Living my dream

So lucky last night Sandra Mason may have saved me alot of money!!!

Last night I went to Scrapaholics to teach our second cupcake decorating class. There was a wonderful group of ladies and we all had lots of fun creating some gorgeous Valentines cupcakes to give to our loved ones today - Happy Valentines Day - here's what we created....

Well, they were the 'official' ones. Like with all my classes, I love to give a little extra and we made a couple of extra cupcakes too. Like I said, it was FUN!

Anyway, afterwards, I was on my way home and I saw a cop car with their 'victim' in front pulled over to the side of the road, blue and red lights flashing in the darkness. Whew I thought, they're already busy. Won't bother me. Hmmmmm. Famous last words.

And this is where I get to thank SANDRA MASON. Because the other day she put a post up on facebook talking about how her drivers licence had nearly expired and she had to go and get a new one. Well, guess what on reading her post I remembered that mine was due to expire in January. Yep, we're now in February! 

What had happened, me being clever and all, I'd put reminders on my outlook diary every day in December to remind me to get a new one. But of course December was busy and I kept pushing the 'snooze' button and when Jan rolled around I just plain FORGOT!

So seeing her post, I pulled out my drivers licence, had a look and yep, expired late Jan. 

Oh my goodness!

We had swimming that night with the kids, but there was a one hour gap between Dan and Matt so off we trotted and got my new licence done. They took my 'actual' licence, and gave me a paper one to carry with me 'just in case'. 

Ahhhhhhh. The feeling was so good. But that was just two days before!

So coming back to last night. I saw the cops coming up behind me fast but in the other lane and thought they must be on the way to get someone/something, but no. They stopped next to me and told me to pull over. I was stopped at lights so couldn't figure out what was wrong. But duly put my indicator on, and pulled into the street right there, past the yellow lines, and stopped. 

The lovely lady cop walked up and asked me if I knew why I was pulled over. I was truely surprised. After seeing the cop, I wasn't speeding, so I couldn't figure it out. 

Turns out my lights were off. ARGH! You see my car is one that when you get out of the car, the lights automatically turn off. So I leave them on forever. Day or night. Then I never forget to put them on. But either Andy or my BIL had recently used my car and had turned them off. Not thinking (yes, those are the operative words! Cause I still should've checked). I got in the car and drove without lights.

So I explained that to her, and even turned off the car, and opened the door to show her. Like she wouldn't know that?! LOL!

But the story gets better cause they ask me whether I've just pulled out of anywhere, so I tell them 'why yes, 90 Springs Street, Scrapaholics - I was teaching a cupcake decorating class there'. She looked at me like I was weird. I had to laugh. So I did. Nervously. Did I really squeak/snort? I Nearly said, would you like to see. Thank goodness I didn't. I'm sure she didn't want to see my valentine cupcakes! LOL!

So she asks all these other questions, my address ('you're a long way from home aren't you?'), phone number, mobile number, job - oh yeah. What do I do? I'm a Mum I say proudly. Oh and I teach scrapbooking and cupcake decorating on occassion. Again that weird look.

'I'll just go and check on a few things she says, wait here'.

She was obviously checking all the details and whether I had previous tickets or anything. Meantime Andy calls. Laughing cause I'm sitting there with a cop car red and blue flashing lights behind me because of HIM!

And then the kind lady came back and said to me, 'normally not having your lights on would be a $150 fine, but this time we're going to give you a warning'. I was like seriously? THANK YOU!

And inside the whole time I was sitting there thinking, thank you Sandra Mason because if I had an expired licence too, then I would be getting the $150 fine PLUS whatever it costs for an expired licence.

I recon by having that in between licence, no past / outstanding issues, they thought I was quite trustworthy and let me off. So thank you Sandra! I owe you!

And so I got off at least $150. I was lucky. A couple of days earlier. I would've been in even more trouble! Whew. 

So my 'Sunday Shake up' which turns out to be a Friday shake up, is check your licence, check when it expires, and put it in your diary, then don't ignore it!

Have a fabulous Valentines!

