This is my youngest and his best friend in the whole wide world.  They were on the same soccer team together this fall (a force to be reckoned with) and now they get to be on the same basketball team.  It’s a lot of fun to watch the two of them interact.  They are almost like brothers, since they spend so much time together at church (on Sundays and Wednesdays) and school and on Tuesdays when I teach Bible.  They are totally goofy together and count on one another for security in new or scary situations.  When they see one another, they immediately run to one another and latch on in relief.  It’s adorable.

Connor is just a couple months older than Cole and his mom and I have been good friends for years.  We told them we were pregnant with Cole (they were some of the first to know) and they looked at one another and confided that they were pregnant with Connor, too!  It was a fun day!

I’m so happy my son has such a true friend!

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Little Boys and Basketball is a post from: Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs

Wellington Designer Kit by Karen Lewis (The Digichick)
Some items (stitching, paint swooshes, word art) from The Daily Details Boutique Collaboration by The Digichick Designers

This is a lift of Crystal’s layout posted over at Tell Your Story Every Day.

A sincere thank you to my current sponsors!
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Keeping Life Creative - unique art prints on Etsy

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Visit my new Etsy shop to purchase cash envelopes!
Every Day Little Moments is a post from: Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs

Isn’t that just incredible?  I mean, you think you love the person you are going to marry more than any other person/thing on the entire planet on the day that you stand before your friends and family in a gorgeous white dress (the skinniest you will ever be).  You can’t imagine loving anyone more.  And then, you find out your lover is human and imperfect.  Once you get over that (and mature a little), you learn to love his faults (while gritting your teeth) and you figure out how well you compliment one another.  He is so much better at some things than I am, and I am better at others.

Life, over fourteen years of marriage, is full of ups and downs, highs and lows.  You ride the roller coaster together, unwilling to let go of one another’s hand.  Clinging to his hand, actually.  Because getting off the ride is not an option . . . it will only result in destruction (and lots of tears and perhaps a bloody mess).

Then, one day, not suddenly, but gradually, you feel a different hand in your own – the Heavenly Father’s hand. You look across and see your husband holding that hand as well.  The roller coaster isn’t so scary with a third person in the seat with you, with his arms around both of your shoulders drawing you together.  In fact, it is more exciting than scary.

This is our story!  Oh, how I love my husband.  I can’t imagine going through life without him.

I recently listened to a wonderful sermon preached on marriage.  The pastor quoted some statistics that really got me thinking.  Most divorces occur in the first 7 years of marriage.  In fact, according to the dude, years 5-7 are the worst.  Why do you think there is something called “the 7 year itch”?  The first 5-7 years of marriage are the most difficult years, as you are learning about one another, facing challenges and obstacles together (or apart?) and learning more about how the other person deals with strain. The interesting thing is that those who get divorced in the first 7 years of marriage usually remarry . . . and then they have to go through the terrible first 5-7 years of marriage all over again.

As I thought back to our first 7 years of marriage, there were certainly ups and downs.  We had a lot of fun in our pre-kid days, living lots of adventures together.  I loved those days, but they were not easy, that’s for sure.  We both grew up considerably as we learned how to treat one another.

Then, our first child was born at year 6 and I became a stay at home mom (a huge transition), and at the same time my husband switched careers.  It was HARD. It’s still difficult to think about those days, because it brings back the stressful and anxious feelings.  I had NO idea what I was doing with this sweet, precious bundle of boy that I loved with every fiber of my being.  I didn’t have any family close by to give me 10 minutes away from him so I could unwind and relax a little, and my husband was working long hours, often out of state for weeks at a time.  I experienced postpartum depression with a smile on my face and a freaked out look in my often teary eyes.  Of course, no one knew about this except my husband who, bless his heart, was also trying to hold it together as he tried to soothe his wife while experiencing the stress of a new job.

