This one is for Larn x

Here you go honey... now stop whinging!

I Really Don't Deserve A Blog!

It's been almost 2 months since I last updated my blog. In my defence, they have been a very busy 2 months and the chances of it slowing down any time soon are slim.

Footy season has well and truly finished... in fact, the kids have also completed the MILO In2Cricket program since then!

Here's a couple of shots of the kids at footy for the Grandparents wondering what's been going on...

Do you think William watches a fair bit of footy? Check out the body language!

10 Pin Bowling

As an adult it's easy to forget the excitment of your first bowling experience. William was invited to Riley's birthday party which was at AMF Bowling. Caitlin came along too, and by golly they had some good old fashioned fun!

Both the kids absolutely loved it and continue to beg to go back again. They didn't do too bad either on the score front. Not too many in the ditch!

It's all about those sexy shoes really!

Toy Story 3

Still in the holidays, and it was decided that it was time to take William to the movies for the very first time! Toy Story 3 was showing, and Connor, Shanice and Kylie came too.

The kids decided to sit in the row in front of us 'oldies' which was fine as we could keep an eye on them.

At some stage during the movie, Will got a bit restless and had a walk around the dimly lit cinema. This wasn't a problem as it was a kids movie and there were heaps of little ones there making noise and the like.

Wasn't a problem until William came running down the aisle yelling 'run away... run away'... it was a bit naughty and a bit funny all at the same time.

Still, all the kids were really well behaved and I will be taking them back. It didn't scare me off lol.

Big Day Out with the Sydney Swans

In the July school holidays, the Sydney Swans had a day for sponsors kids. As Russ works for MSA who is a major sponsor, we had 2 very excited kids up early and ready to go on the 6th of July!

Caitlin and Will had an absolutely ball (excuse the pun)! They loved everything about the entire day, and it was made even more special by getting their hats signed by assorted players afterwards!



Caitlin is just about to kick the ball in this shot. It was hard to get photos of them on the ground.



Of all the activities they did, both kids agreed that 'speckys' were the best!

BOG 4th of July!

On the 4th of July William received the Best On Ground award at AusKick. He was so pleased with himself and held on to that trophy day and night for the week that he had it!

Cousins Calling

We were so lucky to have Andrea, Jess and Grace come to visit. And the added bonus was Poppy and Granma came the same weekend too.

That meant Poppy and Granma had all their grandkids in the same place for the first time in years!

One of the best things, the main attraction really, is Poppy....

Followed by comparing DS and iPod Touch games...

And then it's always a treat to go to church with Granma (even though they always come home saying it's boring!)...

I wish we could have more weekends like this. It was fantastic just hanging out and catching up with my beautiful nieces.

Love you girls xxx

Happy Birthday Miss Caitlin!

I know! I know! I have been a slacker on the blog front. It's not my fault. Honestly. It's my damn slow computer. It takes forever to upload photos... and then I kind of got busy with things... and then I realised that I hadn't even wished my baby girl a birthday wish here!

So... HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISS CAITLIN! For the 28th of June no less! I know you had a great one, and you are loving being 9!

You are so so so beautiful xxx

Welcome to Holland

Slow Dance

SLOW DANCE

Have you ever watched kids

On a merry-go-round?

Or listened to the rain

Slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?

Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

Do you run through each day

On the fly?

When you ask How are you?

Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done

Do you lie in your bed

With the next hundred chores

Running through your head?

You'd better slow down

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

Ever told your child,

We'll do it tomorrow?

And in your haste,

Not see hissorrow?

Ever lost touch,

Let a good friendship die

Cause you never had time

To call and say,'Hi'

You'd better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last..

When you run so fast to get somewhere

You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,

It is like an unopened gift....

Thrown away.

Life is not a race.

Do take it slower

Hear the music

Before the song is over.

This poem was emailed to me. It's writer is believed to be that of a young girl dying of cancer. I don't know if that is true or not, but the poem speaks to me in volumes so I thought I would share it here.

Disco Night!

If you're a parent, you'll know the excitment that comes with the school disco! The glow sticks, the poppers, the chips, the music so loud that even the funkiest parent is wishing they would turn it down just a little bit... please!

This was William's first 'official' disco. He had been dragged along before, but this was his very first and in the days leading up to the event he kept telling me he couldn't wait for the 'dance fever' lol.

Here's a few snaps of them before we left for the social event of the year (well, there will be another later on, but for now, this is it)... stike a pose!

Little Scrapbook Shop May Cybercrop

Our May Cybercrop also coincided with Little Scrapbook Shops 5th Birthday. Our CC theme was 'Whiskey & Wine'... quiet appropriate for a celebration!

I was on Challenge 1, the sketch challenge, and here's my sample for...

The twist in my challenge was to have a play on words with the title. Look at those 2 kids... having the time of their lives, and getting nice and clean as well.

If you happened to have missed our May CC, don't panic... we have another one just around the corner...

Would love to see you there!

