Walking the "Green Mile"

and for those of you who are Stephen King fans, that's not the green mile I'm referring to...

Bruce and I took the boys for an "Outside Day", to combat the effect of too much TV and computer, and we ended up at Springbrook, which has to be mine and Bruce's favourite place...where we hope to retire to in a million years after we win the lotto. It wasn't really the best day for bushwalking, as it rained on and off, but we managed to get to the bottom of Purling Brook Falls, plus complete a circuit of the Waringa Pool track without drowning.

And it was SO worth the walk...everything was green and lush, and the only sounds were bell birds and cicadas. My idea of heaven. The boys enjoyed the day, although Sebi was a little disappointed not to spot any yowies...Springbrook is noted for them, apparantly. They had a ball getting even wetter than they already were by walking behind the falls and standing in the spray, while I took photos and several tourists asked my husband if I was with some sort of mental health day release program (and you thought I couldn't speak German....I recognise "look at the crazy woman" when I hear it, no matter what language it's in!!)

All in all , one of those perfect days that started as nothing special and ended the best way possible...on the couch... with my family.....together.

New Lives...

Two new lives have entered my family in the last week.....my sister is a doting mother to a beautiful daughter, and my niece Cherie has also brought a beautiful little girl into the world.
I found myself looking at my boys baby photos today, and thinking back to those first few days when everything was new and special, and of all the promises I made to them and to myself.
I haven't kept them all....but I've really tried with the important ones....
You can always come to me when you're in trouble.
I may not like what you're doing, but I'll always love you.
Talk to me...I'll always listen and I'll try to understand.
I will never let the day end without saying I love you. (even if you're not there to hear it)

To Ingrid and Cherie....hoping that motherhood brings you all the rewards it brings me every day. xox

Introducing.....

Jessica Jean Boyd, daughter to Ingid & Dean.

7lb,4oz. 11.52 pm December 25th 2007

ANNOUNCING

The birth of Jessica Jean Boyd, daughter to Ingrid and Dean, 7lb 4oz born by C section at Townsville Hospital, 11.52 pm December 25th, 2007. Pictures to follow later.

D DAY!!

as in DELIVERY DAY!! Ingrid has just rung to say she's in the early stages of labour,,,,her timing is impeccable as usual, lol. I have managed to transfer to an earlier flight that leaves this evening, so I'm hoping to arrive in Townsville before the baby does. I'll probably be away for 4-6 days depending on how things go...stay tuned for updates!!

Hope Santa brings you all something extra special. Peace & Joy to you and yours.

December Scrapjack!!

Here it is...my jack for December....i appologise for the appalling photo, but the light was NOT co operating, and the transparancy kept reflecting and Ingrid rang to say the baby's head has dropped and I panicked and this is the result. Ho Ho Ho!!!

Something fishy goin' on....

Here's my layout for Sara's sketch challenge at Mystical Scrapbooks....you may need to wear dark glasses. I've had these pix of Sebi and Zac for months, waiting for the right "thing" to come along. Better late than never, lol.

This is me!!

As part of the "I Dare You" challenge on Mystical Scrapbooks, I had to scrap myself in a layout with a positive message....

The journalling reads "I am kind, I am, friendly, I am talented, I am caring, I am beautiful, I am wife, I am mother, I am woman, I am complete, I am happy. "

Whew!!

PUBLISHED!!!

For those of you who heard the screams this afternoon, don't panic!! After getting the good news from Karen at Mystical Scrapbooks, I checked my email and found this!!!

Thnak you for submitting your page to Scrapbooking Memories. Your layout is lovely and we would be thrilled to consider HARRY POTTER for our FINAL ENCORE GALLERY.

The final Encore gallery is compiled of pages that are non-theme specific but demonstrate a fabulous balance of design principles and new ideas............

I am so excited....I have achieved both the goals I set myself for 2007!! (With very little time to spare, I admit).

But credit where credit's due....I wouldn't have done either if Renee hadn't given me the kick up the ass I so desperately needed, as well as taking time out of her life to photograph my layouts when my own camera wasn't co-operating. She is a never ending source of support and inspiration to me, and listens to me whinge without complaint....that's true friendship!! Thanks Nay, you're the best!! xoxo

My Christmas Present !!

Santa sent me an early present via the net today....I have been asked to join the Mystical Scrapbooks Design Team, I am totally stoked!! The shop is great and forum has a LOT of stuff going on... and all the members are very friendly and love to chat...it'll certainly keep me on my toes, lol. The last few weeks I have been too busy with family & associated disasters to do much scrapping, but I did put a lot of time into my application, and I'm thrilled that it has paid off.....with help from Renee, who came to the rescue when my camera decided to misbehave, and spent a whole morning photographing my entries from every possible angle!! Thanks Nay, love you xox. Mokey Fraggle must be looking over my shoulder!! Cheers!!!!

