Memorandum Monday - You've Got {HAPPY} Mail!

Joining in with Sian and all my fellow Memorandum Monday-ers.  What "new" thing did I do last weekend?  Well, I had a very special surprise when this showed up in my mail:

Sian has knitted me the prettiest pair of striped socks! The foot part fits perfectly and the calf part is nice and slouchy loose - they may just become my new favorite sleeping socks! (yes, I am one of those people who wears socks to bed until the weather turns to sleeping-with-the-windows-open warm).  The socks were so prettily wrapped up in their little cuff, I almost didn't want to open them. But actually wearing them takes precedence and that cute little paper cuff with the washing instructions will likely find a home in my Simple Album as a remembrance of some very special happy mail.  THANK YOU so much Sian! I love them!

FIT & OLW Update

It occurs to me that I haven't really updated on my FIT and OLW (SIMPLE) journey since I posted some ridiculously embarassing numbers at the beginning of the year.  Here is what has been happening:

I closed out January with this mini layout. Just because I loved the meme when it popped up on Facebook!

My starting numbers and plan for February. Change is happening excruciatingly slowly, but it is happening!

I upped my daily step goal to 5500 steps.

 And I tried to keep the FIT mantra in mind as I was checking (or not checking as the case may be) boxes ... strive for PROGRESS, not perfection!

By the end of February, I had met my step goals 20 out of 29 days. That is roughly 66% which wasn't enough to convince me to push the goal to the next level just yet. But in the process, I've gone from rarely working out to going regularly to a Fitness Class, Tai Chi, and visiting a gym with my friend Rachel where we get to talk while hitting the treadmill for a half hour. That has been a HUGE change for me!

The prompt for One Little Word for February was "Practice" something for 30 days and chart it. I decided to "practice" making sure to log my food everyday. I managed 25 out of 29 days.  I have found being out and about on the weekends makes it harder to track. It may be time to download an app to my phone and stop making excuses.  Wanting to add that little enamel dot every day really helped keep me honest.  And keeping honest led to this:

My numbers for March 1st.  I am down a total of 6 pounds and 6 1/2" from the beginning of the year.  It is slow, but it is all in the right direction. I'm somewhat amazed at how much WORK it takes to get rid of a single pound and I'm hoping to keep my attitude and my work ethic strong so I can accomplish my goals.  I have had a few days (hmmm, maybe more than a few) where my inner critic has strongly suggested that I throw in the towel and eat the cookies. I've succumbed a few times, but I am finding it is getting a little easier to resist that nasty little voice in my head!

The March prompt for One Little Work is to create a vision board of our word.  I had so much fun playing with a digi version:

I uploaded this one in a slightly larger format, so you should be able to click on it and make it bigger to read all the smaller items.  Although my vision board doesn't seem all that focused on the concept of "SIMPLE", it is clearly focused on the things I am working on right now.  And I plan to make a cut and paste version too, but need to source some magazines first.  I'm also reusing February's prompt and will be practicing decluttering for the month of March.  Seriously hoping to fill that card!!!

Even if you aren't in these classes, are you practicing anything specific in March?

Memorandum Monday & LOAD 26

Happy Leap Day!  Popping in to quickly say hello to all my fellow Memorandum Monday-ers.

I spent my weekend thrifting, researching, and restocking The Shop.  One thing we bought was a Homer Winslow print titled "In The Mowing".  I never took any art history or art appreciation courses in high school or college, so all I knew in making the purchase was that Winslow was a famous artist.  What I learned in the research is that he was largely self-taught and considered one of the most influential American artists of his time. He did pencil sketches, oil on canvas, and ultimately watercolors - and it was with the watercolors that he truly made his name.  So now I know a little bit about Homer Winslow.

I didn't do any LOAD layouts for Saturday or Sunday. And as it turns out, I was just fine with it.  I have accomplished a lot this month - with all the layouts needed to complete Rachel & Becca's K-6 School of Life albums and a lot of other stories told as well.  So I was perfectly content to create this layout with Krystal Hartley's new "Fresh" kit.  I actually went outside and took the photo just to create the layout!

And then, just for fun, I made this page for my planner:

WHat did you do for fun this past weekend?