Those years of baby, miscarriage, anxiety, another baby and starting a new business (and the unbelievable stress associated with that) were the worst.  Those were our years 6 through 9.  We like to mess with statistics.  Of course, you never would have known how much we were struggling, because we are quite private people (with a blog! Yeah, I know!).  We smiled a lot.  Everything was just fine.  It was great.  Life was good.  If you say it often enough, you begin to believe it, right?  (Side note: I do believe very strongly that smiling is better than frowning and that there is power in positive thinking and that no one likes a whiner.  Imagine how much worse things would have been if I had complained to everyone I knew!  Yikes!  My marriage would NOT have survived that.)

BUT, we got through it.  We focused on God, which is something we should have worked harder on in our pre-kid days, right?

And then, for some reason, in year 10 or so, God decided to bless us by giving us back those often elusive wedding day feelings of bliss.  Oh, it’s true that those feelings came and went over the years, but I’m believing that they are here to stay.

My husband loves me.  He really, really, truly loves me.  I can’t imagine life without him.  I can’t imagine giving up all that we have fought for over the years.  I can’t imagine wasting those memories on divorce.  LIFE has happened with my husband by my side.  Children have been born to us: our precious boys who complete our family in amazing ways.

If your marriage is struggling, CLING to your husband.  CLING to God and seek him together.  Work through this time and know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  Marriage is not easy, but it is so worth it.  It takes hard work, but it is so rewarding.

(Layout credits: Photos by Kellie Parry Photography, Time Well Spent by Elise’s Pieces)

Happy Anniversary month, my dear Mitchell Grant.  I’d do it all over again.

A sincere thank you to my current sponsors!
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Keeping Life Creative - unique art prints on Etsy

JeniLu Scraps - handmade wristlets, bags & wallets on Etsy

Bluebird Chic - hand sewn camera straps on Etsy

Visit my new Etsy shop to purchase cash envelopes!
14 years of Marriage: Time Well Spent is a post from: Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs

Wildflower kit by Sugarplum Paperie (which I can no longer find!)
Epoxy letters by Robin Marie (no longer available)
Font by Darcy Baldwin

I actually created this page about Cole growing up last year sometime.  It was published in an online magazine, so I didn’t post it in the galleries.  I messed with the shadows after taking a shadows class by Peppermint. Awesome class!

Everything from Eat Cake Designer Kit by Karen Lewis Designz (The Digichick)
Font is DJB Mandy by Darcy Baldwin (Sweet Shoppe)

We had planned on having a backyard camp out for Grant’s 8th birthday, however it rained!  Grr.  So, instead, we hosted a total of 9 kids for a sleepover, complete with fireworks, glow sticks, a movie and lots of cake in the shape of a Pokemon ball thing.  Kinda cool!

Everything from Birthday Boy by Jennifer Fox (no longer available)
Font is DJB Mandy by Darcy Baldwin (Sweet Shoppe)

For Cole’s 5th birthday, we took the cousins to cheep bowling night! Cole had an awesome time and felt so special! A total hit!

I love digital scrapbooking!  I just sat in the family room with my computer on my lap, scrapping away while my family watched a movie! When it was time to go to bed, I cleaned up my “mess” by closing my laptop.  Perfect!  You can’t do that with traditional scrapbooking, can you?  Hee, hee!  Love it!

Thanks for letting me share!

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A sincere thank you to my current sponsors!
International Family Services - Adoption Services

Keeping Life Creative - unique art prints on Etsy

JeniLu Scraps - handmade wristlets, bags & wallets on Etsy

Bluebird Chic - hand sewn camera straps on Etsy

Visit my new Etsy shop to purchase cash envelopes!
I scrap, too! is a post from: Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs

Have I told you lately how much I love digital scrapbooking?  No?  Well, I truly do.  I started out as a reluctant paper scrapper, turned obsessed (but not very creative) paper scrapper, turned much better paper scrapper, turned techy wanna-be . . . who eventually found Photoshop (and who could never really give up the paper scrapping stuff!).

