Christmas 2013... documentation in progress.

    Normally I created a LOT of 12x12 layouts for Christmas, but this year I was inspired by some online videos involving Christmas mini albums, aka minis.
     I've been making minis for several years, but never one for Christmas.  All my Christmas pages have been going into a 12x12 leather album by CTMH.  That has been overflowing for some time, and with this new inspiration, I decided to start a mini.
  I did create a 12x12 layout before starting the mini, and although the two pages are created as one layout, and utilize the colors from our decorating scheme this year, the fact that the teal page on our left is more of a pastel version, and perhaps because I didn't create the entire layout as one unit, it does not feel cohesive to me.  I MUCH prefer the pages viewed separately.

I started with a 4x6 photo album.... it was already purple, one of my Christmas decor colors this year.  Each page has a photo window, therefore providing a built-in pocket for journaling and any other items I want to include.

     Oreo, our tuxedo kitty, and also our newest addition to our family, is TOTALLY living up to the typical get-into-mischief and crawl into every box or container feline personality traits.

This is actually the first inside page I created.... an early memorial tribute to our beloved Smoke, aka Smoky Kitty.  Just 2 days before Christmas, Wesley and I took her in for her thyroid blood work, and 2 hours later, came home in tears, after being told that she may only live for a few hours, or days.  She passed away on January 19th, the day after Wesley's 10th birthday, and the day before my 50th.......  She will NOT be forgotten!

Now for some of the humorous portions of this Christmas's memories........ Wesley dressed Dakota in his husky hat when he and dad went out to blow snow ROFL (Rolling On the Floor Laughing)!  Also, when Wesley opened the package containing his dirt bike's new batteries, he yelled "I got BUBBLEWRAP!"  Even though the photo is blurry, it's priceless!

Wesley's interests changed greatly in the past year.  He literally put aside Thomas the train, packing up all of his trains, stations and specialty pieces and putting them in the guest room as possible yard sale items.  This was greatly influenced by the fact that Star Wars was playing this summer, and we thought he might be interested in the movie series.  That was the beginning of a new obsession!

Quality time was spent with dad, learning how to assemble his first Star Wars models.

     Video games have also been a big interest of Wesley's, to a fault.... as with many kids,  we have to limit the amount of time he spends playing them.

Wesley has also gotten really busy making things via Origami, going through a LOT of the tape in my studio as well as the household supply.  Michael suggested buying him a huge roll of tape for Christmas.  Instead of one huge roll, I found a multi-pack.  The right hand box contains his dirt bike batteries and the infamous bubble wrap.

Wesley made me a tea light at school, as well as purchasing me a beautiful ornament and liquid potpourri diffuser, both in our Christmas colors.  Michael gave me 2 wolf-image sun catchers from a local shop. 

Need I say more?????

Wesley bought Michael a specialty screwdriver set from the school's Christmas shop.  Some of the moms purchased items locally and set up a store for the students to shop from.  GREAT idea!  Wesley also bought both Grandmas a gift there.

Wesley and I picked out a new surround sound system, which Michael had actually asked for this year (the volume knob on the other one has been warn out for over a year and is very touchy.  Michael is going to use the old one in his shop).  Wesley managed to strong-arm it in from the kitchen, and I set it up while Michael slept (he didn't feel good Christmas day).

On Christmas Eve, after Wesley had placed his note to Santa under the tree, Oreo curled up next to it!!!  Rusty and Squirrel wouldn't say so, but he looked like a sweet little gift under the tree..... After all the gifts had been open, I noticed these two lounging next to each other, with Wesley's Star Wars wall quotations nearby.  I couldn't help taking advantage of the situation!

         This is not quite the entire album, but I will post the final pages soon.  Scrap on!

Catching up from the summer & fall, and GROWING UP.

  After spending most of the summer working on my studio renovation, and not being able to access this blog, I have been trying to make a dent in downloading & editing photos, printing my favorites, and beginning to plan scrapbook projects.
  Among the following photos you will find everything from funny to adorable pet & family interactions, images of our yard & the areas we take our walks, to heart-wrenching realizations of losing fur-family members.

Guy time has been including a little more racing & car themed television, whether Nascar races, a race themed animated movie, or car themed tv shows such as Top Gear.

                          Wesley has been GROWING UP, both physically & emotionally.

Check out his pajamas below: about 6 inches too short, and also displaying his fascination of the past 7 or 8 years, trains, and particularly Thomas.  This fall he decided that he was ready to set aside his train collection, to make room for new interests.  I asked him to sort through ALL things Thomas & train themed, including vcr & dvd movies, large train track sections, books, etc.



