My Blurb Book Review

First of all...

SHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

This is one of my kids' Christmas presents.

They love photo books almost as much as I do.

So, please don't tell them. :) Thanks.

So, Blurb. We've had a rocky relationship. I have made two books from them before, but I was generally unimpressed and I liked Mixbook so much more. However, Mixbook has a problem for me. It can't handle over 100 pages that well. Overtime, the binding ALWAYS breaks. And while Mixbook always was happy to replace my broken books, I didn't want to have to go through this every time.



So I returned to Blurb.



This time, they had a new upgraded paper option- Uncoated Proline Paper. I selected it. And I LOVE IT! It has made all the difference. As for binding, I don't see any weak spots that tend to hint to future problems.



Not only am I super happy how it turned out, but this book was much less expensive than Mixbook. Look for coupons on Facebook.

Goals.

Dave and Lindsey goal number 1:

No more smarty-pants remarks from us parents.

You know how you are so good at parenting other parents? You know what I mean. It's a gift everyone is born with. With little observation, one can easily spot all the parent crimes another parent commits. What most people don't realize is that "gift" usually doesn't work on themselves. People go along all day pointing out problems in others without noticing their kid is butt naked in the street drinking dish soap from the bottle.

****SPEAKING OF WHICH...while I just wrote that last part Lauren had gotten a hold of a permanent marker and was coloring the kitchen cabinets pink. So yep. ****

Well, Dave and I turned our attention to our own parenting style and we found only one thing we need work on. Because we are nearly perfect.

And this is what we need to work on:

Offering advice instead of encouragement.

I'm really bad at this. I read somewhere that parents who are always lecturing undermine their child's ability to gain confidence in making his or her own decisions. So, I hope you never hear me or Dave say things like "Well, this is what happens when...." or "I told you not to...." or "Next time can we just..." 'Cause really, do you like it when people say things like this to you? No! It's super annoying and absolutely not helpful! Of course there are ways to talk with children in a loving way, but it doesn't have to involve belittling them or their decisions.

By the way, our code word is "Aflac." You can say that to either one of us if you catch using those naughty parent phrases. Then you can find a super long and thin reed and whip our wrists.


Dave and Lindsey Goal number 2:

Stop being lazy bums. Our new lives will go as follows:

Get up at 5:30.
Dave runs around our fake lake.
Lindsey does a workout video. Because running is evil.
Cold shower.
Kids wake up.
Do stuff during the day.
Put kids to bed.
Watch Parks and Rec. Because laughing is a great de-stressor.
Go to bed by 9:30-10pm.

This is really hard for me. I'm even doing exercise hypnosis to make me like it. Not kidding.
It must be working because today was our 5th day!

To finish, please enjoy a few de-stressing videos yourself!

HOW TO PHOTOBOOK.

I am finishing up our family's 2015 photobook right now. I LOVE photobooks so much. So, so much. If you are not making them your life is wasted. WASTED! Just kidding. But really.

As I was designing this year's book, I realized how picky and opinionated I am about photobook layouts and things like that. So I am going to share with you my opinions on why your way is completely wrong and my way is so much better than yours. Just kidding! TOTALLY KIDDING!

So, here comes the Lindsey train of thought. Here we go.

1. Organize!

Every time I review my photos on my computer, I copy my favorites into one folder per year. For example, on my desktop I have "2014," "2015," and "2016" folders. Only my favorites make it each year. If they are organized, then it is super easy to make a book. This year's book is 140+ pages, but because I had all the photos in one folder it didn't take long at all!!

2. Design by spread, not by page

I used to layout my photos in my books by only thinking of one page at a time. THIS IS WRONG. You must think of the spread, how it looks in two open pages. You don't want the two pages fighting against each other. Look at the example below. I have 4 images spread amongst two pages. They are all part of the same story. All have the same color pallet. Visually, the two pages work very well together.

3. Repeated Pattern

This is my favorite, because it is so visually compelling. If you have several photos taken of basically the same thing with minute differences, just repeat the image over and over. Just look at these!

 

4. Blank Space

White background always for me, please. I love the classic look, so I embrace the white space framing my photos. I also like the contrast of one large photo vs one small. It creates great negative space.

5. Go BIG!!!!!

Fill those pages! Make a statement!
As a side note, this is where you want a camera with good megapixelage. With our old, old camera we couldn't do this.

 6. The Surplus

As you can tell, I love grouping pictures together with other photos of a similar nature. But what about the leftovers? I keep them too. I just put them in a grid, either 3x3 or 2x3. Then I put a big picture next door so that the eye has somewhere to land. That way there isn't too much visual chaos!

