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Day 30

What a week...
Scurrying around last Monday making phone calls to let schools and sports groups know that we would all be away for a week, before leaving for the airport, surviving the flight with 4 bored kids and arriving safely in Launceston to be met by family already there.
Tuesday was tough, lots of tears and sadness but smiles and laughter and happy memories as well. Seeing Josh help to carry the coffin out of the church really tugged at my heart.
The service was beautiful and went smoothly.
Wednesday saw us sorting papers and doing alot of reflecting about the past.
Thursday brought joy in that my cousin (who we had been staying with) gave birth to twin girls 8 weeks early! Both mum and twins are doing really well.
We drove to Hobart and spent a night with my mum and dad, the boys getting to attend a Hoabrt football club training session with dad.
Mum is doing alot better and whilst she wont get the use of her left arm ever, she is determined and strong and still has her cheeky streak.
Friday was spent with my sister Sally and her two beautiful munchkins, Chelsea and Lincoln. The boys love spending time with everyone as did I, was great to see them again, if only for a short time. Wasnt long before we had to be heading back to Launceston.
The drive back was the longest ever with a major accident on the highway cutting of access and all cars being diverted through a field. We arrived back in Launceston in time to drive John's sister and nephew to the airport, then back to his dad's for a coffee, chat and bed.
Saturday we did a few things around the place to make things easier for dad, I went and visited Shaina in hospital and got to see the twins! they are such beautiful little girls and so so tiny, but doing extremley well considering how early and small they are.
Sunday was D day, packing things up and spending as much time with dad as possible. Leaving him there was the hardest thing I think John has ever had to do, it brought tears to mine and dads eyes and left a huge lump in John's throat.
The flight back was uneventful (thank god for onboard dvd's) we arrived in brisbane at 10.45 and instead of getting a train like we had planned, got a taxi, we were too tired to worry about how much it cost.
Home finally where we dumped everything and went to bed.
Today at the crack of dawn poor John had to be up and back to work. The boys and I were lucky enough to get to sleep late. I dont think I have washed this much in one day ever lol, unpacking and trying to catch up with emails and blogs took up the whole day.
Football training for 3 now (Dan has decided he wants to play football not soccer) then dinner, showers and bed.
tomorrow the boys go back to school and I hope to catch up and sort out what challenges i need to complete.
Will share some pictures of our time away some time later in the week.
For now I want to leave you with this beautiful poem that was read out at the service.

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am no there I do not sleep,
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glint on the snow.
I am the sunlight on reapered grain
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the mornings hush
I am the swift uplifting rush of quiet bird's encircled flight
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry
I am not there I did not die
So hear these words tht here I say
I am the love that guides your way.


Cheers

Going Away

Just to let you all know that I wont be around this week. We are flying out to Launceston tomorrow and wont be back until late Sunday night.
We will not have any net access while we are away, so no updates till next Monday.
Thanks girls for you thoughts and well wishes.

Gone but forever in our hearts

Tonight at 7.45pm my mother in law passed away peacefully in Launceston, Tasmania.

Our tribute to her is here;

Mum

We love you mum and will miss you so much

Embellish

Day 20

Played around with a few things today, made these ribbon flowers. They are so easy to do and you can make them in any colour or pattern that ribbon comes in. I used buttons on the large and medium ones and a star brad on the smaller one.



Felt in the painting mood thsi afternoon and this is what I ended up with.



You may remember me mentioning ahwile ago about my hubby doing a sports medicine course. Well HE PASSED!!!
Congrats babe, I knew you would :)



Off to watch Jay play his first game of football tonight (hopefully the rain will wait till after the game).

Cheers

Nothing exciting

Day 19


Really nothing to post about tonight. Thursday is my errand day, bills to pay groceries to buy etc. Really boring.

We started back at indoor soccer tonight, had a 2 all draw, not bad after a 6 week break.

I got happy mail today, a package of awesome bits and pieces! Thanks Kayla :)

Will be back tomorrow with a more excting post I hope.

Cheers

hump day

Day 18

Productive day, got 3 layouts done that I am really happy with, not sure if im allowed to show them yet so I best not.

Had to drive out to the bus depot and pick up Josh's wallet that he left on the bus yesterday. I tell ya that kid would lose his head if it wasnt stuck on lol

Out near the bus depot is this great material place that has the biggest range of ribbons and braids and heaps of other things. So of course I just had to stop and have a look :D
I was good though only picked up a couple of things.

Have to say a big CONGRATULATIONS to Tam, Scott, Zac and Kenz on the arrival of baby Harrison. Love nad hugs to you all :) cant wait to see pics of your little boy!

Cheers

Deck of me

Day 17

This week the prompt for Emilys Card challenge is 'your parents'.
I chose not to do my parents or even John's parents, but just John's mum. Over the years her and I havent always seen eye to eye, but as MIL's go she has been amazing!
After news last night this card just seemed fitting...




