Scrapping...no time, no money

I've been doing a lot of scrapping lately and I continue to really enjoy it. I don't have the time I used to, but I have found a way to create pages without spending hours on end. I rarely have the time to create my own templates (page outlines) anymore. It takes me forever to "see" things on a blank piece of a paper. I am waiting for Sara to learn more about digital scrapping because she is an excellent paper scrapper...she has been doing it since middle school! She is just one of those people who has an "eye" for it. My plan is to get her addicted to digital scrapping while we are at a scrapbooking retreat in January!! lol. I would love to use templates (pre-made pages) that different designers sell on-line, but I just don't have the money...it can add up real quick! So, I have begun to copy pages (scraplift) or create my own pages by receiving inspiration from several different scrapbook pages I see on-line. Last month, I started to pre-make (is that a word?) the fall pages I knew I would be using for the pictures I took from September-November. I also pre-made all of the pages I would be using for the pictures I took from our San Antonio trip. It has made it so easy for me to complete the pages quickly and to create Presley's albums. It takes no time at all to scrap because I just pull up the pages I've made and insert the photos, title, and journaling. :-) I have also been re-using templates that I have already made or copied. I just change up the paper and elements to fit the pictures. Needless to say, scrapping is much easier now and I don't feel as guilty spending time on it. I am addicted to capturing moments and recording them for Presley. Some of the most precious memories I have of my mom are in pictures and letters from her. I have the biggest fear of Presley not knowing about her Grandma Vickie. I also find myself forgetting things. So, my main goal for this next year is to create a book that not only captures who she was as a person, but who we were as a family. One of my dear friends, Elaine, gave me a book about my mom several years after she died. It is a book compiled of letters from all of my mom's friends that explains their favorite memories of her. It is one of my most treasured items and I read it often.

Here are a few pictures of the pages I've created through scraplifting...

The original page that I scraplifted

The scraplifted template I made last July...now with a fall feel. ;-) It took no time at all! Obviously, I haven't put the pictures in yet. You can't do that with paper scrapping...Sara! ;0) J/k.

18 Months Old!!!

My sweet girl just turned 18 months old and her little sassy attitude is proof! She is finally bouncing back from a stomach virus and getting back into the routine of things. I have been working with her on "using her words" because she has started to scream more when she needs or wants something. I have begun to introduce and teach her several one syllable words that are easy to use so that she will feel less frustrated. She is beginning to use words like please, help, up, and off more and more every day. She is definitely continuing to "test" me to see what works and what doesn't. I have to say, it was much easier to monitor myself when I was dealing with a class full of first graders. At this age, most bad habits are learned behaviors and so I am constantly catching myself not being consistent and messing up. I am really enjoying this phase of her life and I love watching her little personality blossom every day. Here are a few pictures from the week before she got sick! ;-(

She needs a haircut, I know ;-)
She loves to say "hi, hi." Sometimes when she sees Joey she'll say, "hi, joey" He gets a kick out of it...
She is learning to climb...even the smallest step is enticing ;-)

Walking His Path...

"My Jesus I love thee...I'll love thee in life, I will love thee in death, And praise thee as long as thou lendest me breath; And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow; If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now."

Several years after my mom passed away from Glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive type of primary brain tumors, I started looking into organizations/charities that supported brain cancer research. I have participated in several walks for different organizations, mostly with friends when I lived in San Antonio, but was never able to find one that supported primarily brain cancer. That is why I was so excited when I came upon the NBTS (National Brain Tumor Society) and their upcoming Brain Tumor Walk. The organization is fairly new and the walk is only held in 8 cities around the nation...Dallas-Ft. Worth is one of those cities!!

I remember thinking, when my mom was diagnosed with brain cancer, "what a rare disease." Actually, it isn't that rare at all. In the US, over 575 people are diagnosed with a brain tumor every day. When I heard about this walk I was so excited to participate and so were my sisters! Sara was able to register our team...while I took care of poor little Presley girl...thanks Sara! We wanted the team name to represent the essence of my mom and who she was as a person so we centered around her verse, Proverbs 3:5-6. We are truly blessed to have this opportunity to walk for a cause so close to our family's heart.

The effect that brain tumors have on patients and their loved ones can be overwhelming. This form of cancer not only effects the patient physically, but mentally and emotionally as well..depending on the location of the tumor. The NBTS supports families by providing comprehensive support programs for patients and their loved ones!

