If Only ...

If only this was rain and mist instead of dust:

:-( Looks like all of Tony's planting over the last week or so has been for nothing - the rain that was predicted never eventuated and the hot weather and drying winds took away all of the moisture in the soil that made it all seem so promising just two weeks ago :-( :-( The joys of farming; something I am sure all you farmer's wives out there fully know and understand - all tips for cheering up gratefully appreciated ... well apart from 'that' lol.

I mentioned in my previous post that someone had to have 7 stitches. Guess who it was???

Apparently this is what happens when you forget to move your head lol. Lachie was playing in the bedroom and pulled my IPod dock off the shelf. He came into me in the office very calmly holding one hand over his eye and the other under his chin to collect all the blood (which there was HEAPS of) and said, 'Mummy I forgot to move my head'. No tears, no screaming, just calmness - wonder if that is a sign of things to come later in life - like he is preparing me for all the injuries he is going to sustain considering how rough and ready he is lol. He was such a brave little boy - he had to wait a fair while at the hospital to see a doctor and despite all the pain, poking and prodding he didn't cry once.

Now as promised last night - scrapping to share. Been having a ball with H-er out here to inspire and encourage me to do all of these:

LOL not bad to get this much done considering how much fiddle-farting is going on in this room. Me thinks I need to surf the net less, talk less, procrastinate less and I might actually manage to scrap more hehehe.

I found this LO sitting under a pile of stuff and realised I hadn't shared it yet so thought I would do it now:

Ok I think that it is for the scrap share for now. Just took another pic of the dust storm. This is how much it has come in over the last half hour while I have been working on this post, making phone calls and doing other stuff:
Unbelievable. Not looking forward to cleaning up after this. I have got pretty much all of the house closed up but the dust is so fine that it is still coming in. Anyone know a good cleaning lady???

Ciao for now

Me xoxoxox

Holiday Fun ...

The school holidays are finally here and phew thank goodness for that - they couldn't arrive quick enough. The last three months have been nightmarish to say the least -

• three bouts of chicken pox,
• the normal winter colds,
• one badly infected lymph gland - suspected abscess - lots of visits to the local hospital and usual GP at all hours (still undergoing medical observations for that one but has already meant one painful ultrasound to the neck while the infection was badly inflamed as well as three extra long courses of antibiotics),
• one head knock which required seven stitches
• not to mention both Tony and I working full-time minus any family support as we have no direct/close family nearby - closest lot are two hours away.

But all of that can almost be forgotten now that school holidays are here - no routines to follow, no mad rush each morning to get out the door to do the school and day-care run before facing all the dramas that are supposedly a 'normal' part of the life of a high-school teacher.

I am totally loving the break these holidays have brought. My sister is home (staying at my parents place) for the first time since Easter but these holidays will be the first time I have seen her since January- the longest we have ever gone without seeing each other - lol Telstra might go broke in the next two weeks because they won't be making quite so much money from our marathon phone calls hehe hehe. We have also been lucky enough to have a very special family call in for a few days this week - Heather and family are here yay cheer yay cheer!!! The weather has been boiling hot so that means the pool has been getting a fair workout and with just over 6000 acres on the farm, there is lots of exploring for the kids to do on their bikes. Of course, what is a visit from Heather without some scrapping involved. I feel like I am on a scrapping roll - so far I have completed 4 single LO's and 1 double LO - not bad considering all the interruptions for photo opportunities, supervising the younger kids in the pool, feeding the hungry herds at meal times and, of course lots of chatting and net surfing with Heather.

Haven't taken any pics of the LO yet but will do in the morning when the sun comes up. Will also have a go at putting up a few picks of the kids' holiday adventures.

Ciao for now,

Me xoxoxoxoxoxo

Pout ...

... why do all the good things have to come to an end quicker than we want them to?

This time last week I was still on a high (albeit a tired high) after spending 4 fun-filled days of scrapping, shopping and chatting with my two girls - Beck and Heather. I am still trying to work out how on earth we crammed so much into 4 short days. We started off with a visit to Photo Continental (love love love that place) where I treated myself to some new scrap and camera goodies. Have to admit that I am ashamed at the fact that I can't remember all the scrap stuff I bought - and I bought a fair bit o: - but I DEFINITELY remember the new camera stuff - external flash, spare battery AND AND AND a JILL.E Bag. It is DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-LISH. Will have to take some pics soon for you to drool over.

The rest of the weekend passed by in a scrapping and shopping blur - spent up big (my excuse was that it was my first big spend-up since going to Beck's in January hehe) but got lots of stuff which I have used on these:

And since coming home, I have completed these:

Pretty impressed with them all - some more than others but hey, it is 9 more layouts for the albums. Seriously think I need another scrap-fest with the girls to keep the mojo flowing. Miss you girls heaps and lots and much.

Chow for now xoxoxo

On a scrap roll

This week has been a great week in terms of scrapping for me - well something this week had to be good after all the sickness. Last night I went into my LSS with the rest of the Dalby gang. As usual, I did too much talking and laughing and eating to get much done but I did manage one LO which is about normal for me in a day. Lol if there was a record for world's slowest scrapper, I reckon I would be in with a chance hehe.

Love love love the simplicity of this LO. Deliberately didn't journal but part of me is itching to add some - thoughts anyone?

