Kiss and Tell Scrapbooking

Big Idea Festival Day #14: School Lunch

This was a fun prompt from Angie Lucas - to scrapbook about school lunches.  While I didn't spend 45 minutes recounting my own memories, I did take 10 mintues to put together this simple page about school lunch right now:

Journaling: "I was never a fan of the hot lunch.  Mac loves any kind of lunch.  Allison is picky like me.  While I still feel like we have not really perfected the lunch - we pack them for you both everyday.  Love Mom 9/2012".

Ok, so Ten Quick School Lunch Memories of Mine:

1. I used to bring lunch in a Hobby Hobby metal lunchbox that included a thermos which I think was filled with orange juice as I was never a fan of milk.

2. In the second grade, I lied to my classmates and told them "next year my mom is going to become a lunch lady and make pizza everyday" - I thought that maybe this would earn me some popularity points but quickly realized I had stepped in it.  Lesson learned: It is much easier to be a less popular truth teller.

3. Our elementary school lunch room was also the gym where I learned to square dance and do the hustle, yes, the hustle was part of the P.E. program in the 1970s!

4. I remember thinking that Trina Jones' mom packed a much more exciting lunch than mine ever did.

5. If I did happen to have to get hot lunch, it was 35 cents.  And usually was something like American Chop Suey - which looked like puke on a plate.  Sorry, but it really did.

6. I think my Mom packed Hostess Ding Dongs and sometimes her own homemade chocolate chip cookies.

7. The apple almost always squished my peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

8. The lunch tables were the folding down kind that had the seats attached and the seats were circles so there was a particular number of kids to each table.  Where you sat was important.

9. I remember there was something about subsidized lunches for the "poor kids" and I always thought that the school should have made it less obvious so that those kids weren't so easily identifiable.

10. I was thrilled with the "a la carte" line when I got to high school, although it probably didn't help my addiction to carbs - back then I had a super awesome metabolism and could eat ice cream for lunch.  Today?  Not so much - I have to watch everything and the slightest cheat shows up on the scales. 

Ok one more:

11. I also sometimes bring a bagged lunch to work - it is usually two apples, a greek yogurt, a granola bar, and a bottle of water.

 

#BPC Twelve Class: Dozen Day Videos for September 12, 2012

Hey Twelvers!  Here are my Dozen Day Videos:

Part 1:

 

Part 2:

 

 

Weigh In

Oh how did this happen? I was at 149 right before Halloween. I got off track during the holidays and never quite got my momentum back in the new year. Well, it's a new day and I am recommitting to my goal to get to get to 130.

Hello daily exercise.
Hello gallons if water.
Goodbye sugar & flour.

I've got to check back in with Move More Eat Well.

How are your New Years Goals coming?

Scrapbooking by Numbers - 6 Photos

This was the first scrapbook page I made this year with 6 photos taken on New Year's Day morning and summarizing the three classes I'm starting today at Big Picture Classes.  I took and edited the photos with my iphone and printed this up on my home printer on a 8.5x11 page.

 

Twelve Scrapbook Layouts about You (meaning Me)

I am taking Stacy Julian's Twelve Class at Big Picture Scrapbooking and I think we are still in set up mode and that the first assignment will be creating a layout about "YOU" meaning each of ourselves, or for me meaning ME.  I wanted to look back and see if I created 12 scrapbook layouts about me in the 2011, let's see:

1. Muther's Day.  Ok, technically this is a holiday but this is May last year and it doesn't look like any layouts in the first 4 months of the year were specifically about me, so I'm going to use it for these purposes.

2. Top of Mountain Caution Sign.  Ok, technically another one not specifically about me, it is more about how I found that caution sign so funny since they put it at the top of the mountain instead of the bottom - so by the time you read it - you've already done all the dangerous stuff - I'm actually kind of glad it was at the top and not the bottom because we went up somewhat fearlessly thinking it was a do-able trail when in fact it was a higher skills level trail;  but I am the only one in the picture so I'm using it.

3. Guiding Principles.  This one is all about me, it has no photo, but it is all about my guiding principles.  I did this as part of Ella Publishing's Boot Camp and it is a scraplift of an Elizabeth Dillow page.  I love it and I could make 12 more like this one.

4. Kayaking With Dolphins.  Here is another one that could really go under "Things We Do" but since I am primarily the kayker in this family and it is something about me, I'm using it for the "All About Me" category.  This page didn't actually go into any of my Library of Memories Albums - it went into my BOOK OF AWESOME!

