04.30.08
WoooHoooot # 2
Yep, really! I wasn’t expecting to be back here so soon but there you go! But seeing Wooo Hooo Wednesday is something Janine started and this next one is also because Janine started something, I thought it was only fair to declare on line and in public that “Janine is an Enabler”.
You guys clear about this? It is Janine’s fault!!! 
Just kidding. Actually, no I’m not. See at the crop the other weekend, Janine brought along not one, but two really cool books. Really cool. Even my buddy Donna who is really really good at being that voice in the bottom of my wallet said – and I quote: “You should get that”. Meaning it was really good and I should get it so that she didn’t have to. Oh, she’s a clever girl that Donna! 
So I went on Amazon and took a look. And guess what? They were discounted. Yep, I got the two plus postage for the same price roughly that I would have paid for ONE of the books had I known where to find them here. What on earth am I on about??
These puppies:
Plus they arrived just an hour ago – like 3 weeks before I was expecting them! So basically, it’s a big Wooooo Hooooooo in this house just now. Oh, and Mr 6 has already glanced through the kid’s one with me and has about half a dozen projects he’s wanting to do. So, success.
Thanks Janine – you enabler you!
WoooooooHoooooooo!!
Wooohoooo Wednesday
Wooo Hoooo Wednesday comes from the ever Angelic Angelgurl. Not that I have a huge list – just a few simple things. But simple is good. Especially over the holidays. When mostly the Mr’s and I are making it through relevtively unscathed.
Yesterday the Mr’s had a bonus day out. Our Widdle friend called and said she had a couple of spare seats going in the van for a planned daytrip to Owlcatraz. Excellent says I – hurriedly packing a bag of fruit and raingear.
Apparently she was not driven insane with a total of 6 kids in the car (I am not one of those that would say she already was to even think of such a thing…. not really!). Apparently they saw Moreporks – we hear them in the bush on clear nights but have never seen them. And Mr 6 won a prize for answering a question – correctly I assume!
And then they came home. Dinner was “interesting”. Bedtime “challenging”. Never let it be said my boys like to take it easy after a fun day out. Hyped to the max is pretty much an understatement. Anywaay, at 8.30pm they are finally asleep and order appears to have returned. That my friends, is a “Woooohooooo” moment if there ever was one!
04.28.08
Holiday times
Gosh this post has taken a while to write itself! 
I’ve only sat down about 4 times the last couple of days and been called away in order to take care of something else. So finally, while we have some little friends here, I might be able to string together a sentance or two!
The first week of the hols has whizzed by really fast. The only thing that was really done was Mr 6 went off to the movies with the Celtic kids from Shamrock way. They saw Spiderwick and although I am still gleaning details about the movie, Mr 6 loved it. I had the delightful Wee Green One here to play with Mr 4 plus the added advantage of the Teen Shamrock to help her feel at home – WGO having never been here on her own before. Man, was I an idiot?! I should have cleared out and left the three of them to it!! Instead, I got a bit of housework done, a bit of study done and generally just pottered.
The weekend saw the Mr’s invited to neighbour-across-the-way’s birthday party. It was at one of the local public pools – such an easy way to have a party. Guess what I’m thinking of doing come July??! Themes are coming at me thick and fast – in this household it seems you start thinking about your next birthday within 24 hours of the current one finishing. Nothing like a dragged out discussion now is there?? Star Wars seems to be the theme of choice at the moment. Star Wars Lego in particular. We picked up a small container of said lego and I had a fright at the price tag. Man! Luckily there was a good discount on it and we were able to pick it up for an amount within our price limit for these kinds of gifts. But apparently there is lego and then there is Premium Lego.
