life and tribulations of a mother, wife and scrapaholic

Snow snow snow

2009-06-16T16:23:00.008+12:00

Snow snow snow, and lots of it. We woke this morning to 4 inches (10 cm). The phone rang hot and there was no school, yayyyyyy. But during the day it has snowed more and more and we ended up with 8 inches (20 cm) of it lying around by 4.00. Heres our outside chairs

This view is from our gate across the hills, just beautiful

The kids were in and out all day, making snowballs and throwing them at us, luckily the window was between them and my camera :)

As you can tell by Abby in her short t-shirt, it wasn't actually cold, I did manage to get her out of her shorts and then a skirt, so we comprimised and she could keep her t-shirt on if she put longs on, (wow, shes only 5, imagine the negotiation skills I'm going to need when she is 15?)

After lunch we decided to go out with a wool pack behind the bike. Wow, what fun we all had. The dogs came too and were running around like lunatics chasing the bike and rolling in the snow. Still not sure who had the most fun, but we ended up coming inside when the fingers started going numb.

Here's Jake going for a spill and he was laughing all the time. And he has Lionels gloves on too :)

Heres Ollys turnHe wasn't too happy at being thrown off and Abby having her turn,

But Abby didn't mind (here I was on the back of the bike to get this photo and I just missed her being sprayed with a shower of snow, just after this)

She thought it was great fun :)

Birthday gifts made

2009-05-30T15:54:00.004+12:00

What a great birthday party it was. There was a magician there as well, and he was good, even had all us parents wondering how on earth he did some things. :) I ended up taking just Abby (it was meant to be the whole family, but Lionel had things to catch up on then Jake wanted to help him and so did Olly, so it certainly made the whole thing easy :) )

I brought a book and I also made this for her. Sorry about the photo, I had to take it this morning before I wrapped it up, and the photo doesn't do it justice at all. The buttons below the book are attatched to ribbon and to be used as a book mark.

And here is the card I made as well, again it looks so much better in real life than here.

Well the weather is turning to custard here now, and they have dropped the snow fall warnings down to 100 meters again. The Brass Monkey ralley is on in Oturehua this weekend too, so I hope all the motorcyclists are well equiped. Be careful on the roads everyone if your traveling. :)

Battening down the hatches

2009-05-29T20:36:00.002+12:00

Well the weather forcast is terrible for this weekend, and I'm not concerned about it at all, plenty of coal and wood, nothing nicer than sitting inside by the fire, might even get scrapping done if that happens, I did say might. We have a 5th birthday party to go too tomorrow, Abby is so looking forward to it. I made a notebook personalised with her name (will try and get a photo of it tomorrow), which I know she won't have.
Just a quick update on layouts. Here is one I can share with you called "our Mary Poppins"
The journaling was printed out on acetate then I painted pearl paint behind it so that the journaling stands out just a little bit more. I've used the crafters template for the journaling spot (I love this template to bits, so versatile), I hope to do some 2 minute cards so I can share them with you using this template.

The flowers weren't quite what I wanted, so I used glimmermist on them, and it really does change them subtly (a bit contradictory I know ).Well that is it for now. I hope everyone has a safe queens birthday weekend, and if your on the roads, drive safetly :)

Proud yong Man.

2009-05-18T20:27:00.004+12:00

We have one proud young man in the family. Why? Well they had another opening morning for duckshooting up central and Dad wanted to take Jake out, so Jake, Abby and I went up on Friday night. Olly wanted to stay so he could play rugby. Jake was awake at 3.30 in the morning wanting to know "if its time yet". LOL, luckily he went in to ask his Gran and Grandad not me LOL. After another 2 and a half hours they were having breakfast, getting guns and amunition out of the cabinet, getting food ready (they took enough for about a week LOL). And off they set. I on the other hand got ready to go and see my Nana in Ranfurly. She wanted her photos sorted out and I'm going to do her a couple of albums. I want to do it so that when she goes into a home then she can have her albums around her instead of her wall plastered with them, as I know that your not alowed too many on the wall. Well she had suit cases full and there was so many photos that she had no idea who was in them or what they were about, just really brought home to me the reason why I scrap book, "to tell the story". Well it turned into a four hour marathon but I've brought home photos that mean the most to her and will start a realy simple album when I sort out the size I am going to do and papers.

Half way through doing this I got a phone call. It was Jake and he was so excited, he had two ducks with three shots, and flying too. When I got home they had just left again to stalk a few ponds and he came home with another one. Because I'd forgotten my camera we took the ducks home with feathers and all their bits and pieces on so we could get photos. (I know, silly forgetting my camera, and I haven't worked out how that happened). Well here is the proud hunter :)Doesn't he look proud :) And we had them for lunch on Sunday, they were beautiful. :) After getting home all Jake went on about was shooting and going out to get another one for Garry (the neighbour). Sunday after lunch they (Jake, Lionel, Olly and Abby) went out and Jake got another one, so it got plucked and gutted and taken up the road immediately. Lionel said it was so funny stalking the pond, Jake was trying to keep Abby quiet, Olly was pretending he was getting a try and was running around looking for spend cartridges (he uses them for fences on his farm LOL). Wish I was there to take a photo LOL.

