Creativity (+ Saturday Journaling)

Creativity is an interesting thing with me. When I went to law school, my mom was concerned I would become less creative as I learned to think in the more focused logical paths of my new profession. Oddly, it seems to have channeled my two inclinations more. My increased scrapbooking came largely at the same time as law school as I needed a creative outlet. In the last year or so, as my legal practice began to reach a higher level so has, from my perspective, my creativity. At this point there are even two artsy things on the wall in my house that I made with plans for another on the way. It is fascinating, but I rather like it. In a sense I "need" to do it to keep in balance. Brent knows it and is very supportive of it. I know it, but don't always make it happen.

However, for the better part of this year, I haven't been doing it consistently. Really, since we found out we were moving there has always been too much. Whether it was getting ready to move, moving, the demands of working two jobs from home, my general tendency towards inertia, or the intimidating mess that inevitably follows. There are many convenient excuses, but none of them really good and that is a bit frustrating. I long ago accepted that I'll never be caught up and it isn't something that particularly bothers me as it isn't the main point for me.

Meanwhile, the good news is that those around me periodically help me get back on track. For instance, I had a scrapbook party in August and my girlfriends here came and I got the better part of an entire book done. (Particularly big thanks to Alisha who did a couple pages in my book for me). I was able to accomplish so much in one sitting largely because of the August Club S.E.I. kit I had and prepping in advance. Using a kit is a bit less creative as I did follow some of the suggested instructions and everything already matches, but it very nice nonetheless. Moreover, it really gives you the sense that you have accomplished something and I spend far less time looking for papers that work together, cropping and looking for embelishments. Granted, that can be the fun part, but sometimes, I'm just looking to make some quick, pretty progress and S.E.I. has been a great boon to that.

Today, nearly six weeks later. I picked up the nearly finished book from August again and put finishing touches on it. I'm missing about 4 pictures that need to be found/printed and then I'll have a fun album of the sights in DC. My mom and Audra were today's inspiration and helpers. They, and Audra's best friend Anna, came and did a bunch of pages with me. Audra amazingly did basically B's entire first birthday. I just need to do some journaling and it will be finished. My mom did some awesome pages celebrating B as a little boy that are so beautiful, creative and different in look than I make. I love having pages by other people in my books it makes them so much more interesting and personal to have other people's art as well. Neither my mom or Audra really do any scrapbooking of their own so it is even cooler that they jump in to contribute to mine. Having them at the table too gets me started and inspires me to think of new colors, patterns and ideas as they share their own perspectives. So in short, today I did some creative exercises and feel better for it. I know I'll love looking back at these pages later and knowing that they were made for us with a little bit of two of my favorite people's artistry too.

"This Week" Project
Saturday Journaling

Our Meals:
Lunch: Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins (The Ultimate Muffin Book), milk, water, banana for B & Aunt Audra, Salted Carmel Hot Chocolate (Audra & Abbey) and Latte from Starbucks (Brent)
Snacks: So many snacks today as it was "Game Day" they included, blue corn chips, local gourmet salsa, Colby Jack Cheese-itz, Hershey's min-chocolates, Apple, dried cranberries, left over muffins and ultimate bread (from Thursday's dinner)
Lunch: Acorn squash with Sausage and Cheddar (Abbey, Audra, Mom, & Anna), Hot Dog (Brent), Yogurt, Cheese, Bread and cereal for B, Dr.P, Diet Pepsi, Vanilla DP, and lots of snacks and water, Dried Fruit and Nut Crostata from October's Bon Apetit.
Dinner: More snacks + Blakey style fried Okra

Our Day:
8:30am-9:45am - B wakes up the household, I make muffins, Audra & Brent play with the B and get him started with a banana and milk, shower for me, and we get ready to go to the farmer's market, check in with ESPN for game-day news and eat breakfast.
9:45am-11:20am - Starbucks, Farmer's market (okra, garlic, squash, salsa), playing with B near the centenial marker, back home to drop off the boys, then Audra & I go to Target and buy OU apparel for B as well as some snacks
11:30am-1pm- B goes to sleep, OU v. Baylor starts (GO SOONERS!) - I make lunch and the Crostata while we watch the game, we set up the scrapbooking area, Anna arrives, we have lunch, start scrapbooking and enjoy the Sooners.
1pm-3pmish- B oddly wakes up, watches for awhile and is put back down, that doesn't last, my mom arrives, scrapbooking continues, Game ends - Sooners win 49-17.
4pm-5pm - B is tired, but enjoys all the people around and playing with Daddy inside and out, more scrapbooking off and on
5pm-6pm - Brent goes to driving duty, Girls and B go to Hobby Lobby to get things for wreath and scrapbooks - B pushes the cart and "helps" but goes OK, make B dinner, play outside a bit, snack
6pm-7pm - Mom makes Okra, I give B a bath and read our Rubber Duck bath book, B is so very tired, has some milk, but heads to bed early.
7pm-8:30pm - Audra makes wreath with some input from mom and I. We clean up the scrap area, and the kitchen a bit. Audra packs up and heads to the farm with my mom.... sadly Mom starts to feel a cold coming sometime mid-afternoon and is getting worse.
8:30pm-1o:45pm - I do some laundry, a load of dishes and minimal picking up, grade some Drexel work, read some blogs, upload photos and blog
10:45pm - Brent arrives home to my great delight and now it is time for Night Night.