How Time Does Fly.....

Last I checked, it was summer....and now here we are well in to September!  What happened?  Where did the summer go?  No longer am I just the mother of a three-and-a-half year old (not just a three-year-old, it is imperative that everyone know he is three and a HALF!),  but of a pre-schooler.  Yep, my boy started pre-school this week.  The photo above is our September calendar layout, and the photo on the right shows him all ready on the very first day.  His very first first day of school.  Ever.  I took a lot of pictures, yes I did, before we left the house, and before the teachers told us moms to say good-bye and skedaddle.  And yes, he loves it already.  And no, I didn't cry. 

September is historically a very busy month.  I don't recall too many Septembers in my life that haven't been busy and this one is certainly no exception.  As a teenager, I was busy with football games and dances and cheerleading practice and homecoming and all that vitally important stuff that took precedence over sleep.  Now, I'm busy with craft shows and a garage sale and a Day Out With Thomas, and oh yes, keeping up with Project Life!  I've done so well documenting our year that I am determined not to let that get lost in the shuffle despite the fact that I will be busy, busy, busy from now until Christmas.  I have managed to fill my schedule with at least one event every week, and sometimes two, or three, or....

So, my September calendar, when I finally got around to making it (I held off a few days so I could use a first day of preschool photo) was put together in under five minutes.  The striped paper is an old design from BoBunny and this was my last sheet.  Plain red cardstock, and that awesome "THIS" stamp is one I ordered from elisejoy.com earlier this year.  Elise Blaha Cripe is well-known in blogland and I read her blog regularly for inspiration.  She's a multi-talented gal; find her at www.eliseblaha.typepad.com.  Here's a closer look at that stamp (I'm not sure if these are still available, I know she has new stamps soon to be released!):

I've been using this stamp quite a bit in my Project Life layouts (which I may or may not share by the end of the year).  I love it because it is so versatile.  There are millions of rubber stamps available but since I am running out of storage (hence the garage sale this weekend!) I try to buy stamps that I know I can use for lots of different projects.  "THIS" stamp is definitely one of those. 

For now, back to work.  If you're out and about in Des Moines, Iowa this fall, you can find me around town at East Village Sunday Bazaar (Sundays from noon to 4 on East 5th Street) and of course at the next Market Day, coming up on October 6.  Next Saturday I am headed to Cedar Falls for The Pear Fair, a new event for me:  you can get more info on this event, which is put on by Mohair Pear (2209 College Street in C.F.) by liking this event on facebook, of course!  Just search for The Pear Fair D.I.Y. Craft & Design event.

Happy September to you.....

Summer Manifesto

Just discovered this idea on Elise's blog, which I love reading regularly: www.eliseblaha.typepad.com.  The idea is from Ali Edwards (www.aliedwards.com), another of my creative role models.  It's simple and easy, and for me, the point is to get back to the basics about what makes summer the best time of the year.  It's always been my favorite season. 
So here's mine:

SUMMER 2012 MANIFESTO
1. Play outside.  A lot.
This shouldn't be a problem!  Jacob loves to play outside.  And so do I!
2. Go swimming as much as possible.
I'm hoping to start teaching the little guy how to swim a bit this year.  We'll see how that goes. 
3. Picnics!
4. Road trips.
Jacob and I have taken two road trips in the last three weeks, and fortunately he is a good traveller.  I'm looking forward to exploring more places around Iowa with him this summer.  Seeing things through his eyes makes it new and exciting.
5. Enjoy time with friends & family.
We are looking forward to a visit from my brother and nephews next month.  Jacob can't wait for his big cousins to get here.  And there's also a class reunion looming, which will be a nice opportunity to catch up with old friends.  Which is something I want to do more often. 
6. See a concert at the state fair. 
It's been a while. 
7. Family bike rides.
Daddy needs a little encouragement.  We'll work on it. 

So, pretty simple.  Really just a reminder to have fun and enjoy the summer.  Because that's what it's all about, anyway.  Summer always goes by so fast, and I want to savor every minute of it.  Hope you do the same.  Enjoy your summer.