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so much fun

these are my pages from my weekend of scrapping…

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i felt my scrappin’ groove come back on in the
middle of the afternoon on saturday.
half way into my trip?
where did it go?
just not scrapbooking for so long makes it harder to find i guess.

i also finished my album from our vacation in 2007.
all the pages have 5 photos, a tag, and printed simple journaling.
very plain but clean looking.
i really like it.

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there are 7 double page spreads like this and 2 like the one below.

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pretty simple.
but i did all the fun stuff when i made the mini album.

i got 23 pages done…woo-hoo!

see mom? i’m okay.
just tired from my fun trip.
thanks for worrying.

meg duerksen - thank you ladies!!
the top page “sassy” is made with strips of paper and is a lift of becky novacek. (bottom of the list on today’s creative blog)
the swirly circles are also paper. it was also a lift of ?? someone in creating keepsakes last year. 🙂
and the circles barely stick down…i didn’t really think it though. i tend to do that. i get an idea and then don’t know how to finish it.
and i hope the dancing queen picture wasn’t too disappointing.
we did have fun with that radio station though.
and i think i will add a disco section to my iPod.
melissa – i used to be a consultant too. i did it for 5 years but i quit 7 years ago.
thank again for all the compliments.

Haydee T - I have to tell you..I’m not a huge fan of scrapbooking but your stuff is awesome..you might just make a believer out of me. Well done!

Jenny Pocknall - Wow! There is so much work in each page. I am impressed. A beautiful way to show off your adventures.

amy d - we want the dancing queen, we want the dancing queen, we want the dancing queen! 🙂

Mom - It’s funny when a mom is worried that something is wrong because her daughter hasn’t blogged for several days! Glad you had such a good time. They are beautiful pages.
Now what’s this about the dancing queen??

Allikayes Mama - Oh, wow,wow,wow! I love those pages! You are so creative! I also just spent way too much time browsing through “your house” pictures! I am enthralled with your beautiful home and decor! Such inspiration! And right out of a magazine! :0)

Crystal - LOVE them…I am so jealous of your talent Meg!! Let me know if you are still interested in the swap. 🙂 Or if you know of anyone who is. 🙂 Have a great evening!! 🙂

Lee Ann - 23 pages! That’s awesome. And I love the vacation book….the simplicity. I think it’s perfect for vacation.

melissa @ the inspired room - How fun! I used to do those scrapbook weekends (back in the day, when I was a Creative Memories consultant…). Happy Tuesday!
xo
Melissa

amy - You have to put the dancing queen on the blog! It’s the whole reason I took the pictures!

Jana - That was the most fun weekend ever! So glad you got your groove goin on Saturday. Will we see the dancing queen on the blog? 🙂

traci - I LOVE, LOVE,LOVE the first one with all the ribbons!!! I have a door at work I am responsible to decorate and I am going to steal that idea. LOVE them all though

Karol - Wow, absolutely beautiful layouts. So inspiring.

Julie K - Oh Megan! These are beautiful!!! I especially love the paper swirl page. That is unbelieveably creative and fun and just a feast of expression!! Love it.

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i’m outta here.

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i am off to play with my toys.
be back sunday night!
i am quite excited…to put it mildly.

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thanks craig for holding down the fort all alone.
you are the best.

Queenie Bee - Didja’ have FUN?! My hubby always thinks I’m really just having an affair on him when I go to scrapbooking events because I always come home with very few pages done! LOL!:-) I like talking and looking at other people’s work so much that I get very little done myself! It’s always tons of fun though…and come to think of it, I could probably use some of that kinda’ fun sometimes soon!

Crystal - hi Meg!!! I hope you had a great weekend…I am totally jealous of all of your fun supplies!!!

traci - hi meg – hope you had fun this past weekend. can’t wait to hear all about it.

Allikayes Mama - Oh! I am so glad I found your blog! You are oh so fun! I am bookmarking ya – so I’ll be back! Yay!

Jenny Pocknall - Please show what you created when you get back.
Hope you have a great time.

jessi nagy - have fun creating!!!
oxoxox,
jessi

Lee Ann - You weren’t kidding when you said you were going scrapbooking. A whole weekend! I hope you’ll show us some pictures when you come back…..of the fun and the pages! I’ll let you in on a little secret. I love copying your pages 🙂 Of course it’s “just inspiration”. Hope you don’t mind.

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big tease

that’s what this weather is.
it lets us think it’s time for

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stoller walks

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smoothies

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blowing bubbles

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new sidewalk chalk

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playing in the driveway

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barefoot (she later took her shirt off too)
we spent the afternoon outside playing.
talby and sean had a whole world drawn in chalk…
houses, horses, cars, spiders, and robots.

