howdy partner…….

Posted on August 30, 2006

You know - I used that title for no particular reason - except that it was the first thing that came to my head!!!

Hey now - if you are looking for a whole heap of colour, you have come to the wrong spot! I mean - yeah sure - I am colourful - but unless I figure out how to colour the font in this post - there will be no colour - ie - no pictures!!!! I’m just gonna prattle on about life - after all - that’s why I am here!!!!!!

Firstly - let’s discuss how my three and a half year olkd daughter tried to ‘pull a sickie’ on Monday. Yes - already she is easing herself into that larrikin-type persona that us Aussies are well known for - but a sicke from creche - where she gets a second breakfast, all the playmates in the world, dress-ups in fanct costumes, sand galore - I kid you not! What a girl! She did the old ‘mummy - my tummy hurts’ trick. Hmm - the thing is - with a child and their tummy - I figure you can never be too safe. One minute they might look fine, and the next - well - you have an appointment with a mop, buckets, and a whole lotta floor cleaner. Okay - so I said she culd come to school with me (a pain in the rear end - but hey!). As I was packing a snack for myself - a little voice piped up and said “you’ll need snacks for me too mummy’! AHA - lightbulb moment. So I said - ‘but don’t you have a sick tummy”………”no” she said, and then the tears started….”I don’t want to go to creche, I want Daddy to take me….”. Aha. There we have it. not a sore tummy afterall - just a conniving child!!!!!!! SO - get this - Daddy took her to creche. Why is that strange you ask (or maybe you don’t - but I am telling this story!)? Daddy to M1 in his car, and I took M2 in my car - to the exact same spot and the same time. (both children will not fit in his car!). How’s that for spoilt! M1 is daddy’s little girl through and through. Me - I am tough, and wuld have just said - come on - let’s go - but not daddy! Little devil - anyway - she got to creche and immediately tucked into another bowl of cereal…………OY

Guess what I just bought (ok so I lied - there will be a picture!!)

How fantastically cool is that!

I bought it on ebay - $329.00 AUD - they sell for $500 AUD in stores. This bloke (bike city warehouse) buys them in bulk, and then sells them. he has a ‘normal’ store in Melbourne, and he delivers for $30. Ripper!!!! This thing will hold both the girls while I ride the bike, or I can push it as a jogger. I have used one before behind a bike - and I love it:) Can’t wait to get back on the bike again - especially in this gorgeous weather!!!!

it’s getting to the time of year when kindergarten enrolments happen. I had no idea about this. I was completely in the dark - I just figured it would happen some time at the end of the year. Nup - NOW. I rang our council (they are in charge of the whole allocating kinder spaces she-bang) and enquired as to why I had been hearing murmurs about enrolment times - and I hadn’t heard anything yet. Get this - M1 is on a waiting list - #6 no less. WHAT! My child - already on a waiting list - I haven’t even checked out any kinders! Apparently they get to enrol on the basis of their age - so the older kids are at the top of the list, and the younger ones get what’s left. Bugger. Why did we have a baby in January! Never fear - all will be well. We went to have a look at her soon-to-be kinder (I figured I should go and have a look where my child’s education was going to begin!!), and Miss Helene (yes - that’s right - Miss ‘Romper Room’ Helene - and get this - her assisstant was ‘Miss Jane’ - gotta love a bit of Mr Squiggle humour!) was happy to inform me that M1 has already climbed up a couple of spots on the waiting ist, and is now sitting at #4. Gifted! Enrol her in special gifted school now I say - she can move up a list without trying! So now we just have to wait until enrolment day next week, and if there are spots left - M1 is in like Flynn! (not sure who Flynn was / is - but we’ll go with it!).

Onto other stuff - Will and I went down to the loca golf driving range on Monday before we picked the girls up. Apparently I have a great swing! yeah. Some bloke who was hitting next to us was watching me (I am presuming only my swing - otherwise it may be a little disturbing) - and he was the one to inform me of my apparent swing. Will on the other hand - did not get a mention. Poor lad! Anyway I got myself a few free buckets of balls - got to be happy with that.

