2011

It was not one of the easiest years I have ever had, so many fantastic memories but just a hard year personally.

Last year of Preschool for Max, a great year with Tracy and Linda.

Flynn began to walk and talk. Such a cutie!A fun Halloween, Flynn loved it ...his favourite thing ever, collecting lollies and he learnt the word 'more'.
Darren and Stephen enjoyed their morning coffee club.Max knee boarded and tubed up the river.
A big girly night to celebrate the 'Royal' wedding of the decade... William married Kate!
Loved having Dad over 3 mornings a week to help me take Max to preschool. I loved how he called "Pops in the building".A great Easter up a the river.
Anabel retired.

We let the business go. It was a massive decision that will affect our lives for a long time. It was just to hard to keep up in this hard financial climate.

Dad hurt his knee.
Max started T-Ball.

Max and Thomas Malloy were inseparable at preschool and had some fun holiday sleep overs together.

3 great friends turned 40.
Lots of lovely trips in the school holidays ot see my Aunty Joan.

Fun times and sad times, life lessons learnt the hard way!!! All in all, happy to be alive with 2 wonderful kids, a fantastic father, husband, family and friends xxxx

December 09

This layout sat on the desk for over 4 weeks because as usual December is not an easy time to scrap with a crazy social life, report marking and managing 2 boys with social lives as well.

I really wanted to complete this one as I took a photo a day for December daily but just never had time to showcase it in an album. So many wonderful and precious stories from that december, spot my HUGE feet if you can.

I have used the wonderful 2Crafty chipboard as I was lucky enough for Vanessa to hand cut me the December title.

June retreat 2012

Are you interested in a scrapbooking retreat for 2012?

June 22nd to 24th

Longpoint (near Liverpool/Campbelltown)

$98.

Includes basic breakfast for 2days and tea and coffee.

Access to Kitchen and close to local food shops.

$40 deposit due Feb 10th 2012

email me if interested: bh2110@bigpond.net.au

HELLO!!! yes I am still here!

HELLO!!!! Well it was nice to bump into an old friend last Monday and see that someone still checks by here. I promise to upload Project life asap....this old computer is moving sooo slow due the HUGE amount of file space taken up my my photos!!! Man I need to sit for hours and work on that, plus back up back up back up!!!

I still scrapbook and just had an absolute blast at the SAVVY/delights retreat ! My second one and I sure hope I go until we are old and have to catch a special bus to get there. I love my South Coast scrappy mates, well heck I have no Sydney ones left so I guess these wonderful girls are stuck with me!!! Thanks to my wonderful retreat seat partner Lisa Warren! She always offers the best advice and is like a personal tutor. xxxx

Here is some evidence that I still scrap. I have 3 2crafty layouts.





This one is a challenge from the retreat. I had to incorporate the transparency designed by Lisa.

Lots to catch up on! So little time xxx

Inspired Blueprints

Lisa Warren is one of my fav scrappers and I love her Inspired Blueprints website. For my Long Point scrap retreat Lisa gave us a sketch for a competition. I loved the sketch and loved following it to complete this layout.

Thanks Lisa, looking forward to a fun scrap night sometime soon. xx

Flynn at 18 months

My little tough nut. Always happy to laugh and smile.
You have learnt the word NO or shall I say uh uh and you shake your head.
You love to eat and you will go in search of food regularly.
You are happy and will say hello and goodbye to the people you meet at the shops.

You ignore me lots when I call your name.

You love to explore new places.

When you say squeeze hug to you, you squeeze your whole body and growl. It is too cute.

You point to your belly, nose and mouth when asked. You will clap when asked.

You love to ride your buzz car or bee bike FAST!

You only have a little bit of hair, i love your bald head!

You love to play with balls.

You pull everything out of the drawers and walk around with it, chew it, drop it and find something else to grab.

You always open my shower door and say "mum".

You will get me my towel as soon as the water stops.

