Heather Johnson Photography

Happy Wednesday all! Just a day late, but with good excuses! I had computer issues at the beginning of the week and couldn’t do a thing, and today? A flat tire. While it was not fun being stuck on the side of the road on a day of 95 degree heat with two kids under 5 we did find the shade of a tree and thankfully had water with us. As we waited for the car rental service to deliver a new car (we have a loaner from the body shop as the AC is broken in my van) I laid down on my towel, hands behind my head, and looked up into the tree. It was so peaceful and oddly calming I wondered two things…is this what it feels like to do Yoga? And when is the last time I did this? In all honesty it was really nice being “stuck.”

It was such a crazy day that the kids we out by 645 tonight, so I had time to finish up these layouts and get them posted. Maybe I will even start on Week 26!

Week 25 for us started with Father’s Day, and ended with a birthday party. Lots of normal stuff in between; Costco runs, swinging at the park, running through sprinklers, the stuff that is the day-to-day life of Summer.

In all honesty I am not sure I have ever been more in tune with the seasons as I have this year. I truly believe that being so mindful of everything around you, as one tends to be when committed to a project of this magnitude, you literally can hear the laughter of the kids and the smell of the BBQ when you glance at summer images. (At least I can.) Project Life is making me so very, very, happy.

Left Side:

Do you love this new blog platform or what? (This is directed to all of you who used to see these posts on the Homemade Home blog.) I can almost put double the size file up within a post, which I know will make many people happy! (Namely my mom!) It’s nice to actually be able to SEE the journaling yes?!

I stuck with a lot of Clementine Kit paper/embellishments, which is what I tend to do when pressed for time. It’s easier for me to take the creativity OUT of the equation at times like these and just use the core pieces. (If I didn’t…well, it’s safe to say I would still be messing around with the layout!)

Right Side:

Photos of our neighborhood fun have been blurred a bit for privacy, and the rest are pretty much all from the massive photo shoot we called Father’s Day! I will definitely have to do some inserts of all that I ended up with. There were too many photos to put in here!!

As usual I summed up my week with a card. The Week at a Glance reads:

Sunday was Father’s Day, so we spent it at The Farm and had a very nice family day. Mom had the chance to do a lot of picture-taking! Love what we ended up with. ~ Monday we were back at home, and back to our normal routine. We also had our second t-ball game of the season. Those games are still the funniest/cutest things to watch around! We ended the evening with a glass of wine at The Page’s while the kids played until dark. PERFECT.~ Tuesday Mom was wishing Marie’s nap schedule would normalize out. We can’t seem to find a rhythm! ~ Wednesday we spent the majority of the day indoors as it rained all. day. long. Luckily we did get out for a morning visit to the park and an afternoon break at Lynden’s. ~ Thursday was a day of spontaneous playdates, first with Meara then with Flan. Thank God for awesome neighbors! ~ Friday was a day of adventure, The Page’s and The Johnson’s headed off to Costco in one minivan. The kids had the BEST time! ~ Saturday Mom and the girls did a little shopping in the morning, and went to a birthday party in the afternoon. Before we knew it, it was bedtime and the week was done!

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Project Life is a product and a system created by Becky Higgins. It can be anything you want it to be. To learn more about Project Life check out Becky’s Website. The pieces used in my album are available through Jessica Sprague here. If you live outside the US check Becky’s site for more information on sources. View all my posts about Project Life here.

Week 24. Pretty much the halfway point. I still love this project, and grow increasingly more impressed with myself everyday that I have stuck to it!

Before I forget, this is the last post that will be on this URL. Heather’s Homemade Home is going to merge with my photography site, and most likely starting Wednesday all blogging by me will take place at www.hgjphotography.com. I had too many blogs, too many places to post things, and it was time to consolidate them all. I rarely have time for any other hobby than scrapbooking, so my dream of having a bunch of things converge here just wasn’t happening. (And I wasn’t blogging for my photography business either.) So there you go. A new and improved me! Soon!

