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There's something about the clean lines of this layout. The font choices. The colors. The story.
This was taken after the first time we saw Dixie Stampede. Chesney chose a stuffed horse on the way out of the show. She fell asleep cuddling it. And the horse still sleeps on her bed... eight years later. It's named Niko, after the lead horse in the show. She loves him.
Yet another story captured. Sigh. Love this.
This layout made me cry when I created it. Even now, it makes my throat clench. This was a defining moment in my daughter's life. I captured the story. I'm so glad I did.
And so you don't have to squint, here's the journaling:
Yesterday, you lost a tooth. You were bubbling with excitement about the tooth fairy and giddy with the anticipation of getting another dollar to add to your spending money.
You went to bed just like you always have, and I tucked you in just like I always do. It wasn't until I was getting ready to go to bed an hour later that you came to me and asked if we could talk.
"Mom" you said with giant tears running down your face,"Jackie told me there isn't a tooth fairy. She saw her mom putting money under her pillow."
In that moment, I had to make a decision. Do I tell you the truth? Do I continue to perpetuate a dream? But you hadn't asked me if there was a tooth fairy, you had just told me what your friend said. "Honey," I said, "Sometimes we have to believe in the spirit of something. If you believe it's true, it's true in your heart."
Then you looked at me. I saw your struggle to believe.
"Mom, I'm scared," you said.
"Scared of what?" I asked, for I was truly confused.
With a sob you told me, "I'm scared of growing up."
Now I felt tears fall. Oh baby, I'm scared to have you grow up. I'm sure this isn't the first time you've been told that there is no Tooth Fairy, no Santa Claus. You are just weeks shy of being ten years old and until yesterday, you always believe in the face of all other evidence to the contrary. Somehow, on this day, you had the maturity to realize that maybe the world isn't as innocent as you always believed. You realized that growing up means letting go of your childhood dreams and wishes.
I hugged you as you sat on my lap for what would most likely be the last time. I told you I loved you, and you told me that even though growing up is sometimes not fun, it means getting to do some fun stuff. And then you told me something that showed me just how very mature you are.
"Mom," you said. "I waited to tell you until you were going to bed so Chesney wouldn't know."
I thanked you on behalf of your little sister, and gave you a hug and sent you to bed. Then I went to my own bed, told your dad, rolled over and let my own tears fall. It's time for me to let go of my little girl, and I think it's OK if we both cry a little over that. I had to mourn the loss of your innocence and faith. We'll get through this next stage together, and I expect we'll shed a few more tears. But at least we'll be together. March 2006.
Gosh, what's not to love about this layout? I love the big title. The journaling right on the photo. The huge photo.
Well, the huge photo could have been a little better. This was before I really mastered photography. I would have liked to have seen a shallow depth of field, with the focus on Brady.
This works, though. The smile on his face. Dani Mogstad's fun alpha. The funky journaling font. Definitely in my top five.
I really, really love looking at Nettio's layouts. She uses patterns so well. And stuff.
I have issues with stuff. When I paper scrapbooked, I used a lot of cardstock. Owned a lot of patterned paper, but didn't use it a lot. It's not that I can't use patterns, it's just not effortless for me.
Lynette makes it look effortless.
So when NSD came around in May, I took the plunge and bought some of Nettio's templates.
Then I actually used them.
I did this:
I love that I was able to use so much, but still be true to my style. I mean... look at all that blue and orange. If that isn't me, nothing is. And I have some fun fonts and the stitched numbers, and I'm just loving all the little details.
I also love that this layout looks like it could have been done with paper. I probably wouldn't have done it this way with paper because there's a buncha buncha stitching, but I could have. Nothing here I couldn't have done.
More in this continuing series tomorrow...
I love the trend of making summer to do lists. Here's some of my favorites:
I'm not so much into making to do lists. I usually fail to complete them and then I get all cranky with myself. So I decided to do a list of things that remind me of summer. Here's this year's:
Fear of Heights.
I've got it.
Mykiah asked if it was genetic. My parents aren't too great about heights, either.
I'm not sure if it's genetic. Or perhaps learned. Or probably both.
I just know I'm not fond of being up high.
A few weeks ago, I was at a parking garage with co-workers. We were climbing the stairs to get to a car. I realized after one flight that I wasn't going any farther.
I really only have a problem going up. Coming down I'm fine. So I had to say, "meet you at the bottom."
And then we went to Boys State Closing Ceremonies. Parents were asked to sit in the balcony. No problem. The balcony is one of my favorite places to sit.
Except in McCain Auditorium.
Not a great photo, probably because I was shaking. The white spot at the top is at the top of the stage. We were above that. Dan really wanted to sit down by the couple at the right. I told him to go ahead, but I was not getting that close to the rail.
Dan wanted to see Brady. I just wanted to keep breathing.
