JAMSquared

This year I decided that I would do a P52. Basically, this means I will take at least one photo every day of the year and I will make a weekly scrapbook layout with 7 photos for that week and journal the everyday moments. I have been steadily working on it, but I haven’t shared any of it yet. I thought I would do that today. Don’t forget you can click on the images to view bigger.

Cover

This first layout will be the cover when I have all the layouts printed in a bound book at the end of the year. The inspiration for the blocked look and title came from this post by Wishing Well Creations. The poem by William Arthur Ward I included is the January Quote Challenge at Scrapbookbytes.com.

Digikit: Connie Prince – Ready for School
Template: Creations by Julie – Simplify Your 365 Templates
Fonts Big Fish Ensemble (title), Smarty Pants BTN (poem)

Week 1

Digikit: Amy’s Designs – Playground; Inspired Designs – Colors of My Life
Template: Creations by Julie – Simplify Your 365 Templates
Fonts Used: Mickey (Week # and days of the week), DirtyDarren (journaling)

Week 2

Digikit: Amy’s Designs – Playground; Inspired Designs – Colors of My Life
Template: Creations by Julie – Simplify Your 365 Templates
Fonts Used: Mickey (Week # and days of the week), DirtyDarren (journaling)

Week 3

Digikit: Amy’s Designs – Flashback; Inspired Designs – Colors of My Life
Template: Creations by Julie – Simplify Your 365 Templates
Fonts Used: Apple Boy BTN (title), Smarty Pants BTN (journaling)

Have a great day!

Here is a layout I completed for two challenges. The first challenge was the Scrapbookbytes.com October Quote Challenge to use a quote about relationships. I really liked this quote by Desmond Tutu: “You don’t choose your family.  They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” The second challenge was the Scraps-N-Pieces October recipe challenge that required me to use journaling, a fastener (staple, brad, etc), a frame, at least 6 papers, and stitching. The hardest part of this challenge was the use of 6 papers. The pictures are from the Dzubinski family trip this past summer, both are thanks to my sister.

Digikit: Connie Prince – Backyard BBQ, Chugga Choo Choo (staple); Meryl Bartho – Walk on the Wild Side (stitching)
Fonts Used: WillyWonka (title), Undercurrent BTN (quote and date)

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day.

Almost two weeks ago, we had the annual Dzubinski family trip. This year we went to Kingsland and stayed at the Antlers Inn, right on Lake LBJ. I’m a slacker when it comes to blogging about trips, because I take so many pictures and I have a hard time choosing which ones to blog. My sister Sarah already blogged days 1, 2, and 3 and my sister-in-law Julia did a single blog post. I’m going to go a bit untraditional in terms of blogging about the trip. I’m going to share a few layouts I’ve made of day 3 today. We’ll see when/if/how I blog about the rest of the trip.

The first layout uses the current Sketchy Thursdays sketch. Journaling reads: Sunday morning, we loaded up on a rented pontoon boat to kick back and relax. July 31, 2011

Digikits Used: Dani Moy Designs – Sail With Me
Fonts Used: Smarty Pants BTN, Weathered SF

This next layout is purely of the action on the boat. I thought I was doing great to get at least one photo of everyone on the boat, but then I realized I didn’t include a picture of my brother Jason. I looked through mine and my sister’s photos and apparently no pictures of my brother were taken when he was on the boat.

Digikits Used: Dani Moy Designs – Sail With Me
Fonts Used: my font isn’t funky enough

It was almost as if he was never on the boat, which brings us to the third layout. Journaling reads: Jason and then Jason and Julia were the first to try out the jet ski. Of course Jason was also the first to try out the tube pulled behind the boat. It was almost as if Jason was never on the boat.

Digikits Used: Connie Prince – Whale of a Good Time
Fonts Used: my font isn’t funky enough

I have plans to do a similar page for each section of the family. What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day.

Friday was my sweet niece Aspen’s second birthday. Yesterday, she had a party at her house. My brother grilled burgers and dogs. They had their inflatable pool set up for all the kiddos to play in. Everyone had a great time.

 

 

I didn’t take very many pictures of adults, but I did get this great shot of the proud parents.

Aspen was not sure about what she was supposed to do with the candle sitting atop her brownie. Julia and Jason tried to explain that you blow on it like it is hot.