123 challenge

I'm actually on a bit of a roll at the moment...three pages in a week...that's gotta be some kinda record for this time of year, lol. This is my take on the 123 challenge....I am now the proud possessor of 5 Christmas Layouts!!!!! Hooray for me!!!

This one used all my fave Chrissy paper...Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket, and some KF paper from years ago that I rediscovered and fell in love with.

The journalling reads "No matter how grown up you think you are, no matter how grungy you dress...you can't hide what's inside" So true...just look at that face!!!

Ticket to ride.....

Well I finally bowed to the inevitable and booked my ticket to Townsville...I get there on the 27th, two days past Ingrids due date. It's the best arrangement I can make, letting me have Christmas with my boys, hopefully getting to Ingrid before she delivers, and maybe even making it home for Sebi's birthday on the 2nd of January. I realise that the last one is pushing it a bit, but that would be my IDEAL scenario....actually the ideal would be for me to get off the plane to a message saying 'your sister's in the labour ward, go straight to the hospital'.
I guess we just wait and see.....watch this space for updates.

Where does the time go??

This is a revamp of a photo that Bruce took of Sebi and I when he was three. We had this absolute bond, partly the result of my carrying him in a sling for the first 12 months of his life.

I loved having him so close to me, and he was always happiest tucked up next to my heart.

The bond is still there, although it shows in different ways....one thing that hasn't changed (yet) is the nightly cuddles. The thumb sucking has stopped, and it's more of a TV watching experience than a spiritual one, but the bond is as strong as ever. A mother knows.

Angels with Attitude....

Hee hee....this is an entry for the Mystical Scrapbooks photography challenge. As I am not a digital scrapper, it never occurred to me that cutting out a photo and adding it to a different background without using your trimmer is digital scrapping (D'oh). Well, I entered it as a photo, so I'm hoping that the fact that I'm an idiot won't be held against me. And I just LOVE the end result...you won't get much of a Silent Night with these two angels. xox

I Promise to try

not to end a day in anger

to laugh more and stress less

to be grateful every day

not to judge others

to enjoy the good times and deal with the bad

to use my talents

to be more patient

to watch one reality series from start to finish so I can see what all the fuss is about

Hail Saint Anthony

It's my own fault and I really can't blame anyone else. I am the stupid person who took my boys Christmas shopping at Christmas. If I had any brains at all (read "none"), I would take them Christmas shopping in September....or March....or any of those other stupid months where nothing happens and B1 and B2 (boy one and boy two) spend their time whining "we're bored!!!!" But no, I have to do it the hard way. Me and Saint Anthony. He's the patron saint of car parks. He 's the guy that you pray to after you've done seventeen laps of the three story car park at Carindale and B1 is hanging out of the back window moaning "if you don't stop the car I'm going to be sick, seriously" (as opposed to being sick without giving a damn??) Who knows? Anyway, to cut an ugly story short, we found a car park, did the shopping, rescued the princess, defeated the flying monkeys, saved the world and made it home in time for Ben 10.

Saint Anthony, you're my kind of guy xox.

The end of it all.....

All I can say is Thank God school is over for the year!! The boys and I have decided to start the holidays a couple of days early, cos we are all SO over school....Kit had graduation last night, recieved his year seven certificate and an award for his Memory Book, and as far as he's concerned the school year ended as soon as we got in the car, lol. So we will be sleeping in and Christmas shopping over today and tomorrow, as well as getting ready for visitors....yes, Mick and Juls are finally on their way down to Briz, bringing my third son with them. Kit is counting the minutes till Matt arrives (hopefully on Tuesday), and I am hoping that I get to spend some time with Mick Juls and Abi before I have to up stakes and count contractions with Ingrid.
I'm seriously considering cramming my butt into the scanner and duplicating myself, so I can be everywhere at once....just what the world needs, lol.

Can you believe it??? I actually scrapped something....don't die of shock!!

This was a DT call for Mystical Scrapbooks...they wanted "mystical and magical"

so I based this on the Mirror of Erised from Harry Potter.

I used some gorgeous Rusty Pickle paper, and mounted it on foam core to give the "mirror" some depth, then covered the top with a trasparancy and hand doodled the edges....MAGIC!!

M.I.A

I love my camera....we have a unique and wonderful relationship, and it does what I ask it to, unlike my children or my husband. I sometimes think that the reason I put up with said husband and children is so that my camera continues to feel needed and loved. So you can imagine how I felt when i went to photograph my latest layout and discovered that someone had REMOVED MY CAMERA!!! All that was left was a naked tripod, devoid of any picture taking possibility. After calmly racing upstairs and threatening my nearest and dearest with sudden instant and immediate death, DH announced that he had "borrowed " it to take some pix of his latest DIY efforts in the garage. Which is where i found my baby, sitting in a pile of sawdust, with the lenscap OFF and the batteries flat. Some people have no respect. However, revenge will be sweet, as I am planning on "borrowing" DH's rechargeable mouse and leaving it somewhere he'll never find it. (probably on top of the washing machine).

