I've been MIA for the last week because this happened last Tuesday....


then this happened Saturday (she's still home from school today)....


it's the dreaded croup and fever.  Just awful!   and i am SO.TIRED.  A full week of barely leaving the house and canceling tons of things on my calendar--- but there is nowhere i would rather be when they are sick (just hate it for them that they are sick.).

Jonah woke up Saturday and I told him his voice sounded so much better!   Jordan was walking in right behind him and said (in a scratchy voice while coughing), "it's because he stole MY voice in the middle of the night".     haaaaaaaaaaaa

So that's where we've been....

HOWEVER I do have a winner to announce for the Big Picture Classes Catch Up with Project Life Giveaway!

Congrats to Julie O'Daniel!    Shoot me an email at JLhufford@connerins.com  and I will give you details on how to get registered!

Have a great day!

Project Life | & A Giveaway

Today I am sharing the week of September 22-28 in my Project Life Album.

(**stay tuned-- a BIG giveaway with Big Picture Classes below!**)

Last week I shared a few tips over at Elle's Studio on catching up with Project Life.   This summer/early fall got away from me, and I've found myself about 6 weeks behind.   However I found this as a great opportunity to really focus on the stories that stand out over these past several weeks (as opposed to trying to document EVERYTHING-- which is something I tend to do).

This week:  Homecoming Football and Homeland on TV.... (finally got season 3 DVDs and was obsessed).  Lots of Birthday Parties, the beginning of leaf color, Jonah is reading chapter books, and there's lots of homework.   Just a typical fall week here.

I love to preserve fall leaves and have been doing this for several years (and they retain the color for YEARS) --- here you will find a tutorial on how to preserve fall leaves.

For this spread I mainly used Elle's Studio's October Kit, and Sycamore Lane-- perfect combo for documenting fall!

I am happy to share that I will be a guest in "Catch Up with Project Life" by Big Picture Classes.  This 3-week class is taught by Annette Haring, Megan Anderson, and Trisha Harrison.  It will reconnect you to feelings of accomplishment and gratitude- and help you tackle common trouble areas, so you can make real progress in you Project Life Album.

Today I am giving away a seat in the class--- just leave a comment and let me know what you love about Project Life.  (for a second chance to be entered, visit the Elle's Studio blog)

Project Life was created by Becky Higgins as a way to simplify how you document life and preserve memories. Photo pockets used in my Project Life are created by Becky and can be found here. You can read all of my Project Life posts here.

October 2014 Kit	Sycamore Lane Paper Collection	Sycamore Lane- Grateful Stamp	Sycamore Lane- Bits and Pieces
Sycamore Lane- Blank Labels	Sycamore Lane- Journaling Tags	Sycamore Lane- Cork Shapes

InLinkz.com

Read.

Lately, this boy loves reading.



He is our math kid, and has been like that from the very beginning.  NUMBERS- he gets.  He is strong in his addition, subtraction, and even tackling multiplication skills.

But reading--- it's taken more effort.  He's not disinterested, not at all, I just takes work and focus.  Like all of us, we tend to stick with skills we are GOOD at, but sometimes we need to develop areas that are not as strong, because it will make us better.

Then what seemed like suddenly, (even though in reality it was a long time coming) it clicked.



He found books he enjoyed, books he couldn't wait to read. He began going to bed early to read, and waking up early to read. He told me he loved the adventure in his book, and he found books that were a perfect match for him. He will always be our math kid, but reading is the key to everything.

Oh how I love this kid. (and I love you too Beverly Cleary).

if you have any chapter book suggestions for 2nd grade boys, i would love to hear it!

Project Life Week 39 | Catching Up

Today I am sharing the week of September 29- October 5.



Last week I shared the first week of school--- so YES I am about eight weeks behind, and decided in efforts to "catch up", I wanted to skip ahead and document a recent week.   That is one of my favorite things to do when I get behind in my Project Life album- skip ahead to become "current" and trying to go forward (and go back and catch up when I have time!).  I for sure have more creative motivation when the memories are fresh.



Today on the Elle's Studio blog I am sharing a few more tips on how to catch up!  You can read it here!



For this week I primarily used Elle's Studio's October kit (linked below) and pieces from the Sycamore Lane collection.



Project Life was created by Becky Higgins as a way to simplify how you document life and preserve memories. Photo pockets used in my Project Life are created by Becky and can be found here. You can read all of my Project Life posts here.