 

Sunday Shake Up

I've been doing a lot of walking lately. I've always enjoyed it. But lately I've needed to do it. To take my mind off things that I can't change. 

So off I go. It started out about 40 mins, then got up to an hour, then 1.5 hours and now sometimes up to 2 hours. I know as far as exercising goes, it's not the most time efficient, but I really enjoy it. And it means I feel better about not being able to do anything.

So this morning, with nothing on our plates for the day, I dragged my family off on a family jaunt. It was fun. 

I remember years ago reading a blog and the writer talked about how a friend asked her how she kept her marriage strong and she replied, we walk together. And when we walk we talk. 

And that's what happened to us today. We wandered along the streets chattering away, holding hands, enduring some rain, throwing rocks in the sea. And it was good.

So my challenge to you this week is to put on your walking shoes, grab your family or a friend you haven't seen in a while and take them for a walk.

Dare ya.

Sunday Shake up

Words. We read them all the time. You're reading them now. And I believe we generally use the same ones over and over. 

So my shake up this week is to grab a dictionary, close your eyes, open the dictionary, and stab your finger at a word. Take that word and learn it. What does it mean? How could you use it? Why would you use it?

Have fun with your new word this week.

Dare ya.

Sunday Shake up

This week, I've had several ideas come to me that I wanted to share with you. Not related, but have had an impact on my life. But for various reasons, I've decided they aren't right for this week.

And so I've sat here today wondering what to do. What will my shake up be this week?

I wanted something that was different. Unusual. Something that will shake up your week. But my brain is mush.

So, seeing how much fun my son had sleeping in a tent last night, I decided that perhaps that is something that will shake up your week.

IF you have a tent. Grab it out. Put it up in the backyard and sleep in it with your children. Or just by yourself. Why not?

It's not expensive. It's not hard. But it makes memories in your child (and yourself) for time to come.

If you don't have a tent, well, it's pretty good weather out there right now. What about making a lean to? Pop up a tarpaulin and sleep under it. Try sleeping 'Bear Gryls' style. Now that's even more fun!

Dare ya.

 This morning just about to have a pillow fight.

Sunday (MONDAY) Shake Up

Ok, so yesterday I just plum forgot about my Sunday Shake up. Well, not really, I had my idea in mind, I just didn't get around to posting it. 

So I'm a little late...... I'm sure you'll forgive me.

After last weeks shake up, I wanted to carry on making a difference. After all, that's a little part of what these ideas are. Shaking us up out of our norm to help ourselves, our friends, our family. 

And so this week I dare you to do some volunteer work. 

After watching the student army main man 'Sam' on telly on Saturday night, I sat there just going Oh my goodness! This guy is a legend. The way he thinks is incredible. The way he is so willing to just be a part of the world. To help people. You don't get many people like him, especially at his age. He is literally one in a million.

BUT, even if we're not like him, I still believe we can all make a difference. And it ties in with what Sam was saying. That if you volunteer, you actually become happier and more connected. 

So I thought to myself, self, what can I do? What can my thing be this week? And I've a couple of ideas, but here is the one I put into practise this morning.

After my walk, I created this letter ...

I'm in the process of folding up each letter and wrapping them in seam binding so they know it's not just another piece of paper to throw away. Then I'll be popping back out again to deliver them (to be fair, my street is not very big!)

As you can see it's not a big thing, but as I say in my note, I think we can make a difference. Even if it is small. So here's one way I'm doing that this week, by volunteering my time and idea....

And so that is my dare to you this week..... I dare you to volunteer something this week too.....

Have a FABULOUS day!

PS: Please feel free to take parts/all of this letter to use if you'd like to do something similar.

 

Sunday Shake Up - What is the world turning into?

I have to preface this blog post with this comment.....

I have written this post over many days. Deleting and rewriting many times. It was not going to be my Sunday Shake up. But it's Sunday and I think I'm now ready to post it, and it kinda works. 

My post may be controversial. The 'PC crowd' may not like what I'm saying. Some of the questions I ask, comments I make. But I think they are questions that need to be addressed....

