2007............nearly gone!!!!!

NO!!!!

too quick

School ended with me finally getting to clean my AP desk and MY BEST team teaching buddy EVER Michelle had to clean the classroom as I did not get down to the room......and I feel bad I never gave my kids anything, I was sooo consumed with getting things done and working 3 days did not make things easier. I said goodbye to some pretty memorable year 6....sad I cant share photos.......but my fingers are crossed for a young lady that made life at BPS fun and challenging, I will always remember my first term as an AP with the challenges she threw at me!

Kirsten is HERE!!!! well she arrived on the 16th, yes the night Max went to hospital!!! Kirsten is my pen friend from England. We started writng when we were 15 and she came here for my wedding in 1999. We are having a great time touring around the countryside!!!!!

Christmas day was a blast with a 23 month old that had to be woken at 8.30am!!!! He was sooo excited to see his McQueen car and opened 4 pressents, was happy and left the other 5 plus his stocking under the tree and that is where they still sit! He was happy, he got his Wags puppy, a small puppy (puppy freak) and a flute SO he did not need anything else.

I got spolied with a very flashy lens and an ipod!I dont think I would make a very good Sydney TOUR GUIDE as i keep asking Kirsten what she wants to do!
So far we have

• visited Featherdale Wildlife Park


• shopped


• had fish and chips on Bondi beach
  
• toured Darling harbour



• went to the Rocks and the Opera House
  


• chilled by my pool
  

we still have to do Manly, the zoo and some beaches.........and today we Jet Boated all around the Harbour which as a blast.

we are the ones in the back with no wet weather gear on - you can only see me. BOY we got wet but I was not wearing WW gear that had someone elses sweat on it !!!!YUK!

and a QUICK scraproom update!!!! Kirsten and I gutted the room in about 5.5 hours!!!! oh i own TO MUCH CRAP!!!!!! i feel sick about putting it all back in but as Darren pointed out today,,,,"if it was all mine you would have thrown it out the window by now,,,oh yes I would have as I have tripped over 4 boxes today (everything in upstairs in he hallway!!!!) max is NOT to be left alone with it as he is ready to use it!!!!!!

some BEFORE, SOME NOW....I wonder if we ever see an after.......my miracle worker is coming back on the 7th to do MORE shelving and give me some drawers, I am PROCRASTINATING big time about this one, just want it too look a million $$$$$$. and at the moment I cant bring myslef to put any thing back!!!!!

I have talked soooo much it is now 24 hours to 2008..........................happy new year!!!!!

school is out in one day!

for me anyway!

I feel sooo much better...max is doing ok, still a little cough but he gets 100 extra hugs a day now as that horrible moment still plays in my head.

THANKS to you all for your kind words and comments - HUGS back to you all too!

I am soo happy reports, presentation day and the end of school term 4 madness is nearly over. Just have to work tomorrow, pack up my classroom, do record cards and give out the pressies!!!

KSK has a new idea or layout on it everyday this month....here is mine from yesterday.

I loved doing this clock and I cant wait for my scraproom to be installed this Christmas eve so i can hang it up! Karen has soo many cool clocks to choose from.

5 days until the big guy comes!!!!!

