Moving On...

The "My Wellness Journey" class begins the 31st... and as of this morning I'm ready to go! The instructions said to make a 6x6 album covered with paper the makes you smile! This paper really did!! (June Bug Collection by Basic Grey) I finished the album this morning and it's ready for Thursday! I do need to sandpaper the edges but there isn't a piece of sandpaper in this house. Will pick some up later today!

This is the coordinating paper I used for the inside of the album. Normally I would have gone with a stripe or polka dot however I just love this paper so much! And you just can't have enough cheery colors at this time of the year!

Here are a few of my December Daily pages that haven't been punched and put into that album yet.

I don't know if you can read the journaling but the girl's dad took them and Wendy's husband to the Packer game against the Seattle Seahawks. The weather was freezing but a true Packer fan will sit through anything to see their team play!

Yesterday morning Wendy, Kristin, and SIL Darin headed to Chicago and flew to Phoenix AZ for a warm New Year's Eve.

I haven't done a page for Christmas as it was spent at the hospital. I'm not certain how I'm going to handle the page. Maybe it will be just a journaling format... no photos.

Boyd's brother fell on the ice at his parents on Christmas morning and broke a bone in his upper hip area. They found out that the bone broke because of a cancerous mass on his hip. The cancer is also in one kidney and lower lung. Please pray for Dana, his doctors and family. His mom is so exhausted as his Dad (90 years) fell last week and broke a bone in his shoulder area. I'll keep you updated!

Make this the best day you can!

Hugs,

Joni

Our December Story continues...

My December Daily album is starting to get thick and take on that 'sandwich look'!! Day 18
This is a photo of our small tree in the den. We spend so much time in the den chatting, reading, watching movies, and knitting... and so on. Therefore it was the first tree to go up in the house. It has small colored lights, small paper tomtes (elf-like creatures), and a gingham ribbon as a tree-topper.

Day 19

A quick (?) run to Target and several hours later we returned home! You've gotta love Target as it has great stuff just calling out to be taken home! Gabby Cat loved the plastic bags!!

Day 20

The presents are finally all wrapped and under the tree. Wendy (Arizona) shipped her presents to our house and they are tucked under the tree also!

Day 21

When I woke on the 21st, Boyd's first words were, "It's the first day of Winter!!" There was a light snow falling and it was PERFECT!

Day 22

The weather forecasts for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day have not been traveler-friendly. Wendy is flying in from Arizona to Chicago to stay overnight with her sister. Then she and Kristin will drive up to Oshkosh late morning. TRADITION... They have lunch with their Dad and then come to our house for the afternoon and exchange presents. NEW... Then we're all going to church with their Dad and his wife Marcia, and then to their home for a light Christmas Eve meal. However the weather could play havoc with these plans... we'll see!

Now here's my BIG news...

I, joni possin, got a PERM!! I love it!! It's got body... yea!! It's still one length. Boyd took some pics but they were horrid, especially since I just woke up and had a plaid flannel nightshirt on. Not the best of necklines!! I will share a photo soon!

Fa la la la la!!

Holiday hugs...

joni

Up-to-Date with 'December Daily'

Day 12
Gabby got a Christmas Mouse in her stocking... actually two! The green mouse has vanished but I keep tripping over this red one! She loves it!! For my album I took a photo of the mouse, printed it and cut it out. Then mounted it on white cardstock and cut around the mouse. Day 12
A photo of Gabby with her mouse between her paws.

Day 13

Pictures of most of our wreathes in and outside our home.

Day 14

The day I signed up for my new class... "Wellness Journey". More information about the class in my previous post.

Our 2009 Christmas card which will not be sent this year. I created it in PSE7 and saved it but can't find it. I keep searching! So... I decided not to send cards this year. I have too much I want to do... no time to start over!

Day 15

My current book... almost finished! A wonderful story about SELFLESSNESS! It takes place in a small village in England in 1666 during the time of the plague. This is a photo of the cover which I printed and cut out.