But alas, Aspen still just kinda looked at it weird. Jason ended up “helping” her blow it out.

Dessert consisted of peanut butter chip brownies, homemade vanilla ice cream and an assortment of ice cream toppings. I think Jessica was more excited about the toppings she picked out (marshmallows, sprinkles and Oreos) than she was about the ice cream, but I thought it was delicious.

Afterward, a number of the kiddos hopped back in the pool. I think Jessica spent more time in the pool than anyone. She really enjoyed herself.

 

I think Jessica was a little confused about why Aspen’s bathtime doll was “peeing” in the pool.

Apparently, it is now uncouth to open gifts at the actual party. I find this sad, but I guess I will need to keep this in mind for Jessica’s party. So the party crowd had thinned to just family by the time Aspen started opening her gifts. We had a really hard time preventing Jessica from helping Aspen open her gifts. She really wanted to pull out tissue paper and tear wrapping paper.

Cameron provided some ambiance music.

We got Aspen a portable/collapsible crib for her dolls, some doll clothes and a book. As much as she loves her dolls, I’m sure she she will enjoy putting her dolls in the crib for a nap.

I’ve been a little slow in sharing pictures from all our Christmas celebrations. I’m sorry it’s almost the end of January before I get the last Christmas-related post in.

For New Year’s, we traveled to Keller for the Dzubinski family Christmas celebration, held at my sister’s house this year. You might remember, we went up a day early and visited the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.

Friday, New Year’s Eve, Sarah had a little party, although it was mostly just us with the addition of her neighbors across the street. They have a little girl that is Cameron’s age and you can tell they are great friends.

Here’s the newlyweds, well the newlyweds of the bunch, since they’ve been married the shortest at 2.5 years. Isn’t that sweet that Jason is so affectionate?

After the neighbors left and the kiddos were asleep, the adults exchanged Christmas gifts. This year, our family decided the adults would draw names. I was a little disappointed about that since I love shopping/making gifts for people, but that’s what everyone else wanted to do. It’s a good thing I didn’t start my Christmas shopping for the adults in June like I did for the kiddos. Although it worked out that at least one of us drew at least one of my parents since I did have Jessica’s Shutterfly 1st year memory book in the works when the decision to draw names occurred.

New Year’s morning, the kiddos opened their Christmas presents. In addition to a toy, a book and some clothes, we got all of them a hat from Beany Bling, the Etsy shop my friend Jillan and her sister Jennika run. Right now, they have some really cute hat and tutu outfits. The bumblebee one is adorable. You’ll see lots of pictures of Cameron in his new hat. He loves it.

Of course, every time all the Dzubinski cousins get together, we try for a photo shoot. This time, Jessica didn’t want anything to do with it. Remember last Christmas with them all as little munchkins. Our babies are growing up, sniff.

Yes, that is a Rosa’s cup in her hand. We went there for New Year’s lunch. I would love to make that a tradition, but alas no Rosa’s in Austin.

Once the kiddos all awoke from their nap, they shared a snack at the little picnic table. Aren’t they cute?

Afterward, we walked to a nearby neighborhood park. Cameron started off on his new scooter, but after only one house away from home, he decided he would rather ride his tricycle and he rode it the whole way. Jessica and Aspen rode together in Cameron and Trevor’s wagon, but Aspen didn’t like the rear facing view or James pulling fast for a stretch bothered her and she ended up riding in style on Jason’s shoulders for most of the walk to the park. It was really chilly out and I kinda wish I had changed Jessica into pants, but she had a blast and the cold didn’t seem to bother her.

Can you believe Cameron can now swing in the big kid swing and make it swing all by himself?

On the ride back, Trevor rode in the wagon with Jessica, while Aspen rode Trevor’s car. Trevor ended up annoying Jessica by playing footsie and she ended up being carried by James for a bit and me for quite a bit on the way back to Sarah’s house.

The kiddos continued their play while our New Year’s dinner was being prepared in the kitchen.

The cousins played together Sunday morning.

Notice those beads? Jessica enjoyed the beads so much that once we got home, I dug some out and she has enjoyed wearing them for at least a little bit almost every day since. And yes, her bangs are shorter than the day before. Sarah trimmed them for me.

Everyone else left an hour or two before lunch, but we left shortly after the early lunch (first to arrive and last to leave).