5. Pursue Your Passion.  I made this page as part of Stephanie Medley Rath's Scrapworthy Lives The Happiness Project Blog Hop.  Yesterday's post was the last in that series but I really enjoyed the concept and the monthly accountability; I'm hoping she will recreate another blog hop like this one.  (P.S. Stephanie just in case you are reading - your blog hop was much appreciated!)

6. Weight Loss Goal of 2011.  The photos in this layout are from 2010 but the page was made and the journaling was done in February 2011 (I double checked).  In July 2010 I decided to lose 50 pounds.  I have never revealed my starting weight but here it is  - dun dun dun daaaa - 180.  This was a low point for me to see that number on the scale and not be pregnant.  My daughter was five years old in the summer of 2010 and I was ashamed of myself that I hadn't managed to lose the weight I put on having her.  I've moved past the shame and I am now very proud of myself that I haven't given up my goal.  During this journey, my lowest weight has been somewhere around 149 but most steadily at 155 but recently - since Halloween and through the festivities of Christmas - I put on 10 pounds.  This is the wrong direction so I have corrected that and I started this year, 2012 at 165 and this morning I was 163.  I am going to do Bikram Yoga hardcore (everyday) until I get back down to 155.  I'd like to accomplish that before our ski trip which is coming up soon.  Seeing this layout reminds me, however, that I haven't bought a new awesome pair of sneakers in a long, long time, maybe today I will do that.  The goal is 130.

7. Story Time: Prom 1988.  My daughter loves to hear stories about when I was little, she also doesn't see my actual sister very much but we do meet up with my best friend from highschool on pretty much of an annual basis at Disney World - Nancy has a daughter who is about Allison's age so it is always a fun girl's weekend.  So, I checked, and this page was made in February 2011 right after we got back from one of these Disney Trips and it was prompted by a conversation I had with my daughter about Nancy - even though the title of this page is Prom.  And the picture is fuzzy - we didn't have many back then - so know that I was sticking my tongue out and I was wearing Converse All Star Hightops to my prom and my prom dress was a mini - which wasn't done a lot back then even though it was the age of the mini skirt - and my teacher made me this dress after I drew it for her on a napkin - Thank you Mrs. Siroux.

 

8.  Us. Here is another page that is not all about me, its about my husband too and our different personalities.  But he has been a big part of my life since I met him in October of 1995 and today is the 13th anniversary of our wedding in 1999, so I thought it qualifies as an All About Me page - I wouldn't be me today without him.  I love you honey.  And your Mom just called to wish us a happy annversary  - and I wished her one back - we have the same anniversary as his parents and they got married right before WWII so I think it was maybe 1942?  So that would make them married 70 years today?  Is that right?  If it is we probably should have done something special - I need to check my dates on that right away.

9. ALL ABOUT ME 2011!  Ok I found one scrapbook layout that is All About Me in 2011.  Those were all self timer photos -  the big headshot one was taken in my shower because the light seemed good!  Note to Self:  Wear that red dress more often.  I love wearing red.

10.  Secret Me.  Here is a little secret most people don't know about me - but if they read my blog, I guess they will now.  I cry in the car.  Not all the time or anything.  But after my Grandpa died in 1999 and again when my Dad died in 2003, it was the place I most often cried; I think it is because it is private and quiet and the songs on the radio seem to speak to me.  I haven't actually cried in the car in a long time, but chances are, when something sad happens or something is bothering me, I'll know it because the tears will start flowing in the car.  I also think it is a place where my feelings come out since I am still, even though I'm driving, and otherwise in most of my home and work life, I'm racing around doing stuff so I don't have the stillness space available to cry.  Just a little secret thing I thought I'd share.  On this particular day in the photo, I was crying happy tears because I had just dropped Allison off for her last day of pre-school and the song "Sunrise-Sunset" swelled if only in my head - quickly fly the days, the years.  Life is beautiful and goes by so quickly, so fast.

11. Bikram Yoga Me.  Yoga has been a much needed quiet place for me and has strengthened me inside and out.  The most challenging part of yoga for me is often the lay on the mat resting time - it is challenging for me to quiet my mind and just be, but I have improved this ability so much over the past year, it is amazing.  This page is about how much I love Bikram Yoga and the benefits it has given me in my life since I started in April 2011.  The quote is one I heard on the Paperclipping Roundtable Podcast, Noell Hyman mentioned it and I love it so much, it goes something like this: "Everything you want {in life} is just outside your comfort zone."  I LOVE that quote and it has given me so much strength over the past year. 

