{day 7}……

Posted on February 27, 2006

I am taking my inspiration from my little 16 month old daughter tonight.  She is such a little trooper, and no matter how hard, or tough things get for her - she just soldiers on.  She’s had it tough since her birth - what with one complication and another - but all the way through - she has never lost her smile, and her passion for being here.  She has so much unconditional love to give, and puts up with so much.

She is in hospital tonight (I opted to stay at home for the night - I figured it was better that I get a good night’s sleep on a real bed, rather than a skinny 3 foot long fold out chair!), and in extremely good hands.  She is not in for anything serious - except to be put on medication to try and lower her blood pressure.  She hates having the ‘cuff’ put on - no wonder her BP sky rockets!  Her walking is coming along really well - after her dinner and bath - we played ‘chasey’ around the ward.  I hid around corners, and she chuckled as she followed me.  No crawling - all walking - or rather - toddling!  She was very cute!  I am looking forward to getting back to her in the morning.

My parents in law are coming down tomorrow morning to take care of Madison while I am galivanting at the hospital.  She doesn’t know yet, and she will be so excited when they arrive!  She loves all her grandparents - Mama (my mum), Nanna and Pa (DH mum & dad).  We are tossing around the idea of letting her go back with them for a little holiday over the weekend!

Okeydokey - back to {day 7}.  I have been really pleased with myself over the past day or so.  No negative thoughts, and definately no sweating the small stuff - although there has been some opportunity!!!  Here is {day 7} of my journal - purely inspired by my strong little baby girl…….

thanks to Nancie Rowe Janitz for the stamped look’ brush that is in her Digitak Distressing Kit, for sale @ Scrap Artist.  It’s a great kit - so much to use and explore.  Get it while it is hot!

a little bit lost…

Posted on February 27, 2006

.. is what I will be for the next day or so!  Mackenzie has to go to hospital for a two night stay - she is starting some medication to lower her blood pressure, and needs to be monitored.  I got the phone call this morning, and they wasnt her there at 1:30pm!  Nice of them to give me some notice!!!!!!!

Anyone who is doing the {21 day} challenege - hang in there and keep at it!

{day six}….

Posted on February 26, 2006

Before I get to day 6 - I had a great day today.  A lovely Sunday with the family - andme a whole lot more relaxed than I have been - although I still need to work on the ’small stuff’ - but I am aware of it!

This morning was just family time - we played hide and seek, Mackenzie is getting steadier on her legs by the hour!  I did a spot of computing - finally sorted out a bit of the web site I was stuck on - the link will be available shortly for perusal.  Fiona from Baby Boot Camp came over this morning with some new euquipment - medicine ball and hand weights.  I’m gonna LOVE using those tomorrow in class.  Hope all my mums are ready for it!

We then went out to a BBQ literally just around the corner from our house, to a new friend I have ‘made’!  I love to meet and connect with new people, and Bec is one of my mums from Boot Camp.  We decided that we had a bit in common, and our husbands would get along - since they are both ex-armed services chaps, and mariners of sorts - sooo we thought a BBQ was in order.  It was VERY relaxed and lovely - quite enjoyable! 

RIGHTO - down to business - {day 6} - this is for tomorrow - I am posting a day early, so I know what to remember for the next day - and yes… it is working.  I am finding some peace, and working on breaking my habit of ’sweating the small stuff’.  Thanks to Rhonna for the inspiration!  Once again it is a simple page - filled with swirls and dots, and bits and pieces.  Hopefully not getting too boring - but I am enjoying creating in this way.  it’s great practice.  I think tomorrow night - I may opt for something a little different, and I am also working on some "essential swirly shapes’ papers!

It’s time to go - I am going to relax with my Wilbur, and hopwfully he will tickle my head for a bit!  Then early to bed for me!

{day 5}……

Posted on February 25, 2006

…here it is.  I am not sure if I am a day ahead of myself - but who cares.  I FEEL good (although I did eat a little too much chocolate today!).

I am loving circles, swirls and brushes right now.  There is a definate swirly theme running through my journal - but it is working for me.  AS far as today’s quote goes (it’s actually for tomorrow - since I think tomorrow is day 5!) - I discovered it whilst reading the paper today.  Rev. Tim Costello is a politician and a reverend - who does alot of social work.  He mentioned how he has been journalling everyday since the 1970’s.  How inspirational is that!  Anyway - I love his quote - and it really fits with how I am feeling, and the direction I am heading in - towards some ‘inner peace’.

I did well today - I tried not to have any negative thoughts, and I kept super busy - what is even better - I barely even procrastinated.  I did a whole lotta work on a site I am designing - and I would love to show you - but I’m having problems exporting to the web - the images look disastrous!