better go and write a list of all that needs to be done

Febrile Convulsions

I knew the name and imagined how horrible it would be to have your baby have one. Well last night my heart stopped as Max had one for 40-60 seconds.
Just before he went to bed he had a dry cough and a runny nose so I gave him some cough medicine and he fell asleep quickly. He woke at 12.50 and was very upset, his temp was about 38.5 but he was refusing panadol and quickly becoming distressed. i got some panadol into him and he lay next to me moaning in our bed. I got up to clean up some of the spilt panadol and he was not a well boy. At 1.15 i lay there trying to sleep, thinking he had finally drifted off.
THEN suddenly he started to shake and my heart stopped, I picked him up and he was fitting. His eyes rolled back in his head and his body was stiff and jerking. PANIC SET IN. Darren called 000 and I screamed out for a wet wash cloth, for 40-60 seconds i really thought I was loosing my baby boy, I was calling out his name saying "don't you die, you can't die". I was pacing and panicking and Darren was white as a ghost, almost in tears like me, but I think we were in too much shock to cry. The wash cloth brought him back round but he was sooo quiet and still moaning, he was breathing very quickly and sooo pink and hot.
The 000 lady was wonderful, she talked me though monitoring him and it felt like the ambulance arrived in 5 minutes. They stripped him off to his nappy and took his temp, 39.5. I was terrified he was brain injured as he just kept starring at the roof. They assured me he was just resting and in a little shock. I thought they would leave once they checkked him but no, he got into the ambulance and were off to hospital. He was still soooo hot and coughing badly. Max was monitored until about 4am and they sent us home as he was better and they did not want him to catch any off the bugs going around.
He sat in the car in his nappy only. The doctor insisted I not dress him. He looked so tired and fragile. Max fell asleep on the way home. I stayed up to talk with Kirsten and Darren went off to work, as I insisted he need not stay home. As I lay in bed I played it all over in my head. It still brings tears to my eyes, I still want to hug him and kiss and and THANK goodness he is still here and fine!
This morning he played quietly and only ate a little. He drank lots of water and happily played with his toy puppies. They said as we left he had an upper respiratory infection and to keep my eye on him.
I am thanking my lucky stars and happy we have a fantastic 000 service this morning. I now have a 2 page handout on Febrile Convulsions - but i pray i never have to deal with another one again.

Rick Springfield- Jessies girl

happy birthday Narelle!

(edited) I started this post last night and tried very hard to upload u-tube in! I did it four times!!!! anyway i think it is above!!!!
Happy birthday Narelle and Lindy!!!

I have just had a nice night out with the great people I work with! Yes these days work has been HARD! it is sooo crazy up in the office, only a few more thing sto finish off and then it all starts again!

as much i want to be a stay at home mum - (even though I need to work to support my habit) it is a good life when you get to work with some nice people!



and for those of you TOOOOO young!!!!! not to know Jesse's girl I feel the need to post it here for you! what a 80's CLASSIC!!!!!!!

4 days to go!!!! then school is out!

I am going CROSS-EYED!!!! I think i have read over 10, 000 words this week!!! Reports! gotta love them! I am taking a break as I see my night ending at 2am! I still have to pack lunch for Max, wax my legs and iron something to wear from the 4 massive piles of clothes (my wardrobe is empty!)

I just sooo need to fall into a heap and SLEEP, i sooooo need a PJ day or a day by the pool! but no rest for the wicked!

I spent 45 minutes in the car park at Westfield tonight, just trying to get out!

I need to get to work at the crack of dawn and finalise presentation day awards and prizes, I need to find the lectern, mic stand and the fancy table cloth.

can someone also remind me I need to organise Christmas lunch and dinner, then some food for boxing day!

i have not updated Max's diary for weeks and I feel SLACK!!!!! I guess that is what holidays are for! - mental note, on the weekend he said beer (so proud), he got his first freckles at the end of November, he could swim for about a metre at the end of November, he began his puppy obsession on the 3rd of December, he says "mine - go". still key obsessed. he talks on the phone like he conducting a business meeting (must video that) and he loves trying to stand on his head.

ok it is 11.42 - must get back to it all!!!!

Santa...i can explain!!!!!!

Firstly, thanks friends for all the wonderful emails, comments, hugs and KIND words. I have been off line due to a broken modem and it was nice to turn the computer on today to see lovely messages from you all! I am so lucky that scrapbooking has introduced me to some wonderful friends!

KSK will have a NEW christmas layout or gift idea every day for DEC and while my modem was broken this Urban Lily mini book was on the portal! So sad I missed it! I loved this book as all the journaling can be hidden and that means more room for photos!

and if you LOVE felt like I do karen has the Christmas felt in!!!! it is YUMMMO!!!!!

I have had another busy weekend. Mum's group came over yesterday so there were 8 kids, 8 mums and 8 dads at my place! It was sooo nice to have a relaxing BBQ and watch the kids play! Today Lucas will be visting Max and then I think i will be up to the WEE hours of the morning as I am now very behind with my reports!!!

