A quick page

There is a part of me that finds scrapping relaxing. Hence I think it should be part of my holiday, something that makes me happy. Oh by the way kids and Dad went for a fish on the boat and I went for a swim and a bike ride on my own today. Very nice.
I had a quick look at some of the photos I took when we arrived at Nelson Bay yesterday. Here is our afternoon in snapshots. I will share some more of what we hae done in another post.
I had a quick visit to Amy's blog and she mentioned Oscraps, so I checked it out. Here are my pages.
Version 1.

Version two, I have fixed the title here. Had to remake it. Not sure on either colour. Figure I can print 8 x 12 and trim. I think the whole title needs a rethink. Wish I could have just typed over it. 

I can't believe a whole month of 2010 is over already (well tomorrow).
Enjoy your weekend.

Express collage

Sharon kindly sent this through. I have resized to 8 x 10 and had a go. What are your thoughts?
I don't mind it. Could have a little more work. Maybe a blue title?

Dip net fishing for research

Ok last year I learned one of our local parklands puts on a day called dip dip dip. It is making fun acivities for kids, but they also dip net the waters to pull out inhabitants. They use the findings as research as to which insects and aquatic life thrive at the different seasons.
We went last year and I decided to take the kids again this summer, it's on in the school holidays so it means my niece can come too, after this year though I need to remember that it is on in seasons other thansummer as both times we have been it was unbelievably hot like 35 degrees!

 We were split into four smaller groups and sent off to different activities. Our first was making grass heads. The kids had to get their stockings and go up in a small que and get seeds and soil put in them. I let Noah and Georgia take Katelin up so the could get used to doing some things on their own and have to deal with unfamiliar people. They all did really well, of course Georgia is used to it, but my two are not. Then they decorated their grass people.

Noah said he only wanted ears on his, no nose then he chose one big eye and one small eye and they had to go there just like that even though I explained it's where the grass will grow. Then he drew on his own mouth and named it Thomas. I think it looks really cute. Katelin was happy with ears and a nose, she wanted teo big eyes and drew on her own mouth which I touched up just a little. She had heard someone mention a wombat earlier and that became the name of her grass head.

 The next activity was dip net fishing, not much success early on, the kids were a little too slow so we moved to this pond and talked about the seed pods from the water lotus (I think). Then Nanny and I caught a little tiny fish and Georgia was on a roll she found a few. Noah didn't catch any he was too busy chatting about the plants and a little slow to move his net. When I asked him about it he said he was said he didn't catch any but they were too fast. He was also not very still he was rough and loud, think I would swim away too!

Next was some seed pod boat racing. This was a lot of fun. The kids started out picking a seed pod and a seed for a driver, the decorated with textas (a bit silly putting the boat in water it washed off) and then they had to check their boats floated. Katelin and Georgia had great boats, Noah's kept rolling, it had a bit of a twist and his driver was too heavy. This was a problem as he really like the seed with a split in it and we had to keep fishing it out. So we pocketed that one and got another driver and pod SUCESS! Off we went to join the races. Georgia didn't want to race her boat. Noah was all in for it, I think it was his favourite. He did such a great job listening and doing as he was aksed.

Katelin and Noah's boats were almost stuck together for this race.

I love this shot off Noah, his boat is in the bottom left.

Our last activity was throwing and catching water balloons. Into cut open 2l milk bottles. The kids were not quite co ordinated enough for that but had fun and got wet.

Lastly it was free water play in the fountains and these are my favourite shots!

Stomp on the water. Love this one.

Love the excitment and movement.

She just had a ball. There are heaps more action shots I love, one with her pony tail up in the air!

Noah didn't play up to the camera as much.

Love this one!

 

She had fun getting her belly wet!

So I have a ton of great shots and a story to be told any ideas girls. Off for a bike ride now - gotta make sure I use it!

A reality check

Today I sat down to play with some photos and checked a few blogs first and saw Di's post. I got very side tracked and taken in. Here is what Di shared on her blog today.