Cheers

Me xoxo

More Scrapping to Share

I had another night last night while I enjoyed the company of some great music (really have a thing for Taylor Swift at the moment - can not get enough of White Horse - the one that was used in Grey's Anatomy this season) and, of course, a very special online buddy. I managed to come up with this:

The picture is about 2 years old and after scrapping a stack of reasonably 'up-to-date' pics lately, it is amazing to pull an older one out just to see how much the boys have grown.
I have also completed another layout today but can't get a decent pic of it in the night so will have to do that in the morning.

Also planning to take the boys up the paddocks to get some photos of them in the new wheat crop as well as last year's stubble - lol my attempt at being creative with photography. Wish me luck trying to photograph two very active and rowdy boys hehehe.

me xoxoxo

More sickness and some scrapping to share

Phew, what a week this has been. Feel like I have been put through the spin cycle on my washing machine about a dozen times (and still counting).

We have had one sick boy and another 'cough cough I sick and no mummy i not 'tending (pretending)' boy in the house this week. For a while there I thought the dreaded swine flu but thankfully it isn't - just another viral thing that results in high temps and joint stiffness - in Mitchell's case, his head/neck which he hasn't been able to move properly all week. Tuesday-Thursday were the worst but by late Thursday he was slowly starting to get some movement back which was very relieving I tell you.

Mind you, that didn't slow him down at all - I had a battle royale trying to get him to stay in bed and rest like the doctor ordered. Even bribing with the good old "mummy will set a matress up for you in the lounge room so you can watch ABC Kids and movies' didn't work. All he wanted to was be outside riding on his bike and being over at the shed helping out Daddy. I finally caved in and I have a much happier boy on my hands.

Seeing as I couldn't go to work for most of the week, I made the most of it getting truck loads of washing and folding done (housework sucks more than words can say but yay it is done). Even better than having wardrobes full of clean clothes is the fact that I got to scrap (weeeeeeeeeee heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee she squeals lol). When it became clear that my little mate wasn't going to rest, I set up a portable table in my scraproom/office and set him up with some school work his teacher organised for me (the horrible mother (as well as the teacher in me) that I am couldn't let work slip by even for just a few days) and we both pottered away for ages. I love how Mitch is so excited about school and he loves learning new things and to be honest, I think he felt kind of important having 'proper' school work to do as he called it. Silly me was too busy scrapping to get pics (doh silly me) but I did manage to create these:

It feels like it has been a long time since I scrapped a LO with multiple pics, but in preparation for some upcoming challenges some people are going to be giving me, I thought I would get in some practise. I love these pictures of Mitchell, although at the time I was one VERY MAD mummy seeing the mess he had created but he soon had me laughing when he told me very innocently that 'art is SUPPOSED to be messy'! Kids.
I don't really think I need to say anything more about this LO - to me the photo says it all

I couldn't resist scrapping these pictures of Lachie with his tongue poked out and the fact that it is something that I do as well. It must be a family trait because I have an uncle and cousins who do the 'tongue thing' when we are concentrating or thinking about something.

So that is the week that was - not a huge amount of scrapping by a lot of people's standards but I am chuffed to have been able to get that much done considering how slow I scrap - isn't that right girls lol.

Have a great weekend everyone,

Me xoxoxoxo

Still around ... just

Ok is there anyone out there who can tell me how to stop time just for a few minutes??? Someone??? Anyone??? Please??? All I want is just a few minutes just to stop and take a breath and contemplate without interruption or without feeling guilty for doing other things. I cannot believe that we are at the end of Week 4 of the term already - next week is 'hump' week. For those of you not in the teaching game, 'hump week' the halfway point of the school term, just like 'hump day' is used on Wednesdays.
Had a massive day today with our inter-house carnival. Took lots of photos for the school magazine and even ran in two races (much to the students' utter disbelief - they were like you can run? wtf? are you sure? hehe). Gotta love kids who assume that just because you might be carrying around a few (ok a lot of) extra kgs that you are incapable of doing anything. But at the end of the day, to me it is all about getting out there and having a go and giving it your best shot. Not everyone can be a winner but everyone can be a participant.
On the scrapping front, plugging away slowly with some L/O's and trying to get my head around the Wacom I bought at the Point Shoot Play class a fortnight ago. Got the second half of the class tomorrow so hoping that will be just as great as the first. Have only got 3 bits of showntell but it is better than none:
Mitch just loves the farm - cannot get enough of it and of course, he thinks he is so important having 'work clothes' just like dad. Thank goodness for King G and John Deere for making a little boy's life so happy.
I rarely use yellow in my scrapping, however, with Lachlan's swim shirt being so bright (and yellow), I had to get myself out of my comfort zone and try some out. Absolutely loving the yellow paper I used on this LO - it is by Chatterbox and it is flocked - yep beasties, flocking heck it is flocked hehehehe.
Just had to include a pic of this too - a button flourish that I experimented with - have to say, am quite happy with how it looks, and it is YELLOW lol.
Last bit of sharing was inspired by a LO I found in the 2peas gallery that was created by an Aussie, Mel Nunn. Totally love the work she has on display on her blog at the moment. Fantastic boy pages - of course I am always gunna love someone' work who can scrap boy pages so brilliantly. The border is a Hambly transparency but hard to get a pic off - that is the floors of the verandah showing through there. Make sure you go check out Mel's work on her blog or even over at 2peas.

Just a pic trying to show you the transparency.

Here is a link for Mel's blog: http://melnunn.typepad.com/welcome_to_my_life/ . Really have to work out how to hyperlink their name's within the text. Ideas anyone???

Adios for now.
Me xoxoxo