Narelle - those spots have better cleared up! I NEED you back at school! I have missed you too much! hope you are ready for the 2 stressful weeks ahead!!!! 8 working days left, a year 6 farewell, presentation day, book room stocktake, staff night out, REPORTS, transition programs and about 20 things that the last week of school can throw at us in 30 degree weather with NO air con!!!! i tell you I am always glad to hae you by my side threw it all - at least we have a laugh! and dont forget to LOOK pretty on the last day!

have a great week everyone

time for a change!!

a new banner for this new month!!!

24 more sleeps to go!!!!

I worked really hard for these photos.....hours.....3 sittings.......and I wonder where my time goes. here is the proof

I wonder if the shops will be busy tomorrow???

can December go slower PLEASE!!!

wow November is over and it was busy busy busy!

the month started with my gorgeous dad celebrating his 69th birthday!!!! WOW he still looks CUTE!!!!

it ended with a BIG idol party...there was cheer leading, undies on the outside, Husney, Tarasi wanna bees, singing, waiters and LOTS of drink! I tell you my head was sore on Monday morning - SOOOO very sore! I

Here comes December, I am sick and have heaps on my plate, sooo looking forward to a big rest over Christmas!

ELF yourself....a must this holiday season!!!!

this will give you a giggle!!!!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9633503371

feeling much happier tonight after finding this - thanks Tina B!

I had a bit of a break down tonight - just realised I am NOT SUPERWOMAN and I can't do everything i need to do in one day, one week, one month. The year has GONE by sooo quickly and I am once again sad about that!!!! I am sick, I am tired and still have a list as long as your arm!!! BUT as I will soon show you I had the best weekend partying, however I am paying the price now! I am always wanting to do sooo much but always procrastinating, over thinking!!!!! I am upset at myself when I get tired as I never used to get tired -before Max!!!!

thanks Alison for listening.........

I am off to do a few more reports them off to bed.......let the SILLY season BEGIN!!!!!!!!!!

I did scrapbook 2 weeks ago!!!

I have 2 massive baskets of ironing

I have a scraproom half packed up

I have to organise tax returns

I have school reports to write and read

and all I want to do is SCRAPBOOK, chat on KSK and surf 2 peas!!!!

I need more hours in the day!!!

Did anyone see IDOL, did i think it was BORING becuase I MISS CARL and LOVE CARL???

If you are listening to my pathetic babble please let me know...I need other things to distract me from the list above!!!!!

my head is still spinning

WOW, today was the first time I have sat and relaxed....what a sensational weekend.

Kiwi Scraps was sensational, I enjoy being a teachers aide soooo much as I get to see a drop of everything, sure I get no personal scrapping done and it is HARD work...but lets face it I never got work done when i attended as a student as i was never prepared with the RIGHT photos!!!

Anyway David THANKS for another EXCELLENT KIWI SCRAPS, being behind the scences showed me how much effort you put in. We really appreciate it!

It was great catching up with all the girls again and meeting Stacey J and Wendy was also really nice as you always learn alot about scrapbooking. I also had the pleasure of TAing with Nic Howard and her work is SOOOO amzing and I love her new book, if you see it I highly recommend it!

I also loved meeting Paula - Stacey Julian's friend that was travelling with her. It was sooo nice chatting with someone who has over 300 channels in her house, she taught me that no MATTER what there is usually nothing on worth watching when you want to watch something! So maybe I should just be happy with my 4 channels and bigpond movies! Paula, WHENEVER you want to house swap let me know!!!!!

If you look closely at the photos you may see Alison with her rude finger up, YEP she was NOT happy when we came home from the bar after a few drinks! We had a great night in the bar swapping horror movie stories!!!!

THEN it was off to IDOL!

it was a pretty busy night and although we were second in line (thanks Diana) we were still right up the back and a long way from Carl :(.

I was sooooooo hopeful that he would get through and sent 30 votes in and begged the girls at work to vote for me. However, there were tears on Monday night. I KNEW he would not beat Matt (who wore TIGHTS on Sunday and stole Hansels outfit 3 weeks ago). BUT I soo just wanted to hear him sing the single and once you get to the top 2 it really is ANYONES game!!!

