DECLUTTER

OK so my Ali Edwards-inspired "word for the year" is . . . . . DECLUTTER. I am on a mission to declutter my house, my computer, my mind, my life . . . because it's all such a mess! I am hoping that by spending 2010 seriously focused on implementing this word in my life . . . that I may change some habits.

Yesterday at this time I was lying on a hammock in the back yard with my 3yo and his friend, enjoying the 65 degrees and sunshine. Today is back to cold and rainy, so I'm staying inside and having a "15 minute" day. I am alternating 15 minutes of computer-time with 15 minutes of housework - most of which is DECLUTTERING the laundry room.

My main project on the computer is DECLUTTERING my Photos drive. I am working on my pre-class assignment for Stacy Julian's Library of Memories class at Big Picture Scrapbooking. I have read both of Stacy's books "Photo Freedom" and "Big Picture Scrapbooking" several times, and I am ready to take this plunge into reorganizing my photos and scrapbook albums.

So, I am going through my folders of digital photos. Funny how I never think to go through and delete all the poor shots and duplicates I'll never use. I use Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 for global editing and organizing. I am separating our family photos from my professional shoots. I am adding keywords. And I am BACKING UP my hard work! Class begins January 26th, and I hope to at least have completed 2009 photos. (I began with 21,000 photos for 2009, so I think there's definitely room for DECLUTTERING).

Oops, my 15-computer-minutes are up, time for more laundry!

Post and let me know if you are taking this LOM journey with me!

Remember me?

I have been absent from my blog, unable to find the mojo that left me when my sis died suddenly last February. I became obsessed with Facebook, which is so fun for reconnecting with old and distant friends and keeping up with them. This time of year I become particularly interested in "reinventing" myself or parts of myself and my life, and I realized that I have been missing blogging. I have missed the in-depth glimpses into the lives, thoughts, and interests of my online pals. I stopped following for a while, but I am back. Just in case anyone is still out there to notice...I hereby pledge for 2010 to post at least once a week, or shut down my blog entirely!

Good reads

I just returned from the CK Convention in Mesa, Arizona this past weekend. On the way out I began the 3rd book in the "Twilight" series that's taken the country by storm, and finished it way too early in the day on my return. That left me no choice but to bury myself in the only other book I had with me that I've been avoiding: a software manual.

I started the Twilight series hoping to be able to talk to our tween a little. I was also intrigued when I saw my pal Cheri get so lost in it that she ignored us all even though we rarely get together!

The lightroom book, well, let's just say I like the way Scott Kelby writes. For a software book, it was actually pretty good.

Next: gotta get my hands on book 4 and finish up the twilight series. Not sure whether to save it for our beach vacation. And, time for Scott's Photoshop book, which I guess I shouldn't save for my next cross-country flight.

Out of sight out of mind

Ok so I've been very absent from my blog . . . sorry guys . . . I've been overwhelmed by life and the pursuit of pro photography . . . taking classes, researching, WORKING. My "free" internet time is over at facebook nowadays . . . anyways, thought I'd share this shot of my 3-legged rescue kitty who is getting on my last nerve these days. He was the first cat in our house a year-and-a-half ago. We found him in the road just after he'd been hit by a car. I took him to a vet and after a couple of weeks we brought him home. He was such a sweet, friendly kitten, purred all the time. A couple months later we brought home a wild kitten Ken found outside his shop. Neko harassed her at first, but they quickly became pals. Fast-forward to now when we brought home my sister's cat, Luna, approximately 10-11 years old, used to being alone. Neko is obsessed with Luna, won't leave her alone, keeps starting fights with her. I made the mistake of extricating him on one such occasion, and I have several scars to remind me of that. For now, Luna has the run of the upstairs, and Neko and Kiki are masters of the basement level. How will we ever integrate them?

The aftermath

So, it was lots of fun playing in the snow with the kids, weren't those photos great? Everyone got a good laugh and I didn't hurt a bit from busting my tail so many times . . . . at first . . . My back was a little sore a couple days later, and a week-and-a-half later, it "went out" on me. I went to a chiropractor for the first time in my life, who fixed me up with a snap-crackle-pop and made a believer out of me. No drugs, no cutting, less expensive . . . what's not to love about that?!

86

Ok so one week ago yesterday we were playing in our 5-6 inches of rare snow. Yesterday, we hit a record-high temp of 86 degrees. The record before that was 83 in 1974!!

No wonder the kids are sick . . .

State Capitol Field Trip

I took advantage of one of my sick days to create a quick photobook of my son's field trip to Columbia, which I chaperoned. I used Memory Mixer 2 to create the book, and then uploaded it to Heritage Makers for publishing.

The graphics were all from Krystal Hartley's "East Coast" collaboration with Libby Weifenbach, available at Funky Playground Designs.

631

That's how many photos you get when you mix two scrapbook moms with digital cameras with 10 kids and a very rare snow.

