Just a Little Photo Love

I took some family portraits on Saturday and I really loved them.  I just wanted to share a few that I took.

Lost Tooth 12x12 Layout

Supplies are from Memory Works Express

Please note that the photos are actually straight on the layout, but I couldn't crop it correctly in Photoshop.  It's not the best layout.  I did it at a retreat and had no "Teeth" related items.  So, there you have it.  I'm sure Maddie will forgive me one day!

Book Club Book

So as some of you may know we started up a book club on Facebook.  We have chosen to start reading

We will begin by September 1st.  If you want to join, please let me know.

Back to School Pics

Before we get started, let's say goodbye to summer vacation.

Maddie and JoJo's 1st Day.  They started August 1.  

Wolfie's first day. He started August 14.  We decided to change his school to a local one.  He has been going with me since daycare.  It was a terrifying experience to actually send my child off to school when I won't be there.  I'm not even in the same town.  I can't imagine sending a five year old off on their own.  Erik is now responsible for taking him to school and picking him up.  My neighbors are helping out too.  He's really liked the adjustment.  He has new friends.  He got invited to a birthday party this weekend that we can actually attend.  It's always awkward to attend a party as a teacher/parent, especially when a parent is a very frequent complaint maker at your school.  It's also very difficult when you live 25 miles or more away from the party.  The best news...no uniform!!!  Wolfie wasn't that thrilled about school shopping.  I probably could have done it without him.

A Few Book Recommendations

I've read a few books over the last few weeks.  First let me say that Heller's Decision is out!!!

J.D. Nixon is one of my favorite authors.  Of course I read the new book in a day.  I loved it!  It was very funny, and I chuckled my way through it. The first book, Heller is a free ebook.  She also has the Little Town Series.  The first book, Blood Ties is also a free ebook.  You won't be disappointed if you decide to read those two books.

The next is the Shattered Hearts Trilogy.  The three books are about a girl who dropped out of college and starts a new life in another town, where she meets Adam.  The only problem is that her high school sweetheart comes back after a year long absence...he's been on tour...he's a rock star.  The series overall is a five star read for me.  It was real, and it dealt with real and heartbreaking issues.  The first two books were 99 cents last time I checked.  So worth the read.

Private Book Club

I know some of you all read this blog for book recommendations.  I started a private group on Facebook for us.  This is a place where we can share books, author links, and discussions.  If you are interested please contact me and I will surely add you to the group. You can leave a comment or email me at mariahashbaughathotmail.com

Happy Reading!

Dear Maddie:

Dear Maddie:

You are my artsy boy.  You love to color, draw, and make things.  You are so handsome with your pretty blue eyes.  Everyday, you grow more handsome.  Sometimes you ask my why you're different because you like the color pink and wear bracelets.  I'm sure glad you are different.  You're not boring, and you're not a follower.  You attract people like a magnet with your quirky personality.  You love music.  You have to listen to Michael Jackson and Dolly Parton daily.  It wasn't long ago that you would blast your music and dance in secret.  This summer, you learned to moonwalk.  I mean real actual moonwalking.  I attempted this when I was a child as well but was never successful.  You are a lover of things from my generation.  You love to watch Full House.  Just the other night, we were discussing Jurrasic Park.  I told you it was a movie I watched when I was a kid.  You were shocked.  You couldn't believe I had color television when I was a child!  I'm not that old, silly boy!  I love this picture of you, because I can hear you saying to me, "Really, Mom?"  Keep being you, keep being special and funny, and smart, and loving.
Love,
Mom

Ouch 12x12 layout

I can't remember where the supplies are from...either Studio Calico or Memory Works Express monthly kit.  Sorry.  I love the doily, though.

Happy Sunday!

From where I sit...

...I see little boys lying around me.  One sucks his thumb, one reads a book, and one watches TV while we wait for the cleaning lady to finish up in the living room and kitchen.

...I see little toes and okra in the garden.  Okra, the boys like to collect and then help me prepare for frying.

...I see a sneak of a layout I finished.  The first one in months.  I had to do make it.  I've been writing more, reflecting more, trying to think about how I really want to document the story that is ours.

...I see a silly teenaged girl who our family loves dearly, who loves my children dearly.  The girl that I think had a really good weekend with us...At least I think so.  Those teens are crazy.

...I see a boy who loves his dog.  

...I see a really cool cloud from the passenger side of the truck while the aforementioned teen drives so we can pick up B-Dubs on a Friday night.

And really from where I sit, I realize that there are so many tiny things to notice.  A million tiny things to see.  A million words that can be shared.  A million little moments that make up this big giant thing called life.

New Blog Design

Hi everyone!  I'm sure you noticed, I changed up my blog a bit.  I was ready for a new look.  I'm thinking of changing my blog title...I'm just undecided at this point.  This blog isn't all about scrapbooking anymore.  Maybe I should go with "It's fun2scrap when you have the time." Ha.  I've actually had more time to get things done as I haven't had any recent photo shoots.  That means more time to do things I want to do, rather than have to do.  Hope you guys like the new look and have a great Friday!!