You can say - Mum, Mumma, Dad, hello, bye-bye, car, yum, go, nar nar (dum dum), more, poo poo , shoes

2 Crafty Layouts

I am loving working with all the 2 Crafty goodies I get in the mail.
Check out the blog for more great layouts





Look at this tattoo swirl! love it

Polly Scrap Kits

I knew Kayla when she was just a "little girl"! We started chatting on KSK in around 2005 I think! She was and still is, a clever scrapper with a good eye for colour and design...

now this young lady has launched a FAB kit club......Polly Kit Club

Go take a look, I cant wait to they are released, well done Kayla xxxxx

Holidays r here

Finally time to catch up! clean and dag around the house in my PJs.

I had a fantastic time with great scrappy friends in June at our annual budget scrap retreat that I organise. I love this retreat, so cheap and no fuss.

Here are some of the layouts I got done, I will share more after I get them onto the 2 Crafty blog

Cracker Night - 2 Crafty

I was about to reminisce on my blog about Cracker night, but I though it would be much more fun to scrap it with some 2 Crafty product





I sadly had no photos of cracker night but thought this one brought back memories from around that time...until I realised I was dressed for a summer night, NOT winter lol



Here is the journaling .....



This June long weekend I found myself remembering back to Firecracker Night – (almost 26 years ago)…a long weekend tradition for Australian children until the sale of fireworks were banned in the 1980’s.
I remember mum coming home with a massive bag of fireworks. We stood in our front yard with all the neighbourhood families. Dad always had a bucket of water ready incase a fire started or anyone touched a hot one. It was exciting…from when Dad lit the fuse and you would hear the hiss - the loud cracks from the skyrockets, the glow of the spinning wheels and running to find the parachutes that would pop out of the aero plane cracker. I also remember the zap of throwdowns, you threw them at the ground and they would light up and make extremely loud noises.
Cracker night was banned due to too many injuries. Funnily enough on cracker night the ER had many people admitted with burns and even worse there were lots of eye injuries from people looking right at a cracker, thinking it would not go off to have it explode in their face.
Cracker night is a great childhood memory and sadly I don’t have photos of Dad, Mum and I on cracker night….just great memories…….June 2011

scrapping to share

I had a great social scrap with my wonderful scrapping friends Sandra, Sar and Linda last Saturday in Dapto at Scrapbook Delights. I love scrapping at Sandra's shop, we laugh lots and the Thai food is to die for!!!!

I am SOOOO looking forward to our June retreat this month....now off to mark reports so I can go to Long Point with NO work hanging over my head.

bye bye

where did may go???
last week i cracked a tooth and the pain took over my week
Now May is over and terrible Winter arrives tomorrow
I now have a hole in the bottom left gum and one less tooth in my head
I am hoping I have a better week.

REWIND!!!!! PAUSE!!!!!! Go BACK!!!!!!!!

a layout...wish i had time to do more

Happy Monday

In a month and 2 days I will be on a scrap retreat!!!! Must start preparing so I can get lots done!!

Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The only exec member in at school
Darren never put the car keys back and they went MISSING
Had to call up Karen Mc to get a lift in to school
Things stolen
Uniform!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Timetables
Max dropped off at school very unwell, I smashed the anti biotics
Fever.......pain, tears
Preschool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Photos!!!
Max crying
Overseas enrolment - People that cant DO their job
The Intrepica sales lady being a lovely help!!! Wondering what sort of nutcase school she had walked in too!
HOME!!!!
Lucky the night ended with a glass of bubbles with 2 good friends

tuesday night

Lots of ironing to be done but I am exhausted after staying up to 1am this morning to fix up the timetable for school.
In bed watching this great show about GOOD FRIENDS!!!! Winners and Losers makes me smile, cheers to girlfriends!!!!!

scrapping

A layout for the wonderful 2 Crafty, lots of great layouts and ideas on the blog.

proud mumma moment

Today while I was scrapbooking Max came into the room and asked to draw. He handed me the book when he was done and said "I wrote your name". I was sooooo shocked and happy, to see him write a word for the first time other than his own name and the word ice cream that he copied at preschool this was another one of those "truly great proud mumma moments".
he can write mum!!!!!!!

bless him xxxxxx

sick again

Poor bub!

and yes I missed some days in May...as my sick boy kept me busy and blogger was not playing nicely!

