A Good Kinda Tried

Since I've posted last I've had a lot going on in my life. But most recently I've been focusing on my photography. I seem to find peace in photographing nature, to find the little picture and the big picture of how everything fits together. I will certainly continue this "therapy" for peaceful moments in my life.

Fellowship of Scrapbookers turned out great yesterday. Our teacher this week was Mary Jo and she taught holiday layouts (Thanksgiving and Christmas). I know they had a great time. The papers were beautiful and what they did with them was moving. Mary Jo is a very good teacher and a good person. I'm glad I count her among my friends.

The homeschoolers were wild yesterday, but they did end up making some really great pages. Lesson: do not bring chocolate for homeschoolers. Stick to apples and carrot sticks. Wow, the hyper of the candy was not always funny! LOL I really love teaching and then letting them go their own way with their creativity. Now I need to spend some time getting creative myself.

I plan on cropping tonight until midnight then head back tomorrow for a different crop and stay until midnight. I hope to get a lot of my own stuff done.

I can tell my scrapbook passion is completely back! I can't get enough. I need to be around some other passionate people to just talk and laugh.

Thanksgiving is coming fast and I still don't want to talk about Christmas. We have always spent an outrageous amount of money on the kids (grown except 1) for Christmas. Well, this year I've been sick...doctor (4) bills, hospital bills (2 visits), medications (unreal). So my 14 year is disappointed already. My other children will not complain, but I know they will be disappointed that "Santa" can not fill their lists. But this is the year they really learn what we are truly celebrating when it comes to the Celebration of the Birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Even in our limited way we celebrate Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights. We really believe that through Jesus we are strongly connected to the Hebrew/Jewish heritage. We will really have fun.

We will start next week with a "homespun Christmas." We'll make our own ornaments and decorations for the house. It will be so fun as the family comes over to participate. I'm looking forward to it.

My Gratitude List:

1. The opportunity to show our love and celebration of God's gift to us through Jesus Christ this Christmas season.

2. More friends seem to just bless me over and over again. My blessings are full.

3. God's glorious morning and evenings and all that is in between.

4. Scrappers that are will to share with RAKS and contests. They also share a part of their lives and to that I'm inspired and encouraged.

5. My continuing improvement on my health.

God bless us all!