December... Not So Daily...

Man I can't believe how this month has flown by. I just don't have enough time to do anything, and I mean anything. I have done most of the shopping, made the majority of the gifts that I am making for others, finished all the decorations, and have begun on the baking, and I still feel like I am swimming in things to do. My to do is still at least a mile long! Do any of you feel like this too?

One thing I am bound and determined to finish this year is my December Daily album. I started it last year and didn't get it quite finished. (I do still plan to though... someday.) So, with a little less sleep, I have gotten a jump on this years album.

I showed a photo of the cover, but here is a close up. I am really trying to keep this album simple so that I can get it finished this year. I want to document all of the little things that make this time of year so special for our family.

This is the first page. This is Matteo helping Mommy make some new garland for the tree. He loved this. It was so much fun, and super easy. The garland can be purchased from Heather at her etsy shop, Sunshine daydream Creations, or you can make your own. Here is a few recipes for it. I am making some more dough this weekend to make hand prints for the Grandparents gifts.

This is the back of page one and the front of page two. Matteo received his first Christmas card today. He was so funny about it, and of course he wanted to read it all by himself. He climbed up in his high chair, crossed his legs and read his card to me.

He said, "Merry Christmas. Ms. Dianne loves me. Ms. Mary loves me." Apparently, he feels very loved, which is wonderful.

This page represents a family tradition of counting down the days till Christmas. The Advent Calendar is such a great tradition. Grandma got this for us a few years ago, and Matteo loves to play with it. He doesn't really get the concept of counting down the days yet, but he loves to open the little drawers and take out each token to hang it on the tree. He does this until he is done, and then he puts them all back. Maybe we will "count down" the days next year.

This is just a shot of the overlay that labels day four.

Day four represents another family tradition around here. We always have our annual family photos taken before Christmas so that I can have a current photo to send out for Christmas. I would love to make our Christmas card, but honestly, there just isn't enough time, so I do the photo cards. This tradition is very dear to my heart, not only because I am a scrapbooker and I love to document, but also because I don't have any family photos of myself with my siblings and parents as a child. It just wasn't something that we were able to afford at that point in my life. So now I save up for them every year. We use the same photographer every year, and I love her. Check her out here. Thanks again Skye for making our photos so memorable.

Here is the back side with another family shot.

Day five was our annual Christmas Tree hunting trip. It was so cold that I didn't take many photos, but I got a few. This first page is the tree. Dad actually went and cut it down by himself this year because Matteo was so cold he just wanted to watch CARS in the truck, but I did get a family shot with the tree. This is it. Gosh, I hope you all can see that. If you click on it, it should enlarge.

The only other shots that I got that day was when we first got there. We hadn't anticipated so much snow, so nobody brought any sleds. Daddy, The Creative, whips out a cardboard box and starts up the hill with Matteo. These are the shots I did get.

Matteo loved this. Who knew sledding without a sled could be so much fun? Here is the backside of day 5.

So, that is it for now. I will be posting some more this week. I am going to finish this... this year.

Also, if you want a kit to this layout, the papers have arrived.

They are currently making the kits, and they should be ready to go this week. If you have any questions, or want to reserve one, call Karen or JoElle at Scrapbook Paradise. Their number is 775-746-1212.

Thanks for stopping by.