Maddie's Mini Session

Maddie let me take a few photos of him this summer.  No other boy volunteered for it, so I have to give kudos to him.  Except the boy is beautiful.  He is so, so handsome.

Quick Sketch and a Useful App

This is for a 12x12 layout that I plan on doing in the near future.  It's for my pictures from the Mud Run I did in March.  I want to incorporate my number on to the layout.  You could adapt this for your own personal use as well.

I made this sketch on the Bamboo Paper App (You should check it out on your iPad).  I can use my finger to draw or write and then email the photos to myself, where I can save them as JPEGs.  For this reason, I plan on sharing a lot more sketches here.  I did post them here before, but it was always a lot harder to do the sketches in Photoshop.  I will also be posting files you can cut with your Silhouette Machine.  I will share an example of that later in the week.  I am trying to figure out the easiest way for you to download them from my blog.  That is all today, Peeps!  Have a great one!

To Sport or Not To Sport

Old photo from soccer.  Wolfie was four or five!

Erik and I have had long conversations about whether we should put our children in sports.  At this point in time, none of them really want to play.  Dragging Wolfie to soccer practice where he cried or refused to practice was a real joy.  JoJo wanted to last year, but I held him out due to traumatic brain injury.  I just don't know that I feel sports are that important in my children's lives.  Yet, I feel that I am somehow cheating my kids out of something by not doing so.  It's what "everyone" else is doing.  Shouldn't I be on board with everyone else?   When I meet with other mom's I feel guilty about it.  I even discussed that I didn't want to force the kids to do sports with a close friend of mine.  She said they wouldn't be any good when they got older because everyone would be way more experienced and advanced.  I told shared that with Erik, and his reply was none of our boys would be making a professional career out of any sport.  I think that he is right.  The man was leading rusher in the state during high school and broke many, many football records.  I was a UCA All-American Cheerleader.  The first in the history of my High School.  Neither one of us had the desire, nor made it to the professional level.  Erik did play college ball, but gave it up to take a leadership position at his school.  I was so burnt out of cheerleading I didn't consider it in college.

While I do feel that children's sports can be beneficial in many ways, I think I would rather eat dinner at home with my children every night.  When my kids grow up, I want them to know what a family is.  A family spends time together, eats together, prays together, fights together.  I want to come home and laugh and play with my kids, if it's in the pool, shooting baskets, riding bikes, or running around in the yard like idiots.  I want to teach my children how to cook.  I love having them in the kitchen with me, while they help me prepare meals.

I want my kids to hunt, fish, and camp.  Those activities bring a lot of joy to our lives.  They are done with the entire family, and often grandparents.  I want my boys to know where food comes from.  A sacrifice must be made so we can eat.  I want them to be thankful for that, to realize it's importance.  

This year, all of the boys will be going to catechism.  Wolfie is not required since he made his First Holy Communion two years ago.  We still want him to go and continue his religious education.  Sports would interfere with that.  I want my boys to have a strong sense of faith, and knowledge of God.  It is very hard for us to get to church with Erik's schedule.  Working on that is a major goal for this school year.

I love sitting at the kitchen table every night and helping my kids with their homework.  It's an important part of our day.  I feel that the kids know the absolute importance of school.  Well, maybe not JoJo :/

Sports will be a small time period in their lives.  When they grow up, I want them to have a strong sense of family.  I want them to share our values with their children and wives.  It's not about the touchdowns, or goals.  Life is about relationships, family, and love. I don't want them to miss hunting or camping because they had a game to go to.  I don't want to miss dinner together because of practice.  I don't want meals to be fast food in the car while we drive.  When they're older and show interest, then I will be all for it.  For now, I want to savor the easiness,  the lack of hecticness, our life at home together.  It will be gone before we know it.  Time flies so quickly.

**As a disclaimer, if your child is in sports that's great!  This post is based solely on what Erik and I feel is best for OUR family.**

Summer Book Recommendations

I did a lot of Summer reading this season...Now my summer is sadly over.  I thought I would share a few standouts with you.

LOVED this one!

Free Book!  It ends on Cliffhanger, but the second book is out and below.

2nd book in series...cliffhanger ending though!

2nd book in Series.  The first is The Opportunist which I loved.  I probably recommended it here already.

Conclusion to The Opportunist and Dirty Red.  Really good.

Loved this one!!

A Dog's Life...

This place has gone to the dogs...Literally.  I thought I would share some funny photos of the dogs.  Training a puppy with older children is really quite an adventure.  They have successful untrained Mazzie in a lot of ways.  For example.

They were letting her beg for food and running through the house with it.  We really had to crackdown on that.

Stuffed animals are no longer safe.  She was carrying this one around like a puppy, but then she also loves to chew on it as well.  Also notice the wood she drug in from inside.

She HAS to get into the pool if the boys are in there.  She will jump up and fall over backwards until we put her in.  She does a lap and then gets out.

My bathroom floor has mainly become a hazard to anyone walking in it.

But it's worth it, I guess.  

Have a Great Day!