Cosmo Gallery Pickup

Feeling pretty pleased with myself, the Cosmo Cricket Gallery have picked up all three of my Christmas Layouts on their Be Good Gallery. Here are the links:
http://www.qbaroo.com/cosmocricket/galleryitem.cfm?galleryitemoid=300&galleryitemname=Angel&author=Kjirsten%20Hartwell
http://www.qbaroo.com/cosmocricket/galleryitem.cfm?galleryitemoid=299&galleryitemname=Watch%20Out&author=Kjirsten%20Hartwell
http://www.qbaroo.com/cosmocricket/galleryitem.cfm?galleryitemoid=298&galleryitemname=Don't%20Santa&author=Kjirsten%20Hartwell
It 's been such a long time since I've managed to get any scrcapping done, but with the end of school in sight, I'm hoping to grab a few extra hours in the day and catch up with the pile of photos on my desk!!

Fighting Back

Once again we are off to the hospital....Kit's medication is still fighting back, so we need to see the specialist. He is not happy ATM, I don't know wether it's becuase he is still coming off the old meds or wether he hasn't been taking the new regime long enough for it to have it's full effect. I hate to see my child stressed and unhappy, it breaks my heart. He has dealt with such a lot so far, so this is just a crappy way to end the year. I'm hoping that the specialist will have some encouragement for us, but if this is not the way to go, then we go back to the beginning and try again. At least there are no limits on the number of fresh starts you get in life. Kit, you are my Pride and Joy.

Winding down

We are in the home stretch folks!! Only two weeks to go and then everyone gets to kick back for a while. Kit is back at school today...he seems to finally be getting a grip on his medication but it's been hard going. We had a week where he was so tired he could barely lift his head, but hopefully the worst is over now.
Today the boys gave Mrs o'Shea her Christmas present. We should be giving her a gold medal...Tania has been Kit's support system for the last seven years and has done a brilliant job. She has always looked out for him, and let me know what's been happening at school, and has seen him through some tough stages. Kit is going to miss her very much next year, but she won't have time to miss him, because she still has Sebi under her wing. I think that teacher aides are a highly undervalued resource and they deserve a lot more recognition...they are truly "quiet achievers" who put in hours of patient effort with our kids, and very rarely get any credit for the end result. So this one's for you Tania...you're a credit to your profession!!!

Sunday Stuff

It's very quiet here for a change....but it is only early. I am full of ideas today...have got to get my rear in gear and take some pix....there's a fantastic photographic challenge on the LSBS cybercrop that i'm dying to have a crack at, plus some other challenges as well. Yesterday had the grandparents over for dinner on the new deck, it was great... i can see us living out there this summer!!!
We have church this morning, then the rest of the day I'm locking myself in my scrap room and getting some work done. Kit seems to be getting used to the new meds, although it's taking longer than we expected. He had a day at the high school on Friday and LOVED it....did a cooking class, and met some of the kids who will be in the unit with him next year. Sebi had his bowling birthday party yesterday...was a great success (very loud) will post some pix later. Luck hugs xox kjirsten

Smells like Green Sherbert

There should definately be a rule that states "don't freak your mother out before 8am because even though she's walking around and doing stuff, she's not really connected yet" (Can you see that on a bumper sticker?). Take this morning....please, I really mean it...take this morning and give it to someone else because I want a new Friday!!!!! NOW!!! I'm going through my emails in the hope that I've been chosen to recieve 150 million dollars by a deposed African dictator, who just wants my bank details and one of my children as surety....after this mornings episode i know which child I'd send!!!!!
So anyway, back to freaking out your mother. (DON'T try this at home).
I'm checking emails, drinking my tea, doing my morning thing, when DH appears in the doorway of my inner sanctum holding a plastic baggie containing greenish/white powder. "I found this in Kit's school bag....do you think we should ask him what it is??" (No, I think we should call drug arm, the police, the pope and Dr Phil, plus that weird lady on the biography channel who runs interventions)
"Why what do you think it is?"
"I don't know....you don't think it's drugs?"
"It's green...who takes green drugs?"
At this point, DS#1 appears, and grabs the bag.
"hey, that's the sherbert I swapped my cheese sandwich for on Monday"
Why is there never a deposed African Dictator around when you need one??

Mad Axeman and the Little Drummer Boy

As I sit here typing, my attention is caught by my coffee cup which is slowly but surely edging its way towards the edge of my desk and certain death. Why has my mug developed suicidal tendancies?? It's all about the vibes, people. The vibes from next door where the mad axeman has plugged in his long suffering electric guitar and is bringin' down the house (literally) with a god awful rendition of the "Inspector Gadget Theme Song". I can not only hear every wrong note, but I can feel it as well. But wait, there's more!! After all, what's a crappy guitar solo without woeful off beat drumming?? Enter the little drummer boy, sidekick to the mad axeman and bane of my existence. I know they have to practice. I fully understand that. What I don't get is how anyone as bad as they were to start with can possibly get worse with practice????? Some famous dead guy once said that three chords are all you need......I'll let you know if they ever learn them.

