Check

...as in I crossed something off my list on Wednesday, January 11, 2011. Not bad for only eleven days into the new year.

I've purposed to be much more aware of how much time I spend on the computer this year. And I've decided that if I am going to post pictures, then I'd better have them in an album for the family first before using that time to share here. We'll just call it a rule because I am, after all, a happy rule follower {much of the time}.

So, my firstborn had her birthday on Monday. The party is on Saturday. Of course, I am still following my rule, so I can not post a photo yet.

Do not lose heart - it will be soon because today I just ordered TWO photo albums from my online album go-to company because they have a 40% off sale and free shipping and I had a gift card that brought my total so low, I certainly had incentive to get my hiney-whiney in gear.

Remember my questions? {Despite the low participation, I actually did get some answers.} Anyway, I had hoped to get sage advice on how to catch up on all these photo books. I often ask myself, "Why, why, why, do I do this to myself?!!??!?" But I started and I must finish. It's a rule. Or a curse. { Or just plain stupidity?}

I think I'm rambling. I don't care. I'm going to share my history here, and if you don't want to read further, feel free to jump to the end.

So anyway, we got married in 200o and I have everything done through 2005. That's a marriage, honeymoon, annivesary in Hawaii, and 2 babies bookending travel in 20 countries. 2006 hasn't been touched. I did great in 2007 because my old teaching buddy, Ginger, inspired me. {Kids used to think we were sisters even though we look nothing alike- what was that wild child's name at MMMS that used to tell us that?} Every month I finished the pages for that month's photos and then I ordered. I was able to keep that up until Baby Girl was born in May 2008.

Then we put the house on the market, she was born, we moved across the country, we had to reaclimate as a family because the last job in NC sucked the very life out of all of us, and I was just too tired and overwhelmed to pull it all together. I have two months left of that year to do.

I just ordered part of 2009. I am going to pull out my old calendars and the external hard drive and try to finish up the next book of that year (which I was pleasantly surprised was nearly done- I forget!)so I can order today and get that sale price... but that still leaves the end of '09.

I have part of 2010 done, but if you remember, we had an overseas move, sketchy internet upon arrival when I could have worked on albums, and I didn't bother further.

I had great intentions for 2011. I have about one month's worth of photos in the book. I did, however, get the European Vacation book done (I ordered that today - hooray!). And then I felt so bad that The Boy's birthday photos aren't in any books yet because his is at the end of the year when I'm all wiped out, that I had started the fall of 2011 over Christmas break and am working on his pirate party now. Note that I was judicious in how many photos I took on Christmas- because, seriously- we've had the same decor for years that I was amazingly tired of (handed it off to Sveta last week) and how many photos do I need of my kids opening a gift?!?!

This is all so unlike me. Really. I don't like unfinished projects and I don't like having so many at one time. Hence, the new rule - which, in case you've forgotten after all this drama, is that I can't post new photos unless they're in a book for my family first. And maybe I should add: STOP TAKING SO MANY STINKIN' PICTURES!!!

It's futile, I think (to limit quanity), because I'm entirely smitten with the Little Hats. And the horse birthday party is in 3 days...the cake table is done and it looks pretty cute if I do say so myself!

And on that lame ending, I'm off- to eat some licorice and gear up to finish documenting more YH history!