HAPPYNESS

Happiness is my word - thanks Ali - you ROCK your work makes me happy!!! Everything you taught me about scrapping made me happy in Sydney. This may be the inspiration i need this year to go back to work 3 days. I need to be happy, I need to ignore the crap, I need to focus on my class, teach like I have never taught before and empower my vegemites- not try to fix those staff who will never be fixed. As my boss would say thick skin, happy-thick-skin!!!

what makes me happy

MAX

Darren

My wonderful family and friends

My pool (when water is is it)

Scrapbooking

Loosing weight ( YEAH BABY I am in the zone)

Photos

my computer, blogs and KSK

Holidays

Good TV

Sleep-ins

A good laugh

girls nights out (soo looking forward to March 31!!!)

I sooo want to see the movie "the pursuit of happyness"as it looks so inspiring and the adds and promos have also inspired this word. imagine being homeless, a single father, living on the streets and then working your way up to being a multi - million $$$ man!!!!!

Don't worry BE happy

Wednesday!!!

Ok I failed at the blog a day thing!!! Monday night I was scrapping, enjoying my TV, walking and sorting photos and before I knew it it was 12.10am!!! Then last night I felt SOOO blah!!! headache, pool problems so i just sat in front of the cricket!!!

I am about to get my 5000th post on KSK!!!! WOW I can talk!!!! They also have a great new gallery too!!!!

The other night I started the LO below!!! When I was pregnant I bought SOOO much metal for baby LOs so i decided to paint some up and get some use out of it!!!! You would swear I own a kilo of baby metal!!!!!

These photos are from feb, max was 13 days old. Look at those long skinny legs

chip off the old block

"Excuse me operator I would like to make a call to the Department of Community Services and dob my dad in!!! He keeps giving me empty beer bottles and not full ones - how is a kid meant to sooth his teething pain?"

Max loves using everything as a pretend phone!!!! Maybe that is a message to mummy!!!

I PROMISE it is empty, he is just bottle obsessed!!!!!

"Hey Nathan, your dummy looks nicer than mine - so I will borrow it!!! Shhh don't dob, if you lend it to me I will give you some of this".

Check out more photos of the wonderful Charlotte's first birthday with the beautiful Zoe. You will spot me on a c

Cheers to a fantastic weekend.

Hey Kathryn!!! LOOK DAY 6 and I am still doing it!!!!

Someday I will enjoy this pool. These 2 are in it ALL the time. Well I tell ya puppies we did not dig this hole for you so enjoy it while you can! All the rain has put it back by a week or so as the retaining wall is not built so the fencer cant come - blah blah blah!!!


Here is the LO from the other night



















and this one is November from my calendar LOs. The lighting is really bad and it LOOKS wrong but you get the idea!!! I used up some of the bags of ribbon i have.

I had a big day cleaning. Max went to spend time with Nanna and I ...

• went fot a 40 min walk


• Hung out 3 loads of washing C


• leaned the fridge


• cleaned the blinds (timber blinds in a kitchen - so filthy)


• cleaned the Kit.window


• cleaned out the pantry


• cleaned out the bottom 2 drawers


• washed down all my white cupboads - you would be amzed what grime is down there when you sit down on the floor


• mopped the floor and cleaned another set of timber blinds


• ate lunch/breakfast at 3.30


• then went to pick max up and had a swim at Nannas!!!!!!!

Off to Charlotte's (from mums group) 1st birthday tomorrow!!!!!

FIVE NIL BABY!!!

there are no words to describe today!!!!

• Very happy to watch the Aussies win
• Had a bad mummy moment. while making breakfast Max descovered the staricase! has not shown ANY interest since being on the move, but today he made it 10 stairs up and was giggling at the top! I heard him above me from the kitchen, went to investigate and BANG! I caught him on the 4th stair! His head looks like a dropped peach and i was an emotional WRECK!!!
• I am in the middle of gluing down a LO so my fingers are sticky!
• I will upload some photos tomorrow!
• I got locked in Myer buying Charlotte's first birthday pressie.
• I walked for 40 minutes tonight and ate good food!
• I dont know where the full stop button is!!!
• I am really liking BIGPOND movies!!!
• Big cleaning day ahead tomorrow (YAWN!!!).

TODAY!!!

