Confessions of a Scrapbook Quitter

I've been dealing with some pretty severe MOMMY GUILT for the past 10 years.  It all revolves around these 2 books:

They are Graham's baby books...his first two years completely documented in pictures, arranged by date and detailed with journals. 

I have lists of all the visitors that came to meet him in the hospital.

Way too much information about his first pumpkin patch visit.

Every holiday...

 every cute outfit...

his first scribble.

His entire first two years...

 

This is Nora's book.

It still has the plastic wrap on it.  It still has some random girl in the picture frame.

I did manage to get a great spread of her cute little nursery.

Here is the spread from the day she was born.

nice, huh?

Poor baby girl.

 

For Charlie, I thought I was going to be smart and I did a digital book.

I was going to make a new one every 6 months to a year. 

That's his only book.

Poor baby boy.

 

So now, I feel a pang in my heart when I see a current scrapbook at a friend's houses.  When my kids say "Mom, where's my baby book?" I just act like I didn't hear them.  I have stacks of cds full of pictures and thousands of pictures on my laptop that give me serious heart palpitations.

 

This is one reason why I have gotten back together with my blog.  At least their pictures and some of the fun stuff we do will be documented here.  It's like an online scrapbook, right??  So, I guess those of you that are reading will have to bare with me once or twice a week while I post kids pics.  The little darlings are adorable...it won't be so bad! 
 

Despite the reunion with my blog, I still feel like I need to print some pictures.  I am contemplating at least printing off all of my phone pics and putting them in one of those smash books or something.  This mommy guilt is telling me I need some tangible form of a photo album so my kids will turn out normal.  Am I the only mommy out there that feels this way?  Can my kids still make it in this world without a baby book???

 

Have any of you tried any of the places that will print phone pics?  PLEASE, let me know if you have.  I'm anxious to give it a try.

 

 

 



© 2012 paperdoll designs

Instagram/Phone Photos Week in Review

It's been a BUSY week!   The last few weeks of school always make me a little cRaZy and I think I'm still recovering from Camp Charlie!  I'm so excited to be taking next week off of work so I can just concentrate on my little darlings and all that they have accomplished this year.  I think there are parties and/or awards ceremonies going on EVERYDAY next week. 

My Mother's Day was awesome. 

We went to church...the kids dressed themselves in color coordinating clothes (not on purpose but what a treat for a picture day)...we got a decent picture with me in it to prove someday that they had a mom.  I'm never in pictures because I'm always the one taking them!

 

 They got me the wallet I'd had my eye on!  I heart it!!  Isn't it pretty?

It was a beautiful day!  We spent a lot of time outside. 

I cut some roses from our rose bush...

 We do not have green thumbs here so this is an accomplishment!!

 

We had to take down the tent.  I was sad to see it go.  I thought it was fun having a tent in the backyard and the kids loved it.  It was funny to watch Nathan try to get that huge tent back into that little bag though.

 

 The 6th Grade Awards Ceremony was this week.  My heart hurts that this boy is going to be in 7th grade next year.  He is growing up way too fast!! 

He's really grown up this year...right before my eyes.  He's turning into such an amazing young man.  I've really loved watching him take off in middle school.  He's gained so much confidence this year and really grown spiritually.  He's awesome.  He's our little scholar so imagine our surprise AND HIS when they announced that he was the 6th grade boy chosen to have artwork at Mayfest this year!!  So we are off to Mayfest this weekend to find his art.  So proud that maybe he has a little creative gene in there somewhere!!  He gets all his math skills from his dad but just maybe there's a little of me in there somewhere!!

 

The week was so busy and filled with so many activities that I did most of my PaperDolly work in the wee hours or in the car.  I did my books in the school parking lot waiting for the kids.

 

I'm feeling a lot stressed as we head into dance recital/Mayfest/Nora's birthday/middle school finals/kindergarten graduation/last week of school.  I'm SO ready for summer!!!

 

That's my instagram/phone photo week in review.

Follow me on instagram if you want to see all this exciting news as it happens live :) Haha!

mypaperdolldesigns on instagram

© 2012 paperdoll designs

What's for dinner?

