HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! hope everyone had a fabulous christmas & a great new years eve!!
We celebrated christmas at home with the relatives coming over for xmas lunch...we had so many left overs it wasnt funny!! so much food!!! The kids all got great christmas presents from santa and from family....
We went to mandurah for the day after boxing day, we had plans to stay the night but oldest got another headache & was sick so we came home later in the evening.....we then spotted a xbox band drum & guitar set on special in kmart the next day so oldest wanted that with his xmas money!! its been lots of fun singing songs & playing music.

For new years eve we first went shopping & we also went & got our eyes tested ...only i need glasses much to missys disappointment that she has perfect eyes!! she so was hoping for glasses!! So im getting new glasses next week!! cant wait as the ones i have broke on boxing day...i think it was one of the kids that did it but they were old anyway..time for new ones!!
Later in the evening we went to my parents/sisters place for new years eve dinner...bbq with salads & pavlova & fresh fruits for dessert!! not to mention champagne and vodka!!
We all had poppers, sparklers & glo sticks and kids also had bubble wands..it was a fun & noisy night!!

Having a lazy start to 2010 by packing away the christmas tree & decorations and just having a day at home

♥Me

a few more sleeps til christmas!!!

All my crafty & scrapbooking has been packed away & off the kitchen table in preparation for christmas so i havent been busy in that area for a few days....i did however clearout my huge magazine stash of scrapbooking mags & put them on freecycle! They were picked up a few hrs later!! very popular & here i was thinking i may have to recycle them!! lol what was i thinking!! i had lots of emails asking for them!!

We took the kids to see the christmas lights the other night it took us 2 hrs!! My little man fell asleep after we went to one nearby that has a lot of things for the kids to look at & go into...little fairy dells & making wishes, santas workshop & gingerbread house not to mention all the lights & blow up christmas decorations there was a sleigh being pulled by thomas & friend...it was such a great place! we then went the back way through a neighbouring suburb to another house we heard about that had a light show with its own christmas radio so you can listen in your car & watch the lights go in time!! it was amazing!! we need to go back to show my little man!

If i dont get back on to blog before christmas i hope everyone has a great christmas & a fantastic new year

♥ from Me

BABY ITS HOT OUTSIDE!!!

Its a hot one today & luckily we are not out in the heat..having a lazy sunday & staying home....we had our family xmas party last night and it was good to see everyone..especially grandma!!

Went for a lovely swim in the pool & had fun with the kids, then we had some dinner and then present time followed by lots of yummy desserts & fruits......this year we made strawberry jam and homemade xmas wreaths for my 6 auntys & grandma

Kids have one last week of school before the summer holidays begin....& then its going to be busy busy til after xmas!!

off to have an icy cold drink

♥ from Me

catch up to christmas!

fireworks at the footy xmas concert

oops its been awhile since my last post...all is going well with the holiday in hand class...album is getting completed & photos are being taken!!

On the weekend we went to visit Santa at the local shops...he arrived at the shops that day & seems to be a tradition of ours to go the day he arrives..i must admit i wasn't really looking forward to it as the lines in previous years have been SOOOOO LOOOONG!!!! but i was pleasantly surprised by how quiet it was...i know in the city they had a parade so maybe everyone went there instead...it was a little line this year & the kids made it to see Santa!! got pictures taken lollipops & reindeer ears and then did some shopping!

Later that day we then went to a Xmas party for members of the freo footy team...it was lots of fun for the kids and best of all it was free fun!! They got to play with the footy team members in little groups in age ranges suited to them....they then all got a choc-milk & huge poster of the team who then went round & signed them! Santa was there who gave them all bubbles & more choc-milk!
kids got fairy floss too!! such a sticky mess!! we then had a picnic dinner on the oval while being introduced to the 2010 team and later on carols by candle light ( or battery operated candles!! wow aren't they clever things!! ) and then followed by several big bangs of fireworks!! the kids were so happy as we finally got to stay somewhere for fireworks....i think it was their first lot close up!! well first lot they could remember anyway!! they were super tired for school the next day.....Missy had swim lessons so im glad she didn't fall asleep in the pool!

nearly end of school & Ive got most Xmas stuff done so im happy with that!

made the reindeer for my little sleigh so super cute!! i even added a red nose for Rudolph!!

while at the carols by candlelight i was glad we got to sing an Aussie Carrol!!

here are the words below!!