Those stupid people by the rail then did this:
And I thought I was going to pass out on their behalf. The rail is there so you won't lean over it.
I did eventually get comfortable enough that I could stand to say the pledge and take a few pictures of the action down below.
Needless to say, I won't be riding roller coasters on our next trip to Silver Dollar City.
We live in manufactured housing (i.e. a trailer house, if you want to be common). Dan used to sell them, we got a good deal, and this is where we live. Our house doesn't define us. We simply found affordable housing and this is where we have stayed. We use our disposable income to take trips we wouldn't be able to take if we had a different house. It works for us.
Except during tornado season.
We've actually been very lucky and we haven't had to worry about it the last few years. We have multiple choices of shelters. One in-ground shelter is within a few feet of our back door.
A few years ago, however, our community built an above-ground, FEMA approved shelter. It's a block and a half away.
So a week ago Thursday, the girls and I were home and the stupid Emergency alert went off on the TV. I hate that thing. It paralyzes the TV so you can't... say, flip it to the news and find out what's going on. Our county is one that stupidly blows the tornado sirens for the entire 1000 square miles of county, so a tornado can be an hour away and they'll still blow the siren right outside my window. I never just assume a siren blowing means we should be in shelter.
However, my girls feel a little differently. Chesney has always been afraid of storms. Mykiah hadn't been... until Joplin. Something about the devastation being in a place we knew.... it shocked her and has made her a mess when it comes to storms.
So the sirens blew, I finally turned on the news, and *sigh* it was coming right towards us. The police were going up and down the streets with their sirens on. Probably thinking "Come on all you stupid trailer park people, get in shelter."
So I packed up my stuff. Laptop. External Hard Drive. Camera. Chesney asked about the dog, but he's not allowed in the shelter and we weren't getting him out from under the bed anyway. Mykiah grabbed Brady's Kindle (this was a few days before we picked him up) and Ches had her DS. We walked over to the shelter.
I found myself a spot along the wall and sat.
It had been 102 degrees that day and the shelter isn't air conditioned. In fact, it's concrete block. I just sat and people watched. There was Mykiah's friend, who brought blankets and a ball. An older Hispanic lady who brought a jug of orange juice. A little boy I used to teach who didn't seem to be with any adults... until I realized his dad was just outside watching the storm.
Mykiah had decided the shelter was not storm worthy and we were all going to die.
At this point, I was fairly confident it wasn't going to hit us. It could have. The conditions were right and it really did look like the worst was hooking right towards us. It just didn't feel right.
I couldn't have convinced Mykiah of that. She was a total emotional mess.
At one point, they finally shut the doors and triple deadbolted them. About this time, she grabbed my arm and yelled, "Here it comes!"
I would have died laughing at this point if she hadn't been so deadly serious. Mykiah, honey, that's a chair being slid across a concrete floor.
Finally, we were told we had the all clear. Dan and Chesney took the van back to the house. Mykiah and I said we'd stay and wait until it stopped raining, then walk back. Except it didn't stop raining, so we finally called and made Dan come back and get us.
As we walked back in the house, the sirens went off again.
Mykiah wanted to go back. I refused. In fact, no funnel clouds ever touched the ground that night. The clouds were rotating. They were lowering. It just didn't organize.
I'm hoping this is our last trip to the shelter for another five years or so. Not my favorite place in the world.
Friday morning, we decided to spend the day at the lake. We needed to get out and be somewhere, not sit in the house. So we filled the cooler with water and gatorade. Stopped at Subway for subs (don't try the avocado... it's nasty and I love avocado). Went to our new favorite spot.
Brady wore his Perry ensemble.
We actually didn't stay here long. Under the water line were hundreds of very sharp rocks. That's no fun, folks. So we threw everything back in the van and took off for an area we didn't like as much.
We didn't like it because it's not actually part of the lake. It's a river/creek outlet on the other side of the dam.
And I have no idea why we didn't like it last time. It was perfect. Because it was shallower, it was warmer. Plenty of sandy beach. Just amazing.
We liked it so much we went back Saturday. Probably overdid it... we were all pink and cranky by Saturday night, but it sure was fun.
my beach reading:
It's actually re-reading. I'm reading them all again before I read the newest release. Except I cheated and read the new one over Memorial Day. Still, I like my new tradition of starting summer by reading the Sookie books. She's perfect for summer.
Saturday's meal was cheese, crackers and pepperoni. Except Brady ate cold pizza. Boy likes his food.
Can't wait to go back.
This week I'm adding three new kits to my shoppe at Two Little Pixels. I love all three and couldn't begin to choose a favorite, so I just added them all. *shrug* What else could I do?
Perfect for scrapping summer and vacations and floating in the creek...
This kit has gorgeous word art included:
And finally...
All three kits are on sale through the weekend. Be sure to pick 'em up!