I think you all know by now that I am a list-maker.  I like my life all planned out and written (typed in a cute font preferably because I don't like my handwriting) nice and neat on a pretty piece of paper.  I don't always stick to the plan but I like the thought of having one on paper. 

Last summer, I tackled meal planning.  I got so tired of realizing it was almost dinner time and I had completely forgotten about dinner!  We were in a bad habit of grabbing something out or doing what my family calls FIFI.  Find It, Fix It.  When I got on my health kick, I realized this would not do and only a cute list could solve a problem like this.  So I decided to come up with a weekly plan.  I knew that if I was going to stick to it, we needed it to be simple so we went with this idea:

Sunday - Beef Night

Monday - Breakfast for Dinner Night

Tuesday - Chicken Night

Wednesday - Fish Night

Thursday - Pasta Night

Friday - Pizza Night

Saturday - Soup, Sandwich or Salad Night

 

 

I then listed all of the meals in these categories that I knew most of my party of five will eat and put it on a magnetic chart for the fridge.  On Sundays, I go through the list and usually let the kids help decide. 



 We check off what we are having and then no one asks all week "what's for dinner?"  It has worked great.  We don't stick to it ALL the time but for the most part, we've got a pretty good system going.  I've added lots more meals into the rotation since joining a freezer meal cooking group which has been awesome!  Now that we've been using this system for almost a year, we pretty much have it memorized so I decided an upgrade was in order for the fridge. 

 

I tried taking a pic while it was on the fridge but I kept getting a horrible glare.  I'm not a photographer, so I gave up.  You get the idea.  This is one of my dry erase boards and I put magnets on the back so I could hang it on the refrigerator.  I see it every morning when I'm getting my Diet Dr. Pepper so I am always reminded if there is something I need to thaw or put in the crockpot. 

I put the old chart in my binder to use when I'm planning out the week.

 

 

This system works great for my family!  The kids always know what's for dinner and they like that I let them choose which meal to check off.  I always have veto power but I do let them choose the main dish for the most part.  It's made grocery shopping so much easier too!

 

Would this plan work for your family?  If so, leave a comment telling me your favorite meal to cook for your family and one lucky reader will win a Menu Board personalized for you!!

© 2012 paperdoll designs

My Life in a Binder

Nothing sucks me into a blog post or a Pinterest pin like ORGANIZATION!  I'm always thinking I need to be MORE organized.  I LOVE office supplies, calendars and anything that gives the hope of being more efficient.  I am super intrigued by how other people stay organized and keep life running smoothly so I thought I might share what I've finally figured out works for me. 

I live my life out of a binder.  For about a year, I tried living through my iPhone calendar but it ended up driving me crazy and I finally gave into the fact that I'm a PAPER person....duh!!!  So a few months ago I organized my entire life...family, kids, etc., into what the family now calls THE BINDER.  I'm fickle so the actual binder changes often but for now...

here she is:

Here's what's inside:

  Front and center is a bag for all of my favorite supplies:

cute little ribbon paper clips to mark the day on the calendar, fun stickers for important dates and my favorite writing utensils...mechanical pencils, flair pens and sharpies.  I swear there is a 12 year old girl trapped inside me dying to get out!

After years of PaperDoll, I finally figured out a way to keep my daily work schedule organized.  Along with a detailed email filing system, I live by the first 5 sections of The Binder:

1.  The To Do List

2.  Proofs (orders that requested proofs)

3.  Ready (orders that have been approved and are ready for me to work on)

4.  Replies (orders that I've sent proofs or questions on and haven't heard back)

5.  Waiting (orders that contain items that I don't make in-house that I'm waiting on)

The To Do List:

Without a list, I can't function.  I don't know what it is but if it's not written down....it's not getting done.  I LIVE for crossing stuff off of my list!!!  I add stuff to the list all day long but my favorite is CROSSING stuff off!  The TO DO LIST has work stuff and personal stuff combined but he last 2 sections of  The Binder are less PaperDoll and more for family stuff.

