Under the Tree

Doing a little digital scrapbooking tonight.

For unto us a child is born

One of my favorite scriptures

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9: 6

Baby Pics (15 weeks old)

Some Christmas photos

I taught her to spit.  I am working on Graaaam maaaa... but so far I just get squeals of delight.

 Our best Christmas gift this year.

Baby's first Christmas.

Missing Allison - who unfortunately picked up the flu Christmas morning.

  

The family room before the mad gift opening.

 

My fav gift from DH - this will make my 365 photo taking so much easier - it fits in my purse.

My favorite Christmas photo.....

Merry Christmas from our home to yours.

May you all have a blessed Christmas with loved ones ~  rejoicing, contemplating and celebrating the gift of a Savior to a fallen world.
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11  (NIV)


Blessings and love to each and every one of you today and in 2010.
Julie

Adorable Beautiful Baby

Just 20 hours old in this photo.
New Doodle Bug kit arrived today and well.. it was perfect for this page along with a few other embellishments from the stash. And there are brads on this page! Haven't used those in eons.

In the Bleak Mid-Winter

Give Jesus your heart this Christmas.
It's the best gift you will ever receive.

Christmas Bouquet

 

 

My co-workers sent me some flowers yesterday. Such a beautiful Christmas bouquet. They are on my desk and I am thoroughly enjoying them. 

So is my macro lens!

Thankful for loving co-workers!

You guys are the best!

A few more 2003 pages

My Sweet Angel

You'd think she was my own... but she will be for 2 weeks. Haha and the photos I have planned and the cuddling and the spoiling!!!

Think I's a little addicted to pink?
ah yeah!!!

Inspiration came from Wilna, as it often does. Saw her recent post, fell in love and in 30 minutes had this page done. Love it when that happens. Ain't that the beauty of the scrapbooking community - love you all! Keep inspiring me!!

Canadian Pacific Holiday train

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train made a brief stop at the Sutherland yards this morning.

Thanks to Ken for the heads up so I could capture these shots in MINUS 37.5C with the windchill temps!

Home Educated excel as adults - more socailly engaged!!

Imagine that!! I have been saying it to critics for years.
Critics whose first words out of their mouths when they hear we home school is "What about their social skills?"
Well what about them?????
My children socialize with all ages, all types, CEO's, company presidents, adults and babies - whoever happens to be at our supper table, visiting our home or meeting up with us in the community.
Your kids socialize with their peers.
Who is learning? Who is maturing?

A new study released yesterday by the Canadian Centre for Home Education (CCHE) reveals that home-educated adults in Canada excel in all measured areas of adult life, including education level, religious observance, civic and community participation, life satisfaction, and income.

The study, entitled Fifteen Years Later: Home-Educated Canadian Adults, surveyed adults whose parents had responded to a 1994 study on home education.  In total, the researchers collected 226 questionnaires.  Ranging in age from 15 to 34, the respondents answered questions on a variety of topics for which Statistics Canada has comparable data from the wider population.

The study found that, when measured against the Canadian average, home-educated adults were more socially engaged and almost twice as likely to have voted in a federal election. Their average income was higher, with more self-reliant sources of income, such as investments and self-employment.  In fact, of all respondents, there were no cases of government support as the primary source of income.

The respondents were happier in their work and about their lives in general.  They also have more varied recreational pursuits.  The study notes, for example, that the respondents "were much more likely than the comparable population to have read books and attended concerts of classical music or theatrical performances."  Overall, when reflecting on the value of being home-educated, most felt that it was an advantage in their adult life.

"In terms of income, education, entrepreneurial endeavours, involvement in their community, and all the other characteristics measured, home-educated adults not only excel, but also make meaningful contributions to their communities," stated Paul Faris, president of CCHE.  "They are the type of neighbours we all want."

The full study and a synopsis are available here. 

Just thought you might like to know......  
I would homeschool the gang all over again in a second... well if I were not in my 50's that is.

Girl Time

And I am looking forward to finally getting some time with my girl! She'll be here on the 19th!

If you have time, check out my posting on my 365 blog. 

2003 - moving right along

 

How to get 17 not so great photos from 2003 on four pages.

Buy a new scanner because the 6 year old one has too many scars on the glass.

Scan, scan, scan.

Crop, fix and adjust in Lightroom.

Create in Photoshop.

Send to Costco.

Done.

Today's quote...

“Let us pray much for humility, and especially for humility in our days of peace and success. When everything around us seems to prosper, and all our plans work well, – when family trials and sicknesses are kept from us, and the course of our worldly affairs runs smooth, – when our daily crosses are light, and all within and without are like a morning without clouds, – then, then is the time when our souls are in danger!”

~ J.C. Ryle

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke, volume 1, 359.

todays photo for my 365 blog. Still on the B&W theme.

The tree is up thanks to my lovely daughter - husband put it up, daughter decorated, I sat on the couch and directed..."to the left, to the right, okay now the left..."
It looks gorgeous - I will post my limey green photos of it soon.
Wish I could do more but since no one can find the rest ofthe Christmas decorations downstairs, the house will be a tad less decorated this year.
Maybe in a week or two I will go hunting. Asking DH to find the Christmas decorations is a much larger task than asking him to find the lime in the middle drawer of the fridge. But I am not complaining - he found the tree. There were two big light-less gaps - one of those teeny weeny little things is out and the whole line is down - what electrical person designed these!!! Thirty minutes of replacing teeny weeny bulbs and he said forget it and headed off to Walmart.Threw on a new string of lights over the old - worked!

Now check out this very funny clip.

Home of the Twisted Films of PES

I bet you spend more than 15 minutes at this site. 
HILARIOUS.
..... except for one that kind of was on the edgy rooftop side - not worth the watch.

Ice Crystals

ice crystals on a pine cone

Our God is a God of order and perfection.

Done - the Wedding album is done!

... and I lied - I said there were 52 pages but there aren't - there are 58!!! I can't count.

Not my best work by a long shot - I think I was just trying to get them done. Labor of Love by this point.

and now for something completely different.... 2003 can you hear my BIG sigh???
I am determined to get through 2003 and 2004 - because in 2004 I went completely digital and scrapbooking gets whole lot more fun when I can edit, crop, fix my photos and even do the odd digital page. But first - those old, blue tinged 2003 photos from that awful camera!

Well.... until that baby comes home for Christmas and Mark and I set up his new studio lighting equipment. Then I might get distracted doing layouts of baby photos.... or work. :(

Georgeous

Melina did such wonderful photography at Allison and Sammy's wedding - it makes getting a album together so much easier.
I like this page - the photos really says it all. So simple, so gorgeous.

Grandparents.

and another ... 

 

I wonder what he is saying???

a two page spread. Love this new paper "Mr and Mrs Words" from TPC Studio. It is a glittery, blingy page but the scan doesn't pick that up

Three more pages to go - THREE - can I believe it???? No! It will be a 52 page album. I have also done all their photos in a coffee table book - which I do hope arrives in time for Christmas.

Feeling a tad better today and I am going to attempt a walk around the block. And I might even fold laundry today... because while I appreciate the time I get to SIT at my computer and scrapbook all day, I am BORED!!

This afternoon - the plan is to work through some tutorials on using shadows in digital scrapbooking - :) (big smile)... and work through another chapter in my Lightroom workbook.

I have yet to take up TV on this six week hiatus.