W.o.G. Wednesday: Isaiah 55:12

This morning was a very frustrating morning for me. Lots of things weren't adding up and it became very frustrating very quickly. Monkey was awake without a nap and, instead of being able to devote time to her, I found myself working hard to fulfill a deadline.

The work finally accomplished, my legs itching, and Monkey ready for some outside air, I decided to go for a long run. Running is my "me time", my thinking time and, many times, my prayer time.

When I was going through my second miscarriage, I was blessed to be visiting Colorado Springs. I took many long runs through the mountains, just me, God, and my sorrow. While running through the hills, God revealed His glory to me and how amazing His creation is...not to mention how well timed everything He creates is!

Needless to say, this afternoon's run through the hills of Atlanta brought back the same realizations of God's glory! It was almost as if I could hear the trees, sun, brilliant blue sky, busy squirrels, and chirping birds praising God. What a great testimony His creation is and how uplifting it is to run through it!

Isaiah 55:12

You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.

I just loved how joyful and happy this verse is--it captures what my attitude post-run was...and it definitely wasn't the endorphins!

Tutorial Tuesday: Association Photobook

***Once again it is Tutorial Tuesday and, once again, I don't know what to name my "creation". After checking out this Tutorial, I'd love to hear your name suggestions! also, please excuse the poor quality of these photos--they're all taken with my phone and are unfortunately blurry***

This week I made a photobook for Cutie Face. It has been unnaturally cold in Atlanta and it made me pause to think about what life will be like in the winter--will we be able to take the twice daily walks that we take now? Probably not!

This thought left me feeling a little blue--not only would we be worse for the wear, physically, but Cutie Face also wouldn't get her daily outdoor stimulation that she currently gets from viewing new sights and sounds on each walk.

So, I decided to take pictures of a lot of the things we pass every day and things that I also would like her to learn the names of. She and I went on a photo shoot on Sunday and took pictures around our neighborhood--hence the "Association Photobook" name--everything in this book is a picture of an object, building, etc. that she sees on our daily walks.

Here is what you'll need:

• I used posterboard to back my photos because I wanted something thick and sturdy
• Glue Stick or Rubber Cement
• Scissors
• Hole punch (not pictured)
• Book Rings (not pictured)
• Pictures
  

I took 48 pictures of:

• Buildings (school, house, apartment, stores, restaurants, gas station, fire station, post office, etc.)
• Objects on street (mailboxes, trash cans, phone booths, construction cones, fences, sidewalk, flag poles etc.)
• People and animals on the street (mailmen, walkers, dogs, squirrels, bikers, runners, baby joggers, etc.)
• Transportation (car, bus, taxi, firetruck, police car. Thankfully, we didn't see an ambulance!)
• Street/Traffic Signs (red, yellow, and green lights, walking man, stop hand, stop sign, crosswalk)
• Park items (playground, grass, flowers, trees, slide, swing, bench, water fountain, etc.)
• I'm sure you all can think of a lot more! and, think outside the box--do an association photobook for church if your child is afraid of Sunday school or do a book of their grandparents' houses and relatives' faces for when they go to visit!
  

First I cut my posterboard into fourths. My posterboard started out half the size of normal posterboard and came in a package of 5.

Organize your photos in the order you'd like them to be in the completed book. This took me a long time because I really wanted the book to "flow".

Unfortunately, I failed to think through the pictures and had lots of vertical pictures mixed with lots of horizontal pictures (see picture above). if I did it all over again, I'd most likely make all of them horizontal, though all of them vertical wouldn't be bad, either (see picture below).

I pasted all the pictures on the cut up pieces of posterboard USING BOTH SIDES, FRONT AND BACK. (see...doesn't it look better with all horizontal pictures?)

Once everything was pasted, I wrote descriptive captions (i laugh because the two that you see below say "stop" and "go" and aren't very descriptive! oh well!) under each picture.

I like to do everything in stages--paste them all and then caption them all (just like i put on both socks and then both shoes!) but feel free to caption as you paste!

Then I numbered each page so that I could remember the order<--this was a crucial step for me! I took them to Staples (they did a great job!) and had them laminate the pictures. It cost ~$9 to get all 24 pages laminated.

Cut all the pages out and put them in order

Place two strategic holes in each page using your hole puncher. I would punch a page, then use the punched holes as a template for the next page.

Make sure your pages are in order and then line them up with the holes

Thread a book ring through each opening. I think i chose book rings that were too big so I'm either going to get smaller ones or just add more pages!

Ta-Da! Finished book! (see what i mean about the gigundo book ring?)

Let your kiddo play with his or her new book!