The story of Ava Rosemeyer a beautiful full of life three year old who accidentally got stuck in the family car on a hot day in summer, the heat overcame her and her family found her in the car, she passed away in hospital two days later. This was a tragic accident, but the Rosemeyer's loss shone a light on something I never even considered a danger. To share this story is a way we can honour Ava's memory and make other families aware of the danger.
While at Sheye's blog I noticed a link to another family who had lost a daughter, Isabelle Broadhead, she also died at age 3 in a car accident. Isabelle died because of outdated car restraint safety laws, and after much campaigning they are to be changed in March 2010.

Here is Isabelle's story.
Isabelle died as a result of an injury sustained by her adult belt in a low impact car accident. She was seated in the rear left middle seat of our people mover.  She was seated in a high backed booster seat and it utilised the three point lap and sash belt.  It was fitted as directed.  This injury was Isabelle's only injury and had she not sustained this injury she would be here today. Her gift to you (amongst others) is the knowledge that children under five or 18kg should always remain in a five point harness. Isabelle outgrew her 0-4 seat- weighing 20.5kg and being 105cm tall. We knew she wasn't safe in her baby seat and wrongly assumed Isabelle had to move to a booster.  The label on her booster stated it was safe for 14-26kg. We believed that the Australian Standards were the toughest in the world and that this was what was safe for her.

There is not a single seat on the Australian market that has an in-built five point harness for a child of Isabelle's size.  Had she been using a seat such as the Maxi Rider she would have used a harness in conjunction with an adult belt.  We were unaware that the Maxi Rider even existed when we bought her booster.  We believe these seats need to be better advertised and parents also need an education program in the use of child restraints. We believe that parents are generally not well educated on the use of a harness and booster.  We believe that much more needs to be done to stop this happening to our children. We are hoping that only specialty baby shops will be able to sell Child Seats in the near future as major department stores don't have trained fitters. 

Safe'n'Sound (Britax) sells a booster in the USA that holds a child up to 36kg and it has the in-built harness (as seen in Maxirider and 0-4 seats).   This is the kind of seat we need on the Australian market so that children aged 3-5 that are too big for their 0-4 seats can stay in a five point harness. Please visit her website for more details.


Di also share what she wishes she knew to be able to keep her little boy safe and still here And my message is to make sure your children have their immunizations up-to-date. If I had known about the Meningococcal Vaccine Mark would be with us still today!

So while heading to the hair dressers this afternoon with a heavy heart from all I have processed I thought a lot and I came up with this. The best way I think I can honour these stories I have heard is to share them and pass on my thoughts. Ava's mum Sheye no longer has her little girl, and she posted here about not having many photos of her with Ava. Di no longer has her little boy, and she treasures those photos she has of him and of the two of them. Hilarie will not be there to share in her little boy's life as he grows up and we are trying to create as many photos and video memories as we can. They all have the same point, mum's and their precious children. Girls take note, as Sheye said there are things she never would have done before, like post a photo of herself on her blog,  MAKE the effort to get into photos with your kids, they don't care if your hair isn't perfect or there a few more wrinkles than you would like, they just want to see you. You sharing time with them recording life moments, moments they will treasure because we never know what tomorrow will bring.

Tonight I sat with my kids and ate dinner while watching Toy Story. What it is all about. (Note: daddy was not home or he would have been right there too).
Please share these stories with everyone you know and it may just save someones life.
I hope I have done these beautiful mothers' stories justice.

A trip to the nursery

I decided to work on a simple project first, our trip to the nursery. I have too many photos from yesterday, will share next post.
I looked back through some of Amy's pages and found this one. I decided I would make a 6 x 8 photo and journal on the side, should come out similar. So here are my photos.