12.   Big Idea Me. We have had the same financial planner since 1997 and he comes and meets with us a few times a year.  He has commented that I'm the Big Idea Girl and that Charlie is the Detail Man.  I have paid attention and realized that he is absolutely right.  I have discovered about myself, that I do love the big picture - and get annoyed with nitty gritty details.  So my husband and I make a pretty good team because we are different.  Knowing that about myself is a good thing because I know my strengths and weaknesses, so I pay extra attention to details when I'm at work but I also know that I'm happiest when I'm exploring big concepts or learning new things.  I made this page about an Improvisational Comedy class I took last summer. And NO.  I am not funny - just ask my kids.  And YES!  This class opened up the creative side of my brain and I realized that learning new things - anything really - is a crucial part of my happiness and creativity and life.  I know that I need to be what they taught us to be at Eckerd College - a lifetime learner.  There really is happiness and vitality and creativity - and it flows like crazy - when you are learning something new and are standing just outside your comfort zone.  Here's to more of that in 2012.

I encourage you to take a look back at the scrapbooking you did last year and see if you can come up with 12 pages about you.  If you did, take a look at them and check in with your 2011 self and think about what you want for yourself in 2012 - what is the same - what do you want to be different.  If you didn't make 12 pages about yourself in 2012 - come join the Twelve Class at Big Picture Classes, I am certain is it going to be awesome.

Click Here to Sign Up For Free Big Picture Classes Membership there are several free classes and I'm pretty sure they give me some kind of points if I refer a friend - so thank you in advance for clicking through to BPC.

 

 

 

 

 

Goodbye 2011 - Its Been AWESOME!

My "ONE LITTLE WORD" FOR 2011 was {somewhat sarcastically but also sincerely as in appreciating the awesome and trying to make things and my attitude} AWESOME.  On the way over to Bikram Yoga today, I listened to IRC on my iphone - IRC is Improv Resouce Center (I'm pretty sure) and the guy was talking about ninjas and how they were actually stage hands a way long time ago in Japan and that they were awesome because they could change things without anyone noticing and that they had animal spirit guides and this guy said he incorporated that into his improvisational comedy class and had all the students think of an animal and the first one that came to mind would be their spirit guide - and that he, years later, remembers their spirit guides better than he remembers their names.  So I was chewing on that and the first animal that came to me was a white tiger.  So I get over the bridge, check in to yoga  just in time and lay my money down for 3 more months - ready to get fully committed again and get on the mat.  The instructor isn't our regular guy, he is a visitor, our regular guy is taking the class.  But the instructor today, I am not kidding, had a gigantic tiger tattoo on his right shoulder AND after every single pose, instead of saying "Ok"  or "next" or whatever, he'd say "AWESOME"!  I thought this was a  completely perfect way to end the year.  Plus, I plan on enjoying tonight's festivities - and Bikram Yoga burns 1000 calories!  Plus I did 3 hours of housework and one hour of kayaking for a total of 1,786 calories burned so far today - and that is, indeed, AWESOME!

And Yes! That is my honey in the kayak with me - I showed him my HOPE tree on the island and on our way back we got a show from about 11 or 12 dolphins - seriously awesome, really!

NAMASTE  - see you next year - my year of HOPE!

New Years Resolutions

I made this page a couple of years ago and I'm STILL on my journey to attaining my goal weight.  I am HOPING that 2012 will be my year.  I'm enjoying a relaxing day today but I'm mentally gearing up to hit it hard in the new year and am excited about the MOVE MORE EAT WELL class at Big Picture.  

MY 12 RESOLUTIONS FOR 2012:

1. Reach my #1 Goal at the Office

2. More togetherness w/  Charlie - just the 2 of us.

3. Three {yes 3!} Ski Trips.   Whoo Hooo!

4. Find time everyday 4 Yoga, Stepping, Weights or some sort of exercise.

5.  Keep up with Project Life & post 52 Weeks on my Blog.

6. Finish writing & editing first Improv Scrapbooking Book & Write & epublish 6 more.

7. Finish Losing 50 Pounds & Attain Goal Weight by 7/4/12

8.  Take cre8tive classes and spend time everyday creating & learning new things.

9. Celebrate Ally's 9th.

10. Celebrate Mac's 10th.

11. Get New Venture Going w/ Charlie & Finish 11 or More by End of Year.

12. Create 12x12 = 144 layouts in the Twelve Class. 

(Bonus:  13. Celebrate our 13th Wedding Anniversary!)