This morning we got a phone call inviting Mr 4 to come play for the day at his buddy’s place. Seeing as I have a couple of bods here for the afternoon, we agreed Mr 4 could go for a few hours, giving me and Mr 6 the chance to do something on our own. The sorts of activities that you think will be fantastic bonding time and you will be looked upon with love and respect forever and ever til the end of time. I’ve done these often enough that I’ll be lucky to achieve that for the 30 minutes immediately following the said activity before the whine and whinge starts back up. Still, I live in hope in finding the nirvana…
So this morning Mr 6 and I set off for the local bead shop. We spotted a necklace example suitable for a boy and started going to choose our selection, and this is what we ended up with. He wanted to make his name after spying those letter beads and of course the latest obessession: rugby. He wanted me to thread the beads – I did some, but he did the rest. Pretty cool I think!
And this is my one – of course I had to sit down and do something while he was working on his!! The photo is crap – it’s taken right by the window but it is grey and grim and raining here so, crap photo! It’s little red tiffany glass beads, with little metal hearts between each group of beads and a hanging heart pendant. It got the thumbs up from Mr 6 too – but his is “way cooler, Mum!”
04.25.08
We will remember them
this photo is from flikr and was Originally uploaded by Nostalgic T+ Allan – that is, someone else 
IN FLANDERS FIELDS
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,
though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
——Lt. Colonel John McCrae——
Today Hubby’s band will play at the Lawn Garden service as usual. This year we will be there on time – now I know the correct entrance! 
Then the band will go back to the RSA for drinks. This year the RSA is hoping to encourage families and younger people to stay longer with some entertainment. “Entertainment” isn’t what I would normally associate with ANZAC Day so I’m curious to see how it goes down.
As always, I remember the day I went to Ypres and saw all the ANZAC names among other allied names on the Menin Gate. We had to leave before the daily last post ceremony that takes place at 8pm. That is something I would like to have the opportunity go back and do at some point.
There is something amazing about how 2 nations stop for a moment and reflect on those gone before us. In the craziness of the world in general in today’s world, I think it’s important to honour those men and women and remember the sacrifices that were made in far away places, a long time ago.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them
04.24.08
It’s one of those days
Yep, those special days when you begin to suspect you might be on the short list of finalists for Worst Parent Ever award.
So what happened? Well, I stood on Mr 4’s toe. Now that doesn’t seem to be that bad does it? Well by the late afternoon watching him walking like a lame duck it sure began to feel like it.
It all started when I was walking up the hallway towards the dining room and Mr 4 came charging around the corner from said dining room. Our feet ended up in the same spot at the same instant. He cried – as you would expect having 10-tonne heffalump mum’s foot come down on his little teeny weeny toe. One toe was kind of looking upwards – not like the others at all. I sort of pushed at it and asked him to wiggle it in order to check it was all OK. And it appeared so.
Come 5pm and seeing him do the lame duck impersonation, I had second thoughts. Took his sock off and lo: a big swollen purple toe. Oooops! After a bit of cuddling and such I made the decision to go to the ED. Yeah, even though I knew it would be aaaages thanks to the strike. Mr 6 stayed behind at the neighbours and off Mr 4 and I went.
By this stage he wasn’t wanting to walk. Not crying though. Triage nurse saw us quite quickly and assessed that I had probably broken it so we would need to wait for x-rays. 1 and 3/4 hours later, a doctor saw us for 45 seconds to give us the x-ray form. By this stage we were past bed-time and had had the “mum, I’m hungry” whimpers. I’d been told not to give any food or drink “in case”. Jeepers! Thankfully Mr 4 is by and large of a placid nature. He finally gave up and fell asleep in my arms. Just as we were told to to to x-ray. Another 45 minute wait – and then I was told to wake him up for the x-ray to take place. Sigh. That was over and done with in 10 minutes so back we go to the ED waiting room – with the x-rays in hand. The doctor who saw us for 45 seconds and hoped we would be seen quickly on our return has gone home. We wait for another hour or so. Until I finally go and see how much longer we might be waiting. “Oh, have they not seen you yet?” Ummm, yeah – that’s why we’re still waiting……Jeepers!! “No” I say. 10 minutes later the film has been reviewed by a doctor and the nurse comes back out. Looks like it wasn’t a break – more likely I’d dislocated it and managed to pop it back in place.
There’s a bit of relief that a moment of shared space has not resulted in broken bones. But we are both tired. Who knew that waiting could be so tiring?!