Just a little plug for a great site, Memories and More. Offering great challenges, an awesome gallery, some great girls and they even have a kids section with a challenge for them every month. Go check it out!

Cheers

Walks can be fun

Day 16

A few of the photos I took of the boys on our walk yesterday. I let them choose how they wanted to be photographed, made for some interesting shots.


















Another layout for Scrapjacked. They asked us to exactly copy Erica's layout.
It is really hard to copy exactly. I had to improvise a little because I didnt have flower stamps.


Been so busy today, not really sure why. Tomorrow the boys are back at school and I am going to enjoy the Quiet!!
Got Football training and netball tonight so best get moving.

Cheers

Sunday

Day 15

Had a great day, got all my housework done early and while the boys played outside I scrapped and made a gift.
Went for a walk in the afternoon and got some great pictures of the boys - will upload tomorrow.

Got my curtains that I made yesterday hung! very basic but from a non sewer I'm happy with them :)




A couple of layouts that I did over the weekend just because, not for a challenge.
This one of Jayden and my cousin. He thought it so funny that at 23 she was only just taller than him.


This is my DH at just 10 years old (isnt he cute!) He had broken his arm, had it in and out of plaster for 8 months!
When Josh saw the layout he said 'he's cute' (he thought it was him lol)


DH goes back to work tomorrow, after nearly 2 weeks of he isnt looking forward to it. I have enjoyed having him at home.

Couple of plugs...
Check out Little book of sketches and Scrap the boys (links on the right) both are fantastic sites for inspiration!

Cheers

Lets go to the movies

Day 14

A fun movie quiz!
Mark with an X those you have seen

(x)Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
(x) Fight Club
(x) Starsky and Hutch
(x) Neverending Story
(x) Blazing Saddles
(x) Airplane
Total: 9
(x) The Princess Bride
( ) AnchorMan
( ) Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
( ) White Oleander
(x) Anger Management
( )50 First Dates
(x) The Princess Diaries
(x) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 14
(x) Scream
( ) Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
(x) Scary Movie
(x) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
(x) American Pie
(x) American Pie 2
(x) American Wedding
(x) American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 21
(x) Harry Potter 1
(x) Harry Potter 2
(x) Harry Potter 3
(x) Harry Potter 4
( ) Resident Evil 1
( ) Resident Evil 2
(x) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
( ) The Village
(x) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 27
(x) Finding Nemo
(x) Finding Neverland
( ) Signs
( x) The Grinch
(x) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
( x) 13 Going on 30
( x) I, Robot
( x) Robots
Total so far: 34
(x) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
( x) Universal Soldier
( ) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
( ) Along Came Polly
( ) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
( ) Never Been Kissed
(x) Meet The Parents
(x) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
(x) Joe Dirt
(x) King Kong
Total so far: 40
(x ) A Cinderella Story
(x) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
(x) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumber & Dumberer
( ) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
( ) Halloween
( ) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving X-mas
( x) Flubber
Total so far: 44
( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
( x) Practical Magic
(x)Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
( ) Hellboy
( ) Secret Window
( ) I Am Sam
( ) The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 46
(x) The Day After Tomorrow
(x) Child’s Play
( x) Seed of Chucky
( x) Bride of Chucky
(x) Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
( ) Gothika
(x) Nightmare on Elm Street
( ) Sixteen Candles
( x) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
( ) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 54
(x ) Bad Boys
(x ) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Sleven
(x) Ocean’s Eleven
(x) Ocean’s Twelve
(x) Bourne Identity
(x) Bourne Supremecy
( ) Lone Star
(x) Bedazzled
( ) Predator I
( ) Predator II
( ) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
( x) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
Total so far: 63
(x) Independence Day
( x) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
(x ) Christine
(x) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Bosses Daughter
( ) Maid in Manhattan
( ) War of the Worlds
( ) Rush Hour
( ) Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 67
( ) Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
( ) She’s All That
(x ) Calendar Girls
( ) Sideways
( ) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
( ) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz–Original
( x) Forrest Gump
( ) Big Trouble in Little China
(x) The Terminator
(x) The Terminator 2
( x) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 74
(x) X-Men
(x) X2
(x) X-3
(x) Spider-Man
(x) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
( ) Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
(x) Freaky Friday
(x) Reign of Fire
( ) The Skulls
( ) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
(x) Shrek 2
Total so far: 84
( ) Swimfan
(x ) Miracle on 34th street
( ) Old School
( ) The Notebook
( ) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf’s Tribe
( ) A Walk to Remember
( x) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
() The 40-year-old-virgin
Total so far: 86
(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
( ) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 91
( ) BASEketball
( ) Hostel
( ) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
(x) Elf
(x ) Highlander
( ) Mothman Prophecies
( ) American History X
( ) Three
Total so Far: 93
( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(x) Monsters Inc.
(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
Total so far: 96
( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
(x) Hulk
( ) Dawn Of the Dead
(x) Hook
(x) Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days later
( ) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
( ) Waterworld
Total so far: 99
(x) Kill Bill vol 1
( Kill Bill vol 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( ) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) the Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
( ) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 100
(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(x) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(x) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 106
(x) The Matrix
(x) The Matrix Reloaded
( ) The Matrix Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
(x) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
( ) Team America: World Police
( ) Red Dragon
(x) Silence of the Lambs
( ) Hannibal
TOTAL: 110
Supposedly if you score more than 89 you have no life...
Im actually suprised I have watched that many considering I rarely go to the movies and dont watch alot of tv.
Some of those movies I did see over 20 years ago though!

