Grow With Love: Staycation - my experience so far

I bought Plant Your Story's Grow With Love: Staycation workshop about a month ago, before all this bedrest/hospital/baby worry stuff. I had high hopes of planning fun activities with the boys at home while daddy worked, then little weekend outings to the museum, park, zoo, etc. God had other plans, though, and I found myself on bedrest a couple weeks later. All summer fun plans put on hold. But I didn't want to totally abandon the workshop, either, so I've had to find creative ways to scrap some of the prompts. Here's a few pages I've completed so far, some before bedrest started, some after. I'll also include a brief summary of the prompt inspiring each page.

Prompt 1 summary: Take a photograph of a "detail" of this day, some kind of "memory residue."

I snapped a pic of the aftermath of a little nesting/cleaning spurt - a clean bathroom and (mostly) neat living room! My title explains that this is not a typical day for us :)

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Prompt 2 summary: Choose a single moment in time to document.

I chose naptime - one of my all-time fave times of day as a mommy!

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Prompt 3 summary: Scrap about your summer reading.

I read a lot, usually on my Droid while feeding baby, eating, taking a quick break, any time I have a spare minute. I enjoyed documenting the books I've read so far this summer, and I have plans to scrap a page about books still on my list to read, and about reading with Cai (who inherited mommy's love of books!).

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Prompt 8 summary: Capture fun, silly, water-play moments.

Yes, I did the prompts out of order! I especially cherish these captured moments, since I'm not sure when the next time is that I'll be able to splash in the pool just me and Avyn. Middle kids always seem to get the short stick. But I love that he's finally old enough now to sit up on his own and enjoy some water fun with mommy! This was a fun memory to scrap!

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Prompt 11 summary: Explore a local attraction, take a day trip, etc.

By this point I was on bed rest, so I lived vicariously through my sisters Lizzie and Becca and scrapped about their trip to Six Flags Fiesta Texas, somewhere we've all wanted to go since moving to San Antonio. Plus I had a blast using the amazingly fun kit Vintage Carnival kit by Sahlin Studio!

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Prompt 18 summary: Create a list using the word "Reasons" as your foundation.

I linked this page up in my last blog post, so I won't bother you with it again! 

That's all I have finished so far, but I have a couple of Staycation pages in the works, and ideas brewing for more. Some of the prompts I think I'll save for after baby's born, and we can do a little more in the cooler fall weather. These 100+ degree temps are just too brutal for anything more than pool or A/C! I do look forward to exploring more of this beautiful city and outlying areas, there are so many places I still want to take the boys: Children's Museums, the coast (just a couple hours away!), Landa park, various parks and pools around the city. Can't wait for cooler weather! Oh, yeah, and a healthy baby :)!

Catching Up is Overrated

I've let this blog sit gathering dust for so long that the mere thought of trying to "catch up" sends my brain into a panic-induced coma. So I've been playing my favorite game - avoidance - for months. Finally today (in the shower, where all my most brilliant realizations occur) I decided that playing catch-up is way overrated. Who cares what happened two months ago? It's ancient history. So I'll just start with now.

Right now I'm on doctor-prescribed strict bedrest, and have been since July 25th. Baby Riah isn't due until September 23, which seems like forever. Since taking care of a 2 1/2-year-old and a 1-year-old while on bedrest is pretty much the definition of impossible, we have all moved in with my parents while Josh works 2 hours away. To add to the fun, a nasty cold has been working its way through the family, starting with me, moving on to Mom and Avyn, and flirting with my Dad and Becca. Hopefully we all survive the next few weeks. Although there are many things I can't do on bedrest (and it would be very easy to lay here and pour out a list of complaints, complete with whining and moaning), it's much better for my attitude and general stress level to focus on what I can do. I started a list last week using the Sticky Note app on my computer, and I add to it every time I think of something. Here's what I have so far - and if you have any more ideas, I would LOVE to hear them!

• Photograph the people and activities around me
• Scrap! (ZZS challenges, Sahlin Studio featured kit and template challenge, Mscraps new releases, Staycation class, Avyn's birthday, bedrest)
• Write blog posts
• Play Civilization 3
• Learn about my DSLR
• Read books
• Make list of baby stuff still needed
• Shop online for baby stuff and other stuff
• Make friendship bracelets
• Knot pearl necklaces
• Look up (and then do) stretching exercises safe for bedrest
• Organize digiscrap supplies
• Purge digiscrap supplies
• Organize photos
• Make Avyn's birthday card

I also scrapped a page about ten reasons bedrest isn't so bad. 

I actually bought the kit I used specifically for this layout. I rarely have such a specific idea in mind when I buy something, but this kit was too perfect. Want to see? 

"Positivity" by Lauren Reid and Jenn Barrette (at The Lilypad)

See what I mean? Isn't that the most perfect kit for me right now? Full of timely reminders to look on the bright side, the cup is half-full, be positive, etc. I also used a template from Biograffiti, from her 10s List Temaplates set.

Here's two more layouts I've scrapped about bedrest:

I used the kit "Familiarity" by Karla Dudley, and a free template from the July Design House Digital blueprint challenge. And I have to brag a bit - Karla featured my layout on her blog for her Feature Layout Friday!! I feel special :)

I scrapped this page for a Scrap Orchard Make it Snappy challenge, using mostly "I'm Outta Here" by Captivated Visions (definitely one of my favorite kits recently). 

Well, even if no one reads this, I feel much better for having jumped back on the bloggy bandwagon. I have so much I want to share, and many more layouts! One of the best things about bedrest is the extra time for scrapping!