Living my dream

Later is now

Well today has gone waaaaaaay too quick. But I'm back with a quick update.

Life has certainly been fun this last few weeks. The kids are growing up even more and we're facing new and interesting challenges that come with sons and daughters starting school. But its also giving them older brains, older thoughts, older ideas. The twins are growing up and I'm so darn proud of them.

So some things that have been happening.....

• Matt & Sarah are doing cross country with their class. Matt came first out of his and the other 'new entrant' classroom (approx 25-30 kids)! Sooooo cool.

• Teacher parent interviews next week. Can't wait.

• Sarah has been doing delightful drawings. Lots and lots of people, hands, houses, and lots and lots of 'I love you's'. Sooooo cute!

• Dan is saying more and more. We especially love how he says "Matthew"....Mat ewww.

• We got a new car today. Well its not brand new, but new to us. We needed something bigger. That could tow the boat, plus also get extra kids in. We now have 7 seats! So exciting!

• Matt doesn't stop talking. He sings when he goes to the loo, he talks when he walks around the house. He just doesn't shut up. Mostly its fine. But sometimes it drives me a little crazy. Is this normal for boys of 5? How long does it last? Eeeeek. LOL.

Ok, I know there was way more, but that's all I can think about right now. Gotta get to bed! But before I do, here are some more 'photo a day' pics.

 

April 23rd - The paint monster.

 

April 24th - The kids shop outside our gate! Sooooo cute.

 

April 25th - My poor car. When Andy went to the speedway with the kids, he came back to find the window smashed in and our GPS stolen. Blimmen ratbags!

 

April 26th - me close up. Taken for a PPK coming up soon. My goodness I'm looking old!

Ok, that's about it for now. Tired. Need to get some sleep before the big weekend. Have a good one.

Yes, I am still alive....just

Oh my goodness me. If it hadn't been happening to me I wouldn't believe it.

I was finally feeling better last week from all my illness/injury, when I started to go downhill again on Friday. Saturday had me in bed again all day and Sunday I'd had enough.

I packed up the car with all my snotty children and we went to A&E. We walked in and the lady asked who was here to see the doctor? I looked at her and grinned and said ALL of us. She looked at me with a surprised look on her face and went all FOUR of you? And I just nodded.

So the long and short of it was that Dan was snotty, but no infections. Yay.

M&S had red, inflamed tonsils - so are on antibiotics.

And me, well I have bronchitis. BRONCHITIS!!!! JEEPERS!!!!!

So I too am on antibiotics. But as I've been ill for sooooo long and keep getting everything under the sun (not feeling too good about swine flu being around), I went to my 'hippie' doctor (naturopath type fellow) as well, who said, yep, the bronchitis has come about as you have the 1989 strain of flu. What the?! LOL.

So each morning and night I'm feeding myself lots of drugs and vitamins with sprays of remedies and an asthma inhaler for good measure.

BIG SIGH! LOL.

But the good news is that today I woke up and didn't sound like Darth Vader! Yep, I was breathing without sound. Now that was pretty exciting! LOL.

And because of that, I've decided to go ahead and get myself down to Autumn Escape for some good old fashioned rest and relaxation. Some friendly chats. Some pampering. And no kids to worry about. I'm not contagious anymore as I've had more than 72 hours of antibiotics, so that's good for all the people I'm going to avoid breathing on. LOL!

So that's me in a nutshell.

And as I've been avoiding the computer I've deleted all the typepad emails I've had. Sorry guys, I just haven't had the energy to reply, but from here on in, I will again! Thanks so much to you all for your wonderful support. I really appreciate it!

And just because every post needs photos. Thought I'd share the full version of my newest Precious Pages Kit.

 

Its for sale at SBO right now.

Ok, cause I've got so much stuff to share, I'll be back later with another post (hopefully!).

Later.

Saturday sketch day

Thought I'd get in nice and early today....

 

its a sketch with lots of options today. What about a really big photo to underpin the whole LO? Or some long thin ones surrounded by lovely patterned paper? Or a small circular one? With winter closing in, it might be a good chance to quickly get another LO done, another story told.

And here's a look at a LO I did night before last....

 

This photo was taken just over a year ago. And with my buddy Jane here again, I just couldn't resist doing a LO about her and our friendship.

Of course I've used some delightful Prima paper and embellishments. Just for a change ;)

 

 

Had a sleepover here last night with Janes children. Sophie and Emma. The kids are just such good friends its amazing. They've all been looking forward to it for a week or so and its been great.

Speaking of which I must go and organise breakfasts and stuff.