Can I have another 4 hours in the day please????

this is me

On Mothers day I was inspired by the beautiful light behind me to take some selfies! I used to do so many ME pages before children and as I was looking in my albums on Mothers day I saw that I haven't done much at all these days.

I brought my first pair of black ugg boots this year and they are my new favourite shoe.

My favourite TV shows are Keeping up with the Kardashians, Winners and Losers, 7pm project and loving that RPA is back on.

Last Movie I saw was "Just go with it" it was funny !

Since Easter I have been eating way too much chocolate. I still have 10kg (at least to loose).
I hate that exercise takes time and I have barely any.

An untidy house frustrates me. There are lots of random things scattered throughout the house..they need to be put away...and when they finally are Flynn goes and gets them again.
I now am an electricity saving, whinging, PAIN in the butt as I hate that it has become so expensive and our bills average around $750 each quarter!!!!!

Flynn being clingy frustrates me! Then I have to remind myself, enjoy every minute and stop wishing it away! I wont get to keep my cute little toddler forever.

I am blessed to have some fantastic girl friends.

I hate that my dream home is not in my dream neighbourhood - where kids play and ride their bikes.

It seems as soon as we get ahead financially we go straight back behind.

I am thankful for all the things my dad does, he makes me smile.

I don't own any really nice jeans!

I am worried I am forgetting how to be a "great teacher" while I am off class.

I want to achieve everything on my list and if I ever do I can think of another 20 things to add that I need to do.

I'm tired and since I love my sleep and find it hard to wake up for Flynn at the ungodly hour of 6:45am I am off to catch some sleep xxx

Life Long Friends

My photography failed to capture the BLING of all the silver glitter on this layout! It is truely one of my favoutires.

The title is from 2 Crafty. Every week there is lots of new inspiration on the 2 Crafty blog and don't forget Vanessa makes all of her chipboard here so you are supporting Australian made by asking your local scrapbook store to stock her designs.

sick

Max and I are sick again! He always manges to get it and successfully pass it on to me!
We spent the day on the lounge under a quilt each! No food, just chats, naps and ABC for kids TV!

yawn and brrrrrrr, the cold weather has hit so I am off to bed!!!!!!

I am a lucky mum

A nice day doing the usual - kids birthday parties at Monkey Mania, hanging out clothes and just being a mum! I think at one point I thought about getting away from it all next year and just being ALONE!!! But then I would miss these 2 gorgeous boys toooo much oh and since the hubby cleaned up for me and did some shopping he could be missed too!
A bit upset there was no card to tell me what a fabbo mum I am AM! but oh well, off to build a bridge !! Happy mothers day to ALL xx

Fagan Park layout

On Friday night I had a lovely night sitting and scrapping with Melinda and Loretta! NOT much scrapbooking went on. I was in a REAL rut and just could not pull it together. I finally used the October Afternoon Sketch and managed to scrap this layout after LOTS of paper shuffling and procrastinating! It was a very late night!!!!

It was nice to scrap with PEOPLE again! We are talking about making it a monthly event "Our little livo craft club" LOL Next month there will be some quilting and crocheting! brrr after a cold start to May I will be happy to make a quilt!

Mahogany - thank you

Well done to these local girls!!!! I am soooo happy for them. Looking forward to seeing them in concert soon.

just saying.....