They also fund results-driven research to accelerate the discovery of new therapies for adult and pediatric brain tumors. This is important because I remember my mom having limited treatment options...she was able to undergo radiation and several trial based treatments. The reason for this is because the current anticancer drugs have difficulty reaching the brain. There is a protective layer of cells surrounding the brain that prevents medication in the blood stream from entering the brain making it difficult to treat. Brain Cancer can be aggressive, and the rapid growth of some brain tumors can be overwhelming to all of those involved.

I am thankful that my mom only had to endure a year of suffering before she went to be with the Lord , it was during this time that she touched the hearts and lives of those around her forever. She lived fully for Christ and never allowed doubt, bitterness, unfaithfulness, or anger to rule in her heart. Some of the last words I remember her saying, or should I say singing, came from one of her favorite hymns,

"My Jesus I love thee...I'll love thee in life, I will love thee in death, And praise thee as long as thou lendest me breath; And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow; If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now."

Powerful words, indeed. But even more so because my mom's tumor was located in the language center of the brain and she had difficulty communicating. However, she was always able to recite her favorite verse or hymn....takes on a new meaning of the verse "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." It is the words from this hymn that I remember with joy in my heart, that brings a smile to my face, and a tear to my eye. My mom never allowed the circumstances or disappointments of her life determine her faith or walk with God. Instead of focusing on all the "whys" of this life she would focus on the "how"...how do I overcome this and move on in faith. She was truly an amazing woman!

My sisters and I feel blessed to have had a mom with such a heart as this and this is why we walk in memory of her on November 6th. We are hoping to raise a total of $1,000 and we are half way there!!!! Thanks to those of you have already donated with such a giving heart! We are truly blessed by all of you. If you would like to participate in the walk, join our team, or donate to one of our participants please visit our team page below! Thanks!
Walking His Path

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" Prov. 3:5-6

Immeasurably More

My sister, Elizabeth, has started blogging. Yeah! Follow her by clicking on the link below: www.immeasurablymoreduncan.blogspot.com

A Day of Presley, Pumpkins, and Puke...mmmm

Oh goodness, is this week over yet? The fact that it has just started wears me out. On Sunday we woke up to a very clingy, very cranky little girl. Our Sunday started off at church, where Presley was fine, but proved to be "very clingy" to one of the childcare workers in the nursery.

After church we headed up the road to a pumpkin patch in a little town called Lantana. It was $5 a person to get in, but it was very spacious and not crowded at all. When you walk in the entrance you immediately hop on a train, ride around the beautiful grounds, and then get dropped off at the Patch. The pumpkin patch was big, but it wasn't exactly a toddler friendly atmosphere. It was all about Halloween and everything it stands for...ghosts, skeletons, witches, etc. It only had a few "cutesy" decorations that you would actually want to take a picture of your child in front of. I almost called my little sister to tell her "she HAD to bring Reid out to this patch because of the train" However, then I saw everything surrounding us and realized it would be a bad idea...especially with his bad dreams. ;-( Anyhoo, Presley continued to be a total mess at the patch and quite emotional. I think Joey got his first taste of what it was going to be like raising a girl. HA! Anyhow, when we got home we were both thinking that we had suddenly entered into the "terrible twos" or "trying threes" before our due time.

Sunday night, we went to dinner with some friends where Presley was extremely cranky again. I was baffled as to what was going on. All of a sudden, in the midst of my bafflement, she threw up all over the place. And yes, I do deserve the "mother of the year" award...especially since it's pretty plain as day in the pictures above that she is clearly not felling well. Thanks. ;-) The nights seem to be much worse than the afternoons. I am hoping that the worst of this stomach virus is behind us and praying that I don't get it! AND thanks to Sara for all her advice!!

Feeling well enough to have some words with the animals...I didn't have the heart to tell her they weren't real. ;-( By the way, on the other side of this gate there were skeletons hanging from ropes or tied up in cages hanging from the ceiling of the barn. Quite disturbing! She
couldn't see them from here. :-)

A Day Full of Fun at Sea World

While we were in San Antonio we went to Sea World. I haven't been to Sea World in years. Growing up, I had a season pass to Sea World and my friends and I would go almost daily. A lot has changed since then! We had a lot of fun and Presley loved looking at all of the fishys. ;-) She wasn't able to focus on too much during the shows because they were a little too far away. However, we sat right in front of Shamu at the Believe show and so she was quite intrigued most of the time. Joey wanted to sit in the "splash zone" but I wasn't sure she would like it...of course, he proved me wrong again! She loved it!! I forgot how wet you get when you sit right in the target areas of the splash zone! Presley enjoyed the taste of the salt water more than anything, I think! :-) I would love to go back to Sea World in a few years when she is able to ride the rides, visit the water park, and really enjoy the shows! We were only there for 4 hours and I felt like we were there a full day, but it was still a day full of fun for us!