LOVE and miss you Carl, PLEASE SOMEONE give him a record deal

have a great Thursday everyone

100 posts YAHOO!!!!

i am TRYING to dash out the door, but things keep stop me from packing! I am off for the weekend to KIWI SCRAPS!!!!! Max is teething and has had a hard day, poor baby slept for hours and i still got no packing done.
THEN when i leave KS on Sunday I drive to FOX for the filming of Australian idol !!!!
YES i get to see carl AGAIN!!!!!! PLease vote for him

191010 CARL

I SOOOOOOO want him to win!!!!

have a great weekend everyone

lots to share when i get home!!!!

99 POSTS!!!!!

WOW 99, i thought I would hit 100 before i turned 31! So can I change the name of this blog to suddenly thirty one??? maybe a safer bet would be calling it 9 years til I am 40!!! It actaully might take me til I am forty to finish this post!!!!!

I am working backwards on this post

31.10

Happy birthday Veronika! sorry I did not ring you today, LIFE is on fast forward and I can NEVER seem to catch it

I have had the please of working with heaps of October afternoon papers grom Addicted to Craft and KSK. I can't share some BUT here is one from the KSK portal. this paper range is soo nice to work with and it has coordinating bits and rubons - dont you just love the owls.
27.10

We had a big pool party / birthday celebration. A great night, lots of good food, friends and fun

22.10
A fun transport excursion with my adorable class. In 30 degree heat we walked over the bridge, went for a ferry and monorail ride and had the traditional FRUIT TINGLES lolly comp to keep the natives quiet on the way home. don't we live in the BEST city ever - look at that beautiful harbour - love it

21.10

Alison has a LOT more photos, thanks Miss A for taking heaps of photos for me on my birthday! My birthday was spent in Tassie at the KSK retreat! Karen got me a cake and we had a fun Sunday scrapping, laughing and singing

20.10

A great Saturday in WONDERFUL Launceston - I shopped, ate, drank, scrapped, laughed and walked up the Gorge to take night phtotos. Alsion has some great photos of this day

19.10

The KSK retreat BEGINS!!!! great to see Sal, Ngaire and Karen again and fantastic meeting Kayla, Helen, Cindy and all the KSK girls!!!! It was fun. I LOVED shopping in Karen's Kupboard it is the BEST shop ever as it has SOOO many new and classic things. Kayla can you move into my house please...you cook, clean, are great to chat with and scrap up a storm - please no rent will be charged!!!!

I did have a very happy birthday. It was sad being away from Max and Darren and Sydney was a hot 35 degrees so I missed the pool , but the break was fantastic and when i arrived home Daz had a WONDERFUL pressie - > a point and shot Canon 960 ixus - LOVE IT!!!!!!! thanks honey- I love you!!!!

I am off to DO sooo much school work YUCK!!

scraproom has 3 more layouts to produce then it will be gutted for a major renovation, will post pre op and post op photos as i go!!!!!

thanks Nanna!

thanks Nanna for all the wonderful things we got from you after you arrived back after a month of touring the US!!!!! It was like Christmas and look at the colours in these M&Ms would you!!!! I lost 1.1kg at WW last night, lucky they belong to max. or I would be putting it back on! max is going to be so well dressed with all the sensational clothes he got and all of his CARS toys are cool! I especially love my 7 Roxy and Billabong t-shirts and my beach towel is funky. Darren's grumpy t-shirt is SO TRUE!!! and i will be getting a photo of him in it!!!

Today.....

We had a great day today at Wiggles World..... Charlotte and Max explored and played. it really is a great place to play for the under 5's! Max loved it and we will go again soon!!!!!

I have been blogging for a year....wow that went quick....anyone know how to change my blog name to suddenly thirty ONE!!!!

Here is a LO that i did over the holidays........I love these papers by 7 Gyp.

Off to continue cleaning my scraproom! I have pulled it all apart and it is so overwhelming to clean and FIX UP!!!!!! maybe I will never scrap again

OCTOBER!!!!!!