The week before at Rugby Olly got player of the day so here he is showing off the trophy before he had to take it back

Now a couple of layouts to share. This layout was for a spring challenge. And I told the story of how old these daffodils are and me not bringing any of the bulbs with us :)

This layout is for a challenge at scrapbook outlet . It was a shopping challenge and I brought, circles, flowers and eyelets. (the eyelets are in the centre of the flowers). I actually enjoyed this one and quite like the circle as a frame/mat.
Well that is all for now. Take care

Snowing

2009-05-10T13:55:00.009+12:00

Lots has been happening here over the last week. And I do love it like that. We had one of Lionels sisters and her husband visit last weekend, they came on Friday and left on Sunday. It was mainly for duckshooting, which by the way was an utter disaster. They shot two ducks, and could only retrieve one. But they did get 10 goats. Jake had a ball and was absolutely shot by the end of the weekend.

Then on the Tuesday night a wee friend of Abbys came and stayed the night after school. Her mother had a course in Dunedin and it was easier that she stayed than coming to get her later on, and there was no complaints from here.

Then Wednesday night a friend from Oamaru was here. Was great to catch up with him, the only downer to that was Lionel had to head away first thing on Thursday to Oamaru. His mum is sick and he had to go and find out for himself how things were. There was a few contradictory stories so it was better that he see for himself. So while he was up there he booked the Falcon into a guy we know up there, and on the Friday they had trouble with it, so in the end he had to bring a loan car home and will go back up next week.

Friday my mum came to stay and brought my Nana down to stay with her sister in Clutha, so I met them in Lawrence and we went out for a lovely mothers day lunch, the three of us.

Mum left today early as it was snowing, couldn't believe it. Not much but snow never the less.

For the last two winters we've had real trouble with moisture inside. It came around when we pulled the internal wall out which had the open fire in it. New carpet went down at the same time but now where the sliding and stacking doors are it is starting to go moldy, and it hasn't been three years. Last year I started researching domestic ventilation systems. And finally I have found the system for us. It is called Drive air and is going in this coming week. The man came and talked to us on Tuesday and gave us a price, so it will be good bye to wet windows. Will let you know how it goes

Saturday the boys had rugby in Clutha, so we all went in and watched. They just lost but it was a very good game and the team has come on leaps and bounds since the start of the year.

Jake having his little run :)

Saturday afternoon Lionel went and watched the seniors here in Lawrence, the boys wanted to go,(it was cold), so we said to go get warm clothes, jaket and a hat (meaning a warm one) and this is what Olly came back like. He couldn't see the problem with his hat LOL, apart from the fact it would of blown off and the fact it isn't warm, I guess it would be alright LOL.After doing the photo a day a couple of months ago I thought that I should take my camera with me more often. The fact that everyones days are filled with such different things, and what I think is normal is quite different to what others do. One day I did remember to take the camera, the day wasn't the best but I got some photos of what I was doing. Shifting sheep LOL, so this is what my busy schedule involves, Unfortunately you can't see my dogs, one day I'll get a photo of them :)This is going up the lane, Just on the other side of the hedge at the top is where our house is. The lane goes around the back and up to the woolshed. I guess this is my usual roadblock "SHEEP".

Scrapbookoutlet has had little challenges going all month, each time you complete a challenge your name goes in the draw for a RAK (little something). And this month I was lucky enough to win it so yayyyy, not sure what it is yet. Here is some that I will share with you ;) This was a recipe challenge, 30x30 piece of card stock 28x28 pp etc, and this is what I came up with.This one had to have circles in it. This actually has 11 if you look, plus the buttons and the pp has dots too :)This one was for something and now I can't remember what for, I actually think I forgot to upload it LOL.

Also there was worldwide scrapbooking day last weekend, and with visitors I never got to compete, but I still won something. Now its not often that happens is it. But the awesome Jenny won a free copy of the new scrapbooking mag inovations. And what did she do, no she didn't keep it for herself, she has told Andrea to pass it on to me. So Jenny a huge thankyou, YOU ROCK :)

Onlsow photos and a couple of layouts :)

2009-04-17T21:17:00.004+12:00

This layout is another one as the guest designer. Its called "TIME CHANGES many things (but not the love of friends)." its about friends of ours in Oamaru, and they came to visit, we see each other once a year, and the kids just play together like they have never been apart, its just wonderful :)

Now some photos from Onslow (for those of you that emailed me wanting to know what its like. This is what you drive through on your way to the lake. Your on top of the world with no one else around :)

Except for this old tractor in the tussocks. It was used years ago to pull vehicles up the hill, in the days when your vehicle would over heat on the big hills.