Fishy, Fishy ;-)

Shamu and Baby ;-)
about to get wet
Her first time to taste salt water...she couldn't get enough of it!

Splash Zone created by daddy | discovering her shadow ;-)

All done!

"Out of Season"

"Rattlesnakes are out of season."  Yes, these are the words my husband heard coming out of my mouth while we were hiking around Enchanted Rock.  And yes, he had the same expression on his face that you probably have on yours right now. For some reason, unknown to us all, I say things that make no sense...Joey likes to refer to them as "becca-isms."   Big surprise for those of you who know me. Anyhow, Joey reassured me several times on our hike that the weather was perfect for sighting a rattlesnake. We avoided running into one until the very end of our hike. Presley was far gone and asleep in the pack and Joey and I were steps away from the end of the trail. I think Joey stopped first and said, "I hear a rattlesnake." At the same time he heard this I saw the biggest rattlesnake ever! We both stopped dead in our tracks and backed up slowly. Of course, Joey wanted to get closer so he could get a picture. However, I was not in favor of him doing this....especially with Presley being on his back! And of course, I came up with another "becca-ism" telling him that rattlesnakes can shoot out 25 feet, but he didn't buy it. Hey, "you gotta say what ya gotta say" to keep people from doing "dumb" things sometimes! ;-) We did take a picture, but it was gone by that time....maybe if you look close enough you can see him. Ha!

Enchanted Rock

 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him...

Last Sunday we left San Antonio and headed to Enchanted Rock for a few days to do some hiking. We were having beautiful weather and it was the perfect day for being outside. We stayed at the Fredericksburg Inn right off Main Street. It wasn't anything spectacular, but it was right on the river and it was very clean! Sunday night we spent the evening down by the river catching fireflies...haven't done that since I was a kid! Enchanted Rock was just wonderful and Presley absolutely loved hiking. We bought a hiking pack a few months ago and this was the first time we were able to use it. Presley enjoyed being in it and out of it! She did a great job climbing up and down the rock...made her daddy proud! Here are a few pictures on the Rock...

Yes, that's my sassy girl! 

 There were a couple of kids flying a kite when we got to the top...it was windy enough ;-)

I love this...she's so grown up and loves being free to do her own thing

 she was fascinated with the grass

Hiking around the caves 

As Presley would say, "all done"

Kiddie Park

 While we were in San Antonio we took Presley to Kiddie Park. This park has been around for years! I remember my mom taking us to this park when we were little. I spent a few birthdays there and have several pictures of myself on all of the rides. I remember LOVING the boat ride. I would always lean over the side and drag my hand in the water. I saw several children doing the same thing which made me laugh. Kiddie Park seemed so big when I was little so I was surprised to see how small it was when we walked through the grand entrance. I am not sure if Kiddie Park closed down for awhile or not, but I know that the new owners are our age and are friends of some friends...which is how I heard about it. Apparently, it has been all over the news lately and is the place to be in San Antonio. It still has all of the original rides from the 50s and it was very clean. Presley loved being there. She had a mix of emotion, but she seemed to love all of the rides. It truly is a Kiddie Park...I don't think kids much older than Presley would enjoy the rides. They are for little tykes. lol.  There were a couple of bigger kids there, but they looked so bored! They tried to make things more interesting by misbehaving...leaving Presley very concerned and upset. Lately she has become quite the people watcher and she notices when kids misbehave. She also knows when Goose misbehaves and she always corrects his behavior with a stern voice! Whenever we go for a walk in the morning she knows that Goose is supposed to sit before we go outside. She has started to say "sit Goosey" before I even do. It's kind of funny.  I captured a few cute moments of her on some of the rides. :-)

I love the look on her face in this picture. It was the first ride she went on and she loved it...especially the wheel on the car.

 She went on each of the rides several times...

she eventually grabbed the little gun on top because she saw all of the other kids doing it

this ride was a little loud so there weren't too many kids going on it, but she was more interested in the little horsey attached to the front of it. ;-)

  this is identical to the picture I have of me in this boat when I was her age.

 she saw another little girl putting her hand in the water so she was trying to do the same thing...some things never change ;-)

This picture cracks me up...she was so upset with the boy in front of her because he was misbehaving and being so bad. Her face just tells it all.

Here's a pic of Ismael, the boy who wasn't being so nice. I think she was actually scared of him at first because she started crying in the beginning and then she just got angry with him...or with me for putting her on the plane closest to him.