(already) and half way though at that!!!!

the holidays were great to me, rest and fun, lots of visitors and some of my jobs done!

I did scrapbook, not as much as I wanted as I found myself finding OTHER things to do!!! On the 12th I have been officially scrapping for 5 years. When Veronika and I did our first crop night at Castle Hill. Who would have thought this COOL craft would change my life, introduce me to many fantastic people, give me a part time job, take over a whole room and take me to places like Launceston!
This layout was for KSK, the Basic Grey RECESS range was soo cool to work with. really nice red felt and stitching did not show.

On the 3rd Darren and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary, I figured the night before that he had forgotton and I was right, but a big bunch of flowers, money and a lovely dinner made up for it. Poor guy got a break as he has been flat out at work and working 16 hour days.

Here is our school holidays in pictures

KSK challenges!

the DT have been busy preparing some great weekend challenges! POP on over and have some fun ..and you can even win a $50 voucher!!!!

My challenge is inspired by Ali Edwards - I love the everyday type snapshot stuff and as her book comes out tomorrow I was feeling very Ali inspired! It is on its way to KSK now so I will have a copy soon!

I have set myself a challenge to get at LEAST one page done each day f the holidays PLUS my reports started - someone hold me to it PLEASE!

it is 27 degrees here so I am off for a swim!!!!

Hope Carl does well tonight...enjoy IDOL !!!!

holidays are here!!!!

WOW a pretty good term finally ended yesterday! two weeks of happy holidays

in typical Max fashion he is sick so resting him over the next few days so he gets better for the 2 weeks ahead.

planning on lots of spring cleaning, shoppping, swimming and resting.

here is my latest page. I tried to use the sunlight to SHOW all the glittery bits off but it is hard to tell still.

Happy!

1.3 K.G for ME!!!! yep one week on weight watchers and I am a happy camper! I also have something else to obsess over and it gets my fertility issues off my mind!!!!!!! I want to loose 10% of my body weight before Christmas - so I am IN THE ZONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday to my coolest, bestest and hippest scrapping buddy Alison for yesterday! I had a great night on Sunday dancing with you in front of Australian idol. GOTTA do it again!!!! and your DD is a TRUE water baby! my pool was about 17 degrees and she swam in it!!!!! So she holds my record!

Week 11 has been mad at school! Kids just went mental today - 2 suspensions and lots of fights (and that is just the staff) - just kidding! I think week 11 should be illegal - after such a great term this week has shown it is too much to cope with !!! SO HAPPY holidays are here in 2 teaching days!!!!

How much do i love this spunky guy???? So much! even though he woke me up at 12 and screamed until 1am - bloody eye teeth

What a difference

What a difference 10 months make!!!! Yes it WAS a long time, but is finally 99% complete with just the pavers needing some sealer and some more lighting!!!!

SO now the pool is ready where is the GOOD weather!!!! BOO HISS 16 degree September days!!!!!

Both shots are facing the back fence but as lots of land had to be cut out as he had a sloping block the end result is a higher area at the back of the pool. the shots from last April just had NO landscaping or paving done!
He JUST wishes he could jump in!!!! He even blows bubbles from the edge

Will get some better photos with my wider lens ASAP!!!! only had the 50mm on and max refused to come inside just to get a lens!

IDOL night!

Idol show tip - take a pregnant woman!

We were the third group in the line but the lovely man offered Stef to come up the front and not be crushed by the KEEN crowd behind us (100s of people ready to push and shove)! So we got the BEST seats look how close I was to CARL!!!!!!!

we were in the third row to the left of Kyle (5 seats away!) I waved to him and and waved back! He threw choccies at us and promised us a photo but at the end of the night he stormed off in anger at the performers as soon as it ended! I ran around to the stage door BUT was asked to KEEP MOVING!!!!!!!

All day everyone told me HOW bad the SHOW was - YES it may not have rocked at home but being there was awesome. It was so hard to watch all those harsh comments and being live i think it was about 100 times better! AND Andrew G and James were SOOOOO Much fun! they really liked Narrelle - excuse the photos I was laughing so hard i nearly wet my pants.

they both sat on her lap and crawled over me in the process!