Dashing through the bush
In a rusty Holden Ute
Kicking up the dust
Esky in the boot
Kelpie by my side
Singing Christmas songs
It's summer time and I am in
My singlet, shorts & thongs

CHORUS:
OH, JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS
JINGLE ALL THE WAY
CHRISTMAS IN AUSTRALIA
ON A SCORCHING SUMMER'S DAY
JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS
CHRISTMAS TIME IS BEAUT
OH WHAT FUN IT IS TO RIDE
IN A RUSTY HOLDEN UTE

Engine's getting hot
Dodge the kangaroos
Swaggy climbs aboard
He is welcome too
All the family is there
Sitting by the pool
Christmas day, the Aussie way
By the barbecue!

CHORUS

Come the afternoon
Grandpa has a doze
The kids and uncle Bruce
Are swimming in their clothes
The time comes round to go
We take a family snap
Then pack the car and all shoot through
Before the washing up

CHORUS

i think us aussies need more songs than just that one!!

First haircut & xmas photos!!

xmas photo of the kids 2009
After his first haircut!!

I got my sons first haircut today at the hairdressers....he is 3 now so i was getting quite a lot of "oh isnt she so pretty!! look at her hair!" comments so it was time to admit that my baby is no longer a baby & needs a big boy haircut!! aww i nearly cried watching all the baby hair being cut off!!
He is still so very cute though ( says a very proud mummy) but he does look so different....he was running around with some random boys at the shops & i had to take a moment to realize which one he was as he now looks like all the other little ones!!

Did some more Xmas shopping and after bath time did the kids Xmas photos. We do this every year, i get them dressed in outfits but this year my oldest didn't fit into the Santa suit he had last year....it was a struggle last year i remember but not many 10 yr old's like dressing up anyway!! so the Xmas top and daddy's Santa suit top did ok!

i made some reindeer for my sleigh i made below in a previous post....i haven't taken any pics of them yet.....Ive also kept upto date on the Jessica spragues holiday in hand Xmas album!! its only day 3 but hey im on top of it!!!

♥ from Me

The countdown begins!!

So i had plans of making an advent calender for the kids but as with life it is now 2nd december and it didnt get done! i did however buy them the choc filled ones they open each day...so they are happy with those ...im thinking its the chocolate!! lol

I have done all the xmas cards & started handing them out today....i even made my nephews birthday card for friday....its rather cute...im liking the skulls roller stamp from stampin up!
i got the funky forrest one too which is rather cute also!

i have done my first page for the holidays in hand album....im thinking i can get it done!! i do have to take a pic of something warm....but im thinking maybe as its a little warm here as it is something cold might be better!!

The weeks are getting busy and most days are now filled with getting stuff ready for end of school & Christmas!! Our school has also decided to chuck in some swim lessons right at the very end of the school year! so soggy wet towels and bathers are in store for the end of year!!


♥ from Me

christmas tree is up!!

This year we decided to put the tree up a few days early as it was the weekend..im sick so we didnt go anywhere so we did the tree & put some lights out the back for the very first time!

The kids decorated the tree so it will never look like a store display..but at least i know it was decorated with love & fun!!

My little man broke a few decorations & he got quite upset....im just glad i didnt put the kids glass baby baubles on the tree...im thinking i might leave them off until closer to the day or maybe not even put them on this year.....3 yr olds are very much a handful and with an attitude of" i can do it all by myself" i can see the tree isnt going to fare too well this year!! This morning he has already found the switches to the lights on the tree and they are now beaming red & green.....luckily we went with battery operated lights on the tree!

I have a cold...i think i got it while shopping for presents...its the season of giving so i guess germs are included!!

i haven't done much scrapbooking but did do a few more Xmas cards..im keeping them simple now as im just not in the creative mood
i did do some more of Jessica Spragues holidays in hands album....i need to print a few photos of the tree to put in the album!!

have a good day!

♥ from Me

my first follower!! YAY!!!

Im so excited i have my first follower!!! hi!!!

