Big Z is 5

Happy Birthday to the best little boy in the whole world!!! We have already had Z's party - before school broke up and everyone went away - so today is just a quiet celebration with Nanna and
Poppy and calls to Granny and Grandad in Ireland - he still scored 2 cakes though!!! We came home to Aus when he was 6 weeks old - I can't believe it was 5 years ago.

We have returned from a WONDERFUL, AMAZING, FAB (you get the idea) 10 days away - 7 spent on the beautiful Hamilton Island- Chrissy Day involved cocktails by the pool, swimming, prawns, more swimming, champagne and lots of time doing nothing together!!I got a v. spesh gift from here OMG and we have all arrived home rested and having had some real quality time together. (Just don't mention the cricket!)
Jeff and I have made some BIG decisions - that are going to change our lives somewhat (for the better in the long run - we hope!) although probably tougher in the short term.. So I am coming up to New Year with renewed energy and goals and priorities.... I will post some photos later - have got lots of lovely unpacking to do - and we are expecting some friends to arrive any minute from Texas - for New Years - So have a great New Years wherever you are in the world and I hope the New Year looks as exciting for you as it does for us!!!

layouts

from the last few weeks..

4 birthdays...

one graduation from pre-school, one concert and 2 hangovers later...
So much has happened in the last 2 weeks, and funnily enough, while being offline has been a complete pain in the bot... It made me realize how much time I spend online... Hmmn so one of my New Years Resolutions will be to set a limit, and stick to it!
So to catch up Big Z has finished pre-school and is all ready for Big school next year (and V. excited!0 He has also had his 5th birthday party - at the Bowling and indoor leisure centre. Which was a huge success! His birhday is not till the end of December - but it is such a hard time to organize a party with everyone away etc, that we have a Queens' birthday thing going for him!
Big C is crawling and pulling himself up, and of course has his first bump on his lovely little head "(..
T has finished grade 3 (wow) and is practically a teenager..she finished up with a beautiful school Christmas concert.
Dad, Mum and I have all turned a year older in the last week - so the less said about that the better.
and now the countdown begins to Hamilton Island!!!

man!

I was so happy to up and running and back online when...CRRRAAASSSHHH..yep my lovely Dell computer was suddenly inundated by 2 weeks worth of updates and chucked a fit - so I have dug out my old laptop until we can get through the Hellpdesk hell....
Amazing how quick this old thing is - because there is nothing on it!! I am coming back to play after baby goes to sleep..

yayayayayayayayyay

optus connected me today ...oh my, I felt like I was abandoned in a dark lonely place with no scrapbooking blogs or surfing or shopping.................
ok, breathe...
(and don't mention a certain telecommunications company who we WON'T be coming home to)

I"M BACK IN THE LAND OF THE BLOGGER>>> Our little pack arrived today from OPtus (when they said it would) and we plugged it in and it worked (like they said it would) and we got instant connection (yeah yeah you get the idea..)
what's going on?? Not quite used to service or things justing WORKING..

so here we are only 2 weeks from Christmas and I have so much to catch up on... Lots of photos and layouts to upload - will do it in a post later 2 night when all small children are asleep and not a mouse is stirring..........
have to go surf now and see what I've missed..

no internet??! what??

nope - haven't had any access for over a week- we are changing from optus to telstra - and of course the next available day to connect us is...... 12 th of December. yep. another week - I feel like I have had my air supply cut off...I am at Mums watering while she is away at Andre Reueueouoeui.....so Iam having a quick FIX online....please come back and see me ina week

"(

I think I lost a week

Man the last 3 months has gone quickly - I can't believe it was over a week since I sat and blogged...but sitting is something that I definitely haven't been doing much of!! Tilly had her swimmimg carnival earlier in the week - check out that Perfect dive!! She got a 1st in breatstroke, 3rd in backstroke, 3rd in free and 5th in butterfly - WAY TO GO TILLS!!! Not only that she showed great sportsmanship and really did her best- We are so proud of her~!!
Clancy is just growing too fast - already doing the commando crawl... and Big Z is just a man unto himself... I have managed a few Los, and have got my scrap groove back..

