I’m sure it’ll come as no surprise that I have oodles and oodles of photos of the kids, so it’s fun to incorporate their pictures with paper (I am just mildly obsessed with paper, especially patterned paper – gulp). Then, I add a few little tags, bows or brads, say a little somethin’, and call it a day.

Truth be told, it is also a great “mommy guilt” reliever. By taking a few minute to scrap, I am slightly alleviated of the fact I feel AWFUL for not being even remotely good about journaling. Like, one or two entries per year. No baby books. Just some scribble scrabble here and there of funny things they are saying and doing (at a minimum, I do at least have that). So, yes, the kids will have a lot of great photos of their childhood, but will they have any earthly idea what was happening in the photos?! I’m not so sure. Enter guilt.

I am also TERRIBLE about printing said photos. Like. Never. Ever. Print. Them. Ever. So my layouts are a good marriage of fun, getting my photos printed in some capacity, and capturing the essence of this time in our lives through writing.

Here’s one I created tonight, mainly with elements from Paislee Press. I noticed a few scrapbooking designers have been creating a layout, then duplicating it so each of their children similar pages. I really liked that idea…

…and gave it a go tonight. I created this page for my other little munchkin…just changed the photo and journaling. Easy peasy!

Love the designs. Love how you can create a wall that totally suits your unique design style! Bold, subdued, bright or pastel. It’s totally up to you!

Take a look at these awesome colors. To. Die. For.

They come in a bunch of different shapes and sizes that can be coordinated to make a unique wall display. The smallest frames are ornament-sized, the largest are 30×40. There are even chalkboard inserts and iPad frames. Hello! Fun stuff!

For more information, contact us today!

**All photos in this post are linked through The Organic Bloom Facebook page and are NOT the images of Ruby Red Studio**

In the meantime, I wanted to share this image…easily one of my favorites from last year. Actually, make that ALL-TIME.

For us, though, we have more than enough. We are healthy. We laugh. A lot. We’re making sweet memories. And, to me, that’s living large. We have so very much to be grateful for and I talk to the kids about it almost daily. We have food to eat, and not just “food”, but good food. We have fruits and veggies and occasional (or, ummmm, frequent) homemade sweets. We have water. And not just “water” but clean water. Water we can drink without fearing for our safety. And warm water; the kind that feels absolutely amazing to bathe in. And those are just the basics. We have clothes. Shelter. Warm beds. And a little leftover each month to use for play time. God has provided more than enough for us. And I’m grateful.

But in some ways, we’re living small. Namely, in our home. When we signed a 3-year lease on our sweet, adorable, comfy 2-bedroom, 1300 square foot house, we didn’t realize our family would be growing . Quickly. Just 3 weeks after moving in, we found out we were pregnant with our son, Colton. SURPRISE!

So we took the challenge and decide to give a very streamlined style of living the ol’ college try. We shed stuff. Lots of it.

Yes, we’ve had sleepless nights (MANY!), have endured tired kiddos as they’ve navigated sharing rooms, a waking baby and being moved around for naps. They are all very, very light sleepers which poses it’s own challenges. We’ve become increasingly aware of just how uncomfortable our couch is for sleeping. And some mornings, I can’t, for the life of me, remember which room of the house holds my shoes, my workout clothes or the toothpaste. But people with houses twice our size struggle with the same things. I love how cozy things are for us.  And we’ve made it work. I’m proud of that.

I think that’s why I love, love, love seeing other families that have “made it work”. Families who have taken smaller homes and rooms, making cool, hip, trendy and beautiful spaces for their kids. It’s inspiring. And I wanted to share a few of my favorites spaces with you.

I adore this boys’ room. Three little guys share it, found here.

Simple. Great for boys, girls, or both!

This one amazes me. This family converted a closet into a bunk-crib set-up for their two little guys, from here.

I adore this space. Yes, a bit on the large side, comparatively. However, it does cater to four kiddos and I love how stylish it is, via here.

Great job of incorporating both kids’ tastes into a complementary style, found here.

Very European. Love how everyone’s items are organized, via here.

This is a closet-turned-nursery area for a sweet baby girl who shares a room with her two brothers. Love everything about it, even the bold colors, via here.

If you’re in need of additional inspiration, head over to Pinterest and do a quick search for “bunk room” or “shared rooms”. You’ll find lots of eye candy!

If all goes well, we’ll be moving all three kids into the same room within the next few weeks. And not just any room, the Master bedroom, which Colton currently occupies. Solo. I’ll keep you posted. Until then, I can assure you, we’ll be living large! And here’s to living small…I wouldn’t have it any other way.

With Gianna’s Pre-K graduation just around the corner, I think I just might carry this theme, with a few kid-friendly touches, into our family lunch as well.

Regardless, I am more than ready to say HELLO to SWEET SUMMER!

In the meantime, I found this adorable Mother’s Day printable over at A Proffittable Life. It’s available in several colors and would be awesome printed and placed in a frame for an inexpensive, yet hip, gift.

…but it’s still stuff that can leave me feeling, well, a bit tapped. In times like these, I usually take a few minutes to read through the plethora of quotes and verses I’ve collected over the years. They rejuvenate my spirit. They fuel my creativity. They make me smile. I thought I’d share a few of my favorites (I’ve collected a bunch over at Pinterest…another AMAZING place!), just for fun…

source: katherinecenter.com via Christina on Pinterest

Source: richinnerlife.typepad.com via kate on Pinterest

Source: everythingfab.tumblr.com via Christina on Pinterest

I just completed a military-inspired photo shoot and invitation for a sweet little guy and thought you might want to take a peek! Pics of additional army-inspired goodies are coming soon, so check back in the coming days!

From Etsy shop WrenWillow

Decals from Pottery Barn Kids

Race Car Shade & Base (Lamp) from Pottery Barn KidsWinner’s Circle wall art from Rosenberry Rooms

LED Race Car Art from Pottery Barn Kids (IT LIGHTS UP! What little boy wouldn’t love this?!!) Racing Growth Chart from Rosenberry Rooms