Here are my pages for week twenty-four. First up, the left side:

This week I really went back to simple. Hardly any embellishing at all, and for the first time even had a reflective card of where I am right now. (I wanted to paint an accurate picture of life, so this journaling reflects some of the doubts I have about myself as a mom, and how I want to do better.) The internet can make you really put only your best self forward (for example, yes, that picture of me is photoshopped) but I think it’s important to record the stuff that’s very real in our lives too. And this includes sometimes being a much too tired of a mommy lately.

I was happy to get back to recording quotes, and I was really excited to think of snapping a picture of the radar on my iphone. This is Minnesota in the summer–heat, heat, heat followed by storms, storms, storms. And the occasional tornado. This particular storm had straight line winds that took a tree down across the street! Provided great breakfast entertainment the next morning as we watched the public works department clean it up!

Holly also started T-Ball this week, which really needs it’s own insert. Ah, the insert. Digital makes that really hard….I always intend to do them and I don’t. (I blame it on the photobook style…I desperately want to convert to the type of digital PLifer that prints the 12×12 layouts and puts them in protectors. I LOVE the new protectors!!!  And I love the look of the various sizes. I just don’t have the room for binders in my itty bitty house! What to do, what to do. I go back and forth daily. Seriously.

Right side:

Really got into using a bunch of Cathy Z’s products this month. Love her tiny templates, both the picture and the story ones. Even bought some of the 4×6 journaling ones. I really think it helped me write more this past week.

As usual I rounded out the week with my Week in Review card. The journaling reads:

Sunday started at 430am with an airport run. We hated to see Cake go home, and already can’t wait until her next visit! ~ Monday was our first day with Ellie as babysitter, and Holly couldn’t be more happy. She has someone to take her to the park each morning, and Mom has the chance to start AND finish a project, if only for a couple of hours! ~ Tuesday Mom continued her deep clean of the house and tackled the windows. It had been a year-ah! ~ Wednesday Marie slept through the night for the fourth night in a row. Mom is so excited about this. ~ Thursday Mr Pig was found! He had been missing for two weeks, and wouldn’t you know it he was right in plain sight on Holly’s bookshelf this whole time. We also hosted our first craft party and decorated paper doll chains. Can’t wait to do more projects this summer. ~ Friday Mom went out to Stillwater to take pictures. Discovered a new park we will be taking the girls to–Teddy Bear Park. So cute! ~ Saturday we headed to the farm for Father’s Day after the girls took their naps. Had a great dinner, played some cards, and ate some of the best rhubarb dessert. Long live heavy cream!

Be sure to bookmark my new blog site at www.hgjphotography.com. See you there!

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Project Life is a product and a system created by Becky Higgins. It can be anything you want it to be. To learn more about Project Life check out Becky’s Website. The pieces used in my album are available through Jessica Sprague here. If you live outside the US check Becky’s site for more information on sources. View all my posts about Project Life here.

 

I am honestly still amazed that I have stuck with this project, and that I still love it. Both things are major for me!

This past week we had “Cake” (aka Nana) in town, so the layouts pretty much revolve around that event. We did lots of things together, so I tried to get a good depiction of all of the activities. The kids miss her so much already, and it goes without saying that I am lonely for my mom already as well. The help is nice, of course, but more than that I really enjoyed our walks and talks…and just in general hanging out. It isn’t until company is gone that I realize how lonely it can be sometimes to be at home with kids. It’s fun, don’t get me wrong, but the days sure go faster when there is another adult here with me! (The only downside? One blasted bathroom!)

Right Side:

 

This is a new kit from this month’s digi files at the dailydigi.com. LOVE my membership there, and LOVE this kit. This whole bright coral thing? I am nuts for it–seems that color is all over the stores now, and if I had my way I would have a purse, a skirt, a dress, some shirts…hell maybe even some shoes in this color. If I was brave enough I would paint my kitchen bright coral!!!

Anyhow, this was really fun to put together, as the colors and everything were just too pretty. On this page I have a picture of Cake and Holly playing in the clubhouse, me painting the girl’s dresser (only three drawer fronts left to do), Holly’s summer manifesto, and me rocking my girl in what I am sure was the throes of throat pain. Oh and a picture of Marie’s cute chubby baby thighs. *sigh* I know they are going to be gone before I know it!