It is like in the middle of know where. You drive in and this is what you come too. :)The family skimming stones :)
This is Abby being a boat LOL. The light is natural, I haven't altered it at all, itsn't it gorgeous.
And a layout to finnish with. This is for the April challenge #3 over at scrapbookoutlet . It isn't how I envisaged it but I'm certainly happy with it :)

Belated news

2009-04-16T11:12:00.005+12:00

I am late in this, sorry. But most of you may know that the new Ezine is out. It is fantastic too, lots of inspiration in there. I had the absolute privilege of being guest designer for the month. For this I was sent a gorgeous box of supplies (the February kit), that included, pp, cardstock, diecuts, ribbon, brads, chiboard album cover-gorgeous, there was the goreous Making memories note paper and probably a lot that has slipped my mind. I had a play with it all and completed a couple of layouts and cards. I can now share with you all as the Ezine is out.

This layout is of our gorgeous Flo. The flower was stamped on a seperate card then cut out and had dimensional magic over the top.A card I did for Megan and Baz's wedding.This one I wasn't happy with but others thought it was the best one, so thought I'd better share itThis one was to go in a frame into Abbys room, but it hasn't made it out of the lounge LOL

Blog candy.

2009-04-11T20:59:00.006+12:00

Check this out over at Carols Paper playce . Its Carols birthday and she has some blog candy to give away. The picture above is a example of what she has on offer, just gorgeous, look at that bling and look at the colour. Now I've managed to take some photos of the section. I've dug around and have photos of when we first arrived here so you can compare. The trees that were in the garden were rotting and hadn't been looked after for ages and they were blocking all our sun out, so they had to come out, and the lawn was full of moss and really wet and with the tractor over the top, well it made a real mess so it got sprayed and worked and well, now its lawn and a new garden. :)

Here is the old out the front photos and unfortunately you can't see the window that was replaced by the sliding door after the alterations. And this is the view from the road. The mail box is in the middle of that flax bush (poor mailman)

And now it is like this, lawn isn't up yet LOL. the hose is in the fish pond which now houses 5 fish, Smudge (Olly's), Foxy Loxy (Jake's) and Bubbles (Abby's), plus two unnamed :) When there is pea straw on over the weed mat it will look 100% better. And you can't see the front deck from here either, it is 11 meters long by 5.6 meters wide (I'm standing on it zooming in)

And here is old out the back photos. The window over Lionels shoulder is the old dining room window that we pulled out and put a sliding door in, for that one day deck (and the one day is now) and the water tank, well it was just a tank full of holes with a old water pump shed beside it that had about a foot of water under it, really safe!!!!!!

And here is the one day deck. On top of the posts we are putting a seat along the front so you can just sit on it and if you want swing your feet out the other side to watch the kids or you can just sit on the deck if your out on "the not there yet" lawn

Well we are really proud of it, must admit, I took a photo before Lionel had trimmed off the decking timber at the other end, sorry.

Layouts to share

2009-04-10T21:25:00.004+12:00

As most of you know, last week was scrapcamp in Dunedin (Mosgiel to be precise) and what a hoot it was. I had two fantastic roomies. Lee and Sharon who put up with me for two whole nights. Not that we were in our rooms much, first night was 3 - 31/2 hours and then the last night was about the same. So a very long weekend and very productive weekend. Here is a selection of layouts. The first is of Abby on the fire engine at school camp. She's always wanted to be a fireman and this was just her in her element :) It was also for a challenge to use 6 pieces of paper This was very simple, although time consuming with all that hand stitching around. The title was doen using the slice machine. Don't ya love it :)This was for a challenge to use bling on a layout. :)

And this was to use food on a layout, either word wise or a picture LOL.

Family layout- to use stamps on a layoutThis one was just because. I love this photo of the boys :)This layout kit was kindly donated by Andrea from Scrapbookoutlet and designed by Lara :)And this is for the sketch challenge. There was also a north Island retreat so there was a North vs south sketch challenge kindly being sponsored by fiskars and also fiskars are judging it. This is probably my favourite layout for the weekend. It's based on a sketch but I love the simplicity of it all.

I also did a simple mini album and two cards. So it was a very productive weekend.