Hey Cathy Z is back in blog land!!!! Cool I love her wit and stories. Meeting her in Sydney was sensational!!!!
Can you tell I have nothing much to say!!!!
I scrapped 1.5 LOs tonight I will take photos tomorrow!!!!
This saving money thing is KILLING ME!!!! So today I broke out and spent some money at Pumpkin Patch!!! Met Veronika for a shop!!
Then this afternoon Alison popped in and she put some of my clothes on (LOL!!!) and we went for a walk! I am doing well 3 days of healthy eating and walking!!!! Wait until the pool is finished and I do water aerobics!!!
I have put a weigh sheet un in the bathroom and each Wednesday I will weigh in!!! DArren is giving me $20 a kilo!!! So weight loss here I come!! I even skipped my lite icecreams tonight. WHO needs it - not me BABY I want the cash.
Go the Aussies in the cricket! 2 days until we must say goodbye to some legends.
Will stop the banter NOW.
Goodnight

Daily blogging!!!

Gee for someone that really thought a BLOG took TOOO much time I have now followed Kathryn's crowd and taking her "blog entry a day challenge!!!

Lets see if I can do it!!!

NO scrapping tonight (insert sad face here)!!! I just made 26 invites for max's first birthday

Here is the photo on the front of the invite!!!

Just in case you were wondering he was born on Australia day and we are having a big Aussie BBQ to celebrate his first.

First LO of the year!!!

In true Belinda style I procrastinated, played and wasted time on this one!!! I am happy but for the hours it took it should be SOOO mouch MORE!!!

It is for an online monthly challenge I am in. I have made a monthly snapshop album for Max and I am loving the album even though I am running late in the challenge. The page opposite will contain all the journaling for the month.

I am on a bit of a NO BUY challenge too!!! Kathy and some of my KSK friends have decided to USE our beloved supplies, I KNOW i have heard your gasps....."but what happens if you love it....NEED to keep it....or the shops never stock it again???!!!! Well TOOOOO bad what use is it in a box!!!! I am planning to buy again when I get 20 pages done - so I am paying myself to scrap. plus we would not want any shops to go out of business would we!!

Day one - 2007

We had a great time in the city!!! Not many crowds, our own PRIVATE view and Max loved his first fireworks display!

He went to sleep just after the 9pm fireworks in Darling harbour. He then WOKE up at 12.05am to give me a kiss and party on with us singing and dancing.

I drove home at 2am and it nearly killed me I was SOOO tired and I had to sit up and really concentrate.

Darren and I lazied around until 11am, ate lunch, Darren dug out more of the pool footings and then we cleaned up until 5.30!!! I am happier the place is cleaner.

Goodluck to the Aussies tomorrow!!! It SOOO has to be a 5-0 win in the Ashes!!! And yes you may hate him but in 5 days (could be earlier) we say goodbye to one of the best cricketers Australia has seen!!! thanks Warney.

Here is Max admiring the view of the fireworks

And hey I am peeved they took off that great show ;) on 9 "Outrageous Fortune" tonight!!! Bring it back channel 9!!!

Ok 2007 goals!!!

Enjoy work - no stress!!! I really need to get over the ISSUES!!!

Enjoy my days off with Max

Healthy eating plan and EXERCISE!!!!

Save - no scrap shopping until at least Feb.

STOP procrastinating!!!! Gee that is hard!!! but I am the worlds biggest time waster. I have bloglines now so that will save time.

Enjoy 2007. I am SOOO sad to say goodbye to 06. The tears still well at all the tiny memories that were created!!! Those little moments

• the first day at home, how GREAT darren was, cooking cleaning and just enjoying us.
• going back to the hospital to have Max checked when he was not putting on weight, chatting with all the nurses
• the great mothers group chats.
• going sale shopping with max in the pram.

I really can't explain but the little things meant soo much, the time at home with my boy, it went by way to quickly!!!

then the BIG things!!!! It was such a party year here

• My 30th, Darren's 30th, a Christening and first Christmas.
• The great times of Kiwi Scraps.
• Going for a new job, getting it and realising family is more important, "better the devil you know" and staying at BPS.
• Darren went to Thailand for a conference and 2 weeks in Goulburn to get his LPG licence.
• I went to Scrapgirls in NOV and had a great time.
• We started our pool.

I better start my year in review LO to share!!!

