I'm nursing a bit of a belly ache this morning. I ate more than my share of side dishes + pumpkin pie. Thanksgiving was quiet for us this year which was actually quite welcome for us. Enjoying each other, watching football, cooking, even snuck in a little creative time....it was really a great day. So many things to be grateful for, things that need to be acknowledge throughout the year rather than just a day. Something I need to remind myself of daily, especially when I think things couldn't get any worse because they certainly can. Or when I think I need more than what I have or what I can afford. I have to remember that we have a home to keep us warm and safe, food in our stomachs to keep us nourished, vehicles that get us from here to there and most importantly, each other. Yes, all that sappy stuff you say you're thankful for when it's holidays, right? Some other things I'm thankful for.

Having a creative outlet whether it's scrapbooking, photography, screen printing, or designing. I'm thankful that I can make time for those things. I wouldn't be complete if I couldn't be creative in one form or another.

Companies that truly offer free shipping to Alaska. THANK YOU for not charging me an arm and a leg. (Amazon.com, Fab.com, Myhabit.com)

I'm thankful that I have laugh lines. Yep, wrinkles. Why? Because it's a constant reminder that I have laughed more in my lifetime than frowned. Wrinkles are inevitable, no matter how much cream I slather on my face. If I'm going to have them, they better be signs of a good life.

I can now say that I fit my old, pre-baby jeans. That feeling Miranda had when she pulled out her skinny jeans and was able to zip them up....I get that feeling now.

Other silly things include the invention of the DVR + Demand. I wouldn't be able to watch any of my shows. Greek yogurt, loose fitting shirts that cover the right amount of butt when wearing skinny jeans, fingerless mittens, Macbook Pro, Instagram, 50 Shades, Washi tape + Twine, quiet time alone, inappropriate conversations, my camera, eskimo kisses, dancing to yo gabba, that first cup of coffee in then morning, + cyber monday.

Whew. I could go on but I need to get the day started. Before I sign off, I wanted to show a quick layout I did for my Handbook album. It's a 6x8 layout, the first layout I've done in this size and I'm really feeling it. Nice to take a break from the usual 8 1/2 x11. I used stamps from 2 sets of rubber stamps that will only be available TODAY at Studio Calico.

(supplies: Noah outline stamp, New Year stamp, white chalk ink, Today Handbook)

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Now it's time for the mad rush, right? Oy. XOT

The outcome of Tyler's second annual fair visit didn't play out as I envisioned. I now know what my son is like without his afternoon nap and it's not pleasant. There were fun parts here and there but the overall day was on the cusp of being a disaster. Mommy learned her lesson on not planning well enough and skipping nap time. I only snapped a total of 4 photos with my digital + about the same with my iPhone. Part of me was bummed but it was nice just being in the moment with Tyler and Jeff.

Highlights of the day? First merry go round ride and the boy's utter excitement around the farm animals. I'm talking the funniest exaggerated laugh. I need to get that on video.

Did you see Studio Calico's October class?

I'm pretty excited about it. We are working on some amazing things for this class. If you have a passion for photography + scrapbooking and are looking for some insight and inspiration in your daily picture-taking, this is the class for you. Aspiring photographer? All six teachers will offer critique on at least one photo you upload. Are you a blogger looking to take better photos? Well you're in luck. We'll be covering that too. There's a lot more and more to come. Don't regret not signing up. It's going to be a good one.

xot