celebrating simple modern memorykeeping
On today’s roundtable I am speaking with Ali Edwards, Brandi Kincaid and Pam Baldwin about all things Week In The Life! In this conversation we chat about streamlining our process, how a project like this can help you reflect on the life you want to live and how to be “successful”. This is a great conversation for anyone interested in completing an intensive project like this.
Show notes:
Jess’ 2010 Week In the Life Album
I heart self timers and cooking in the kitchen with my girl
During Ali Edwards’ February Story Kit main presentation, she asked the viewer to think not only about the people we bond with but also the places that are close to our heart. For me, bonding with Rowan in the kitchen over the weekends seems to be apart of our regular routine. I loved baking with my mother when I was young and I am so thrilled to share this with my girl. Here is the full view of my layout:
Although I am the family documenter, I don’t always get in the photos. Maybe you can relate? Ha! I could have easily made a page about Rowan and my dad, but this month, I wanted to challenge myself a little. Although the photo is blurry, I still love having the details of this story documented.
Speaking of that blurry photo, it also matched the navy journaling card that came in the kit. Combine it with the other orange and white journaling cards in the kit and my design scenes are tingling! Here is a closer view of my journaling cards:
Do you bond in the kitchen? If so, who with?
Happy Weekend!
On today’s roundtable show, I speak with Jen Chapin, Crafty Jen Schow & Tracy Banks about their experience creating process videos. Whether you are new to process videos or are looking to enhance your skills / equipment, this conversation has something for everyone.
Show Notes:
Crafty Jen Schow’s Youtube Channel
On today’s show, I am speaking with the articulate and artistic, Pam Baldwin. Working as a nurse in Hamilton ON, Canada, Pam lives with her husband Brett, and two kids, Liam and Emily. Currently Pam creates for Ali Edwards Design and teaches the online workshop, Text Tricks at BPC. I love Pam’s breath taking work and how she balances her heart felt stories with clean design. In our conversation Pam discuss how interest influences her scrapbooking process and her love of typography. Pam also opens up on she documents motherhood and the messy stories that don’t often get told. I loved chatting with a fellow Canadian!
Shownotes:
6:11 AM I’ll love you forever, my baby you’ll be. This little person is growing up fast. All moms say this, I know but part of the reason, I will always make time to complete #weekinthelife is to document growth.
8:02 Fun fact: As soon as breakfast is done, I put on my jacket. I do this most days just to make sure when it’s time to go we can leave the house. It’s silly and I am often sweating by the time we head to school but it’s just one more thing, I check off my to do list in the mornings.
8:49 AM One of my not so great traits is that I can be indecisive. This is especially true when it comes to getting myself and the kids dressed in the morning. Add in a week long photo project and confusing weather patterns and I become a stressed out mama before school drop off. Good thing Rowan doesn’t mind being dressed in head to toe rain gear when it’s hot and humid. The reason she likes it? She gets to jump in muddy puddles.
9:00 AM With a flat tire in the blue car, Aaron takes the black car to work. This means I will walk to meet a friend for lunch. Good thing the rain is going away! I am looking forward to the walk. Fun fact – I walk more than 8 km today!
10:40 AM Early and we found a spot in the back at the Lazy Daisy cafe. Sam is taking this advice literally as he is taking his morning nap in the stroller.
11:01 AM Someone wakes up and discovers the train table by our chairs. Sam is in love. I see more of this in our future.
11:41 PM Catching up over brunch and coffee.
2:51 PM Sam is still sleeping and we are going to be late for pick up. I hate to wake him, but it must be done.
3:49 PM Off to Eds Real Scoop for a cool treat. This is a Friday tradition with out kiddos and mamas group. Rowan has strawberry and I get raspberry / coconut. Sam loves both.
5:31 PM WE are at home and having too much fun playing. As I wish for someone else to make dinner, the little man figures out how to open the shutters. Needless to say he’s pretty excited.
6:01 PM Dinner prep. BBQ tonight.
6:21 PM Running in and out to check on dinner. It’s busy but I am relaxed. Charlie try to sneak out the door. Hoping Aaron arrives home to enjoy some of this!
7:15 PM I love Fridays and after dinner dance parties. Tonight we deviate from our normal routine. We divide and conquer putting the kids to bed.
8:21 PM She is done by Fridays. We let her watch some Paw patrol before bed. Ten seconds after snapping this picture she cries and has a bit of a meltdown. This is typical and we know its gonna happen. C’est la vie! As Aaron puts her to bed, I clean the kitchen, loading the dishwasher. I head upstairs to blog and watch some Netflix. I am tired, so I head to bed early.
Friday Reflection
Today is the first day that it has felt like summer. Minus the rain in the morning, the whole day was sunny and somewhat humid. From walking to school drop off, to walking to meet a friend for coffee, to walking with the moms / kiddos to get ice cream, I spent most of my day outside. To me, summers can be pretty magical. As a child, I got to spend summers at home with my mom as she worked at our school. On some level, I realize that this will be my last time I will have an entire summer off until I retire. Pretty crazy when you think about it that way. I want to enjoy the rest of my maternity leave and soak up all these little moments I have with my kids.