Sorry about the rambling!!!!

happy NEW Year

WOW the year buzzed by at an enormuos speed!!
I will be a little sad tonight!!!!! A few tears, a few drinks and a few thousand people in Sydney!!!! We are off to Mark's office with the kids!!! Max's first fireworks show!!!!!
Have fun everyone
Happy new year to you all.

2006 - the first of many reviews

I copied this from Aly - can't link her as my boss might find her and we dont want that!!!!!!!

1. What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?

I gave birth, became a mum and had heaps of days off work!!!!
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I failed at loosing weight but I will get on to that in 07.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes Elleni had Lucas

4. Did anyone close to you die? No - knock on wood.

5. What countries did you visit?

YEAH right!!! plenty of people close to me went OS - I just enjoyed the gifts they bought back!!!!
6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?

A tidy home, more time

7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Australia day - I gave birth. the 1st of Jan - hottest day in over 80 years and I was pregnant

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I think breast feeding after all the drama.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not getting everything done that I wanted - the curtains in the lounge room still need to be cleaned!!!! Not writing to kirsten as much
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Mastitus (sp?), some stitches from giving birth, a sore mole that was removed and I dropped a glass plate on my toe and the nail fell off.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

My pool
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

??
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?Someone at my old school. Made me want to give up teaching

14. Where did most of your money go?

photos of max, baby clothes for Max, nappies, the pool and a bear called Russell for Max's monthly photo shoots cost me $250!!!!!!!!.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

KIWI SCRAPS - seeing TOS and karen again. Alison and Rebekka hitting the states, all of Max's milestones, not having to work when I did not want to
16. What song will always remind you of 2006?

I wish i was a punk rocker

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? 
b) thinner or fatter? 
c) richer or poorer?

happier I have my baby!!!!

tenhnically thinner but need to loose some

poorer - BIG pay drop this year

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?Stay at home and relax with max
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

wasting time PROCRASTINATING!!!!!
21. Did you fall in love in 2006?

YES!!! with my baby boy

22. How many one-night stands?Oh No please!!!!!

23. What was your favorite TV program?

So many!!! loved the biggest looser, IDOL, LOST, Prison Break and Deal or NO deal!!!
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?Nope!!!

25. What was the best book you read?Sadly this Reading Recovery teacher does not READ!!!! Scrapping Mags yes and books to Max each day bit NO real reading!! Oh I tell a lie I liked what to EXPECT in the first year!!!
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

?? that I can NOT sing!!!!!

27. What did you want and get?a pool, a baby and a flash

28. What did you want and not get? more time to scrap
29. What was your favorite film of this year?CARS!!!! I did not go to the movies all year and I think the only recent thing I saw was the BREAK UP!!! SOOO sad

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?I was 30 this year and I had a big fancy dress party

.31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?It it went for another 4 months

.32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?Maternity clothes, house clothes and 3 outfits for work!!!!33. What kept you sane? phone call from Karen and ALsion

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?ROVE

.35. What political issue stirred you the most?the idiot falling pregnant for the baby bonus, rights at work!!!!

36. Who did you miss?I missed working with Narelle SO MUCH!!!

.37. Who was the best new person you met?

My mothers group!!! Simone, Belinda J, Tracey, Leanne, Nichole, Amanda and Katrina!!! Hopefully life long friends

.38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006.Motherhood is really the greatest NOTHING else matters!!! Not climbing the ladder being a mum filled all my dreams. and back up those photos or you will loose sleep worrying if your computer guy can save them!!!!!

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Now I've had the time of my life.......and I owe it all to you!!!!

TOOO Quick!!!

Sitting here sorting out 2006 photos for my annual review LO look at this!!!!

In the blink of an eye!!!!

one month to go and my baby will be walking with Russell the bear!!!!!!

lots to say

We had such a great Christmas day!!! It was quiet and a little cool but we still managed a swim and the traditional game of Jenga!!!!!

Max was sooo cute in traditional baby style the wrapping and plastic boxes were so much better than the presents themselves. The zebra was a hit as he laughed everytime he got on and he loved the car from Santa.

I have SOOO much stuff to put away!!!! TOYS everywhere and our new stuff everywhere!!!!

max's god parents also gave him their old (but VERY snazzy )video recorder for Christmas (plus 2 outfits from the US). It was such a lovely gift - thanks Mark and Karen.