What are your NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS?

December Daily Ustream Update

 I totally missed Cathy Zielske's MOVE MORE EAT WELL chat today, but I did make a little video on ustream about my December Daily progress:

 

 

Always Moving Forward

Cart Before Horse.  If you'd like to join me in any of these Big Picture Classes, please use this link to sign up:  CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR BIG PICTURE CLASSES!  The membership is free and there are several free classes if you just want to dip your toe in to the online scrapbooking class world, this is an excellent place to start.

Story People Quote: "Feels like some kind of ride, but its turning out to be life going absolutely perfectly."  And I stamped my finger print in the stamp square on the "this is life" 4x6 card in the lower left corner.  I'm feeling fairly clever about that.

Yes.  I know I still have a major portion of December's Project Life to catch up on and a few days of December Daily, but its like Walt Disney said (it went something like): "We don't spend much time looking back around here, we are always moving forward."  I'm excited about the new year.  I love beginnings.  And I saw Cathy Zielske's post about her family self portrait and her new class and was inspired to get my family to sit and pose for the Project Life Albums - I'm sticking this one in the end of 2011 & in the beginning of 2012:  (two birds - and no Kelly I don't think killing birds is ok either - which doesn't explain your delicious chicken dip btw - just saying)

And NO! I am not wearing pajama jeans.  The rest of my family wore sweat pants and I went in to work and they kept teasing that my jeans were pajama jeans, they were not - they were dark wash boot leg regular old jeans thank you very much, and yes I did put back a few pounds on during the holidays but I had no trouble buttoning them, it was a controlled kind of feast; I am ready to get back on the hard core workout train.

P.S. I am using Becky Higgins' Clementine Core Kit plus Page Protector Style A for my 2012 Project Life Album:

I couldn't find the link for page protector style A so I linked B - word of advice - if you like this stuff - buy it quick because it tends to sell out.

P.S. On Beginnings:  We saw a movie called Beginners the other night - it was pretty good - here is the link, plus one for beginning yoga, and one for an old David Bowie movie called Absolute Beginners which was pretty awesome - I remember loving it but don't remember what it was about anymore; and on that note - there is a quote about children not remembering what you said or did but they remember how you made them  feel - does anyone know that one?

P.S. For more from the Story People:

Looking Forward to 2012 - My Year of HOPE

I am looking forward to 2012 and my year of HOPE.   Hope is my "one little word" for 2012.  The Quote inside the O is "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.  Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.  BEGIN IT NOW." - Goethe.  I'm a big fan of beginnings so even though this quote does not include my word, I included this quote in my word because it describes how I am feeling.  I like this quote too: "To change one's life: START immediately.  Do it flamboyantly." - William James.  I think I'm going to print out that photo large for my December Daily Album - I still need to finish that up and wrap up Christmas.  I am also a fan of taking down the Christmas decorations relatively soon after the big day.  Maybe tomorrow I'll do that, I'd like to have it done before New Year's Eve.

I got a chance to escape family time for a few hours this afternoon and went out for sushi with extra wasabi and hot tea and then to a home goods store and then to the craft store.  Total Bliss.

I spent about $12 at the sushi bar and another $12 at the craft store.  I bought a bunch of star Christmas ornaments with my word "HOPE" on each one, I put one on my key chain and plan to use the others in OLW type projects. 

I also took a look around the craft store for what else was on sale, what was new, and what had the word "hope" on it.  I quickly decided that my word "HOPE" was not a cursive word and was not pink or purple; my HOPE is yellow green or aquamarine blue and it is in bold letters - probably capitals but not necessarily.   My HOPE is bold and shining and bright and strong.

I got out the paint and made use of some of the Christmas cards we received this year:

I made a little over a dozen of these HOPE cards and I'm going to tuck them away in my Twelve Class Bin to use in my Big Picture Classes in 2012.  Click Here to See My "Twelve Class" Bin.

I'm all signed up for Ali Edwards' class at Big Picture Scrapbooking and I also signed up for Stacy Julian's Twelve Class; Cathy Zielske's More More Eat Well and for Katie Nelson's Round-Up.  So excited and hopeful (wink) about all of these.  I am planning to take some art classes at the local art center too, I stamped HOPE right on the course catalog.

Please leave a comment and let me know if you are signed up for any classes at BPC or anywhere else, what do you want to learn in 2012?