Kaitlin's 1st Pictures

Just home from another family Christmas get together...a fun day, for sure! Kaitlin got to see and play with all 5 of her cousins, so that was a lot of fun for her.

Here are some pictures that Kaitlin took completely on her own while I was photographing the chapel the other day on our photo outing.

This is the front of one of the building at the college where I work...that's Bishop Martin Marty waving at you.

She seems to have really like the nativity scene in front of the building. Here's baby Jesus...

Mary & Joseph...

Mary and Baby Jesus...

one of the three kings...

and a camel.

So, what do you think? Not bad for a Fischer Price camera and a 5-year-old, I'd say.

A foggy, wintry morning in South Dakota

Justin called me Thursday morning to ask if I had yet looked outside as it was quite foggy and everything was completely covered in white. He thought that perhaps I might want to go out and take some pictures...which Kaitlin and I promptly did.

This was taken at Riverside Park and is of the Lewis & Clark Bridge crossing over into Nebraska which is soon to be replaced by a new bridge they are constructing just a few blocks to the west.

Same spot...looking the other direction.

This picture was taken down by Lake Yankton.

This picture was taken to the west overlooking Lewis & Clark Lake from a lookout spot on the dam.

I took some pictures of the Bishop Marty Chapel while we were out as well and will share those soon. Kaitlin also tested her new camera for the first time, too, and will be sharing her artistry also!

A husband redeemed...a little...

I had not one present to open from my husband on Christmas Eve...OR Christmas Day...needless to say, he got a little ribbing on that one.

However, a large box arrived yesterday from Scrapbook.com Superstore...what was this? I hadn't ordered anything.

But my hubby had...everything that was in stock on my wish list that I sent him over a month ago and thought that he had ignored. Well, clearly, he did until the last minute since the package didn't arrive until AFTER Christmas, but when I opened it up and found these lovely items from Making Memories...

A 3-ring scrapbook album from the Noteworthy collection...

(Side note and question for readers: In my search for the 'perfect' album, I have used about every brand of post-bound...well, maybe not, but it seems that way...and I still haven't found 'the one'. I've seen a lot of the professional scrappers using 3-rings, so I thought I would give them a whirl. Have you used a 3-ring for your layouts? If so, what do you like or dislike about them? What do you consider to be the perfect album?)

a 10x10 blank calendar...

a one lonely little sheet of paper from the BEAUTIFUL new Noteworthy collection (unfortunately, the others were out of stock);

these gorgeous rub ons from BasicGrey;



these new items which are part of Karen Russell's continuing Narratives line;





this darling little 6x6 Bo Bunny chipboard binder;

and these darling and very colorful Chip Chatter letters...

I just had to forgive his tardiness!!

In other news:

Kaitlin was not feeling well today...just a stomach ache, it seems. So, she'd spent most of the morning on the couch which was covered with a towel and a bucket near her on the floor.

Around lunch time was gave her a nice warm bath and she seemed to perk up quick a bit, so after an hour or two of increased perkiness and less clinginess, I thought it was safe to venture out to make a much-needed drive through deposit at the bank.

As we were waiting for the clerk to send back the receipts (is it just me or does it seem like it takes them an insanely long amount of time to process a deposit??), Kaitlin suddenly proclaimed that her stomach was "hurting much worse again" and proceeded to throw up all over herself and the back seat of the car.

Not so safe after all, it seems.

The first thing she said with this pathetic little look on her face was, "I'm so sorry for puking all over your car, Mommy."

"It's okay, honey..."

I felt so bad for her...there wasn't much I could do really. I just told her to sit as still as she could and we would go straight back home and back into the tub...

Which we did and she really does seems to be better now. Whatever it was, I guess she got it out of her system...it just too bad (and too typical) that it had to happen during the 15-minute period of the day in which she didn't have access to a bucket!

What a whirlwind of days...

I apologize in advance for the quality of some of these pictures (have I mentioned that I greatly dislike indoor photography?), but these pictures are about the memories...not the quality.

Here is my niece, Emily, opening her present from me. It was scrapbook paper and rub ons from Fancy Pants...she's officially a scrapbooker!

A fun pic of Kaitlin waiting her turn to open a present on Christmas Eve at Grandma & Grandpa Pechous' house.