Noah has a vege patch at the back of the cubby which he loves, he grows tomatoes and a few herbs, not much else likes our partial shade spot. He is very proud of his produce and the fact he is helping me, You don't have to buy matoes from the shop now Mummy. So we went to look for some carrots and onions at the nursery.
By chance we discovered a blueberry bush. Noah was over the moon blueberries are his all time favourite. We had to buy one for him. I am hoping it will survive. The tag says there will be no fruit until this time next year, so we are in for a long haul, the flowers also need frost over winter. Never the less Noah was very excited. We picked out the bush, got some spring onions and potting mix, and Noah carried his bush to the counter to pay.
When we arrived home he couldn't wait to plant it, we had to have lunch and the sun was blaring it was our 30 + day not sure exactly. We put the umbrella on the grass and got to work choosing a pot, a spot and planting. Noah loves to garden (doesn't get that from me) so he helped Andrew asking about all the steps along the way. Water crystals in the mix, drainage at the bottom of the pot and the level at which the plant needed to be. He also couldn't wait to water it in getting the hose and bringing it over.
Can't wait to watch Noah tending to his Blueberry bush and watching it grow. He has already told Nanny and Poppy how great his bush will be. Happy gardening buddy.

A little late ...

Ok so I planned on doing a post tonight about my day today, but it involves too many photos and I'm not up for that tonight.
Instead this is what I just picked up.

Been waiting since just after Christmas for it, and Yay it is finally here - my bike. We have had Andrew's for a few weeks now. It is nice to get out with the family and feel like I am doing something healthy. Not up for much though will work up to that. We just put the kids on and rode to the shop. Back a little late, been a bit slow all night got back at 8.45pm and just put the kids in bed.
A quick Hilarie update too, she had another surgery today and came through well which is great but prayers for a speedy recovery and strength and health would mean a lot at the moment.
Enjoy your day tomorrow.

It's my blogging anniversary

I didn't realise until Nicole posted earlier today about her blogging anniversary, that it is mine too. When Nicole mentioned it I headed to my archives to check the date, and sure enough 8th of January there it was!
I have recently been looking back through my posts and found many useful little bits of information. I have enjoyed reading them too.
I was inspired by Renee (who will be guest blogging over at Nicole's this Sunday YAY!) who wrote about photography on Remember When's blog. I have missed her inspiration and ideas for different photos. It will be nice to hear from her.
I have done a few LO's too I am trying to get a handle on the Christmas stories while they are still fresh. It is hard to get into them but I am enjoying it now I have started. Writing the funny little stories that go with the presents the kids recieved, the times we laughed during the day, that is what makes it special and worth writing down.
Here are the pages I did today.

I love the colours in this one, about Katelin at the Davey Christmas on Boxing Day. She was too cute lapping up all the attention all day. This was inspired by Nicole's page So lucky.

This was Noah on Christmas Day at our house, I recorded the things he said as he opened presents from us. I love the little stories that go with this time. I lifted Nicole's sketch challenge LO here, and I made ny own note paper above, just drew lines on the page in word at half strength grey.

Noah at Davey Christmas, but I just loved this photo and its colours, not quite what I was thinking when I started but not bad.

 This last one is Katelin on Christmas day, same thing the funny littl comments she made while opening her gifts.

I am thinking about how many more pictures I have for December and what I will do with them, make one big LO or several. Will share what I decide.
While I don't think I am up to offering to scrap a page for my readers, sorry girls pop over to Nicole's and leave a comment for that one, I am going to offer some little pieces of advice.
1. I write the date of all my pages on the back in pencil, for those of you who like to keep things in order, it is easy to do while you work on the pages, just check the digital date stamp on the photo.
2. If you forget to write down the cute little quotes kids say, check your video footage if you have any - that is where my quotes from these pages came from, it is just too busy on Christmas day to remember much. Somethimes it jogs other memories too.
3. I can't remember the third one for sure, I think it was to go back and read your old blog posts, for ideas, journalling and inspiration. I have enjoyed seeing my pictures and pages from the last year. And I will certainly be heading to old post for details on some pages I haven't yet done.
Thanks for stopping by over the year it is always a pleasure to read the comments you all make.

