In My "Spare" Time...

I, of course, use the term "spare" very loosely. As anyone else out there would know, managing the household leaves for very little spare time. But I thought I'd take a minute to document a little bit of what I have been up to...besides cleaning the house, feeding the family, and running around like a mad woman. And since I had Sam 14 months ago, it seems like I just look back to the time when I only had one child as the time that I got SO much done. So maybe documenting this now will make me look back when I have more kids and think that I got SO much done when I "just" had two kids... :o)

First off...'tis the season for card making. This has been taking up a HUGE chunk of my time lately. I like to make our Christmas cards every year, but I have also been filling orders for a store and some other custom orders and put together some for my card exchange group. If I have it calculated correctly, I will have 300 cards made over the last two months. I love, love, love to make them, but I definitely feel a little burnt out by the time my cards are sent out for the holidays! But I am glad I have the opportunity to do these projects every once in a while because it's nice to have a little 'extra' cash at times. I had been putting my money aside this year from photo sessions and cards saving up for something "special" (ha ha--I thought maybe a new lens or something), but in October I really figured the money was best spent to pay for our Christmas this year and it is a pretty satisfying feeling to know that I have put enough away to cover almost all of our Christmas. I rarely feel like I contribute much at all to the family, so it just felt kind of nice to be able to do it.

Here is a shot of my messy, messy table that my family so willingly puts up with (since it is also our kitchen table...)! I don't think I'd get burnt out so quickly if I didn't have to get it out and clean it up every time I did it. Some day I'll have my own space....some day!!
And yes, that is a Halloween tablecloth on my table. Don't knock it. It's sweet. Definitely adds to the festiveness of holiday card making.



And I don't know where I'd be or what I'd do without my Close to My Heart inks (and various other products!!). Ever since Crishelle introduced me when we lived back in Iowa, I find myself going to them more and more all the time. They simplify the process for me, for sure.
And I can't say that I scrapbook much at all anymore these days. It used to be ALL I did or ALL I thought about, I swear. But once again, the lack of time and most especially the lack of space just get me to the point where I rarely pull it out. And since I started digging deep into learning photography, I spend a lot less time scrapbooking and a lot more time playing around with my camera and reading about it. And photography just takes up a lot less space in my house (hard drive space is a different story...) and is a lot less messy! BUT it also creates a scrapbooking headache since I have a TON of pictures now. Some day I'll get them scrapped, I say...some day! I still really enjoy scrapbooking, and just await the day that I have more space so I don't get so frustrated taking up the kitchen table. But a couple months ago, I was just itching to put a page together and did just that. This is the latest thing I have done (and it even won me a little somethin' in a contest...) so I thought I'd throw a picture of it in this post.
It also seems that everyone I know is havin' a baby these days. :) I gotta say I'm glad it's you, not me at the present moment! :) So, if I can, I really try to make a gift, but that doesn't always happen. I really like to crochet around these baby blankets and have done ten sets (a blanket and two burp clothes) this year. Garrett's mom taught me how to do them right after I had Tyler. She made a bunch for me when I had him and they were my favorite baby blankets ever and I really like giving them as gifts. I just finished up this set for a sweet little girl in Utah that I sure wish I could meet! I do love to sit and watch a show on TV or a movie and crochet. It just relaxes me and I also take it with me if we ever go for a very long drive in the car. That's about the only time I have to do it a lot of times.
So, these are a few things that I've been up to along with adjusting and settling in to my new calling as the ward Young Women's president. Life definitely stays busy, that's for sure. A lot of it hasn't been too much of an adjustment since I have been a counselor in the presidency for two years, but there have also been a lot of changes to the group as we recently split off from being combined with the Spanish Ward. So there is a lot of organization and work to be done and that's when it freaks me out a little bit!

But as a side note, I must say that ALL of my time the last two days has been spent thinking about and praying for Garrett's dad. We want him to know how much we love him and hope he gets better and hope we can see him soon. We love you, Grandpa T! Get well soon!