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Thursday, January 13, 2011

I'm Excited...and I just can't hide it

I'm excited because I think I just made my life a little easier!

I love to scrapbook, or rather I think I like the idea of scrapbooking! The one thing that always 'weighs me down' is first figuring out a place to start...you have to start somewhere! I while ago, I decided I would start scrapbooking pictures from the time Irish and I were married (and I will still do one album dedicated to just that)...it just seemed logical! But then I look at, and think about alllll the pictures I have not even touched! All the 'catching up' I would eventually have to do. The idea of possibly having multiple albums for ONE year!...as I currently have ONE album full of the first FOUR months of Marshall's life!!...Ya Once I realized that, I knew I had to get pretty particular on which pictures I would actually print!!

For the last little while I had kind of decided to go away from scrapbooking chronologically...and just pick what ever pictures I wanted to do...after all if you are not inspired by your pictures, you are not going to do a good job. In the back of your head you are always going to be thinking about those other pictures that you really really want to be scrapbooking!

Then came a time where I just didn't feel like scrapbooking...at all! I didn't get excited about it, I didn't think about it, in fact I tried not to think about it!

And then today, I found this. It is called Project life. I don't know who the 'first one' to come up with this idea was, nor does it really matter. I found this blog from Ali Edwards. She seems like such a fun and creative gal! On her blog she has explains and gives you a glimpse of her Project Life.

It is EXACTLY what I have been looking for. Something to simplify my scrapbooking dilemmas!!! A simple, but yet fun one or two page spread for an entire week. Something where everything comes together. Pictures, journaling, stories, postcards, souveniers, pamphlets, maps, wedding invites, Christmas letters from family...etc etc....they all get incorporated into this ONE book!

This ONE book is all I will have to work on. I now don't have to worry about whether or not I am going to scrapbook an individual book for each of my kids, what size it will be, and for how long I will do it. I'm excited to complete my first year of Project Life, and then sit down and reminisce about the past year with it!

This is the place where those pictures finally have a home. You know the ones you take, where there are maybe only one or two...so not enough for an entire scrapbook layout...just perfect for one spot in your weekly page, with a little journaling explaining it!

Sorry this is going on really long...but I'm just SO EXCITED!

The other thing I'm really excited about is my One Little Word for this year. I have never done this before, heard about it, but never really 'got into it'.

I was reading my SIL's blog (Kaly Court) and she inspired me to choose a word for this year. At first I was having a hard time, thinking it was going to take me f o r e v e r....as I wanted to find the perfect word.

When finally I decided I would think about it later, and that is when this word popped into my head.

INTUNE
I guess technically it's two words...but this year, for me...it will be my two word combined into one....so I am going to hyphenate it...to make it my ONE word.

First and foremost I want to be more in-tune with my Heavenly Father. I feel as though I have kinda let this one slip while trying to juggle being a mom...a working mom, being a wife, a cook, a 'maid', a disciplinary-er, a 'scrapbook-er', blogger, sew-er...just being ME...etc...etc...etc I have come to realize that this was NOT the thing to let slide. In fact if I put more time and effort into this one...so many other things in my life would fall into place! I can and will feel more 'on top of things' (One thing I am also focusing more specifically on this year is coming to a greater knowledge and understanding of the Atonement)

Second, I want to be more in-tune with my children. I need to slow down and enjoy them. Love them. Listen to them, be patient with them, and teach them. They are only completely 'mine' for a short little while. I need to take this time to instill in them the knowledge that I have, to better prepare them for this world they are about to be "thrown" into.

Third, I want to be more in-tune with my husband. I want to become more of a unit than we already are, so that we can stand united on every level...well most levels...it's okay to be different! I want to go on more dates with him, spend more quality time with him, get to know my husband better (I know this may sound weird...but we as human beings constantly change, grow and develop...catch my drift now?) and just love everything about him!

Fourth, I want to be more in-tune with ME. I want to be more aware of the way I, Karley Lilburn, feel about things. I want to be able to express those thoughts/feelings/desires more often without thinking of feeling that someone is going to think 'I'm dumb'. I want to like things be cause I like them, not because so-and-so likes it, or this person thinks this is really cool...etc. I want to be more in-tune with the things I want to do. I want to make more ME time. Just because I am married, doesn't mean i need to spend every waking minute (okay so maybe it's more like every waking minute AFTER the kids are in bed) doing something with my husband...we both need our ME time.

Well off the top of my head, those are the main things that my 'one word' makes me think about. I may add some more to it later...and I might just let you know about it! :)

Thanks for sticking with me through the loooong post!

Friday, January 7, 2011

Promotion

The other day my manager came into the ChildCare and asked if he could talk to me once all the kids were gone. I said sure. Not really knowing what he wanted to talk about my mind started wandering in many different directions.