Took my son back to the dr's today and instead of it being viral they are now thinking it might be caused by headaches/migraines.....kids these days have a lot of stress!! So now i have to keep a diary of when/if he gets this again & if it is a regular thing then they can give him medication for it....he hasnt thrown up all day today but said he has felt like it! oh & the dr he seen was called Dr christmas!!

Went scrapbooking today... it was good to get out of the house :)

i got a new ink pad today & a glue pad!! i cant wait to give it a try!! ive never used a glue pad before but it looks like it would make using glitter so easy!!


hope everyone out there is busy crafting!!

♥from Me

so cute sleigh!!

While looking for xmas decorations i could make using my cricut i came across this great site called cheeky magpie!! she has some fantastic stuff for you to download for scal.... If you want to take a look go here

I cut out the sleigh and hope to add the reindeer's too it too...and then ive got to chuck in my kids or maybe santa & some presents!!
i also attempted the bird ornament...it was very fiddly!! as ive only got the baby bug i could only make a small birdie!!

Took eldest to the dr & its a bug going round...so now im waiting for the rest of us to get it!



ive decorated a bit more on the pages i did yesterday for holidays in hand class...will do more when the kids are asleep!

♥ from Me

SSSHHHH EVERYONE IS ASLEEP!!!

Hi

what a weekend ive had!!! My eldest has been throwing up since friday night! Am i a bad mum for not wanting to hear him throw up?? its just so gross but i do feel for him...i dont know if its a bug that he has or something else?? he used to get like this when he was a baby & toddler & hasnt had too many outbreaks for awhile but he was sick a few weekends ago too..it wasnt as long as this though and i wasnt at home... as i had a scrapbook crop night.....he had lots of test done when he was 4 but nothing could be found.....they thought it was meckels....the testing for that was not fun at all...and i hated having to hold him while he screamed and kicked the poor dr & nurses.....im hoping this is just another bug doing the rounds as im not upto doing tests..mind you he is a lot older now so would understand better.

On another note..seeing as though i couldn't get out of the house, apart from getting the paper from the front & hanging out washing ( i don't think that counts..but i did see sunlight!) i started my holidays at hand Christmas album....ive sorted upto day 27 and have now run out of page protectors so will buy more when i get to the shops....hope they still sell 8x8 size...... i haven't added any embellishments or stuck everything down as will have to wait to see what photos i take!!Im hoping i get to take a photo a day...there are days my camera gets neglected!!

I watched the biggest loser US today....that show makes me cry when it comes to makeover week!! Rudy looks so different its amazing what a shave can do!! His story was what made me cry!! Losing his sister to cancer at a young age affected him without even knowing it....


i will add photos of the album so far tomorrow when i have more time to take a photo!!



♥ from Me

im starting to get into the christmas spirit......

Yesterday i went food shopping.....its so boring and nothing exciting....all the xmas stuff is out along with a lot of toys....and they always put them in the aisle you need to go down when you have kids ie nappies & wipes aisle!!

so after food shopping i went for a look in red dot as i really wanted a recipe stand for the christmas at hand display but couldnt find any at all!! they did have some a few weeks ago as i had wanted to buy it but put it back!

I did find some decorations for xmas for the windows/can be used on walls too apparently but our walls are not smooth so im going to use them on the doors & windows.... they were so cheap im thinking i better go buy some more before they sell out!!

i also got a cute little mini bin for the kids outside toys..ive been looking at these for awhile now & they had them on special from $30 down to $19...kids love it!!

I have made a flip album for the Christmas at hand prompts for lesson 3 .....i am still looking for a stand for it though...im not too far behind in the class now!!


♥ from Me

Its Raining......its pouring

Its cold and wet outside....it feels like the middle of winter yet its supposed to be now heading into summer.....its very strange...had to go pull out the kids umbrellas that i had stored away....i think its back to jumping in puddles!! The photo above was taken in may...he wore those boots again yesterday & probably again today.....i will take a new photo.....if i take my camera out with me today!


I went to scrapbooking group yesterday..i didn't get much done to be honest.....but the intention was there so that's got to count right??
My little man enjoyed himself in the creche so that's something....walked in at the end of the session to find him wheeling about on a moo cow that looked like a giant bug with wheels.....so much fun for a 3 yr old!!

