Saturday, January 11, 2014

The very long, I can't believe I have it all done, completed 2013 December Daily album

***Warning!!!  Photo Heavy!!! ***

I can't believe it's not Butter...

I also can't believe it's not even the end of January and I have completed my December Daily album.

Go Me!!

I totally enjoyed this process this year.

I never felt pressured to get it done every day, which is a good thing because I did it in lumps and chunks throughout December.

Having a printer at home made this process super duper easy.

Receiving a Silhouette Cameo for Christmas made finishing up the last few days and adding in extra details, super duper fun!

I had some constants throughout;  I used some of  Ai's and Cathy's digital elements, as well as this journaling template .  Those elements simplified and unified some of my pages.

I primarily used the Studio Calico December Daily kit for the base of my project.  I also pre-made my transparent numbered pages as well as heat embossed the wood veneer pieces from the kit to eliminate any fussiness throughout the process.

I told myself that I was going to focus on one story a day, but that didn't happen.  There is always so much going on in December that I recorded the majority of our days.  Some were more eventful then others.  :)

Here it is:

Day 1
Super simple reminder about what this month is about, 
and of course, advent calenders.  I just love ours.

 Day 2
 Some words on  J and his reactions to the holidays.
  
Day 3
 M and how he is is feeling about Christmas this year.

 Day 4 
The story story of decorating the Christmas tree.  
It was done late in November like we usually do, but I wanted to share the story.  
This day was a good day to do it.

Day 5
 Momma sick.  M sick.  
I went out to get my favorite seasonal treat regardless.
The back of one of Second Cups gift card holders was a good place to adhere my 
journalling about that day


 Day 6  
Momma and M still sick.  
Very thankful for this woman on this day, and always!
(Also, that reindeer head?  Cut with my silhouette!!)

 Day 7
 I messed up the sewing of my numbered transparent page and the date, so I fixed them with a little scribble and some washi tape.  Also, this day tells the story of our Portable North Pole tradition.  Love it so much!

Day 8
 A little photo op with daddy.  I worked this weekend during the nights 
so it was all about building a gingerbread house with Grandma!

 Day 9
The story of another little tradition we have; an angel tree at the boys school.  
Also, some handy dandy silhouette cutting with a SC  file that came with the DD kit.

 Day 10 
I had two days off in a row this week.  It was time to wrap and bake.  
I also had some extra pictures to include so I started to cut up my SC pocket pages 
to include them, so this day had a bit more content.  I included a text from Grammy
 and the boys opened letters from their Uncle when they got home.

 Day 11: 
Baking with my Mom.  It was such a nice morning to be able
to get the boys off to school and bake the morning away. 
 I looked up at one point and saw their stuffies waiting for them on the couch.  
Made me smile.


 Day 12
Nothing going on here.  In fact I didn't have anything to share.  I came home from work around 11:30pm and snapped a picture of the tree and went to bed.
  
Day 13
It was a Friday so we were off to speech therapy for J.  We brought his therapist cookies.  :)
It was also my Sisters birthday so we did the usual dinner and cake.

 Day 14
My last weekend off this month.  It was really cold and there was lots of family time.  It was nice to have everyone home for breakfast.  I also included J's letter to Santa that he did in class this year.  :)


 Day 15
a big snow storm overnight.  I took that picture at 5:30am.  It was wild outside!  I didn't journal this day and I am okay with that!

 Day 16
Not my best day.  I had a major meltdown on my boys and I wrote them an apology letter.  
Looking back I still feel poopy about it. 

 Day 17
Last day of 39.  Made some commitments to myself to get through the rest of the holidays 
with the right attitude.  Also...getting excited for the big day!

 Day 18
The best day ever.
At midnight I turned 40 and became engaged to my partner of 16 years.  It was a special moment as we have worked hard at our relationship over the last year.  Two boys under the ASD umbrella, life, and parenthood in general, took a toll on our relationship, but we have tried hard.  Some might say it was a Christmas miracle.  :) I spent the day with the boys at school for their craft day, and the night with my whole family to celebrate my birthday.  40 never felt so good.  :)   
Lots of pictures to include here.



 Day 19
Wonderful cards and notes home from my boys teachers.  
I included them in the album but didn't show them here. I also added pictures from the day before because they really needed to be there but I'm not going to show you them all.  :)
  
Day 20
Grammy arrives today.  I took the boys to the airport to wait for her flight as there was no school today.  we spent the day with Grammy relaxing.  
 I also went back in after and added some cameo cuts on the second page  :)


 Day 21
Total weather disaster day.  Also, my family surprised me with another birthday party with some longtime friends.  It was wonderful!

 Day 22
Aunty arrives from NS!
I also slept a little later than the boys and walked in to find this in the morning. 
So love it when this happens.

 Day 23
I have a favorite Christmas song that I listen to on repeat every year that really makes me appreciate what I have.    I thought it would be fun to cut the lyrics with my cameo.

 Day 24
CHRISTMAS EVE!
I worked until 3:00, then picked up Mom for 4:30 mass and then we headed home.  Our new tradition of pasta for dinner, along with all of the others; milk and cookies, laying the socks, and hanging out Santa's key.  M was so excited he didn't get to sleep until after 11:00pm! Also some fun cuts that I found for my Cameo.




Christmas Day
No journaling, none needed. I am truly blessed.


 My cover is already dinged up from looking at it and working with it often.  Love that!

 I loved looking up today and seeing both last years and this years albums out.  And yes my tree and decorations are still up.  I really love them.


Have a wonderful 2014!  I know we plan to!