Gratitudes
Favourite Moment of the Day
Jess: Being outside, soaking up the sun with my kids and friends.
Week In the Life Intention 2016
To capture the fullness of our life right now
On today’s show, I am speaking with the incredibly inspiring Diana Sanchez aka The Lovely Pear. Living in Midland Texas with her husband Shawn, son A&J as well as two dogs & two ducks, Diana is currently on the 2016 Becky Higgins Project Life Creative Team. As a Project Life newbie, Diana has only been scrapbooking since June 2015. Her passion and enthusiasm for pocket page scrapbooking reminds us to “just start”. Check out Diana’s drool worth Instagram account or her amazing 2016 title page – one of my favorites! In this conversation we discuss how Diana got started scrapbooking with Project Life, the resistance her friends express to scrapbooking & how she styles her finished layouts for social media. We also chat about her favourite actions.
It’s alive! Yes, a few weeks ago, on Periscope I hinted at the fact that I was going to start my own Youtube channel. I am happy to say that is finally a reality – Eek! Yes, it took too many hours & days to figure it all out but, I did it. Check it out my first video here. Basically it summarizes my approach to my 2016 album and takes you through 4 layouts from January. As always, thanks for all your love and support. Have a great weekend!
PHOTOS & WORDS
Today was an interesting weather day: it called for both rain and sun. As such, girlie wore shorts, rainboots & jacket and took her sunglasses to daycare. She even asked me, “Can I bring a ‘rainbrella’ to Sarah’s”. Fun fact: we joke about “Jess-ism’s” in our house. These “ism’s” are all the funny things I have said over the years. Rainbrella is a term I coined in 2003. It would seem girlie is catching onto my lingo.
Although I was ridiculously late for drop off, I was able to get out of the house, 2 kids and all! Bonus points: everyone washed, fully clothed and fed. Am I a miracle worker? No I am just a mom.
If you came to visit me, you would find me here, holding Sam, drinking coffee, looking at my iPhone on the couch, most days. Some days I switch it up and hang out on my bed. I am almost 4 weeks post op and I am itching to start running.
Sam went to his first movie today. He and mama give the new Guy Ritche film, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. two thumbs up!
He shoots out the door like a bullet every time I come home. It’s like he worries, we will never take him out.
Someone made a birthday “book” for their daddy for his special day. Apparently she understands her father’s love of reading.
His and her’s takeout. His: Deluxe Hand tossed pizza. Hers: Hawaiian thin crust.
Everyone is excited when the birthday “boy” comes home. Not pictured here: Charlie mauling Aaron.
Everyone drinking for their party glasses. Good times at the table.
This guy was super alert today even in his daddy’s arms.
OBSERVATIONS
We are in the process of establishing new normals and new routines. I thought leaving the house was challenging before, doing it with two kids takes it to a whole new level. Rowan will start kindergarten in a few weeks; and although her school is two blocks away, I wonder if I will continue to be able to have everyone ready before we leave the house. Organization is key.
GRATITUDES
I am grateful to switch up my routine and to go to the movies. Treating myself to a show is a great way for me to rejuvenate and identify with my pre children self. I am hoping to continue to see a movie when R goes to school and we have an early pick up time.
FAVOURITE MOMENT OF THE DAY
Celebrating Aaron’s birthday and seeing the excitement through Rowan’s eyes.
On today’s show, I speak with the crafty and creative, Kellie Winnell of Give a Girl a Blog. From Victoria, Australia, Kellie is the wife to Luke and mama to 3 daughters: Kira, Chloe and Heidi. Currently on the Big City Quiet Design team and owner of Kellie Stamps, her own online stamp shop, what I love about Kellie’s pocket pages is how she documents her sense of humour and shoe collection. In this episode, Kellie shares her favourite embellishments, inks and iPhone apps and what she’s currently struggling with. This is a great conversation about different journaling perspectives and how to include your kids in the Project Life process. On a side note: a huge thank you to Kellie for her patience as we recorded multiple times over a poor Skype connection!
Soaking up the sun after dinner on the playground. After what feels like a never ending winter, I am so happy to put away my winter jacket and to be wearing my sandals. Last night Rowan was throwing the ball for Charlie in between going down the slide and singing the itsy bitsy spider. Hooray for being outside!
Scheduling lots of interviews of guest for upcoming Pocket Talk episodes. Oh why, oh why can’t there by more time in the day!
Power waddling everywhere I go. I am officially 6 months preggo and feeling humongous. Blergh to swollen fingers and feet. Reflections on the second trimester coming to the blog soon.
Downloading this comedy special and hoping to watch it with Aaron soon. I always laugh at this clip, especially if I need a pick me up.
Launching this new class at Big Picture Classes next week. If you have been wondering why I have been absent in this space it’s because I spend many hours over the last month compiling this course. I am so excited to share my thoughts about vacations & pocket pages – I hope you enjoy it! More details to come.
Anticipating date night on Saturday. Our regular babysitters have moved back to the area and so Aaron and I are going to celebrate by seeing the new Avengers movie & going out to dinner here. Yum!
What are you up to right now?