Its now day 3 of the online class...I'm feeling like I'm failing already!! i did print out the prompts but i haven't yet found a way to display them or decorate them.....I'm sure some inspiration will come soon....Christmas is getting so much closer and all i have on my mind right now are the bills!! i need to pay them so that it stops stressing me out...then i can enjoy the Xmas shopping and preparations for the holiday season.

Kids seem to have lots planned for end of year at school....swimming lessons and incursions & excursions.... special lunches....assemblies...ive also got to start thinking what to do as gifts for the teachers!

♥ from Me

Im sick of picking up toys!!!

My kids seem to have so many toys that i seem to step on them all the time...ive become quite injured at times by these so called fun play toys that im left crying in a heap on the floor with plastic shrapnel stuck in my foot.....i dont know how santa is possibly going to fit another toy in here to be honest!!

However when they have been tidied away they dont seem to cause damage! so thanks to a friend who pointed me out a FREE chore chart, im hoping i might be able to get the kids to stick with it! and i may be able to walk around the house without constantly hurting myself!
Ive only printed the 2 older kids out one as to be honest i doubt i could get my 3 yr old to read it let alone understand what it is completely...but if he watches his siblings then he may never need one!! well here is hoping anyway!

Im going to cover my charts in contact so that i can reuse them over & over ( i would love to laminate them ..but i dont have a laminating machine)

If anyone is out there reading this & would love to have a chart too...you can find it here at ModEco kids

and yay today im off to scrapbooking group today....it feels like ages since i last went


♥ from Me

Ive commited myself to an online class!! oh my!!

So its now past midnight & ive finally got around to looking at my emails....ive got ebay stuff to pay & bills to sort all going through my mind & yet i go checkout this new class that was for free...i heard about it on the eb forums so thought i might have a go..it might be what i need??
Its a Christmas class & it will take me all through til xmas & im supposed to spend 20 mins a day on it....it took me that long to read through the class stuff and ponder what i will be needing the 16 pages of white cardstock for...and what size?? it didnt say...& where will i buy this paper?? im out of white....anyway....here it is!

Jessica spragues holidays in hand online class
if you want to check it out go to www.jessicasprague.com


Assignment one: what are my values about Christmas??

Christmas to me means doing the traditional family stuff, like putting up the tree on the 1st December...making xmas treats with the kids and spending time together
I like to give rather than receive...i like to take a moment or so & think of family & friends that are no longer with us....i like to decorate with love and make handmade items...i love the glowing of christmas tree lights and love watching the kids reactions to seeing xmas displays & going to visit santa!
On christmas day i like that we can all be a family...even if we are so different...it doesnt seem to matter....reflecting on xmases past and looking forward to more....i want my kids to grow up with joyful memories and to make traditions of their own...i love watching the kids open their presents and even though its messy and somewhat wasteful its still so fun to see a huge pile of wrapping paper at the end of the day while relaxing after a normally somewhat stressed day!

well i think thats most of my values for xmas.....i may come up with some more when its a decent hour of the day...

♥ from Me

i have finally got SCAL 2

With the aussie dollar being reasonable to the Us$ i finally got scal 2! now all i need to do is find out how to install it! might leave that up to my hubby!!

kids were late to school today..its a bad habbit we cant seem to break! we are up early enough too!! kids woke me at 6am....so early i hate mornings..would rather be sleeping!

our trip to qld is being organised for next year..i cant wait as ive never been...i think there is even a few scrapbooking shops in cairns that i might just have to go visit!

i did some scrapbooking late last night...got 2 pages done! i think i spend more time online looking at everyones wonderful work rather than doing any!!

well im off to work out how to use scal2!!

♥ from Me

the joys of being married to a computer geek!

my darling husband decided to finally update my computer and i now have windows 7....but that also means ive lost all my passwords & bookmarked sites...its so sad...he didnt save a copy of them like he did his own computer....like i can remember the upteen passwords for forums ect i go to!! and i now have no pics left on my computer....i will have to get them back on as im lost without my photos!!

