Inscribing Memories

Finding a Balance

2011-07-18T15:17:00.000+10:00

I have been busy working on my business Just like Katie and while it is doing well it takes so much time and drains me of my creative energy. I have to take photos and edit them and put them on the website. Then I don't feel like mucking around with pics for scrapping. Perhaps I need a better system where I edit the pics I like all at once then they would be ready to go. Anyway, I am having trouble making it all work but I so miss scrapping, pictures and blogging.

I am also really enjoying the new Simple Aussie Girls blog, and they are making me feel very inspired. (After all 4 of my all time fav scrappers are there!)

So I have been trying to find a balance, and while I am not saying I have achieved solving the age old problem, but I am working towards things that work well for our family, and that makes me happy.

My aim now is to at least spend a little time blogging, it is always a great place to jot down stories I want to scrap. Another aim is to babble less and let the photos speak with just a few words, hard for me but I love the simplicity of it. Ali Edwards does it so well and I love reading those posts.

I am also enjoying my project 365 and happy that I am capturing a lot in there, although I am missing a couple of weeks! I aim to share some more of that with you as well.

So I have been reading this, and although I am only half way through it is helping, in general and I am trying to change my attitudes and thinking and making the days less complicated for all of us. All that I have done has not come from here directly, I am just picking bits that speak to me and going with them.

Noah took a drama class over the holidays and he loved it. They did a little exercise and performance at the end, it was so cute!

Loved them taking a bow!

Over the weekend I tried a little more attention and inclusion with the kids, I also managed to avoid tv for them for a whole day (there was a computer game or two) without making a point of it and they were so proud of them selves, they learned it is fun and you can do other things!

These stools have been an integral part of my changes. The kids are sitting at the bench being involved with me, chatting, cooking helping, working, learning. It has been great. And they are new stools, I never had any before (I think I need a third for symmetry)

I spent the weekend cleaning organising and tidying out here, and it makes me happy and I feel good to walk around out there, there is more work to do but everything is pointing towards making things easier, smoother and happier for all!

Working together to build a very special reward, this provided much entertainment throughout the day we love Australian Geographic! And I am proud of my boy practising self control at school, he is learning so much, and so am I.

Coming up with lots of activities for the kids to participate in was fun (after I reminded myself they would make a mess, just let them do it, enjoy and clean up at the end) I am loving them helping clean up, they like to empty the dish washer, and are getting better at packing things up. Noah really gets that it helps and it makes him feel good and that he gets more Mummy time.

Today is a pupil free day for us so we enjoyed a lay in in bed with some cuddles and the tv and just a slow start to the day. Looking forward to a happy week.

Noah's Bear take two

2011-06-23T17:05:00.000+10:00

But love the page. Thanks for the inspiration girls.
PS the page took a while, Im a bit rusty! Off to catch up on some more blog reading.
Sorry if you want the links check the previous post. Too lazy to put them in again :)

Noah's Bear

2011-06-22T20:07:00.003+10:00

I really loved chatting to Noah the other night about his bear. He has been such a part of his life for the last six years. I made myself scrap the page today before the story was lost.
I totally lifted it from Amy. And Amy you have corrupted me I bought some Oscraps One Little Bird papers - very dangerous!

Sorry you can't see it at the moment! Blogger won't upload it grrrrr. Any suggestions, using hubby's Mac and pic goes into uploader, but won't import. What was the photo thingy you were using girls?

But love the page. Thanks for the inspiration girls.
PS the page took a while, Im a bit rusty! Off to catch up on some more blog reading.

Look a page ....

2011-04-27T14:28:00.000+10:00

Just stopping back in again to show you my page. I made one, yay! I was not quite as quick as I used to be, but it takes a bit to get back into the grove. Hopefully I will get back to whipping up some quick pages soon.
I am also really enjoying project life, as it takes away my need to scrap the little things, it is far more efficient to just pop some pics in the album and then just do a page for the big stories I want to tell.

This page captures some great details about Noah now and how he is growing up. And I loved the two pics of him in the same spot three years apart, but they don't have too much of a story on their own. So I got to use them here. Not sure if I will put it on white or anothe colour, but just put it on white here. You get the idea.
It was fun. Back soon and will share some more of my project life too.

A birthday is looming ....

2011-04-27T11:33:00.000+10:00

Sounds a little ominous doesn't it? Well it isn't, I am excited and so is Miss almost 4. It just kind of snuck up as I knew it would. I was organised early, and made the invites. It was fun too, I was pleased to do a little scrapping.

I even managed to hand deliver all the invites to her little friends in plenty of time, the beginning of May always sneaks up on me, and I knew with Easter being so late I had to be organised.

That was also my downfall a little. I had everything all lined up and ready to go. Here we are 4 days out and I have just realised I need to bring it all together.

She is having a low key celebration (because apparently when you turn 5 you have to go to Luna Park, like your brother did, something about being tall enough to go on the roller coaster). We have invited a few of her little friends, at her choosing to a High Tea at the local cupcake shop. She is so excited, we have been in and sampled the wares, and she was concerned there weren't enough chairs for all her friends, too cute.

I have assembled all the presents, still awaiting one to arrive in the mail. Oh so you know it is this, with a pink crystal added.

She is loving the Barbie movies, and that stuffed dolly she picked out on her own (after Mummy obsessively stalked the site until I could find one that suited) and she will be so excited that it has a tutu.

The dolly is from Lace & Ryde, they are on Facebook and you have to follow to find out when she has more dolls for sale, as they get snapped up in a nano second. I am hoping to make a Just like Katie dress or two for her as well. I think it will be fun having clothes to change her into, I bought the red riding hood cape for her when I bought her.

So now I need to whip up some clothes in the next few days to add to the package! And I must sort out Mr almost 6's party which is just two weeks later, I know who would have two kids birthdays in the same month.

By the way, just came across this yesterday, maybe a good Christmas present? Check out the rest of the decor tab, some very nice pieces!

And just one last thing, what will she wear? I haven't yet decided if I will buy something or whip something up. Oh decisions and time, what will I do! Right now I am off to do a little scrapping, the kids have gone fishing with Daddy, so a little me time, then onto the boys invites. It is his first school party!

Cleaner =Calmer x 2

2011-04-06T19:12:00.000+10:00

I had planned to redo Miss almost four’s wardrobe too. I wanted to do it today, and perhaps I wouldn’t have but for the request of a very sweet four year old we recently met. This is for you, especially after you showed us your room so graciously when we visited.

And thank you, there would still be a mountain of clothes on the rocking chair if it wasn’t for your request.

I had already tidied most of Miss 3’s room. The wardrobe got unorganised and a vast mountain of clothes grew.

I have long wanted to take a pick of all the beautiful clothes in Miss 3’s wardrobe, especially the beautiful selection of handmade dresses, of which I am very proud. I shall have to take a slightly more arty photo to scrap when there is a little more light and we are not doing the mad dash out the door to swimming lessons. I should say that I am typing while at swimming lessons, something must be crammed into every last second, especially with these school days eating into my time!

Miss 3 happens to have the bigger wardrobe (and way more clothes I might add) so her’s is also storage, hence all the containers.

Anyway here are a few more pics of her room, just so the lovely four year old can see around it. Not much has changed since we moved Miss 3 to the big bed, just mostly the toys have been upgraded for more current ones.

And perhaps I was not as productive as I could have been because after reading groups at school I spent 3 hours getting this done! I am happy and it was fun to spend time on me, but by the time I made it home it was almost school pick up time, and I had so many more things on my list today. Oh well there is always tomorrow!

Clean = Calm

2011-04-05T16:28:00.000+10:00

I know sounds a little corny? It does though. Since Christmas time I have been wanting to clean out Mr 5's room out. It wasn't too bad early on, but as less things had proper homes, the worse it got. And I found it rather stressful to have to try to operate in there (help me when he is a teenager!).
There was just general stuff everywhere and he was less inclined to put the things that did have a home in their place. We even misplaced a few of the DS games, there was a stern talking to about that, and the responsibility that comes with such things. The DS and all its paraphernalia now has its own special home.

Here is a before shot, this was after I had done some work (the Lego in the corner of the cupboard had been tidied already).

And the after. I am feeling calmer just looking at these pics. There is still work to do, a few more things could go, and there are some Lego's to be sorted. But this is as much as school time would allow. I had to go get Mr 5 from school so I had to be done by then. And he would have had something to say about my removing some of his things.
Mostly they were things he had outgrown, and won't remember, out of sight out of mind - but if they had become in sight, there would be a renewed love! I am also hoping that the clean out will give more appreciation of the things he has and the way to look after them. There is a rather expensive present headed his way for his birthday, another bargain Lego purchase, so I would like to encourage looking after of his current toys, and putting them back in their places. That said, he is usually really good with his things.
I am also contemplating pocket money and extra jobs around the house to earn it. He has jobs already, that are just because we are part of a family and we work together and we all help. But with going to school and the need for more spending money, now may be the time. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Project Life Week 1

2011-03-30T20:46:00.000+11:00

The first few weeks of the year have been busy for me on all fronts. Especially with Mr almost 6 starting school, that took some adjusting.
I have been struggling to find my rhythm and time for me. It has been forever since I scrapped. Hopefully that will be soon. Last week I gave myself a lot of time to catch up on my Project Life. And I really enjoyed it. And I am gradually working a system to keep the wheels in motion closer to weekly.
So here is my cover. Love stopping to look at those smiley faces. Not sure on what will go in the top right yet. Something will come along or I will create something.

The week in full view. I am having trouble remembering to keep paper bits and pieces, I am getting better at it. And I love seeing the bits in the album.

Week one left side closer up. Some weeks I write a lot, some weeks I write little. If I am organised I will write down something that the kids have said directly onto the card and slot it in. I love these ones the most later on. I do also keep the album out on the dining table (hidden amongst the sewing at the moment) so it is out and easily accessible with the cards handy to jot down stuff.

And the right side closer up. Some days I don't take photos, some days there are a few I love. To put them in and look back over the weeks is already lovely to see. I love looking at what we have done.

And a tip, I jot down on a note what has happened that week. I found I don't always use all of those details, but I wasn't sure I wanted to through them away either. So I have used one of the cards folded in half to jot down the week. Some times this sits in its own sometimes it goes behind another item (they have a tab which pokes out).

Are you doing Project Life? What are your thoughts? Anything you would like me to answer?

I do also love the way Ali Edwards has included some extra pages on special things. I am waiting for some 8.5 x 11 sleeves to arrive and I think I will give it a go to. I like the idea of a few things being elaborated on.

And I have made notes along the way of the bits I would like to do a scrap page on for the kids albums.

Feels good to blog too. Hopefully I can keep it brief and then I can fit in more frequent posts.

If only I could do a post straight from my head, IE plug into the computer, think I would be onto something.

Hope you are all well.

On the twenty fifth day ....

2011-01-04T22:49:00.001+11:00

Is January whizzing by quickly for you also? We are a few days in I am playing with the beginnings of my project life 365 (I gave up last year so I'm using the kit from then) and wanting to make it simple enough to keep up. Will share soon. I am also trying to finish of my December Daily before December blurs in my mind. I am also itching to sew, but I am struggling with so many half done things and wanting to hang out with the kids too.

So here is my pages for December 25, I will get through them all, hopefully picking up pace as I go before January whizzes by too. Hope you are taking it slowly and enjoying the time with family.

On the twentieth day ....

2011-01-01T09:51:00.003+11:00

I was on such a roll. And then I stopped to actually try and do a page. It took a long time and I didn't get it finished. Then I gave up and didn't save it grrr you can guess what happened. Since that was 4 days before Christmas I didn't do much more. It was a little busy.
So here is that page I was working on re done. I will have a go at printing and embelishing a little later.

We had a quiet day after our big and very late adventure into the city. That post will come soon.
It seems funny posting this in the new year. Looks like it is going to be a hot one here.
Happy New Year to you all, we are wishing for a happy, peaceful and calm one here. Perhapls calm will be my word for the year. We could all do with a bit of stability, routine and normal here. Xxx

On the nineth day ....

2010-12-18T08:50:00.000+11:00

I am not sure I need to remember all the details of each day, but I am just jotting. I like the run through the day to see if I missed anything. I know my page for today will be about the Carols in the evening and hanging with my kids. I put it on facebook so I will go and grab what I typed there, and I loved the post where Ali typed about all the things she loved, not sure if I will use it here, but I will use it somewhere.
Thursday is group day, and I am sure we headed for a late yum cha so I sewed before we left. Then Noah split his eyelid on a toy so I took him to the Dr, it was fine no stitch needed, thank goodness he was worried.
Lunch which they didn't eat much of, no more yum cha for us, I don't eat seafood so I don't order much, and the kids don't like it, we've tried it, that's it. Then I dragged the kids around the shops a bit getting a few small things and looking at Lego. Noah has asked Santa for a Lego train, he wrote his letter back in July, and hasn't wavered from it, but the train is $300 and I have explained that it is not likely that Santa can afford such a toy, have I mentioned Andrew was made redundant again for the second time in 4 months! Yes just before Christmas, End of November, thankfully most of the shopping is done. Amy I had better send him your way for some slave labour!

Noah was hard to sway, he did like a few other bits, but kept coming back to the train. So I went homing contemplating it. I came up with a plan, a few vouchers, a return of some Thomas bits I had and 25% off Lego in Myer. See day 10 something about a successful mission.

In the evening I decided to take the kids to Carols at the local shops. The best bet is that they have a lovely stage outside surrounded by restaurants. So we booked a table, sat outside, watched and listened and ate at the same time. The kids played with the pizza dough and colouring from GPK and then got a show bag with lots of fun bits, kept them entertained for ages. They danced and sang and ate. They were the most well behaved and delightful children, I think it was some one on one time with Mummy they craved. I am so glad I went on my own, I am sure if other kids came it would not have been the same. The glass of wine with dinner may have helped! We finished with ice cream for desert and went for a wander to check out the Lego in Myer (how I found they had 25% off) we came back thinking Santa would have arrived at the Carols but they were packed up. After waiting so long and them getting bored we missed it! We went home via some Christmas lights, that made them happy and they fell asleep on the way home. It was 9 pm!
This is my fb post, may just use it, sums it all up.

"Enjoying the christmas carols at Erina Fair with the kids. GPK pizza, a goodie bag with a candle light, dancing, singing carols and delight at hearing songs of Jesus what more could you want. They even packed their best manners. I love Christmas! And family. Xx"

On the tenth day.....

2010-12-18T08:07:00.000+11:00

Ok so these are from memory and looking at the photos. It was a Friday, so ballet and swimming. The girls had a great time at ballet, it was only a small class but they danced beautifully. Then off to swimming where they were astounded at Katelin's confidence in the water. I think it has something to with spending the entire last weekend in the water at Jamberoo and the caravan park. But it did pay off, there is another girl in Kate's class who can swim quite well. So Kate thought she would give it a go too and she swam, well paddled, she was so delighted with herself. After the lesson she was telling everyone she could swim! Finally a huge break though after a year of suffering through her dislike of lessons.