Boxing day was spent having lunch with brendon and Gill and then it was OFF with the girls to Priscilla!!!!!!! WOW what a great show - we had a BALL!!!!!!! I laughed so hard I nearly pee'd my pants!!!

I got into bed at 12.17 am and it was up again at 6am to hit the sales with Karen!!!! I did mange to get all this gorgeous wrap and cards for 50% off and I got a necklace, swimming cossie and bras half price!!!! What bargins. I fell onto the lounge at 3pm and SOOO needed sleep!!!!

My TV also blew up!!!!!! great time - have little money due to pool. but tonight Daz and i got a real bargin!!! A 32 inch flat screen for half the price of other stores and beleive me we WALKED and walked to 5 shops and Clive Peters had a massive special!!!!!!

Gee TV has changed !!!!!

Lisa tagged me so here goes

A - Available or single: married

B - Best Friend: All of my friends are the best!!! hate picking favs!!!!

C - Cake or Pie: cake

D - Drink of choice: Coke zero or fresh lemonade with ice

E - Essential Item you use everyday: Deodorant

F- Favourite Colour- chocolate with pink or blue or green!!!!!

G - Gummy Bears or worms: worms

H - Hometown: Sydney

I- Indulgence: scrapping stuff and kids clothes

J - January or February: January

K - Kids & Names: Max

L- Life is incomplete without: my family, fun the phone and friends

M - Marriage Date: 3 october

N-Number of Siblings: zero

O - Oranges or Apples: BOTH

P - Phobias or Fears: scrapping outlawed

Q - Fave Quote: I only scrap on days that end in y!!!! Sorry nothing TOOO meaningful I am tired!!!!! it is late!!!! LOL

R - Reason to Smile: Being alive and healthy with a wonderful son

S - Season: spring

T- Tag three or four people: ok!!!!

U - Unknown Fact about Me: Nothing I blab most of it to anyone who will lsiten

v- Vegetable You Don't Like: most of them cooked - love veggies raw

W - Worst Habit: going to bed late and avoiding the ironing

X - Xrays:4

Y - Your Fave Food: Spring rolls

Z - Zodiac Sign: Libran

Did lots of cleaning today and more tomorow, then I am hoping we will escape to the river for the weekend for some fun on the boat!!!!!! then to the city for new years!!!! YAH i could not go last year as they were worried I would go into labour!!!!!

happy new year

Santa claus is coming to town!!!!

All presents are wrapped, baby asleep and about to go and pack for tomorrow.

We had a great day today. Max had a visit from Pop and Doreen (I am sooo angry I forgot to take a photo). Then we had a visit from Alison and the Forlands!!
Max was in heaven with 3 girls to keep him playing, but I think they had more fun with Max's toys.
Max loved opening his presents and playing - thanks girls

Merry Christmas everyone, I wont think about the year coming to an end as I am too tired to cry!!!

love

Darren, Belinda and Max

Proud mummy moment

I was SOOOO nervous for that perfect photo - I was sweating and stressing and then I got this!!!!! NO TEARS, a big smile and a little giggle. It nearly bought tears to my eyes!!!!!
Such a proud mumma!!!!!
well I am off to wrap, iron clean and find out what I forgot!!!!

I am packing it all away.....

at least until after the Christmas sales and I have all of Max's birthday invites done!!!!

I have to sit down and write a list of things to do as I am chasing my tail!!!

Well my LO made the scrapbooking memories calendar and wouldn't you know it I can't find a newsagent that sells it - all sold out! My LO is my fabric class from Scrapbook Dreams - it looks great - now I must find a copy!

Go over and check out Scrapping the scraps - it was my turn to do a challenge this week and I used my scraps to make monograms.

Ok I am going to PACK away my stuff, iron, mop then off to read my new copy of For Keeps that arrived today.

Oh I forgot the photos are different in the calendar - these were the originals.

And how cute is this kid??? He is such a great eater!!! He polishes off a nectarine in about 4 minutes. Wish me luck with the Santa photo tomorrow.

Here I go again....

getting all emotional!!!! On Moday I was going through Max's things and I got a whiff of baby smell!!! I sat there and i just sniffed and sniffed and then i cried!!! I cried because I am going to miss all the baby stuff SOOOO MUCH (except the vomit smell). I am going to be a wreck at the end of 2006 and on Max's birthday as this year has been the BEST and I really don't want it to come to an end.