And this morning? Apparently the foot has fallen off, rendering Mr 4 incapable of walking ever again. I’ll give him til lunch time before my arms fall off from carrying him to his desired destination. I do however hear him now arguing with his big brother over Star Wars Lego playstation. I think the recovery is in place.
04.22.08
The one word
Last year Ali Edwards introduced us the concept of One word – the one word that spoke to you and summed up something about yourself or your life that you wanted to focus on. Mine last year was Happy – and that was a great word.
This year at the same point, I was thinking and thinking and thinking. Nothing really spoke to me. There was a lot that I wanted to “define” me and focus on over the year. But nothing that captured the essence of what I wanted in one word.
This morning it came to me. In the shower of all places. The place itself is not really that surprising – I tend to wake up and collect my thoughts for the day into some sort of order. But considering I wasn’t even aware that I was thinking on these things, I was stunned at how the word just coalesced and hit me right between the eyes. Discipline.
And no peoples, not that kind! Get your lovely minds out of the gutter!!
At the beginning of the year I went through what I describe as a mini-breakdown. Thanks to good friends, one in particular who caught me right at the starting point, I have been put back on the right track and getting things back into order and under some sort of control. Going through some therapy several items have been focused on. Primarily the concept of refeulling myself so that I can continue to be there for those that need me. Essentially my “tank” ran out – and had probably been running on empty for quite some time.
With that as background, the last few months I have been re-establishing routines. Things that need to become routine. Things I realise that I’m not so good at ensuring do become routine. Things like exercise, eating well, study, housework, setting up systems so that I have support, ohhhh and endless others. What I am good at is getting caught up in stuff that is fun, that I enjoy, or that I simply do in order to avoid those things I need to do.
There’s also a BOM prompt over at SE along the lines of name one thing you would like to change about yourself. The month is almost up.
I wonder if it was that in the end that helped gel my subconcious into gear. Whatever it was, there is a word for me this year. That word is Discipline.
04.20.08
The best part
Yesterday’s crop went really well. The weather was atrocious – it even hailed a bit up this way. But the venue was cosy and warm. And we managed to NOT eat all the home backing. Now that surprised me! Who knew there could be a bunch of scrappers and homebaking in a room and at the end of the day, baking to be taken home?!
Because I was a bit naughty and realised I’d booked two consecutive weekends for my obsession hobby, I’d suggested I could have Mr 6 for a couple of hours so that he and Mr 4 could have a Daddy-date. Mr 6 was over the moon when hubby told him the night before. Who knew that Mr 6 would get so excited? Hubby asks. The plan was to get his Dinosaur page done – the one that he has been wanting to do for some time now. On a trip to Kiwiscraps on Friday afternoon (the same one where I got to meet Trace) I found some of the new basic grey papers in the Archaic line. Absolutely perfect for the dino page!! When I showed it to Mr 6 Saturday morning he was so excited.
So Mr 6 and I got down to doing his page. Now, I had a plan in terms of how to “stucture” the page. But Mr 6 picked the photos he wanted to use then measured and cut the papers as I told him too. He then stuck all the double sided tape on, and attached the papers together like we’d agreed. He asked me to cut around the pictures because he wasn’t so confident with the knife – and to be honest I was glad too. Didn’t like the thought of him slicing his fingers! Then I handed him some cardstock and said OK, write the story you want on this. I was thinking that he would just write a paragraph and it would be a journalling spot. But he had other plans – take a look:
I’m so pleased for him that he did this – he knew what he wanted and he was so happy with the finished page. When he got home he was so busy and excited about the page, Hubby is worried that he now has a double funnel from his paypacket directed towards teh LSS
And I got the Friday night challenge done:
2x patterned papers, a 5×7 photo and a bird. Yes, a blimmin bird!! That’s a trend I never got – sticking birds on a page just for the fun of it. But there you go. And when I discovered I had some paper with a bird on it, I just knew I could do this challenge. Go me!!
So who were the crazy group of croppers that joined me yesterday? It was this lot: some locally based scrappers from the SE Forum – plus a couple of ringers.