 7. Just do it.

In the end, it really doesn't matter what design technique you implement. Your kids just want to see the pictures.
And do not feel overwhelmed! I do yearly books, but I also have done a grouping of several years too.
I love making these so much, that I will honestly make these for other people.


FUN STUFF TO ADD TO YOUR BOOKS

-Funny stories of the family members
-Pictures of drawings the kids have made
-Names and descriptions too, of course

Lauren growing

Lauren is one.
Here are some words that describe her.

Climber.

Determined.

Happy.

Fussy.

Sleeping was a great challenge the first 10 months of her life. Lauren knows what she wants in life, and she is not afraid to let the world know. I am terrified of her future tantrums. I can tell they are going to be EPIC.

Lauren is are generally happy if she is doing one of two things: 1. Sitting on the dining table or 2. Being outside. If she is not doing one of these two things, she may not necessarily be in the best mood. Lauren loves bananas, green beans, and warm milk (not cold!!). She likes chasing balls and her sisters down the hall.

We love you, Lauren! Stay determined and keep your love for the outdoors and you will go far in life!

2015 Stories

Me: Sophie, don't ever get Celiac Disease.
Soph: Maybe someone gave it to you accidentally.
(I think she might be right.)

Me, serving Sophie her penguin decorated birthday cake: What do you think of the cake? Which part is your favorite?
Soph: The penguin.
Me: That was Daddy's touch.
Soph: Well, daddy's touch is delicious!

When going to visit Me and Lauren at the hospital Sophie was looking at the new car seat.
Soph: "Well, I guess we cant have anymore kids, the car is full!"
Dave explained we could still have more, we'd just have to get a bigger car.
Soph: Oh, like a truck! Then all the kids could ride in the back!




2 1/2 days after Lauren was born Dave took Sophie and Sabrina to soccer practice. There, he runs into Dayna Slack from Los Altos Ward. Dayna asked him what his new born daughter's name was. Dave couldn't remember.


Me: Would you like some sugar on your oatmeal?
Sabrina: No. Want it right there. (Points to the table next to her bowl.)

Dave was getting some things done around the house. He went outside to tighten the sunshade screws in our car, but had to back in the house to get the car keys. He went to the kitchen to pick them up and returned outside. Then he looked at what was in his hand. He came back inside to show Lindsey what he had picked up... It was a potato peeler.

One night after we put the girls to bed, Dave went out to give someone a blessing. Before he left I told him he needed to return with some ice cream. Dave was gone for about an hour. I enjoyed a very quiet house, but when Dave returned he had forgotten the ice cream. He asked me, "Do you want me to go out and get some ice cream?"
Suddenly a little voice down the hall exclaimed, "Ice cream!" Ice cream!" and Sabrina's little fingers were sticking out from under the girls' door.
We thought she was asleep....

Dave (referencing a pile of towels in the corner of the room that had been there for a few days): What's with the towels in the corner?
Me: They're clean.
We both laugh.

Sabrina: Mommy, I have a surprise for you!
Me: What is it?
Sabrina: A mess!

Dave: Who's smelly?
Soph: It's not me. That's not my toot smell.

Sabrina was in trouble.
Sabrina, cheerfully: Mommy, you happy?
Me: No.
Sabrina, still cheerful: Mommy, you happy?
Me: No. I'm not happy.
S: Mommy, you happy?
Me: Mommy is mad!
Sabrina in sing-song voice: Yay! Mommy is happy!

Sabrina on the garbage truck: It scare my ears.

 I was diving up job assignments. After giving Sophie a few jobs, I ask: Now, what should Sabrina's job be?
Sabrina: My job is..... Watch a movie!

Sabrina, holding a pine cone covered in bird seed yells at the top of her lungs: BIRDS! Want a SNACK!?!

Dave is doing dishes and singing a butterfly song.
Soph: Why are you singing a butterfly song? Are you putting bugs on the dishes? Is that how they get clean?
Dave: The dishwasher is like a chrysalis. Dirty dishes go in and they come out clean like a beautiful butterfly.

Sabrina, outside shouting at gnats: "Bugs, don"t crash in my eyes! You need to go to your home and eat!"



Me: Are you going to take a nap today?
Sabrina: No. Too busy.

A little glimpse into what our days are like.... :)
Me: If you all sit down, we can watch cat videos.

Sabrina is talking to a Darth Vadar cookie cutter: Oh, Darth Vadar! Don't be afraid to me!