MOre of the gorgeous carl!!!

and at the end of the night we got Daniel and Carl's attention and they waved and chatted with us! I really like these two after last night, they were happy to chat BUT the mean mean man would not let me closer to them or them off the stage!

what a great night with the girls!!!!! thnaks Di and Sharron for inviting us!

look for me in the audience TONIGHT

YES i am OFF to see Australian idol LIVE!!!!!
Sadly NO cameras in the studio.
I am scared for Carl as it is ROCK night and I hope he can ROCK it out!!!!

I had a great time at a wedding last night (no pics YET!!!) but the bride was stunning and my work mates and I had a great time! Good to catch up with some x-BPS teachers also!

will post ASAP to tell you what it is like LIVE!!!!

Monday MEANS IDOL

Ok I like him ALOT!!!! I never got him in the THREE IDOL sweeps I am in BUT last night this guy really impressd me!!! Sadly Holly did go and that is OK.
How do you put music on this blog as I keep popping over to IDOL to listen to his amazing version of Waltzing Matilda
http://www.australianidol.com.au/carl-riseley-fan-club.html

On the sweep update
School - Marty (really what are my chances of the jackpot???)
KSK - Daniel (hairy man - might make the top 6)
IDOL girlfriends - Mark (fingers crossed he comes 2nd toCarl for he $40 prize)

CAN'T WAIT until next Sunday!!! ROCK night so my $40 Mark might do alright!!!

the HOWLETTS holidayed at happy hallidays

WOW our first holiday in a long time!!! LONG before max was born!

My great friend Tina gave me the tip and a GREAT tip it was! This park has the niceest cabins and it is FANTASTIC for little kiddies!!! max was soooooooo HAPPY! COME on this place had an indoor soft play centre right near the BBQ area, it is SOOOO family friendly!

Even though the weather was wet at times we still managed to make it down to the sand for a play. We also went to Timbertown and did some fantastic shopping! I got Max the cutest shirts and Darren got some really nice clothes too!

YES max was fascinated by the puddles.

I thought it was SOOO funny that max LOVED the fact that the microwave was at HIS level!!! HE PRETEND cooked everything!!!! I just loved watching him on the beach. He just wanted to RUN into that water. Shame it was a 18 degreee day

The pool at hallidays was SENSATIONAL too! Max was so keen to get in but the weather NEVER went into the 20s (sadly). WHY did we have 2 weeks of sensational weather an then when i go away it is BAD??????

Well in 8 hours I will be back to a HARD week! Parent teacher interviews!!! YEs I have to really tell it HOW it is with a few! Even though my class has come SOOOO far there are a few that i seriously STRESS about. the ones that DO NOTHING!!!!! the ones that by year 2 have really poor number skills and can't add 2 numbers together to save their lives! This class has SOOOO much potential I have worked hard to improve their writing and number strategies but I can take them SOOOO much further.

But tomorrow I have to sit there and remember this beautiful bunch of kids NO MATTER how much they struggle have ISSUES! they see domestic violence, they have parents in goal, they dONT eat breatfast and they worry about things I never had to worry about. I want to break the cycle for them i PUSH them and I QUESTION them in HOPE that one day they will go to uni or Tafe and be who they want to be!!!! I even tell them THEY CAN be who they want to be...........gee i hope it SINKS in!!!!

so please make sure you tell your kids they can be who they want to be....as believe me there are kids out there in homes that are never told this.

APEC holiday

We just got home from a NICE 4 days up Forster/Hallidays point. It was soooooo nice! I am in the process of uploading 400 photos!!! Camera has frozen 3 times

I got home to a nice surprise - a layout on the KSK portal. I love these photos so much. The journaling reads

This was one of those days that I did not want to end. We arrived home at about 4.30pm to finally find water in our pool. You and I sat in the shallow end and played. I loved watching you walk along the bottom, something you won’t do again for many years. As the sun set, I carried a very upset boy back inside. You were so sad you had to leave.
Only 141 days until the next swimming season.

will be back to show and tell about our fantastic holiday!!!