I feel like a new woman

(and so does my husband probably!!) We have just got back from 3 days away at the amazing Cania Gorge National Park,.
It's about 3 hours inland from here - on the odd dirt road that passes for the main road from Mt Perry to Monto - only in Australia!! The most hilarious thing is that we didn't see another car for about an hour and a half on this one road (in either direction) and then we came across some road works in the middle of nowhere - and Yes- there was a bloke with a Stop/Go sign ..We had to stop - we were the only car for about 150kms!!! Hope he isn't paid per unit of traffic!
Anyway we had a great time after a stressful week - Baby C has been sick with Roseola - miserable high temps - poor little thing..He is much better now, thankfully.
Cania Gorge is fantastic - the amount of wildlife is just stunning - the kids have hand fed kookaburras - that little guy in the photo spent most of time on our balcony -King Parrots, Rainbow Lorrikeets, Wallabies, Bettongs - (I didn't get any photos as they only come out at night - and I didn't want to scare them all off!) There is a great Tourist Park with camping sites or cabins - Friday night we had a camp oven roast and a wine tasting was provided on Saturday arvo. On Saturday night we had an open air (rainforest style) showing of Indiana Jones new movie.
In between swimming in one of 3 pools and jumping on this strange big air pillow thing (?) We went bushwalking and found a bat cave - with real (tiny) bats.. Tilly was very brave and climbed right inside, while I stayed outside looking after the baby and Being In Charge Of Things. Jeff and the kids had a game of Par 3 golf, and taught T and Z to Kayak. There is a beautiful lake (Cania) and apart from one tinny all the way around the other side - we were the only people on the lake - incredible. If you ever get the chance to visit I would highly recommend it!! There are a lot of much more serious bush walks - but just too far for the little ones (and their unfit Mother) Anyway - so no scrapping to share, but lots of photos to scrap!

BOO!!

I'm baaa-aack!
OK so C has 2 (yes 2!!) teeth , has been sitting unaided for 2 weeks and trying to crawl for 10 days, and.......he has worn his mini budgie smugglers for the first time.
I have scrapped 3 LO's, had too much to drink and danced to Whitney Houston and Duran Duran (Proper Music), I have painted ( a real painting - on a canvas and everything - not just a wall!) I have sewn, cooked 2 batches of scones, I have pulled apart one of the LO's that I STILL just aren't happy with, I have got a brand new air conditioner for my Scraproom - (Jeff won $700 on the Melbourne cup and bought me an air con - LOADS of brownie points for that) and I have finished Tilly's skating mini tag book thingy- so it has been a very busy week!!
And it is officially summer as I had a swim in the pool of my own volition..
The end of the school year is just around the corner - and less than 8 weeks until we go to Hamilton Island. ..but also fast approaching is the end of my maternity leave. I really don't want to go back to work - if only we can survive on one salary for a few years - but it is just so hard at the moment..anyway - I will cross that bridge when I come to it.. The cute Lo with the little houses is from Loretta Grayson's class I did a couple of weeks ago - I haven't put a title on it yet - how about "popeye??" Clancy looks just like him - he had just learnt to roll and kept rolling out of the photo before I could take it.

a blog free week

we have had some child routine/behaviour issues, so I have spent the week cut off from the outside world re-establishing our routines...works a treat - just takes a bit of effort and focus..
So I will be back in the world of the blogger this week - I have managed to scrap 6 lo's though - not as impressive as Petrina's 9 last weekend! So I have some things to share..
I made a mini album of DD's rollerskating party for her to hang on her wall..

so much for The Plan

well...people with small babies and husbands in Korea shouldn't make plans.
Poor C has had a bad reaction to his immunizations and just did not participate in my cunning plan to scrap all night..we cuddled all night instead. Oh well - gotta get the priorities right huh?? I did get my pink, grey and silver LO finished - I will upload tomorrow when I can photograph it. I have spent the evening playing with Cassie's Pazzle - oh what fun!! I could easily lose a few weeks just figuring out what it can do - it can cut paper, card, fabric, rubber stamp mat stuff, stickers, acrylic....the list goes on - AND - it can create an an image to cut from just about anything that you can put in a jpeg - even 3d images - it just cuts a number of layers..(and it makes a really cool R2D2 noise!!
I would love one - but at $900 odd buckeroonies....maybe not just at the moment.
(so I'll just borrow yours Cass).
Spent the day at home - and then had a lovely afternoon with friends at the beach followed by a fish and chip picnic. Clancy had his first dip in the ocean. (of course didn't have the camera- it's in Korea with Jeff) - so we will get the photo next time :) It's cold here tonight..What's going on???