We've also been really busy on the home front. We finally have our lawn in. Yep, after two years of having it worked and sprayed it is sown out. And to be honnest, it was the best thing that we could of done (waiting this long). The garden that was there originally with the big trees, well all the roots were gone (because of the spraying) and it was a fine composty type of soil. It has come up awesomley (if there is such a word). I marked out a garden and Lionel has been helping me with it. Then I decided a fish pond would be cool- well I've decided it for a while really, just actually admitted it to Lionel LOL. Then there was that cool water trough over in the paddock that wasn't being used- hint hint. We went over for a look (with the tractor) and brought it back, and it looks brilliant. To top it all off, a big nursery not too far away was having a big sale. We shot over for a look and came back with 50 plants, including a big Japanesse maple, a weeping maple, and a whole heap of natives plus a pom pom tree (Grandads rememberance tree), oh and the water lilly that they kindly dug out of their pond. The weeping maple is just behind the pond. Then on Wednesday after school we went into town and came home with 5 fish. Friends gave us a garden voucher when we moved so we used this for the fish - plus there is five in their family too.

Now there is not only the garden and the lawn but we've nearly finneshed the back deck. I say nearly as there is a seat to put on and the steps and about 4 lengths of decking (This can't go on till the seat is done). Hopefully I'll get some photos reduced and put on here and you can all see.
Well I hope you all have a fantastic weekend and please drive safetly if you are driving.

Come with me.

2009-03-24T15:06:00.002+13:00

Follow me for some fun. . . . . Just click here and it will lead you, , , , , where? To scrapbook outlet . Andrea has something planned and it is kicking of on Friday. We don't know what it is yet, but follow the link and join in the fun :)

Thursdays news

2009-02-26T21:10:00.004+13:00

Well today the senior kids had swimming competition, against Lawrence. Olly wasn't in it though as he is classified as a junior so he stayed at school (to his disgust). It certainly wasn't very warm, 19 degrees brrrr . There is no way I would of been swimming :)

After finishing about 1.00 we came home and then went and picked Olly and Abby up a bit earlier and went to the Farmarama in Lawrence. It is a farming thing that is held every two years and there is all sorts of different farming things there. I spent a bit of time in the satelite tent, asking questions etc as this dial up is driving me nuts. Only problem is the price and the usuage. Mmmmm, some convincing Lionel I think :).

When we got home the boys decided that they were going to show Abby how to ride her bike over the motorgate as she wont. She is scared she will fall in. Well it was quite humerous. Jake was doing wheelies and riding over some of it on two wheels Olly was riding like a mad man And even Flo joined in.

But Abby would ride flat out up to it and jam the brakes on. There was no way she was going over it on the bike. Jake was saying "Look Abby, even Flo is doing it". To which Abby replied "yea, but shes not riding a bike is she!" I had to laugh at that.

Fingers crossed

2009-02-25T21:47:00.006+13:00

Fingers crossed that I am able to upload to blogger. (Now I'm not sure if it is dial up or blogger, but I'm blaming blogger :) ) It hasn't let me for the last two nights and I'm getting frustrated. Is typepad or word press any better?
The weather has warmed up and it is starting to feel like Autumn instead of winter again, (Although I would rather it feel like summer) which is a blessing as I've got a back log of washing. Mud and boys and wet days don't go together very well when you can't get the washing done.

Well this photo is one of the ones I took Two days ago for the challenge (I had a few to upload but I don't want to jinx it OK?) Jake has put up a fence behind the house for his pet lambs and he is now working it to get it sown so there is some "nice feed" apparently LOLAnd this photo is from yesterday. Some of the family relaxing :)And this one sums up today, not a very good photo as it was getting dark when I went out to get the washing and hadn't taken a photo all day. I must remember to take it when we're out on the farm, as I could of had a nice photo of some sparrow hawkes when I was mustering this morning.

Well thats it from me today. And yayyy its uploaded my photos, not all that I had to share, but it covers some :). Till tomorrow (fingers crossed)

Another wet day

2009-02-22T18:44:00.004+13:00

The rain hasn't stopped. We've had 60mm of rain (240 points) . It is needed though, so were not complaining (yet). So not much was done today, been up to the yards and weighed lambs that are going to the works on Monday, and will crutch them tomorrow morning, yayyy. Now for some photos to share.

This little machine is to be blamed for our early morning wake up call. It went constantly, not like when you get a flat battery or anything, like when you get a bug in it and it shorts out, and I can't get the little blighter out, so out came the battery at 3am.here is our breakfast cereals. There is only four as Jake decided he was going to have porridge with me

Morning tea, Lionel and his favourite cup :)

Jake with his Flo. When ever Jake or Flo come inside they seek each other out for a cuddle before they go and do what they were going to do.

I went for a walk outside (while it was pouring down), I was hoping to get a photo of Jake and Lionel coming back from being out shifting sheep on their dirty bikes and soaked, but they went and did another job and I wasn't hanging around outside LOL. This is a old bike that we worked out to be 30 odd years old that Jake found in the gully not far from the house. He put it in his garden and I must admit, I love it :)This is a puddle out the front and look at the rain drops. The drain isn't working 100% yet. :)Here is some photos of our school camp (camped at school and went for a bike ride and visited the local firestation). Abby dressed up in Darrens firefighting gear.Swinging off the back of the fire engine. Abby thought if there was a fire then the firemen have to hold onto the back of engine and fly behind by holding on :)

Real life photos.