I believe a large portion of the afternoon was sewing and trying to get it all finished, I want to pack away the machines. I did use up the last of my Christmas fabric on some skirts which was exciting, I wasn't sure it would all go I did buy 6 or 8 metres, I can't remember. I just have a few dresses left.
Not sure what else happened, I believe some more tidying, ahh now I remember, a special mission to sort out a secret present with much success! While I was out Daddy and the kids put the outside lights up which they were very excited about, it is so nice to see them up. We are a big fan of looking at lights. The kids love we have our own, not much but they are there.

The end of the night was watching The Polar Express, Noah's favourite and making reindeer ginger breads for the party tomorrow. The kids had so much fun and they were up so very late, I just can't stuff everything I need to into the day at the moment. The idea for the cookies came from the Woolies cook book, we already had a pack of the greens gingerbread men, so I bought the decorating things and away we went. You turn the gingerbread men upside down!

On the seventeenth day ......

2010-12-18T07:34:00.000+11:00

I am trying hard to make it here and make some notes each day. Too tired last night, dinner at Mums and Christmas lights, kids in bed late so I went to bed too. Just realised I still have 10 whole days to catch up on, going to do some of that too, before it disappears althogether.
I am not sure if ballet was on or not, but we chose not to got. I finished the clean up of the house. Finally all my rooms are tidy, need to vacuum though. It has been a battle to keep onto of the house stuff as well as everything else while sewing so much. The kids had a nice time opening advent calendars and haning out in pj's. So did I.
Swimming lessons and Kate is loving it, now she can "swim" since being at Jamberoo and in the water all weekend she had a new found confidence and she can actually doggy paddle to get herself somewhere. It is cute to see and she is so very proud. It is a big step after such a struggle and her disliking swimming for such a long time.
Home and some movie watching and a rest. Thumbelina and Dancing Princesses were on the menu today and a tea party with her new tea set.
I stayed for a bit and went to wrap presents. Almost done, I ran out of tape, one colour of my ribbon and had no box to put an awkward present in so I had to pack up. My fav bit was Katie writing on the tag of Noah's present, should have taken a pic. She came back and asked if there were more to do. She had fun!
Is anyone else as bad as me? While wrapping Im working out where best to put the present under the tree, and moving them 20 times so they are balanced and the big ones at the back, smaller toward the front. My husband said they look like the come from a shop! At least he noticed and said they do look nice. I also have to share, no kids decos on my tree, my second one out the back I have allowed/ given in to the fact that they should be able to have their decorations on a tree. We are waiting for our clay ones to dry and I will blog about it, and where all the decos came from.
We made reindeer cookies again. This time on cookie dough not gingerbread, Kate isn't liking the ginger bread so much. The pic is on my phone, and not sure how to get it here, you will see them in another post from Christmas earlier in the month. I did get the kids to put the decorations I had made on the tree today. I had two finger print decorations made, I really do adore Christmas! They are made from silver, the kids put their print in them and they get to work drying them and polishing, then they engrave and ready to go! They are amazing and I love them. Katelin has an angel and Noah a star. They are made by our local branch of Smallprint, who also happens to be a friend.

Off to dinner at mums and some fun with the kids as I mentioned above. More Christmas decos and a new Christmas outfit for Millie, that is a post for another day, Katie and Millie matching.

On the sixteenth day ...

2010-12-16T22:42:00.000+11:00

I spent some time with my kiddies. I packed away the sewing machine, although it did make a brief appearance today. I think the sewing machine needs to be away for me, I have had enough of it and I want a break.

The kids are really enjoying spending with me one on one. And I with them. I really enjoyed my night with them at the Carols last week and I am trying hard to cherish those moments, and let so many of the little things slide at the moment. I heard someone say the other day (I think it was on Oprah) that a child wants to see your eyes light up when they enter the room, and every child deserves that utter adoration. It is so true and I want to make a conscious effort to acknowledge them and the things they have done.
We went to mothers group today as we do most Thursdays. 5 and a half years of catching up with these girls weekly, they are an amazing group of women, with passion, support and love and caring for each other. They are a great support and together we have an amazing power to make a difference, a passion to help. I love these girls. Digressing slightly, I am talking about the kids, but I think I would like to mention these girls on one day in my DD. The kids love hanging out too, they are all so happy to see each other an play together.
We came home and played a little, I had to make a dress and then I went to the hair dressers. My own little Christmas treat! It was lovely. In the evening we prepared dinner and the children helped. Noah had a dislike for his scrambled eggs so there was some discussion about his joining us at the table, he did as I asked however and he did indeed eat most of his dinner. He is slow at making decisions and needs time to come around. After dinner we opened Noah's day on the calendar. He got a book, The Polar Express, a favourite here. He adores the movie and I love that he will have the book to keep for years to come.
We all snuggled up in Noah's bed and read the story. I am sure we will read it many more nights to come.
He would like his own Christmas sleigh bell, and ideas girls?
This has to be my favourite moment of the day.

On a side note my bloggy friends, I am catching up on my reading and you will notice some comments on your posts from last month, I am behind, but catching up. I have made it to the end of November. You have all done some amazing things. Nicole I am sorry I missed the challenges, but I will be back to lift a few pages, can't wait for some scrap time. Di can't wait to hear your plan for 2011. Will be a year I want to document since we have big school coming up. Amy you have been very busy and the house is coming along nicely. Sharon I would love one of those mangoes, is it in the mail yet? Miss you all. xx

On the fifteenth day ...

2010-12-16T22:11:00.000+11:00

I didn't take many photos again. Some days I just don't think about the photos so much. I know I should. I took a couple early this morning, the kids slept in their clothes last night, and slept in until almost 8am.
These are of the small one looking for the number 12 on the calendar, we were a few days behind. And for reference we count down from 24 to 1 as in one sleep until Santa comes. It would seem most people think this is odd. A tradition in my family I guess.
Katie did well to find the number 12, and she found a necklace in that little box. Some days there is a note with a coresponding number under the tree, and they unwrap a present, usually too big for the box. Often it is a Christmas story.

This day ended up down time for all of us. I have been cramming too much into my last week, I couldn't keep going. We did a few small jobs and went to my Mums to hang out. Then after a while we went to the shops and took Katie she was well behaved. She picked out her own present to give Noah. That was a fun little exercise.
The day disappeared way to quickly at least mostly it was at a slower pace. I did have to cram in the pre school run, swimming and dinner with a Dr visit thrown in on the side, Noah has a skin rash which is not a problem but could hang around for 6 - 12 weeks! He was a delight on his own this afternoon. I love one on one time. He told me he will continue to be good on these hot summer days, when it is winter he will be naughty, but he may be good on some cold days too LOL! I replied with I like him being good all the time, it makes everyone happy and we all get along well.
It was an extremely ordinary December day. But one I adored especially time with my boy.

On the fourteenth day .....

2010-12-15T08:01:00.000+11:00

Pre school day for the kids and Noah slept in, so we all tiptoed around quietly, I finished the last of that ironing.
He woke and we got ready for pre school. It was practise for big school today, a lunch order on a brown paper bag and deliver it to the kitchen. Both kids were very excited, they all got to do it, even the ones who aren't going to school next year. When I asked what they got they told me a sandwhich (they ordered jam) an apple and a cheese stick. Noah told me he as already decided he will order a jam one again tomorrow.
For me it is usually my sewing day. I had planned to be finished by now but I had a few little bits still to do, a Christmas order for my best friend, and a special job, a dress to send to Hillie's niece. When Hillie left us I felt the need to name a dress after her, you can see my post about that here. also thought it fitting her niece have one, she is Hil's sisters daughter and she is 3 like my Katie. I hope it makes them smile and I can't wait to see her in it. It is ready to post today and they don't know it is coming.
I had decided early on this would be my day, I needed a break and to do some things I wanted. So I got the sewing out of the way, packed up the machines and headed to lunch with my best friend, on her lunch break at work. It was enjoyable, we talked about a lot, mostly the kids, and Christmas we planned our Sunday get together, a smaller group of us that are close, from our mothers group always get together the last weekend before Christmas, usually the Sunday. This year only Tracey and I can make it so we have decided we might make it our trip to the city to see the windows and the train, but make it late evening and catch some of the amazing lights too. I love the idea ...... I do adore Christmas.
The afternoon was spent with one of my favourite pass times, wrapping the presents, it's a bit like scrapbooking to me, matching the papers and ribbons to the decorations on the tree, I even made the tags, I stamped them, I had so much fun. I will take a picture once they are all nicely under the tree.

The evening was one of my favourite things to do, the road to Bethlehem. It is an amazing production put together and acted out but the community of the local Seventh Day Adventis School. They should be so proud of their community spirit and what they achieve it it phenomenal.

They also manage to maintain the focus of Jesus and the true meaning of Christmas while acknoledgeing the tradions so many of us expect at Christmas. It is a joy to bring our children to watch the performance, which is a half hour tour with about 5 different scenes acted out, they are different each year.

Then they participare in the activities which are all free, you can make donations, and you have to "pay your taxes" to come in. The children made paper crowns, clay Christmas decorations, which is always a favourite, they remembered the ones from last year, had their faces painted, recieved a show bag and watched the black light puppet show.

It makes me proud to know my children absorbed the message, at the end there is a cross below which the children can plant a message on a card. I asked Noah what he wanted to write he said "I am sorry you died Jesus, I love you". Ahhh the true celebration on Christmas.

On the thirteenth day

2010-12-15T07:12:00.001+11:00

I am not even sure I took any pictures on Monday. I do have a few days where I want to slot in some different things. Like our Santa Photo. We had it taken in November, on the beach. So I need to find a home for it.
This day was an overwhelming one for me. The house had jobs that needed doing everywhere and I felt quite behind, so I took the kids and we met up with my best friend, usual for a Monday and went to the beach.
It was the most glorious summer day one of the first good ones we have had. The kids swam, played in the sand, swam again, built sand castles and tunnels. We had lunch on the grass hot chip sandwiches.
Noah went to Rosie's for the afternoon and shortly after their arrival Tracey sent me a message saying out water babies are in the water again, in a blow up pool in the back yard.

My little one, who said she didn't need a nap, of course I agreed, fell asleep in the car on the way home, she is beyond exhausted at the moment, so much on, late nights, no naps. I used the time to get caught up on a lot of those jobs I was over whelmed by earlier although there is still many more to do I felt much better.
We collected Noah the kids ate dinner there, we drove past lights on the way home, Noah fell asleep, of course the one who had a nap did not. She was up till quite late, playing and talking to herself in her room. I ironed quite late into the night. Hence only one blog post not two ..... I couldn't type clearly.
As I look back over this and the photos I will work out what bits I want to highlight. I am loving that on some day's Ali's page is short and concise and captures just one brief little moment. Usually a very adorable one. I am aiming for the same.

On the twelfth day ...

2010-12-13T23:13:00.001+11:00

I was too tired and had to go to bed. I crammed so much in I could blog as well!
Regular Sunday programming at the moment means nippers, which Noah complains about but loves when he gets there. We stayed a nippers a little longer than planned. It was the most devine summer day, about time by the way summer! It was a late start as the Nutri grain iron man truck was there, the boys were excited and met some iron men. Nippers Noah got to go on the board again, his favourite. I was so proud when he ensured he got a second turn, telling the teacher more than once that he only had one turn. It gives me confidence with him going to school next year, around me he is quiet and shy and leans to me for help. It seems nippers is going all festive next week too and there may be a visit from the man in red.
Next we listened to Dr Rip, a surf scientist and man after Noah's heart, he wants to be a scientist when he grows up and do speriments, along with building robots and working at TiVo with Daddy lol!
It was great for the kids to listen about rips, and for the Mummy too. Then he got a lifeguard to put some die in the ocean to follow the rip. Noah thought this was pretty cool! So quintessentially Australian and Christmas time, love teaching my kids about the water.
In the afternoon Katie and I checked out a market. Fun but refrained from shopping, nothing I had to have!
I worked on my photo calendar, it seems a traditional present now, both the grandparents get a copy of the calendar with pics of the kids as part of their present.

Dinner with the kids was tired and grumpy but we got through it. And moved onto taking a pic of us all together, I will put it up as my Christmas header soon. Speaking of which I get the feeling I need to update my blog template, it seems I'm laging behind! After having kept the grumpies up past bedtime I figured they could stay up and have some quality family time, scootering out in the street. Which then turned into the usual wander up the street looking at the lights. I love the time of year and that we have such awesome lights so close and the kids loving to see them. They talk about the ones with music, and the ones with popping up santa and a few other notible ones. The look of joy on their faces makes my heart soar every time.
We chatted with the neoghbours continued on out wander and came home.
I love that Christmas makes people think of the kids (they all put their lights up for the little ones) and that they get to experience some of the magic of Christmas through the kids.
I need to get a picture of the twinkle lights.
Will add the pic tomorrow.
Till tomorrow....

On the eleventh day ......

2010-12-11T21:26:00.000+11:00

I can't believe that we are 11 days into December already. I want to do December Daily, but already I'm behind. I am hoping I can use this blog as a place to make my notes, capture the things I want to remember of the day, and share my pages as they get completed.
I am having trouble starting because this yeat I didn't make a foundation album first, so I have nothing to work around. I think I need to get out some papers and play around a bit first. So I will start with some notes.
Today was a busy day, end of year ballet photos, full costume. This meant Katie and I were there before 9am, that was after I got myself ready (including straightening my hair) prepared the nibbles for the party, got the kids ready packed the presents and left jobs for Noah and Andrew.
Katie enjoyed the photos she seemed to have fun and was happy to participate both times.
We headed home to get ready for Christmas with my family, my sister is up from Melbourne. The kids were so excited to be doing Christmas especially with their cousins. Katie chose to wear her "fluffy" skirt after considering her Hillie Christmas Dress. It is fun to see her display her own preferences, although I still struggle with wanting to put together the perfect outfit, it is something I enjoy, I just have to be aware of allowing her own personality to show through.

Noah was so very proud to serve out his reindeer cookies, giving out each one to the person it was individually decorated for. We had to eat them early as they were melting and loosing their faces.
The kids were all pleased to give and recieve presents, there was a lot of paper going every where, oohing and ahhing some squeals of delight, especially over a Woody and some Zhu Zhu guinea pigs and even a that was just what I wanted. One of my favourite moments was when I asked Noah what his favourite present was he replied they all were.

I also want to remember 5 children all under 8 in the same place, playing together, shifting from group to group, playing on their own, in pairs sometimes 3. I loved seeing the different dynamics, different kids playing together, different pairings.
In the evening we played uno with Noah and he played outside with Daddy. It is nice to see them spending time together and it is funny I see so many similarities while they are together, they were both happy pottering outside spending time.
I also want to remember about Noah loving his Lego advent and the fact that he can put them together on hos own. Kate loved the nesting Santas she got today too.
It was a lovely day with family and I was so proud of my kids behaviour and their enjoyment over such a long and full day. These are the things I want to remember about my kids and this December.