Back: D, Ali, K, Spgettie, Bubbles
Front: M, Me, Angelgurl, Wgtnscrapper
In amongst all the creating, that’s what was the most fun. Time spent with people. Making the virtual friends real. Good times.
04.18.08
Whhhheeeeeeee
That was the noise that this week made as it rushed though! Anyone else notice the week went by faster than a speeding bullet?
It’s kind of taken me by surprise that we have school holidays upon us as of tomorrow. I’ve not organised much at all. That probably doesn’t surprise too many people though. Mr 6 is doing a crafty class one morning and that is about it. I’m sure we’ll take in a movie, maybe Te Papa and plenty of playdates.
I did catch up with the GP on Tuesday. Sometimes I wonder why we even bother to show up at the medical centre. After a bit of a wait (partly because I was there a little early, partly because he was a little late 
) I think I was in there all of 10 minutes. Most of which he was typing out the referral to a surgeon. So some more waiting to be done while I hear back for an appointment with him (or her). I decided to go public because when the gallstones aren’t bothering me it is like I don’t even have a problem. I’m not certain of the waitlist time but I guess that will be discussed with the surgeon. Waiting has never been a strong point of mine, but I think I better get used to it.
This afternoon I am meeting up with Beverley and Janine and best of all, Trace, who is driving down from Taumarunui I believe. She’s another lovely lass from Scrapbook Essentials forum. I tell you, it’s been so much fun to meet people in real life who you chat to regularly in cyberland. OK, it is a bit blind-date-ish too. But we’ll be right – safety in numbers and all that.
Tomorrow I have an all day crop. One that I’ve organised no less! I’m sure it will all go well, but I’m always nervous about these things. For one, I’m hoping I get minimum numbers along simply so I’m not footing the whole rental!! That would not be so much fun.
The community centre is such a wonderful resource for us up here. The woman that co-ordinates the bookings raised the possibility of a regular crafting group making use of the facilities. I sort of shied away from the discussion beyond saying I thought it was a great idea. I’m not a great one on following through and was daunted by the thought that I might be in charge of something like this. However, I’m part of another crafting group which works particularly well. And so is a friend of mine who also lives up these parts. Ideas are being floated….
So tell me, if you are part of a regular craft group, how are things run? What things really work do you think? What things don’t? Do you meet weekly or monthly – or do you have another time frame? Do you have communal supplies or does everyone bring their own things with them? If you aren’t in a group, but would like to be, what sort of things would you want from the group do you think?
Yes, that’s right, i’m asking for some interaction. Feed me some mind food to mull over and give me your thoughts. Who knows, I might conjure up a wee thankyou here and there 
04.15.08
Miniature swap
A few of us were gas bagging chatting (as you do!) on the Scrapbook Essentials forum a while back about the size photos we were getting printed and using. Wallet sized photos were a common theme. As well as the usual 6×4 or 5×7 prints.
So Janine had the nifty idea of doing a swap around these sized photos. A group of us signed up for it: we each make a mini album to then be swapped for someone else’s creation. We then pop our photos in the album we are given and decorate from there as we please. The interesting thing was the size: 3 x4 . Tiny. But totally fun! The swap was given the theme of “Summer” so that we can print off a bunch of those wallet sized photos from the fantastic summer we’ve just had and enjoy a mini moment when we look back on it.
I’m quite pleased with my effort. Using a technique which I picked up from a class I went to last year at my LSS, I made the covers and 5 double mini layout pages.
Special thanks go to Janine (the other one!) for helping me figure out the loveliness that is producing mosaics. Thanks bud!
The papers I’ve used as basic embellishment are scraps of Heidi Grace and Imaginessence. All in lovely turquoise and orange: colours of summer!
I now need to get this into the post – and hopefully it will not break the bank with the new postal charges! – and wait for another one to come back to me. I look forward to it because I know there are some mighty talented ladies in the swap. I just hope mine is up there with the standard!