Friday colour challenge

I am going to give myself a colour challenge every Friday afternoon to help me through my stash (so I buy some new goodies - of course) This week it is: Hot pink, Grey and Silver.
I have just had some photos of DD printed from her party in black and white so I will post the result as soon as it is finished...
I am going to create 20 layouts before I buy anymore new scrap stuff (OMG). So that should motivate me a bit!!
Jeff has gone to Korea for 5 days- so I see an early to bed night for the kids (dvd and bribes already in the house), and I am going to have a scrapathon from 7.30 - and see how many LO's I can get completed by midnight.. Watch this space.... (anyone want to join me?????)

okay

so this is pretty brave..
now remember that this was 1988!!
Charlene was big news, Miami Vice and 90210 were the HOT T.V. shows...you went out and had a "rage.."
I was desperately in love with Simon le Bon ( I still love you Simon!!!)

I remember asking the hairdresser to make me look like Kylie in the I Should be so Lucky film clip..

gotta love the plastic earrings - but GUESS WHAT?? You may laugh - but they (well maybe not those exact ones -WTH was I thinking) but plastic earrings are all the rage again...ooops - I mean "back in fashion".
You know you are old when your hey day suddenly becomes retro -
stop laughing - it's not that funny.

CUT OFF!!

My internet has been down all day and I have felt completely cut off from the rest of civilization - I rebooted, rerouted, unplugged, rebooted again, phoned a friend and I still couldn't fix it.
Of course Jeff walked in and had one look and said "the modem is turned off'
well duh..
must be the blonde hair....
I like it when it just works ok???
Baby C had his 6mths needles today - so a bit up and down tonight...poor little mouse - he didn't even cry with the first one, just dropped his lip and his big blue eyes filled with tears. The 2nd was a bridge too far though and he had a good bawl..
So early to bed and lots of cuddles..

I see there is a few visitors to my blog from Toowoomba - I went to school up there (Mt. Lofty) in fact the 20 year reunion (God, how depressing!) was on a month or so ago. I couldn't make it - though I would have loved to catch up with some old school friends. So Hello Toowoomba!! I'll dig out my layout of my senior formal just for a laugh (you are laughing with me, not at me..right??)

One for P

It's hard to photograph this because of the page protector - this is the best I can do.
Here's my layout for Petrina's blog - the little birdie is one of her designs...v.cute! She has set up a blog with all her fab chippies here. - so check it out!!
I love this idea to sew the pp into little squares and cut the top open...
The silver swirly clouds are from Loretta Grayson..

Pupil free day

huh?? didn't we just have 2 weeks of holidays followed by a pupil free day??? So we have had a quiet recovery day - getting back to normal after our visitors and T's birthday. Zach spent the day playing "birthdays" with his ninja turtles - very cute - he even made them a cake out of train tracks..
Just a quick photo of the big C - he is desperate to get moving but can't even sit on his own yet..subsequently he squirms and wriggles and doesn't want to held...but can't be put down on his own. He has EXHAUSTED me today..but he is so happy go lucky that I don't mind!!! I'll be very glad when he can just sit with some toys...until it all goes horribly wrong and he learns to crawl. I have a lot of things to change in this house before then..
I have done a Layout for Petrina's blog tonight - I got the FANTASTIC technique idea from Karla on the One Little Word blog..I will photograph it tomorrow as it is sewn into the page protector and won't photograph with the flash - I loved doing it and will definitely use this idea again.

The party was a great success

..and really easy - they didn't need any games, they all just had a great time skating.. and is it just me or does my girl who turned 8 today look about 16 in this photo taken this afternoon???

Happy Birthday

To my beautiful girl who turns 8 today - we have had a great scrapping morning. She did a layout about her fave things at 8 - just awaiting a photo to be printed to finish it.
I finished a LO of the Big Z..(off for publication!)
We are off to T's roller skating party -
happy birthday darling!!

Some favourite bits of my garden.