These days, I’m pretty much all digi when it comes to my scapbooking.  I love that the “mess” is contained within the small rectangle that is my computer.  I can close it and the mess is gone.  I can save it and come back to it later, or I can sit on the couch watching Netflix while recording memories.  It totally works for me!!

Check out what I made last night:

Aw!  I love these guys!  SO much!!  I adore them. Truly.  And, they love one another, too!

There are many, many reasons why digital scrapbookers love what we do.  My friend Pamela took a poll and wrote a post about the top 10 reasons why we love digital scrapbooking.  I agree with them all!  LOVE it.  (Pam has some cool tutorials, too!  Check ‘em out!)

Now, I have to take a second and brag about my store.  I sell my papercraft templates at THE coolest digital scrapbooking store in the entire industry: The Digichick.  My favorite designers sell right alongside me, and they even let me download their kits for free!  I love them!  Seriously, though, I am truly honored to work with these ladies and am constantly amazed at the gorgeous designs they come up with.

I have SEVERAL go-to Digichick designers that I stalk when I’m in the mood to scrap.  I could go on and on.

Lately, though, I’m obsessed with Karen Lewis Designz.  Remember that Easter Basket I made a couple of weeks ago?  That was Karen’s stuff.  I also used her designs for my Clover Box.  Gorgeous!  I love, love, love her kits!!  Her papers are amazing and SO perfect for hybrid.  She is a hybrid artist, so she creates gorgeous hybrid-ready kits!

I used Karen’s new Silly Billy kit on the above layout!  Cute, eh?

I’m totally using this kit again!!  SO boy!! Thanks for creating this kit, Karen!!

So, how many of you are digital scrapbookers??  I’d love to know!

A sincere thank you to my current sponsors!
International Family Services - Adoption Services

Keeping Life Creative - unique art prints on Etsy

JeniLu Scraps - handmade wristlets, bags & wallets on Etsy

Bluebird Chic - hand sewn camera straps on Etsy

Visit my new Etsy shop to purchase cash envelopes!
A Digital Layout: Cole and Daddy is a post from: Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs

You know how I had hoped to get back to digital scrapbooking this year? Keep up with the memories and all that?  Well, this is the first layout of the year.  Good grief.  Hopefully I’ll be making more!

I was completely inspired by the new boutique collaboration over at The Digichick called All About Me.  Oh, the colors! The papers!!  LOVE!  The Digichick is known for amazing boutique collaborations (where all of the designers contribute), and this one is quickly becoming a favorite.  I’m usually the type of scrapper who uses a kit one time and then never again (for shame, I know!), but I am positive I’ll be using this one again this week!!

As for the layout, I gotta say that I am nuts about this child.  At 7 years old, he’s giving me a run for my money (OH, the attitude and sass!), but we have had so many heart-to-hearts lately.  Okay, sure, most of the are a result of negative behavior that we are trying to correct, however they are bringing us closer.  He can keep pushing me away, but it just makes me push back harder.  I WILL win this one.  I love him too much!

My journaling:

Well, it has finally happened.  You have turned into a sassy 7-year old with all kinds of attitude.  Sometimes its a little too much for me to handle.  You are pushing limits and pushing buttons and I am trying to keep up. It’s enough to make me want to pull my hair out! (Or, maybe pull your hair out! I dunno!)

At the same time, you’ve become extra clingy. One minute you are pushing me away with your words, and the next you are holding me tight with your arms. Intellectually, I know this is normal behavior, but this mama’s head is spinning!

I just want you to know that I still adore you. You are still my treasure. You can push away all you want, but I will always be here for your hugs.

My love for you is stronger than it has ever been. I’m so proud of you, my son. My heart still goes pitter-pat whenever I look at my sweet baby. I’m just wild about you, and nothing you can do will ever change that!