Holly is completely off pain medication now…and in all honestly it wasn’t that bad a recovery. We kept her medicine schedule strict and exact (we got up in the middle of the night for a week straight to make sure she didn’t miss one dose) and I am sure that did the ticket. Rarely did she ever complain of pain as a matter of fact. Some days she didn’t eat very much–but all in all she was able to make it through on more than just ice cream, pudding, jello, and mush!

When my mom was here I put Marie on the floor a lot more, and wouldn’t you know it–she can practically sit up on her own! My second child doesn’t suffer from lack of pictures like most, but she sure suffers from a lack of her mother noticing any sort of milestone whatsoever. When I fed her solids for the first time she was so ready she practically grabbed the spoon herself and shoved it in….and I will still never forget the day I sat her down on her stomach and she pushed up her arms and held her head up high. (I had no idea she could even do that!)

As usual I have my week in review card. The journaling this week reads:

Sunday we spent time as a family around the house. Holly’s recovery is going great so far, we are so proud! ~ Monday Mom cleaned like a madwoman. Apparently all I need to know is “company is coming” and I have the energy of ten women!” ~ Tuesday “Cake” arrived! Cake is happy to see her grandchildren, and Mom is happy to have the help.  ~ Wednesday we began what would be the week of many walks! We enjoyed going to Trader Joe’s and trying out new recipes. ~ Thursday was more of the same. Picking up the house, going for walks, comforting Holly, and playing with the baby. Marie can almost sit up all by herself! ~ Friday the heat of summer arrived and the AC was officially turned on for the year. Mom is a much happier person with central air! ~ Saturday Holly was really on the mend, and had her first full day without pain medication. We went to the park and out to Lynden’s for ice cream in the evening. Cake and Mom couldn’t believe how fast the week went, and are already looking forward to the next visit. It was wonderful having a walking/cooking/kid-wrangling/movie watching buddy all week!

Left Side:

I had fun using a different layout than Design A, opting for Design F instead. This page gives you a pretty good idea of how we spent our week. I absolutely love every picture on this page!

Tonight we have our first t-ball game, last night’s practice was hysterical. Four year olds have to be the cutest baseball players ever–can’t wait to put this coming week together! Marie is refusing to nap, again, so I better sign off. She seems to be a bit more stubborn about sleep than her sister, who at almost five years old is napping for me now.

Funny how different two sisters can be!

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Project Life is a product and a system created by Becky Higgins. It can be anything you want it to be. To learn more about Project Life check out Becky’s Website. The pieces used in my album are available through Jessica Sprague here. If you live outside the US check Becky’s site for more information on sources. View all my posts about Project Life here.

 

As you can imagine, this was one BIG week. (In terms of events, not actually pages or inserts!) Holly had a successful tonsillectomy on last Friday, and a fair amount of this week’s layout hits upon that. The week began however at Grandma and Grandpa’s house…so there are a few images of the fun that goes on at The Farm!

I was compelled to do another b/w week–used the same kit as before, just processed my images a bit differently. I really like how this came out! It’s fun to do something different every once in awhile, and I firmly believe that you get a different sort of feeling/emotion from a picture without color.

Left Side:

 

The picture that makes me smile the most is the shot of my hand holding our phone. I blurred out my parent’s name and telephone number–that’s what is pictured there. I know that I will always remember reading too many horror stories of surgery recovery online and immediately called my mom in tears to get her help. She should be arriving in a couple of hours–like I say above, you never are too old to need your mom!

The cute picture of Holly in the medical garb? Taken by Justin at the surgery orientation. If you ever have a child that needs surgery, I hope you have a Children’s Hospital in your city. I was blown away with how wonderful this place was, both before and during surgery. The night before they did a fun tour with the kids…and Holly was actually excited to go on Friday and I truly believe that is what helped her have such a great recovery thus far. I am a firm believer that if you take fear out of the equation you also take away a lot of pain.