My daughter ran out the back door this afternoon & into a goanna!! her screams im sure would have sent it deaf!! im sure they have ears...dont they?
so she came screaming back inside saying theres something out there!! so out i go to see the poor goanna sitting there wondering what had happened! He was a big one too...and i watched to see where he went after the kids got bored watching him & it looks like he might be a stayer....will have to watch where i step now when going to hang the washing out, would rather the lizard than a snake though!

♥from me

lazy sunday

i really should be cleaning the house or hanging out the washing that i started this morning but instead i have been sorting out photos from the past! its so hard to know how to put them in an album when i have limited information on who is in some of the photos....but im slowly filling in the blank spots as i get more photos and documents....my family tree scrapbook is getting there..i doubt i could ever say it will be completed as with all families it just keeps on growing...i need to add more babies to the list of the tree already...which i only updated beginning of this year!
I got hold of grandmas old tin of photos and now have my own copies to sort through...this photo above was taken when she was living at home on the farm in baldivis/safety bay....to go there now all you would see is a big roundabout! i think there might still be a windmill that they used for pumping water but thats about it....looking at the picture its amazing that they used to live in houses made of sticks and clay bricks ect..the shed behind them is made of sticks! Grandma started the milk run in the area while the men were at war.
i should go hang out that washing....kids are outside playing & riding their bikes...i dont know what happened to the forecast of rain..but it isnt here.

♥ from Me

eb card swap november

these are the cards i made for the eb card swap for November...they are supposed to be environmentally inspired with no particular purpose ie birthday/xmas. So i came up with these..i think they are cute..i used the cuttlekids die of flying bugs, cuttlebugs embossing folder, cricuts paper pups cartridge for the 'smile' fiskars threading water punch and some brads & string..i was awaiting on some twine from stampin up but i didn't get it in time so found this coloured string that seemed to work...i cant wait to see what everyone else came up with..its exciting getting mail that isnt bills!!

strawberries yum yum!!

Strawberries are in season!! We buy a whole tray for $10 at a little place on the side of the road a few streets away from home...they are so yummy & the kids get excited seeing who can find the biggest & smallest in the tray! We are turning some of them into jam....just need to sterilize the jars and then we are set for an afternoon of jam making....the kids love jam and the last lot we made went really fast!!
Its quite easy to make too...im not a cook so if i can do it anyone can!!
equal parts strawberries to sugar, and follow the jam setta packet instructions and its that easy!!
I havent done any scrapbooking for a few days....i wanna scrap but i just cant seem to get into it at the moment...i think im in need of more sleep, my kids are waking me up as soon as the sun comes up.....arrghhh im hoping to pay them back when they are teens and want to keep sleeping. I did cut out some cute xmas silhouettes that i want to get framed...or i may just use them on my xmas pages...i cant remember where i got the svg from so wont put a pic up of them just yet....im wanting to make a advent calendar for the kids but it might be one of those things that doesnt get done & i buy the choc ones at the shops half way through the countdown!!
better go check on the jam!

♥ from me

my lost but not forgotten great great uncle les!

A few weeks ago while up way too late, i went in search of some info on my relatives, i was actually going to find old pics on my dads side of the family but found mums instead so while going through the files of old stuff i have, i came across some old newspaper clippings about les, he was my great great uncle who was taken prisoner out at sea from the merchant ship he was on called the tairoa ....so i googled the info & found a website about another persons relative that was also aboard the graf spee....the ship that sunk the tairoa.....so i emailed them and to my surprise they are going to send me a dvd of the movie which les took part in after he got saved, called 'for freedom!', im so excited for that to arrive....its coming from england so who knows how long it will take!! also he put me in touch with another lady who's father was also from the tairoa and from australia! she had some lovely photos which she sent me and some other newspaper clippings from that time....im just so in awe with the photos as les looks a lot like my older brother...its amazing to see ....so here is one of the photos of my great great uncle Les Adamson ( on the left) with Jack Daley ( on the right). If anyone out there is reading and knows about the graf spee or the altmark way back when then please let me know :)

♥ me

my first ever blog

hi
this is my first ever blog post..i have no idea what im dooing but everyone else i know seems to have a blog...im feeling a little left out...but im sure i may get over that as this seems to take up some time....where do people get the time to write a blog anyway??

i should do a post with some info on me...but might do it later

im into scrapbooking, card making and spend most time with my family

♥ from me