The evidence of Santa's visit...guess Rudolph enjoyed a little bit of Santa's milk, too!

Santa came through and brought Kaitlin her much anticipated Baby Alive.

The squirrels and Grandma & Grandpa Paulson's are very well fed.

A few dresses for our princess...

Uh oh...I think we've got another shutterbug on our hands!

Aunt Katie gave Kaitlin a collection of the Disney princess stories...the Gospel according to Disney...and she loved it! She literally sat there and paged through the entire book before opening another present!

And...we certainly got our white Christmas. It started mid-morning and didn't stop snowing all day - about 4-5 inches - which made for a long, slow drive home, but it was beautiful.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

~ Jill Marie

Our Christmas Princess...

Hopefully Grandma Ruth will be too busy to check my blog this morning before she opens her framed picture of our little Christmas princess!


And my favorite this year...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I hope that you and your family have a blessed day!

Quotes for Christmas...

Several serious...

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.
~Norman Vincent Peale

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love! ~Hamilton Wright Mabie

May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,
The gladness of Christmas give you hope,
The warmth of Christmas grant you love.
~Author Unknown

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.
~Dr. Seuss

and a couple just for fun...

There's nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child. ~Erma Bombeck, I Lost Everything in the Post-Natal Depression

Once again we find ourselves enmeshed in the Holiday Season, that very special time of year when we join with our loved ones in sharing centuries-old traditions such as trying to find a parking space at the mall. We traditionally do this in my family by driving around the parking lot until we see a shopper emerge from the mall, then we follow her, in very much the same spirit as the Three Wise Men, who 2,000 years ago followed a star, week after week, until it led them to a parking space.
~Dave Barry

Instant Christmas Journaling

Here's a couple little meme's I've come accross lately that were fun to do and would also serve as great 'instant' journaling for Christmas themed scrapbook layouts or minibooks. You could take the quizzes yourself and/or use the answers of other friends and family members, too!

This one is from this week's meme prompt from Tuesday Twosome:

Shopped early for presents or are still procrastinating: Shopped early
“Bah Humbug” or “Jingle Bells…”: "Jingle Bells..."
Buy presents because you enjoy giving or because you feel obligated: Buy presents because I enjoy giving
Enjoy all the holiday cheer or “Enough already. Give me my present.”: Enjoy all the holiday cheer
Open presents on Christmas Eve or wait until Christmas morning: Open presents on Christmas Eve at my parents and on Christmas morning at my husband's parents...the best of both worlds!

This one was an email meme I received from a good friend of mine (thanks, Rhnissa!):

Wrapping paper or gift bags? Mainly wrapping paper
Real tree or Artificial? Artificial - real are too messy
When do you put up the tree? The weekend after Thanksgiving
When do you take the tree down? Usually a couple weeks after Christmas…
Do you like egg nog? Not really - never been a fan - I like Tom & Jerry’s MUCH better
Favorite gift received as a child? I can't remember a 'favorite', but do remember one I was quite surprised to receive - George Michael's 'Faith' tape...I wanted it, but couldn't believe my mom actually bought it for me considering that there was a song called "I Want Your Sex" on there! I was only 11 when that tape came out!
Do you have a nativity scene? Yes…but it is a VERY simple one…
Hardest person to buy for? My older brother…
Easiest person to buy for? Kaitlin - she wants everything, so she'll be happy no matter what she gets!
Mail or email Christmas cards? MAIL!
Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Belts for my car from my husband last year…which he still hasn’t put on!
Favorite Christmas Movie? Polar Express
Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No
Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Everything!!
Clear lights or colored on the tree? clear
Favorite Christmas song? Carol of the Bells
Travel at Christmas or stay home? A little travel…Tabor on Christmas eve…Springfield on Christmas morning.
Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Not a chance!
Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Eve at my parents; Christmas Day at Justin’s parents after we open Kaitlin’s presents from Santa at home
Most annoying thing about this time of year? People being rude and crabby - its supposed to be about family and fun.
Favorite ornament theme or color? Clear lights, burgundy, cream, glass ornaments!!
Favorite for Christmas dinner? All of it!
What do you want for Christmas this year? To spend time with family…and scrapbooking stuff!