These are my own thoughts. As I've said to someone in the past, this is my blog, if you don't like the content, please stop reading. You may or may not agree with what I say but I'm happy for constructive feedback. I love a good discussion where people can learn from each other, but please think about tearing someone down before you write....

I also preface this by saying I am not the mother of teenagers and those years scare me! I worry how my children will act, what they will do, what have I taught them that will get them through these years safely? I have to keep telling myself......there but by the grace of God go I.....

This week, I as many of you in NZ, have been disgusted and outraged at news of a group of monsters (boys) that are going around deliberately intoxicating young girls (as young as 13) then having group sex with them without their consent, then to top it off, they boast about it on video on facebook, naming the girls.

I felt my soul become slowly torn into pieces with each piece of new news that came out about it this week. First one thing, then another, then another. Each piece making me feel more and more sick and hurt by what our world is turning into. So many questions unanswered. 

Many times, I sat down to write something. To put my feelings on paper, but it is too big an issue to do it and I worried that I wouldn't get all my thoughts in a line, all in order. That I'd miss something that I really wanted to say or get in trouble for getting the information wrong. 

Then this morning I realised that this didn't matter. None of this did. But what does, is what WE do in our own lives. With the people WE influence. Our own children.

I believe none of this would have happened if these kids were taught from birth what is right and wrong.  And if they did know this type of behaviour is wrong and did it anyway? Then there would probably be earlier signs that could be detected and dealt with at that time. I think it's as simple as that. 

But let's go back a step. Let's look at all the questions I have.....

How do kids learn that this type of behaviour is ok? What are they watching at the movies, on tv, online? What are they listening to? Podcasts? Music?

Why aren't their facebook pages/other social media monitored by their parents and then the parents dealing to it immediately when it is as wrong as this?

How do 13, 14, 15, 16 year old kids have access to alcohol? In this case I hear it is from the parents???

What is a 13, 14, 15, 16 year old doing out at a 'boozing' party? (yes, I'm probably out of reality with what goes on in todays world, but does that make it right? The legal age of drinking in NZ is 18!).

Where were the friends of the girls? What did they do to help their friend?

What do the boys think sex is all about?

What do they think is acceptable sexual practise?

Why do they think it is ok to brag on social media about what you have done? 

Where has our '0' tolerance for bullying (bragging on facebook is bullying!) gone (let alone the rest of the acts).

Why did the police tell us that noone had come forward when 1 had laid a formal complaint and 3 others had told the police what was going on?

What happened over the next 2-3 years since that time when the complaints were laid and nothing was done? How many other girls were victimised in the same way during this time?

If the laws prevented them from doing anything, why? What do we need to do to protect girls from this?

Why were the girls questioned about what they drank, what they wore? How is this relevant to a group of boys having non consentual sex with them? Raping them. This is totally unacceptable.

This brings me to another point, related, but a different case....clothing choice was also in question when some tourists were assaulted in Albert Park in the past. They were told by the judge that what they were wearing was too skimpy. So? This does not invite assault/rape. Don't get me wrong, I talk to my own daughter about what she wears, what is and isn't appropriate. BUT, whatever our thoughts on clothing choices, it is NOT an invitation to be raped, or treated in a different way. The judge in the tourists case was wrong! He should not have said anything to this nature, and this is my point.....if we have people at the 'top' of the ladder of who we look up to with these thoughts in mind, it brings about a culture of blaming the girls. It's not ok. It's not their fault. No choice of theirs no matter how wrong should be seem to blame them for an act against them. Blame the boys/men who did it. 

In short....why is is permissable to semi blame the girls because of what they were wearing?

And yet, why isn't anyone asking what a 13 year old girl was doing out at a party like that? 

What has the policeman whose son is involved, doing about his son? What was his punishment? How is he dealing with this very serious situation? I want to know what is happening as my faith in the police when faced with a man who lets his son get away with something like this diminishes (please don't get me wrong, I think the police are an amazing force and not all of them are bad, most of them are incredibly hard working, amazing men and women doing things I couldn't bear to think about let alone do), BUT, and it's a big but, my faith in them is lost if they are the ones we are meant to look up to and their own children are allowed to do this kind of thing without consequences.

