Week ONE Of 2012 Project "GranJan" 365!

Here are my first pictures of week one of 2012. This is my 2nd year to do "Project 365" and I absolutely am hooked. Yes, there were days when it was hard to find something interesting to document, BUT I DID IT! (One pix was of the mantel. LOL)! For me, personally, it's not just shooting pix of family members, but of course, I WILL since I have so many, but I tried (and I think succeeded!) in making pix of things that happen on a daily basis that a year from now you will go back and look at them and say, "OMG! I forgot all about that!" I watched Jon and Katie look thro my last year's album and heard those very words! Last year was stellar for us---a wedding and 2 new babies! This year will be more mundane (I think!)! But, it doesn't matter if you have 2 people in your household ,(like us now!), or 7 (like it used to be around here!), you can make this work!!!! If you are interested in doing it, start now! I didn't start until Jan.5th of last year and still completed the year. Last year I didn't blog about my pictures, I just printed them and put them in albums. LOTS of people put them on FB. Others like to share them  in blogs and even others like to share them emails (I wouldn't do that to anyone, personally! LOL!)!. This year, I am putting them in albums, again,only a different kind of album (more on that another day!) and also sharing a week's worth on my blog. So, there you have it. If you want to do it, stick with it. It's not easy sometimes. There have been nights where I would think, "oh snap! I need to make a pix!" and I would make one of Chi Chi or something or other! LOL! Other days you will have so many pix it's hard to decide which to make your special one!!!! Like when the babies were born! I had millions to choose from!!! So, it's not as easy as it looks. Any advice from me (I've only done it a year but I have 365 to show for it!), is DON'T JUST SHOOT PIX OF YOUR FAMILY , as beautiful as your family may be!!! STEP OUTSIDE THE BOX!!!!!!! Document what you would like to remember about that day!!!! BE CREATIVE!!!  I am going to work even harder in that realm this year. YES, I will still be adding lots of the kids. But be creative with the kids (Why I liked the shadow pix of me and Daisy!). If you do it, good luck! Let me know! I'd love to hear from you! My niece sent me a text yesterday asking about how I did it and told her basically all I'm writing here. I would love to see YOUR 365 pix, too! Katie and Kelly are going to do it, proud of them!(to see their blogs check my blog sites and check theirs out!)! They will get behind ,(we all do, YES, I MEAN ME!!), and they will forget to take a picture some days,  again,like me. But's it's ok. Just start from where you are. If you do it, CONGRATS and have fun!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 FIRST PIX of 2012 !Daisy and Carter were both here on Jan.1st, 2012!  Daisy stayed with us while Nat and Brad had friends over for New Years Eve. Carter (and his parents) had one more day with us! (No, Daisy's hair had not been brushed before snapping pix and Carter doesn't look to happy that it's 2012! As far as photographs go, not the best but  it is what it is and it WAS my first pix of 2012! LOL!) HAPPY NEW YEAR, anyway!! (and it was a  special BIRTHDAY to Kelley who is our New Year's Birthday Girl and sweet  D.I.L.!)!

# 2 Patrick visiting Mimi the day before they left to go back to San Diego! Mimi was great and Patrick so enjoyed taking Ryder to see her. It's always a bittersweet time for them. He won't be back in the 'Ham for quite some time! :( Both of them shed tears when they said good-bye to each other but I wanted to share the HAPPY pix!!

#3 Having to say good-bye to my little angel was a hard way to start off the New Year! I will miss him so much!  But ever so thankful that they were here for Patrick and Kelley's birthdays!!!! (Dec. 30: Patrick and Jan.1: Kelley!)!Praise God for SKYPE where I can see him often! (and his parents!)! Yes, I cried. I always cry when my sailor (and his little family) leave. UGH, I hate this pix of me but I put it b/c it sums up my emotions.  It's not always about "good "pictures on "Project 365"---it's about documentation. At least as I see it!

#4 Went to Office Depot and bought everything to make me a Household Binder for the New Year. I got the idea from a website and I am super excited to get started with this!!!! (Plus , it gets my mind off of my baby boys leaving to go to  back Madison and San Diego!)! Oh and of course, in today's paper, those every binders are BUY ONE GET ONE FREE. GEEZ!!!!!!!!!!

#5 GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER for 2012! All my "papers" in one place! YAY! Got this awesome idea from www.Simplify101.com! Awesome! I love having everything IN ONE PLACE! I had so much fun making it that I made a few more as gifts!  wink wink

 #6 Beautiful warm day in January, Daisy and I went to the Park, with not even a sweater! We had a good time, just Daisy and me! I love that little dumpling! She (and Powell, who is also 4, are growing up waaaay too fast!)!

#7  My pretty DIVA!!!! Natalie sang the National Anthem at a huge crowd at BJCC for the MONSTER TRUCK SHOW! AND, even more amazing, she sang it A Capella as well.  She was AWESOME! I'm not just bragging either! OK. so I am! SO proud of her! YES, she makes earrings and is "famous" for those but her REAL talent is her VOICE. Her gift from God!!!! *And , YES, I actually watched about 30 minutes of the Monster Trucks before we had to leave. One word: Interesting! LOL! (my ears are still ringing!)!

 #8 TOMORROW is the day Bama Fans have been waiting for!!!!! GAME OF THE CENTURY!!! Charles and Michael will have to be our "eyes and ears" from the stadium! So happy my oldest boys are there together!!!! Being "Irish Twins" they have a bond that has always been so strong and I'm glad they can share this historic game and the fun beforehand--TOGETHER! Here is what the Birmingham News looks like today! SORRY AU fans!!!!! ROLL TIDE! (if we, by some slight chance, LOSE, I will not be writing about this again. LOL!)!

HAPPY NEW YEARS, FRIENDS!