I’ve got a site for all you chicks out there that want to find your essence. Check out SHE-ESSENCE. There are also some great forums over there - plenty of challenges - both for scrapbooking and our every day self. Have fun exploring, and discovering your true essence!

AND - have a look at the fantastic stuff at Designer Digitals this week. Ok - so I know I am a couple of days late it was all released on Sunday - but who cares! There are three wonderful challenges - hopefully I will be able to squeexze one in this week - using some of Patties’ Speed Bytyes! How ace are they - I have been having scrappers block so often - but these really help to knock it outta me! Check out this weeks ad challenge - Maria Sharapova is a great palyer - and this ad says it all!

My buddy Trish has just opened her virtual doors . Loving the new design Trish!

AND another buddy Jess has a couple of top shelf paper packs on her blog.

The colours here ROCK!

On a somewhat sad note - I stepped down from the Sweet Shoppe today.  I just didn’t feel that I was doing them justice.  they have such as awesome team - but I wasn’t doing enough to warrant being a Sugarbabe. So - a big shout out and thank you to all the gang over ther - it wa wonderful to be a part of such a ’sweet’ community
I guess now that it is nearing 5pm - I should go and be a hands on mother instead of letting the sandpit and swing set do the job for me!  Cheers:)

just stuff…

Posted on August 27, 2006

OK - so I’ve been mucking around trying to sort some web stuff out. I tell ya - php is gonna be the death of me - either that - or dreamweaver. I have sorted out how to wdigetize a blog theme that wasb’t widgetied when it was created. Quite easy in fact - just followed a few tutorials - but hey - it’s all sorted. The theme I’m in now is all happy and widgetized - but my spunky theme with the background papers wasn’t - so I have done that! YAY for me.

Just another thing to add to my ever growing list of stuff that I CAN do!  Check out Holly’s blog - I managed to widgetise that for her - and it works!  YAY!
It’s a gorgeous Sunday here today. I made Will a list of stuff to do - and he has already crossed off one item! Yep - that’s it. O N E Slow coach. At least that was an important ONE - fixing the clothesline cord. Now maybe I can use the actual clothesline rather than a bit of rope strung between a couple of trees!  Unfortunately that will mean needing to bring the washing in and folding it - ugh.

Look - I am tired - I had a big post planned - but you know what - I can’t be bothered - so cheers!

it’s all good…..

Posted on August 23, 2006

So far I have had a positive response for my actions.  I am a happy little camper. - There are mpore in the pipelines!

Here is the result of the pop to b/w action….

The credits can be found right here.   I’m not usually one to scrap myself - proably becuase I don’t have any photos of me!  That is - until I discovered the nifty little remote control thiny I have for the Canon EOS 350D!  What a cool tool!Soo - I spent some time in my bedroom yesterday arvo - on the bed - with the camera propped up on some clean (very important) unfolded clothes (not so important!), the curtains wide open, light streaming in, and me grinning wildly in the hope I could get at least one okish shot!  I thingkI succeeded - who knows!  I had fun anyway!

M1, Wilbur and I were chatting about having another baby.  M1 was asked whether she would prefer a baby sister or brother.  Turns out she wants a brother like Tristen (her very best buddy Lincoln’s baby brother!).  So then we said - ‘if you marry Lincoln - Tristen will be your brother’, and she replied - “I’m not marrying Lincoln - he’s marrying me”! She’s obviously got it all sorted!  Love her style.

So it’s Wednesday.  What have I acheived this week?!  Nothing on my to do list.  In fact 0 I didn’t even make a todo list - that’s how far behind I am!  yeah sure - I finished my actions - NOT on my todo list - but hey - at least I got something finished.  I have a bathroom cupboard chock full of dirty laundry.  I know it’s chock full - coz M2 has to pull out a whole lot of stuff before she can get in there and play hide and seek.  I know she’s been in there because said laundry is strewn all over the floor.  When do toddlers learn how to clean up…………..