Have a great Sat!

T

Precious Pages - 2 new kits available now

Head on over to here to see our latest 2 new releases.

One kit designed by Vicky Gibson, the other by myself.

Be in quick to avoid disappointment (always wanted to say that! LOL).

Dares Finale

NZ Dares is shutting up shop. We currently have our very last dare up.

Words can't describe what this site has done for me. Apart from the great comraderie amongst the daree's, its has opened doors for me and allowed me to be pushed to create new and interesting LO's that might not have been done otherwise.

Huge thanks go to Lianne and Yolande who first started the dares all that time ago, but especially to Lianne for continuing to bring us together each dare and keep us on track.

And thanks to Vicky for this final dare about choices. Here is my LO:

And a couple of close ups

 

 

PS: A little birdie tells me that two more class kits will be up on Precious Pages later today. Check them out here.

Getting back to normal.

Last night I said to Andy, I really feel like scrapping. He looked up and said, thank goodness. I was like huh? He replied, as soon as you start talking about scrapping stuff I know you're getting ok again. LOL!

And he is right. Today I feel so much better. I can walk without pain. I can stay awake alot longer. I am not coughing. Things are starting to just be better! Yay!!!!

So much so, that I even sat and created this LO last night. It only took me an hour. After all I still have to be careful of my posture!

I used the gorgeous new Basic Grey range - Porcelain. Love it. I also did a heap of journaling and stuck it to the back. What I needed to say couldn't be said in a few short sentences.

Here's a couple of close ups...

 

 

 

I've also got a few photos of the day to catch up on...

April 20 - The kids about to put on a 'show' for us.

 April 21 - a fire to keep us warm.

 

April 22 - at the movies

 

Alrighty, that's it for now. Have a good one.

T

Thank you.

Thanks to everyone for their kind wishes and thoughts. I really do appreciate the comments, emails, txts, and phone calls. Big smiles to you all!

I've been taking it very easy. Spending most of yesterday and today in bed, or sitting very still in a lovely big red chair in our lounge.

My back is still incredibly sore, but its getting better and I'm definitely finding it easier to get around. Yay!

So thought I'd show you a couple of LO's I did on Wed/Thurs which I didn't get a chance to put up here before my hospital visit.

The first one has a title which is also its journaling...

 

Can you tell what products I've used here? Hmmmm, let me see. Prima?! You got it!

And some close ups

 

 

 

The next one has used one of my favourite photos from this summer.

 

This time around I used some divine new Heidi Swapp papers. Ooooooh, so pretty! Then of course the flowers are Prima. And that bottom left one is a paper one which I've stamped to ensure it 'matched' in with the rest of the LO properly.

And a couple of close ups

 

 

I really really enjoyed creating these LO's.

And a quick update on my 'photo a day'

 

April 16 - Dan watching telly.

 

April 18 - Alice on a visit

 

April 19 - The end of our summer garden.

Have a great one.

Later.

It just gets worse

 

Does that look like a hospital gown and bed to you? Yep. You'd be right.

Yesterday I spent the day in hospital. OMG! Where did that come from?

Long story short....

I woke up at 4.30am in excrutiating pain from my back (I twisted wrongly the night before, eeeek). And in trying to get up, couldn't move. Getting Andy to help me I nearly passed out, got all clammy and my heart started doing its 'normal' weird things.

So after a while, we called the ambulance. Not so much for the back, but for my heart.

Turns out it was a good call. At the hospital. I got bradycardia (spelling?) again. Which basically means that your heart slows right down. Its not a good thing. I nearly passed out, did the clammy thing again and my heart rate was ridiculously slow. After an hour or two of trying to tell them this is what happens, they finally believed me and I was rushed to the emergency, emergency part of the A&E. LOL!

Anyway, they then kept me in to monitor my heart. And I was pretty freaked out. I've had bradycardia 3 other times. All when my body has been through a major trauma....being hit by a truck, an operation, a miscarriage. This time was different. I had it multiple times. And while the back was and still is causing me agony, its pretty scary when your heart decides to stop. LOL.

Anyway, they finally decided after an hour of me being 'lost' in the hospital - how does that happen? And 1 hour 40 mins of me saying please discharge me that I could go home.  And here I am.

Accordingly, I won't be doing a sketch today. Too sore for me to be at the computer too long. Sorry guys. Will either defer to next week, or try and get one done if I'm feeling better in the next few days.

Ok, backs hurting. Better get off this computer.

Have a great weekend.