2009-02-21T15:15:00.004+13:00

For those that don't know. Vicky Gibson is doing a challenge for a week. It is entitled "real life". The idea is to take a photo or series of photos for the day and post them on your blog. You don't need to do any writing if you don't want to, just post the photo/s for the day. Well here are mine, they hopefully show what sort of day were having :)

Its raining and cold so we have our fire going and boy its nice :)

Some of the family enjoying being inside Where Lionel been doing most of the day, and watching Rambo movies :)Flo in her playful mood with a hair tie in one of my baskets
Olly playing farms. I asked him if they were his sheep, he said "no, they're my cattle and I've just weaned them. Look at the size of them compared to my tractor Mum!!! Sheep aren't that big". I should of known that shouldn't I. Other days he will have those mega blocks and they will be his cattle and the lego his sheep, some days you just don't know.Abby with her farm and pigs. My big bite box is her top paddock aparently.Wheres Lionel and Jake? Well they're off to check some stock and make sure the river isn't too high, or they will have to shift some lambs. :)

Here are the people that are joining in to date. I'm sure there will be more that decide it might be fun, they are

Vicky Gibson
Rach
Raewyn
Julie Maree
Vicki M
Julie B
Mich

Blog award

2009-02-13T21:43:00.004+13:00

Thankyou Amanda for this awesome award. :) In getting this award there are some rules. They are, I have to say one nice thing about the man in my life. Well the man of my life is the love of my life, he is there for me and hey, he is supportive of my awesome hobby-luckily.

Now list six ways i measure my success in my life.

1] Knowing my children are growing up and have their parents there to support them in everything they do

2] My awesome group of friends around here

3] The awesome friends that I still keep in touch with from my past

4] The group of awesome friends that I have met through scrapping (both in person and through messageboards.)

5] Being able to balance my life both work wise, hobby wise and sometimes house wise IYKWIM

6] Seeing my husbands face when I do a layout that I'm proud of.

Now I pass this award on to 4 fellow bloggers. These ladies are awesome and so very talented. So, ladies, I present you with the "This blog measures up" award and they are. Drum roll please......

Vicki, Penny, Jenny, Heidi.

Well this week Jake and Olly are away to school camp, and I've managed to talk Lionel into going teeheeee. I've been lucky this week, I'm guest designer for Andrea at scrapbookoutlet . My parcel of goodies has arrived and I can't wait to get into it. When I've produced some layouts and other things that I have envisiged I will share with you all and also over at SBO. Till then :)

Hot hot hot.

2009-02-08T21:33:00.000+13:00

Wow its been hot here. It is still 27 degrees and it is 9.50pm. Well the long weekend is over and our visitors have left. We had friends from Oamaru come and stay. They arrived before lunch on Friday and left after lunch today. It was so great to have them come and stay. I can't get over how the kids have grown in 8 months. Their daughter is 7 and son is 4 nearly 5. They had a ball on the farm and Baxter wants to come back and stay by himself to help Lionel :).

I've done a little bit of scrapping. The first one is for a challenge on scrapbook outlet . The challenge was to do somthing you (or someone else) loves. Have three hearts on it, red somewhere and something layered. So I did a layout on Jake and how much he loves Flo (yep Fur B has had a name change). The next one was to do a layout of "Five things about me that you never knew.

And the next layout from the same site (sorry can't remember the name of it) was to do a layout "Because of you" so I did this one. Because of you 3, I truely know what living means. About how I thought I was living before I had kids then had three and found the true meaning of it.Well all the kids are back at school, and I truely miss them. The house is so quiet and kind of ....empty. But the long weekend has helped ease me back into it :). We have another week at school then the big class (both Jake and Olly) are going on school camp up to Sutton (not far from Middlemarch) and they will go to the Macraes mine, skink enclosure, salt lake, Hyde railway disaster site. Now its just who is going.... Me or Lionel. Hopefully lambs won't be going away or it is me, which will be fantastic but there is alot of biking involved agghhhh, I'm not fit. But imagine the cool photos I could get :).

My Big boy is 9 years old

2009-01-06T21:01:00.002+13:00

Well our big boy is 9 years old today. Can't believe it. still remember the day he was born, like yesterday. LOL Scary.