Day 15
This is a library card glued to the back of the cover photo.

Day 16
Each December I'm interested in seeing who (& why) Time magazine chooses for their 'Person of the Year'.

Day 17

I've been making heart garlands to hang on our tree. I wanted to enhance the Scandinavian flavor of our 2009 tree.

December has gone so quickly!! All the prep and it's over next week. But those moments with family and friends will last forever.

Fa la la la la!

Joni

Wellness Journey

I am really excited about the class I just signed up for on Big Picture Scrapbooking. "WELLNESS JOURNEY" taught by Lisa Cohen. She is not only a great scrapper but a personal trainer, a nutrition counselor, and lifestyle advisor.

We will make a 3 Ring Binder to keep her handouts, our goals, personal plans, recipes, and so on.

"We will have the vitality to engage in the activities that we really want to do and the energy to enjoy the things in life that really matter", Lisa Cohen said.

And this is Lisa who has me so pumped and ready to go!

I'm not a great dieter and I don't like to exercise... but, I know with scrapbooking and record keeping involved I will give this class 100%.

The class runs from December 31, 2009 to February 24th (8 weeks) and is only $40.00.

For more information click on http://www.bigpicturescrapbooking.com/wellness.php.

I just heard this on TV as I was typing... "Christmas is really weird! When else do you sit in front of a dead tree eating candy and cookies out of an old sock!". Cute!!

Fa la la la la

Joni

December Daily Album (continued)

DAY NINE (Wednesday)
We had quite a snowstorm! It started Tuesday evening and the School Closings started marching across the TV. The worst came during the night and Wednesday morning. Even though I have retired from teaching I still get a thrill of a "Snow Day"! It is so exciting to see your school district's name appear on the TV (snow days are built into our teaching contracts) and know you have a day to hibernate with your family.
DAY TEN (Thursday)
I put our new Scandinavian straw goat by the tree after I had tried it in a dozen places in the house. It's so big it really had to sit on the floor. I really like the added Scandinavian flavor in our home!

DAY ELEVEN (Friday)

We watched 'Julie and Julia' (from Netflix) and we both loved it!! Meryl Streep deserves an Oscar for her performance! This is an adorable movie... many laugh out loud parts! Perfect for Christmas giving or Holiday watching!

We may not send Christmas cards this year as I made a prototype on Photoshop but can not find where I saved it! I have searched and searched and am so disappointed that it can't be found!

Fa la la la la!

Off to take some photos!!

Joni

December Daily album... so far!

I'm finally caught up with my December Daily album... and ready to share! Yea!! Intoduction and Day One... memories of Advent calenders through the year.

Continued Day One and Day Two... currant Advent calender and new Nativity set.

Day Three and Day Four... a day of shopping and my knitting project.

Day Five... Gabby Cat napping in den.

Day Six... discovering my St Nick stocking in 1945.

Day Six... gift cards for the girls and Darin for St Nicks stockings.

Day Six... anniversary of my Mom's death.

Day Seven... first snowfall!
Day Eight... putting on Christmas linens!

Yesterday we had a dandy of a snowstorm. Schools and businesses were closed... but it really is pretty! Today it is 5 degrees outside and that's not so pretty! We have to layer our clothes even inside our house! Brrrrrrrrrrrr!

Make this a GREAT day!!
joni

Snow at last!!

I walked into the den last night and saw Gabby Cat curled up with her head on the afghan and nestled against some of the Christmas pillows. I backed up and got my camera... returned... and she hadn't moved. If you want to take lessons on 'how to relax', just follow a cat around the house! This morning we finally woke to snow... YEA!! Not a lot, but soooo pretty!! And if you know me at all, you won't be surprised that these outside photos were taken with me in my jammies and wool clogs... 23 degrees out! Does wonders for hot flashes!! This is the kitchen window and the greens in the window box are wired with little white lights. I planted the boxwood bushes when they were each bought in a paper cup size container. They have grown so fast and can be trimmed in the back to fill vases, etc. during the Holidays.