We got a good 5-6 inches, which happens maybe once per decade where we live.

So what happens when mom tries to engage in a snowball fight with the kids?

I think I fell 6 times. I was soaked. And this the day after I began penicillin for strep. Did I mention we get this chance maybe once a decade? I only get a couple of chances in my children's childhoods to do this. Who can pass that up?

I can't believe she's gone.

It makes no sense to me that at the age of 36 I have outlived my grandparents, parents, and sibling. I know that life is for the living, and I have to get back to it, but there's such a hole in my life now . . . I miss my sissy . . .

My beautiful children

RIP

January 2003 my grandmother Doris S. Tedder
Spring 2004 my uncle Harold C. Davis
July 2005 my father William H. Pritchett
Fall 2006 my uncle James L. Pritchett, Jr
January 2007 my mother Sarah T. Pritchett
July 2008 my father-in-law W. Richard Grant
Feb 17, 2009 my sister Jennifer S. Pritchett

family pic

Another for Michelle . . . it's so difficult to get that many children on the same page!

Good to see an old friend

I've missed my pal Michelle since she moved away a year-and-a-half ago. She's been promising to visit ever since, and finally did this past weekend. I know she's dying for some photos I snapped, I just wanted to share my favorite, she has the most gorgeous hair . . .

One Little Word

Ali Edwards challenges us to choose a single word to focus on for the year - read all about it on her blog. After much consideration, I have chosen my word: cultivate

Dictionary.com offered the following as the first definition, and it seems to capture everything I am thinking for my word:

"cul⋅ti⋅vate   /ˈkʌltəˌveɪt/ [kuhl-tuh-veyt]
–verb (used with object), -vat⋅ed, -vat⋅ing.
1. to prepare and work on (land) in order to raise crops; till.
2. to use a cultivator on.
3. to promote or improve the growth of (a plant, crop, etc.) by labor and attention.
4. to produce by culture: to cultivate a strain of bacteria.
5. to develop or improve by education or training; train; refine: to cultivate a singing voice.
6. to promote the growth or development of (an art, science, etc.); foster.
7. to devote oneself to (an art, science, etc.).
8. to seek to promote or foster (friendship, love, etc.).
9. to seek the acquaintance or friendship of (a person).

Aside from the obvious of gardening - I hope to have an even better one this year than last year - it applies to all areas of my life. Ken and I are both embarking on new businesses and would like to cultivate success in those areas. Raising children is a continual effort at cultivation, as is making and keeping friendships. I am hoping to cultivate an entirely new system for photos and scrapbooking with Stacy's LOM class. I could go on and on, but I think you get the drift. I really liked Ali's choice of "nurture" as her word, but as she pointed out, it's a soft word. It is perfect for her, but I needed something a little stronger, more wilful, thus I chose cultivate.

I'm trying to figure out how I can get my children to participate in this by choosing their own words . . .

Project 365 - page 1

Jumping on the Project 365 bandwagon, doing it digi all the way. I used a template shared with me by fellow Pea "Carrie", using art from the freebies I downloaded from The Ettes.

Commitment

For two years I have debated whether to take Stacy Julian's "Library of Memories" class. Her method of organization and push to "let go" of chronological stress is like the call of the siren for me. I am so tired of feeling stressed about the gaps, I'm ready to change the way I scrap. I have her books and have read them and re-read them, and concluded that only with the push and timeline of an online class would I actually get this done. So after much debate, today I signed up for her class at Big Picture Scrapbooking. I'm not sold on her photo organization, but I think I NEED to reorganize my scrapbooks. I'm hoping someone I know will take the class so we can work together - please post on my blog if you're taking it!

THANK YOU DB for the gift certificate and coupon code which allowed me to sign up for the class!!!!!

The Ettes are back!

The Ettes are on thir own now, they've launched a great new digi shop, and for just a few hours today you can get some adorable freebies! Hurry over and download them! The Ettes and Company

Family Gathering & Other Craziness

OK so I fell off the photo-a-day wagon rather quickly. I probably do have photos for every day, but we've been SO busy that I haven't found time to post them! It's a good thing I finished my Christmas shopping early, because I wouldn't have gotten it done! For those of you who know Bob, you'll be as thrilled as me to know that he went home on Monday!

On Sunday we had "Christmas" with the Grant family at our house. Ken made his famous chicken-n-spaghetti (he woo'd me with that dish) and Nana decorated gingerbread cookies with the kids. We all missed papa, but he was with us in spirit, and we had a really nice gathering.

Digi Scrap Girl!

For those of you who have been bitten by the digi bug, our newest shirt from Scrapbook Girl should fit you to a "t"! I hope you like it as much as I do!

Bob's ok!

Bob is ok! They successfully got him off the ventilator, out of the drug-induced coma, and even walked him around a little. He is officially OUT OF THE WOODS! This is a long way from the 10% survival chance they were predicting Wednesday night. We are so relieved, and just wanted to let you guys know. Thanks!!