6.  The Calendar

I'm so glad I gave up the digital calendar.  I work much better when I can open my calendar and see it all written out.  I really like the full size pages I found at Staples in the Martha Stewart section.  They have lots of room for writing and at the bottom of each day there is a great section that I use to write "what's for dinner."  I use that cute little paper clip to mark the day.  It's the little things that make me happy.  The cute stickers for special occasions are fun too!

To keep The Binder from getting too full, I take the pages out as the days pass.  I don't like having useless pages crowding my binder.

I'm the bill payer in the family and I've always hated the pile of bills on my desk so I figured out a system that works for me.  I always pay the bills on a specific day so I just got a zipper bag and I place it in the calendar next to the bill paying day.  I keep all the bills there and once I pay them I move the zipper bag over to the next bill paying day.  It's worked out great for me and I always know where the bills are.

7. Notes

I take The Binder with me almost everywhere.  If I ever have an idea or I'm working on a project, I have a Notes section in the back for jotting stuff down.  It helps keep me sane. 

So there you have it.  Much too much information about my life in a binder.  I'm sure you've tuned out by now but if there are any organization freaks out there still reading, I hope this has inspired you to get organized!!!

© 2013 paperdoll designs

It was a good day...

Lately I've felt like I've been locked in my office.  Other than Christmas, this is my busiest time of year.  I've been pulling all nighters which means I've skipped A LOT of morning workouts.  I'm so glad my workout buddy, Karis, convinced me to get out of my office and meet her at the gym this morning after getting the kids off to school.  It's amazing how much better a workout can make you feel.  I totally didn't want to go as I was walking into the gym but walked out SO HAPPY that I went.  We did this workout that I found on Pinterest a few weeks ago.  We added some abs at the end and it was a pretty good workout.  As I was leaving the gym my friend, Shelle, asked me if I wanted to go on a walk and since it was a beautiful day AND I really needed a PaperDoll break AND I hadn't seen her in a while, I said yes.  My FitBit was thrilled to be moving!  I was thrilled to have a little time away from working.  I'm so glad I enjoyed the sunshine...it's going to be 39 tomorrow!!  Hello, Oklahoma!

It's back to work tonight but not before I do a little catching up with my dvr:

I love me some of these guys!

Are you watching?

© 2012 paperdoll designs

Soccer Mom

I recently found my zoom lens for my camera.  It had been hiding in my office behind boxes of envelopes.  I decided to snap some pics of my favorite way to spend my Saturdays.

I LOVE being on the soccer fields watching my number 99.  I really do LOVE being a soccer mom.   I grew up on the sidelines of soccer fields watching my dad and my brothers play and although I am sure I complained about it back then, I love it now.  I am not a sit-in-a-chair-soccer-mom.  I am a pace-the-sidelines-and-yell-a-little-soccer-mom.  I shock myself when I realize I am yelling.  It's unlike me to yell in public.  I don't yell crazy, mean, who's that lady screaming kind of things.  I just cheer.  Loudly.  And try to coach a little.  Speaking of the coach...he's hot.

The Baker...with his coaching face on.

 

So proud of this boy!  Go Mustangs!

 



© 2012 paperdoll designs

Cinammon Rolls and Candles

Yesterday was The Baker's birthday.  I really need a new name for him...he rarely bakes anymore.  sniff, sniff.  I've been so busy with PaperDolly stuff that I didn't think ahead about making/buying him a cake.  Thank goodness for good friends who deliver homemade birthday cinammon rolls first thing in the morning!!  He loves them so much so Nora suggested we just make them his cake.  I stacked them on a cake stand and stuck candles all over and called it good. Thank you, Shelle!

He loved it!

He gets cuter every year.  I jokingly like to tell The Baker how lucky he is all the time that he is married to me but everyone that knows Nathan knows that I'm the lucky one.  He's almost too good to be true.  I'm a lucky girl.

