It's beginning to look a lot like....

Christmas!

My favorite time of the year!

I count down the days until December 1st starting January 1st.  Shh...don't tell my husband!

I have my Christmas shopping mostly done, Christmas music on my Pandora station and I'm dreaming of my December Daily album.  Although I document our everyday with Project Life, I love love love the December album.  It truly is magical....just like the season.

I'm trying to get everything in order for this year since we have a super busy December coming up full of trips to Disney World, 2nd birthdays, a girls trip to NYC, cookie parties and preschool Christmas shows.  

For most of my album I will be sticking with the kit from Studio Calico.

Beautiful, isn't it???

Anyone else doing a December Daily album?  I'd love to hear from you!!

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Kids Art Kit: Finished Mini Album

Earlier in the week I shared the Kids Travel Art Kit I put together for our beach trip.  It was a perfect way to have some down time in the afternoon rather than watching television.  

When I got back home, I put added our photos into the book to create a simple, but fun mini album.

Here are some of our pages...

I love how each page is totally handmade and unique!  And I love including all of Anna's fun artwork.  I'm sure she'll love looking back on it when she's older!!

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Insta Love

I love Instagram.  Love it.  I love that I always have a camera with me and that I can share my photos with family and friends.  I love that I can document the "everyday" all day long without lugging around my big ole camera.  I love that I catch those special little hugs, quiet naps, messy treats and sweet moments.  I love looking back through the photos and seeing how much my two sweet kids have grown just this year.

Here is an "insta" look at our last couple of weeks.  All fun, all good.

From the top left:

UNC football game

Drew going to "pretend preschool"

Anna taking a rare, but needed nap

Drew and his cute little cheeks

Drew swinging higher

Our new home

Messy painting fun

Anna's preschool teacher

Anna's first day of preschool

Messy treats after dinner

Yummy beers on tap

Big slides

Funny Anny

First haircut for Drew

More swinging Drew-man

Anna's "first day" sign

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And she's off...

Anna started preschool yesterday.....sigh.

Her excitement leading up to the first day was so contagious!  She carried her lunchbox and backpack around for days and kept talking about her "new friends".  

Hoping she has a fabulous preschool year!  

Love you my super big three year old!

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goodbye summer.

Preschool and our fall schedule starts next week!  Can't believe Summer has already come and gone.  Looking forward to cooler weather, changing leaves, family time and football games.  

goodbye summer.

hello fall.

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Mini Masterpieces Photo Book

This art book has been on my to-do list for quite some time and I am just tickled pink that it is finally completed!!  

Liz Tamanaha from Paislee Press teamed up with Shutterfly to offer this awesome mini masterpiece book.

I save most all of Anna's artwork in some form.  If the piece is no larger than 12x12, I either keep it in her art box or use it in our Project Life album.  Some of the larger pieces, three-dimensional pieces or just random pieces I photograph and keep an electronic copy.

All of the "masterpieces" I included in this book were photographed and then uploaded to Shutterfly just like any other picture.  I tried to scan a few art pieces in, but I found that the quality of the photographed art was better than the scanned art.

I also used some random pictures of her creating her "masterpieces".  

These are pictures from "My First Book" that Anna made last year.

All in all, I am over the moon with this super adorable album!  I love how all her artwork from age 2 is kept nice and neat in this simple album.  I can't wait to make another one for age 3 and then for my little guy once I get a good pile from him!!

If you have tons of artwork floating around your house I highly recommend photographing it and making your own mini masterpiece album!!  So fun!!

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On Motherhood...

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And we're off...

It's official! 

We are in the process of moving allll of our stuff from Maryland to North Carolina.  I'm looking forward to getting home and spending lots and lots and lots of time with my wonderful family.  And not just vacation time.  

I have some blog posts ready to go while we are out and about, but for the most part I'll take a little blog hiatus! 

Hope you all enjoy the end of the summer.  Preschool starts soon for as, as well as a fun new weekday schedule.  I'll be sharing much much more soon!!

xoxo

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