Why is it that so many people think they have a right to do what they want, good, bad or indifferent, without their being consequences? Just look at the mayor in Canada caught smoking crack cocaine and he refuses to step down. He has not only just done wrong, but broken the law and he thinks he should stay in power? Where has this thinking come from? This sense of entitlement? Why is he allowed to do that? WTF???????

And if we have people like this in power, is it any wonder the boys involved in this case are doing what they want? Hey, he can get away with doing what he wants, why shouldn't we?

If you are asking questions like this, or similar, and want to know what you can do? Let's go back to my earlier idea that it comes back to parenting, to teaching kids what is right and wrong. It comes back to having good role models (be it a parent, older sibling, aunt/uncle, grandparent, coach, scout leader, church leader). It comes back to having morals (and where have they gone in this PC, permissable world?). It comes back to doing something little in our own lives. Take a look at this:

It's called "The conversation you must have with your sons" in the Huffington Post. Written by Karina Colodny. Take a read.

When all this was happening, I became quite morose. What is the point? I do this and that to be helpful in this world, but I am just one person. I am nothing. What is the point of doing what I do when things like this happen.

I had to remind myself of a letter I received from a mother of one of the kids I make cakes from. Thanking me for what I had done and what a difference it made in their lives. Yes, I am only one person. But if I can make one person smile, one person think they are special, one person remember that someone cared for them, then that IS ENOUGH!

And so I urge you to be that someone to do something about it. I urge you to listen to your inner voice and to send an email, write a letter, talk to your sons, I urge you to be the one who listens to your inner voice saying 'this is wrong', who stops listening to other people telling them not to get involved, but stops what they are doing and takes a stance. 

This morning is a new day. It is a clean slate, and I dare you to make a difference. 

Sunday Shake up

I have just sent an email that will change my life. I have confirmed a reservation with the Great Bear Tours in Canada.

Bears have been my favourite animal since forever (when I told my Mum what I was doing, she said, yes, I remember, you had a brass bear as your animal for our families brass collection). Polar bears are my favourite, but grizzly's a close second. I have facebook friends who see bears 'in their backyard' and I'm always jealous. I realise that it's probably dangerous to have them that close, but it rocks my socks! Anyway, 3 years ago when we couldn't go to Mexico, then Egypt, it was a toss up whether to go to Finland to see Santa or Canada to see the bears. If you've been reading my blog a while, you'll know we chose Finland.

Then yesterday after months and months of having to do stuff, I was finally able to spend some time on our upcoming trip. I had planned on doing some teaching in the States after the family left, but before my teaching at the Stitch, Craft, Create, Live event in Charlotte, North Carolina, but then I got sick. Really sick, and to be honest, it was just toooo hard to follow up on emails, design classes etc etc and so I found myself with a week free.

And my question yesterday was 'what to do?'.

I thought about going to the Grand Canyon. I've always wanted to walk to the bottom. But really, if I do that. I want to do it with the family. Then it hit me. Bears. Andy wasn't that keen on them (thus the choice to see Santa 3 years ago) what about Yosemite? The Rockies? Where could I see them? Could it be possible?

I googled and found the most amazing company and after talking to Andy sent them an enquiry email. The lodge I'm staying at only has space for 10 people, so I wasn't holding my breath. But I got an email this morning saying, yes they had a spot for me!

So in between helping the kids at their fair and other bits and pieces, I've been talking/emailing Adele booking myself in for the trip of a lifetime.

I'm still pinching myself. I still have to finalise a couple of things but I'm really doing this!

And so as I realised I hadn't done my Sunday Shake Up today, I realised what it would be. It would be to challenge you to do something that you've dreamed of for years. Fulfill that dream that you keep putting off.

Ok, it might not happen quite as conveniently as my bear trip (gosh I'm lucky!!!), but you can make a decision to do it. You can start putting enquiries out there. You can start to make your dream a reality.

You can!

Dare ya! 

Sunday Shake up and a class share

Over the weekend I went to the Heartistry Indulgence retreat in Green Bay Auckland. It was great to meet so many new people. There were a ton of ladies who I'd met before and it was sooooo great to catch up with them. But tons of new people too. Everyone was having fun, scrapbooking, eating, hanging out. I love that type of event. I was lucky to be asked to teach a class, and the layout you see above is what I taught...