Where I have been...

2010-10-31T22:20:00.000+11:00

I have been very busy with my business and my sewing for Just like Katie. I have been enjoying it, but it is all consuming having your business at home. There are lots of little jobs to do, and I still get to have fun with the camera, I just don't have so much time to scrap the photos.
I will work on a little more balance, and give myself some time to do a page or two. There is so much going on. It is all the fun end of year stuff, we went to the Sydney Opera House, my big one is doing kindergarten orientation. And I do believe it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas! My favourite time of year.
So while JLK needed a Christmas photo shoot I took my models to the beach and had some fun, and so did they! I have just put them into a template, all there is time for at the moment, will get to printing some out soon.

There were many funny out takes too. I am looking forward to the end of the year, wind down, time with friends and enjoying every little minute of the silly season.

Who can believe it is November tomorrow!

An emotional week

2010-09-03T14:48:00.001+10:00

This time last week I had a great markets, I gave some time to myself and scrapped a page, I was having a small break and enjoying my family. This scap page I will share sat here for a week with no text, it was where I left it.

The week that has gone by is a blur. Last week I enjoyed lunch with my girlfriends and Hilarie, this week I spent the day with them celebrating her life.
On Saturday our dear Hilarie lost her brave and inspiring fight with brain cancer. On Wednesday we celebrated her life, and all she had taught us. Today I am angry with the world. I know it is just a reaction, and it is not the one I want, I want to be able to cry and remember the happy memories but I can't. I am just angry, how did this happen, why her, and why can't we fix it.
I know all the answers, but I don't like them.
It has been a hard week balancing family, work and my feelings. I choose to celebrate the things we have, the memories we have made and the blessings we have.
I love that my children were so excited about our tea party for Ava, and that they took the lesson very seriously. We have had many car safety drills since and they still talk about the balloons that they sent to Ava. Kate said she will be so excited to get them and Noah said he thought the balloons would knock on the bottom of God's house so they would know the balloons were there.
I love that we spent time together taking photos for Daddy for Fathers Day and that I got some great shots of them hugging. I will scrap them soon.
I love that I got five years to spend with my friend and to watch her with such conviction in her choices for parenting her child. I love that she made me a better person, mother and friend.
I love that my children want to send balloons to Hillie.
I love my life. Maybe tomorrow I will be a little more thankful and a little less angry.

Ava's Tea Party Sparkly Pink Tutu

2010-08-12T21:26:00.000+10:00

Perhaps there isn't anyone still out there? Thanks for your comment Steph. I am looking forward to scrapping those gorgeous photos.
As I mentioned in my last post I have been over here at Just like Katie sewing up a storm. I also mentioned that we would be holding our own tea party for Ava's Tea Party. I received my Tea Party Kit from Details Details and I love it, I have only had time to have a quick glimpse so far.
I wanted to stop by quickly and share my contribution to Ava's Tea Party. I have been in contact with Sheye Rosemeyer and she was pleased to support my idea to make a tutu and proceeds would be donated to Paradise Kids, a group that helped the Rosemeyer family after the loss of their precious Ava.

I give you the Ava's Tea Party Sparkly Pink Tutu, fit for a Super Princess.
They will be on sale until the end of August 2010, with 40% of the sale price being donated to Paradise Kids.
I hope you are able to hold a Tea Party of your own in Ava's memory.

Hello anyone still out there....

2010-08-08T21:15:00.003+10:00

I am very aware that I have not been here for almost two months, and I miss it so. I need to make a page! But I have been here creating. I have mentioned Just like Katie before, but I have changed it up a notch and got things going recently, with a few market stalls. It has been fun and I have still been creating.

And I have been enjoying it. I am pleased with how it has all turned out, I adore my logo made by my friend Sol, she also created my gorgeous website. It is just the pressence I wanted.
I can't wait to create a LO with these photos.

We had such a great time taking these photos, and in true model style she knew how to pull faces and put on some moves, they weren't all great but they were funny. We had a ball. I can't wait to get some purple onto a page, I think I even know the right paper in my stash.

Some how I also managed to squeeze in a birthday, I had a market stall on the day so we went for dinner and headed out the next weekend.
We headed to the city, have you heard about this? It's a ticket from city rail that lets you get on the train, bus and ferry all day on Sunday's for just $2.50.

So we headed to the city and rode as much public transport as possible, which of course is loads of fun when you are 3 and 5! We caught a bus to the Royal Botanic Gardens.

We actually got off at Circular Quay and walked. Don't we have one of the best views?

We visited Government House, which of course the kids thought was a castle.

Then the camera battery went flat, I knew there was something I had forgotten to do!

I have a few more photos I have yet to download from the phone. We had a great day, rode the train in the gardens (had to pay for that). Caught a ferry across to Manly, got an ice cream, came back and headed home. It was a great way to spend the day. We plan to do it again, we will just work out where in the city we would like to visit time.

There have been many photo shoot trips to the beach, this time Kate said can we stop and take a photo together.

Lastly have you heard about this?

We are planning our Tea Party on Sunday 22 August, I am looking forward to some fun pink girly time in honour of a very special person. I bought this

here, supporting Ava's Family's quest to support Paradise Kids.

Hope you can join us.

Go hug your kids!

Real paper and cutting

2010-06-19T13:46:00.000+10:00

I am loving the speed of digital pages, however I have a hankering for cutting and sticking onto the page. So I enjoyed doing this double page spread which required a little more cutting and positioning. I really need to edit some photos and head to Harvey. Also I am out of photo paper to print at home.
These photos go with the I love page of two posts ago. It was just a day, and a little bit of time, but in light of recent times, these moments are a little more special at the moment. And I didn't think that was possible, because I already really try to treasure the simple. Anyway.
This first spread is a lift of Nicole's pages here. I need to put a title or something in the sky space on the left page, but I cant find my purple flowers or decide what to call it.

And they did seem straight in real life, I scanned these so not sure. My eye must be off skew compared to the computer. And here is Noah's page for the same day. I made my own template based on the CZ template Sharon used here. I really like the colours of this one, I would have liked the white border, but it printed a little too big, not sure why and I had to trim.

Thats all for today. I have filed these away. I need to get out some half done projects and finish them, but I am drawn to getting some more photos scrapped. I need to do some sewing too, we'll see which wins out!
Thanks for stopping by.

Self Portrait Page

2010-06-18T16:01:00.000+10:00

After reading Amy's post here. Here is my attempt last year of the self portrait. Lee posted a challenge over at the Remember When blog and I had a go. I did get Andrew to take the picture after my few inside ones didn't work. Here's the shot.

And heres the page.

It is a lift of Di's here. I really loved hers.

Go try one for yourself. I know I need to update mine too. Oh I found this one, I took it in April for Week in the Life.

Scrapping makes me happy

2010-06-17T15:20:00.003+10:00

So on Tuesday, usually my working day, I decided it was Me day. I did a few jobs but then gave myself permission to just do what I wanted, which was scrap. I haven't been able to find any time lately. So I just played around a bit. It really did make me happy. I enjoyed it. Especially the paper scrapping. It has been a while and it was lots of fun.
So here are the results. Not the best photography, its really rainy here today. Funny cause it was lovely and sunny and a little warmer than it has been yesterday.

Of course I had to do a page about Noah and Pop. It was good for me and Noah will love it. I used Ali Edwards' Week in the life templates. I am really pleased with how it turned out. And the pictures make me smile. It has been a little tough for Noah to understand, but he is doing well and happy to talk. He will have some amazing memories, and I hope this helps record a few more of them. I do have some older pics on the still to be scrapped pile.

Here is how I added the journalling. I used the long journaller I created, I need to trim the sleeve yet. I had a lot to say so there is journalling on both sides.

This next page is the first one I did, and I find I am a little rusty after a break so I wasn't overly happy with this one, it was originally a lift here. I loved the pages of Agata and Moon, then Nicole had a go too. My thinking cap was not on, so chop white from top add a strip down the side. Now I can be ok with this.

The last one I love and it is a lift of Di's. Her scrapping fairy finished it off. Thanks scrapping fairy, I really love the page.

This last one I did a while ago and I think I forgot to share. I really like this one, was back with all the other butterflies.
I am hoping to do a few more pages over the next few days. I have a few pic that need to be printed. I love pictures, words, paper and glue.

Happy Memories

2010-06-09T15:02:00.002+10:00

I have always been inspired to capture stories, and I especially love hearing the stories of my family and how they got to where they are today.
I loved Ali Edwards' Yesterday Today class and it inspired me to capture some stories sooner than I may have otherwise. I still haven't finished the album but I love working through it. I love that I captured this story of my Pop to share with my kids.

I am glad my this story is recorded. And I am glad this prompted me to gather some other stories. They are not all documented yet, but my Nan has written some down for me, and spent some time chatting to my Pop about their lives and the things I wanted to know.

I am glad because on Friday my Pop, Poppy Heckel as he was known passed away. He was 81 and he was unwell. However until the end he did things just as he wanted. Being in his own home, comfortable, looking after himself and happy. He knew he was loved and he looked forward to the routine and normal. And the day was routine and normal. Just as he wanted. Now he is resting and in peace.

I am glad for the life he had, and for the memories we have. I am happy for the time Noah got to share with him. He visited every second Friday and they both looked forward to it so much. I am greatful for all the stories I have to share with my children and for the time we had together.

I do worry for Noah but he is coping well and likes talking about Pop.

I am also greatful for all the pictures that have surfaced, and the stories that have come with them.

Pop with my Mum as a baby

Pop having been fishing, now this is something I didn't know much of. He used to fish a lot with his Dad while in France. He taught Mum how to fish. I love that I can share this with Noah, who also loves to fish.

This is Pop working at Austral Bronze, where he worked until he retired.

Pop loved to build things, and he built this doll's house for me. It is a cherished memory fo mine. Noah loved to look through his shed and we have bought home some special tools for him.

Our family gathering for Pop's 80th birthday, which he was so suprised about, and later said it was one of the best days of his life. I think he was very greatful for the people there, especially since they were mostly my Nan's side of the family, and that he and Nan have been divorced for nearly 50 years. I am so proud that they still care for each other!

Pop on his 80th, the form guide and TAB tickets were never far away, he loved the horse races.

And my boy with his Poppy Heckel (his great grandfather).

Au revoir grand-père, vous allez nous manquer

Good bye Pop, we will miss you

Its not all fun and games

2010-05-21T21:11:00.000+10:00

So the fun if digital pages has a down side. I spent a few hours this afternoon putting my digital pages together. Type A again, can't cope so well with only being able to print A4 and it being slightly too small for the 8.5 x 11 sleeves. So I feel the need to mount my pages. Today I printed out the last few I have made and got them all sorted out and ready to put into the albums.

This is almost the end. I have packed away my papers and the printing is done. It is satisfying getting them all done and into the albums, but the fun part is done the page is already mostly together. Sounds like I'm whining. I would have much prefered to be making some new pages. Perhaps I am not proficient at this process.

Almost all finished. I do love a pile of completed pages.

I also printed out these sneak peeks, so I have them ready to scrap. I think these will go on pages in my album, talking about the little details for the parties that I really enjoyed doing.

Here are Katie's party pages printed out, I had to mount them on cardstock so they were the correct size. I know. The printer also doesn't like to help me so it either chops some off or makes it smaller on the page so it ends up even smaller than close to 8.5 x 11. I am happy with how it turned out. Sorry about the photos. It rained here this afternoon, so you have reflection from my lights, and a very dark room. It's the best i could get.

Here's the journalling for the page. As I mentioned before I used Ali Edwards' Week in the life templates. Well I also used her idea of a long journaller to get the story down. If you haven't worked yet I have a lot to say.

The other side.

I also did these pages the other day, catpuring the presents the kids recieved and who from. I think it's important to remember who gave you what and be greatful for those things. I have also found my kids really like looking at these pictures and picking out their favourite things even if they are from years before.

So I printed these and mounted them and put them in the album too. I also like to date my pages with a pencil on the back just so I know. I did this too, filed them all away, in rough order. Sometimes they get a little jumbled if there is a hole to be filled. I also had a flick through the pages I have done for this year. That was fun, there's a lof of favourites. And Kate had more pages than Noah. Not sure why that is. Maybe because she is at home with me more?
It's a good weekend for scrapping here.

Shamlessly Lifted

2010-05-19T16:23:00.000+10:00

So I haven't scrapped in a while and I had a small window to do so today. I have been over at Amy's blog admiring her handy work. I have also talked in the last few days about a few stories I wanted to get down.
The first being Katelin and her modeling clothes for me. She has been very accomodating, but also worked out quickly that she could be demanding too. She still makes the cutest little model. And when I say Amy's page I knew it would work.

So I think the plan is to print out the white bit and mount it on cardstock. Will see how it prints out. Think I will round the corners too. Love how quick it is to get the pages out digitally.
The second page is also a lift from Amy. I just said to my husband the other day I must scrap how well Noah goes to bed now, he just turns out his light and off he goes. So when I saw the Blink page which has been a favourite of mine since I saw it in Cathy Z's book I knew it was perfect. As I had long wanted to scrap a page about Noah and how hard he was to get to bed for a while there. Two birds with one stone.

The same goes here print and mount. Will report how they turn out. Not sure I have any red left.

Noah turns 5, Luna Park

2010-05-17T21:09:00.001+10:00

Well post 101 is not it either. I do plan to have something exciting and fun but it is not yet done, and I need to blog about Noah's birthday, so maybe next time.
On Saturday 15th May Noah turned 5, (at 9.40am to be precise). Our morning started at 6.40am with Kate arriving in our bed, we had been up most of the night before with a virus and cleaning up vomit. (LOL Di you would have been impressed, amazing what Mummies can do). So we were a bit tired. Then we heard Noah up and playing so we went to suprise him with the video camera and say Happy Birthday. He replied with I am five now. We opened some presents first.

Noah was not really up to posing and although I got a few good ones, this is more him. Funny boy.
He has been asking for a while for a few presents, mostly legos and a scooter, although I think he forgot about the scooter.

This captures his excitment at finding his scooter, although Kate almost spilled the secret several times, thankfully she doesn't say scooter so clearly. She doen't quite understand the secret concept yet. And having been sick I had to take her with me to the shop. I ran out of days without her.

Kate has been so amazing at understanding it is not her birthday any more and letting Noah enjoy his day. Actually I am sp proud of both of them being able to enjoy each others special day without wanting the attention for themseleves. Perhaps I have taught them something? She enjoyed helping Noah and revelling in his suprise and joy.

Noah's stash of presents. A sound activated bug, an MP3 player, a Zip it Pocket Pal for special treasures (another post about this), some books, new space ship sheets, Star Wars Lego, a remote control robot he had to asemble, a curious George DVD a hungry catepillar game, a robot apron and the scooter.

