Chargers Clinch Playoff Spot!

They did it again. The Chargers pulled off another win...and clinched the AFC West! I knew the beginning of the season didn't show their true potential. Nate Kaeding didn't let us down when it came to the final seconds...he kicked the game-winning 52-yard field goal and gave the Chargers momentum going into the playoffs. See the article in the SD Union-Tribune.

(Photo from the SD Union-Tribune.)

Madison & Her Shoes

Madison is a girl after her auntie's heart...she has a thing for shoes. Last time I visited my family in San Diego she tried on my shoes. This time, 2 weeks later, she put on her mom's shoes (2 sizes bigger!) and walked all around the house. It was actually quite impressive.

Later in the evening she grabbed two pillows from the couch and put them on the tile to make a bed for herself. Smart girl! I sure do miss seeing her more often.

Fabulous Christmas Scrapbook pages.

I normally don't post crafty stuff on this blog, but I quite impressed myself with these pages so I needed to double post. (In case you, my few dear readers, are interested, I have a craft-only blog, which I update more frequently.)

As you know from my previous post, I went to Mammoth over Thanksgiving weekend...where I'm most inspired to craft. I made this layout, which I spent way too much time on, but love the outcome. You will find similar layouts on pages 8 and 11 of the Close to my Heart Autumn/Winter Idea Book. I absolutely adore those layouts and have wanted to recreate them ever since I laid eyes on them in August! Each page will hold a 5"x7" picture of mine and my husband's side of our family. (The left side looks like it should hold an 8"x10"...but I don't like putting photos that big in my scrapbook. 8x10's are for framing. So that photo will have a big border.) Click the photos to see them larger.

(don't mind the spoon, it's just holding the pages up!)

Every stamp I used is from the Holiday Trinkets Stamp Set (my favorite!) and the paper is Jingle. To make the ornaments, I used second generation and rock 'n roll stamping techniques. First, I inked up the ornament stamp. Then I stamped it onto scratch paper. Without re-inking, i rolled just the edges of the stamp in the ink again. Then I stamped the image onto my white cardstock, cut it out, and adhered it to the page with 3D glue dots. The Olive cardstock on the left side of the page is random-stamped with the "Deck the Halls" stamp.

To make the crumpled paper, I cut the paper to the size I needed (about 1" x 3"). Then I lightly spritzed it with my stamp spritz cleaner (because it was handy and already in a spritz bottle...but water will do the job). Once it was evenly damp, I crumpled the paper (careful not to go too crazy, the paper will tear). I flattened it out and formed it how I wanted it, then let it dry. It's adhered to the page with glue dots.

The "pine needles" were time consuming, but totally worth it. And actually not very hard. I just cut a bunch of curved strips of Olive Cardstock (cut more than you think you will need). Once they were all cut, I sponged them in Olive ink to get them more depth. I adhered them to the page with a glue pen.

The trees on page 2 are more time-consuming than the pine needles. First I stamped the trees in Olive ink all the way across the strip of white cardstock. Then I second-generation stamped the trees a couple times on a separate piece of white cardstock (stamp first on scratch paper, then on cardstock to give lighter color). I cut out each tree on the extra cardstock and sponged the edges, then used a glue pen to glue them over some of the trees on the white strip. The ornaments are colored with a tulip marker, then used a glue pen to add glitter on top.

This flurry dimensional element makes the whole page come together! I used spray adhesive on the entire snowflake, then sprinkled glitter over it. (Tip: Put your dimensional element on a few sheets of scratch paper, then go outside and spray it. Throw the scratch paper away before glittering or the glitter will stick to it.) I adhered the snowflake with 3D foam so that it is raised above the felt piece it is covering.

The "J" and "Y" are dimensional elements that I covered with paper. Tip: When covering chipboard with paper, file the edges when you're done to give a smooth (and distressed, if you'd like) finish.

San Diego & Mammoth for Thanksgiving Weekend

We spent this Thanksgiving in San Diego at my parents' house. It was great to be able to spend time with the WHOLE family! I miss seeing sweet little Madison as often as I did when we lived in SD :( Every time I see her now she's so much bigger! We also celebrated my birthday since it was the following Monday and everyone was already together. Here's Maddie trying to put my shoes on as I was trying on my new boots. SO freaking cute!

And then trying to walk in them.


She also loved carrying around my new purse, which is almost as big as she is.

And my gift bag.


This girl is going to be quite the girly girl...and will LOVE playing dress-up with Mommy and Auntie's clothes, shoes, and makeup!

Earlier in the day we had my lovely friend and professional photographer, Lauren, take our Lewinger family photos. They turned out just lovely, but I don't have them yet, so you'll just have to wait to see how good we look ;)

On Thanksgiving evening Chris and I headed up to Mammoth. We did NOT enjoy the 6-hour drive now that we're used to the 4.5 hour drive from LA. But it was worth it to be in Mammoth. It's one of my most favorite places and never disappoints!

We celebrated Thanksgiving with the Malme family on Friday. Mmmm...more mashed potatoes, my favorite! Before dinner we got a pretty good Malme family photo for their Christmas card. (I don't like how I look, and this is after photoshopping my hair, but everyone else looks great.)

It snowed on Friday night all through Saturday, leaving us 14 inches of fresh powder on Sunday. We took Oslo to the meadow...boy does he have fun there!

I took Stephanie's awesome camera with me to get some fun snow shots.


And Steph got some cool pictures that night and in the morning.

Sunday was nothin but bluebird skies. Oslo the Wonder Dog likes to show off.



(Can I just point out how perfect these photos are?! I have tried taking action shots of him time and time again, and they just never turn out great. I'm SO excited about these!)

This next photo was taken on the mountain, across the street from the lift (chair 2). It's so beautiful up there, especially with fresh snow!

And of course, our little family photo had to include our son and be in the snow. (Good thing it snowed or I don't know what we would have done.) Chris was complaining about our photo shoot taking too long...he wanted to be finished after 1 location, but we tried 4, and I still hadn't seen the perfect shot. Our lovely photographer, Stephanie, was so patient with me. Finally, once I said "one more," we got the perfect shot on the last try! (And if you're wondering, yes, I was freezing my butt off without a beenie or jacket. But worth it for the cute hair.)

How do we get Oslo to look at the camera, you ask? Stephanie was holding his tennis ball. Works like a charm every time. (Although he did bolt over to her a couple times to try getting the ball.)

It was great to have lots of family time over the weekend!