Yay Nay!!

Congratulations to RENEE who is being published in FOR KEEPS magazine in a few months time!!! Love your work xoxox

Finally Finished...

my "about me" layout. Is it just me or does everybody get the "cringe factor" about scrapping themselves?? Anyway, it's done, after several retries, and I've posted it off, so it's too late to worry about it now, lol.

Life on Ward 7

Both the boys are now on their latest medication trial....I think it's hitting Kit pretty hard ATM...he's tired, and finding it hard to get moving. That should hopefully wear off in a couple of days, and then we start to look for signs of improvement. Sebi has been trialling longer than Kit, and seems to have got on top of any side effects....he's actually doing quite well. After taking the anti-medication stance for so long, it's hard to reconcile to the fact that it does seem to help. But it does, which makes it easier for the boys to deal with day to day stuff, which is all good with me. The one thing that I've totally come to believe about all this is that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and I'm raising two incredibly strong young men. Love you boys!!!

Stressmas!!

I'm feeling better than I did this morning, thank God, but this whole Christmas thing is really starting to stress me out. I still haven't booked my flight to Townsville, I have no idea how long I'll be gone and I have NEVER had Christmas away from the boys. I just want to put it all into the too hard basket and let someone else deal with it!!!! (yeah, like that's gonna happen). My ideal Christmas would be me, Bruce and the boys in a 5 star hotel on another planet. Are you listening Santa???

Music from another room....

The boys had their final piano lesson from Mrs Overson today....after teaching myself, my younger brother and sister, and both my kids, she is selling up and moving on to pastures new, and places quieter, lol. She has been involved with my family's music for a staggering 36 years!!!! If that doesn't entitle you to some down time I don't know what does. The boys have both enjoyed their lessons and will miss her, and I will too....especially as I have to take over the lessons from now on!!

Christmas is coming damn it!!

And I feel like hiding under the doona. I wish we could skip straight from December 20th to New Years Eve. I didn't sleep last night and I probably won't tonight. So much for peace and goodwill. Apparantly I'm not entitled to any. BAH HUMBUG!!

November Scrapjack

Here is my take on Celeste Vermeend's layout on Aussie Scrapjacked. It's certainly not a style that I would normally try, but I am rapt with the result, especially since I wrote on the layout instead of using stamps or computer fonts...a real rarity for me (shame out!!). I used Basic Grey and Cosmo Cricket Christmas papers, plus my clear stamps, and it's turned out fairly festive if I do say so myself, which I do!!

My life on Mars

I'm having one of those days where I think I'm speaking a different language to the rest of the world. So far I've managed to mortally insult my husband, fight with DS#1 and have a major disagreement with the powers that be at the school. Not bad when you consider it's not even ten O'clock yet!! I think I've probably contracted a 24 hour case of 'Adidas Mouth' (as in open mouth, insert foot), so I've decided that the best option is for me to use my gums for something useful. If anybody wants me, I'll be stocktaking in the fridge.

All I want for Christmas/Volvo Driving Soccer Mum

Santa, if you're reading this, I would like a big silver 1978 Volvo station wagon in my stocking please....or in the driveway if the logistics are too much for you.
Once again it's time for me to put on my cape and mask and assume my secret identity... RAVING MADCOW (ta dah!!). With the ability to lose her marbles with absolutley no warning in any given situation, Raving Madcow's alter ego is a mild mannered lollipop lady who wishes to remain employed, so we're not going into any more detail....it's a superhero thing, ok?? So the reason for the Silver Volvo??
Raving Madcow's latest crusade is to rid the world of stupid parkers!!!! I swear that there's a secret army of genetically predispositioned "stupid parkers" who spend their lives lurking in the David Jones carpark to make life harder for the rest of us. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!! The ones who park in the middle of two spaces...the ones who think that having a baby seat in your car, regardless if you actually have a baby to put IN said seat gives you the right to park in the stroller parks.....and my personal favourites....the 4x4 drivers who park anywhere they like....footpaths, trolley bays, garden beds....we're all aware that you're frustrated off roaders, but is running over a garden bed full of defenceless flowers REALLY going to release your inner warrior??? Anyway, I digress....the silver Volvo....designed by Swedes to withstand earthquakes, blizzards, IKEA sales and ABBA compilations. I want one, so that I can dedicate one day a week (start small, aim high) to dinging the taillights of every 'stupidparker' I come across.
I figure that if I apply to Centrelink for a Small Business Grant to pay for the petrol and the printing costs for the bumper stickers..."Your tail lights are toast courtesy of RAVING MADCOW and the SILVER VOLVO" I should be up and running in time for the boxing day sales. What can I say....public service is my life.

Be careful what you wish for....