LOAD 21 - 25

A few of you asked about my friend Chris Witte and how her family was doing after her death.  It has been two years and I know it wasn't easy, but they all seem to be coping well. Her oldest daughter, Kristin, had two young boys at the time. She also inherited the care of her sister TaylorAnn who was only 18 and a freshman in college. Kristin is expecting her third son any day now and TaylorAnn is a Junior in college and doing well. I stay connected via facebook and whenever I send a care package to my girls, I send one to TaylorAnn as well - it's no harder to send out three than two! Luckily, they have a broad extended family and a wide range of Chris' friends who were willing to adopt them for a bit, so they've had the support they need to deal with the tragedy they went through.  Thanks for asking!

 2004-2005 School Year highlights.  For the School of Life albums.

 I did this page 4 times, changing out two photos and a bit of the journaling. It will be printed as a page for each of the girls' School of Life albums and our family "Places We Go" album.  Love it when I can make the work stretch that far!

 A page for Sarah's 7-12 grade School of Life Album

Documenting the making of beautiful smiles. I was originally going to do a separate page for each of them, but couldn't find any photos right after the braces came off that really showed those beautiful smiles - that was the period when all my photos of them are of hands in front of their face (thank heavens they eventually outgrow that stage!)  The pictures are each about 2 years apart.  It is amazing to see the growth in a span of just four years!

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 I told this story on my blog last July.  And I included that second photo in my "Best of 2015" layout.  Now I have the story fully scrapbooked and saved for posterity!

 I started this layout with a Studio Rosey Posey blended template that I had to modify drastically because I had more journaling than would fit! Another blog story turned layout.

 Made with a Connie Prince template and Krystal Hartley's newest kit called "Get A Clue".   I'm glad to be including our shared hobby turned business in our "Things We Do" Library of Memories album.

Here's another story that was included in my Five Faves list last March - finally told!  Connie Prince template and "Life is Good" kit by Kimeric.

And here is the only digital layout that I created during the crop in January - which completes my Five Faves list from last March! Although it took me nearly a year, at least these stories have all been told!

Memorandum Monday & LOAD 13 - 16

Back again to play along with Sian's Memorandum Monday!  I missed last week because, well, LIFE. You know, it has been totally kicking my butt lately.  

Valentine's weekend we had temps in the single digits (think -15 for you Celsius folks). It triggered a fibro flare that left me tired and just plain miserable. I even missed creating & posting a LOAD layout for Valentine's Day. I was too tired to go out for dinner. Yuck. Honestly, I was ready to throw in the towel and call LOAD done for the month.  But I spent Monday creating two layouts and got myself caught up.

Work has been stressful too, with a copyright infringement issue that I just can't seem to get resolved. So there's that.  And all the tracking and careful eating and keeping up with things that I do all week just seems to fall apart on the weekends. 

This past weekend was a bit milder (thank you!!!). Jay and I made it out to several thrift shops and an indoor flea market and had some interesting finds.  And I learned that just because someone tells you something belonged to their grandmother doesn't mean it is old!  We bought a totally kitschy "Betty Boop Diner" indoor/outdoor thermometer, which, upon research, is being sold today!  Ah well, it still looks good at the shop, so live and learn! I actually learn new things about old stuff nearly every weekend as we purchase and research things for the shop. When I have something truly interesting, and can remember to save the links, I'll share!

 Frame Cluster is "Memory Keeper" by Kimeric

 Quick Page from Bohemian Beauty Collection at Sweet Shoppe Designs

 Happy Birthday Template from Cindy Schneider with modifications.  Sarah's Sweet Sixteen was on my list of "Five Faves" last March that never got done. So I finally get to check another one off that list!

 Using Kimeric's "Picture Perfect kit.  Another School of Life album page done.  I'm nearing the finish line of the K-6 album pages!!! I only had to change out one photo to make a similar page for Rachel.

LOAD 9-12

 blended template by Studio Rosey Posey

Kits "Medieval Faire" and "Gypsy" from Studio Tangie

 A quick page template - you know, for those nights when you just don't have the time...

template from Katie Pertiet with a lot of modifications.