Get your scrapbook on!

So, over the summer my mom was the camp director in her ward and one of the crafts we did was a scrapbook made out of a brown paper lunch sack! My mom got the idea from one of her friends and although it took FOREVER to assemble the individual packs for the girls, it ended up being a really fun project!

This is mine that I made... love the little cutouts of my family member's heads.

My family at Lagoon and Jordan's high school graduation!

There are pictures on both sides of the pull outs on the left... I think those are my favorite part of the whole book. You can make them as basic or elaborate as you want!

I love this picture of my youngest brother Beau. He looks so stinking cute... mischievous but still cute:)

Again, cut outs of heads to fit on the back!

I really loved doing this little book. It was so easy to make one of them and it is super cute and relatively inexpensive! You can make bunches of them and also make them to include more or less pictures... perhaps a future relief society activity could be spent making these!!

Since I was already going crazy with scrapbooking, I decided to continue on and use a kit my mom got me for Christmas that I haven't really even looked at. She got a really great deal on the kit and it comes with the book and plastic page covers, as well as TONS of accessories such as stickers and paper punch outs. It was fun and I realized two things about scrapbooking: 1- it actually doesn't take that long to create something pretty cute and 2- I think it is a more exciting way to keep a journal! For me seeing the picture brings back more memories than re-reading about something from the past. Here are some pics of my first attempts at an actual scrapbook!




So yes... there is my beginnings of scrapbooking. I can't decide if I like a lot of pictures on one page or just a few with fun and cute decorations. What do you think? I can't say my scrapbooking days will continue any time soon because school is crazy already!! But! Hopefully after graduation or something! (it is my last year!!) Does anyone have other ideas about cheap scrapbooking like the paper lunch bag idea? Those are the best kind!

Long time no chat!

So, every year when I come home for the summer... my internet interaction is severely diminished because I work so much! I realize that by not checking my facebook or blog dashboards I can end up missing out on 10 recent wedding engagements, friends returning from missions, friends leaving on missions, and other surprising and exciting news that I am not yet at liberty to share... (you will find out soon enough) My summer has been good for all my friends who care:) I have for the most part been working about 60 hours a week and although my feet aren't too thrilled about it, my bank account appreciates the growing numbers.

Summer vacations thus far include cleaning crew in St George for Zach right after he purchased his first house... (photos will have to come later... I can't get them to download)

I also got to go to my heaven on earth Lake Powell with my friend Landon and his family.

This week will be the vacation many have been looking forward to! Carlsbad California! Now when introducing this as a vacation spot to a missionary serving in Utah, but from California he kind of laughed and said, "What in the world are you going to do in Carlsbad?" I am however, assured by my family that has been there that it is an amazing and relaxing vacation. I am very excited to be on the beach, in the sun soaking up some Vitamin D, with most of my favorite people:) (Those of you not coming, I do love you too!) I will have to do a picture blog or something when I get back.

I am hoping to go to Disneyland while we are there, BUT did you know that a ticket is $97!!! That is INSANE!!! Way expensive but I guess worth it since clearly people are paying it! Other than that, nothing exciting is happening in my life. I will going back to Michigan in a few short weeks and although the start of the school year is a bit stressful with Orchestra auditions I am very excited to come back for my last and final year of school! For now anyway...

Hope all is well with my friends and family I haven't seen for a while!!!

Love, Erin Nelson cna,stbbma

(my credentials as of now... stands for certified nurses aid, soon to be bachelor in musical arts thought you'd all appreciate my official title)

I Got Candy!!

Well my friends! It's official! It is the beginning of Lent... Ash Wednesday! The day I give up all sweets, candies, chocolate... all the above (including juice) for forty days!! This was a fun, interesting holiday that I knew nothing about until I came to Michigan! Oh and I guess technically it is like forty-six days because I think they don't include Sunday or something like that. The morning of Easter I will allow myself candy... lets see how I do!!

Now some updates on my life...

Yesterday, February 16th, 2010, I received my first speeding ticket! The police officer was very nice and only wrote it over for 5mph instead of the actual 21mph... I know:) I thought wow he really saved me a bunch of money! Unfortunately no... the ticket is $120. Had he of written it for 21mph the price doesn't increase all the much. I am sure the points do though so I am grateful! In Utah you can do driving school instead of paying or to have the points taken off your record. Anyone know if you can do this in Michigan??


This semester is going well. I am back to playing my viola again (JOY TO THE WORLD!) This is very exciting since it has now been four months since I injured my hands. The problem has said to be linked to arthritis, tendinitis, and a possible stress fracture... we never really pinpointed which it was, but my pain was gone and that is all that matter. I had a busy playing week this week playing in church and a lesson with orchestra on Monday so my hands aren't feeling their best (typing isn't really recommended either actually) right now, but I know Heavenly Father will prepare a way for me to finish school on time!!

Helaman says I look angry... he is totally right!! Maybe this is why I have very few other action shots of me and my viola?? People are too scared to take a picture? So I thought I'd add a happy (old, and totally posed) picture of me and my viola from when I was like 13 or 14... ahh so young:)













Spring break is in t minus 9 DAYS!!! YEAH!!! I get to come home thanks to my Dad's skymiles (thank you!) without them and with my recent ticket... paying for a ticket home would have been impossible!! I am going to hang with the fam and RELAX!!! It will be much needed break/recoup to finish out my JUNIOR YEAR of college! COMPLETELY CRAZY! Only one year left and I will be Bachelor of Viola Performance Erin:) nice title right?

I am taking spanish and my upper level theory this semester. I LOVE spanish:) I really enjoy speaking it and learning how to speak it properly. Our recent learning include the imperfect tense that I don't completely understand the point of... any suggestions? My theory class is good... a little boring but we are learning about atonal music (which I love) so that is fun!

Well, happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Happy snow day to my Michigander friends, Happy Valentines Day, Happy Presidents Day, and Happy Lent:)

Con Amor (my new favorite phrase in spanish! So much more exciting than the english version...with love=LAME!)