Today we had our Mothers group Christmas Party and the kids were all SOOOO CUTE!!!!!

It feels like only yesterday Bel and I did birthing classs together and NOW our boys are 10 and 9 months. And see that little body in the background - that is Mia and she is the youngest and nearly walking!!!











Look at my son waving to the camera!!!! All the girls commented on how Max looks and smiles at the camera!!! Of course he does I have taken over 5000 photos of him.
Also try getting good shots of babies!!!! It just aint going to happen. Oh well who cares if most of my shots are blury it shows they are on the move.

AND look at this!!!! PROGRESS!!!!

I am going to get Darren to take a photo of me in the deep end!!!! It is SOOOOO huge.

Ok tonight I am going to write my Chrissie cards and then I should be able to scrap !!!!!! YAY!!!!! Cant wait to start "my year that was" LO and spill tears all over it!!!!!

19 days to go

Here are my star books.

For some Christmas cheer head over to see Mrs Claus at KSK. She is soooo sweet.

Hopefully I will get sometime to sit and read all her wonderful posts!! But right now it is GO GO GO!!!
Half way through putting the tree up. Tayla, Alanah and Max started on Saturday but we realised my new ornaments needed hooks, so Max and I did a little this morning before his nap!!!

I was meant to be doing Rachel Greigs FANTASTIC photography classes this weekend but they might be cancelled due to small numbers!!! So if you have an SLR and are FREE this Sunday check out her blog for details.

My weekend

PROGRESS!!!!!
As I said last night I have not sat down!!!! Between chasing Christmas presents at markets, attending Christmas parties and catch ups it is FULL ON!!!!!!! I have not even scrapped for a week (BOO HOO!!!)


On Friday night we attended Karen and Mark's street party - lighting of the lights - and had a fantastic time. Max met Santa and screamed although I missed the screaming photo as I was trying to climb up on the ute to save him!!!! He was soo in awe of the lights and fell asleep staring at them.

On Saturday night Elleni, Michel and Lucas came over and I did a photo shoot for them and we had a BBQ!!! The photos turned out great, although it was bad light as it was 5.30 and cloudy. I am hoping to get Elleni into scrapbooking!!!! I have a few more shoots booked from Mother's group so if you are interested just ASK!!!!! isn't he CUTE!!!!

On Sunday we cleaned, we shopped and we caught up with Peta, Julie, Marcus and Todd!!! Another great high school catch up that went way into the night!!!! We said it was going to be a quick one but I had to hear all about Julie's holiday to the US and Peta's pregnancy!!!! (opps - forgot our photo) We cathc up EVERY year and this is the first year I missed it!!! WHAT SORT of scrapper am i????

So it was off to swimming this morning and Ian Thorpe - I mean!!!! Max LOVED IT. The teacher even took him and showed the BOSS to show her how good he is!!!! What a proud mum i am !!!! She said with a pool he will be swimming in no time!! I am not kidding he ducks his head under like a duck and frog kicks like CRAZY!

HUGE catch up!!!

For the past 72 hours I have not SAT DOWN!!!! It has been even after event but I am here to finally catch up (hi Kylie)!!!
It all started ont he 26th!!! Max turned 10 months with the traditional Russell photo.
Then I was off to our 4th annual idol party!!! I was more excited about my friends and our silly games than who was going to win idol. This year our sweep came with DARES!!!! A dare was attached to each week so when your idol was eliminated you earned that dare! With Klancie that got me a movement dare so i had to jeté around the house and then do a funk move too!!! I had it soooo easy. Poor Anabel had her undies on her outside and her CRUEL/FUN LOVING daughters drew on her BUTT!!! this photo looks BAD but it is BECAUSE her undies are on her outside.






Then it was time for more fun at swimming!!! Gee I love Monday's I am going to miss them SOOOO much next year. Speaking of next year!!!! I am getting over my DEPRESSION about it all. I say worry about it when the time comes.











Then on the 28th our pool started and my BLOOD pressure went threw the roof as the cost of dirt over burden DROVE me to insane and then they hit ROCK!!!!!!! I am broke!!!!!!!






NOW blogger has decided to play up and it has hit midnight so I will continue this after a sleep