Janelle...oh, I love the albums. I've been using all sorts of ones over the years, but now I use Creative Memories ones that are not top loading (I love them like that...no fear of pages falling out, and no dust settling on my work.) and the way you protect them is by a polypropylene (plastic) page protector that slides over the whole page. Safe for photo's and they snuggly fit over the page.
For sizes, I use the 12x12 a lot, but personally I love the 7 x 7 inch albums....1 or 2 pics to a page and the smaller decorations just work for me. Plus I can finish an album in a month. I have so many "ongoing" 12x12 projects..my cousins wedding, Nina's school, Nina's birth, Book of me, DH's heritage.
7x7's are also great for gifts.
Julz