Well we decided yesterday to get him a kitten, as the cat we had dissapeared about 6 months ago, and he was Jakes mate. We rang the Vets and the SPCA yesterday at lunch time. The SPCA had 11 kittens in and they were all fixed up and the vets had 2 tabbys. We decided to go to the SPCA for choice and for ease really. Well we got there at 1.00 today and told Jake what he was getting. But we got inside and all their kittens were gone. They said they had a rush on. So we had Jake all hyped up and couldn't go home with out a kitten. We went to the pet shop down the road and they had one kitten. A white one. All throughout my life I've had white cats so I was thrilled to see her. As a child I had 4 white ones and when Lionel and myself married we got a white cat as well. Usually with white cats they are either deaf or blind and luckily we have only ever had one that was deaf. I'm unsure of this one though, definately not blind so I guess time will tell.

So anyway once Jake spotted the kitten that was it. We weren't leaving without her. They put her in a cat box and we came home (1 hours traveling). Jake took her out of the box and she curled up on his knee and slept all the way home. Was gorgeous.

But before we got the kitten we went to Moana Pool and what a ball we all had. Abby is doing so much more now that it is hard to believe, shes turning into a little fish, and the boys have grown in confidence too. Mum met us down there and we went to lunch at KFT, a real treat for the kids, as we dont' do takeaways. Then the kitten. Here she is, isn't she gorgeous? Jakes decided to call her Furby, (short for fur Ball). That might change though. Here is a photo of all the kids, Jakes giggling as Furby is licking his hand and of course his toungue is so rough. :)
Till next time :)

2009-01-05T21:02:00.003+13:00

Wow, two updates in two days. Shock horror :). Well thought I'd update on a few quick layouts I managed to complete today. Must admit, it was nice to sit down with some "me time" and have a wee play. Because I photographed them tonight, they don't look as good here as in real life.

The first layout I did based on "triple the sketch" sketch. "connect four". A very quick one but it got me back into the swing of things.

The second "farm favourites". I've used a transparency and painted behind it to give it a bit of oomph. It is a older photo but one I've had printed off for a while and needed to get it done.The third one "growing up" again looks alot better in real life. There is glitter on there that you can't really see from the photo.

Treasure-everyday moments is about Abby helping me grocery shop before she started school. I just love the fancy pants papers I used on it. :)

Happy New Year to you all.

2009-01-04T13:27:00.003+13:00

Wow 2009 already, its hard to believe really isn't it. Christmas was fantastic this year. Kids have said it but I truely believe this year has been the best. I've felt like we got the right presents, sometimes I've felt, ohhh we shouldn't of got that or thats not quite right, but this year its been perfect. Food was great (as usual) even though I never got around to making one of the puddings. Not all my jobs were done before hand that I wanted but it doesn't really matter (I never got the windows washed or Christmas cards sent this year). I think my biggest mistake was with Abby starting school I kept saying, "I've got plenty of time." then all of a sudden it was like "Christmas is tomorrow".

Boxing day the kids went to Central with my parents as they had swimming lessons with Graeme Laing between Christmas and New Year. They were well and truely worth it. After their initial assesment Graeme worked out times for each child as they all had two lessons a day. All the kids were in the afternoon, starting at one and last one was out at 5.00. All of them improved so much, Abby will now put her head under water and breath properly doing the freestyle with the aid of a flutter board out of her depth, where as before hand she had to have a ring and touch the bottom. Olly can now swim a width- instead of floating like a stone and Jake is easily swimming the width breathing properly and has style. We will definately be going again next year. Abby waiting for her turnJake Clowning around

All the crew before lessons started :)

New year was very quiet for us, we didn't even see it in, for like the first time in how many years, even when I was 9 months pregnant I saw it in LOL. But with the kids just getting back from Central, they were wanting to play with their goodies, so it was great watching them. In a few weeks we will head away to the river and camp a few nights. With our farm boundaring it, it certainly makes it easier and if we forget something can just pop home to get it, and feed animals etc.
Well I'm off to sort out my scrap area.

Till next time

Aggggghhhh Snow

2008-11-06T13:42:00.005+13:00

Well today our baby girl turned 5 and look what we woke up to. Can you believe it that it is summer and we get 5 or 6 inches of snow.

This photo is taken from the lounge stacking doors.

And this one is of our outdoor furniture that is on the decking, aghhh look at all that snow.Poor Abby wasn't happy as she got a new bike and couldn't ride it LOL. Luckily as I write this (nearly 2 oclock) it has nearly all gone but it is snowing again.Well I've done a bit of scrapping lately. The first is a layout for New Zealand dares we had to inclue a bird on the page. I do love the owl :) Well its been a long day today with my baby girl gone. She has taken to it like a duck to water and bossing the boys around at school LOL. Lionel took them to school today and she told him not to come in because she is a big girl now and Dads and Mums don't go to school and ran in stopping half way down the drive, turned back with a big smile on her face and waving flat out. Now what am I going to do? The house is so empty.... And no, there is no more children coming LOL. Might get to have a clean house and full scrapping albums LOL. Now that isn't a promise I hope you realise :) Till next time

2008-10-12T09:55:00.002+13:00

Wow, the school holidays are over and done with already. What happened to them? The last week wasn't a good one for us. Mum was over the weekend before and took the kids back to her place on the Monday. Mums best friend and a wonderful friend of the family had cancer and been in for treatment about a fortnight before and things weren't looking good. Unfortunately she lost her long battle to the dreaded curse on Wednesday. The funeral was on Friday and what a wonderful tribute it was for her. I'd hate to say how many there was there, over 800 and could of even been 1000, it was too hard to say.