October 2014 Kit	Sycamore Lane Paper Collection	Sycamore Lane- Cork Shapes	Sycamore Lane- Blank Labels
Sycamore Lane- Cutouts	Letter & Number Stickers- Red	Letter & Number Stickers- White	Sycamore Lane- Grateful Stamp

InLinkz.com

Halloween tradition

Oh Halloween, you are upon us.  I love the tradition we have every October 31st with cousins--- so I had to document this in a layout.

My cousin Allison and I grew up next door to each other (actually I grew up next door to all 12 of my cousin-- did you know that?).

The Conner Cousins would storm the neighborhood every Halloween of my childhood.  That was back in the day when parents were more concerned about checking our candy for poison, than having to go with us door to door (at least in my memory).   Halloween is a little different now as a parent... yet a lot is the same.

We live next to the neighborhood I grew up in, and my cousin lives in this very neighborhood we trick or treated each year.  So...

Each year, these kids storm the same neighborhood their mama's did.  They ring the same doorbells of the same homes.  The have the same tradition my cousin and I shared beginning nearly 27(ish) years ago.

They are second cousins but are as close as could be.   LOVE this tradition and love my family.  A lot is the same, yet a lot is different.    And I love it.

Supplies:  Paper: October Afternoon Witch Hazel, Elle's Studio packing paper.  Stickers: October Afternoon (Halloween Word Stickers), Elle's Studio (white alphas).  Wood Veneer: Elle's Studio (bat veneer) in Halloween Ephemera Pack, Stamps: Number Stamp by Elle's Studio, Awesome Stamp by Studio Calico.  Embellishments:  Brad: Crate Paper, "H" alpha: Crate Paper, Sequins: Studio Calico. Mist: Studio Calico.

See Past Halloween's in Photos:  here (my favorite), here, and here.

Halloween Ephemera Pack

Numbers Stamp

Letters & Number Stickers- White

InLinkz.com

Project Life Week 34 | Back to School

Today I am sharing the week of August 18-24 in my Project Life Album


I have a lot of catching up to do- but I am SO glad to (finally) begin my fall album.   (you can see my fall cover page here).



This week:  Back to school.  Conner Family Picnic.  Extended Family in town.  ALS #icebucketchallenge (i miss seeing these videos!)



Things I added:  Jordan's class list (tried to print Jonah's too but printer out of ink... so will add another time:), ALS Association thank you image after donations are received.  Really liked the graphics and the "real time" donations.  I think it will be neat to look at this in years to come.  Photo booth strips from our family picnic (where 400+ came;)



I am a REALLY big fan if this Number Stamp by Elle's Studio.  I have used the outlined number stamps many times and in the card (photo above) i highlighted the use of the "today, week, year, and time" stamp.  Perfect to include in journal blocks.



Supplies:  I used MANY pieces from the Elle's Studio Sycamore Lane collection, and Back To School Cork, and Favorites Cork.   I also used My Favorites Stamp to create the circle stamp background.

Sycamore Lane Paper Collection	My Favorites Exclusive Stamp	Sycamore Lane- Bits and Pieces	Numbers Stamp
Sycamore Lane- Journaling Tags	Sycamore Lane- Blank Labels	Miscellaneous Cork Bits	Elle's Studio September 2014 Kit
August 2014 Kit

InLinkz.com

Fall Project Life- cover page

Today, I am sharing my fall album cover page....

I am SO excited to get back into the swing of things with my FALL Project Life album!   I divide my year into three albums.   Album 1 is January 1- last day of school in May.   Album 2 is our Summer.  And Album 3 is first day of school until Dec 31.   Albums 1 and 3 get a bit bulky but this is a natural way to divide the year!

And it's NO secret I LOVE Coin Pocket Pages!  This type of page has been the opening page for both Album 1 and 2 of this year:

Cover Page for Album 1 (here) and Cover Page for Summer Album (here).  Yep, I heart coin pages.

This is the back view of the Fall Coin Page.  It continues in the fall color scheme.   I used quite a bit of items from Elle's Studio's Sycamore Lane to complete this spread!

Thanks for swinging by today!

Sycamore Lane Paper Collection	Numbers Stamp	Miscellaneous Cork Bits	Elle's Studio September 2014 Kit
Good Cheer- Wood Veneers	Shine - Summer Wood Veneers	Noteworthy Stamp

InLinkz.com