The Miracles of Fall

Happy Monday friends, and welcome to a brand new week.

The Miracles of Fall is the focus of Scrapping Everyday Miracles Challenge #21

I decided to focus on the blessing of fresh produce.  As gorgeous as the changing of leaves can be this time of year, and the flight of the geese as they make their way to warmer climats, a bounty of fresh vegetables sure can make one feel incredibly blessed.

On this particular afternoon Mom called and asked if she could please bring over some of the harvest from her garden, and that of a friend's.  I wasn't home at the time when she stopped by.  When I came home there were bags full of wonderful smelling red potatoes, huge bright orange carrots, a funny shaped pumpkin, the largest zucchini I have ever seen, along with some glorious smelling tomatoes.  I felt rich, I tell you.  It may not have been worth a lot in monetary terms, but the thought that I had more than I could possibly need on my own, while so many go without was overwhelming.

Where normally, thoughts of Fall conjure up visions of brightly coloured trees, this year thoughts of Fall will remind me of the incredible gift of fresh, brightly coloured produce freely grown and harvested in my mother-in-law's garden.  Many a zucchini bread, and fresh oven-baked potatoes await my family.  Crisp, fresh carrots will satisfy my girls' hunger at lunch, and gorgeous peppers, and tomatoes will garnish many a meal to come.

This Fall we are so very blessed.

Simple Stories Harvest  Lane Collection

So in celebration of Fall, this month our Challenge at SEM is for you to scrap an everyday miracle you've captured in this wonderfully colourful, and refreshing season.  Even if you live in a climate where the change is colours is not as distinct as it is here in North America, there are still miracles happening all the time, all around you.  As always there is a twist...we challenge you to use paint on your layout.  You'll notice, I kind of cheated on that.  I opted for the a Maya Road metallic mist over the paint, because of the overall design of my layout.  But ink, is ink afterall, so please feel free to adjust your own layout as necessary, we won't hold it against you.

You can see the rest of the Design Team's Fall inspired layouts and, get the inside scoop on this month's sponsor right here.  We hope you'll be inspired to join us this month. 

Thanks for stopping by today. 

♥ S.


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A Disney layout

We have so many Disney photos, that it was a little overwhelming knowing where to start when it came to scrapping them.  I'm still thinking that a mini-album would be the best way to showcase the trip and record all the memories, and have the kids take park in the journaling.  For now, I've managed to at least get some highlights down on a two-pager.  It highlights all the places we saw, and all of us who got see them.

The journaling reads:
It was a dream come true, something I've wanted to do since I was a child.  Getting to experience Disney World with Mom & Dad included was more than I could have dreamed, honestly.  The Winter of 2012 the dream became a reality, as we pulled the kids from school and flew down to Orlando for 6 days of fun.  First stop (1) Magic Kingdom (Isabelle wanted roller coasters not Mickey Mouse).  There's no other way to begin a Disney adventure really.  The most fun was had at (2) Universal Studios, and (3) Islands of Adventure, where we met Shrek & the gang (4), and saw the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park.  We all agree that Universal & Islands were the best for fun factor with the (5) Rip Rocket roller coaster being a fave.  We hit Animal Kingdom (6&7) on the last and warmest of days.  Expedition Everest was a blast, along with the Safari where we  saw gorillas and hippos.  I love the  photo of Mom and Dad in front of the iconic tree.  (8)Epcot was another fave, as there was something for everyone, and the character greetings (9) and the fireworks were so cool.  So much fun.  From Magic Kingdom (10) Buzz Lightyear to Everst and everything in between.  Memories for a lifetime were made @ Disney.

If you have been thinking about getting away with the family, but are hesitant on it for whatever reason, I encourage you to revisit the idea.  It was so worth it.  Worth the hour and a half drive to the airport, worth the financial pinch, worth the infinite amount of U turns we took on our way to and from the park everyday, and definitely worth the tired feet at the end of the day.  It gave us time to unplug from the routine and pressures of everyday life here at home.  It allowed my kids to enjoy their father as the fun-loving, joking, playmate they only see from time to time.  It allowed us to enjoy some time alone with Mom, and Dad in a way that's different and more relaxed than when one of us is 'hosting' the other.  We love our life here at home.  The girls really enjoy Dance, and love spending time with their friends at the studio several days a week.  They like school, have wonderful teachers, and are learning, and developing so nicely this year.  We have a fun, and loving Small Group (5 families) with whom we meet every other week to talk about God, life, church, and the everyday things of life.  All that is great, but we are increasingly aware that if we don't make time to just hang together we will lose the connection that makes us friends as well as family, appreciating the fun quirky idiosyncrasies that make us each who we are.  Who knows, time away, as a family may be just what you and yours need also.

Thanks for popping by today friends,

♥ S. Pin It