I hate white ants.
I dislike jealous people.
Don't make yourself LOOK better by shitting on others.
Speak UP. Man up or move out!!!!!
good always defeats evil in the end!


just saying!!!! xxxx

school shopping

ARGHHHH!!!!!! it is doing my head in!!!!

the what ifs, the buts, the oh yes i love that school but it is out of area!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I called a school today and it made me MAD that they were RUDE!

It is making me sick thinking about it all the time.

I just want the best, like everyone else!

I am over thinking YES, I am considering how primary school choices impact on high school choices. I am annoyed the some schools wont take kids out of area!!!!

I have shed some tears. It has consumed me these last 10 days!!!! oh geee I am a painful teacher/mother! How does one ever separate herself!!!!?????

Max! Where have the last 5 years gone???

Max April- May2011.

You love Batman.

You sleep with Penny your dalmation, I love that soooo much.

You love to pretend and at Preschool had a fantastic time setting up an ice cream shop. You copied your teachers signs and wrote lots for the first time! I love watching you learn through play.

You often write your name backwards.

You love to pretend to speak another langauge. I have been told over 50 times you will be a great actor one day...you are certainly KEEN to act!!!!

You can count to 14, you can recognise numbers to 6. We have started Mathletics and you are loving to learn lots of Numeracy concepts.

You can built Lego following instructions.

You LOVE Lego, every day you ask for BATMAN Lego but it is all sold out. You love to play the Batman Lego game on wii.

You do "back chat' often and need to be nagged to listen. You are a handful, you want what YOU want, you are egocentric like most kids your age. You go loopy and crazy and I do a bit of yelling lately! You need an off switch but even though I want to turn you off only for one second I still LOVE crazy Max.

When Flynn was running towards the road and I asked why you never stopped him you replied "I didn't want to drop my ice cream".

When you don't want to do something you say "we will do it on Sunday".

You can push and hit Flynn one minute and be tickling and playing 'where's the baby' the next.
You said to me " I wish I was your husband".

Almost every time we drive past the shops you say "can I get a toy?"

You had a language assessment and there are somethings we need to work on, I want the best for you...always remember that.

I often say to you "this is not a restaurant...eat your dinner"
When you had a vomiting bug you looked up at me with sad eyes and said "I wish my body did not do this".

Today & Tonight

Today it was announced Osama Bin Laden was killed, A BIG DAY in history, a big day in the war on terror. The man that ordered the Sept 11 2001 attacks on New York and Washington...so much more evil too, makes me sad for those that lost their lives.

Tonight I had a big headache and could not do any school work so I sat and watched the biggest looser finale and had a ball laughing with friends via text messages and facebook

my fav quote from the series was

"why have you put on weight?"

"Ive been busy!"

"been busy doing what??...... Eating chocolate???

After a ver BAD april eating wise I am scared to get on the scales and see all my 4.5kg lost this year BACK!!!!! Back to weight watchers for ME (tsk tsk)

Something everyday in May

I miss this blog, I miss updating and coming back and remembering. I LOVE to document and I am sad that I have not documented monthly like I did in 2010.

I am going to challenge myself to blog every day in May. So here is a layout share.

The step by step instructions for the sun are featured on the 2Crafty blog

Flynn my little pork chop

You are officially a VERY cute little man.

If you open and shut your hands, bob up and down and say "mumma mumma" it means you want whatever you can see.

You now have all your teeth.

You love to grab my iphone and imitate me using it.

You wake up tooo early.

I love watching you walk fast, you are almost at a run now.

You love to look at whatever Max is looking at, and will try and play with his things.

You are a little grub when you get the chance, you got down in the sand and tried to drink the sea water. You also grabbed a bucket of rain water and drank it.

I love your baby talk sounds, I need to film them, they are tooo cute.

You stand at the open fridge door and refuse to move out the way. You love to demand food.

You high five people.

You and Max have started with some pushing and shoving lately, whatever he gives out you get revenge....last week you woke him up by pulling his hair.

i love you , you are loved and you make us soooo happy.