I LOVED using some gorgeous Prima that has been waiting for me to put into a class. The beautiful yellow vines, crystals, some new and old papers. And of course one of my new favourite things....texture paste.

One of my other favourite things to use in a class is my Spellbinder dies....

Isn't that frame just delightful? When I cut mine out I flipped the inside around (double sided papers) so that there was one design on the frame and the flip side on the inside.

 
We also used some Martha Stewart punches. Divine! And hand cut some leaves to add a bit of extra texture without having to use anything else.

It was a fabulous fun class with lots to do and the Heartistry ladies were keen to get involved! LOVE!

And of course being at the Heartistry retreat allowed me to talk to a ton of wonderful people which is how I came up with this weeks Sunday Shake up.

And you guys will have heard of this before, so bear with me as I rave again! Grin. See I believe we need to be in our photos more. And talking to some women this weekend reminded me just how many of us don't like to do this! It's crazy! You wouldn't even know we were on holiday so many times as we're always behind the camera!

So once again, I encourage you to get IN your photos and your scrapbooks. Take a selfie, get someone else to take a photo, jeepers, even take one in a mirror if it gets you in the photo. But, as Nike says...."Just do it".

Dare ya!

Sunday Shake Up

Mmmmmm, my Sunday shake up this week....

How about make the most of spring?! Today being the first day of spring, and a jolly nice one too. I'm thinking it's time to spend some time outside. Go for a walk. Stop and smell the roses (or should that be tulips? Grin).

Enjoy this next season.

Sunday Shake up

Wow, I think this every Sunday and often put it here. Another week has passed. 7 more days we'll never get back.

And I say this not to worry or frustrate, but to think.

A long time ago, a friend said something to me which has stuck. It went something like this....

Too many people think they can do more than is possible in one year and sooooo much less in 10 years.

For me it meant that so many things are given up too soon when we unrealistically expect things to happen quicker than they are meant to. If we just hang in there, and keep trying whatevere we're trying to achieve will happen!

And so as I recover from an illness I had no idea was so bad, I think about this and remind myself, that this is just for a short time and things will work out in the long run. For right or wrong as long as I keep trying.

And so I dare you to think about what your plans are for the next little while. Has there been anything you have given up on too early? Do you need to get out those plans again to revisit them and see if it will work? Is there anything you need to give yourself a bit more time on? To not be so hard on yourself?

Dare ya to have a wee think and get things back in order. You won't regret it.

Happy Sunday.

Sunday Shake Up

Hello everyone! I'm a bit late with this one. I've been thinking about it since last week when I was looking through my thousands of photos for one perfect one to go on a layout. The dumb thing is that amongst all those gorgeous photos, there wasn't one that suited the layout I had made. Anyway, as I was trawling through years, I kept seeing old layouts I'd made. I couldn't help myself and kept looking at them too.

It was wonderful. I got to remember things that I'd forgotten. Laugh at my silly ideas. Nod my head in agreement with some of my thoughts. And cringe at the designs I'd made.

But at the end of the day, when I still hadn't found a photo. I was thrilled because I'd been inundated with memories.

So my challenge to you this week is to do the same. Take a walk down memory lane as you pull out your photograph albums or scrapbooks, or both and revisit your life.

Dare ya.

Sunday Shake Up

The kids and I have decided to spend some time in the last week of the holidays doing some charity work. We're not sure what yet (open to suggestions!!!), but want to do something that involves time rather than money. When I was telling the kids about my idea, I thought it would make a great Sunday Shake up, and so it's here.

My challenge to you this week is to spend some time helping someone else.

Dare ya.

Sunday Shake Up

I just read on Oprah Winfrey's website something about a phone free day and thought 'self, this would be a fantastic challenge for a Sunday Shake up'.

Now, I can't remember if we've already done this or not? But even if we have, perhaps it would be timely to do it again.

