SMASH your year: January

One of my New Year's resolutions is to make memories. We do lots of fun things as a family. We're cool like that.

As the mother of a toddler, that also means I have a TERRIBLE memory. I used to remember EVERYTHING. Seriously, I could meet you once and two years later I'd still remember your name, your boyfriend's name, and nearly every detail you shared with me the one and only time we met. 

Nowadays, I can't even remember my age.

So this year, I vowed to document our year so we not only make great memories, but I'll actually kinda, sorta remember them now.

You'll remember that Connie threw down a SMASH book challenge and, being the healthy competitive challenger I am, I accepted. 

I purchased the necessary accessories (which are very, very reasonably priced- I used my 40% off Michael's coupon to pay $8 for the entire SMASHbook) and got to work. 

The best part about a SMASHbook is that it is SUPER EASY to do. Its perfect for us Type-A personalities that inevitably put off scrapbooking b/c it takes too damn long due to our irrational need for crafting perfection.

SMASHbooking requires very little imagination and not so much time. Seriously, it took me about 5 minutes to make each page. 

The first Thurs of every month, Connie and I are posting our SMASH book pages for the previous month.

Connie got her pages posted earlier (OMG, she'd so talented and fun!!).

Here are ours! Enjoy!

I plan on decorating the cover throughout the year

Inside the left front cover- a folder to keep loose items

First page-- list of my resolutions and recap of New Years Eve

Our indoor treasure hunt. I saved the clues in the "keep me" pocket. 

Pictures are stacked so I can put more pics per page.

Recap of a few average days in the Lotz house!

A page without RJ :) 

This last page recaps a few of the social events during the month. Craig and I went on a few dates- the first one was to see Les Miserable at the movies. We misread the start time of the movie so we showed up an hour early. It was pouring rain outside too. So, we did what any 21st century couple would do-- we watched Ghost Adventurers on the cell phone until it was time to go inside for the movie :) 

So on this page, there's a pic of our cell phone propped up on the dash board with a sticky note briefly describing the date. Under the pic, I put our ticket stubs.

The bottom picture is of Jill, Kelly and me at our alphabet dinner. We're working our way through the alphabet, trying out different restaurants. February was "D" month. It is SO fun. We've found some great places to eat and every single dinner, we laugh until we cry (both from laughing too much and from sad moments when we lean on each other in difficult times). This past month, Jill's mom and husband happened to be at Dos Gorditos too and they picked up our tab! THESE are the memories I want to remember in 20 years!

A brief recap of dinner is written under the pic of us gals. 

And, since this is the first month, I thought I'd throw in a few pics of my SMASHbook supplies.  I keep everything in a tub under the coffee table in the living room. I usually make a page while watching TV with the Hubs after little dude goes to bed. Seriously, its taken me longer to write this post than it does to make the pages!

Small Thirty-One zipper pouch I use to store things until I can SMASH 'em!

What about you? Are you joining us in our SMASH challenge? Its not too late to get started!