Spring is the best time in the garden - lovely and warm, lots of flowers- these are some of my fave little bits - Jeff made the birdhouse for me - and the last one is my fave flower of all time - Cosmos. In the UK they have a chocolate cosmos - dark brown and actually smells like chocolate - unfortunately it's too hot to grow it here.. The blue rose is an old fashioned one the has the most devine scent - you can smell it from metres away..

The Bride of Zachenstein

was having breakfast at my house this morning (vegemite on toast of course!)

A birthday and some

knitting..
I am making this for a pregnant friend. Thankfully we have 5 months to go as I am the world's slowest knitter. It's great fun though and apparently (and accidently) it is quite trendy again..
Check out Knitty Gritty - on the diy channel. The last one I watched they were knitting dog collars.
V cool.
We are having the party you have when you are not having a party this Sunday for Miss T who will be 8 - Wow - my first baby 8!! We have done some handmade party bags - cute little felt pencil toppers in the guests initials, spiral notebooks with a few ribbons and a monogram, and some cute felt hairclips. A few other treasures and some choccie coins should keep everyone happy! Rollerskating is the destination of choice - brings back memories of 80's roller discos and speed skating...
aah the good old days - I would probably break a limb now if I attempted to skate!!

waiting, waiting..

for a big strong man..(aren't we all?).
Granny and Grandad have gone back to Ireland - the month seemed to go really quick...Unfortunately most of Grannies holiday snaps will be xrays...The broken elbow needs to be operated on at home in Ireland, so she won't be able to go back to work for a while. I hope that they had a good time in spite of the accident..

anyway..
the reason I need a big strong man is to move all my scrapbooking furniture back into my scrap room...
waiting..
waiting...........
I'm not real good at waiting you know - it's a sagittarius thing.
aaaannnnddd Jeff is working late tonight..

On another note - a fantastic day was had by all at The Creative Artz Cottage's Big Day In on Saturday..Congratulations to Cassie and Donna for all their hard work to raise money for the cancer council - and have some scrapping fun along the way. Loretta Grayson spent the day and was so lovely and friendly (oh and UBER TALENTED) She is just the queen of all things tree-ey and natural..

Watch out scrapbooking world - Bundy scrappers are about to take over!! My mate Petrina has created some awesome designs for Stuff2scrap...and you can have a looksy at them RIGHT HERE.
Congratulations Petrina - Bundy could be on the map yet!!!

lucky

Everyday I have to remind myself how lucky I am to have these 3 wonderful, healthy, loving kids..and here I have achieved the unbelievable...all looking forward and smiling with clean faces!!! Baby C is 6 months this week - where did that go??

busy, busy, busy

..no I haven't fallen off the face of the earth! we have just been FLAT OUT with school hols, visitors from Ireland, visitors from sunny coast... Hi Lou...miss you!..
It has been a round of one specialist to another.. to another xray..to another cat scan...but I think they have finally sorted MIL's arm out. She has a funky new purple thermal cast that is water proof and can be taken off for 10 mins a day to shower...seems that an operation later on is inevitable, but maybe now they can do less touring of Drs surgeries and have some time to see some sights..how are the odds??? when my Mum and Dad came to see us in the UK, dad fell in the Thames (yes- the Thames) and broke his leg in 3 places and spent 3 months in hospital - pins and bolts everywhere to keep it in place!!
There's a message there somewhere..hmmn.
Haven't scrapped for 3 weeks as all my stuff is in storage while visitors are here....didn't quite realize how much I had till I packed it all up...
feeling WITHDRAWALS!!!!\
I am knitting in the meantime to keep the creative juices flowing..
MIL doesn't want any photos taken until here facial bruises have healed -kids back to school and Dh back to work Monday
...........................

talk about bad luck!!

well so much for the luck of the Irish! My poor MIL fell over in a carpark on her second day here - gave herself a nasty black eye and broke her elbow. Thankfully we all had a swim in the ocean on the first day they were here - she now has a cast from wrist to shoulder and can't go in the water What a bummer...

nearly 5 years

since Granny and Grandad from Ireland have seen the kids..they arrived to a beautiful Queensland day yesterday - we have them for 3 and a half weeks... Lots of BBQs, swimming and beachgoing..

okay

so now I need to make this..
anyone got a 32 inch circular knitting needle??

This beautiful baby blanket is designed by Kristin Goedert.. and can be found on the knitty.com website FOR FREE!!!