April was great

• School holidays, lots of PJ days. Did not help Flynn was sick, but holidays gave him a break from family day care.


• More family time, we went to the Easter show, had a great time up the river with great friends.


• Dad made me proud as always on ANZAC day.


• I went down south to Sandra's scrap store and had a ball scrapping ALL day GOOD FRIDAY. I got into bed at 2am after lots of laughs.


• Had some great times with friends, from a BIG girly night here in early April to celebrate the end of a big term 1 to a big girly night here to celebrate the marriage of Kate Middleton to Prince William......I really got caught up in the fairytale.


• I finished PROJECT LIFE, I was soooo proud of me and I love the end result so much. However can I do it again, I am a bit burnt out.

Here are the pages I managed to scrap in April........

oh i needed this holiday

I need another 4 hours in my day and a baby that doesn't wake at 623am. A nice holiday so far! Catching up with Melinda and Loretta made me HAPPY....girls if you still read this can't wait to we scrap on May 6. I'm hoping you will catch the bug again Here is some scrapbooking using the fabulous 2 Crafty

the day graduation photos made me cry

Yes I am weird!!!!
Tonight I was inspired to sit down and do this 8.5 x 11 LO for 2 Crafty

Here is the journaling ............

One of my biggest questions in 2010 was ‘should I send you to school in 2011?’ As a teacher and a mother that wanted to best for you, it was something that I thought about a lot and talked about often. You are not silly, you are a very switched on little boy that loves to play, talk and investigate. Your needs and interests were being met at preschool but you showed little interest in anything related to school ‘work’. Your preschool teacher often talked about how you lacked concentration and needed to be supported to follow directions. I often said how another year of preschool would not hurt you and in 2012 you would go in stronger and more mature. You were also in one of the best preschools around and I did not worry about sending you back there as I knew your early childhood education was in great hands.
Today, when this photo was taken, I was taking graduation photos of the preschool children at my school. I was not going to buy your photo package. Suddenly this wave of emotion hit me, here I was taking photos of other kids and I thought of my gorgeous son and the class of 2010 that held so many memories and fun times. I started to cry that I was not buying this photo. I was sad at myself as even though you were not leaving preschool you were still apart of the class of 2010 and I was mad that I did not pay for the package. I ran to the phone crying and explained to Marlene I needed to buy this photo. That night I chatted with Marlene that I had made the right decision not to send you to school in 2011, never will I regret it. You come first always. She thought I was upset at my decision not to send you to school, and I explained…. no, I was upset that I was missing a memory (yes I am a photo addict). Max, you were a much loved member of the class of 2010, and I love this memory. Please remember I want what is best for you and as your mother I will work hard to make sure I do the best possible job I can. xxxx

A 2 Crafty layout

One of my favourite memories of Flynn is his love of blowing raspberries. He did it on and off all day every day for at least 2-3 months.

On this layout I used the 2 Crafty scalloped hearts banner .

I found this sketch on inspired blueprints and had a play with it. I sprayed them with glimmermist and then inked the edges.

here he comes! I love him so!!!!

oh i love you soooo much! you toddle around like such a little cutie. thnaks for meing such a great baby xxx

the life of an AP.....

NO im not an iphone ap, I'm a part time assistant principal of a small, gorgeous, tiny, crazy, laugh a minute school. I'm there 3 days but need to be there 5 to get all that I need to be done DONE!!!!!!
I'm tired, I feel zapped, I would love to stay up late into the morning and play with glue and photos but I have no super powers left.
I love it, but don't get me wrong if I couldn't be an AP as I won lotto, I would love to .....
have time that is just quiet time, no need to be thinking about what needs to be done next.
I would scrap and quilt SO MUCH MORE!
I would be easier to get along with.
There would be no dust on the furniture and no massive ironing piles to be sorted.
but hey someone has to be that AP (with 11 weeks paid holidays). xxx

Here is some new 2Crafty goodness..A Star is Born