December Daily - Days 1 - 3

I got to play with my December Daily today!
Yesterday we had our Annual Open House which meant busy days cleaning, prepping and getting those Christmas decorations up. So today I consciously took the morning "off", stayed in my pj's til noon and got some memories scrapped. This year I know my life is uber-hectic so I'm allowing myself to relax about the whole daily part of this project. I know there will be days when I can get several pages done at once to balance out those days when life is just too busy to allow any time in my scrap room. I'm also trying to focus on the story this year. Last year my book was picture and ephemera/embellishment heavy. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my 2010 DD but I am going to try something a bit different this time.

Enough talking, more showing ...

Day One:

December really started with a bang (a freaking EARLY bang!!) as the PAC threw a pancake breakfast at the school complete with pictures with Santa. I had volunteered to help cook pancakes so had to be at the school by 6:15am (hence the pulled back hair and glasses!) As unflattering as this picture of me is, I want to remember this day. It was so much fun. We had Michael Buble's Christmas CD blasting through the school while we cooked pancakes in the staff room, in class rooms (after blowing the fuses in the multi-purpose room!) and even in the principal's office. All the mayhem and stress was worth it as families started arriving, getting their pre-ordered food and eating in the gorgeously decorated gymnasium. Greg went to work a bit late so he could help the girls get their pancakes while I cooked them. We even got a family picture with Santa (that I may add to this once I get a copy).

Day two: 

There's the prompt from the girls' advent calendar (note to self: need to take a picture of the new and improved advent calendar for you!) We didn't actually get to the decorating until after dinner because I was working on the calendar while the girls were at school and then had so much tidying and cleaning to do once they got home. But it got done and the house looks great. 

The impetus for the early decorating was our 5th Annual Holiday Open House yesterday. I didn't put up as much as I have in previous years. Not so much because I wasn't "feeling it" but I just wanted simple. Trying to keep everything simple right now!

The story that I wanted to record was about how the girls pretty much deserted me as soon as we opened the box containing the Christmas books, hats and stuffies! 

I also played with my Technique Tuesday Ali Edwards stamps on this layout. Love how Ali's handwriting looks framing this picture collage! Then on the back of the page I added tons of journalling with some more pics of the decorations. I'll have to take some better pictures of that wreath and share them with you (maybe over on my Stampin' Up! blog.) 

Day Three: 

It was all about the party today! Two collages of some of the pictures I took which show the action. The little girl in the black and white picture is Greg's cousin's daughter, Zoe. She was hiding in her Mom's legs but I thought this picture was too cute not to include! She's almost 18 months old and just so darn adorable!!

On the back is the other photo collage and the tag from the girls' advent calendar. Another thing I loved was catching Marley showing her two friends her baby scrapbook. In the picture (top right) all you see is her legs (good thing she had on tights or this pic could have been really bad!) as one of her friends is tackling her. So lady-like!!

Well, there you have it. Not sure what today's layout will be about (although I have a tiny idea! Not telling!!!) Marley and Paige have soccer games today but other than that we are just laying low. 

Hope you are having a fun filled December too!