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i love sean’s robots.

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i do.
i really really do.

but i know better than to think this weather is here for good.
i remember the snow in april ’07 that killed all my acorns.
(i am hoping for that again…man i hate those acorns)
so we’ll just enjoy it while it’s here.

amy - Tag… you’re it. Check out my blog. Sorry. I only know a few people who blog… and I know you’ve got so much time on your hands, right?! 🙂

jeanetta - i have a whole chalk gallery in my driveway and carport. it has grwn so much that they have moved to the picnic table and the wooden playset. its chalk it washes right.

Brenis - Ditto here in Colorado! Even ditto on what the kids have been doing the last couple days. Only difference is i’m not a kodak mama, and didn’t get pics! LOL! Our driveway and sidewalk has been the only color in the neighborhood! haha!
I love the way children (and adults) embrace spring when it arrives! I swear it changes our metabolism, and our emotional well being just to be out in the gorgeous warmer air and sunshine! Enjoy it while it lasts!!!! 😀

hqm - There is nothing like that first day outside playing after being cooped up inside for months…it’s a promise of what is to come!

chris - I have given up on spring ever returning , time spent outside is quick quick quick , because it is still so cold, then our enormous snow banks finally melt we will be in for some soggy weeks I am sure,that will be fun with two dogs and 8 muddy feet .

cynthia - it’s been nice here (in atlanta)too and i’m hoping it stays!
enjoy!

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precious

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my little spot this morning before any kids were awake.
i read this…and decided to share.

From Ugly to Precious:
from Ephesians 2 8:-10

we’re irresistibly drawn to pretty things.
nice restaurants, elegant shopping malls, roomy homes
and sweet smelling happy, easy-to-know people.
we instinctively shun the unlovelies of life.
consequently, we have a terrible time understanding the grace of God.

God’s grace loves when there is nothing good even beneath an awful wrapper.
when layer upon layer is removed and all that appears is more ugliness,
God loves.
it’s not that we’re such precious darlings that he can’t resist loving us.
no, God loves us because he’s decided that we will be precious to him.
He sent his Son to die on the cross for our ugliness.
period.

it’s hard to imagine, isn’t it?
it’s even harder to accept.
we push and tug at ourselves, trying to earn his love and attention,
whe the fact is, whatever package we come in,
God loves us.
dressing ourselves up with good deeds, advanced degrees
and charitable attitudes doesn’t increase God’s love for us.
he simply reaches down into our torn, misshapen world
and makes people who are ugly,
precious.

*devotional from the Mom’s Devotional Bible.
*photo inspiration from crystal

eryn - ooooh. I like it! Thanks f or sharing!

Lee Ann - That’s really good. Thanks for sharing. If only we all loved the “ugly” the way God does…

cynthia - ooooh! I loved that!
so many times we forget this…about ourselves and about others.
thanks for the reminder!
and don’t you love those times alone before everyone wakes up? (i needed a reminder of that too!)

Lanny Stanard - Thanks Meg for sharing the word.
Thanks Lanny S

Crystal - that totally brought tears to my eyes. so beautifully put. 🙂

Crystal - that totally brought tears to my eyes. so beautifully put. 🙂

jodi - Wow, Megan. I so needed that today. I was so mad at my sister in law and that post really speaks to my heart. If God can look past my layers and love me anyway, I know he expects me to do that also.
Thanks for sharing that!
Jodi

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out and about

annie likes target almost as much as i do.

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and why wouldn’t she?
we picked out some candy…
grabbed a coffee…
and then looked through nearly every row.

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it’s good my husband said “don’t spend any money” before i went.
other wise i would’ve bought all of these.
surely my kids would eat much healthier if we had these, right?

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she was in a skittles mood this day…
usually she chooses mini m&m’s (in the pink case).
we also wanted this umbrella.
how happy would the next rain storm be carrying this?
especially if you’d had breakfast on a monkey plate!

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after target and a stop by daddy’s office
we swung by restoration hardware.
annie didn’t mind because she knew it meant the fountain.

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super shopper as always.
i really love our thursdays together.
ready for the warmer weather so we can do things besides shop.
i can’t imagine what the zoo is like with only one child.