All in all, this book probably cost about the same as getting one custom made on Snapfish or Shutterfly BUT there are a few crucial differences that make it a bit better--

• the pages are whatever size you choose
• the pages are laminated and HARD, much like a board book so that they wipe clean after messy fingers touch them
• the spiral book rings make the books easy to turn and you can add or take away pages easily

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! I really loved taking Cutie Face on a walk after showing her this book (in fact, we even took the book with us on the walk!) and showing her the corresponding objects outside that were also on her book's pages.

Harvest of Friends Blog Party!

I just found a neat blog through another blog called Dancing Barefoot on Weathered Ground. Just the name of the blog was enough to pique my interest so I had to go check it out.

While visiting I saw that Lynette was hosting a "Harvest of Friends" blog party and thought it would be a great way to jump into the fun her blog. i also, shockingly, enjoyed doing the last "all about us" post so i decided to take advantage of that feeling (usually i drag my feet when filling out questionnaires).

1. What is your favorite thing to snack on while you're blogging?

Currently? Candy corn, no question (see my last Tutorial Tuesday for proof!). Usually? Air-popped popcorn. Love that stuff.



2. What is one thing you wouldn't want to live without?

I could never live a fulfilling life without knowing that i was created with a purpose by my Father in Heaven, to live to glorify Him because He saved me, a sinner, through His Grace and Mercy!

3. Beach, Mountains or Farm? Where would you live if you had a choice?

ooooo. Mountains. With a lake. Specifically, Eagle Lake in Pike's Peak National Forest. Oh wait...that is where the Navigator's camp is. I just have SUCH fond memories of it!

J and I were just discussing this topic yesterday! He said he'd choose farm...something I never knew about him until then!

4. What's your least favorite chore/household duty?

i never thought i'd say this (because i used to love it!) but it is the FOLDING of the laundry.

5. Who do people say you remind them of?

i have no idea....so i asked my husband, J. And he said (also never knew this until now! i cannot believe how informative this questionnaire is!) Angie Harmon. huh. interesting.

i always fancied myself more of a Sandra Bullock kind of girl--down to earth and a little nutty!



6. Prefer parties and socializing or staying at home with the fam?

ask my parents and they'll tell you I'm a homebody. I like being out but once i'm in, i'm in, and it takes A LOT to get me back outside. How about socializing at small parties at home? now THAT I love!

proof that i went to a Christmas party with J last year...it does happen once i'm out!

7. What's your all time favorite movie?

i love Sleepless in Seattle and that is the only movie coming to mind right now so i'll just stick with that. I'm sure i could think of something better but for now that is my answer.

this past Christmas we stayed on a houseboat a few rows down from the houseboat in the movie! that was cool!


8. Do you sleep in your make up or remove it like a good girl every night?

Oh no no no i never sleep in my makeup (primarily because i NEVER wear makeup but that wasn't the question!)

9. Do you have a hidden talent or a deep desire to learn something that you've never had a chance to learn? What is it?

hidden talent: i can contort my face to look uncannily like a monkey (no wonder i one day ended up writing a blog called "Monkeys on the Bed!").

I guess a true talent (but maybe not so "hidden") is my running ability--I really like what Eric Liddell, missionary to China and Olympic runner (made famous by the movie "Chariots of Fire") said, "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure."

deep desire: i'd love to learn the fine art of photography. First i'd need a real camera, though. in highschool, though, i signed up every semester for the pottery class elective and i was never once placed in it. i always wanted to take that class but i think that "longing" has since past.

10. What's one strange thing you're really good at?

see above--my monkey face is pretty funny but very strange. Take note that these last two questions have no pictures attached...there is a reason for that!

11. What first attracted you to your spouse?

his humor, love for people, and singing/guitar playing ability. i saw all of those on display the first time i met him at the InterVarsity Freshmen Retreat

he's just so comfortable to be with!

and cute!!!

12. What is something you love to smell?

oh my oh my oh my don't get me started on this question. I'm notorious for my nose. i feel this strange compulsion to smell nearly everything. my parents tease me endlessly for always smelling my gifts that i open on Christmas morning. But, hands down, i love to bury my head in my freshly cleaned sheets as i go to bed at night. nothing beats that first night's sleep on freshly cleaned sheets!


13. Tell something about you that you know irritates people.

i used to chew ice all.the.time. now it annoys me when i hear people do it. Currently i'm sure i irritate people with my incessant talk about 1) my daughter and 2) cloth diapering ;-o

14. When you have extra money (HA!) what's the first thing you think to do with it?

i think i'd put it towards a fund for our future children that we hope to adopt

15. Are you a silent laugher or a loud laugher? What makes you laugh the hardest?

my mom would say i'm a loud laugher though i'm embarrassed by my laugh. i think it sounds way too goofy.

i laugh at a lot of things but one thing that always gets me are inane "headlines" from Jay Leno's show. my favorite being one about a cat being named "Fire".

I also love Jay's commentators especially some of Mitch Fatel's blurbs (though i just watched a few of his youtube videos to be sure i was thinking of the right guy and he is a bit raunchier than i remember! bummer!)