A quick zoom around the room. I love that Noah is in focus and the room is a blur!

Although he would have loved to stay and play with the toys Noah remembered about Luna Park and was excited the day had arrived he was happy enough to go watch his new DVD and eat breakfast. I managed to get them eating while we got ready and packed the car. Then we got them dressed and headed out. (Side note Kate was not dressed in her best clothes in case she was sick on the trip. She kept down breakfast and seemed well when we left.
After a grumpy car trip, I think Noah was a bit tired and possibly hungry as he didn't eat much. He spent a lot of the trip complaining and threatening us, saying it is our choice and he will tell his friends to go home if we didn't let him do ...... insert what ever unreasonable request you can think of. Finally we made it right on 11am. It took a while to get out of the car and head in. The view was spectacular, and the excitment high.

Of course their had to be a shot of us out the front. I did want all the guests but they were inside and itching to go on rides. There is only so many photos one can push for.

This is us little ants (or should I say monkey) up closer.

I did try again inside. The guests were all over the shop and mesmerised by the sights. And the boy was not fully over the grumps yet. This was just after all the kids had been measured (you get a different ticket for different heights) to work out what rides they could go on. They were itching to get going. After this they all hit the carosel.

And then of course the Ferris Wheel. I wanted to go on with my boy, Katelin and Rosie, but they wouldn't let three adults and 3 kids on so they went with 'Uncle' Dave and Naomi and I went on our own. Very nice actually to enjoy the view. So this is my boy and Rosie poking their heads out.

The funny mirrors were a huge hit, and this is about where Noah's mood lightened. He loved moving around and looking at the different things that happened. I had to pick him up for him to get the full effect but they were funny and Noah was laughing his head off. There was also a very flattering one which made you look very skinny. I liked that one a lot.

A break for some snacks from the fuel box. It was nearing lunch time now and the excitement was still high, trying to work out which rides they were going on next. Noah wanted to go on the roller coaster, the Wild Mouse and Rosie was happy to go too, they had to go with an adult. Katie was too short to go on, there was a small tantrum and some diversion required. That was about the only time most of the other rides she could go on or didn't want too. It was hard to say she's to short, we were creative about out excuses.

Noah and Daddy on the Wild Mouse at the start ready to go. Andrew said he was petrified at the start, Daddy had to hold on tight. It didn't last long. He wanted to go on again! He went straight back on it.
There was a walk past the dodgem cars, and a decision they were too bumpy from Rose while Noah was on the Mouse again. Then we headed into Coney Island. I was so pleased that the kids thought it was all great fun in there. I could have stayed there all day, I love history of things like that, and I was in awe of the rides and art that was put there in 1935, and the preservation efforts they have gone too. There was some amazing ingenuity from the people making the rides with the resources available. And that kids 75 years later got as much delight!

After Coney Island we decided it was time to head out for our picnic lunch. Everyone gathered their food and we met under the Northern pillons of the Sydeny Harbour bridge. It was a lovely location. A little windy though. We atem the kids ran around. Noah opened his presents.

They climbed all over this anchor, and ended up with rust flakes in theri hair. It took an hour or two to work out what it was.

Yes I made a Wall E cake, and transported it, I remembered the candles and the lighter. Only I wasn't allowed to stick any candles in Wall E, I had to hold one for Noah to blow out!

Although he was quite happy to cut him up. And he wanted to eat a whole eye. This was good considering it was much smaller than the entire robot head he ate last year. And I got him to eat it with a fork and he only ate half! I was please after the mini meltdown he recovered well and was civilised!

While we were picnicing, we say a wedding and the kids went to say congratulations. Then we heard the helicopters hovering and worked out something might be happening soon. It turned out Jessica Watson was late arriving and she decided to coincide it nicely with our lunch. So we stood and watched pointing to each other the tiny glimpses of pink we were seeing. It really was like a needle in a hay stack such a tiny pink boat surrounded by hge ones. It was a spectacle though the kids loved the water spurts from the boats and the boats sounding their horns. We were there, we saw it. And then we headed in for some more rides.

Now Andrew assures me, there is a pink boat in this shot. I have to take his word for it.

Another shot of the mirrors, what I was really trying to capture was Noah and Noah walking around reading their maps together trying to decide what they were off to next. It was an adorable sight! Noah couldn't resist pulling his shirt up and check out his tummy again. I love the excitement of his feet being in mid jump! Steph can you see the pocket pal?

The map readers guided us to the back of the park and the kids section. This is where all the rides are little enough for even the smallest ticket holder to go on on their own. And I must say this bought much excitement on many levels. The choice was theirs, they had to que up on their own and decided where they wanted to sit. It was really fun to watch. This was the first ride, Noah Rose and Kate all went on, I made them look after Kate, after that she had the confidence to go on things on her own.

There was a small melt down over sharing Rose, the birthday boy wanted to fly with Rose and I had asked Rose to look after Kate. So Rose hoped off and qued up again with a slightly happier Noah. When she got off she said that ride was much better Noah wasn't crying! She is so compasionate!

This was the first ride I went on just because I wanted too, and I got to go on with my best friend. It really was a lot of fun and I love the shot. Think I'll have to use it to do a page about us. While we were on this ride we watched the Daddy's with the kids, and we saw that Noah Evans, Rose and Kate were all on the mini Ferris Wheel, we thought this was so cute. I didn't know Noah was having a meltdown about wanting to go on the ride I was on with me. Andrew and I decided it might have been a little rough for him, even though he was allowed to go on. Andrew talked him into the dodgem cars so the headed off. The kids had a few more goes on the small rides before we left.

The que for the dodgems was long so we took the girls down to the carousel for one last ride. It was nice and I love this pic Dave took of Kate and I. Kate's favourite ride was the horsey's and the little cars. We headed over to the Ferris Wheel for the last ride, the sun was going down now and it was getting cool. The wind was strong off the harbour up to the Wheel but the view was stunning!

Look at that view! While we were on this ride Noah and Andrew returned from the dodgems, which Andrew reported Noah loved, he insisted on driving and bumping into as much as he could driving pretty much on full lock the whole time! We were on the Ferris Wheel for quite a while, Noah talked Andrew into one last ride on the Wild Mouse! I really wish I had gone on there with Noah, but the day just got away from us, and I didn't go on many rides at all.

The view of the harbour

The view of the park.

Almost the end of the day here and a family shot with Luna Bob and Luna Belle. I am saying something about Noah not looking. He wasn't much up for photos all day. I took the video camera too but would you believe I forgot to get it out. It was a really busy day! If you look closely you can see the pocket pal again here. It collected a rock from the park.
We got ready to head out then Kate was tired. We did a toilet stop for the trip home, and one last ride on the carousel as a family. We headed to the car then. Put PJ's on the kids, gave them a cheese breadroll and headed home, at about 6pm. Kate fell asleep by the second corner, with her earphones still on. Noah decided he liked the 'Goodnight Song' I've got a feeling The Blackeyed Peas, and he bopped along for a while before nodding off. The next day Noah recounted the day excitedly saying his favourite ride was the roller coaster which he went on THREE times!
When he awoke the next morning he was so excited to check out his toys and we spent the morning and the next two days building Lego, but thats another post. I am pretty sure my boy will remember turning 5. If not I took heaps of photos! He has already asked when we can go again. He thought as long as he had his ticket he could go back. If only!

Sneak Peek again and 100th post.

2010-05-14T15:03:00.001+10:00

So there is no creativity and nothing exciting going on for post 100. Maybe for 101? You'll have to wait and see.
I just wanted to pop in and show you what I have been up to for Noah's birthday. Which is tomorrow. I have had the flu/chest infection for the last two weeks so I haven't been up to much.
The plan for Noah's party is a trip to Luna Park. I checked with the few parents before and then Noah chose what he wanted to do. He didn't really understand until we saw it on the tv a few days ago. After that he got very excited and he asked me the other morning when his birthday was, we recounted the things that would happen this week before his birthday and his little eyes were so wide with excitment when he talked about the ferris wheel and all the other rides and that he could go on them more than once. I can't wait to take him.

So here is the peek. I have the presents all wrapped and ready to go. I should mention, tomorrow is his actual birthday. So we have presents in the morning then pack up and head to the park, which is about an hour and a half drive. So organisation is the key. We have asked everyone to pack their own picnic lunch, we will hit the rides and then some lunch and cake, yess I have packed the plates and the candles and the matches. I am off to make a Wall E cake next. Some of Noah's presents of course it includes lego of the Star Wars variety, funny cause he doesn't really know what Star Wars is, it's just the space ship thing.
I have packed little snack boxes for them, instead of lolly bags. They have a popper, cheese, fruit shapes and a tooth holder for lost teeth, an LCM bar and yoghurt sipper. I hope they like them and have a load of fun.
Oh did I mention that Jessica Watson is planning on sailing into the harbour right at 11am, (Luna Park is on the harbour for those who don't know). I couldn't have planned better if I tried, she was due last week. Oh well, will be a big day in the city. I am sure Noah will have a ball.

Katelin's Birthday

2010-05-02T17:21:00.001+10:00

Here are a few of the photos I have put together for Kate's birthday. I have used Ali Edwards' Week in the life templates.
I still have so many photos. I think I might put together a page for me about the decorating and all the details. I did enjoy. I also think perhaps one of Kate with her scooter, and one with her twirling in her skirt.
Not sure on my plans for the journalling here yet. Or the printing. I may print and mount on cardstock, as my printer can't print 8.5x11. And not sure if I will keep the digi paper or add real.
I plan to either pop back with some notes or do a new post with some more decorating pics and a story of the day. Kate is still sleeping (yes it is late 5.20pm to be precise) after a huge day and two days with no nap she really needs it.

Cupcakes, cooking and 3 year olds!

2010-04-30T22:03:00.001+10:00

Here it is, a glimpse of Kate's party tomorrow. All I have time for. The scene is set, cupcake decorating, and a lolly bar type catering, with some healthy options. I have chatted to Sharon and Amy about tags, and learned how to draw dotty circles! Love Google!
There will be a pettiskirt and lovely pink accessories, perfect for a girly girl who turns three. I loved the decorating and had some fun. The kids will take home little aprons, cupcakes they decorate and their bags contain a cookie cutter, mini tongs and mini spatula. So much more fun than lollies!
Will report in soon. My baby will be 3 next time I do.
Have a great weekend.

Wednesdays part two

2010-04-21T20:54:00.000+10:00

So the afternoon was a bit rushed and I ended up a little frayed. I think everyone is very tired here.

3.50pm Groceries and unpacking, always fun. I didn't do it straight away so Kate could get a good sleep. It worked thankfully. So late unpacking.

3.52pm Whipping up the cupcakes I promised Katie. In a hurry to get Noah from pre school.

4.24pm The donuts Noah asked for yesterday. When he got home he noticed them and he came over to me and said thanks Mummy for getting me the donuts. It made me feel so happy.

4.25pm Decorations we bought for Kate's party, I am hoping these will make it easy and fun. We are going to try some out on the cupcakes we made. Didn't happen tonight.

4.29pm Putting my veges into their Tupperware containers to keep them fresh. I don't always make the time to this and my last weeks veges felt it, they were limp and soggy. So I need to make the effort more often.

4.35pm Noah is supposed to be collected at 4.30pm, I was late heading out and these jobs I needed to do on the way. Bank my cheque and post Ruby's invite to Kate's party.

4.47pm Posting Ruby's invite. After banking the cheque.

5.07pm. After picking up Noah from pre school, we headed to get petrol. Stevie one of the girls wore her pop over skirt today and a couple of the teachers want some, so maybe I will have a few sales. Yay! There was a que at the petrol station because it was after work time and Anzac weekend is coming up so prices will be high. I filled up just in case.
We came home and the kids watched some Curious George while I prepared the dinner. I worked on a few meals at once. I was preparing rissotto and it takes time to cook. So I made some rice patties to freeze and a quiche, not sure if I will freeze this or eat it in the next few days. The cooking was good. The kids a little whiny.
Dinner did not go well. Everyone was tired, the kids didn't eat and ended up being sent to bed, they ate their chicken, no rice. Noah complained and cried, he seems to be very over tired.

Kate was just mucking around not sure why, something about not liking the taste of the rice.

7.03pm Noah asleep after he said he would stay awake all night because we wouldn't read him a story. The no storywas because of the not eating dinner and being cranky about being asked to go to his room. You can still see th cross look on his face, but he was so tired it was only abou 5 minutes after I put him to bed.

7.07pm Kate and her stalling tactics, she had a sleep so she is always harder to get to bed. I remember having the same issues with Noah. So this is her going to use our toilet, not the one close to her, or the potty in her room. She has the stool and her moo cow torch as it was dark and she needed to turn the light on. Of course the flash made it lighter. She frustrates me with the stalling tactics, but they are often very cute, I love the stool and the torch, such forward thinking!

7.18pm So after getting the washing off in the dark I am folding it. I really dislike no daylight savings. Some washing done, more tomorrow. Our line doesn't get much sun so I try to do one load a day. Wednesday is washing day as Noah is at school. I find it easier. When it is school next year I think I will have to change, school uniforms will need more washing.
So Kate didn't go to sleep until after 8, and I am sitting here blogging my day. I will be glad I did it to refer back to, but I really would like to get on and do some pages. Not quite the night I thought it would be, I figured cupcake decorating would be fun. But when do things go to plan? Not often with the kids around.
It was a lovely day all round though. I hope everyone gets a good nights sleep and wakes up happy.

Week in the life, photos and words Wednesday

2010-04-21T15:48:00.000+10:00

So amongst a few other biggish projects I am trying to fit into this week, I thought I'd play along with Ali's Week in the life. I have decided I will just use her templates, so I can get on and get it done this week. Otherwise I won't finish it. I'm going to print out some of the cards and take them with me tomorrow.
Each day has a different focus for me.
Monday was working out my rhythm, taking photos and making notes.
Tuesday was snapping photos of the moments I wanted to write about, to help jog my memory.

Today is kind of a time line, I wanted to write down more time slots. I am failing so far. But my plan is to use the picture time stamps, mental note, forgot to change time over when daylight savings changed so it's an hr out.

6.52am Good Morning Kisses. Kate finally slept or stayed in bed till almost 7 am. Hasn't happened since daylight savings changed back. I heard her earlier but she either laid in bed or dozed.

7am. Noah in to report he has packed away this toys and made his bed. I love when he greets me like this.

7.30 am I had a shower and left the kids in bed to watch the telly. I enjoyed the quiet, although Kate is quite whiny about her toe, it is really sore. Dressed I took my photo, I wish there was time in the morning to do my hair but no. I also want to record my necklace, I love it, my family close to my heart.

7.50am Vitamins for Noah, he is loving them and I love he wants to take them.

I already recorded making my bed, so made bed and sent the kids out to get breakfast.

7.53am Kate's getting her own breakfast, plain weet bix with milk in a spinning bowl.