Do you remember the days before mobile phones? I do. We talked to people, really talked to them, not texted. We were involved in our day rather than hanging on every beep some piece of machinery makes.

I saw Oprah's idea and thought this is a great idea. And so I challenge you to give it a go.

Dare ya.

Sunday Shake up

For some reason this week, I can't get fruit trees out of my mind. I feel like we don't have enough fruit trees growing around our country.

I wonder if we had more fruit trees lining the streets would kids be going hungry?

What if we had fruit trees in schools? The kids could go and pick an apple for morning tea. Makes sense right? So why doesn't something so simple happen?

So my challenge to you this week, is to plant a tree. Not just any tree. But something that will bring food to the world.

A pear, apple, orange, nectarine, apricot, plum, nashi, lemon, lime, mandarin, avacado, fig.....the list is endless and depending on where you are, will determine what you can/can't plant.

Also, being NZ in winter, I'm figuring it might not be the best time to plant a new tree, so why not get a gorgeous small plant, pop it in a pot and care for it over winter in a nice sheltered place in the sun, letting it grow, then come summer, you can put it in the ground?

I dunno, this is just one of those way out ideas I have, but I figure if we all do something like this, then it can't hurt right?

Dare ya.

Sunday Shake up

Manners. Are they a thing of the past?

Yesterday as I was walking back to the car I noticed a car waiting politely with it's indicator on, showing it was going to take a spot being vacated by another car. I noticed because it was only a couple of cars away from mine and I had to be careful that I didn't walk in front of it.

As I watched, a third car came zooming up the row of cars and took the space. They were easily able to as the car backing out was in the way of the car waiting.

I waved at the car that took the space as I walked by showing them that there was a car waiting, and they continued to park.

I was really upset by this. Don't ask me why. It had nothing to do with me. But as the two people got out of their car, I called out.... hey guys, you've taken a spot that that car was waiting for.

At which point the man (who was not driving) started to have a go at me. "We've been driving around for ages, we need a car park to, why didn't they drive into the car park if they were waiting for it"..... and on and on. I pointed out that they were actually in the wrong to which I got more abuse.

But as they walked away I got more and more angry.

The people who were waiting, were giving me the thumbs up and waving and saying thanks to me, and as I got in my car (two cars down), they took my spot instead and we had a smile and another wave at each other. But I was so upset. They could have had my spot. It would have taken 2 seconds. And 3 sets of people would all have been happy.

Instead they were totally rude and took what they thought was rightfully theirs, when in fact it wasn't. It is THIS type of attitude that I believe is driving this world to ruin. Ok, ok, so that's over dramatic. But really, what was sooooo important that these people thought they could take someones car park who had been waiting patiently with their indicator on?

What made their time more valuable?

What gave them the right to be so rude to another couple and then have a go at me when they were confronted by their wrong?

Unfortunately, I'm seeing more and more and more of this behaviour (and from older people who should know better! and not just with cars, this is just one example) and to be honest, it makes me incredibly sad. The world is becoming sooooo selfish. And I've had enough of it.

So this week my challenge to you is to be polite. To use your manners. To teach your children to, and to pull them up when they don't.

Teach your children to open doors for others, stand up for older people when seats are full on a bus/train and do it yourself!

Say please and thank you and most importantly, when you say 'excuse me' add 'please' to the end - you are asking someone to move, it's only polite to say please! (another one of my pet peeves! But lets not get started on that or we'll be here all day)!

They are very very simple things, they don't hurt us. In fact when you get a smile from the person you're interacting with you often feel so much better about yourself. So why not?!

And before I leave this post, I'm going to leave you with a story of the opposite behaviour that warmed my heart.

The star was a little girl that could barely walk. She was tiny. Can't have been much more than 2? We were both in a supermarket, and she was carrying a basket that was almost as big as her. As she walked past me to get to her grandmother she bumped me with the basket. She turned around to me and with a HUGE smile she said "I'm sorry". Apart from the face that was so cute, the manners she had were impecable. It really did melt my heart and I was so impressed that I stopped her grandmother and explained what happened and what beautiful manners she had.

See the difference in the two stories? Yeah.

Have a wonderful Sunday!