Another template/ collage

Just a quick one, been tyring to work on this for a couple of days but things like kids, washing, bills and life seem to be getting in my way! So here it is, another template Sharon emailed me. I wasn't sure what to do with it but I think it is ok. Very pink.

Reflections on 2009

I just poped by Emily Falconbridge's blog as I do sometimes and she had a delightful post summing up her year and I was inspired to do the same. I am reading back through my notes and pages and looking at photos month by month. I am not as concise as Emily, need to learn to cut back my words!
I am also really pleased I have a blog to refer back to. I am planning to make this some kind of a page I think. With 12 little photos and some words. Will see how it somes together.

January

I can't get over how little Katelin was, she seemed so big and able to do so much at the time, now I look back she seemed like such a baby, I think I am missing that a lot at the moment.

I love this photo of Katelin, our first outing with her on her own, Mum had Noah, and Andrew is not usually home on those days. It was a lot of fun.January was a quiet month of fishing, playing, growing seeds, the beach and playing with Christmas presents. Relaxed and happy.

February

Trip to Nelsons Bay was the highlight a holiday is a big thrill for the kids we don't do it often, maybe because w have lousy timing, we left in 40+ degrees and Victoria in a fire crisis and two days later it was 20 degrees and raining almost the whole time we were there. It was great to spend time with Nanny and Poppy, Kate and I shared some girly time and milkshakes and we practiced using the potty.

March

Some lawn bowls for the kids, Noah's own choice of shoes,  a trip to the Hawksbury, Katelin toilet training really well, Hil having a seizure and ending up in hospital, a funny sleeping spot for Noah, and Ruby's first birthday made up the month.

April

Easter and a trip to the show with the two kids on my own went really well actually and I loved it! And this gorgeous moment.
 
May

This is our family month, Katelin turned two, we threw her a tea party,  fairy day, our 10th wedding anniversary, our night away to Coogee, Noah's fourth birthday, and his trampoline and my Pop turned 80!

June

This was a fairly easy choice, Katelin in her ballet uniform for the first time, she looks so small and adorable. She loves ballet and has really grown to participate so well, she was a little under two when she started. This month also held Rose's fourth birthday and jumping on the castle until late in the evening. A bowling party with mother's group, Hil's surgery and diagnosis, and the arrival of the kids new beds!

July

A visit to a kids farm, both my kids loved the bunnies (perhaps where the obsession of a bunny for Christmas came from, Kate went to a Dorothy the Dinosaur show, and the highlight our trip to Sydeny for my Birthday Noah just loved the museum and the dinosaurs. I loved the day and my presents, flowers charms and my special necklace, but mostly spending the day with my family. It also marked the start of Hills' Angels meetings (although we had no name yet).

August

A snuggly winter morning photo I love this photo, it represents the start to a lot of days snuggling in my bed, this time after a shower. This month saw us giving Hil her video camera, the start of our huge journey, her trip to Fiji and an interest in bike riding, loving the bike track and Katelin's difficulties at staying in bed.

September

This month included Noah getting his own snacks, building a video camera - love kids imagination and creativity, some face painting, weeding and renovating the garden, Noah reading stories to Kate in bed, spring blossoms, movie and picnic dinner night, soccer out the window (my view), Katelin's first time on stage dancing, sleeping bags, the idea of Just like Katie, Father's day, a bush walk for Native flowers and Noah's first ever sleep over - at Rose's, doing chores and eating ice cream. Can't believe how full this month was.

October

This month makes me smile! It was a huge month all round. It started with my wardrobe falling down (not smiling much then) more sleeping touble with Kate, lots of scrapping, something I needed at such a busy time, lots of late night meetings, painting Kate's fingernail and toe nails for the first time in Hills' Angels pink mind you! A fantastic breakfast for Hilarie and she was able to be there and she was so very proud (just small beginnings in hindsight), a great night away at Avoca for us girls, so needed at that point in time, again more time with Hils and it was so good! A stall for Just like Katie and some more scrapping.

