From my trip

I just completed this scrapbook page about my recent visit with Abby and Loic. Scroll down for easier reading and bigger pictures.

It reads:
a serene, scenic drive, the whole day
time for enjoying coffee, music, and the road
and no demands
I went to a beautiful neighborhood, with wide tree-lined streets
a lovely house, with Abby sitting on the porch in a rocking chair
like she knew I was driving up just then
I knew that the long drive was worth it
we talked about everything: babies, raising kids, houses and moving, couponing, project runway
amazing food all weekend, or maybe I was just relieved not to cook
I slept in the latest that first morning I was there
then we took a trolley downtown
Greenville is a fun, artsy place
we were blessed with amazing weather
the park with the waterfall has so much energy, but is so relaxing at the same time
the three of us sat on a swing and caught up on each other's lives
we saw artist studios, and walked
I bought myself a mug, I love the pink and purple of it and its message
dinner at the Belgian restaurant was almost magical
we didn't have reservations, but sitting at the bar was better
I had a Lindeman's framboise, steak and frites with 3 kinds of mayo
the garlic mayo was something to write home about
it all brought back memories and made me miss "our" restaurant, The Yearling
I also thought about touring Lindeman's with Barb and Ron, about how glad I was that we did such cool things while we lived over there
Abby and I went to a yoga class
a great addition to our relaxing weekend
I hadn't done yoga in years, but it didn't feel that way
a very important reason for the visit, I met Julien
of course he monopolized all moments after coming back from Grandma and Grandpa's house
playing, eating, bathing, and lots and lots of smiling
we are already thinking about the next visit
Greenville, SC
February 2012

and the photos:

Whatever happened to Project 365?

I have never stopped taking pictures. I kinda stalled out on the processing and printing part, though. This is what I created for 2010:

Here's the 12x12 album.


I printed the photos and stuck them in these divided pages, with one 2-page spread for each week. Most weeks have blank pockets where I plan on printing and including some of my blogged notes from the week.


This is a look at how thick the album is...and I still have 3-4 months worth of photos to print up and add to it. I'm hoping to find it in one of our boxes and complete it sometime this year.


I'm doing things a little differently for 2011. I decided to simplify and downsize a bit...each month will have a two-page spread instead of one for each week. Each of these pages has a matching one with notes about each photo.

March has more missed photo days than any other month so far, so I filled in notes about what we were probably doing instead!

Holidays 2010

I haven't been scrapbooking a lot lately, but I've been trying to get this page done before it's next Christmas already. It's a little fuzzy--click to be able to actually read it. (or view on my flickr photostream)

Documenting the little (Belgian) things

journaling reads:
Most stores have self-scan checkouts these days, but our local Belgian grocery store has scanners that you take with you while you shop. I thought it was a little unusual at first, but it's been very quick and convenient for us. First you sign up and get a barcode keychain. When you shop, you go to the rack where all the scanners sit and scan your barcode. One of the scanners will light up, and you take that one with you. The shopping carts even have holders for the scanners. As you pick items you scan them, and you can fill your shopping bags knowing that you won't have to pull everything back out at the end. When you're done you go to the self-scan checkouts, put the scanner back in another rack, and scan your barcode. The checkout machine lists out everything you've scanned and asks you how you want to pay, and you proceed like normal. Depending on how often you shop, an attendant will sometimes come over and scan a few items just to make sure that you haven't snuck something in without scanning it...but for the most part it is an honor system. It was simple for me to shop with Zach in the stroller and the shopping bag in the stroller basket (which fit perfectly) and just scan and go! Photographed and remembered January 2011

(click to view larger)