Speaking of M2 - she had a blood pressure check today.  I know I am no doctor - but her heart was beating beautifully today.  Nice low reading - yay - just what we want.  She goes for an MRi in two and a half weeks.  Not looking forward to that - gotta starve her before the general anaesthetic.  Aarrgghh.  Trying to starve M2 is like trying to get a fish to swim out of water. Hopefully the results of the scan will be good - would prefer the no open heart surgery type of results - if we have a choice.

Well - it’s yet another late night at the computer - time to snuggle up in my cosy bed like a bug in a rug.

ready… set… action…..

Posted on August 22, 2006

Yep.  I have been working on these for some time, and I think I have got it right!  Photo adjustment actions for both PS and PSE!  I like to call them PHOTO POPPERS!

They were great fun to make, and work in both photoshop and photoshop elements.  Yippee!  I realise the image there is not the best one to see what the actions do - but that’s the best I could do!  If anyone out there would like to trial them for me - leave a comment - the first five people to say ‘me please’, and state their program will get to have a go:)

OK - onto familial stuff.  Gee that sounds ‘technicackal’ (unlike that!) We had a quiet day at home today.  I don’t know what has gotten into my girls - but I have never seen them play so nicely together - for most of the day.  Wonders will never cease.  Well - I tell a little fib - there was a bit of blood curdling yelling coming from M2 - but that was only when M1 provoked her - which is becoming less og an occurence these days!  Thank goodness - it all helps to preserve my sanity.

As I sit here and type (it’s 11pm - so you will have to excuse any typos etc!), my family is asleep.  I would like to be able to say that they are resting peacefuly -  but - no.  M2 has been super restless - waking up every half hour - crying for whatever reason it is that toddlers cry for in the middle of the night. I jammed a biscuit into her hans.  M1 woke up and asked for a biscuit.  I kid you not.  yes - I do feed my children.  Maybe I need to check their bottoms for little wormspoking their heads out - who knows.  These two girls  eat as much as I do - and that’s a fair amount.  Wilbur is also asleep.  Thankfully he has removed himself from the couch, and has made it to bed.  Now his dulcet snoring tones have lowered a decibel or two. - but - M1 is in bed with him.  Probab;y sucking her thumb like crazy.  that is one of the most annoying noises (after the dulcet snoring) that I have to deal with.  Aarrggh.  She’ll be going back to her bed soon though - I’m not sleeping in her bed - that’s for sure:)

All this bed talk is making me somewhat drowsy - so cheers for now:)

hanging out…….

Posted on August 20, 2006

Yeah! We had a lovely time.

Went to the market yesterday morning with NAnna, Pa, and the girls. Ate the most delicious Morroccan Concotction - ah… the flavours - mmmm. Then we left - amidst tears from Madison - which I am sure stopped within 5 seconds of Nanna feeding her up with Freddo frogs!

Off to Flinders - gorgeous day. Dhippies on the beach, followed by a mini Nanna nap, and a vigorous game of golf - which I won by the way. Played quite well - considering the last time I played was 20 years ago!

Very important testing of both the bed….and the remote control device on the camera!!!!

 

OK - so it may be a little hard to seein this photo  - BUT - if you look closely - there are two larger ‘leaves’, and four smaller leaves.  Definitely means we are meant to have 4 children!!!!!!

There was a bottle of complimentary champagne is our room..No wonder it was free - the stuff was absolutely awful!

Of course we realised how bad it was after the joyous photograph!
 

Next up - a couple of golfing shot - check oout the ‘professionsal’ swimg I managed, and Will’s not so professional, but equally as effective swing!