The Monday of this week, after Mum had taken the kids away I was taking Lunch over to DH and had a mishap on the motorbike, but to make a long story short, I was trapped under it and had to push the bike off the top of me. It was a 4 wheeler 500cc and DH says its about 300kg. Lets just say I was extremely lucky and I put getting out of under it down too the self defence/street wise course that I've been doing. The last two weeks we'd been working on being in your own bed and if someone comes in and climbs on top of the sheets, how you get out. I'm 100% positive that this is the reason I could get such a large machine off the top of me. I was grateful mum had the kids and for next 3 1/2 days I did nothing, well I couldn't if I wanted too. Friday was better until at the funeral, everyone insisted on cuddles, and I was like wincing in pain. So apart from extremely sore ribs, two huge bruises on my leg, a couple of smaller ones on my stomach and a graze on my back there was nothing wrong. Talk about lucky. (gee, aren't you glad I made the story short LOL).

Lionels trip to Aussie was great. He had an absolute ball and caught up with his brother. He said the shearing was fantastic too and he had a fantastic shear on the crossbreds. They had to shear 12 merinos and 12 crossbreds in the transtasman. He was second off and the NZ team came second, but they didn't disgrace themselves. The organisers asked if they would go back next year, as it was the best competition theyd seen for years. The other shearer was in freemantle the next day and he had people coming up to him, and shaking his hand, saying theyd watched it and what a fantastic specticle it was. So that is great, if it is showing the sport off in such a fantastic light, and getting people interested in it.
Well that will do for now, till next time.

Bronny :)

Wow, I'm back and still alive

2008-09-26T13:37:00.008+12:00

I know that is hard to believe LOL. So much has been happening, Lionel is in Australia (Perth) at the moment, he is in the New Zealand shearing team and they have a transtasman competion going on for the Royal show over there and got asked to go. So he flew out on Wednesday and comes back into the country on Monday. It is the longest time he has been away from us and the kids, but I think he is finding it harder than the kids. So I'm farm manager at the moment and touch wood, lambing is going well. This lovely weather certainly helps.

Just a photo because I can :) This is Jake

and this is Abby :)On the scrapbooking front, I've done a few projects. The first was for a friends 30th birthday party that we went to a while back. I made a album for her to get the guests to write in, and there is also room for her to put photos in. I was also photographer for the night so got lots of cool photos to go in it. It was a fantastic night, and specially since mum was here looking after the kids, so Li and I managed to go out for tea before hand. A pleasure that we not often get.
I also got picked for a guest DT spot for scrapbox New Zealand . I completed three projects from the scrapkit that I got sent. (Now I'm uploading them I can only find two) so when Li gets home with my camera, I will get a photo of the other project.

I've also had a layout published in the New Zealand scrapping magazine, entitled, "Boys will be boys" This made Jakes day, although the photo was fairly old, I must try and scrap more photos with in the calender month that the photo was taken, instead of like two years later :)

The boys had cross country a couple of weeks ago and Olly managed a 2nd and Jake was placed 10th out of about 30 plus kids, so he was wrapped about that. Must say mum and dad were thrilled for them both too. This photo is Olly coming in :)

and this one is of Jake :)

Well that will do for today. Till next time. :)

Rugby weekend

2008-08-05T16:00:00.006+12:00

Talk about a busy weekend with Rugby. The boys had a 7 aside tournament in Millers Flat. Unfortunately their teams didn't do very well but both boys played out of their skin. Ollys team won three games and drew two but it wasn't enough to get them into the finals :) I have to say the amount of work that the coaches do is amazing, what they do for the kids, the time they put into organising something of this callibre is just mind boggling. They are there everyweek for the kids and have everything organised :) Then of course after that we had the alblacks game. Wasn't that exciting. Talk about a turn around from the week before. To be honnest it didn't bother me who won. I would of liked Robbie to win again but we can't have it both ways aye.

For scrapbook outlet we were given a piece of ribbon and had to use it at least three ways on a layout. Here is my resulting layout entitled Tom. I've used ribbon as a flower, as a flower stem, frame for the photo, hanging device for the photo and as a arrow down the bottom left hand corner.and closer of the flowers and their stems and photo frame :)

And on a realy realy exciting note, I am guest designer this month for scrapbox New Zealand Which I am soooooo looking forward too. When the box of goodies arrives I will start to create and share it with you all :).