04.14.08
Another glorious weekend in paradise
Gosh we are so very lucky aren’t we? The weather down here was just magnificent. While I was away doing my girly things the Mr’s were having fun too.
Mr 6 had club day for the rugby club. He is in the Under 7s and this season they play ripper rugby. Because I had the camera away with me, hubby didn’t get any pics, but a friend did so hopefully I will get to scrap those all in good time. Well apparently Mr 6 became 100% obsessed with the game and had a total blast. I know from Friday night that after his first training session he was completely knackered but very very happy. Long may this last – and may it do all the things for him that I am hoping for in terms of channelling certain energies.
Now on to me – because we all know this is all about me right?! The weekend away with the girls was a total blast – just like we thought it would be. I’d made a silly comment earlier on the Friday or Thursday in an e-mail about how excited I was and because I was driving on my own in the dark, I thought it was the decent thing to do to either leave a balloon or have one of the girls greet me at the gate with a glass of wine. Well, wouldn’t you know that a balloon was found and this was what greeted me as I drove up:
Actually, it was a single balloon but it was flat by the time I took the photo so we blew up some fresh ones!
Gotta love that!
I did indeed get my sleep-ins. And crafting in pajamas is the coolest thing to do A lot of cutting out was done as there were 80 wedding favour boxes to be cut out for Vicky’s sister’s wedding. Keryn did most of them, but I still think there’s a few more to be done. After the morning’s crafty stint, we downed tools at 11 in order to hit the Paraparaumu shops. Harvey Norman was a must in order to print some more photos: and a good stop too as it meant Vicky found out how to use the machines – and I got to practice getting the 4 ups (wallet sized photos). The Warehouse was next and we couldn’t help but pick up a bargain. Heidi Grace packs for $20 down to $12. Gotta love that. Then back to Waikanae and Sister Act where a little more purchasing was done. I love going to different shops and seeing the different stuff carried. And I can highly recommend this little store – it had very good prices on a lot of items. Seeing as I had left one of my favourite journalling stamps behind (which happens when you are packing quickly at the last minute because you thought you had LOOOOAAAAAADS of time and you didn’t!), when I spotted a cuttlebug tag die set, I grabbed that. You might see the tags got used quite a lot
Back to the house for lunch – we were good girls and ate healthy options. A bit more crafting done and then at 3 we headed out. Vicky was so very good – going for a long run. Keryn and I opted for a beach walk – adn I for one was very pleased to do that.
Kapiti from Waikanae Beach
One thing that cracked the girls up was my insistance on getting 12 photos of the day. I intended to get 12 photos to use on a “12 on the 12th” page. It meant I got some interesting shots like us shopping or eating icecreams after the walk / run. I so really need a camera that takes fantastic shots. Or more likely, I really really need to learn how to use my little one a lot better!
Then to dinner. We picked up a fourth when a friend of Keryn’s who lives in the area came to play with us in the late afternoon. We have been to the Cobb & Co every time we’ve been there so we figured we would stick with tradition. It was a great night – but we did miss Donna who was busy with her pippins. So to ensure she felt loved we all sent her a text while we were at dinner. I’m sure she felt the love!
Bed called a little earlier than the previous night – 11pm instead of half past midnight. That might explain why I feel tired when I come home from these events! Sunday morning was spent making a few more cards, finishing the last layouts and then after lunch we packed up and said goodbye to the house. A second getaway is yet to be planned as we have SENZ in October. I’m sure we will manage to squeak in another weekend away though.
So here is the sum total of our creativity:
My personal tally was 2 BOM pages, 2 12×12 pages, 2 6×6 pages for a circle journal and a couple of cards.
On getting home, hubby had the kayak all loaded and was champing at the bit to get out for a paddle. so glad he did, because while he was out on the water, a mother and baby dolphin came swimming by. What an experience!
So definitely another weekend in Paradise. Gotta love those
PS: I see that my Virtual 14 points are climbing. Hannah, Delys and Michele are just a frustrating 8 points above me, but I’m a good 24 points ahead of my Little Bro. I always told him he should listen to me! hahaha!!!