Right Side:

This page is more journal heavy than usual, I am really trying to get better about writing more stories to go with my photos. It’s a bit thrown together, I love certain parts of it but not the page as a whole….I might tweak later, but wanted to get something posted for Tuesday. As usual I had my Week in Review card included. LOVE that card! Here is the journaling for this week:

Sunday Mom and the Girls were at The Farm. Holly spent a lot of time with Grandpa outside while Mom and Grandma did a little shopping at Carter’s. Marie finally has some summer clothes! An evening of card playing followed with Auntie Carroll. ~ Monday Mom and Grandma worked on a quilt for Holly’s bed. Happy to report it’s all done and in her room as I write this! ~ Tuesday we returned home and spent the majority of the day doing laundry, picking up, and Marie spent some time catching up on her sleep, thank God. She didn’t sleep well at all at Grandma’s and Mom was “poopered out.” (Holly’s way of saying she’s tired!)  ~ Wednesday was Holly’s last day of preschool of the year. Instead of enjoying a nice day to herself, Mom spent the day wondering why the baby is having such a hard time napping, it makes for a long and stressful day!  ~ Thursday Daddy and Holly went on a tour of the hospital and Mommy read one too many horror stories online of tonsillectomy recovery. A plane ticket was bought for Cake immediately.  ~ Friday was the big day, and Holly did wonderful! ~ Saturday was a low-key day spent at home, resting.

I bought a new set of journaling cards from Cathy’s collection that’s included this week in the black. I know I will be using these a lot more! The journaling for the you make us so very proud card is:

Seeing you hop up on the examination bed at the hospital Friday morning without an ounce of fear made us so very proud of you Holly! The night before you and daddy attended a pre-surgery orientation/tour, and it was just the right amount of play and learning to completely set you at ease. You sailedthrough your surgery and recovered like a champ in the short stay unit. (In fact you were doing so well we did not even take them up on their short stay, and instead headed home Friday night to restand recoup in mommy’s bed.) You took, and continue to take, your medicine without fuss–in factyou have started to give it to yourself. You are so amazing,and so much more brave than your Mom!

That’s a wrap! This week will be fun with Cake in town, better charge up my camera!

It’s week 21. I still really love this project but I am struggling a bit getting enough pictures (and having enough energy) to keep up. I am not behind…yet. With surgery at the end of the week for Holly, and every party, shower, and event coming up for the next few weeks…..well….let’s just say I am getting worried!

Left Side:

The girls and I have been spending a lot of time outside, so I made sure to get pictures of the baby in her new stroller, the baby trying out the swing at the park, and Holly’s skinned knees! Just one look at her legs, and you can tell that summertime outside play is in full force!

Marie officially cut two teeth as well, I just couldn’t get around to getting a good picture. I will definitely try to do that this week. I did manage to get her journey into solid foods recorded though–doesn’t she have the sweetest smile?

Right Side:

Every single photo this week is with my iphone, save the three on this page in the 4×6 spots. I just really am truly exhausted, and lugging out my big camera is just more than I am in the mood for right about now. I really wish babies were born with their teeth. This teething phase is kickin’ my rear, I need some sleep!

Getting the playhouse built and in the backyard was the big event this week, and also capturing Holly before and during her playdates. Those girls just love, love, love their princesses!

Here is the journaling for this week’s Week in Review card:

Sunday we headed back home from our weekend in Wisconsin and proceeded to do absolutely nothing but putz around the house for the rest of the day. ~ Monday Mom spent a lot of time going through her photos from the weekend. Got a ton of great shots! ~ Tuesday the girls and Mom went for a walk and had a picnic at the park. When Daddy got home from work he moved the playhouse into the backyard. Woo Hoo! ~ Wednesday was another lounge day. Holly was at school and Mom and the baby stayed inside most of the day watching movies. (And wondered why they were so lazy this week!?) ~ Thursday Marie continued to do battle with her teeth and had another day of hardly any sleep. Mom wishes those teeth would come in already. ~ Friday Daddy was home from work so he spent a little time with the baby as Mom ran errands. Tried to arrange a backyard playdate but the neighbors, then Holly, fell asleep pretty early in the evening. Mom followed suit at about 715. ~ Saturday we attended Nanny’s sister Tiffany’s baby shower and then headed to the farm for a weekend of fun and relaxation. (And maybe some sewing!)

And that’s a wrap. I am off to get a nap!