Kitchen Reflections

Today I walked into the kitchen and caught Miriam looking at herself in the microwave.  

It reminded me of a picture I took just about four years ago. 

She used to love to look at herself in the oven window.  Time flies, but some things don't change that much, lol!

Happy 3rd birthday Miriam!

After waiting all day on April 6th for Miriam to be born, Grandma Stacia and I finally left the hospital around 11:00 pm to relieve Paul who was staying with Mason.  We finally went to bed about midnight, exhausted but worried....until we received this picture from Mark!!

Happy 3rd birthday ladybug!  Baba and I love you very much!

Project Life App Scrapbook pages - Mason's first cookie decorating at Stacia's, 11 months of Miriam

Stacia sent me a picture last week of Mason's first attempt at decorating cookies at her house this past November.  I had the other pictures so I decided to make a scrapbook page.

Miriam turned 1 this week.  This page is 11 months of Miriam!

Miriam's first trip to the museum

Paul and I wanted to take the kids to the museum over Christmas break but the problem is that we can't fit all three of them in our car at this point with two car seats!  Kristen came up with a good idea.  She said that if Janelle could drop off Mason and Miriam on her way to work, then Kris and Toby would pick Marley up on their way home from work.  It was perfect.  We were there from about 11:45 until 5:00.  Miriam was so good there; she even took a nap. We all love the museum, and for now, our transportation problem is worked out!

A couple of scrapbook pages - Baba's Baby, Playing with the new shutter release at LL Bean

While we were at LL Bean after Christmas I found an app called BubbleFrame where you can put pictures in "bubbles" on a scrapbook page.  I had fun playing with it.

One night when Paul was sitting in his chair with Miriam, he took a series of "selfies" of him and Miriam.

While we were in Maine we bought a shutter release for my iPhone.  I have a little tripod and we set it up on the next table at LL Bean and tried out the shutter release.  I worked really well!

Miriam in the hospital

What a nerve-wracking day Sunday was!  I think we all underestimate colds, I know I do - until I get one!  But when a baby gets a cold, it's scary.

Thank God she's home now.  Whatever kind of cold virus this is, it has gone through the whole family.  Kristen is still getting over it, and now Janelle, Paul and I have it.  The only one who has escaped so far is Mark.  He's next.

Digital Project Life 2014, Week 41, and Project Life App Scrapbook pages, Mason's first time at the library, Mason playing baseball, Mason playing tennis, Mason beginning kindergarten, Gordon College Columbus day with Marley, You & Me (Mason and Miriam)

So.... I got behind on my Project Life in September, and then we went on vacation for two weeks - the last week of September and first week in October.

I'm trying to catch up, starting with the week we got back from vacation.  I'll have to work on back pages when I can.  Scrapbooking is never really up to date anyway, and that's okay.

This is week 41.

On September 17th, a few days before we left on vacation, the Project Life App was launched.

I started doing Becky Higgins' Project Life system of scrapbooking in 2012.  At that time I did it manually, with physical product.  In March of 2013 I switched to digital and LOVED it!  They are the pages that I post here on this blog.

The Project Life App gives you the ability to do these pages on your iPhone and/or iPad.

I had so much fun with this on vacation.  Every day I made one page for that day.  When I eventually get all my vacation pictures organized I will post those vacation Project Life pages.

For now, here are the pages that I have done with this App.  I love doing this!

That's it for now.

Happy 90th birthday Dot!

Dot will be turning 90 on Thursday, September 18th, but we had her birthday party today.  She really seemed to enjoy seeing everyone, especially Miriam.

The last time she saw her was Easter Sunday when Miriam was almost two weeks old.  She is now five months old so, big difference.

This picture is my favorite.  They look like they are checking each other out, LOL!

Dot is amazing to me.  She has had Alzheimer's now for over 10 years.  The disease has definitely progressed, but there is still a lot of the old Dot left.

Happy 90th Dot!

Meet Miriam Priscilla Radtke

Baby Miriam was due on March 31st.

Mason was born on his due date so we all expected Miriam, as a second baby, to be born AT LEAST by her due date. Not so.

Janelle woke up with labor pains on Sunday morning, April 7th. They went to the hospital around 10 am, but Miriam didn't arrive until early Monday morning, 2:49 am.

Mark sent us all this picture at around 3:15 am.  We were all so relieved and excited!

Stacia (Janelle's mother), Kristen, and I brought Mason to the hospital Monday morning, around 10 am, to meet his new sister.

He was so sweet with her. He wanted us all to sing Happy Birthday to her.

On Tuesday, late afternoon, they came home from the hospital. Stacia, Mason, and I were waiting outside on the front steps. The minute those car doors opened, he jumped in the car to see her.

So...now life begins for the family of four, and like I keep saying to everyone, we are all trying to find our new normal.