After nagging all the men in my life about how bad the lighting is in my scraproom, and how I'm going to go blind or chop my fingers off or BOTH, if someone doesn't do something about it, I am now the proud possessor of a VERY bright double tube flourescent (spelling???) light. Which is great except that now I can see all my layouts in a whole new light, literally, which is SO not a good thing when you're trying to put entries together, lol. The end result of all this is that my DT entry which I was pretty happy with when it was viewed in the semi darkness of a 75watt globe has now gathered some serious YUK factor when seen under the all illuminating twin tubes hanging from the ceiling. BUGGA!! So, it's back to the drawing board for me....this time with the lights ON!!

A long held GOAL

WOOHOO!! After coming close several times, Sebi has finally scored a goal at Futsal. He was really firing last night...and it all seemed to come together. Zac and he have made huge strides in their soccer, and are starting to develop some serious attitude on the field, which is showing in the way they play. Brag on proud mama!! The end result was a loss by two, but nothing took the shine off Sebi's night. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

It's all about me

Well i have more or less completed my "self" layout for DT submission. I HATE scrapping myself...I hate the way I look in photos...not that I'm all that in real life, lol, but photos always seem to pick up your least favourite bits and MAGNIFY them till all you can see is the your "worst" side. And my worst side is plenty bad without being immortalised on film let me tell you!!! The worst side of me has been quite active lately...I've been snappy with the kids, and moody with Bruce, for no reason that I'm aware of except that I'm maybe stressing a bit about not being here at Christmas :( So naturally, sniping at everyone is absolutley the best way of dealing with it, NOT!! Also, I think I've pretty much had all the public education I can deal with for one year....I think it's ridiculous that Kit is still coming home with a stack of homework every night...if he hasn't learnt it by now, the odds aren't good, IYKWIM. Plus, I'm gonna have to go out and break the water restictions, cos the money tree in the back yard is looking sick, and I still have to cough up for Kit's end of term activities and his French Restaurant visit.
The joys of free education!!

Eye Eye Captain

True to form, a week has yet to go by without an injury at the Hartwell house. I'm seriously considering starting a "bruise of the week" segment. This week it's Sebi's turn. He's managed to do something manky and infectious to his right eye, which is why he's sporting the "Dread Pirate Roberts" look in the picture. The patch isn't too bad, it's the two hourly eye drops that are KILLING me. If you've never wrestled a screaming seven year old into a half nelson whilst administering eye drops, argueing with his older brother and talking on the phone to some half wit in Bombay who wants to know the intimate details of your mobile phone's social life, then you've got the life I want....fancy trading???

Use the Force/Tales of the Elven Warrior

Yesterday was the year 2 boat display. All the kids have been working really hard on their boats and yesterday they all got to race them in the school pool. Sebi and Bruce spent ages working on their entry and Bruce was NOT impressed that he had to work and was going to miss the whole thing. Sometimes I wonder who's the biggest kid. Then I look at Bruce and realise there's no contest. Anyway, Sebi's "Elven Warrior" (I know, too much Lord of the Rings) won the sailboat section in fine style. There was talk of launching a protest when it was realised that the ship was captained by Yoda, as it was thought that using the Force gives an unfair advantage.
All protests were dismissed by Mrs Wallen (sensible woman) and the Elven Warrior went on to win the day.

Monday Monday

No, you're not seeing double...I'm sure my week has two Mondays in it.....either that or the one I get has 72 hours as opposed to the standard 24. Have been working on my DT entry (read as "stuffing about/eating ice cream/changing ring tone on phone") and I am slowly making some progress. Probably make more if I shelved the ice cream. Although on the up side, my phone now plays a really cool version of "who let the dogs out". Ok, no more excuses. Back to work!!

Big Ideas....

in my head and I want to work on them now, but I'm SO tired that I'm worried I'll cut my fingers off, lol. LSBS are having a design team call, due in by the 25th November. I'm going to apply, even if it doesn't pan out, at least it'll give me something to work on this week, although as usual I'm going to be hugely rushed - of course I wasn't looking for DT spots, so I guess you gottta run with what you find, lol. Nay has promised to check out my submission stuff, I know I can count on her for a completely honest opinion. So as soon as the kids are safely ensnared in public education, i.e. 9am tomorrow, I will get my rear into gear and try and pin this idea down in some sort of workable format!! Luck hugs!! as Sebi would say.

Twin Waters

We are back after a SENSATIONAL two days at Twin Waters...after reading some of the reviews before we left, i wasn't sure what to expect, but it was fantastic. The boys spent all day in the water...either in the pool or on the lagoon. We sailed catamarans, canoed and just generally stuffed about for two days. It was exactly what I needed after a crappy couple of days. The metroll party was nice..a chance for me to put on a dress and glam up a bit;, we left the boys in the hotel room, and checked on them a few times, the last time we checked they were sound asleep, so a very low stress evening for us :) I am glad to be home though, cos much as I would like to, i can't just leave things to sort themselves out,(if it were only that easy!!). So tomorrow, I'm back into it. This is the boys on the cat...the terror of the lagoon!!

Flip a coin....