Will has given himself a new style!  I can’t really call it style - but he is happy.  He has shaved off his hair (which I must admit looks alright), and has given himself a mo’ type of thing.  he has always had his spunky goatee - but now he has this handlebar type mo’ - that to be honest - I am not too crash hot about - but I guess I don’t love him for his facial hair. 

OK - off to hit the sack - if I keep going now - I’ll be here forever - and I do havesome great ideas on a paper pack that I would like to put out - my {21 day} art journal has been a great inspiration!

{day four}…………….

Posted on February 25, 2006

practice makes perfect - but perfect practice is even better!  Yep - up to day four already!  Although I did cram three days worth into one - but it is all good!

I’m loving this.  I pulled out my ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ book (Richard Carlson), and have been flicking through it.  It’s a great little book, and helps to put me back on track.  I think I am now focussed on my habit changing habit, and that is to find some inner peace, and not sweat the small stuff.  This inner peace will also come by relaxing and being more flexible, and here we go - HALO momnet - more exercise!  How can you feel good on the inside, if you don’t feel good on the outside! So when MAckenzie re-awakens - we are going to load up the pram, and head on out for a good quality walk along the foreshore.  They will get some air (not that they don’t get any anyway), and I will enjoy it!

I’m also loving how I am feeling free with how I create.  I’m just letting myself go - and I think the results are good.  lots of brushwork in PSCS2 - making and creating and using.  Stretching my very limited limits.  I’m coming up with some paper pack ideas, and some website design ideas too - so this is a fantastic thing!

OKAY - quirky kid stuff…..

Mackenzie’s heart check-up.

Hmm - the results are not as good as we hoped.  (quick background - she was born with a narrowing of the aorta, a hole in the heart, and one of her ducts didn’t close like all ducts should when babies are born.  She has had the narrowing ballooned open, and we are monitoring the rest.  As a consequence of the narrow aorta, alot of pressure was put on her little heart, and it had to do a whole heap more work than it should - therefore it hypertrophied ALOT).  The hypertrophy has not settled down (but it has not gotten any worse) and her blood pressure is quite high (for you scientific minds - 120/x to 140/x - quite high for an adult - so imagine how hard she is working!).  Her cardiologist (lovely man) wants to put her on HBP medication - so she neeeds to go into hospital to be monitored while that happens next weeks (coz they are not sure what dosage to give her, and wouldn’t want to give too much - BAD consequences!).  Ahh - will it ever end for my little chubby girl?  More medication - I hate giving it to her.  Hopefully the medication will bring down the BP - if not - then there is some other cardiac problem that we have to look into.  She’s such a strong little thing.

• I taught Mackenzie how to poke out her tongue last night - now I only have to look at her, and out it comes!  Is that a good thing!
• Madison is becoming more and more girly every day - she is my own Imelda Marcos.  Every chance she gets - she ’sneaks’ into her room and changes clothes and shoes.  Why is this - I wear shorts and singlets - yet she wants to swan around in a skirt and heels!  Where is she getting this stuff from!

{day three}…….

Posted on February 24, 2006

…aahhhh yes……{day three}

I figured - why not continue - I seem to be on a roll, and hey - who knows when I will get a chance to create for me and feel good about it again!  be aware of the snowball effect of your thoughts - another something that should be stamped upon my forehead - although then I would need to look in a mirror continually to see it!!!!

OK - so where am I at here.  It seems that this had turned around a little curve - away from changing the procrastination habit (although - my little curvy swerve here may help!), and onto my inner happiness.  How timely.  As I mentioned - I am fighting some inner turmoil (maybe that is a little drmamtic - but hey - there’s nothing like some drama!) - and to be honest - just journalling like this is actually helping.  I am feeling a little more focussed, and even feeling happy about my art!  So it is all good - as I bid everyone goodnight (all three people that may read this - it’s like I am talking to myself - at least I get some good answers that way!).

{day two}…..

Posted on February 24, 2006

voila… how is this possible - two days in one!!!  I’m loving how good I am feeling creating these.  I actually feel ‘in the zone’ so to speak.  I think this is my favourite style - now to incorporate it into scrapping.  It’s taken me some time to be comfortable with this whole create stuff - I know it’s in me somewhere - I just am not quite sure how to get it out, and there are so many talented people at there, that I feel overwhelmed - then I need to step back and remember I am me - do what I feel is right for me - not how I think other people might like. (sounds like another journal entry to me……!)

Onto {day two}.  I am sooooo guilty of sweating the small stuff.  My husband will attest to that.  We have been cranky with each other for a couple of days now - over goodness knows what.  Maybe we are over-tired and just plain old crabby - who knows.