Dawn - Thanks, Meg, for directing me to your Nov. 9 post. My husband has bought a lens from b&h as he is somewhat into photography. I’m just now getting the photography bug. 🙂

Linda - Oh Target!! I, too, don’t have one near me, but am going to Bangor, Me. this spring. You can be sure Target will be my first stop!!
Linda
xoxo

kristin - i have that umbrella. : )
but not those cute monkey plates.

meg duerksen - tiffany – i would love pink boots too! i want to get some cowboy boots…i don’t know why i didn’t this year.
chris – YOU DON”T HAVE TARGET?!! you poor poor girl.
were you saying you want some of MY pictures to frame for you? or you think i should frame some of my own pictures? i’d share my pictures with you if you wanted.
cynthia – i really didn’t buy any plates. i bought the coffee, cat food, jelly bellies and a box. that’s it. but i still want them.
gini and dawn- i told about my camera on november 9, 2007. it’s in the archives. i don’t have photo shop but our Mac. came with iPhoto and it has some editing tools. so i do edit almost every photo at least with the Sharpening tool and then i may add some color or brighten it up. i don’t use a flash and mess with the settings to get different light. i usually look at http://www.karenrussell.typepad.com for inspiration and questions.
jennifer p. – don’t move to kansas just yet…our restoration hardware is closing! 🙁 boo hooo. i was there to see if there were any deals. there were not. they are just sending it all to another store.
i am glad i make you all smile. that makes ME smile. thanks alot.
-meg

Liz - Your photos are gorgeous as always! Love the last one of Annie jumping. I’m glad you see you raise your daughters right… every woman should love Target. 🙂

Mrs. Fox - Annie reminds me so much of my younger sister when she was little. Makes me smile every time.

Dawn - What kind of camera do you have? Great pics, as always!

emily loria - I love Jelly Belly’s at Target. They are the secret reason I go there instead of Wal Mart. 😉

carissa - i can’t stand it… look at those monkey plates! they ARE fun! can i some how make a monkey fit into Easter? 🙂
so fun for their baskets!
yall had a really fun… bright day! woohoo
your posts ALWAYS make me smile!

Lanny Stanard - I LOVE TARGET TOO! Who doesn’t very cute pictures!
Lanny S.

Jennifer P. - we don’t have a fill your own bag candy aisle in our target! Nor do we have a REstoration Hardware anywherre but via our catalog. I’m feeling a need to move to Kansas!
Such cute photos! I’m sure Annie will always treasure your days together!

Gini - I am inspired to head to Target today – thank you. Do you ever write about your camera/photos? Do you photoshop them before you post? etc etc. The colors are AWESOME in all of your pictures!

cynthia - i must take my camera out more often!!
so tell us…how many monkey plates did you buy ? HA

chris - I can’t believe how mild it is where you are, the snow banks here are up to my eye balls , seriously, I am so craving spring, and sweaters .
I think it is really quite tragic that we don’t get to have Target here, I need to make a trip across the border it is such a hot spot.
Beautiful pictures as always.
It wouls be great to take some of your photos and frame them.

sara mincy - I love Target too!! Now I am inspired to take my camera next time I go! Great photos!!!

Tiffany - Those pink boots are the greatest, I want some!

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baby-sitter

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we got to baby-sit for london!
she had the chicken pox but we didn’t mind at all.
talby and annie were beyond excited all day.

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poor london was totally over-stimulated.
the girls were in her face every minute and she got pretty tired of it.
i don’t blame her.

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they kept saying “she’s crying mom!” if she whimpered a sound.
she did cry pretty hard as i got the other kids to bed.
she cried all through their prayers and teeth brushing.
i was saying “just pray louder.”
(i was holding her though…she wasn’t alone)
talby was so concerned.
“mom WHY is she crying?”
“she wants it quiet honey and this is not quiet.
i said “goodnight kids” and took her downstairs.
i turned on oprah and that little sweetie was asleep in 2 minutes.
don’t all babies fall asleep to oprah?
mine always did.
“finally some peace and quiet!” she had to be thinking.

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i held her for 3 hours.
and loved every minute.
anytime london needs to be exhausted jen…send her over!

Jenny Pocknall - She is gorgeous!

meg duerksen - melissa it’s funny you say that….
when craig was holding her it was very sweet but had a moment and looked him straight in the eye and said “i don’t want any more babies.” really the first time i knew FOR SURE that i am done. we can’t have anymore anyway but i don’t want anymore either. we were both happy with that comment.
peace.
of course it had nothing to do with london.
love her so much.
but i got to give her back at 11:30!

melissa @ the inspired room - Oh, a B A B Y! Don’t you just want another one???
Happy day!
Melissa

traci - both you and the baby look very content in the last shot. the girls must have loved every minute.

Jennifer P. - All the little chicken pox made me sad! Poor itchy baby :)! But so sweet and cute–and you got to hold her for THREE hours?!–Soooo jealous!

chris - I wish I had had someone just like you to trust my baby with , lucky family.

Mom - Did Lauren take these pictures? They are great. Glad you got your baby fix!