Well, for every crappy thing that happens, there's an upside....I was up to my neck in washing and packing this morning, when mum called to ask if I wanted to go to the club for lunch. Hmmmm.....do the washing.....go out for lunch....NO CONTEST!!!!
So we ended up going to the Southside Club, where I splurged and put $10 in the pokies and walked away 20 minutes later with $160 which will just about pay for our weekend up the coast :) Have decided to put the last couple of days in cold storage, while I move on with stuff and see what my next "big thing" turns out to be. Also on a brighter note, Kit is playing the piano at the year 7 Graduation, which is the last week of school. Totally looking forward to seeing him strut his stuff, he's a born performer, and his talent is just blossoming at the moment.
Both boys have now recieved their "Silver Awards" for behaviour, I am SO proud, because this has taken some perseverance on their part, and it's good to see them being rewarded for their efforts.

It's raining/Off to work

It's raining again, just as I have to head out to work. My patience is on the thin side this morning, after the last 24 hours, so stupid wet weather drivers LOOK OUT!! 'cos I'm NOT in the mood to deal with you today. We leave for the coast as soon as Bruce gets home, so I have to chuck some stuff in a bag and pack the kids gear sometime today, as well as shop, clean house and finish the washing. I love getting away with my boys, no one else to deal with, they can run up and down the beach doing their "thing" and no one bothers us. The only hassle is that we have to come home again, lol. Still, I guess everything has a down side if you choose to look at it that way, which I don't (most of the time). Like this DT thing....yeah, I'm not real happy about the way things have worked out, but on the upside, I know that I have what people are looking for in a designer, so that's a plus. And hopefully the next position I get will be a better long term proposition. Plus, I know what I want from a shop now in terms of design team, and I'm not going to settle for less. I'm worth top dollar, lol!! It's time for me to push off and the rain has just started AGAIN.....good job I threw out the Global Conspiracy T shirt.

Basically this is it.

Well, I have just recieved an email informing me that Basically Scrapbooking are closing their doors, so my time on the Design Team is done and dusted. I feel for Annie and Lesley as it is no easy task to try and run a business and a family, but at the moment I am kinda busy feeling sorry for myself :( I don't know why I feel like I've let myself down, because I know I put my absolute best effort in to both my design work and the shop forum, but there it is.....The WHY ME factor rears its ugly head again and I'm wearing my "Global Conspiracy" t shirt. Dammit, why can't I just have ONE thing turn out halfway decently?? And more to the point, WHY did I have to read the damn email the day before I go away for the weekend?? NOT the best way to start a much needed break. OK, enough sooking. Onwards and upwards. Monday I start applying for DT positions, and we'll see where I end up this time.
As Howard Jones is always singing, "things can only get better". Unless they don't.
Damn, the Global Conspiracy t shirt has GOT TO GO!!!!!!!

Breakin' Out

WOOHOO!! We're going away!!! Metroll have their Social Club getaway this weekend and I have managed to book us an extra night AND we can take the boys!!! We're going to Twin Waters on the Sunshine Coast to see how the other half lives lol. TOO COOL!! We haven't been away as a family since Easter, and since I won't be here at Christmas :( we are really overdue for some FAMILY TIME!! Rock on Friday!!!

Catching Up/Birthday Boy

Ok, so here's where things stand at the moment. Sebi has started his new medication, we are waiting to see how it goes, he starts on 10mg then goes to 18 then to 25 then we review. Kit has his appointment on the 26th when he will start the same medication. Hoping for some good results!! I am slowly but surely working my way through the mountain of scrapbooking in front of me....My goal this week is to have finished this weeks 52 challenge BEFORE i have to post it on Friday.
I have a brad swap to complete and the Secret Santa Swap that I need to organise for Basically Scrapbooking. I also have to resubmit ALL my gallery work as I managed to delete EVERYTHING during one of my technophobic moments yesterday....fortunately Annie came to the rescue AGAIN, and has reformatted my folders. So all I have to do is dig through all my disks to find my work. Can't Wait. Today is also Chris's birthday....it's kinda scary to have a little brother turning 37....MORTALITY CHECK!!!!! here's a pic of us as kids....makes you wonder what my mother fed us!!!! Can you say "fatty boom boom". Heehee, gotta love that sharpei dog look. Anyway Happy Birthday Baby Buddha. Love you.

Christmas Layouts

This is Christmas, Boy Style. I used the new Cosmo Cricket Papers which I LOVE, and some of the Queen and Co felt. I also FINALLY got to play with my new 7 Gypsies Calendar Stamp which you can see on the "Don't Santa" layout. My other new fave rave is the "sugar coating" glitter from doodlebug, which Renee showed me...I used it on the A in "Angel", and I'm really pleased with the results. This years pix have been a struggle,(it's a boy thing) but I'm really pleased with the result. I'm getting right into the whole Christmas thing now, especially since there are only 24 days of school left, (not that I'm counting or anything). MUCH!!