T

PS: have you seen Precious Pages in the latest blog post on Scrapscene? Check it out here: Precious pages on Scrapscene

Thank goodness its Thursday

Linn is looking after the kidlets today and boy do I need it. After lying in bed all Easter, and being looked after by Andy, he went back to work on Tues and well, things went down hill. I'm now back to basics and having to go back to the doctor. Sigh. But hey, Linn is looking after the kids so they are well. And I get to rest. This pneumonia just isn't budging.

But before I head back to bed, thought I'd share some things with you.

First a cool new scrapper I found the other day through the Prima website. Just adore her work. How she fits so much onto a page, without it looking messy and the little photos, and the layers and well, everything. So thought I'd share....http://monma.blogspot.com/

Second, some new photos from my photo of the day....

 

April 12th - eggs painted by the kids at Nanny's waiting to be raced, thrown, smashed.

 

April 13th - Pene took the kids to the museum where they made beeswax candles

 

April 14th - my current scrapping area.

 

April 15th - we went to the zoo. Just adore this photo of M&S with Sophie.

So thats it for now. Have a good one.

Quick shares

Because I've been ill and because these photos just needed doing, I've created some very very quick LO's without too much thought going into them....Eeeeeek. I hate doing it like this, but it was actually quite nice to 'just do it'.

 

 

The one above tells of how our lifestyle changd by moving. I had lots of journaling so the LO was based around that.

This following one is about how I forgot how cold 2 year olds get when swimming.

 

 

As for Easter, well lets just say that's been interesting. I've pretty much spent the last 4 days in bed. Thanks so much Andy! You're a star! And the kids have loved the attention spread over them. With a visit to Granny and Grandad yesterday (chocolate!), Nanny and cousins (chocolate!) and Penny took them to the museum today.

Funnily enough, while I eat lots and lots of chocolate myself, I don't think I've ever done what Matt did yesterday on the way home from Nanny's place. Yep, brown sludge vomit. All over himself, the carseat and maybe even a bit on Sarah. He just ate toooooo much.

Got to catch up with my buddy Jane and her gorgeous kids today. So wish she lived here. Nevermind. Gonna make the most of the next couple of weeks.

And that little telly I brought. Hmmmm, wasn't so great. Reception shocking on some channels, so Andy took it back today, and upgraded. Now I'm in seventh heaven. Sigh. LOL.

Hope you've had a good Easter. School hols tomorrow for real. Quite looking forward to a cruisy morning.

Have a good one.

Saturday Sketch Day

Here is this weeks sketch.

 

and it was taken from this LO which I finished yesterday....

 

 

 

 

You may notice that this LO actually has a see through bit. What I did was cut out a large part of the page, put a 12x12 transparency on the back, then attach the rest of my LO to that.

Its actually quite effective.

The papers I've used are Heidi Swapp. And I've also thrown on some Prima, Making Memories, Maya Rd chipboard, Basic Grey lettering and my good ole dymo for the journaling.

And I've taken my photo of the day already.....

 

Mismatched socks on the hall floor waiting for their partners. I had already matched 11 pairs when I took this photo. My goodness! Where are they all going?

Ok, back to bed.

Later.

Easter without chocolate?!

I've been sick on and off for the last 4 weeks, so finally decided to go see my 'hippie' doctor. An incredible man who diagnoses and treats homeopathically (best way to describe it). Turns out I'm actually quite sick. Jeepers.

Part of the treatment for part of the problem is a sugar free, gluten free diet for the next 3 weeks. Yep, I find this out the Thurs before Easter egg eating, hot cross bun eating Easter time! Bugga. LOL.

So its been a whole day. I've slept an extra 3 hours than normal today and have avoided sugar and wheat like I should do. No choccies or hot cross buns for this chickee. And I'm proud that I've managed. Now to get through the rest of the weekend. Eeeeeek. LOL.

In the meantime thought I'd update my blog with my photos of the day for the last few days....

 

7th April. View of the city at dusk.

April 6th - The kids playing 'spelling' with Andy. He spells out a word. They write it down, and then they sound it out and tell us what the word is.... you can see Sarah's list in the top left hand corner. Cute!

 

April 10th - A family picnic at Cornwall park. I wasn't there. I did the grown up thing and stayed at home even though I desperately wanted to go to the Easter show with them all.

Aparently, when Andy turned up without me, they all said, hey, no photos today! He laughed and said, nope! I've got the camera. So they took a photo, then all decided to leap around into new positions to trick me they'd taken more photos during they day than they actually did. Hey, at least I got a couple. LOL.