And on another realy exciting note, Lionel has just been selected to shear for New Zealand in Australia at the end of September. On a bad note, I can't go :( Because his passport is 11 years over due, I've been ringing around flat out, trying to sort out about getting a new passport. Aparently it doesn't take the 8 weeks like I was told so fingers crossed it gets here in time :)

Well that is it for now. Take care :)

Wet wet wet

2008-08-01T21:24:00.005+12:00

Thats about all I can say about the weather. Or though I have to admit that we are lucky. I've seen the news and everywhere north of here is getting a real hammering. I'm hoping you are all safe and well, tucked up and keeping warm and safe.

Rugby last weekend was canceled for the under 7's as it was cold and wet. Olly was in tears for ages, saying it wasn't too cold and wet for him, he could handle it. Then Jake had his game so he had to suffer through watching that and not being able to play grrr. Well Jake played extremely well, scored a try and made quite a number of breaks. Such an improvement that it wasn't funny. This weekend we have a 7 aside tournament in Millars flat with both the under 7's and under 9's playing so we get both kids at the same venue. Yayyyyyy. Family and friends from Central are also playing there so that it will be a great catch up. Mum and Dad are catching a ride down with some so they can get to see the boys play, especially since it is their last game for the season :).

After thier tournament we have the final of the country wide rugby here in Lawrence and all the Lawrence players in the under 7's tournament are to be the guard of honnor as the teams run on. Sam - the lawrence captain and our neighbour called in tonight and Olly was telling him. So the boys have to give him high five as he walks on. Because Sam has played for Taranaki and Otago and knows alot of "famous" rugby players, Olly just thinks he is God, so everything that Sam says and does is just to worship. It is quite funny, if Sam has a friend staying Olly will be all quiet and when we are away from him he'll ask "was he a famous rugby player Mum." So for Olly this is a really big thing.

Now here is some photos of Abbys room- sorry they aren't very good but it gives you an idea. The shelves with the cane baskets in are Abbys favourite as she can fit everything on and see it all. Above it you can see the butterfly wall hanging that was pictured in a previous post. This is her bed and new curtains. I couldn't get kids ones big enough so I have brought some insulated ones (on special at the red shed) and have the pink fringy one over top. Must admit it is kind of cool. None of it is what I picured but it does all look good :)

Here is a layout I did for Magistical memories. It was based on a sketch that they had up. The photo was taken about 18 months ago after she'd been playing in the mud. Don't ya love it :) (Hope you read this Tanya :) )This is a closer up of the flowers and the ferns.And the chipboard that I have altered :)
Well that is all for now. Hope you all have dry feet and full tummies. Till next time.

Back into routine.

2008-07-24T19:39:00.004+12:00

It is hard to believe that the holidays have been and gone and we are getting back into routine again. What have we done? Well my Aunty was down from Waihi just before the holidays started and flew home the first Thursday of the holidays. On the Tuesday Mum and Aundy L came down and Wedesday went back, with all three kids. The price of the fuel we decided to try and make less trips so all the kids went back. So all Wednesday afternoon I stripped wall paper from Abbys room (above, I was sure she was sick of the big trucks on the walls), thinking when we went to Dunedin the next day I'd get some cheap paint. Well the idea was right, but reality was slightly different. The walls were about as straight as a dogs hind leg and paint just wouldn't cut the mustard. So the cheap paint job turned out to be a wall paper job. And to make things worse I couldn't get pink paper, well I could if I could wait a few days for it to arrive, but I wanted it done by the time the kids came home. So I had to get some neautral paper that they had in stock. There had to be a sealer underneath so I got that done on Friday, then Saturday we had visitors turn up in the afternoon. It was fantastic to catch up with them, but my papering job didn't get finneshed until after the kids got home. Then I got some baskets for Abby to store her toys in and she just loves them. So much so that they get carted onto her bed before she gets to sleep. :) Jake had rugby last weekend and had an absolute blinder (not that I saw it, I was waiting at home for some visitors). He came home with the player of the day trophy, and scored a try. He is really coming into his own now, and wanting the ball instead of running around behind everyone.Now some layouts that I have done- the ones that I know that I haven't shared with you :). The first is for stampinscrap Christchurch A layout about how much I love Jake (warts and all)

This one is for scrapbookoutlet A challenge that I had to matt a photo, do more than 6 stitches and distress some part of the layout. All about how Jake made this "tractor" out of stuff lying around the sheds :) This one is also for scrapbookoutlet It is a challenge from Jenny doing your favourite place. Well this photo represents my favourite place, wide open spaces, no phones, just the sound of nature :)
This one was for New Zealand dares where you could do a layout about winter based on a add that they showed on the website. (The photo isn't very good, it was raining and dull outside so I couldn't get a very good photo)
Well that is it for now. Till next time.