……………and look at the obstacles we had to overcome………

Of course there are plenty more photos - but I am not going to throw them all on here.  We headed out early this morning to take some of the gorgeous sunrise - will post those later.  That’s right - we headed out early.  Even though we didn’t have the girls waking us up, we still arose at 6am.  Considering we both fell asleep last night by 8:30pm, I think we had enough sleep.  Next time we go anywhere - it’ll be for two nights - first night to catch up on sleep, and secong to - well - enjoy each others’ company a little more.

Today we had another round of golf - Wilbur beat me this time - but we both improved on yesterdays scroe.  I can understand how people love to play so much.  It’s quite satisfying when you really make good contact with the ball.  WHACKO.

After golf - hometime.  Instant excitement when we walked in the foor, and instant tears from M2.  Not sure if they were tears of relief or sadness!!!

OK - enough computing - need ot do dinner - I have been at this entry for way too long - took forever to sort out the photos!!!!!!

going going gone….

Posted on August 19, 2006

Wilbur and I are going away without our children for the first time in 3.5 years.  How exciting!!!!  You read that right.  In the last 3.5 years - we have had at least one child attached to us at all tmes!  Can’t wait.  We are going to a local pub/hotel (about 40 mins down the road), near the beach.  Play some golf (we are both crap at golf - but I intend to win anyway!!!), drink some ‘champers’ (note to self - drink that after golf - otherwise I will have o chance of winning!!!), eat some food, walk along the beach.  Hmmmmm. Souds great.  No children.  Hmmmmmmm. Sounds even better!!!!!!!!

Soo - it will be back to normal programming tomorrow night - where I will have all the juicy details (although some you may not wish to hear…………………………..)

What a character.  The credits can be found here.

Ok - off to the market with the family, then galivanting with my yummy husband!

a scrapping frenzy….

Posted on August 17, 2006

Yep - that’s what I have been on! In a desperate bid to find some ‘mojo’ (what sort of word is mojo anyway - dodgy really:)) - I have been scrapping my little heart out, and plus - my fantastic designers that I am lucky enough to be buddies with, or on their creative teams are producing such scrumptious stuff - how could I not have a frenzy. (looking back on that sentence - it seems that none of it is grammatically correct - woops!).

Let’s get started!

{dear daughter}

This is all stuff from the lovely Jessica Bolton over at Eclectic Scraps - UNAMUSED kit. Such fantastic texture - love it.

{blessed}

Need I say more! Credits for this one can be found HERE.

{mackenzie ella}

Little miss photogenic #2! The credits for this one can be found HERE.

OK - last one……

{dream}

This one was for this months scrap with the sugar babes promt over at SSD. Go on over, and scrap with us - you could be in the running for a nifty little gift certificate to the store! What a bonus!!!!

Yep - that’s right - miss photogenic # 1!!

Phew - that’s it scrap-wise for me!

All this scrapping has mademe leave my exercise in the lurch. I haven’t been running at all this week, and I can really feel it. Tomorrow M1 and M2 are in creche for the day - so it’ll be the perfect opportunity. Thank goodness. yes - you read right - thank goodness they are in creche tomorrow! We are sending each other berserk at present! I guess that is normal. Madison is watching one of my all time favoutie movies right now - “The Sound of Music” - for the fourth time this week! I borrowed it as a weekly - so we have certainly got our weeks worth out of it. She loves it - pokes her head around the corner every now and then and sings ‘cuckoo cuckoo’! How cute!

M2 is sooking in bed. Surely she can’t be hungry yet again. I have never seen a child eat sooooo much. She’s going to pop soon surely.

Time for me to sign out - dinner to cok, walking to do - if my chubby wobbly husband gets home like he said he was going to! Oh yes - you read that right - chubby AND wobbly. My usually trim husband has added some poundage - and not in the right places!

just playing…..

Posted on August 16, 2006

……with my camera and photoplates!

Loved mucking around with the photoplates!

oh yeah baby - back again…..