I really love this pic. It personifies a typical get together.

I also did another LO today, while catching up on some taped programmes. Thanks TV! LOL. But its (the LO) got a 'hole' in it so a bit tricky to scan/photograph (especially without a camera! LOL).

Happy easter. And while you're eating some chocolate. Think of me having my first ever sugar free, gluten free easter. Crossing fingers it will also be my last.

Later.

Lots to share

I just went and got myself a cuppa to sit and write this post, so I'm thinking it might be quite long and you might wanna grab one for yourself too. LOL.

Where to start? How about with some scrapping LO's....

And the story that goes with them. A little while ago I moved my scrap desk. It was taking up too much room. Anyway. Now where it is, I can hear the TV, but I can't see it. Its meant that I've actually been scrapping less as I sit there glued to whatever I really don't need to see on the goggle box. So when I heard that I could buy a really really cheap TV I thought yep, that's me. I'm gonna do that so I can get more scrapping done. And I did.

Since it was 'installed' 2 nights ago, I've created 2 LO's. Just like old times. You see women really can multi task. Create a LO, talk to DH, watch TV, scan the emails, no worries. LOL.

Here's the first one.

 

Bit of a funny story with that photo. I printed it off, to test it, then redid it, but changed a setting meaning it printed half on photo paper and half onto the backing sheet. My plan had been to have the photo taking up that whole space inside the frame. When I saw it half printed, I decided it actually looked quite cool, and I'd fill the frame with something else. And I did. LOL! Tada, one mistake makes a different LO. Love it.

And some close ups...

 

 

I used some really cool new Heidi Swapp papers, with some guess what...Prima embellishments. Yep! LOL.

The next one was also uses some lovely new Heidi Swapp papers.

Its also got some of those Sassafrass Lass tiles, some Prima (just for a change, LOL), and my new favourite stamps. Thanks Nic.

And some more close ups...

 

 

So apart from loving my new found freedom to scrap AND watch telly, I've been looking after sick children. Dan was rushed off to A&E two nights ago when he wouldn't sleep and kept rubbing his ears. I've learnt with him, if he does this, its better to go get it looked at early, than wake at 2am with the same problem. And sure enough, he has bilateral ear infections (ie, in both ears), poor wee thing. Will definitely explain why he's been so clingy and grumpy.

Then yesterday Sarah had to be picked up from school. She was fine in the morning (even her teacher said that!), but suddenly developed sore ears. I got her home and both her and Dan slept for 2 hours, before we went to the doctor who promptly said yep, she's got a cold, but all else fine. Hmmmmm, I wonder if I was played? Still, she needed the sleep!

Then this morning I woke up with my own cold back. I've been fighting it for about 4 weeks now. Some days its there, others not so much. Today its being nasty. Which hasn't been much fun as we had Matt and Sarah's 'showing' day at school. They created story boards with work on it, showing before and after (Feb/April) work. So exciting.

 

 

The kids were so excited about this event and were talking about it all week. They were especially excited that Andy was able to come as well. In fact I'm not sure who was more excited them that Dad could come, or Andy for being able to see all their work. Was great.

After that, we headed off to Daniels easter party at daycare.

 

Each year they hang hot cross buns up for the kids to eat without using their hands. Ummmm, yeah right Dan! LOL. They also do an easter egg hunt, and a party table with lots of yummy food brought in by the Mums. We did something new that a friend of ours shared with us last week. Easter nests. Basically the good ole chocolate bubble cakes but with a little easter egg in the middle. OMG! Sugar overload!

It was again, a special time for all the kids involved.

And cause I'm feeling sick and being a wuss, I'm gonna head on outta here and go light my fire. First one of the year, but by golly that Southerly is bitterly cold today.

Later.

Guess what Precious Pages first kits are for sale NOW

Do you want to see them? Are you interested in what we've been planning? All you have to do is pop on over to SBO and look in the shop under "Precious Page Kits".

There are 3 for sale right now. Two designed by Lara. One by myself.

Here's a picture of the LO you will create when you purchase the 'a quiet moment' kit....

 

Titles, how hard are they to think of.....

Not just for blog posts ;)

Today I created this LO

 

 

But I struggled and struggled with the title. Sat there for half an hour. Then it came to me whew. Thanks to Vicky and Jimmy too. Jimmy came up with a great idea, which I've forgotten now, but was just too long.

It was based on the Prima BAP sketch for April.

 

Any my photo for today...

 

Coming across the bridge at sunset.

And before I go, a big happy birthday to Jane. Can't wait to see you this coming weekend dudette!