A sincere thank you to my current sponsors!
International Family Services - Adoption Services

Keeping Life Creative - unique art prints on Etsy

JeniLu Scraps - handmade wristlets, bags & wallets on Etsy

Bluebird Chic - hand sewn camera straps on Etsy

Visit my new Etsy shop to purchase cash envelopes!
Digital Layout: I’m Just Wild About You is a post from: Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs

These are not perfect, but I like them!

For Cole, my Spiderman fan:

This doesn’t look so good on the screen because my original image is low res, but I grabbed a photo of Peter Parker/Spiderman from the Spiderman website and then Photoshopped a picture of Cole where Pete’s face was.  My son is MUCH lighter than this, so I had to add a layer of Pete’s skin tone, multiplied and opacity down to 95%.  I burned a bit and dodged a bit and this is as good as it’s gonna get.  LOL!

Grant wanted a Valentine with him popping out of a Pokeball. Good grief!  I almost gave up on the whole custom Valentine idea altogether after that request, but I did eventually find an image online that kind of worked.  It’s actually a coloring sheet that I imported into Illustrator, vectorized, then erased a bunch of paths.  The photo is from last summer, so I extracted it in PSE (not very well, I might add!) and then imported it into Illustrator to finish it up.  Actually, this didn’t take as long as Cole’s, but finding an image online was the hard part.

I posted these on Facebook and a friend told me that I need to offer this service on Etsy next year.  NO THANKS!!  LOL!  If you have ever done something like this then you know that you are putting at least $100 worth of your time into the project (per Valentine!), and a parent would have to be insane to pay that much for a Valentine.  Still, it’s a fun tradition for us!  (Kinda like baking crazy birthday cakes!)

We taped those free fruit snacks on them and then I tossed in a couple of presents for the teachers (free Nivea lip balm!).

I know I sound all nonchalant, however I did stay up after midnight on two separate occasions to get this done!!  Still, it was totally worth it to hear Cole say, “Brother, look!  I’m Spiderman!”

I LOVE these boys!!

A sincere thank you to my current sponsors!
International Family Services - Adoption Services

Keeping Life Creative - unique art prints on Etsy

JeniLu Scraps - handmade wristlets, bags & wallets on Etsy

Bluebird Chic - hand sewn camera straps on Etsy

Visit my new Etsy shop to purchase cash envelopes!
A Photoshop Valentine’s Day! is a post from: Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs

Of course, my answer is different than if I had been asked what I would do if I only had one day or if I only had a week.

My answer is: I would make memories with my family and scrapbook them.

I am sad to admit that it has been a long time since I have scrapbooked.  And, the thing is that I really enjoy scrapbooking.  A lot. I think it is important to record family memories, and so I have tried to do a decent job of posting my little “nutshell” posts here on my blog and taking pictures.  For most people that is good enough, however I really love the creative process of scrapbooking.

I scrapbook for several reasons, most of them selfish.  I am energized when I complete a layout from scratch.  I love summarizing an experience in photos and journaling.  I really love the hugs and sweet looks I get from my kids and husband when they see the layouts I have created about them.  They definitely don’t take my hobby for granted.

And so, I am going to do a better job of scrapbooking our lives.  Not just the events we experience, but MY feelings.  Because, the reality is that I’m not guaranteed a long life, or even the next 2 years.  I may not be in many of our pictures, but I am definitely THERE, and my children will know me through my layouts.

(Happy Camper by Elises Pieces Designs @ TDC,  alpha from Promise by Shabby Princess, font is my own handwriting converted by Darcy Baldwin @ Sweet Shoppe)

Will you guys do me a favor and bug me if you don’t start seeing more layouts??  Thanks!

A sincere thank you to my current sponsors!
International Family Services - Adoption Services

Keeping Life Creative - unique art prints on Etsy

JeniLu Scraps - handmade wristlets, bags & wallets on Etsy

Bluebird Chic - hand sewn camera straps on Etsy

Visit my new Etsy shop to purchase cash envelopes!
A Digital Layout: Camping 2010 is a post from: Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs