One Little Word: advice!

I have some of that great motherly advice that I received from some great people!!

YOU CAN'T DO EVERYTHING

and I need to REMEMBER that

sometimes I feel like I want to capture everything and I want to be perfect at everything that I do in my life. So I asked some fellow scrapbooking friends how they manage and do everything because I simply haven't been able to do it.

My Question-

okay so I've completely overwhelmed myself i think 

With the new year ending and the birth of my daughter and the fact I'm a sahm I keep seeing projects that I want to do. That I'm getting to the point that I can't prioritize them.... 

HOW DO YOU MOMS DO IT!!!

i see so many that do multiple cts, create tons of projects, work through all the forums, and do project 365, run blogs, ect......

I need some major organization tips please!!!

my blog states it all!!! I have this huge list of things I want to do for the new year, but I keep overwhelming myself to make sure I get everything done that I want.

I want to do a daily journal
do project love me 
do project life/project 52/or project 365
do the log your memory challenges
do the one word from Ali Edwards
im creating an altered album
I want to create a 12x12 layout story book
i want to be on creative teams
do the portfolios or as many challenges as I can
I want to keep up Project Em Blog................



I feel like I can't do all that with a 3 month old and keep house work up and work 2 days part time......... so many of you do way more than this!!!! you are just more organized than me lol

I got a lot of super helpful responses, so I thought I would share some and help you and me always to remember that we aren't super women... 

Not a mom, but I wanted to chime in.

You. Can't. Do. It. All. No one can. I have no kids, and I still don't get everything that I want to get done. Everyone you see doing stuff that you wish you could do, is letting something else slide that you can't see. As women, we always want to do 83902895043 things, and naturally all of them have to be perfect too. We want to be perfect moms, perfect wives, have a perfect house, etc etc etc. It's unrealistic, and it tends to give us low self esteem issues because we think we're failures. But in reality, the only person we're failing is ourselves by setting up so many unreachable goals.

You have to set realistic goals. Of those things, what is the MOST important one that you want to have done. Prioritize that list. Work on the important things first, and if you have time and it isn't going to make you crazy, then work on something lower on the list. Look at your life and your responsibilities as a whole. Yes it would be awesome to do everything on that list, but then your house will be an absolute mess and you'd be living out of take out and fast food containers. Everything in life has a trade off, you just have to decide what makes the "worth my time" cut, and what doesn't.

by collen :)

and

 Honestly - there is no way you can do it ALL. I'd pick a few things that are most important to you off that list and let the rest go. Maybe 2 or 3 things at the very most, otherwise you will feel stressed and completely overwhelmed.

Looking at your list, you can probably combine a couple of your items, such as a daily journal and P365. The CT's I would limit to 1, maybe 2 CT's at the most.

Honestly, looking back at my now 3 year old, I wish I had just taken a break and spent more time with her. Kids literally grow SO fast. It's incredible. Last week she was a tiny bundle, and now she is 3 years old! You won't look back in 5 years when she is starting kindergarten and think "Wow, I really regret not doing P365, having a word of the year, being on CT's, and spending enormous amounts of my time on the computer, feeling stressed, pulled in 1000 directions!". Nope. If you try to do too many things, they are all things that you will regret DOING, not NOT DOING, kwim?

Take time to enjoy you're baby. Mark down milestones (perfect time for the daily journal AND P365), and enjoy her. When your life isn't so full, take the time to SLOWLY branch into a new project. Jumping in with both feet will gaurantee you to drown.

by Jaedyn

the entire post is here at an awesome community of women called
Sweet Shoppe :) 

Journal: best tv show so far!

How I met your mother!! 

I'm enjoying this show with your uncle ryan, as you relax in your swing! You have had a sick day I think your poor teeth are bothering you. So you've been nicely relaxing in your swing bundled up with your new Christmas Blanket from Aunt Shannon. After you wake up I think we will be running to Hobby Lobby after you wake up! I have a few more things to grab to complete your daily journal... which I'll have the basic foundation and pages ready to start in January :) I have til Friday!!

Journal: oh so fun!!

Tonight we've been playing together. You have had so much energy!!! its been fun :)

now we are relaxing and cuddling on the couch. you have learned to make a super fun smacking noise with your mouth, that i think you picked up from someone over Christmas. You keep Razzing, Smacking, talking, and laughing, its been so much fun!

When you officially get wore out I've been working on your altered journal. I'm starting the foundation now :)

i have some pages cut already! i cant wait to show more

ok so i have a photo of you today, but its way over exposed because of the light :(

  I also found a really cute project!

family memory tray project 

by Ali Edwards :)

{Project: Love, Me} “Pre”-prompt- why??

{ Pre-Prompt }

So why are you completing the project? Is it for you, or for someone else, or both? What do you hope to gain from the project at the end of the 52 weeks? Do you think it will make a difference in your life? How?

I'm creating this project for YOU! I wan't you to know who I am, who I was, and who I want to be. I hope to gain the clearest perspective on my life, my loves, and who I am. I hope at the end of the 52 weeks {your first year of life} that you not only know you.. but that you know ME! I think it will greatly impact me. I hope for an amazing 2011 and I can't wait to kick of this new year and this next chapter in our lives together.

it will contain the life of 

Emma- age 3 months.

Susan- age 24 years.

Josh- age 27 years.

the three bears :)

Review 2010!! and 365 possible?

2010 in review!!!! 

January- Starting the new year off :) just Susan and Josh and our family and friends...

February- I found out I was PREGNANT! thats right I found out early that month that you were on the way. I had a dangerous accident 2 wks later, so I quit my job and stopped traveling to work everyday. It was a terrible winter so I said enough was enough and I didn't need the stress of running a cosmetology class while I was pregnant, so I went to work at Sally's. 