WHOOPS!! Snow on the pumpkins!! I keep forgetting to put them in the out for garbage pick-up.

I'm trying to get caught up with my December Daily album. Almost ready to share with you!

Make this a great day!!

Joni

Whimsical & Fun!!

I was just poking around the Internet (to avoid unpacking all the Christmas boxes that we brought from our Green Bay house) and look at these wonderful, whimsical gifts that I found!! All 3 are from Horchow.com.

This cakeplate is so darn cute... but there's always that "storage issue". The shoe base is adorable! However... browsing time is not wasted because I really think those cupcakes will make a perfect dessert for Christmas Eve. I would imagine the bows are just fondant. My girls always say that a good cupcake is the perfect dessert... so we will enjoy!

Aren't these gorgeous stockings?? I love the beautiful fabrics outlined with the black & white checked fabric!! Hmmmmm... a version of that center stocking may be a fun project for the cold Winter months after the holidays. Browsing the Internet provides soooooo much inspiration!!

I just had to share this crazy cookie jar... a ballerina penguin! No inspiration here... just fun to look at!!

We had a dusting of snow yesterday and another during the night! Its 23 degrees outside but toasty warm inside... so inside I shall stay... today!

I started a knitting project yesterday and dropped a stitch. And no crochet hook! It's still in Green Bay! I'll take a photo when it's repaired!

Enough stalling... off to start unpacking those boxes!!

Make this a good day!

Joni

Getting Ready...

Yes, I'm putting up Christmas decorations! Much earlier this year than years before. My daughter Wendy decorated her entire house before Thanksgiving. They're in Hawaii for a week and she wanted to come home with everything complete. Then she could put her time into creating her Hawaiian Album. Soooooo organized!! Her Christmas presents are even wrapped and ready to be shipped (they live in Phoenix).

After showing you some ideas to jazz up candles in hurricane glasses, I had to share what is sitting on our coffee table in the den. It didn't photograph very well but it's pretty in person. I filled the bottom of the glass with some old fashioned candies from a local candy shop.

Just think of all the possibilities!! This is our holiday 'night light' in the hallway before our bedroom. Branches sprayed silver and sprinkled with silver glitter and stuck in a gold vase. I also added some branches that have those little optic lights on them from Target. This really lights up the hallway at night and looks sparkly during the day too!

These little people are waiting for their place on our tree. The tree is up but doesn't have it's lights strung, so the decorations have to wait. Besides... these little guys look so cute snuggled in their little box! Wendy sent them for my birthday (Crateandbarrel.com)

I am getting so anxious for December 1st so I can start my "December Daily" album. Just a few days to go!! You still have time to join me in this fun project!!

A favorite quote from Abraham Lincoln...

"People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."

Choose happiness!

Joni

Quick Seasonal Decorations

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, you just might need a simple centerpiece or a side table touch-of-the-season. Here are a few simple ideas that you can pull together quick-as-a-wink!!

A candle in a glass vase, sconce, etc and a bit of color!! Cranberries add that touch of red and feeling of the season. Also great for Christmas!Twigs, acorns, a few leaves and you celebrate the Holiday with an Autumn feel!

A little red... a little green.... candles and glass! Always a winner!

My favorite... gather and polish acorns... glue on their caps... remember that big trees grow from these tiny pretties. Speaking of polish... grab a few small pumpkins (some white if you can find them)... wash them and polish them with furniture polish. A lovely luster! Table-worthy. We're celebrating Thanksgiving at Boyd's parent's home this year. His brother and his sister and her family... also Kristin is here from Chicago!! Yeah!! I never take time with my daughters for granted. My other daughter Wendy and her husband Darin are going to Hawaii for the week. I wish them a safe, fun, and relaxing trip.

I believe in the power of prayer! Prayers for my friend Marcia, her dad 'Dutch', and family at the loss of her mother this week will be appreciated.

Make this a great day!!

Joni