You Better Watch Out

Once again it's Christmas Photo time and once again my boys suddenly become rabidly camera-phobic. It's enough to drive a scrapbooking mother to distraction. Kit flat out refused to wear anything remotely Christmassy, we compromised on the outfit in the picture. Sebi refused to wear anything that wasn't exactly the same as Kit's, so instead of Merry Christmas, I got "Men In Black". Oh well, beggars can't be choosers.

TGIF

and I totally mean it....just have to get through the afternoon shift on the crossing and then i can chill out...Bruce home early today, we have a bye at futsal tonite, so we can actually spend an evening together...until 8.30 at least, cos it's cybercrop nite and I'm totally looking forward to getting some challenges done.
Kit had his Karaoke assignment test yesterday (I know, I don't really understand it either) and came home with an A-.....not bad considering that he didn't choose a song until 7am yesterday morning!!! I think he got most of the marks for attitude..he just LOVES a captive audience. Sebi is due to start his new medication this weekend....we'll just have to wait and see how it goes...apparantly it's supposed to help with organisation skills (wonder if they do a family pack??)
Kit had a day at Mt Gravatt High and totally loved it, he's so keen to start high school he's counting the days, lol. Hoping to get my Christmas Pix done this weekend...watch this space for previews.

LOL

We now have our own resident comedian at Planet Hartwell....Sebi has discovered knock knock jokes. He only knows two, so when he runs out of material (20 seconds) he starts making them up...here's todays special...

KNOCK KNOCK

WHO'S THERE?

MINAS TIRITH

(?????) MINAS TIRITH WHO??

MINIS TIRITH OUT OF LORD OF THE RINGS, DON'T YOU KNOW ANYTHING????

and the crowd goes wild. Jerry Seinfeld watch out!!!

Christmas Wind Up

Well, I have come to the realisation that Chrtistmas is coming wether I'm ready or not (scream "NOT"), so in order to TRY and simplify things (and to encourage me to get off my duff and do something) I have added a "days til Christmas" counter and a list of what I hope to get done before the big day arrives. All I have achieved so far is a premature panic attack, which I guess is marginally better than last years numb acceptance of the inevitable....can you say "fibre optic christmas tree"???
I have actually started making my cards (don't faint) plus I have paid off some of my national debts worth of Christmas Laybys. So I guess that's a start. Kind of.
If I didn't have to go to the shops I'd do way better...it's something about canned Christmas carols in the first week of November that just makes me want to hide under the doona until Easter...or at least New Years. DS#1 has requested a gym membership, which would be fine except he's gonna need a car to go with it, not to mention a drivers license, (kinda out of reach for a 12 year old) otherwise I'm gonna be the one driving him down there and watching all those buff fellas working out....hmmm....maybe this one needs some more thought. DS#2 wants a drum kit, which again is fine 'cos i won't be here over Christmas when it gets its initial workout. By the time I get back it'll be gathering dust in the garage hee hee. Or should that be HO HO HO?????

Tick Attack II

Just when you thought it was safe....last night Sebi was complaining of an itchy head and a headache...after a head check we found two more ticks, embedded so deeply that we couldn't remove them. So off we went to the hospital, which was CHOCKERS (Sunday is obvously a bad night to get sick), and after an unscheduled hair cut (hee hee, 7 year old with a bald spot), the doctor managed to remove the offending aliens. Sebi now has a scalp that resembles a pineapple, but should be back to normal in a couple of days. The tick is not expected to recover.

Bush TacTICKS

Well, Sebi is back from his very first camping trip without mum or dad.
Yes, after packing all my stuff, I drove Sebi to the scout den only to be told "you can go now mum, I'm nearly eight you know". We compromised and I drove him to the campsite and stayed long enough to help with lunch. Apparantly a good time was had by all... the highlight of the camp being the removal of ticks from several Joeys and one joey leader. YUK!! Typically, Sebi ended up with TWO ticks , in line with his philosophy of "more is more". GROSS!! Still, managed to get a photo of the little sucker as it was "unscrewed", to the delight of all the kids. Sebi was mad keen to keep it "as a pet" (?????) but we didn't have room in the car. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. These pix are Sebi at Camp, plus a close up of the Tick.

Missing Kit

Number 1 son is home tomorrow and I'm glad...the house has been SO quiet without him and Sebi yelling down the hallway at each other. Sebi had Bailey over to play today but it was still too quiet for me. I know that by bedtime tomorrow I'll be telling them both to pipe down but that's tomorrow. Tonight I miss my boy. It still catches me by surprise when I look at him sometimes and realise that the chubby baby has turned into a tall skinny manchild with a mind of his own. Fortunately he still has a sweet center even if you have to look a little harder to find it. The idea of him going off to high school next year just floors me, although a large part of me is just exploding with pride at how far he's come.Now he just needs to come home and that'll be far enough for now :)

CONGRATULATIONS

to my fave nephew/godson/extra child MATT who has won himself and his double bass a music scholarship to the Cathedral School in Townsville. He is a very talented musician and a fantasic kid and we are all VERY PROUD!!!!

