Happy Monday! Tgmousechick Kim here with today’s blog entry!

Today were going to talk about milestones.

I have lived in a number of places as an adult, and getting to many of them usually means driving through Pennsylvania. It is a beautiful, friendly state, but I am telling you that it gets longer every time I drive it! The only way I make it through is to watch the gradual ticking of the mile markers, each one getting me a little closer to the next state border. The big looming goal of the state border, overwhelming until you break it down mile by mile.

Isn’t that the way it is with our daily lives? I think it’s magnified once you have children in your family. All of the firsts, birthdays, and holidays. The indicators of where we have been, how far we’ve come, and how much farther we have to go. I’m tuned in to milestones- I am mom to an 18 month old toddler and a 6 year old as of last Friday. I’m in the throes of a blossoming vocabulary and learning to run, and the thrills of loosing baby teeth and starting kindergarten. It’s a busy time at our house!

Sometimes, life can get so busy. And scrapbookers, with the mission of documenting the details of our family (no matter how it’s composed), get overwhelmed by details and hit a roadblock. For paper scrappers, it the inches of photos and folders of maps and ticket stubs. For digi scrappers, it’s gigabytes of photos stored on hard drives or external websites. The constant lament of never being caught up.

Remembering milestones can be a way to work through the dreaded scrapper’s block. If the thought of getting through each one individually is overwhelming, why not make a list and summarize? If nothing else, a summary buys you time, getting important events documented in some form until you have the chance or the inspiration to really tackle them. I used Natalie’s birthday as a great excuse to point out the highlights of the past 366 days, and give props to the milestones she achieved (all digital products are from “Flutter By Me” by Scrap’it Designs by Brianna Cox, available right here at ScrapMatters):

I need to remember this piece of advice the next time I’m driving through Pennsylvania, and remember to enjoy the scenery when stopping at the rest areas!

Have a great week!

We interupt this interview…to bring you these important announcements (drum roll please…)

The September Layout of the Month (LOTM) was voted to be “My Boy” by One Happy Mama. Click the image to see credits and leave her some love. Ashley (One Happy Mama) will receive a $5 Gift Certificate to the ScrapMatters shop. Congratulations!

AND we also have a new Layout of the Week…

Our first Layout of the Week for October is “Thankful” by rxdawg97.  The image is linked to her layout in the gallery, so you can check credits and leave her some congrats.

Back to our Sunday Spotlight…

Happy Weekend! Krista (norton94) here with a Spotlight of one of our own…a member of the Scraps Matter Gang, littlehiccup.  This talented scrapper is also on the ScrapMatters Creative Team!  You’ll see why if you check out her gallery.

1. Your screen name? Your real name?
My screen name is littlehiccup. I always get the hiccups! I get them when I am hungry, I get them when I am full, I get them after any dairy product, and sometimes I get them just because! And I used to be littler…hence…littlehiccup! Real name: Mary

2. What is your main job/career?
I stay at home with Clark now, but I used to be an ESL teacher.

3. Are you married/children/pets?
I am married to my best friend Jason, have the little guy Clark, and a dog named Cutlass – cruel name for a cute little terrier girl! It was my husband’s idea!

4. Where is home for you?
Sweet Home Chicago!

5. What are your 3 favorite foods?
Gina Portillo’s Chocolate Cake, Cafe Rio Barbacoa Pork Burrito, and Lou Malnati’s Deep Dish Pizza

6. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Straight up Vanilla

7. Snacks…Salty or Sweet?
Definitely SWEET!

8. Beverage of choice?
Root Beer…seriously I have a problem.

9. What’s your least favorite food?
Fish of any kind

10. PC or Mac? What program do you use?
PC, I currently use PSE 5

11. How long have you been digi-scrapping? How did you get started?
I started in Feb. of this year. I had been wanting to start for a long time, so I just sat down and went through a tutorial for my first LO.

12. What was your 1st LO about?
My graduation when I got my Masters in June 07.
Graduation – My First LO

13. Do you have any other hobbies besides digi-scrapping (are there other hobbies)?
I read quite a bit, sew, and enjoy storytime with Clark

14. What is the most challenging part of scrapbooking for you?
I’m terrible at clustering and layering, but I LOVE the way it looks. (Krista adds – Yea right have you seen Daddy and Me or Jacob and Stephanie LOL)

15. What would you like to learn to do (or do better) not related to scrapbooking?
I’d love to learn how to play the guitar. I bought one a few years back, but never learned how to play.

16. What are your favorite movies/TV shows?
Movies – Italian Job, Meet Me in St. Louis, Pride and Prejudice. TV Shows are easier…Bones, Criminal Minds, CSI:NY

17. Describe your “scrapping” environment. Music? TV in the background? Drinks? Snacks? Where?
At the computer desk in the family room with the songs of Clark’s toys playing in the background. Drinks, snacks, sure…whatever!

18. If you only had 2 elements to use on a LO, what would they be?
I think I use paper as an element quite a bit, and maybe an alpha. I really like using alphas these days.

19. Would you like to share a little known fact about you…?
I am currently writing my first children’s book. Hopefully someone will want to publish it someday!

20. Can you tell us a little about your scrappin’ style?
I’m pretty sure my style is template style! I LOVE templates!

21. Favorite LOs that you have done?
Baby It’s Cold Outside

Just Like Dad

22. What is your favorite part of being a member of the Scraps Matter Gang?
I love leaving comments for everyone and seeing the great LOs! It’s almost self-interested because I glean a lot of my inspiration from all the LOs I see when I am leaving love!

I just wanted to add that Mary is about the nicest person you’d ever meet.  She is always a ray of sunshine to interact with.  I enjoyed getting to know her better by interviewing her and viewing her gallery!