Feeling Peachy Keen!

Feeling Peachy? Maybe a little bit keen? Then the Peachy Keen range from Kaiser Craft might be right up your alley!

I seriously feel in love with this range. The colours, the patterns, the embellishments... and oh the stamps! I couldn't wait to get working with it, and I think the proof is in the pudding with 5 layouts and 7 cards and not a scrap of paper left!

When I sat down to start creating, I also decided that it was time I pulled a few older photos out of the box. These certainly aren't the best photos lurking around my place, but they do tell stories and record memories, and that's the most important thing.

~ ROSE ~

This photo is a poor copy of the original. My Nan, Grandad, Uncles, Aunty and Mum. No-one is looking at the camera... I can imagine on the day that there were several going off and no-one knew which one to look at. I can see the pulling of the chairs together, getting everyone into position, flashes, smiles, laughter, and 'hurry ups' 'will this take long' as well. So many thoughts and feelings when I look at this photo... all beautiful.

~ ROYAL CASTLE ~

I bet my mum washed out my terry towelling clothes back at the motel and they were fresh and ready for me the next day! In fact, it is possible that I only had this one set of clothes while we were away lol.

The Royal Castle is in Ballarat, and I was there... can you see my brother and I standing by the horse? If you look hard you will see the proof! I wonder how far back they had to stand to get that giant horse and us in the photo?

~ SOVERIGN HILL, BALLARAT ~

I just don't understand why terry towelling outfits are no longer available. They are true wash and wear, and if you should ever be in need of a towel to dry your hands, well, you just wipe them off on your clothes. Bring them back I say! Especially the all-in-one numbers... very special!

In the top photo, you will notice a lady in pink shorts with a white top giving the camera a little wave... that's my mum... you often find her in the background of photos doing that... it makes me laugh!

~ MEET ~

This photo was snapped in the carpark at Panthers in 1993. It was my first meeting of my maternal grandparents and my half brother and sister.

You would think that we could have found a nice grassy noll to take this photo, but no... a last minute thought in the car park.

Thank goodness none of us clash with the cars... and luckily we weren't run down by a crazed poker machine player who had just done their dough!

Scrap Girls May Retreat

How can we possibly have had the May Retreat already? It seems like only yesterday we were doing the March one!

As always, my Scrap Girls Retreat experience starts long before the actual day... it starts when Miss Kylie gives me a challenge kit and asks me to create samples. Here's 3 layouts I did using one of the challenge kits:

~ Jan and Sadie 1953 ~

Jan is Russ' mum.

~ Birth Place ~ This photo is of my Aunty Rene, Aunty Les and Aunty Pam out the front of the house they were born in.

~ The Puffy Shirt ~

What 6 year old boy wouldn't love a puffy shirt?! Just as well his mum brought him 2, cause Russ 'accidently' ripped the first one lol.

I also made 4 cards with the challenge kit. It's amazing how far you can stretch a challenge kit with a bit of imagination.

~ The Scrap Girls Retreat Goers ~

~ Typical! Kylie tries to take a photo of the room, and some fool pops her ugly mug in! ~

Not long now and Little Scrapbook Shop will be hauling it all out to Merroo for the Scrap Girls Christmas in July Retreat. Can't wait!

Happy Birthday William!

A little bit behind getting this up, since it was Williams birthday on the 23rd of April! Better late than never don't they say lol.

Will woke up only slightly earlier than usual, and dove straight into Poppy and Granma's bed, which saw them both get out lol. Caitlin joined him and then it was on as he ripped open not so carefully wrapped gifts.

He has been playing Shanices' Super Mario Bros DS game and wanted his own... do you think he was happy when he received it?


It was Mufti Day at school on his birthday... here he is waiting for Poppy and Grandma to walk him and Caitlin to school... he'd had enough of me snapping at this stage...

Finally, off they go...

As luck would have it, the Bulldogs were playing the Broncos on William's birthday, so Poppy and Granma took the kids to the footy too! They had the best time, and the Dogs won which made it even better!

Finally after they arrived home from footy it was time for cake. It's never too late to eat cake is it? Apparently not!

Some Quick Makings...

Cards using Kaiser Craft Pina Colada and Fiskars Border Punches...


Thank You cards using Basic Grey Sugar Rush...

Layout featuring Miss Caitlin and Basic Grey Sugar Rush...

Easter Time

Caitlin was very lucky this year and got to attend the Royal Easter Show with her cousin Hannah and Grannie Annie.

They were there for 12 hours! Grannie even had to buy a nana trolley to help cart everything home! So many show bags and goodies.

Caitlin loves to get her face painted, and the show proves to be a great opportunity to spend $15 on being transformed into a blood sucking vampire!

Easter morning was very exciting. The Easter Bunny left more eggs than the kids could carry so they made themselves a quick paper bag each to put their stash in.

And once all eggs had been accounted for, the kids decided to play 'worms' in their sleeping bags. They had such a great time together... many many laughs.