We have had a few major changes at our gym as of late. Another gym here in town closed down and all their members were transferred over to us (those that wanted to) ...so needless to say it has been quite a ride the last few weeks! New kids...a lot of kids, new parents (some nice...some think they own the place and give me attitude! some not so much), new employees, more paperwork, confusion about payments, and no one feeling on the same page as anyone else!

Since I went back to work in October, I have kind of taken it upon myself to keep things running smoothly in the childcare and making sure everything was being done properly. Since I was the only employee who had been there the longest, and new what should be going on and how things were done...I just took 'charge'.

WELL, I was called into my manager's office to be asked if I would like to be the Child Care Supervisor! In my head I smirked because I'm pretty sure I was already doing the duties of the supervisor anyways...but just to be sure what I might be getting myself into I asked what that entailed!

Their response was (both my Manager & Owner of the gym were present):
-Checking receipts & the sign in book to make sure everyone was paid for
-Getting new parents to fill out info/waiver forms for their children

-Manage 'my employees' (making sure they are doing what they are suppose to be doing)
-Making the schedule for 'my' employees
-Hold staff meetings

Oh and of course a raise! :)

Since I was already doing the first 3 things they said, I said YES.
I'm on a three month probation and then I get to talk to them again and see how things are going!

I think it should be fine...as I have fun, easy going girls to work with!

The thing I am most excited about is I now have Friday's OFF, I have to do a double shift on Tuesdays...but Irish will be home in the afternoon so I won't have to bring the kids with me! I also may have to work the occasional Saturday...but that's no biggie!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Fun Family FHE

So my B-I-L and Nephew came over yesterday to spend the night with us. We ate supper, and then for FHE Jay wanted to take us sledding...not the type of sledding you are probably thinking of though. This, this is what I shall call "farm sledding".

Irish was really excited to go and try it out. We both didn't think Marshall would even want to try, as he is the kid who freaks out when a drop of water lands on his head, gets the tiniest bit of snow in his face...yada yada yada...etc, etc. So I basically went with them thinking we'll give Marshall a chance...but that I would end up taking both him and Paisley home and just put them to bed. (I also didn't think he would want to try as I'm pretty sure I scarred him for life when he was about 18months. I took him tobogganing and he got a face full of snow, and was terrified!!)

We drove over to the Exhibition grounds, and got the sled ready....do you know what type of sledding I'm talking about now? Yes, you are right! We hooked up a sled to Jay's truck...and then he drove us around the parking lot!

Iarnan goes first. Next we ask Marshall if he wants to try. Surprisingly he actually says 'Yes'.

 We get him situated on the toboggan

 Jay and Irish give him the 'prep talk' & explain the appropriate hand signals to give Jay if he wants to stop. I'm thinking he's going to get off any minute....does he realize he is going to pulled around by a TRUCK? Does he comprehend what he is doing??

 But he stays on, and as soon as Jay starts driving away I expect to hear screaming & crying, or to see him roll off the sled. NOPE! what do we hear?! Nothing but PURE laughter and 'squeals' of excitement! It was AWESOME!

We all had turns, and Marshall went 3 or 4 times! He loved it!

Even Paisley wanted to try. Surprisingly enough, she didn't cry for the first little bit either. I was trying to protect her face so she wouldn't get blown with snow, but there was one turn where we both got it...and she started crying after that!

 Three little Eskimos

 He honestly made my night by loving this so much

 Paisley kept walking back over to the sled, she wanted more...too funny!

 Irish gets a turn

 Sibling love

 The long-john masked man (aka: Jay, the bearded one)

 My three most favorite people!

 Iarnan (aka: Long-John Jr)

Annnnd, probably the cutest picture of the night! We had just finished reading scriptures as a family and Iarnan went to read his book before bed. Paisley went up the stairs all by herself (bringing the BOM with her), she went into M's room and sat down beside Iarnan to read her book!!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

First Creation

Here it is! My first completed sewing project on my NEW sewing machine!! My wonderful husband was so sweet to me this year! (he is every year...and all the time) He gave me exactly what I was hoping for! A new sewing machine! I must admit, it's pretty darn nice & I LOVE IT!

I didn't waist anytime, and got right to working on something I've been wanting to make for a while now...but just didn't have the proper tools to do so. A Super cute zipper pouch!





How fun is that!?! I want to make one for all of M's cars, and one for his little action figures, and one for his puzzle pieces, and....well you get the point!

I followed a tutorial which I now can't seem to find at the moment (maybe they cleaned up their blog for the new year...??) but here is a tutorial that is easier to follow!!

Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy 2011!