I have one more TDC new release share, a layout I created with Jenn’s awesome Just Chillin’ set – great for teen and tween boys and Fiddle-Dee-Dee’s Fuss Free Tiny Bubbles Templates!  I was so glad Heath actually agreed to some pictures so I could play with this fun kit!

Ali started it …in her blog post here:
…A single word can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can be sharp and biting or rich and soft and slow.

Last year I began a tradition of choosing one word for myself each January – a word that I can focus on, mediate on, and reflect upon as I go about my daily life. Last year my word was something I wanted to bring into my life in a more tangible way. My Word was Play.

You can read about Ali’s word of the year HERE.

For a few years I have chosen a word of the year, but I haven’t ever blogged it. Today, however, I decided to share my word.

2011…I had my word selected…I was good to go….

My word was SOAR…I had visions of Jonathan Livingston Seagull pushing the limits of his existence…sure there was more to life than his daily reality of flying to get food and back.

OK, then I watched the news. Then I heard things like “SOARIng gas prices”, “SOARing grocery prices” etc…and i thought…”I don’t want to meditate on this word”….

SO….

I followed my stream of consciousness thinking today to come up with a new word…
…almost instantly, I had it!  Unequivocally my NEW word, my word for reflection for 2011 should be…

May the peace and joy of Christmas fill your heart today and all year long!

Merry Christmas!

Credits – quickpage from Kristin Aagard’s “Tis the Season Kit available at After Five Designs.

What?!?

My first year out of graduate school, I went to a convention in Seattle with a couple of colleagues.  While we were there, we took a ferry across Puget Sound and I spotted a man singing the Fred Flintstone theme song with his 3 children, oblivious of anyone around him.  I turned to my colleagues and said, “that is the kind of man I will marry…one who will sing the Fred Flintstone song with his kids on a ferry.”  From that point on – that was the litmus test.  When I would start dating someone, the question inevitably came up…”would he sing the Fred Flintstone’s song with his kids on a ferry?”  If not, that would be the end of the relationship.

Well, I married that very man for sure.  How do I know?  Well, who else would ride in a limo with 10 ten year old boys for 2 hours for a birthday party?

Who would stand up and hold his new Maltese puppy for an hour at a time because the only way she would let him hold her was if he was standing?

No one!  And that’s why I held out for the perfect man…the one who would sing the Fred Flintstone song on a ferry with his kids.   Happy birthday to my perfect man!

Oh, I understand the perfect gift angle.  I mean, haven’t we all loved someone so much we just wanted to give them the most incredible, wonderful present in the world?  That’s how God felt about each of us when He gave us the perfect gift that very first Christmas….Jesus!  And while the story of the first Christmas may be no newsflash to Christians, it is the best news there is…so why not share it in every “Christmas” story?

I think, to date, one of my most popular designs at The Digi Chick is All is Calm…an element set commemorating the first Christmas.  I created a remix of that set this month,  All is Bright, in brighter, happier and with some playful elements thrown in…and why not?!?   It’s such a happy story!

Anytime I see a nativity scene, my mind eventually wanders to perhaps the funniest dream I ever had…I dreamed Mary and Joseph were on the Oprah Winfrey Show.  I don’t remember the full dialogue, though it was hilarious, but I do remember Oprah, shocked that Mary, visibly VERY pregnant, was denied a room.  And I remember Mary saying, “yes, they could definitely tell I was pregnant but they insisted there was no room” to which Oprah, in her best Dr. Phil voice, asked, “and how did that make you feel?”  I sure wish I could remember all of that interview!

Here’s a quick update on our floor project – floors in living room and master bedroom are officially finished!  Our house iss still in complee chaos while my craft / therapy room and son’s room are getting a face lift!

Ahhhhhh…..snow!!!!!!! It’s beautiful coming down! It began snowing here early this morning and snowed much of the day. Problem is – we don’t do snow well around here. Streets are slick and most of us Southerners don’t drive so good on snow and ice. Matter of fact – years ago I actually got a 4 wheel drive vehicle stuck in snow on a straight, flat road – much to the embarrassment of my husband and astonishment of the good samaritan who stopped to help me. I’m sure I’m no better driving on it now.

Snow is a welcomed guest for a day or so here. Heath took Birdie outside to explore it for a bit but she wasn’t really impressed. Seems she liked it much more the last time. The 23 degree temperature must have bothered her because, while she was intrigued from afar, she was eager to avoid the cold, wet weather close up.

I couldn’t pass up the chance, however, to snap a fun Christmas picture in the snow. Heath sported his American Eagle hat with horns – thanks to the suggestion of Uncle Raymon – and naturally, we grabbed Birdie’s reindeer gear to complete the picture! I think it makes the perfect picture for our Christmas cards this year!

Since we have a snow day tomorrow, I have already planned my day to include design time for my Scrap Wow Sequels for this month’s kit, Polar Pals. Stay tuned later this week for previews including a Snow Day Quick Page for your snow pictures!

By the way, my Christmas tree is in the kitchen tonight and our living room is almost completely hardwood!

I decided a long time ago that creating printables with my designs was something I wanted to pursue.  I love the ability to reprint for one and the ability to customize and maximize my digital design!  So I am working on gathering a collection of printable goodies with my past designs!

Today I listed a few items with flexible use – the primary design was for cupcake toppers but the design easily lends itself to creation of stickers, tags, and embellishments for favors, cards and invitations!  Here’s a peek at my new Partysaurus listings as cupcake toppers!