I took this photo of Maggie when she was barely 2 months old. The tiny crocheted cap and sweater were mine when I was a newborn, and I have been saving them until I had a daughter of my own to wear them. I took so many photos when she wore this outfit, but this was the shot that melted my heart. I have waited for over three years to scrapbook this photo because I just couldn’t find the right papers and tiny details to put with it; it is so hard to scrap the photos I love most and that tug the most at my heartstrings. I never feel like I can do them justice. I finally settled on this Cosmo Cricket paper, and I’m finally happy with the results!

Today I’m reviewing The Pregnancy Journal by A. Christine Harris, Ph.D. I like this book for many reasons, the first being that it is spiral bound. For most books the construction is not something I even think about- make it book-like and I’m going to read it, but if you expect me to write in it, how I love a sturdy spiral binding so it lays flat! That is why I make my personal journals with spiral binding and why I’m enamored with my Bind-it-all tool. Spirals, they make me happy- so score one for the Pregnancy Journal! Score two when you flip it over and find that it is made from post consumer waste, and therefor, more eco-friendly. For a book with over a million copies sold, that’s helpful!

I was also thrilled to find that even though the book is called a journal, there’s more book than journal involved. It is divided by months, weeks and days, with facts about your stage of development for every single day. These facts are not dumbed down; the author speaks to her reader expecting that her audience is comprised of savvy, intelligent women, which I appreciated. That being said, the information is quite palatable, even for a first time mother with a lot of questions and limited experience. It covers everything from explaining how pregnancy is measured to foods to eat to who cut your baby’s cord. It is exceptionally detailed for the typical first or subsequent pregnancy, but does not delve very far into complications, so when you’re reading it and experiencing unusual symptoms, do talk to your doctor. (This is coming from a woman with very high risk, complicated, miserable pregnancies, so I’m much more attuned to that than the average person.)

Each week has a section for notes and also a small section asking you how you’re feeling that week. These spaces are a great place to record details like, “Had my first ultrasound!” “We’re having a boy!” “Heartburn sucks!” “Felt the baby kick!” But will not be sufficient for deeply thoughtful, detailed diary entries.

Now, because I just can’t seem to get pregnant, I have decided to send this book out into the world to one lucky expecting reader! So, if you’re interested in having a copy of your own, from me to you, leave me a comment here and let me know your due date! I’ll draw a winner on Friday, so be sure to check back to claim your prize!

In honor of Father’s day, I’m going to share one of my favorite moments with my Dad.

My dad drove me to an early morning seminary class for about four years straight. Every morning we were in the car before six am, usually freezing in the dark of a North Dakota winter. Although it was worth it to make this journey every morning, it wasn’t a time for deep conversation. We were tired and the drive was usually spent in a silence that was occasionally broken with the sound of yawning. On this drive were two stoplights and several stop signs, all of which were obeyed with precison by my father who neither speeds nor runs anything with the color red on it.

One dreary morning we were especially sleepy and rather lost in our own half awake thoughts when we approached a stop sign. It said stop and we did. There is no traffic in Fargo North Dakota at 5:55 am. There wasn’t a single car on that road, let alone crossing the intersection and yet there we were idling lazily, obeying the bright red stop sign. The trouble was, that sign never turned to go, and so there we sat in an obedient stupor, for about two full minutes before we both looked at each other in slow realization and confusion and then started cracking up.

This is my Dad.

My dad is the kind of man who is 100% reliable. In a world where almost no one’s word is their bond, his still is. He will always do what is right and will always go the extra mile to help someone in need. He is a person who sees a need and fills it, usually without having to be asked. He just does what he can to make improvements and usually never expects anything in return.

He is a man who has served his country, thankfully returning from a year in Iraq, a tour of duty that ended an over 20 year service to the US Military. He lives with the utmost integrity, never afraid to call something as he sees it, and is always ready to humbly, but powerfully defend the truth. He is quick to share his belief in God, but never pushy. He is even quicker to live his belief in the Gospel, which is probably why so many people allow him to share it with them. My dad is everything the world wishes men still were: hardworking, honest, good, able to fix just about anything, faithful to his family and to his God. If every man on Earth was more like my dad, the world would be an infinitely better place for it. As it is, he is a rare gift, and I was blessed to be raised by him.

Happy Father’s Day, Dad!

Got my photos into my April journal today; I’m getting more caught up every minute! Maybe by December I’ll be completely back on track ha!
Loving this line from Cosmo Cricket. It is little girl, and sweet andf flowery, but without being sickeningly cutesy. Cosmo’s just awesome like that. It was only released in 8x8, but I figure, when life hands you little paper- time to make mini albums!

The random number generator gave me 111, so congratulations to Petra Mathison — June 13, 2008 @ 11:28 am! Have fun shopping at the Nook!

I am still keeping up with my year long journaling project, although I admit to being just a bit behind. This is my May section, and as you will notice, there’s nothing written in there yet! But I figured since I usually blur the journaling anyway, now would be a good point to do the photographs and show it off a bit. Most of the journaling in this set will be inside the envelopes anyway. (Remember, you can click to embiggen if you need a closer peek).

The cover

The insides

Details

pretty little envelopes

and all bound together.

Eventually, I will bind this section with the rest of the year, but I still need to buy a spiral large enough to hold the entire year. The little 3/4 inch wires just don’t cut it for more than two months. Now, I just need to print out journaling and hand write a few bits. I find as I am doing this that sometimes writing by hand is just easier. I have done some pages where I’ve had no trouble thinking ahead and running things through the printer as I go, but the past few months, not so much. I do have my March and April completed, and will show you those soon as well. I just need to get a few photos printed to put into my April set, and then it is complete.

I’m still in love with this Tea & Silk paper collection from Prima, and most of the flowers and sparklies are also Prima. The sparkly brads are Dovecraft. The font is the new Quickutz Chopsticks. I made the envlopes by hand- very simple process, just open up a cheap envelope and trace the shape onto whatever paper floats your boat, fold in the flaps and instant fancy envelope!

Now, off to order big wires!

I made this awhile back for Quickutz- love that font and the Cosmo Cricket papers. Chris and I have so few photos of the two of us. We took this one on a serious day when we just needed to break free with some goofiness. It worked!

So. . .in honor of the re-design I’m going to have a few contests and here is the first one! I work for the Nook, creating the kits and managing their design team, and one of the biggest parts of my job is shopping for scrapbooking stuff (I know, and I’m calling it work?) It is actually more work than you would think working with manufacturers and ship dates and trying to match colors of items that you’ve only seen through a computer screen, but I digress. Anyway, shopping for craft stuff- how would you like to do some of that? Ok, here’s the deal. Go do some browsing at the Nook and tell me what YOU would buy in a reply to this post. I will randomly pick from the replies and that person will win a $20 gift certificate to the Nook!

This will close up Friday night at midnight!

Hi! Did you see? Did you see? I’m giddy, positively giddy, with the new design! Also giddy that my son’s toddler chin is no longer haunting every post like an obstinant ghost.

I’m so giddy in fact that I’m going to do giving away some cool stuff over the next two weeks, so check back often!

We’re in the middle of a blog re-design here. . .so things might look a bit wonky while the fabulous Misty works her magic.