Watercolor iMovie

I played around a bit this weekend with iMovie and a few of our pictures from our recent vacation to Watercolor, Florida. I've made a few of these videos before, but never tried sharing them on my blog or on YouTube, so hopefully this works........ Enjoy!!

Watercolor (part 1)

Last night, our little family returned from a week long vacation to Watercolor, Florida.

We had a blast! It was a trip filled with everything a good beach trip should be filled with: sandcastles, sno cones, popsicles on the porch, swimming, bike rides and lots & lots of laughs (and of course, a few meltdowns for good measure).

A few of my favorite memories:

1. Watching "Parent Trap" on the big screen movie projector outside on the lawn
2. Watching the kids overcome their initial fear and then riding on the canoe with their daddy
3. Taking a canoe ride with daddy myself
4. Gaga volunteering to watch the kiddos so Johnny and I could have a date night.......dinner at "George's" in Alys Beach (highly recommend)
5. Seeing Grant take off his life jacket on the last day and swim & jump fearlessly in the pool
6. Camp Watercolor (best idea ever & the kids had a blast)
7. Listening to the concert in Seaside while the kids ran around with glow in the dark light sabers
8. Browsing through Sundog Books in Seaside and finding the time to actually finish 2 great books

The week went by way too fast and I am already looking forward to next year!!!

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Last weekend, the hubby and I were able to get away for a couple days to celebrate the wedding of close friends. We ate, lounged by the pool. laughed, relaxed, slept late, met a few new friends and enjoyed every single minute!!

beautiful blooms

our room

breakfast on the patio

our hotel

yummy frozen drinks

sweet friends

the beautiful bride

me & the hubby

sweet baby bump

 kristy, camelia, erin

sweet sisters

back to life, back to reality

This past weekend, my mom and I spent 3 days in sunny Arizona for Creative Escape.......a weekend filled with creating, crafting and consuming (food not alcohol)!! We laughed a lot, made a few projects, and met some amazing women along the way. But the best part for me, was that my passion was scrapbooking was reignited.

I'm not exactly sure why, but over the past year, my desire to scrapbook has all but disappeared. Because I am working more? Because I have a 2 and 4 year old? Because it's not convenient? Because I wasn't inspired? Because I was in a rut? Because I was overwhelmed?

It was probably a combination of all of those things. But after this weekend, I am ready to jump back on the scrapbooking bandwagon. I am ready to document our memories again. I am ready to create magical moments, and then record them for eternity. I am ready to pair photos and words to tell our story. I am ready to "taste life twice."

I was reminded this weekend that despite scrabooking's somewhat corny reputation, there is nothing corny or frivolous about being the family historian. Every time I make a scrapbook layout, or a mini-book, or take the time to write down something silly my children said, I am showing them that they are important, that they matter, that they are loved. I am leaving our mark on history. I am elevating the "ordinary."

So it's time to bust out the supplies again and get crackin.' Thank you Creative Escape for reminding me.

p.s. I decided to leave my big SLR at home this weekend, and only brought the point-n-shoot = huge mistake!! The above photo is the only (and I mean ONLY) photo that I can even stand of myself. I couldn't figure out how to turn off my flash (no one at the event could figure it out either), so every single photo looks blown out, blurry and ridiculously unflattering = another lesson I learned this weekend......just bring the darn SLR!!!

girl's get-away

This past weekend, I took a little trip with some friends from law school to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and it was just what the doctor ordered!!! This is the third trip we have taken together, and we plan on making it an annual tradition from now on (we already have next year's trip in the works.....Cape Cod!!!). Although there were quite a few "events" that I won't be sharing here on the blog, I thought I would jot down a few of the highlights:

1. Soaking in the hot springs at Ojo Caliente

2. My first ever 2 hour relaxation treatment = massage, hot oil scalp treatment and reflexology = heaven!!

3. A certain bald man in a thong Speedo covered in mud at the hot springs.....don't ask!

4. Staying up late, talking and drinking too much champagne

5. Making our annual lists

6. Mango pina coladas by the pool

7. Shopping at the Spanish Market

8. Running back to our hotel after lunch in the pouring down rain

9. The best pasta and creme brulee I have ever tasted at SantacaFe

10. Having drinks at a bar where the servers and bartenders sing show tunes

11. Searching for unique doors to take photos of and add to my collection

12. Reading books and magazines, napping, having heart-to-hearts and being with 3 of the most amazing friends a girl could ask for