7.56am Noah getting the banana for his breakfast, apricot weet bix bites with banana no milk.

So while the kids sat and ate breakfast I put on a load of washing, tidied the kids rooms, made beds, put away clothes swept out the laundry. That took me till 8.30am where I got the kids dressed ate a bowl of cereal and put away the breakfast dishes and toys. The kids put their jammies in their rooms. Finally we headed out the door to pre school at 9am. Late. I wasn't happy but there was lots to be done. I think I missed a few jobs.
I asked Kate to get dressed and she said I can't, I can't do my bow up, I was amazed she could work out the outfit had a bow. She said ok in a minute.

Need to do the groceries today. No fruit in the bowl.
So with a shopping list in tow, I told Noah we were running late and we didn't have time to play at pre school today. He was happy with that. He did ask for donuts after pre school yesterday, so they are on my list. He will be happy.

9.30 Leaving pre school to do the groceries.

Things seem to be quite slow today with Kate in tow, I wanted to get more done, but the hours drifted away from me. 10am at the Deli, the girls know her and that she likes to press the button and pay for the meat. We had already been to the chemist and the butcher. I would have liked to take more shots, like Kate giving the chemist the toe powder to pay for but it takes time, and I didn't like holding people up.

10.10am The fruit shop, and eating devon she picked form the deli.
We need to note I like to buy my meat from the butcher and my fruit and veg from the green grocer/fruit shop. So after this we loaded the shopping in the car and drove to the other end of the centre to do the groceries in Wooloworths. I am not a big fan of Coles (right next to the butcher) although I will shop there sometimes.
We did the groceries in Woolies, got the things from our list, some snacks for lunch, squeezie youghurt and cheese and bacon rolls. We focused on buying some decorations for Katelins cupcake and cookie decorating party. She had fun choosing the decorations.

We loaded the groceries in and rang Aunty Trace to see if we could call in and do the Hills' Angels cheques for her.

She was very pleased to see us and it was a great help to her for us to do the cheques. We called in at 11.45am. It took longer than I wanted doing the cheques as I didn't get Kate into bed until 12.40pm after we had bought the groceries in. I was aiming for 12.

1.37pm The sore toe is posing a problem, at most bed times it seems to hurt, it is quite sore, with a chunk of skin off. So we put on the new powder we bought and off she went. Kate took the photo.
Kate only sleeps roughly every second day now, and there was no nap at pre school yesterday. If I am too late getting her in bed she won't sleep even though she is so over tired. I also have to bribe her to go straight to sleep, with an activity we will do when she wakes. Today it was cooking cupcakes to practise. It worked, she was asleep before 1pm.
I haven't take any photos, but I have sat in front of the laptop until she woke again at 3.17pm. A nice nap. She told me she woke to do a wee. It could have been an even longer nap if not for the wee.
I checked emails for Just Like Katie, excitingly there was an email question about a dress. Not so exciting, they wanted to sell my stuff. I don't think so yet. Bit of blog reading getting my game plan for Week in the life.
Chat with Linda about Group tomorrow, the plan, Hillie as always, Susies baby tomorrow, the kids group birthday party. Always so many things going on. I am still making a list of things for Kates party, which is only a week and a half away. My baby will be 3 sigh.
Kate is awake now. Watching telly while I finish my post. We are going to cook cupcakes and unpack the groceries then get Noah.
More later.

A few pages.

2010-04-10T13:37:00.000+10:00

I have been finishing of a few things, like a couple of pages I need to print and mount and the pages about the Easter show. I still want to do a blog post about it too.
So last week my new camera finally arrived, just in time for the show. Please forgive these shots, still working out the camera, and its so small I can't tell when its at right angles to the page. So they are a little wonky.
I also haven't been to get any photos printed so it seems I am in template mode still, but it is fun.

This LO has been sitting for a while waiting for me to finish it, it is the story of the kids looking for echos to record. Pre school sent home a tape recorder for them to record so they could use it at news at pre school. This is Kates page, sorry it is really straight. It is a lift of a CZ lo she shared over here. Sorry it's the best link I could find. Seems the pages aren't in the gallery any more.
Here is Noah's page, same story. It is an CZ template found here.

I have used it a bit lately and it is very versatile.
Onto my Easter Show LO's now, sorry Noah's is blury and I have packed it away now, so I will add the original file so you can see it. Love using up old bits. Hello ribbon, haven't seen you for a while, but it is good to use you up!

And I am loving Katelin's page, think it is the colours. I am using their clothes for inspiration at the moment.

And those butterflies I traced and cut by hand. I really need a punch! Yes on the echo page too. Crazy I know. Also I tried opening a template and moving the title into my own template. It worked fine, this one is from my newly aquired AE template from here, and I used here. Just a little tip I was happy worked and thought might give you some different ideas.

I think I still remember how to post....

2010-04-08T13:13:00.000+10:00

So a few of the blogs I frequent the girls have been taking a break. I totally get that at the moment. I didn't realise it had been so long since I posted. I aim to do some brief posts sharing my pages. I am trying to get th stories down quickly, so they are still fresh. There are a couple of stories I need to blog also, like our trip to the Easter show this year (I took my husband with me this time). And a gorgoeus little garden Hilaire and her family made for us at a local park.
With so much going on at the moment, I try to carve out time for Hilarie and sharing special moments, and there are still things we are working on for her. In some ways I feel my life is back in the spring of 2009, when the Hills' Angels stuff really kicked off I feel my own life got put on hold in ways. So I am glad that I have a few blog posts to refer back to. On a side note, I would really love to do a few Hills' Angels pages. Since I seem to be stuck in 2009, I have been spring cleaning, getting rid of the clutter in my house, while you can't see it, there is still more than I realised! It has made me feel better and it is helping me to get a little more organised in some ways, and it just makes me feel slightly calmer.
So I read Ali Edwards post on Easter here, and I decided I would get in and do mine too. I used her template from here. I also really want to churn out some pages on the Easter show, and Kate giving up her bottles too.
Here are my pages, not quite happy with the titles, not what was in my head, wish we could print 12x12.

Love the photos and the story though.
Hope your Easter was fun.

Did I already share these?

2010-03-14T15:49:00.000+11:00

I know I have a few pages stashed to share, but I can't remember which ones! Not sure if I have shown you these already.
Been a bit quiet over here, just adding photos to my flickr gallery for 365, and enjoying it. And being more selective about my stories, although I still have a few to share. I also need to take a little time and write some pages about Hills' Angels, I have been so busy doing I haven't been recording.

So this page is a template I made, lifting the design from a CZ one. I printed it out, mounted on good old craft and added an embelishment to the left of the title. I can't find a shot of it finished. It was a great story about Noah wanting to visit the Hog's Breath Cafe while on holidays. He had remembered from 12 months before.

This one is just one I got printed and added a few words. I really need to print them as it would look neater, but oh well. I did share the main template before. It is one Sharon sent me. I like it's versatitly.

This last one is a cute photo I caught, love that the kids were playing together. I recorded some nice thoughts about then at the time.
I have been enjoying using templates as they are quick and get my story told before I forget, which is not like me but currently I can't remember as much as normal. So I love the right here and now of it.
I do feel that I need to go get some photos printed at Harvey so I can do a little conventional scrapping.
Will see how that pans out!

Another quick page

2010-03-08T21:19:00.001+11:00

So I am sure I have lots more to say, things I have been up to and some ideas, but for now I just thought I would pop in and share this page I did quickly today. I chopped a 12 x 12 AE template to suit, and added thickers where the hello title is, this is my digi version, I printed out and stuck on cardstock and the thickers in real life.

I want some time to scrap, and do pages on my Mum and her stories she has shared from her childhood. Some other ideas I have floating around, and some sewing.
I spent a lovely weekend with Hilarie and the girls, or most of them, Hil is almost radiating when she is with us, she gets so much from us. She is also being stopped in the street, she is famous after her Domestic Blitz episode! She is doing well at the moment. But things still go day to day.

365 - what does it mean to you?

2010-03-03T15:48:00.000+11:00

I was slow to warm to this idea. At first I felt left out, I don't read many blogs so I didn't know what it was. Then I wasn't sure what I thought about taking a photo every day! I thought it would be so much pressure and as I have gone through the first two months of this year it has been on my mind.
I decided that maybe it would work for me. Little pieces of my everyday captured.
I am inspired by the way Ali Edwards has been putting together her 365, project life, using Becky Higgins kit. I have looked into it a little further and decided it could be simple enough for me to do.
Just photos, word from the journalling jotted on my flickr page.
The thing I think I like the most is there are some little stories captured, without having to do a whole page. Things I want to remember but aren't big enough for a whole page!
Here are a few shots and their words.

February 25th ....This gorgeous photo of us was taken by Bianca at our A Current Affair interview. Hil looks great and we are radiating pink! We love Hil!

March 1st ....We had some quiet time today we sat and played picnics had some lunch and watched Island Princess for the first time in a long time. You set up the picnic on your own. It was nice to just hang together.

March 2nd .... Mum and I took a trip to the trade fair in Sydney. It was fun to look at all that stuff together and I like that we chatted about her when she was little, how adored she was by Pappar, how he looked after her, left her picking bluebells and things about when she was little and her family. Love learning these stories. Taken with iphone

March 3rd .... Fairy juice for my girl! This morning we had no juice. You were excited to do the groceries after your trip to the chiropractor, so as a treat I said you could have a juice (to put some magnesium in) and I started reading you the flavours and you said the fairy one mum! Of course, love how you see things! Taken with iphone. Think this might be a 3 x 2 shot.What are your thoughts?

By the way, I do have photos for most of the days I missed, and a few others I can slot it. Perhaps Jan and Feb will only have two weeks each. Currently I am working backwards.
And what is with this weather, the first of March seemed to signal a cold snap here - Summer you can linger a little longer, we don't need 20 degree temps on the first day of Autumn!
Finally I have to say that Hilarie just shone on our episode of Domestic Blitz, I am just so proud and hounoured to be a part of her life!

For Di and a new page

2010-02-25T21:08:00.000+11:00

Ok a quick post. Di this is me using the same template, I left it with a white border and just printed on a4 so it is a little smaller than normal. I think it works. And I kept the kraft from going to the edges as I was worried it would not print right to the edges. White is safe.

And here is the only page I worked on today. I planned on more, but Katelin didn't agree and she woke early, she has not been sleeping well. I printed the white square out and now I have to scallop my purple paper and adhere to the yellow. Oh and my purple is smaller so it will look a little different. It looks kind of nice just sitting there printed out on the papers. I will try to take a photo (the camera I am using at the moment is not great with the flash.

And Liberty you really should try hybrid it is fun and really quick.

A quick hybrid

2010-02-24T21:15:00.000+11:00

So I bought myself a couple of templates and I have a few stories I want to get down quickly. Here is one I threw together quickly for Katelin. I think I need to track down a few more digital papers. I find this difficult at the moment. I would like some of my real PP's in digital form.
Any way it looks like this.

What do you think? I will put some actual paper down the bottom I think, same as Cathy Z did. It is a CZ template. Will show you again when I print it. Do you like seeing the digi pages finished?
Happy scrapping, give hybrid a go!

Some pages

2010-02-24T14:34:00.001+11:00

Sorry all, I have had some pages ready to post. I just haven't stopped long enough to acutally put them up.
These last two weeks I have been busy and haven't done many pages. I think I did a few too many and I ran out of inspiration! We also went camping on the weekend so that took a bit of time preparing! We had a great time. When I can get the photos off my iPhone I will share the story. So for now some things to look at.

This is the same format I used for a LO for Katelin earlier on, I really liked these photos of Noah with the pod boats and he had such a great time, it was his favourite activity of the day.

Here is my first holiday layout. I shared it digital and then I printed it and mounted on cardstock. I also used up a few little ribbon buckles I have had around for a while too. Nicole shared recently about using up old supplies, I don't have many but I have been trying to look at what I have differently and use them wisely.

This is another hybrid. Ali Edwards posted a free template here. I have resized it so it would fit out of my printer and this is how I finished it. Gotta love some rub on's and a white pen. And a whole bunch of kraft at the moment. I love that my story was told, and quickly after our holiday so the memories weren't lost.

Here it is again in an 8.5 x11 with another story told about our ice cream one night out. It was lovely. I think I have even used this template again for our trip to the zoo. I will share it later. This page goes in to our family album as it was a story I wanted, not so much about either of the kids.
By the way Hills' Angels episode of Domestic Blitz will air this Sunday night (Feb 28) 6.30pm on Channel 9!

Hmmm what to share

2010-02-14T20:25:00.000+11:00

I am not sure what to share today. I have been scrapping madly, well not quite, but alot. I have been trying to get down the stories of January. There have been a lot since there were a lot of holiday days and different events. I am finding my memory not as good as it was and liking when I have blogged about the topic (preferably soon after it happened to get some good quotes).
So I am worrying that i am just writing general stuff, perhaps it sounds like it now but will still have enough detail to mean something later on.
The kids sat and looked through some older albums this afternoon and they talked about the things they remembered and asked me about the ones they did not. So it was fun to see them get so much enjoyment. It is SUPPOSED to be for them (although I'm sure it is more about me at the moment).
Side note, in this years albums there seems to be a lot of kraft at the moment - at least it is early in the year!

This is a retake I have done for a few pages now and I really like how it came out on the java background. It is a lift of Nicole's originally. I am liking looking back through albums and finding ideas for layouts - and a trip down memory lane at the same time. The story is about Noah's present he made for me at pre school, wrapped bought home and put under the tree and told me I had to wait until Christmas to open it - too cute!

This one came to me by way of email. I had printed the 6x8 not sure how I was going to scrap it so it sat on my table for a bit. Then I got an email from Remember When and I noticed a layout that Lee had done. It worked well and I like how it turned out, was on a run with java here! Oops the story is about a bush walk to our local national park looking for bugs and other things for the kids to identify. Was a fun outing.

This is Kate's layout for the same day, a lift of Di's I think, found it in my album already. Kate had a great time looking at the creepy crawlys (there were not many) and learning about fungus and moss and things we don't have in our backyard ( not many since we back on to bush and the bush turkeys like to visit while I hang out the washing).
Hopefully there is some inspiration to get some stories down. Photos and words really are fun!

Same but different

2010-02-11T13:42:00.000+11:00

Ok so before I read Amy's post I planned on sharing these pages and talking about how they are all different. I think Amy did an awesome job for making them look so different. And I am off to get that free digital threading waters punch. I do have a real one and I love it. Oh and thanks for sending me the sketch Amy!

This one started as an 8.5 x 11 and I thought I would make it more like Nicole's page here. Then it cam out of the printer and it looked washed out. Add a piece of berrylicious and wallah! Much better.

Next one and I did plan to just add a title to this one but I hit boarderless printing and it came out a little cropped. So again how to fix it. Add to 12 x 12 and some letters that fill the gap! I like how it turned out!