Jenn - It is so nice to leave your baby with a family and see how much she is loved while you are gone! Thank you sooo much for watching her and we really enjoyed our time alone at the concert. I am sure I will be asking again. Jenn

traci - What fantastic mommies they are going to be! How crazy for a little, tiny baby to have chicken pox! I have personally never seen that…the youngest I have seen is maybe a year.
Swaddle and hold a baby and walla…sleep, oh yes, and OPRAH..lol
LOVE YOUR BLOG

kristin - oh wow, this looks fun.
i bet annie was t.h.r.i.l.l.e.d.
did you know she keeps a baby and bottle and blanket with her all during circle time? she feeds and rocks that baby while participating in all we’re doing. sweet.

Linda - Holding a sleeping baby?
Heavenly…
Linda

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around the house

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she is soooooo 13.
can’t even stand up to do the dishes anymore.
she uses tongs to get the silverware from the bottom of the sink
so she doesn’t have to touch them at all.

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breakfast for dinner.

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look at all the “help” i get every night.

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talby was sick most of the weekend.
she looked so pathetic…poor baby.
she is feeling better now.

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i am getting ready for a scrapbooking weekend!
getting my supplies together…
organizing my photos in the sunshine.

April - That cracks me up about the tongs and the silverware….too funny !!

meg duerksen - crystal – i did make my blog header. it’s made of real paper and scrapbook products and then scanned it into my computer. i have no clue how to create anything digitally. i kind of want to learn but not really because i love to scrapbook with real products so much that i would miss it.
jodi – we are going to a place called “the hager house bed & breakfast.” it is a big old house that she has completely updated and set up only for scrapbookers, we went a year ago and loved it. her website is http://www.hagerhousebandb.com.
also i think the “scrap fun attic” in andover has retreats.
raci – for the record i don’t think i am doing that great of a job with my 13 year old….but thanks.
chris – thanks for checking out my scrapbooking. it definitely has to be something you love or it will become something that just makes you feel guilty that you aren’t doing it enough.
andrea – thanks. $7 at walmart!

Andrea - Cute shoes!

cynthia - love breakfast for dinner!
and i can relate to your daughter…i always hated when my mom would stack the plates after eating which meant that i would possibly have to touch leftover “food” on the bottoms….ick!
now after being a mom…you can pretty much touch just about anything!

Julie K - Annie’s pants on backwards cracks me up! Great shot.

jodi - Meg – can you pass along any info on the scrapbooking weekend? Is there a specific place that does this for ladies? I’d love to get a group together and do this!
Thanks!
Jodi

chris - Oh yes, I wish I had a sprayer, you can rent them , that would make things easier , I might rent one this summer and spray my cabinet doors in the kitchen , I hate painting furniture , well actually anything , but who else will do it.

chris - your scrap book layouts are lovely , I really need to try doing that , it looks fun.

traci - my daughter is only 11 and we already are going thru this!!! I will say you seem to handle it VERY WELL.
Your poor Talby….hope she is better!
Your pictures could seriously be in a magazne…they are just FABULOUS.

chris - That’s so good , I am looking so forward to my child reaching the teen years, yikes, and those pants on backwards crack me up. I hate it when my girls are sick , this was the first sick free weekend in a few weeks, poor babies.
I can’t get into scrapbooking, can you post some pictures of your finished work.
Chris

jerusalem - when I was 13 I had to load and my younger brother had to unload. I remember being soooo aggravated that he wanted me to put the steak knives in blade down so he wouldn’t cut himself when he went to grab a handful of clean silverware. I can remember huffing and rolling my eyes, thinking how ridiculous he was being, how demanding he was being. Ha!

Melanie - Meg,
I have a 13 yr. old son and he doesn’t want to load the dishwasher because he doesn’t want his hands dirty. (he will unload though) This from a boy who is outside in the dirt piles and playing football with his finds. I feel your pain:)

traci - i could tell by your daughters eyes that she wasn’t feeling well. glad she is better now. i have been trying to organize for scrap getaway too. this weekend. 11 great friends – i can’t wait!! have fun at yours.

Crystal - Meg- we would totally be friends in real life…I live for “breakfast for dinner” 🙂 I have been meaning to ask you….did you make your blog header? I love it and have kinda been looking for something fun like that for my blog…but I don’t want to pay someone a ton for blog decor…

Jennifer P. - Glad to know someone else makes a complete mess with their waffle iron too. I’m forever scraping runny batter off my counter top!—your waffles looked delish though!
Good luck with your scrap-fest :)!

meg duerksen - amy –
the jellybeans are already packed!
and of course i will room with you!
be sure to bring the bubble bath…it’s all about the bubbles.

amy - ooh… bring the jellybeans with you!

amy - and eating jellybeans and wearing cutie polka dot shoes? i’m anxious to get my 497 photos so I can start organizing! wanna be my roomie again?

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