March- I said goodbye to all my students and dear co-worker friends

April and May I spent relaxing and working. I also kept up with Pregnancy blogs and read books awaiting your arrival. I also snapped a few pregnancy photos.

June daddy and I celebrate or 2 year anniversary. June 6th was our anniversary. We spent it in Colorado with Grandma and Grandpa Robinson and Aunt Whitney! Mommy went up and down mountains, relaxed, and we did our first Geo-caching. something we plan to do with you one day.

July I had my first baby shower!! it was thrown by my super sweet friend Laura Twenter. My students came and we hung out. 

August I had my 2nd baby shower hosted by Aunt Shannon and Aunt Whitney!! this one we had at Aunt Shannons house and had all of josh's super sweet family and my amazing friend Gabby Carlton. 

we were so blessed with the gifts we were given!! amazing :)

September was only the month before you were due. I took this month very easy. I just relaxed and set up your nursery. 

OCTOBER was the long awaited month!! the month you were due. Your original due date was October 13th. The beginning started of with again relaxing and prepping. We had read books, asked around, took classes, kept up on dr. appts, and read blogs all in preparation. 

I spent the first few days grabbing some last minute photos with my best friend Stephanie Murray. She also was pregnant!! Then October 6th came along. It was a 2 week checkup appt. My dr noticed my blood pressure was high and sent me to the ob triage diagnosed with Pre-Eclampsia. they offered my to begin the inducing process and we started around noon. I began the drug called Pitocin and we began to monitor my contractions and blood pressure. Everyone began to drive up and prepare to meet you. Around 6 pm things began to really pick up and mommy decided to go a head and get her epidural then. at 745 the dr checked me and said we were ready to begin pushing! Daddy and Grandma Toby stayed there along with Dr. Holden, Dr. Green, and another dr. 1 med student and 2 nurses... and we began. 

At 825 pm on October 6th 2010 you were born

weighing 6lbs. 7 ounces. and 19 inches long. 

I was able to immediately hold you....

 and I immediately fell in love!!! I don't think I could possibly explain the feeling.. you'll know one day though.

You were welcomed into the world by Daddy, Mommy, Grandma and Grandpa Robinson, Grandma and Grandpa Skaggs, Aunt Whitney, Uncle Ryan, Aunt Shannon, your cousin Alexia, Stephanie, Breana, Erica, Heather, Leezly, Katie, Great Grandma Janice, Uncle Brendon and Christian, and your Aunt Alexis.

November through the rest of the year.....

we went through many milestones, learning experiences, sleepless nights, joyful times, exciting moments, spit up, diapers, crying, laughing, cuddling, growing, and just LOVING YOU!!

birth

one month w/ teddy bear growth comparison

 two month growth comparison with teddy bear

month 3 coming January 6th 2011!!

How will I record 2011?? 365 photos a day? 52 weeks of photos?? what type of journaling??? 

I'll answer these once I know... 

xoxo

Mommy 

Christmas is over... ready for the new year

Christmas 2010 has officially came to the end. I'm ready to start 2011!!

I don't officially have any photos to share from the 2nd Christmas yet. I left the memory card to my camera at home :(

We had the most wonderful time at today! You had so much fun on your first Christmas. 

we woke up around 4 am... quick feed and change, then headed back to bed until around 8 or 9 am when lexi ran around the house and woke everyone up to open gifts! We had donuts made by Grandpa... you had milk lol. We opened up gifts while you sat with us and opened your very first gift... I had to help a lot, but you opened some home safety equipment. We opened the rest of the gifts while you fell asleep on grandmas lap. You cuddled up with your new baby blanket embroidered with your name and hearts. You also got a giant teddy bear, some mega blocks, cute 6-9 month outfits, wall hangings. Mommy and Daddy got some frames, a computer, some socks and undies, wallet, safety equipment, grill, coach purse, wallets, and some other things that. Everyone LOVED the gifts we got them. We gathered with Aunt Whitney and Aunt Shannon and got photos for Grandma and Grandpa. 

The last one we gave to everyone else. We picked out super cute frames and wrapped them in cute paper.

another Christmas down... its time to look towards next year and remember what happened this year.

Love you sweetie!!

Merry Christmas :)

Project Planning: Its about time to start!!

So I pretty much have gathered all I need to start my albums!! Your wonderful Grandmother passed me down some much need supplies to use/borrow/keep!! Combined with all my searching and purchasing... Some small things still to go... I have everything big I need to begin.

I now have

My found and recycled items

basically whats there is:

Supplies:

assortment of Art Supplies

Paper Assortmants

pens

tacky adhesive (probably will change)

found elements

found recycle paper

photos/ultrasound/med cards and art drawings

pens/markers

fabrics/threads/beads and other essentials

Closeup of supplies- i'm being very creative and using many found and unique items

Equipment:

Canon 40D with lens

Toshiba Laptop with multiple PDFs/hybrid/digital downloads... (also your baby Einstein shows)

Xbox controller for music selections

More closeups of supplies and essentials.

My recent purchases:

me and my big ideas cardstock

some pick cardstock (but i'll go darker pink)

3 rings

corner rounder

hole punch (but already got a better one)

ribbon assortment

Emma's mail with her name :)

NOW grandma's hand me downs include some big items and a lot of other essentials

paper cutters/ magnetic mats/ adhesives/ thread/ needles/ sewing machines/ other scrapping equiptment

a crop a dile

 a cricut with 8 cartridges

and assortments that I really honestly still need to look through.

I have a few more little things to buy like some journaling paper assortments, buttons, threads, and any other little things I may see.