This last one printed fine (third time lucky) and I left it 8.5 x 11 and I am happy with it. Sorry about the wonky photo. Funny story about me really liking my car. It makes me smile when I see it and a sense of pride inside. If only I could work out how to get my car to live at the beach. Go and try to scrap some stories quickly using the same base. It is so nice to get them told!

Dancing in the rain

2010-02-07T15:56:00.000+11:00

These past few days my mind has wandered often to Sheye Rosemeyer, February 5 marked the 3rd anniversary of little Ava's passing. While visiting Sheye's blog I am constantly inspired, by her photos, her words, her strength and her attitude.
Yesterday I sat quietly with Katelin, she has been doing it tough sleep wise since our holiday and she doesn't like the sound of rain at the moment. So she woke too soon and we sat and watched tv quietly. She heard some children playing outside in the rain and wanted to go out. At first I said no, it was raining too hard, then she asked again and I thought of Sheye. Why not, it is only a bit of rain, she will dry off, I can change her clothes. How much fun is it to dance in the rain. So out she went, and I followed her with my camera. I got a few shots I just love. I am also loving the top she had on, to me she looked just divine and I want to wrap her up, hug her, spoil her and indulge her every moment I can.
I also think my word for the year Cherish fits well here while I am talking. So many things to cherish, life, moments, being a child, loving, holding and enjoying. So I rolled all of this into my layout.
Here it is digital as my scanner isn't co operating at the moment. It actually has a green and white spotty pp on top and white vinal thickers spelling out cherish.

Oh and thanks Amy, was channelling Sheye when playing with the colours of my header photo, turned up the yellow and green. On further thoughts though could have also gone purple. May try that later.

Little by Little

2010-02-06T20:35:00.003+11:00

So I have taken a million photos at Christmas. I am trying to work through scrapping them. As we get further away, I am finding that only some of the stories stand out as ones I still want to tell, so I guess it is a good way of culling. I am not as organised as Di. I am working on just a little at a time and it is working for me. I am scrapping the current month and then a few from Christmas. My plan is to stay current and work back at the same time. See how it goes.
So here are some of my pages.

Love the colours on this page . And the story I captured of Katelin with her cousin. They don't see each other often but they still get on so well. This is a lift of Nicole's page I think it is grandad.

This is a page to go into our family album about our Christmas day. Love how this turned out. 8.5 x 11 seems so fast at the moment. This is a lift of Nicole's new room layout.
Sorry the next few are blury, but now it is too dark to take more. So they will have to do.

This is a lift of an old page of mine, and I am sure it came from Nicole orginally. I like it, and look it used up a whole bunch of odd thickers. I don't usually cross colours like that but it seems to work. And I seem to have a run on Kraft at the moment.

Here is my printed out Bluberry bush page. My lift of Amy's page. I like how it turned out and it was so easy. Print 6x8 collage, open journalling space, copy text from blog paste and rejig to fit done! Then the fun part gluing together. I am liking the hybrids.

This last one is my favourite, and the photo does it no justice. It's a little wonky. I love the colours and how the placement turned out. It my version of Nicoles taekiodkai layout. I really like thte two squares of pp. And the story is really special too. It is how I bought a present this year for the kids to give each other, and they loved it. Katelin talks of her gingerbread man charm from Noah often. Noah loves the gingerbread man story. And I am proud of my kids for being so happy giving each other a present.
Thats all on the LO front. I am off to edit some shots from today - not sure if a collage calls or the will need individual shots.

A quick page

2010-01-30T21:49:00.001+11:00

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

2010-01-19T15:53:00.000+11:00

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

2010-01-16T15:23:00.002+11:00

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

2010-01-14T19:22:00.008+11:00

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

2010-01-13T16:18:00.001+11:00

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 ...

2010-01-12T21:39:00.000+11:00

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

2010-01-08T22:49:00.001+11:00

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

2010-01-07T20:41:00.000+11:00

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

2010-01-06T21:01:00.001+11:00

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

2010-01-04T21:48:00.000+11:00

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

2010-01-03T21:37:00.001+11:00

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

2010-01-02T17:30:00.001+11:00

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

2010-01-02T14:48:00.002+11:00

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

2010-01-01T16:16:00.001+11:00

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.

A 2010 .... to Cherish

2009-12-31T15:16:00.000+11:00

I am a bit all over the shop at the moment. Having read a few posts about the year ahead and peoples thoughts. I have read Di's, Sharon's and Amy's. I thought a lot about a word for 2009, I really liked Ali's one 'Nurture' but I couldn't decide and I let it go for the year. Perhaps that was a sign that it would be a year I would not be able to describe or comprehend.
It started with some blogging, and I really enjoyed that, capturing special things in our life and recording the photos and stories. Looking back it has been a wonderful way to record part of our lives.
The year has been a good one for our family, mostly smooth sailing and enjoying each other. We have had some small trials, nothing major. I would like to be a better Mamma not so tired and cranky, more time for me, and more sticking to excercise and those usual things. (My belated birthday/Christmas present may assist this). I will share in another post, it hasn't arrived yet. Some more time for cleaning, looking after and improving our house. All things I would love to improve on. And I intend to do so. But as I mentioned the first half of the year was moving along well, it came to a screaming hault for a while in May and then shifted into a different direction. Whilst my family were fine, it changed my perspective on a lot of things. This was when Hilarie was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. From this point we moved to form Hills' Angels and worked as hard as we could to do all we can to help. This consumed the second half of the year and my family and a lot of the things I love suffered through this time.
To my families credit they all supported me and helped me to overcome all my shortfalls by working together in this time. As the year draws to a close I am becoming more aware of the changes that have taken place and the year we have ahead.
2010 can be all I hope for with my family, a year of health, eating better, cooking our own bread, working with the kids in the kitchen, growing more of our own veges. A year of exercise and the outdoors, playing more sports being more active and spending more time as a family doing so. A year of togetherness, spending time together, enjoying each other and learning and experiencing new things together.
At this point I will introduce my word for 2010, it is Cherish.

cher⋅ish

–verb (used with object)

1.	to hold or treat as dear; feel love for: to cherish one's native land.

2.	to care for tenderly; nurture: to cherish a child.

3.	to cling fondly or inveterately to: to cherish a memory.

I hope to focus more on Cherishing what I already have, Cherish the things I am able to do and Cherish above all the time that I have. (Side note: I now feel the need to find this word in white wood and hang it somewhere in my house, please let me know if you come across one).
This word comes about as I keep thinking what 2010 will bring for me, my family, my amazing group of friends and most importantly for Hil. It seems like up until now I have been able to focus on all we were doing to make it better, but now it is all done, we have to step back, support and go back to being the friends she knows and loves, surrounding her and supporting her. I am having a little more trouble facing 2010 and what it may hold.
So I have decided to be thankful for all I have and to try a little harder to Cherish what is already here, and every little moment that we have together. Heres to a 2010 full of moments to Cherish.

Teaching my Children

2009-12-24T07:34:00.001+11:00

There is always empahsis on the real meaning of Christmas at our house. We try to explain about (baby) Jesus, thats what he is called in our house, and His birthday and all he has done for us. We also talk about the fact that we give presents to all our friends and family.
At this point I must share that my children have given gifts with much joy this year. We took turns giving and opening gifts to the kids friends, and when it was turn to give our gifts, obviously they just had to sit and watch while the others opened, and to see them looking so proud giving the gifts, and taking delight in what their friends recieved was so heart warming, a very proud Mummy moment. Noah has been like this all season.
So each year we take the kids to the local shopping centre and let them pick a present to donate. We explain that some Mummy's and Daddy's can't afford lots of presents, let alone food, and that we will buy one for them so they can have a suprise on Christmas morning. They understand, and Noah takes great pride in knowing that another little boy like him will be geting a present. He undertands that we don't know who they are and that this is something we can do to help.

I let the kids pick a present for someone the same age and sex as they are. This year we chose the K-mart wishing tree, and we wrote on our lables who they were for, a little boy aged 5 and a little girl aged 3. I rounded up as the presents they picked were for 5 and up and 3 and up.
We explained that they needed to pick a present that they liked, and thought another little boy ond girl would like. We headed down the toy ailse.

Katelin chose first, a Belle tea set in the shape of a tea pot.

Then Noah went for the Legos no suprise there!

Off to pay next.
Then we stuck our labels on and went to put them under the tree.

Katelin said present for little girl, as she put hers under the tree.

Noah helped her doing so.

I am so very proud that they understand and that they do this so well, with no tantrums wanting the item for themselves. I hope that they will continue to give where and when they can. And that they always remember about those not as fortunate as themselves.

Preparing for Christmas

2009-12-23T16:28:00.004+11:00

The day before Christmas, all was quiet in the house
because the kids were both gone and so was the spouse.
the vacumming done, the food was prepared
the presents were wrapped, and good wishes were shared.

The house was all tidy, everything in its place
Awaiting the family's pressence to grace
Stockings are finished and under the tree
Waiting for little children laughing with glee.

Christmas Eve holds a tour of lights at the Hunter Valley.
Then home to bed with the kids we will rally,
While they dream of the presents and the morning ahead
we remind them of the true meaning instead.

Sorry the end is a little weak. I have spent the day tidying the house and preparing in advance as much food as possible. As always I had grand plans for the day, and time has gotten away from me and now it is time to collect the children.

I can't post any photos yet as I am borrowing Mum and Dad's camera, and I don't have anything to read their card with, said as i sit down to add some photos and edit! Will try later.

We are hoping to place some gifts under one of the donation trees tonight, something we do each year with the kids and they enjoy. Tomorrow Andrew is home, and it is supposed to be hot, so I am thinking a swim in the pool or at the beach. Then in the evening we plan to head to the Hunter Valley Gardens (which are beautiful on their own) but look spectacular when lit up for Christmas. The kids enjoy it and I can't wait to head there too. There is something magical about Christmas Eve.

Oh somewhere in there we have to make the cookies for Santa and leave them and the beer, milk and cookies out, and a carrot for Rudolph. If I don't pop back in before them Merry Christmas to you all and may 2010 hold everything you hope for. Thank you all for sharing the year with me.
Shannon
x

Christmas all wrapped up

2009-12-18T16:47:00.000+11:00

Sorry no DD here today. I haven't been motivated. So instead I wapped the last of the presents. Not quite I am waiting for one to come by courier (my husband tonight) his company picked them up earlier this week and he has just confirmed he has them. Yes they did get slightly lost in the depot, it seems all parcels have bad luck this time of year. But now it is found, good thing as I need one of the presents for Monday!
Any way, enough of that. I wanted to share my tree and wrapping since Di shared hers (well kind of, it was more about the unwrapped one under the tree!) and Sharon shared hers.
Please excuse the photos, not best camera to work with and do you believe it is rainy and cold today - not good light, and not a lot like Christmas!

Here is my tree, each year I tend to have different colours, last year was pink and blue, I am still enjoying those colours. But I couldn't find a paper I was really happy with so I bought purple paper, with pink and blue baubles on it, so I added the purple decorations to the tree too to tie in. I had the decorations in my stash already. I like the tree as it is pretty full, that seems to be what makes it look so nice.

Here are my presents. A close up, sorry I didn't get any with the purple ribbon it is my favourite. I do put ribbon around the kids pressies but in a bow so they can get it off themselves. I also don't let anyone throw their ribbon out I keep it and recycle.

Here is the stocings I talked of the other day, we bought them and made a few changes, the pink one came from Lincraft and Mum sewed on the Christmas tree, the blue one from a cheap shop, Mum added some lining, unpicked the word Angel (it was the only blue we could find) and sewed on the circle, she has painted it too but you can't see that. They are just awaiting some MDF letters, an N and a K, to be painted white and attached with ribbon. I love them.

Since Sharon is always so good at sharing ideas I thought I would share these. They are called Kimmidoll's and I love them! I think there may be some in a stocking or two. The small ones are about $10 and the big ones $20. They make a great present and you can collect them, there are lots of different colours. Katelin has one already and loves it, it is handbag size. I forgot to say ours usually come from Kenny's Cardiology or our local newsagent. Thats all for today, got to go get ready for dinner and pack a bag, we are heading off to Sydney tomorrow for the Wiggles Christmas Concert and the David Jones windows, Myer Christmas train, and QVB and Martin Place trees, I love those things, some treasured memories of my own Childhood Christmases!

DD update

2009-12-17T15:02:00.001+11:00

I am having trouble with my DD too many ideas and not enough time. I would love to be more caught up but the bits I have been doing have been taking so much time.

Here is day 14, still missing the stocking shot, they haven't been delivered yet.

And the back.

The days in between we went to a performance of Road to Bethlehem, it was brilliant, and pre school, Noah has bought home a suprise present for Andrew and I under the tree, and we have to wait until Christmas day to open it.
Today I plan to help Noah with his letter to Santa, and I loved Ali's page here. I plan to add an envelope to the back I think.

Does anyone know how to spell check with updated blogger?
Sharon, off to hair dresser now, will email pics of tea set tonight.

My DD as it is in my album today

2009-12-15T07:26:00.001+11:00

Ok so old camera working, can only take 6 shots at a time cause the big memory stick doesn't work!
So here are my pages in my album at the moment.

Day one, I know you have seen this, but it's nice to see it in the album together, this is Domestic Blitz suprise day, the kids had a great time.

Day two, a group shot of Hill's Angels and our Hil at out papmer day put on by Blitz, and journalling.

Back of day two, and day three. Day two is just a collage of shots from the day. Day three is letters to my to children, about them at the moment and Christmas traditions. I printed out lines on cardstock to suit what I wanted colour and size wise.

Back of day three, is just a picture of Kate playing at the beach before we went to the movies. May still use movie ticket in there like Ali's idea here. As you can see day four not done - skip ahead to day 10.

Day 10, our trip to Santa at story time, I am yet to do the back of this page, think it will be Katelin opeing her advent for the day. I need to write a note that Kate doesn't like the tab here, she lifts it up because you can't se her pretty kirt (skirt), which I had to negotiate that she wore again today, you will see it was on the night before too, and she wouldn't take it off for bed unless I promised she could wear it the next day too, she then said thank you Mumma, like it was the best promise ever.

Day 11, you have seen too, but here it is in the album. Kate and I making cookies. Still need a back here too. Will write about Noah getting his train I think. More notes required, I am getting confused. Will check my running journal file.

Day 12 was when I had no camera so I used another photo (way too many taken on day 11) and wrote about the day, still no back of 12 either, think I will make a pocket and stick in some bits from the day. I like simple!

Day 13 was a day late but I had to shift, too many for one day, and we go to see the lights most nights, we did on this night too, it is about the house up the street that had poping up Santa, Noah has talked about this for the past 3 years, since he was 18 months (not many words then but he remembers) and how he got stuck, well finally the man got sick of it and tried to get another one, he couldn't so he bought spinning around Santa, Noah was very sad he doesn't like change. He is warming to the idea now though. Below is the back, I hand journalled, using a card from a Heidi Swapp album, love it when it is quick and easy.