November

A bit more scrapping, a huge day for Katelin, her first day of pre school, a visit to the Christmas tree lighting, a fantastic FUNdraising night for Hills' Angels, where we suprised even ourselves and we were humbled by the recognition of our work, putting up the Christmas tree in preparation for a huge Decemeber. And a photo for our Christmas card, that has to be my favourite photo of the month - all of us together.

Decemeber

This month was a huge on for Hills' Angels and our Hilarie, we had her house made over by a tv show, Domestic Blitz, it was a full week of fun, and a great start to December, she was thrilled with the result. We managed to find a few quiet moments to get into Christmas, like our advent calender, a weekend away at Jamberoo was the perfect end to the year for Hills' Angels, some Christmas movies, a visit to Santa at story time, making cookies, Christmas lights, a Christmas train, some Fisher Price Christmas scenes, Road to Bethlehem, Christmas around our house, The Wiggles and Christmas in the city, Christmas with our friends, Mothers group Christmas, last day of pre school, presents for the wishing tree, letters from Santa, Hunter Valley Gardens lights, reindeer ears on the car, flowers for Christmas, leaving food for Santa on Christmas Eve, the MAGIC of Christmas day, our visit to Church, Boxing day with family, and a quiet wind down to the year with fireworks with friends on New Years Eve! I can't pick a favourite for the month there are too many!

Always the way

As much as I wanted to scrap today, I just haven't done any. I still don't have any photos printed, but I intend to go through December and work out what to print ASAP. I want to get Decemeber done before the year gets away again. I have a problem too, there are so many series of photos that tell the story at this time I am drawn to collages, but I don't want to end up with too many. I am trying to work through and pick out some. Will see where my thoughts lead me.

Here is my other use of Sharon's template from yesterday. I did this last night, just too tired to post it. What do you think? I am unsure of the journalling. No further thoughts have come to me today though. So here it is.

Collage templates

I can see why people love digital scrapping, and I can also see now how quick you can churn out a LO when you have a ready made template. I have never used one before. I usually see something I like and try to replicate it. That takes time. Part of why I think it isn't real quick. But tonight I did one, a template that is. Sent to me by Sharon. She sent the wrong one, but I knew I would have a use for it with all the photos I just took.

So here it is, my interpretation of Sharon's template, it was fun and so very quick. Think I might need to get a little stash of digi patterned paper - but I don't know where to start.
I am happy with it at it will be a page done quickly. Not sure about journalling  - will work it out.
This is Noah's Christmas present from Santa, he has been asking for months for a rocket a graber (a bionic claw thing) and a real bunny from Santa. He is a little upset he keeps saying he only asked Santa for one rocket, and he got two, one that launches foam rockets into the air, he likes both but he is confused that he got more than he asked for from Santa. Anyway he is loving this rocket. It has four creatures that fit in the ship and they also have their own vehicles. Their mission is to protect the planet from the slimy Doc Tox. They look after the sky, the sea, the land and the snow. They all have sayings and do different things. Noah is enjoying learning what they do and asking questions like what is the Arctic, so I too am happy. They come from ELC. And the ship came from Santa and a creature from Andrew and I.
Noah was concerned when he opened it that there was no one to go in it. But as the day wore on he got more. One from my parents as well. The others came from Andrews parents and one from Andrew's sister. This was part of my plan, I liked the rocket Noah picked out, and I could see that it needed more bits - thus creating presents for others to buy. Hence me not ending up with too many other presents that don't get used. There was just one small hitch the shop lady told me the vehicles fit in the rocket too, I was thinking perfect self contained toy - not quite to plan, but pretty good, and they all fit on the one shelf. Noah plays with it most mornings and that makes me happy.

