December Daily™ 2011 | Day Twenty-Five

So many people have said it. You four will always be a family - in some way, and I had hoped that it was Chris who took that photo of you and Simon. Seeing him in the photos tells me how big your heart is and how great your love for your children is. Love and admiration!

beautiful album ali. i have all my photos still to print and the work to do - but that was always the plan as part of the time we were away on holiday.... i'm looking forward to getting mine done before i go back to work on the 9th :)

the things i loved the most about your album was the sentiment of chirstmas... the joy and the love. you captured that just perfectly this december

Beautiful album! I worked on my album all day today. I'm finished up through Dec. 26 (I do all 31 days of December), and have started (finally) putting my 2012 Project Life together. You continue to inspire me... Have a great New Year and thanks for sharing your life with us.

Hi Ali,

Your album is exquisite and so stylish! I think I finally have the courage to try this myself next year! I just love the gorgous ribbon on the cover - I don't suppose you remember where you got it from?

gorgeous album Ali, absolutely gorgeous, could you possible share what settings you are using to take your indoor photos, I am becoming increasingly disappointed with mine and would love some pointers as yours are always so breath taking. Thanks

Ali~ Thanks again for an awesome year. I really love this project. Yes the picture of you and Simon brought tears to my eyes. So sweet, totally captured the moment.

ALIawesome!!!!!!!!!!

Every day that I read/saw a new post was like opening a new gift, working my way toward Christmas. Just when I thought you couldn't create a lovelier layout, you did. Bravo... another amazing year. Thanks so much!

Love that all four of you were together on Christmas Day.
Happy New Year!

That picture of you and Simone is so precious and brought tears to my eyes. Thinking that Chris would have been the one taking it. I so hope you guys can keep this up between the two of you just for the kids. Hope your new year will be so much better. And the only way you can go from here is UP!!!

Will be following you in the new year too!!!

Very happy that you had a lovely Christmas. Just wanted to say thank you so much for this project. I've said many times before that it's completely changed my entire family's outlook on Christmas. I'm one of those "will finish in the coming months" people and I really can't wait to get stuck in. Before Christmas one of your readers mentioned that reading your DD is her advent calendar. That was the perfect way to look at it and so very true.

That is the sweetest photo ever!! {Simon hugging you} Completely brought tears to my eyes. Amazing moment captured, Ali. <3

I just wanted to chime in and add that as the adult child of divorced parents who still after many years apart can't put aside their differences to enjoy Christmas together in the company of their grandchildren I commend you and Chris for making it happen for your kids! Honestly the greatest gift either of my parents could give me would be forgiveness for the other so they could move on without the resentment and anger there is between them. I hope you both can continue to see the value in your children having a relationship with each of you. And finally, way to go Ali in being willing to be real. To be honest that life isn't all roses and butterflies and to not let the hard parts of life get in the way of documenting life and telling the stories. Thank you for that, it is truly a gift to all of us who read your blog.

Hi Ali,

Just out of curiosity, did you put anything in the very last page behind Day 25?

This is the first year I have followed your posts and diary. I am a 12x12 scrapbooker, and have only ever made 1 other small book before. I have found this inspirational but hard to keep up (I tried to keep it simple with A5 size pages, but still have numerous blank pages with post-it notes attached). The first weekend in January I have kept free to fill in the blank pages and complete my book to store as you have suggested with my decorations.

I've had a difficult year too and wanted time to reflect and value my true family around me. I really just wanted to say a massive THANKS for such a fab idea I have loved it all!!! x

Fantastic Ali. And thanks again for all the inspiration you spead around.

I've loved looking through your album throughout the month. You are so inspiring! I really am hoping to get mine finished today! And the Italy album too!

I echo so many of the comments above - it's a beautiful album, including Chris in the album and on Christmas Day shows the strength both of you have, and it really has been a gift to me to read the blog each day.

I have two questions (requests) please:
- how did you attach the ribbon to the cover, or is it loose?
- please will you do a compilation post with a shot of each day's double page spread so that they are all together? I am at the stage of putting my pages together with the photos and journalling and would find it really helpful to have a mini version of your album to refer to for ideas (I would print out the double page spreads as a sort of contact sheet). Thank you!

Thanks again! And on another note, will you be sharing how you have prepped for project Life now so I can get even more inspiration!

I am yearning to finish my Summer Daily in mid January. Thought I would follow the days (five weeks of them!) while my 16yo daughter is on an exchange in France. With just two weeks to go, I realise how important each day is for her. She loves hearing about our normal days. I'm guessing she'll love this book of memories just for her!

Um... yeah it's February and I just now finished my December Daily but that's all good. Truly love this project!