Posted on August 16, 2006

This time with a little colour - coz you know what - the last few posts have been all words - must be boring!

We wwent to the park a few Sundays agao, and took heaps of photos! Finally last night I got around to resizing a couple. I figured that I couldn’t just throw ‘em up here willy nilly, ut I had to at least make ‘em look good - so I prettied them up with some of Karen’s gorgeous stuff…………..

Credits: All of it is Karen Hunt stuff - tape, paper pieced flowers (these templates are too cool!), funky doodles stars, papers are from Snuffy, Chirpy and Huggy paper packs, and notepaper from her take a note paper pack. Get it all at PDW or SBB.

The next one is really just a couple of the above photos on their own! Yeah - original I know - but hey - I am in the middle of a very deep scrapping slump - gotta get myself out of it somehow!

Credits: Red paper is from Holly McCaigs OFFICE CHIC kit, swirls are Anna Aspens, ribbon and bow, and stamped sentiment - Katie Pertiet , flower - Shabby Princess’ Olivia Collection, date stamp and tag - Christy Lyle.

You know what - I think I am missing creating kits a little! I think I need to channel that creating energy into websites! I borrowed a fantastic book from the library - PHP FOR DREAMWEAVER 8. Hang on - can I find an image…….. (coz I know everyone if really interested!!!!)

Hmm - that worked nicely!!!!! I know it doesn’t look very interesting - but hey - it’s useful - and I am all about useful! AND it’s making this blog entry more colourful!!!!!!

AARRGGHH - I should not have gone to amazon! It’s like dangling a carrot in front of a horses nose! I finally purchased some stuff that had been in my cart for a while, and then some! Ok - so I bought the book that I have borrowed, plus some other web designy type of books. I love books - they are a great reference - I generally use at least two or three of my reference books per day! They are not exciting books - but here’s one, and here’s another. Yay:)

Wilbur gets home today. Great. We are off to kinder gym soon - gotta love turning somersaults with the girls!

Enjoy the sunshine wherever you are:)

just testing….

Posted on August 15, 2006

hmm - I am trying a new thing with  my browser!  It seems to work fine when I add an entry this way - but for some reason, I am unable to login to my blog itself.  Very frustrsting!!!!!!

OK - so it is a lovely day today!  If I hurry up and get my bacKside into gear - I could go for a run, and then do a cyc;le class at the gym - but do I look like I am doing that rght now!!!!! 

M2 is back in bed - she was cranky this morning.  Why oh why is it that when kids get cranky they get to go to bed - why can’t we do that too!  Surely the rest of the family could fend for themselves quite well.  It;s not that hard to eb a kid - surely.  Just a matter of doing a bit of colouring, play doh, and general jumping about!  Easy as pie - there’s no need for me to supervise that sort of thing - surely.

How about a todo list for today.

1. washing (enough said)
2. run
3. exhaust children so they sleep well!
4. find my scrapping mojo
5. remember the rest of the things I need to do so I can add them to my list!

Wilbur is in Darwin at present!  Lucky him!  He’s doing a course that allows him to jump out of a helicopter a great heights and be safe whilst doing it.  Unfortunately the only reason he would be jumping out of a helicopter would be to avoid a large and almighty disastrous crash - so I hope he is concentrating.  We find out next week if where he will be working.  The options at present are - Thailand, Perth, Sale or - well - anywhere else in the world!  Note that as good as Thailand sounds - he would be stuck on an oil rig for 6 weeks.  not overly exciting - no time to go surfing at the beach that’s for sure! 

We are in the market for a new car at present - very interested in the KIA CARNIVAL GRAND.  Yep - a bit of a people mover car!  How cool and exciting is that!  I know - we only have two children right now - but we will be getting more (sounds like we just go off and buy them from somewhere - if only!).  We are planning on adding to the family - just not sure when!

Enough rambling for now - this is not at all interesting for anyone - even me -! Cheers:)

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