the memories. Clean and simple.

Also something I am working on and started the other night was organizing my photos. I have almost all of my 2009 pictures in one place so I can burn them to a DVD and make room for new pics. I want to do this for each year. Makes it so much easier!

And of course I’m sure there is lots more I want to do but for now I can’t really start anything as I have to pack and move. But come February when my new office is set up I hope I can dive in and create (that is if I even have the energy ;)

Friday, January 1, 2010

Recap of Christmas

Leading up to Christmas had been very overwhelming. The day I decorated the house we had a showing which lead to an offer which later we sold the house! Good thing I decorated ;)

Our Christmas Tree:
From Christmas 2009


I wanted to do an advent calendar - this is one Mom made me and I filled with treats for Fred and I oh and Abby
From Christmas 2009


Can you see Abby's doggie treat?
From Christmas 2009


Fred and I both were blessed with a great Christmas Eve. We had a service at the church from 5-6pm and then we went over to VIP Chinese for dinner with Carmen and Phylis. We had some wonderful conversations and some good laughs. After dropping Phylis off at her house Fred drove us home on a scenic drive to see all the Christmas lights. Once home we popped in "It's a Wonderful Life" and just relaxed before going to bed.

Christmas morning we woke up and had Charlie and Abby open their stockings. It was hilarious to see Abby and Charlie both go to their stockings and understand the goodies were for them.
From Christmas 2009


Abby made quick work of hers as she tossed her toys outs
From Christmas 2009

From Christmas 2009

From Christmas 2009


After both pets had their stockings open and played with. Fred made us bacon and pancakes. We both had a nap before getting ready to go over to mom and dads. Fred and Dad went and got Grandma so she can visit for a bit. We had a nice dinner with mom and dad and watched a Christmas movie before heading home. Oh and Abby got to open her Christmas present from them -- a purple rain coat and some chewy bones!
From Christmas 2009


Boxing day - Mom's birthday - was spent at mom and dads for our Christmas get together. Once the boys arrived we opened stockings and gifts. Fred got several items for the garage and for ice fishing. And I was thrilled to get my movie "Julie & Julia" plus several scrapbooking goodies.
From Christmas 2009


Oh I have to show off the gift I made dad. He wanted money to go towards his GPS system so I made a card that I saw on Jennifer McGuires blog. The snowman scarf is made from a folded up $50 bill!
From Christmas 2009


All of us kids (and Abby and Austin)
From Christmas 2009


December 27th was the Grendel family get together. We started it off by all going to Fred's parents church in Maitland. Then we headed back to their place for a big turkey dinner. Which was followed by the gift exchange. All of the kids continue to grow and change. This was definitely the quietest Christmas yet.
From Christmas 2009


Then it was back to work for me (Fred had the week off) for a few more days until New Years. We had April and Aaron come over for New Years Eve and had a blast!
We exchanged gifts....

Charlie got some homemade treats...
From Christmas 2009

Abby was thrilled with her crazy toy....
From Christmas 2009

We were spoiled as usually (movie pass, CD's, Jane Austen book and movie! oh and homemade ornaments)
From Christmas 2009

From Christmas 2009

From Christmas 2009

And besides the 2 games we got them I also was finally able to give them their gift -- their wedding scrapbook! (I will post pics later of the scrapbook - but for now you can see they really loved it!)
From Christmas 2009

From Christmas 2009

From Christmas 2009


We then spent the night eating (oh my goodness the amount of food), playing the Mario Kart, bowling and tennis on the Wii and some good old Family Feud before watching the ball drop! We finished out the night with a movie and then said good byes around 3am! It was a great night and a great way to ring in the new year!

Happy New Year!

Welcome to a new year!2010! How exciting.

As we enter a new year I always tend to reflect on the past year and all that happened and all that I experienced and learned. At first 2009 started slowly, nothing big (that I can remember), February brought a celebration of having our puppy Abby for a year, April 10th I celebrated my 28th birthday and then in May Fred and I listed the house and it began :). Since then the years focus has been on selling and moving. Its been a roller coaster of emotions. From having an offer in the summer which then never went anywhere, to moving my job to Kingston in faith that the house would sell (which also then put me on the road for 14 hours a week). June was the month Fred was ordained as a pastor at Bethel. We said good bye to Fred's uncle during the summer (and are thankful that his aunt is staying so strong through this difficult time) August we (with many others) went to Constance lake on a missions trip. October Fred and I celebrated our 7th Anniversary. November I dealt with many health issues (well it started in September). But December was the most emotional month of them all. It started on the 5th with an offer, the 6th Fred preached, the 18th my grandfather passed away, the 22nd our house sold, the 30th we purchased a house! The last few weeks have been a mess of emotions from sad to excited. The thought of grandpa McCann not being here is still very emotional to me and something I will continue to deal with. The house well that just leaves me with the thought of only 4 weeks to pack :)

So as I enter this new year I am thinking about what I would like to do. I have never liked resolutions. Mostly because I can never follow through with them. But this year I am asking for help from others and God to get me through one very large goal: Reading thru the Word! I am again commenting to reading through the bible in one year. I will be following along with Wendy Pope (her blog) and many others as we started and learn and grow from Gods amazing word.

Other goals I would like to accomplish:
- reading more non fiction (and keeping record of all that I read again)
- giving up control of all my time and visiting more with family and friends
- taking more pictures (I want to try to keep record of each month in some way that I haven't decide yet) and making time to create something each month
- starting and finishing my Ali Edwards scrapbook class I purchased last year
- take more walks with Fred and learn to enjoy the outdoors more

I'm sure there are many other goals I have but these are ones that I have been thinking about over the past two days.

So welcome 2010! May this be an amazing year!