a new day

I'm not sure how it got to be Thursday already. Between a trip to the aquarium and fighting colds all around, the days have seemed to tumble by. People say that February is a tough month, but this March, with all its gray skies and cold rains sure sucks the energy out of me.

Now, how's that for a depressing start to a blog post? Yikes.

But today, I'm feeling the clouds lift and things are finally making the move back to normal. I set one goal for myself today: to get the dining room table cleaned off. It may sound like a small task, but if you saw the piles of books and spilled markers and "stuff" brought in from a car clean out, and mail and fabric and....you'd be impressed.

Emma and Mary went riding all morning, which was a much needed gift. Elizabeth toddled around half naked and happy, making messes in other rooms, while I focused on getting the dining room done.

Isn't it funny how having a mess like that can not only clutter up your house, but also clutter up your mind (and attitude) as well? I'm feeling much better, tons better now that the job is done.

I've been finding it really relaxing in the evenings, once the house is quiet, to continue dipping my toes in the world of digital scrapbooking. Or at least my take on digital scrapbooking. Though they are mostly paper scrappers, I've been finding a lot of inspiration digging around on the blogs of Molly Irwin and Ali Edwards. 

There is something really intriguing about it for me--it satisfies some of my creative longings, it keeps with my love of capturing and taking note of every day life, and I can easily work something from start to finish in a (fairly) short period of time.

I am also really intrigued by the idea of using it as a tool for projects and journaling with the girls, where they are doing the designing and creating and storytelling.

So these are the last two projects I've been working on. The first is a page with my pictures from Sunday's naps--because I just loved them too much to only have them on my blog.

The second is a recipe that Emma created, that I've been wanting to share with all of you. It's really good. So pass it on to your children and let them whip you up a batch.

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Sunday Naps: details here

In The Kitchen:

Background : Andrea Victoria Pina Kit

Frames : Katie Pertiet Basic Bare Frames

Recipe Card : Katie Pertiet File Cards No. 2

"Mom's Notes" : Lynn Grieveson Journaling Spots and Strips

Doilie: Jesse Edwards Doilie Paper Pack

Button: Katie Pertiet Alandia Meadow Kit

Font: Report School

Mom's Note text: "She's starting to dream up recipes, sneaking into the kitchen to try new things. This experiment is actually pretty tasty. She came up with it one Saturday afternoon while I was away. She gave it to Dan as a snack. He loved it. She was proud of herself. She's been copying the recipe, giving it to friends, encouraging them to try it. And she makes it a few times a week. What's a little peanut butter and butterscotch in exchange for creativity and independence? "