Happy Australia Day

Well what is left of it anyway lol.

I hope you all had a great day celebrating all things Australian. I know I did - it was the perfect day. Woke up to a bit of this:

Who could imagine that we would have fog on a summer's morning but fog it was, along with a bit of drizzling rain yay. By mid morning this had all cleared and it turned into a very clear, hot and steamy day.

Then I finished off this (and must say I am might pleased with how this one turned out):

Took these while I was trying to get a decent pic of the LO to show you all:
Someone is very proud that his mummy made this for him. He asked me to read the journalling and when I did, he was crying and telling me what a lovely mummy I was for saying that about him. Gotta love that boy!

Not to be outdone, this one said, "Yeah mummy you are good now take a photo of me too!!!"

Then DH and I went to see this (second time around for me and loved it just as much as the first time):

Finished off with a whole pile of organising for the first day of school tomorrow. Finally finished off the Orientation handbook for my Yr 8's (expecting almost 170) and covered almost all of Mitchell's books until a minor incident of no more paper halted the progress lol.

Til next time, take care

Me xoxox

A Great Day to be Alive

Yes indeed, today is most definitely a great day to be alive. Today we are living history and as a history teacher, this excites me more than anything - well almost more than anything - I think chocolate still takes the cake hehehe.

Now, those of you who have sat in my history classes or those of you who know the way I think, I have not been a fan of the American Government for a number of years now. I have disagreed with the way the have taken it upon themselves to be the 'world's police' and the way they have pushed that their way is the only way. But I honestly believe that we are seeing a new America emerge today - and I hope that this does indeed prove to be true over the coming years. We are witnessing before scenes that have never before been witnessed in that country. Whether you are a democrat or a republican or a 'who gives a shit about politics', it is hard not to be affected by today. It is a time for change, it is a time for hope, it is time to live history.

Like him or loathe him Barack Obama is a man who has changed the face of American - and world - history forever. It is hard to conceive that today he stood as The President of the United States of America in the same spot as African-American slaves stood as they were building the White House all those years ago. It is hard to conceive that he is LIVING the DREAM that Martin Luther King spoke so strongly about all those years ago in almost the same spot. I wonder, if MLK were alive today, what would he be thinking???

Yes times have changed, but have the thoughts and prejudicies of people not only in America, but around the entire world, changed enough to realise the enormity of this moment??? Will they put aside their personal thoughts and beliefs (no matter how warped or distorted they may seem to the rest of us) to allow Obama the chance to live out the dream that so many people died fighting for. I hope that they do and I hope that Barack Obama is allowed to see through his entire term in Office - if not two more.

I loved this his speech - he has an eloquence about him that cannot be described. I could sit and listen to him speak for hours. I especially loved this part:

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

Yes, this IS history and I cannot believe that I am able to live it! This is how far the America - and the world - has come but let us not forget, how much further we have to go.

Me xoxoxo

More Camera Play ... As Promised

Ok so late last night, I promised that I would show you some more pictures from my lens play the other afternoon. The pics are nothing outstanding or fantastic about the pics, rather more just experiementing and playing while the boys were having a play in the pool.

Looks like they are up to something - wonder what it is???

Oh to be a child again and just enjoy the simple things in life.

Love the sports mode on the camera - pity the pics are blurred -

oh well, more practise makes perfect

Simple joy - what could be better???

AND IN THE SPACE OF A FEW MINUTES:

FROM THIS:

TO THIS:

Me thinks he was a bit sick of the camera.

And finally, just because I can there is this one. It has to be one of my favourite pictures of the moment. Yeah so it may not be artistically perfect but it works for me and makes me wonder, what happens to all the broken toys? Well in our place, sitting in the dirt near the veranda collecting cobwebs and weeds.


Ok, I promised myself that I would try to do some creating today so I am stepping away from the computer and dragging out the stash.

Til next time

Cheers

Me xoxoxo

New Look

So what do you think of the new banner??? The amazing, gorgeous and super talented Beck (check side for link to her AbFab blog) did a little Photoshopping for me and this is what she came up with - how clever is she???

Not a great deal has been happening over the last few days - still trying to wind down from the Melbourne trip to visit Miss Rebecca and the whole birthday thing. I spoilt myself rotten this birthday and when I say I, I mean I - all pressies bought and paid for out of my own savings - some might think doing that is a bit ripped but to be honest, for someone who has never been able to save money herself and not get others to 'hide' it from her (lol), I am super proud of my saving efforts. So what exactly did I spoil myself with??? Well the BIG ticket item was a new camera lens - 70-300mm zoom like this:

and I hit the Prouds sale in Sale (hehehehehehehe) and picked up a White Gold chain to go with the WG and diamond pendant DH gave me for Christmas. Of course, add in a stack of scrapping bibs and bobs and one very spoilt birthday girl you have got lol.