WELL - there it is in black and white!  GOTTA remember this.  GOTTA change my ways of sweating the small stuff.  I sweat way too much, and it’s hot enough here in OZ already without sweating about crap.

{day one}……

Posted on February 24, 2006

{day one} of the challenge starts here:::

I’m beginning to think that this isn’t just a ‘procrastination breaking’ change that I am embarking on - but there are some other things in my life right now that need some attention - hence the journalling around the outside of the circle.  I dwell on the past waaaay too much, and it is detrimental to me and the ones I love.  There are things that I need to let go,just the little things in life that don’t really matter that much in the scheme of things - so maybe my {change} for the 21 days is leaning a little toward more inner peace for me.  I guess more inner peace for me will also be acheived via less procrastination - so really - it all moulds into one.

Gee - if anyone is reading this for any sort of fun laughter and such - sorry it’s not there today!!!  Okay - I am off to start and finish {day two} - yep - a few entries all in one day - I need to do this. 

21 days……..

Posted on February 24, 2006

it takes 21 days to change a habit!  RIGHT.  I have taken up a challenge on Rhonna Farrer’s inspirational blog.  An art jpurnal challenge.  My habit is procrastination.  BADLY.  I mean I am very good at it.  So every morning (or if I can - then evening before the morning!) I need to get onto PS, and create my page.  Because I procrastinate about soooo many things - this will be the housework habit.  House and cleaning before work and play.  SIMPLE.  Therefore - I had best do the journalling part the night before - simply because when I turn the computer on in the morning - voila - that’s it - I get stuck, and before I know it - no housework is done!!!!  It takes me way too long to journal - it should come right from the heart - maybe I am trying too hard tobe creative and artisitc.  Maybe I’m not even that.  Arrgh - i don’t know what I am at the moment.

Here is the cover………..

If only it wouldn’t take me so bloody long to create something.  I am my own worst critic.  Anyhoo - lets give this whole thing a go. 

I almost forgot…..

Posted on February 22, 2006

I have joined a team!  Yay baby!  No -no no - not a creative team or design team - but I am the CROP HOST at clikchic designs.  It’s an Aussie digi-scrapping site, and they are about to have their first crop - of which I am the host!  Yep - l’il ol’ me. Gee - I hope we get a few people.  There is a great autumn themed freebie crop kit that will be available for download soon, and the password to open the lit will be given out on the night.  How exciting!

I thoroughly enjoyed doing the alpha, and I experimented with a whole heap of new techniques!  I think finally things are starting to ‘click’ a little with this whole designing thing!

I have also started the design of a website - www.assentialscrapbboking.com . It is very plain as yet, and obviously needs alot of work - but I am getting there. 

Random quirky things my girls are doing…….

• Mackenzie is really getting the hang of walking now.  She takes about 15 steps before falling in a heap.  Maybe if she stopped eating while walking - she would have a whole heap more luck!
• Madison had a couple of ‘mates’ over today - Charlie and Ed (twins - madison calls them both "CharlieEd" - that way she can never get it wrong!).  Anyway - she and Ed were sitting opposite each other, with their legs apart - rolling a toy car between each other.  I could hear Madison’s little (3 yr old) voice - "ha ha rolled it in your p*e*n*i*s*!" EVERY time she pushed the car!!!  Hope she grows out of that soon!
• Mackenzie can now climb onto the couch - it’s a real effort, but with a whole lotta grunting - up she goes!  Coming down is a breeze - she just turns around and slides - hopes for the best!

It was our 2nd wedding anniversary yesterday.  We did a whole lot of nothing for it.  I was swim teachimg, and the girls and I didn’t get home until 7pm-ish.  Will had cooked a roast chook for tea (not one of ours - althoug if they don’t up their egg production………), AND he bought me a card.  It gave me tears - what a sap!  Completely unexpected - I didn’t even get him anything!  Poor!!!

Speaking of swim teaching - I am now teaching Tues and Wednesday afternoons (every little bit of income helps!).  Some of the kids can be a little tiresome - but I had a group tonight that had a collective "eureka’ moment!  One of the hardest skills to master is correct breastroke kick, and we teach it on the back first.  My kids were really struggling with it, and finally tonight - all four of them in a class GOT IT!  This may not seem such a big deal to some - but gee I was happy.  Finally my nagging - "toes up, heels down, slide out, whip & point" actually must have entered their heads.  YIPPEEE!

Since it is fast approaching midnight - I must get off to bed.  I have a big day tomorrow - Mackenzie has a heart check-up - so it is always a little stressful!

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