Train-Transformer Thomas/Wesley

 

Something clicked this summer:  Star Wars!!!!!  He has been raiding my shipping boxes, paper towel rolls (for arms) and tape, creating his own Star Wars characters, robots, ships, etc.

Now on to some of the other family members, namely those with lots of fur!

 



An example of the bond between Dakota and Oreo, as well as the mischievous characteristics of Oreo's personality.  I was combing Dakota and Oreo decided that her tail qualified as a kitty toy!  Note the pile of Dakota wool above her in the photo, while ignoring my pile of notebooks and books that still need a new home in my studio.

Oreo finally discovered what the other cats were observing out the front window.... birds!  Smoke has also been admiring them from the chair that she has been relaxing on nearest to the kitchen window.  Smoke has a large abdominal tumor, probably cancerous, as well as fluid around both lungs.  We expected to lose her before Christmas, but she is still blessing us with her presence and 'meal monger' personality daily.  I pray that she does not suffer.

Beautiful "Squirrel", whom Michael named after her large bushy squirrel-like tail.  She loves to sit beneath the tree.  Last year, she actually climbed inside it approximately half way up the trunk and it was a challenge to get her out without knocking down the tree or disrupting the decorations.

 

     Above, Oreo decided that he needed to help me with wrapping the gifts after midnight Christmas morning.  He definitely has a lot of the typical kitty personality traits, from helping with everything related to Christmas, to watching/playing with the images on the tv and video games, to attacking your ankles as you walk up the stairs.
     A letter, which Oreo needed to guard for Santa.  Wesley received several Star Wars items for Christmas, including wall decals with the memorable "Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away..."  which I took advantage of to title the photo below. LOL.

Now I have 2 shadows following me around the house.  I have had to ban Oreo from my studio because he thinks that EVERYTHING in my studio is a toy.

 "Come on, Mom!  Let's play in the beautiful Christmas morning snow!"  Dakota's other gift....

I pray that we have a safe, happy year ahead of us in 2014, with our family continuing to evolve in our hobbies & interests, talents & skills.

 

A third Christmas celebration, and Smoke is still blessing us with her presence.

     Saturday December 21st, my oldest brother's birthday, we hosted Gleason Christmas here in our home.  This house seems much smaller when there are 16 family members inside, but it was fun & cozy.  LOTS of great food, an always fun guys & girls gift exchanges, Brandon & Wesley exchanged gifts (Wesley made out BIG time, receiving the bow that has been passed down from Justin & Jorday to Brandon, and now Wesley!), a bit of drama, but lots of love.  Since Annetta provided the meat, I felt obligated to do dessert BIG!  We had a dessert BAR: Lemon Meringue Pie (Leon's fave for his birthday), Cherry Pie (Robert's fave for his birthday on the 10th), Cherry Cheesecakes for all of cheesecake lovers & January birthday of Justin, Wesley, Grandma Ruth & myself; Chocolate Fountain & lots of goodies to dip, ice cream sandwiches with cool whip..... ahhh and lots of color-coordinated candy too (My color scheme this Christmas was jewel tones, specifically Pink, Purple & Teal with Silver).
     On Monday December 23rd we learned that our beloved Smoke, our 11 1/2 year old fur baby has a large tumor in her abdomen, as well as fluid around her lungs.  I had begun creating a post to be published at a later date, expecting to lose her before or on Christmas day.  Through the tears and several attempts to save that post, it never came to be.  Smoke is still with us, still has an appetite etc, and I pray several times a day that she does not suffer, passing away comfortably in her sleep.  It has been 6 1/2 days since we got the terrible news and I keep praying for her.
     On a cheerful note, we were able to have our first Christmas gathering with our friends, the Davis family.  Pork loin dinner, a few gifts for the children, CHOCOLATE and hours of chatting..... the kids had a sleepover here, including HOURS of sledding in the 36 degree, partly sunny weather, and even some fireworks that night.  We also had our neighbor and his nephews over for the dessert bar as well, earlier in the week.
    Today they went sledding in town but gave up after only 15-20 minutes of bitter winds, continuing on to Pizza Hut before Wesley headed home with them this time.  Ahhh, the quiet!  And some MUCH needed playtime for Wesley.
      We all need more social time and I pray that this is a beginning of that... onward and upward.
    

...and we all settled down for a long winter's nap (last night after fighting the blizzard)

   I went to bed to find our son Wesley cuddled up in the middle of our bed...our cat Rusty too, who moved down onto the floor among extra pillows when I got into bed.  An hour later, still awake, I realized I had another opportunity for themed pics!

Our 3 yr old Tomcat, Rusty

Dakota, guarding the stairs to our bedrooms

Smoke, in her usual spot lately

 

Awww....such a cutie!