 

All those candles on the cinammon roll stack reminded me of something that I read a few months ago about celebrating all the little things with candles.  I can't remember where I read it but it was a blog post/article/pinterest or something about using candles in whatever...doesn't have to be cake...to celebrate life's little accomplishments.  Score a soccer goal?  Candle in your pizza at dinner.  Do great at a dance recital?  Candle in your pancakes.  Make straight A's?  Candle in your mashed potatoes!   I knew that my kids would love that and meant to put it into practice but totally forgot about it.   To keep myself from forgetting, I put all the candles in a jar and left it on the dinner table.  Now I think I will remember.  Can't wait to surprise one of the kids with candles in their spaghetti!!

They are an inexpensive way to celebrate and there are some super cute candles out there too!

neon candles

striped candles

soccer candles

 

 

 



© 2012 paperdoll designs

Little Yellow Chair

I've often joked that we don't have "grown up" furniture and don't live in a "grown up" house.  When I visits friends' homes, they seem so "grown up."  I don't know how to explain it any other way but their beautiful homes with beautiful furniture and beautiful artwork seems just that...GROWN UP.  I do love it and maybe someday I'll live in a "grown up" house but for now I love my hand me down, flea market furniture and vintage vibe.  The other day I actually realized that in our entire downstairs we have maybe one piece of furniture that we didn't find at a flea market or have handed down from family.  It makes me kind of happy that I can look at our dining room table and remember when my parents bought it back when I was probably Charlie's age.  I know that the cabinet in our breakfast nook used to be in a little girl's room I know that is all grown up now. Most of the furniture in our bedroom belonged to my mom when she was a little girl.  I also like that when I break out the paint my husband doesn't even bat an eye.  It's not like we are going to ruin an expensive piece of furniture.
For years I have been wanting to paint the hand me down table in our dining room.  It's black.  I don't really do dark furniture.  If I had my way, every piece of furniture in our house would be antique white.  I wish I had taken a picture before sanding down the top of the table but here it is mid redo:

And here it is after painting the base and staining the top:

Of course the chairs and that bench back there now needed a redo. 



Makes the dining room look COMPLETELY different now that the big black table and chairs are gone.

 

I decided I wanted to do something a little crazier than antique white for the bench and settled on yellow.  I 'm loving it.  While we were painting the bench, I started thinking about my grandma because she always had a yellow dining room.  I can still picture the yellow and white gingham tablecloth that was always on her dining room table.  And in the corner there was a little ice cream parlor chair.  It was my grandma's when she was little.  Every one of her kids and grandkids sat in that chair.  It has been painted a million colors but I remember it best sitting in the corner of her yellow dining room.   I always loved that chair growing up and am beyond blessed to have it now that my sweet grandma is gone.  I had Nora run in and grab it and gave it a little makeover too.  I had painted it light green YEARS ago for Nora's baby room and it was looking so sad and dingy.  Now it looks so happy and reminds me of my grandma and her yellow dining room.

 

 

© 2012 paperdoll designs

A Few of My Favorite Things

BABY LIT

While we were at Pinkitzel, I stumbled upon the most adorable board books.   I took one look and was smitten with these "Baby Lit" books.  I don't have babies anymore but was so tempted to buy them all for myself and I'm still thinking about it.  They will be my new favorite baby gift for sure!!  I could not get over how cute they all were!!

There are many other options:  Jane Eyre, Moby Dick, Alice & Wonderland, Pride & Prejudice & more.  LOVE LOVE LOVE them!

 

MY NEW FAVORITE SNACK

It's a problem how much I love these Dark Chocolate Covered Pomegranate snacks!!  I have had to start measuring them out by serving into snack bags to keep myself from eating half the bag in one sitting.  They are so good!!  I also LOVE the blueberry and raspberry.  YUM!

 

FIT CHIC HEADBANDS

I love Fit Chic headbands SO MUCH that I pretty much wear one everyday!  I love wearing them to work out and I love them when I'm having a bad hair day and I love them on Nora and I just pretty much LOVE them!  Even better, I know Julie who started the company and I got to hear her story about how it all started the other day and it just make me happy to support other mommy owned businesses.   

 



© 2012 paperdoll designs