Day 14 is not yet done but I know what I want to do. It is supposed to be an 8 x8 sleeve with a baseball card sleeve in it cut up, so I would like to make it look somewhat like this of Ali's. And I am going to write about my Mum making things for me when I want something and just can't find the right thing, she always fixes it and knows just what I mean. We were on the hunt for Christmas stockings for my kids to go under my tree which had a pink and blue theme at the moment. They aren't done yet so photos to come. Gotta love Mum's especially crafty ones! And also for the back I will write about my hand made things about Christmas. I have a photo wreath and an advent calendar. I made both. Also have to include the Santa sacks she made for them a few years ago.

Thats it from me - should stop blogging and get making more pages!

PS I am in my room on the laptop and can hear in Katelin's monitor that she has woken and is playing with her Fisher Price nativity scene, I love these little sneak peeks! And Christmas time.

Day 12

2009-12-13T14:50:00.000+11:00

Here is my page for day 12.

So as I mentioned, no photo from yesterday, I have dug out the old camera now, so I will have to work with it for a while. I used a photo from the day before, my kids playing in the long grass before Daddy mowed it.

It was still them being outside and having fun. At the moment it is 6 x 9 inch, may be trimmed a little. I need to print it out and put it in my canvas pocket for day 12. Sorry no photo yet too hard, will try a scan later.

By the way Di not all my pages are 8 x 8 the canvas ones are a little bigger.
Hope you girls are enjoying! I feel I am making progress now - no ideas for today yet. Quiet weekend at home was needed by all of us! I think maybe a photo of the tree we decorated (or finished) with the new train under it! See how the afternoon goes. Did you see the reindeer cookie mix over at Leanne's blog? I love it!
More cookies were baked and eaten today too!

Day 11, story one done

2009-12-12T21:27:00.000+11:00

So here is my day 11. I had to scan it, the camera and I are not seeing eye to eye, or perhaps it has no eye - its lens will not open. :(

I have a couple of other stories for that day, one is about a house that has a Santa decoration Noah has talked about since he was 18 months old, and was devistated when he couldn't fix it and got a new one today. This also requires an actual page!
The other is that our neighbour gave him a train for under our tree that he just adores, he is a little unsure and still wants to give it back, he doesn't like change.

So one of these stories may become day 12, as there are too many for one day, and now I don't have a photo for today at all, other camera would not co operate either. Or I may do a picture free day. We had no rules tonight, ate outside, kids went to bed late, we enjoyed playing and had custard and fruit for dinner. I was reminded again just to enjoy after reading some more of Nienie's blog - I want to be a Mum like her!

Here is my before of the back of page 3, I can't show you more - no camera, you get the gist though. On to day four and 12 tomorrow!

The beginnings of day 11

2009-12-11T16:19:00.001+11:00

I am hoping all over the place with my DD. I found it helpful to have made my blog post earlier, about day one so will try to do that more. Here is part of today, day 11 - never mind day 4 - 9 will get to them. Day 10 is half done too.

I plan to print out like this and add a piece of pp in the black square. Journalling will be hand written around the sides I think. This was Katelin and I making some Christmas cookies, you will see these again around Christmas Eve, for Santa of course. Kate had a great time stiring, lots of cute sounds and I mixing and of course a taste test. Then some rolling, roll roll roll, we only cut out and cooked a few, it was too hot, we had to refridegerate and will make more later. There was lots of fun had, and all lunch eaten up as there was the promise of cookies after! Di I replied to your last comment in my last post! Hope you are all enjoying Decemeber.

First installment of December Daily

2009-12-11T07:13:00.003+11:00

Here are my pages I have been working on, need to get a wriggle on now though!

The above is my first page and it was taken straight from my blog post, gotta love words already captured!

Below is the back of my day one, it is a shot of all the Hills' Angels and Hil and I love it dearly.

These next two images are my day 2 - they will go back to back in a 4 x 6 sleeve.

And day 3 are letters to my children, it was fun to do. Still working on a plan for the back of day 3.
Just to share I am workinf from Ali Edwards' December Daily and very much sticking to what she has done, at this point I don't have much time for invention, however, my pages are turning out differently to suit my days, and it is really fun!

December first

2009-12-02T19:53:00.004+11:00

Katelin, Noah and Andrew at Hil's Blitz Breakfast
Since we have so much going on at the moment, I think some quick posts here my spur on my December Daily. Also I think this December is going to deviate a little from the traditional Christmas events each day.
This day started early for us, we needed to be at Davistown by 7am, so I had to wake Noah and Katelin and get them dressed. Noah still has time to open his present from the advent calender, which was a snail tape measure, or a snail measure tape as he calls it. He said thank you very much Mummy and Daddy for getting me my snail measure tape I love it.
Katelin was very understanding and keen to have her own turn, late in the day she asked if it was her turn, and I explained it was not until the next day, after the sun went to sleep.
We headed to a very special breakfast for Hills' Angels with our families, and it was announced that Hil and Pete and Hadley would be domestic blitzed. My kids were so excited, Katelin was lapping up the attention, clapping and waving and doing little dances all about in her tutu. I learned later that she was filmed by blitz, a close up even, of her doing a little dance in the window, and that she and Rosie went on their very own tour of the Blitz bus.
Not a traditional start to the month, but certainly one we will never forget. Happy December my family, and Happy New House Hilie and Pete!

We are getting Hils' house DOMESTIC BLITZED!!!!!!!!!!

2009-12-01T14:20:00.004+11:00

I have been really busy, and so very slack on the blogging front - if nothing else I should be posting to keep myself up to date for scrapping. I am planning on a December Daily, and in the rush of today I had forgotten until now, that today is in fact day one of December. I guess our entry today will be a little less focused on Christmas, and more focused on Domestic Blitz!
Let me explain, for those who read often you will know I have a friend, her name is Hilarie, she has a brain tumor and we have been fundraising for her. A few months ago, back in the beginning we sent in a request to the Channel 9 TV show, Domestic Blitz. For those who are unsure, they take the family away for a few days, and renovate their house. They picked us, and our dear beautiful Hilarie and her family, Peter and Hadley - they are going to transform their house.
So this morning in secret we bought them to Stillwaters again, under the guise of a thank you breakfast and in the middle of it all burst in Scott Cam and Shelley Craft. It was a little surreal to think that it was actually happening and that it will be on TV, but the look on Hilaire's face, and the gratitude that she has for all we have done, has bought it home again.
This most beautiful, kindhearted generous lady, who has touched so many lives in simple little ways, but has such a huge impact, deserves every little bit of this, I heard numerous times how much Hilarie is loved and how special she is. Hopefully we are able to give just a little back and make this time just a little easier for her and her family, to spend time together and create some wonderful memories.
I also need to say that I have the most amazing bunch of friends, who form Hills' Angels and that I am so grateful to have them in my life, helping me to do what we can to change Hil's life.
It is going to be a whirlwind week and we can't wait to partake and enjoy, but most of all we can't wait to see what they do to her house, and to spoil her. Thank you so much for all the kind thoughts and positive energy that has resulted in these amazing things happening to such a special person. Thank you so much Channel 9 and Domestic Blitz.
I will post a picture a little later, I am still collecting them from camera's of a few of the Angels.
Edited to add: I will advise when it goes to air, at this point they don't know, it will be early next year February or March 2010 (now that is scary to say!).

Yesterday Today Pages

2009-11-15T20:24:00.002+11:00

So I have been making a little time to play catch up with my Yesterday Today Classes, it is week 7 and I had only done up to week 3. So to start here is my title page (wk 2) I completed a few weeks ago. I still haven't found the right circle accent - I really need a circle punch!

This next one is a double page spread, and it was really fun to make, just jotting down little stories. I think I may do another page for some more short stories later on in the course, depending what stories I use on other pages.

This last page I worked on yesterday and printed and stuck together today. I must say I am loving all the brushes and layered templates and things that come with the course. Ali Edwards really has put in a lot of effort. And I love that they are adaptable for other future LO's!
I am happy with how this page turned out, have to tweak my printing photos at home though the BW not so crisp!

Sorry about the quality of the photos, late afternoon light, and kids hindering me! I have done my week 5 page, and I plan on doing another in this format before I move on to watching week 6's video. No pic's yet as no daylight. I will share more when I have time.
It is our big dinner/entertainment night on THIS FRIDAY so I have a busy week. Also for those wondering I will be back to share my logo soon, I have had first proof and it has gone back for a few small mods. Enjoy your week, they just said it is supposed to reach 39 tomorrow!

Words + photos + glue (tape) = happy

2009-11-13T14:39:00.006+11:00

I have shared a little of all the craziness at my place recently. Thank you all for such kind words, and thanks for the tip Nicole, my best friend, Tracey just bought me back some lovely chamomile tea from a shopping trip to Melbourne. I just thought I would share my way of unwinding. I did this last weekend, and I meant to post earlier but time has not been on my side.

I had to make some time, another late night, to get some scrapping done. I just felt I needed to do it, there were some stories weighing on my mind that needed recording. So I sat and printed out journalling for most of these pages in one afternoon, then when the kids (and my husband) went to bed I sat cutting and gluing (well taping) together my pages.

I felt so much happier with myself once I had done it. I have been participating in Ali's class yesterday and today. It is so inspiring about recording the stories I just has so many floating around in my head they needed to get out.

I have found I am happy when these stories out and I have created something. I really do love my words and photos, and my inspiration, at this point usually for straight out copies, from my scrappy online friends. Thanks girls and thank you scrapbooking.

I also have to confess the collages were just waiting to be finished, so they were quick and I enjoyed them. The others just fit the photos I had to work with and the notes I had made. When I looked at the photos I had ideas about what I wanted to do with them so thankfully I had jotted notes and I went back to them, I wouldn't have remembered at the moment.

More stories of Katelin and bed time, which I must say has improved dramatically in the last few weeks. Night routine is good, we are down to one bottle and no nappy and mostly dry nights so today Katelin got rewarded with a Thumbelina doll. Days are a little harder but still working well.

Some about Noah's first sleepover and our time with Katelin on her own - more stories to write there.

Some about a lovely pre spring morning in the garden as a family.

One about our bush walk - more needed there too. And this last page is about Katelin and her love for the Island Princess Barbie movie, I especially wanted to capture this while it was still fresh, as this is not her favourite now, she is changing so quickly.

I'm off to work on some new photos now - Katelin went to pre school for the first time on Wednesday, and I really want to sort the photos, do a blog post and scrap while it is still fresh.
Can't believe my baby is gone and I have this big girl now. Sigh.

Launching Just like Katie

2009-11-01T21:40:00.005+11:00

Ok I know, I am sure I have no readers at all left! It is so crazy around here at the moment, I almost had a total melt down this afternoon - I got upset at the boys having played Legos with the bits I hadn't yet put together and labeled I know PLAYING with toys - not supposed to happen is it. I just couldn't get past the hours I have put in sorting and building! And hours I don't have to re-sort at the moment.
So along with the full time job of being a Mum, I have taken on the job of fundraising, which at the moment is taking an insane amount of time at the moment with an event for 400 people to put on in 2.5 weeks - oh and a website to keep updating - so little time.
So as if I don't have enough going on, I have been working on starting up my business ...just like Katie! A logo is on its way, website being constructed and much sewing has been done, on my mum's part so far. I mentioned that I had a few crazy opportunities pop up, well the first was a market stall last Friday night at Noah's preschool. The other is a new market starting up close by and it is next week! So they have been lousy timing for all we have had going on. But I had to get in and give them a go. (Oh by the way in amongst all this last week we got some great news about a secret project we have been working on, so add in some more work in a short amount of time, can't say any more on that yet!).
So last week was spent madly making labels, getting bags, putting together products, working out displays and just bringing it all together.

I had a great time making the labels for the clothes, and putting them together to display. I am ironing out some bugs so to speak on how to display things and how much space we need, but it has been great.

This is kind of a close up of the pop over skirt which gave me the incentive to really give this a go. Katelin is loving hers and I have sold 3 already and I have a few others wanting some. I really need to get some good photos of Kate in hers. So my first night was not great, there weren't many people but I did sell some things so that is encouraging! And I had fun so it was a good start. It was just insane getting to that point!

Anyway that's all for the quick update from me. I have another website to work on now, could someone stop the clock for a few hours please! Watch out for a logo and maybe a blog button later this week!

Hills' Angels - this is where my time has been going!

2009-10-20T07:31:00.004+11:00

Well I have mentioned a few times that I have been doing some fundraising amongst other things keeping me very busy. It is now time to share what has been going on.
Earlier this year, March in fact one of the girls in our mothers group had a seizure. After a lot of investigating and time, they diagnosed a brain tumor. When she went in for her initial surgery in June, we were unsure of a diagnosis, after the surgery and some testing the worst possible diagnosis was given, we were told our dear Hilarie had 12 months to live.
Still unable to fathom the diagnosis and what it would mean, we swung into action, as best we knew how. We all got together and had a few meetings about how best we could help. Of course money is always an issue in these situations add to the mix a self employed husband and a four year old little boy who requires looking after. This meant that Hil's husband had to stop work to both support his wife and care for their little boy. This has now become our focus, and with Hilarie's guidance it has been decided that we will be raising funds to secure the future needs and education of her son, something she will not be there to do herself.
Enter HILLS' Angels - Help Involves Love Laughter and Support. We decided that we could make a fundraising group with the short term vision of helping our Hilarie and the long term vision of helping other families in similar situations. We worked very hard to decide on a name and logo that worked with our vision of supporting mums in need.
All Angels have worked tirelessly from that moment on towards our first event, Hats and Heels for Hills, a ladies only breakfast held last Saturday at Stillwaters Restaurant, Davistown.
Some of the ladies enjoying breakfast.
Watching our hard work come to fruition, and to see all of the amazing women who had come to support our Hilarie was really a dream realised for us. We had worked closely with Dominique, the owner of Stillwaters and Hilarie's boss and dear friend, to plan our first event. We were honoured that we could hold it in a place so dear to Hilarie, as they were to be able to have it there. An army of pink angels arrived to set up the tables for our guests. Balloons and floral decorations were provided by L and A Flowerland, Ourimbah.
They have been honoured to be able to help in any way they can. The room looked stunning. And then guests started arriving.
As much as I thought we would be nervous, I don't think we had time, we just set to work doing our jobs. The morning unfolded very quickly for us, pouring champagne, seating people, and tending to their needs. The guest of honour arrived, and the out pouring of love for her filled the room, many guests were friends, some were meeting Hil for the first time, having only shared her story from other Angels before today. The kind words that have been said about our Hil truly reflect the amazing, caring, patient and selfless person she is. She joined her table for a quiet rest and to enjoy the festivities. While the morning passed in a bit of a blur for us Angels, and a lot of tears, here are some of the highlights. This is Hilarie and her mum, Meryl.

Lisa, one of our Angels spoke, giving an overview of why we were there and what the morning would include.