16. Where is your favorite place to shop?

if you based "favorite" on "most frequented" it would be Target, CVS, or Publix. but favorite as in "i-can-have-anything-i-like"? hmm that is still tricky! i love Anthropoligie for their great displays (ingenious, really) and their clothes are great and their candles are scrumptious!

17. What's one thing you'd do more often if you had more time?

i'd spend more time with my grandmas


18. Are you a big spender or frugal?

oh i'm so frugal. except i like to splurge on candy corn. i have no issues buying a bag a day!

19. Who is your favorite character of all time (from a movie or book)? (Can't be real)

ugh i hate questions like this. i love so many books and movies. before we were married, i was always infatuated with the characters that Meg Ryan played. something about her romantic comedy cuteness that i wanted to emulate. now...hmmm...i don't know.

i guess i could revert old-school and say Caddie Woodlawn. i loved her (two) books and always wanted to be a pioneer girl like her...part of the reason that Kirsten was my favorite American Girl doll, too!

20. Would you want to be famous?

nope never. i'd embarrass myself in an instant and i live in fear of doing that on a daily basis with the few people i come in contact with everyday!

I ❤ Faces: Think Pink!

I am blessed to not know anyone in my family or in my circle of friends who have suffered from Breast Cancer. But that is not the case for MANY of you, my blog readers. This week, i ❤ faces is celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness month with the theme "pink week".

I was torn on whether or not i wanted to enter this week. I felt like entering might be taking away from the much-needed spotlight on those who have experienced breast cancer (either themselves or through a loved one).

But, i also wanted to show my support so i'm entering a photo that is definitely not top rate but hopefully encouraging to others--the springy feel and the flower in my little monkey's hand makes me feel hopeful for new beginnings--of life, recovery, and cures!

For many inspirational entries, please visit i ❤ faces.

Oh Gro Baby...I ❤ You

I've talked about Gro Baby diapers a few times before on this blog...most recently, though, i mentioned them on my {life with} Cutie Face blog (seen here). These diapers have quickly become my fave go-to dipes (especially the snap version--so my favorite!).

Baby C aka Monkey aka Cutie Face (one day I'm going to stick with a single moniker, I promise) modeled them a few months ago:

Gro Baby recently came out with Biodegradable Soaker Pads. These are kind of like the biodegradable liners that gDiapers sell but they have a few notable differences:

• They fit perfectly into the Gro Baby covers (no bunching!)

• They biodegrade quickly! The longest they'll last in a landfill is 150 days! impressive!
• They STICK to the liner so they won't come out!

• They come in two sizes--Newborn/infant and Infant/Toddler

I am hoping to review their new BioSoaker products (compliments of he Natural Baby Co.) and, if I do, i'll let you know how they work!

Featured Follower: Chelsi from the McFadden Family Adventures!

How come the most AWWWW-dorable families follow me? I cannot get over everyone's cuteness each time I do a Featured Follower post. LOVE it and LOVE getting to know you all. (and, if you want to be a featured follower one day, make sure you fill out the form found on this post)


This week's featured follower is Chelsi from the McFadden Family Adventures. She participates in I ❤ Faces and other fun blogging networks so she is a great go-to gal for neat links! Chelsi started blogging around the same time I did--February 2009--and has a great recap post of her life to get y'all acquainted with her.

Chelsi is married to a Communications Operator for Cal-Fire. He is also a Volunteer Firefighter (can we all say, "Thank you!"?) for Ukiah City Fire Department and an excellent craftsman. He owns and operates their family Business, McFadden Family Woodworking. Partially because her husband is a firefighter, Chelsi wrote a beautiful post about the September 11th anniversary.

They have two sons: Little Firefighter (almost 5!) and Mr. Moo (18-months). Both are so super cute!

Chelsi seems like such a wonderful and wise mother. If you get a chance, you should check out her post on taming her Little Firefighter's temper tantrums from a Christian perspective (something I'm definitely going to need to bookmark!).

Chelsi is super creative and crafty (she made that cake for Mr. Moo's 1st birthday!)...and she is also a great photographer. You are bound to find some great pictures in every post...eye candy for sure!

Check out The McFadden's Family Adventures today!

Procrastination

When i should have been:

1. napping
2. cleaning
3. posting on cutie face instead

i decided to work on a "Fix-It Friday" picture from i ❤ faces

What can i say? i love to edit (and usually have to since my digital snap and shoot pictures leave much to be desired) and tinkering on Picnik is a great way to procrastinate:

Basically, I rotated the photo a little, flipped it, lightened it by tinkering with the exposure and contrast, and then sharpened it. i thought it was a pretty great picture to begin with and not much tinkering was needed!

Lots of people have different takes on this pic, though, so be sure to check them out at i ❤ faces

Featured Follower to...errr...follow...

today!