Here is another shot of Kate's doll house. Sharon said it was elaborate. It isn't really, fairly simple, and not all that big. It just came from the Reject Shop or the like, and is simple construction. It looks elaborate because of the furniture. I did the same evil plan for Kate, other family members bought a furniture set each. They also came from ELC. It is adorable and really well made. Cute little details like an island bench which houses a chopping board, rolling pin and a utensils jar for the kitchen. The lounge is complete with a flat screen telly, and a lamp with a cord you can pull (elastic). She also has a dining room, bathroom and kids bedroom. I like getting stuff from ELC and Kate has a lot of wooden stuff. I wait till they are on sale, and they have vouchers at catalogue release, just in time for Christmas, so I did a lot of coupon shopping. I think I might need to get Kate this for her birthday - it's too cute.

Anyway enough prattling for now, off to try another collage. Hope there are a few good ideas here.

Katelin's Doll House

Here is my first collage, no ink in my printer to print out photos to use so collage instead. Pretty much recreated Sharon's girls' room collage. Would have been much quicker to email her for her template but oh well. Not sure on the pink colour, tried blue, too pale. May play with it more, pink Bazzill may sort it out.

On looking again now, think I could reduce the spacing between the words too. Kate is loving the house and making the Mummy cook in the kitchen, the Daddy seems to get to sit on the lounge or have a bath. What am I teaching that kid!

Opinion's please

So I have taken some photos today. I see a whole bunch of pages I am just itching to churn out. Think I need some quick templates. Collage style is going to work for most of what I just took - shots of the kids Christmas presents.

Here is a page I saw while doing that. The story of Katelin's bracelet. She loves to tell people who all the charms are from. And I thought I had best capture it now, before it changes. This is what I wanted to happen but I'm not sure about all the words. What are your thoughts? It might look better printed out.
I plan for a simple page with the photo printed 5 x 7 and some journalling.
Does it look ok, have I just been staring at it too long?
Think the collages will have to wait, feeling the need for some real paper and glue right now. Don't you hate when you don't have printed the shots you want to use.

A great start to 2010

Last night we chose to ring in the New Year (kid style) with the 9pm fireworks in Gosford.
We had a lazy day with nap for the kids, and headed out for dinner and fireworks. Noah and his Dad went with Rose and her Dad to the Mariners soccer game. Noah had been looking forward to it for days. He enjoyed it but said it was a bit long, he went with lots of snacks, colouring and Rose to play with. They were well behaved and got a Milo ice cream. The Dads even managed to watch some soccer and enjoy themselves.
I got to hang out with my best friend, Tracey, another Hills' Angel and we spent the evening with Hil. It was so great to see her well, happy, enjoying, and mostly to us just being herself. She had a bit of a rough time over Christmas, but she is ok now. I got to share in a bit of her just playing with Katelin, something she would always do, but this was her, just like before. Such a simple moment but something so precious to me now. A moment for me to Cherish.
We had a great time just talking and hanging while the kids played and swam.

After that we headed to the waterfront in Gosford for the fireworks. The kids were beside themselves with excitement. Noah recounted to me last New Year's fireworks. They talked about how there were so many fireworks. How big they were, the different colours, and the smoke they left behind. Kate kept asking whats that in the sky Mummy.
We ended the year with hugs and kisses, and headed home (about 10pm) took a while with traffic. I tucked my kids into bed and they told me how much they loved me, and Daddy. I think they got the idea it was a special moment.

Today was a great start to the year, hanging out in pj's pancakes for breakfast, I had youghurt on mine, does that make them healthier? And then a family bike ride, which made me feel like a new person, outdoors, with family, exercising, experiencing new things, teaching the kids good habits it was great. Only thing was forgot the camera in the car! Not good scrapping start, but I will go back and take a photo from the spot we stopped by the water! I am still waiting for my bike to arrive, so will share when I get it, but am loving the getting out and doing stuff. We have bought two seats so both the kids can ride with parents, an easy to attach bike rack so I can go out on my own when I want. Am looking forward to it.
So here is a 2010 to Cherish and be fit and healthy in! I am feeling the need to go do some scrapping now.