Breakfast was served. The first of the raffles were drawn. The best Hat and best Heels were judged and awarded. Some more raffles were drawn. Our Hilarie and her Mum said some beautiful words.

There was musical interlude where Dani Carr sang. At this point we were offered breakfast, we all sat to eat, really just out of habit, as beautiful as the food was I don't think any of us could focus on that.

Next we announced that any raffle tickets left could be put back into the major prize draws of Michael Hill Jewellery, a Hair Straightener and a hand made quilt. This caused much excitement amongst the women. Those prizes were drawn. During this time some more announcements were made including the fact that the kitchen boys had pooled some money to donate, and that the entire staff had donated their wages for the morning. At this point, while on stage I might add, the tears welled in my eyes, this meant that our entire event was pure profit, as we had learned the day before there would be no charge for the catering. This is a true testament to our Hilarie and how much love there is for her at her place of work. I still have tears as I write this.
To end our morning there was a some money offered for Dani to remove his shirt, after a bit of crowd encouragement it was accepted.

And one of the guests, Narelle sang Hey Big Spender, while Dani proceeded to remove his shirt. This impromptu performance bought our event to a close and us Angels headed to the doors to thank our guests.
So many had such kind words for the effort we had put into the morning, it was very flattering to here from friends and strangers that we had done so well. Our reply was just how could we not, we had to do something and this is it.

Angels from left to right, Lisa, Susie, Shannon, Larissa, Dominique (owner of Stillwaters), Hilarie, Linda, Tracey, Natalie and Bec.
After the event we have continued to receive such lovely praise, some of which you can read here.
So after a long post, where I am sure I have missed out some things, I will end with the fact that the morning was a huge success. You can visit the website I have been setting up here, it is still a work in progress. You can grab a button from above on my right side bar to support us. And I will be back to share more about our next event - and try to scrap about this last one somewhere in between!

Who takes 473 photos in one month.... me apparently

2009-10-08T15:01:00.005+11:00

I was going to blog a little later, but I am taking a break from looking at photos to edit. I just looked at my folder for September and there is 473 photos in there, what was I thinking? Must be spring. I had been trying to take less photos, it was working, but not in September apparently!
I am going to share the last few pages of my scrapathon. Thank you all for stopping by to have a look, and for your lovely comments about Katelin's sleep. I will share some more of her saga at the bottom of this post. I feel I need to document it, it is so much a part of my day at the moment!
Here are my pages, thanks again to Di for her pages that gave me inspiration! And as always from Nicole too.
I loved Nicole's circles on this post. I really must get my own circle punch. My photo was smaller in size but I was determined to make do, and I am fairly pleased with the way it turned out.
These next two are very similar and I enjoyed doing the same LO twice, it was quick, just changed the journalling a little, and the strip of pp on the top of the love one is there to create balance, my journalling came out too high up and there was no way I was reprinting!
Lastly this is a favourite, I think because I like the photos. And if you are wondering the one with no Katelin in there is because I need to print another shot, it is just filling space until then!
Lastly today Katelin told me she was tired, so I thought she would go down well, it must have worn off before she got to bed. She played for a while and thankfully at least she worked out she needed to sleep.

So with her pillow under her bed, (her cot mattress is still under her bed currently) she climbed in and snuggled down and fell asleep under her bed with her hand in the air! It was a great improvement on the last few days so very thankfully!

A very scrappy week

2009-10-07T15:57:00.002+11:00

Ok so I have had another scrappy afternoon. It has been much needed me time after my harrowing week. I mentioned Andrew worked the long weekend, and I had a lot of trouble with Katelin sleeping, I didn't tell the story of my wardrobe, just a shelf and hanging rack, but professionally installed when we built our house just fell down on Thursday when I was getting my clothes out. Not on me, I wasn't hurt but it was a lot of clothes and a great big mess. Will share more when I take more pics. After a week of clothes everywhere we have finally got a small hanging space sorted and the other clothes are in apple boxes, used as shelves. Will take photos and write more. It is funny now but wasn't at the time and very frustrating when you want the item on the bottom of a very heavy pile!
And on Saturday, I had all my lights go out. We worked out how to get half of them back on, but a house in half darkness is difficult. I finally worked out we had a leaky roof by walking in water, Andrew climbed up to stop the water getting in, but as for fixing it, that only happened yesterday when he came home early to fix it in the daylight. So add to my week no lights in half the house for 4 days, LONG WEEK!
On a happier note, I have been very scrapping organised - and my house is mostly tidy - will call a wardrobe fitter soon. I have started Ali Edwards' Yesterday Today and part of the first week was to look through your albums and write what you love and what you would change, I have worked out I really like simple pages with lots of journalling about the time, it is great to go back and read older stories! After I did that I filed away the pages I have been working on. I have done 20 pages this week, and only of them were 12 x 12. I have found 8.5 x 11 very quick mostly anyway. Agata, when I did those pages in an hour and a half I must have been having a good day, no interruptions quick decisions etc. Most of my other pages took longer.

I am putting the pages between my words to break them up, I have a lot of little tidbits to share in this post. As I was filing these pages I worked out 2009 seems to be the year of the collage in my albums so far and I am having lots of fun with them. I like looking back at them. Also as I have been filing, I put them in rough date order in my albums, not always exact - doesn't work. I write in lead pencil on the back of each page the date the photo was taken. I get this from the digital photo files. I find this helps later on. On the odd occasion I don't journal the exact date on the page.

I have enjoyed scrapping these few pages and I found working from a small pile made me feel better, and now I know August and some old pictures from my mobile phone are all scrapped. I am going to pick out and edit photos from September before Harvey Normans 12 c sale finishes on Sunday. Don't think I am up to date then either, I have another pile from earlier in the year I pull out and work on too.

I have not yet come up with a solution to the blurry photos, they are fine before I post them. And Di yours don't look blurry at all to me, I can click on them make them bigger and read the journalling just fine.

And a final note, thanks for the comments about Katelin's sleep, we will keep working on it and see how we go. I know she needs the sleep because if we are in the car around sleep time, or if I take her for a drive when she won't sleep she nods off in like 5 minutes and when I bring her home she sleeps for at least 2 hours if not more. Cheeky little monkey. I will let you know if she improves. I have a few more pages to share tomorrow, these ones are ones I did on Sunday. Happy scrapping.
PS sorry if there are grammar errors no time to check off to pick Noah up from pre school now.

More pages .... a scrappy long weekend

2009-10-05T13:53:00.007+11:00

Ok so lets start at the beginning of my story. In NSW this is a long weekend, and originally my husband had this next week booked as holiday's, as it got closer his holidays got cancelled and he told me he would have to work the whole long weekend. I knew this wouldn't go down well with the kids, as they haven't seen their Dad much this week. I have been good at outings to distract them, but myself I have been going crazy. I start with a story of having trouble getting Katelin to sleep. It is a vicious cycle of lack of sleep, sleeping late and waking early. And it is doing my head in, especially without another pair of hands around.
So I took these photos on Friday, before most of my troubles escalated. I had just watched my first video lesson on Yesterday and Today and I realised that Katelins not staying in bed and going straight to sleep was a story I needed to tell. This story starts with Kate waking at 5am, cold and unable to go back to sleep. I thought since she had been up so long she would go down well at lunch time, but no! First she got up and came out and wandered outside, then to go to the toilet, then again to see me and I took a princess away, then she put in a dvd, and I took millie away, then she played and I took her blanket away, then she had all her toys out so I took them away and gave her Millie back. 7 checks 3 bottles of milk and numerous discussions she finally went to sleep, after an hour and a half. She had read some books and used her basket to climb up to turn the light on.

So that is just one sleep, try this every day for the last 3 days for a lunch sleep and a night sleep. Tried skipping lunch sleep things just got worse, and Andrew didn't even come home last night. So I have had a hard weekend, so I needed some me time and I haven't had a husband around so I have been super scrapping.
Here are some of my pages, this has been the same as the formula on my last post. I have been loving the quick pages and I feel great actually getting some done. I have worked through my pile for August and some old pics too.

So this page below I finally did the journalling for, it is my attempt at Nicole's sketch challenge before last. I will have a go of the last sketch too when I have a little more time.

So I am off to finish the last few pages. Then I need to shop at RW they are on sale until midnight tonight,10% off. After that some photo editing, I hear Harvey have 12c prints at the moment.
Enjoy your Monday!

PS Sorry images still blurry, not sure why, more homework required, they aren't blurry here. I think it is something I have accidentally done to blogger. Hard to find a solution when I don't know the problem.

Some Pages

2009-10-01T16:49:00.004+10:00

Hello again,

Is anyone there? My loyal commenter's have not said anything on my last post, so I am wondering is anyone listening? I have almost finished my Me the abridged version album, I am up to Y and Z. By finished I mean the journalling. Once I finish my last two letters I am going to print and assemble the rest of my album, the pieces are all cut ready to go. And I am not going to do the pictures in a hurry. I am going to look at each entry and think a little before choosing my pictures, I know I actually need to take a few too. But to me it is almost complete, and I finished in the four weeks. I didn't think I could do it!
So while I have been working on that not much other scrapping has been going on. I visited Di's blog the other day and noticed she had some new images in her flickr gallery. Her new additions inspired me, they were clean and had some awesome patterned papers, and great colour co ordination. So after scrapping Noah's chores page, from my last post I got to work on some new pages.

I grabbed the latest photos I had printed, starting at the top of the pile, picked a matching LO of Di's and got to work. I found quick decisions helped me, I just went with my first instincts. I got these three pages all done in an hour and a half, yes seriously, totally done ready to go in their albums. What do you think?

Today I sat down and did two more, not quite as quick, but same method. I was a bit slower today as I got some email and phone call interruptions. But it feels good and they are done. I am very happy.

Tomorrow I will share the sad story of my wardrobe, it collapsed on me this morning and now there are clothes all around my room - I think a trip to ikea is in store!
Just one last question, are these images blurry to you or is it just my laptop?

Express Post - Chores

2009-09-28T20:31:00.005+10:00

Ok so I don't really call them chores, they are jobs in our house. To start at the begining, a few weeks ago I was giving some thought to the things I expect my children to do around the house to contribute. And whether or not these jobs were things that they do as part of our family, or if they deserved pocket money. I decided that we were not ready for pocket money yet and that we all do things around here to help and look after our house and this is just what we do as part of our family.
I went to pick up some paper from my friend Lee and she happen to have just made her son a jobs board, so I asked her if she minded if I lifted it. Here is my interpretation.
And these are the collages I have made of the kids doing their jobs today. Will get them printed and share the pages when I get around to them.

Been a little busy with Cathy Zielske's class over at Big Picture, and Ali Edwards' starts this week, can't wait!
Photos coming problems with internet!

What do you think?

2009-09-17T14:22:00.003+10:00

So I mentioned before I am thinking of a little sewing business, just simple stuff, handmade by myself and my Mum. I think it will be fun and hopefully not too stressful. So I have a few ideas for some basic pieces. Here is a trial one on Katelin. I am loving it!

You should see the back too, not my best bow, but you get the cute idea.

What do you think? And about a name, I am thinking of ..... just like Katie. Love to hear your thoughts.

Me The Abridged Version

2009-09-15T19:34:00.003+10:00

I have been wanting to share the little scrapping that I have done. So I have tried to scan them in, we will see how they go when I post.

I haven't done much actual scrapping, just a lot of preparation, and lots of journalling. The idea of the class I am taking is to write entries under each letter of the alphabet, all about ME!

I am really enjoying it and loving writing down stories just about me. I am however having trouble keeping it mostly about me, I tend to wander off talking about my family and I have to refocus.

Here are the pages I have done for A and B. I am happy with how they look. Probably because they are pretty much an exact copy of Cathy Zielske's but that is so me I really like things when I see them just as they are, so sometimes I have trouble doing something different.

I must also confess that I have only journalled C and part of M and T, the rest of the letters only have ideas under them and J, Q, R, U, V, W and Z have nothing yet!
So Di and Jo, I am not really all that advanced. I have a lot left to to. I just had to try out a page, again so me can't wait to try out something new! Just have to do it right away even if I am not ready! It was really fun to do, and not too difficult. I must say I am enjoying learning more about photoshop.
Also I have another reason for trying to keep up. This is my first online class, and I really wanted to see how I would go at keeping up, and following the instructions. Mostly because I really want to take Ali's class, but was a bit worried it was at the busiest end of the year and it is 12 weeks long! But now I think I can take it on, I am very excited about it, I haven't registered yet - that is next weeks job! I can't wait! I love old photos and stories, I have been gathering stories from my Nan and Pop about how they met and about my Mum as a baby and little girl, it is something I love learning about and I am sure my children will too!
I love scrapbooking, and capturing my families memories!

Technology

2009-09-13T13:52:00.002+10:00

I am doing the class Me the abridged version by Cathy Zielske over at Big Picture at the moment. While I have been writing I have been thinking a lot about the technology in our lives. I seem to come back to this a lot, like mobile phones, where my kids know to go find it when it has a text message, or they say just send someone a message and find out. Usually the messages is to my good friend (Aunty) Tracey to see what Rose (her daughter is doing). I makes me laugh to hear them say it and to think that I didn't even know what one was when I was a kid.
I think about the differences between our kids, and the kids who played outside all day, cause it was much safer, and only came home when it got dark.
So as I have been noticing this a lot lately, I thought I would take a photo to scrap, since I haven't yet wirtten down these thoughts.
So here is our lounge room right now. Kate is in her room sleeping, it is quiet time. I am looking at the video for adding photos to my pages for the class. Will post more about my album later, I want to to take some work in progress type photos - is it ok to scrapbook about scrapbooking? Andrew is working on making a website for our foundation to raise funds for our friend who is dying of cancer. Awesome husband of mine contributing his time, which is so scarce. I will do another post on our foundation when it has a little more to share, ie like a website to look at! Oh and the main tv has the V8 supercars at Phillip Island on it, both my husband and I are fans. So Noah who wants to be out here with us is watching Monsters Inc on the portable DVD player with headphones on. It is such a different world in which we live!
Where would we be without the internet - outside more? Would we be healthier? These things play on my mind. Especially on such a gorgeous spring day where my friendly iphone tells me it is 31 degrees. I should mention we have been outside all morning cleaning the cubby house out and enjoying the sun - the spring cleaning saying is so true!

Spring time

2009-09-12T14:54:00.004+10:00

Spring it here and it has been glorious.
We have these lovely cherry blossom trees up the road so a week or two ago I went and took some test photos. The next day when I had worked out it would still be sunny we headed down to take some photos. I like these two.I am glad I did as the next week the blossoms were all gone again.
Sorry it has been so lite on with posts, the weather has been great, we have been out enjoying and doing jobs. I have done a page or two. But currently I am working on Cathy Z's class and really enjoying it. I don't have much to show yet, but maybe soon. Enjoy the sunshine while you can! And please stop by again soon.