Retreating, Relaxing, Regrouping.

I had the absolute best time at the Basically Scrapbooking retreat on the weekend. It's been a while since I've gotten away without the boys (including the big one)
so it was a chance to chat, to meet new people, and most of all, to scrap!!!
There was no shortage of cool toys to play with including the new Cricut "Expression", VERY cool, also there were two weddings going on in the venue while we were there....The idea of crashing the reception was briefly discussed, then decided against as our range of flashy PJ's would undoubtably have overshadowed the bride, and after all, it was her day.
I got three single and two double page layouts completed in between teaching the exploding box class, eating chocolate and laughing my ass off. NOT BAD!!
The high light of the whole weekend, apart from Maria's Muffin Monologue had to be Lesley's speech on Sunday. I'm not going to quote it here because I've already ruptured something small but vital by laughing so much. For details check the forum
www.basicallyscrapbooking.com.au .
Here's one of the layouts I did using BG Dawson (so old it's retro).

Monday Mayhem

It's Monday again and the week is off to a flying start. Kit was up at the crack of dawn (and it was cracking....it thundered ALL NIGHT) getting ready for year 7 camp at Harry's Hut, he's been looking forward to it all year so I hope they don't get too much rain. He'll be back on Friday afternoon. Sebi came out of school this afternoon and announced that he is receiving his "Silver Award" on Assembly tomorrow, so I have swapped shifts on the crossing so that I can be there to see the presentation. Now all I have to do is re assemble my scrap room after pulling it apart for retreat, and things will be pretty much back to normal...or as normal as things ever get around here. We have Joey Camp for Sebi this weekend, plus doctors, dentists, school excursions and high school visits all in the same week.
I really need a clone so I can be in two places at once. Have to go, Sebi has enlisted my help in defending Minas Tirith from the invading Orcs. Such is life...

I Hear Thunder

and I just know it's going to chuck it down while I'm on the crossing this afternoon. I hate working in the rain - everyone drives faster and is more impatient, the kids hate being cooped up under cover, and I get VERY nervous standing in the middle of a thunderstorm holding a large metal sign. Kinda like having a target drawn on your shirt, y'know?? I should get danger money!!
Still, if it means we get some water in the dams, then it's dicing with death for a good cause, hee hee!!!

Retreat Weekend

I'm SO excited, the Basically Scrapbooking retreat is finally here!!!
Not only do I get a whole weekend of uninterrupted scrapping (gasp) but I also get to teach a class on Saturday which I'm totally looking forward to. It's been a really hectic week...getting Kit ready for year 7 camp, piles of homework, end of year assignments, spellathons, you name it!!!! This Mum definately deserves some down time, and I'm gonna enjoy every second of it.

SEVEN GYPSIES

WOW, where to start???? I had an amazing day at the 7 Gypsies day at Printblocks.
Their products are always fabulous, and the chance to meet two of their designers, Paula and Debbie was just fantastic. Renee and I had to get our heads down and WORK, because the classes didn't slow down ALL DAY!! But it was definately worth it, we came home with some GORGEOUS things which I can't post yet, looking at doing classes with them so no sneak previews....but watch this space for more details.

BASIC GREY PICK UP

Yay...Basic Grey picked up a layout of Sebi I did using Obscure paper.It's fairly intimidating paper, so I was happy with the result. Tah Dah!!

Renovation Celebration

It feels like forever since I've posted anything....or since I've slept either!!!
The boys have been gone for a week and except for one phone call to say "we made it", I've heard exactly nothing. Too busy having a good time to miss their mum!!
Bruce and I have the painting well in hand, with Kit and Sebi's rooms finished, the lounge finished and just the master bedroom to go. It's been non stop painting for 4 days, but it'll be WORTH IT when it's finished. I'm feeling very decadent as I have treated myself to new bedding, as well as a new dining table and chairs and new curtains for the Lounge room. I refuse to feel guilty.....we've had a plastic garden table as a dining table for 10 years, and the last new bedding I had was before Sebi was born!!! This weekend we build the new deck out the front....bruce is already planning his first BBQ!!


Scrap wise, things have been a bit slow although I did manage to complete a layout today that I'm very happy with....It's kind of hard to get creative when your house is full of paint tins and boxed up furniture!! This is Sebi at four years old, recharging his batteries at Southbank after a morning at the Kodak Beach.
I really have got to get some more photos printed!!

Engineering Expo

Sebi really impressed me at the year 2 Engineering Expo on Friday. He made a speech about cable bridges and demonstrated a model of a house he designed for a cold country. He really loves to build stuff, so this was his time to shine. WELL DONE SEBI!!

A Scouting we will go....

Kit left this morning on his first ever Scout camp. They are staying at Mt Cotton and will be back mid afternoon Sunday. Here he is, all packed up and ready to roll. It was a very early start which accounts for the half asleep look on his face.