So I finally pulled the new lens out for a play yesterday for a little play. Must say it feels different to my other lens (18-85mm) and it is going to take some getting used to in terms of juding distance etc but at least it is out of the box and has been played with - you proud of me Miss Rebecca???!!!

The pics are nothing special, just a few random pics from around the house - must say am totally loving where we are living now - yeah have to eat my words I know considering how much I used to go on about finally living in our own place instead of workers houses (which come supplied with DH's job and for some reason just never have any work done to them :( ) - even though I do miss my fabulous kitchen - but for all this space and a pool, I won't complain.

Looking out across the front yard into part of the farm - bit hard to fit

6500 acres in one picture lol

One of the boys fav. hangouts - the cubby house -

a never ending source of mischief

Just a random picture of the house - well part of it anyway -

didn't get far enough away to fit the whole thing in the frame lol.

More pics to come, but that will have to wait until tomorrow, this blogger is tired.

Check ya later 'gaitors hehehehehe

me xoxoxo

Up in the air we flew .....

... and now we are here - yep that is right, HL and I are in the cold cold cold land of Victoria. OMG people what is with this weather?????? C'mon it is SUMMER - or have all you Victorians forgotten about that minor detail. LOL I know I shouldn't trash you too much coz it gets mighty cold up my way in winter time (talking -6 on some cold, frosty winter mornings) but hey on Wednesday I was in 38 degree beautiful awesome weather and when the plane landed in Melbourne on Thursday morning it was 13 degrees WTF is with that???????

But enough about the weather - we are not here for an indepth analysis of all things meterologically related, we are here to visit and scrap with the most awesome, most talented and most gorgeous Beck. OMG how lucky are we - she has opened up her home to us for 4 days, has been our taxi driver, tourist guide, chef - doesn't get much better than this.

Lots of laughs have been had - including random Melbournites on the City Circle tram during peak hour on Thursday afternoon - would tell you about it but we have a pact - what happens in Melbourne stays in Melbourne. You should have come with us if you wanted to find out hehehehehehehehehe.

We were lucky enough to catch up the equally awesome Scrapbug aka Jo for the afternoon - was great to finally meet you in person Jo, cannot wait to catch up again. You should have wagged worked yesterday too hehehehehehehehehehe.

Not a lot is going on today - I am just sitting and star gazing at HL and Beck as they scrap. Would post pictures but can't be bothered to atm - gotta edit some of them first coz I can't give away all our secrets can I??!! hehehehehehe

Ok guess i should actually try to do some scrapping instead of just looking at the two masters over there.

Will be back soon with some pics

Love ya mwah mwah mwah

me xoxoxox

p.s. wish you were here peeps

Long time between posts

Well hello there everybody.

Hope everyone had a great christmas and the jolly man in the red suit spoilt you all rotten. Christmas here wasn't the best one that I have ever had, but looking back at it now I guess that it wasn't all that bad. After Christmas, the boys and I headed into my parents place for some quiet time, rest and relaxation - all of which was good.

New Year's celebrations started off with a trip to the local footy grounds to see the family fireworks - the boys loved it and it bought back all those childhood memories of shouting out red, yellow, blue and green like my sister and I used to when we were kids. After the fireworks finished, I dropped my sis off at her local watering hole and went home to tuck the boys in bed, all ready to join her as soon as the boys were asleep. Unfortunately, the boys had either ideas and just didn't want to sleep. I finally was able to get out of the house just a tad after 11pm but it didn't matter, it was a great night - lots of laughs were had by all.

Not a lot has been going on here - no scrapping as life has a way of happening at times - bugger how that happens ;) because more exciting things are on the horizon .........

because ......

it is just 2 MORE SLEEPS, yep folks, you read correctly 2 MORE SLEEPS until the beastie gang hit the streets of Melbourne together. Yep, the gorgeous HL and I are flying south to Melbourne to meet and stay with the fantabulous Miss Rebecca. I am so so so so so excited. I have been waiting for this ever since we all started chatting on line a few years ago. HL and I have been lucky to be able to meet up a few times but haven't been lucky so far with the whole meeting up with Beck thing.

It is going to be four awesome days and hopefully lots of chatting, laughing, silliness and of course scrapping will go on. No doubt I will have pics to show when we get home - although maybe i might be able to jump onto someone's computer and give you an update of the trip in progress hehehehehehe.

Have some christmas pics tucked away somewhere so will have to dig them out and upload at some stage.

OK off to pack the bags wooooooooooooooooooooooooo hoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo hehe 2 MORE SLEEPS 2 MORE SLEEPS

Check you later kiddies, love yas mwah mwah

Me xoxoxo