Well after that super long post im going to finish scrapping!

Cheers

Ooops

Day 13

Ooops I missed posting yesterday. I could come up with all these excuses... but to be honest I just plain forgot.

Todays marks the end of John's holidays, he is back to work on Monday and only 4 more days till the kids are back at school and routine starts again. It has been nice not having to be up early and organised for awhile.

Been sorting layouts and photos for the last couple of days have done a few 12x12 layouts *shocked look* yup just for a change :D and have a few more in the pipeline.
This layout is for a challenge at Memories and More. Challenge was to use 8 different rectangle PP scraps in a line.


We have been chatting with the boys a bit about where there grandparents were born and about their heritage, so I had the urge to paint the flags from both countries.
Australian flag.


Dutch flag.


Jay had his presentation for Auskick tonight, he got a certificate and a medalion. I took photos but had to use my old film camera so I cant share yet.
He has joined the under 10 team at the Cobras and will start fixtures in 2 weeks, got his uniform tonight and he was so cute 'now I will look like Josh mummy' (Josh plays for the same club).

If any one who reads my blog is interested in gluten free recipes, my friend Kitty has just started a blog with lots of them. Lots of interesting, yummy sounding recipes.
http://glutenfreeinmontana.blogspot.com/index.html

Cheers

Wednesday

Day 11

Firstly I forgot to let you all know what my lie was in the layout from the other day.
The lie is that i grew up in Brisbane. I was born in Hobart and lived there until 2000.

Also I omitted to say that DH did get his leather offcuts yesterday.

Finally got rid of one of the car wrecks out of the yard today, was picked up this morning.. one down 2 to go..

I was looking forward to a quiet night at home with just Josh, me and John, with Dan and Jay both on sleepovers. That all ended at football training when Josh asked if Rhys could come stay. All 3 of them have been sitting playin Risk, its been quite comical listening to them.

Monday John and Josh went fishing these are a few pics John took






It may not of been huge but he was proud just the same.


Just love this picture of Josh. Its rare he lets you take a photo these days, so to get one like this is awesome.



Want to wish my friend Lynnie all the best for her procedure tomorrow. Got my fingers crossed for you chickie!!

Cheers

Reverse Garbage

Day 10

A while back Ngaire mention on her blog how she had been to Reverse Garbage. I love that place, its so full of inspiration. Well I have been thinking about going up there everysince and today when John said he needed some leather ofcuts...
We went and much to the boys disgust spent ages checking everything out..

Aren't these just so pretty, will have to do something with them for my nieces!


This is one lot of material i got, was in mystery bags for $2!!


A close up of the faces printed on the material, how awesome is this!! there were 3 lots of them.


Another lot of material i picked out of a huge bin.


Close up detail


Finally some fob tags and a little album, they had material of cuts on them. As soon as I saw the fob tag thingys, I thought mini tag albums half the work is done for me! The larger one will make a great mini album as well.


I could of spent alot longer there than we did, but am so happy with my little stash of goodies and so is my purse :)
Thanks Ngaire for putting this place in my thoughts :)

Cheers

Birds

Day 9

John and Josh went of fishing today, trying out the new rod and reel Josh got for his birthday. The other two boys played with mates quite happily. That left me alone to scrap.
I got this one done for a challenge at Memories and More. The challenge to use an arrow bigger than 5cm. Really like this curvy arrow.


This week the prompt for Emilys Deck of Me was Birds. Took me awhile to decide what I was going to do, finally decided on the kookaburra photos that DH took last year just near our home. Did a little research on them and found this little info. How totally relevant to not just our creativity but to our everyday life.


Cheers

Lazy Day

Day 8

Had a really lazy day at home, Easter bunny came and the boys ended up with a good pile of eggs. They surprised me and didnt eat all that much of it today. Too much party food the last two days i think.

Got some scrapping done, this one for a challenge at Memories and more.


This one for the Flex your mind challenge. The promt was '4 truths and a lie'. We had to do a layout about ourselves that included 4 things that were true and one that wasnt. See if you can guess which one isnt. I will let you know the answer in tomorrows post.


Another painting, tried a landscape, it needs work but im happy with it. Really loving the freedom the painting gives me to just put something on paper and not worry if its perfect or not.


Got given a huge roll of material today. Thanks Kylie your a doll :)
Going to try and make curtains...
Wish me luck I will need it lol

Cheers