organizing school memories

For some reason, documenting school stuff is so overwhelming to me! So many pictures and so many papers, I just didn't know where to start. Since the last day of school is approaching, I just wanted to share what I've been working on here and there to make documenting the school years a little less stressful...for me anyway.
These are years K-2nd for Braden. I wanted to keep it simple so there is a 2 page layout for each year. This is a template from Designer Digitals. I just clipped the pictures in, did a little journaling and called it a day. Now that I'm looking at them altogether, I may go back in and change the colors of the 'school memories' to add a little variation. (that's the awesome thing about digital, you can always go back and change it)
I will be using this template set by Cathy Zielski when B starts junior high and for P&H.
We keep 1 folder of art and papers for each kid per year. I'm sentimental so for me that's pretty good. For the bigger art pieces, I take pictures of the artwork or of the kids holding the artwork.
Just passing along some ideas!
Kids grow up way too fast...

May catch up

Just catching up on a few things...I can't believe May is half way over!

Paige received Student of the Month in her class, we are very proud of her!

Mother's Day was so nice. The kids made me go back to bed and brought me in some breakfast. My favorite part of the day was the homemade little cards and crafts they made at school. I look forward to this every year! Braden made me a little photo album in my favorite color. Heston made me a frame with a picture of us in it. Paige made me a little coupon book and also a story book.
This is the inside of the book that Paige made...

My favorite food is salad (and I love mushrooms so she drew those in there too)

The thing that I don't like...

that's sushi

and that's the truth

I help our family by cooking dinner on my sweet pink stove (a pink stove would be fun, wouldn't it?)

This is me (she drew me using my favorite color, I love that)

doing the laundry. That's our couch and it has clothes laying on it. This is a true representation of what our couch looks like most of the time. Laundry...that stuff is going to be the end of me...

This is B, P and I jumping rope. In the evening, we'll go out and do some jump rope. They'll teach me fun jump rope rhymes and then I'll teach them some from when I was younger. I jump the rope until I pee my pants and then we call it a night. The joys of giving birth...

My sweet daughter...she knows me too well ;)

I LOVE BEING A MOM!

Grand Canyon hike

Last weekend was a much needed getaway for me. I went with a group of women (from my former ward, some of them close friends of mine) to the south rim of the Grand Canyon to hike the Bright Angel trail. Honestly, it was one of the most enriching experiences I've ever had.

We left Friday morning for Flagstaff. When we got there, we all went downtown for some shopping, food and entertainment. The city was having a youth festival with all kinds of dancing and music. We stayed at a hotel and drove to the GC the next morning. We couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather. The trail was a total of 6 miles and I loved every step of it.

On our journey, I couldn't help but think of analogies a person can come up with while hiking in that canyon. You look down and see how far it is and you begin to question whether you can actually do it. It's possible, with some preparation...you just have to put one step in front of the other. I was also thinking about how life is a lot like this trail we hiked...


It has it's ups and downs, it's rocky in places and flat in others. Also like life, it's important to stop, look around and see how far you've come and really enjoy the scenery. The views there...the pictures just don't do it justice...
We made it! me, Cheryl and Ardie

Kym and I. This whole trip was planned a year ago by her. I'm so grateful to call her my friend.
This was taken before the hike. You can tell because we're all excited and have tons of energy. Some women hiked part of the way and some of us hiked more.

me right before the hike. I brought my new little point and shoot camera so I wouldn't have to haul my big one around. It worked out great.

Thank you to Nuskin, the company I used to work for. That free backpack has served Aaron and I well over the years. ;)