That's dumb!

Is what my oldest boy told me today when I announced that we had to go to McDonalds for lunch so that I could take photos to go with my Today You journalling for CC06! Yeah ok, maybe it is getting a bit desperate, but with that pic I am that much closer to having my homework all completed. Typed up all the journalling today. Just another 2 days to do for Ali and Nick, then that is all completed. I know I don't have to do all 3 boys, but didn't want to leave anyone out, and that will be my project after the event.

Nick is crook as a dog at the moment and can hardly move with a cold/flu, we just dosed him up with a lemon and honey drink with a nip of whiskey, so he should sleep well tonight. I think he will be home tomorrow. Have to take Alistair to the foot clinic because he has an ingrown toenail that he had just let us know about and it is hugely infected. Gross! Doncha love 13 year old boys!

Skiing

We headed off to the Lake today with friends, as it was such a gorgeous still morning. The lake was like glass and just perfect for a slalom. Here is Ali having his first ski of the season. The water temp was 15 degrees, so not too cold, although he certainly appreciated a hot shower afterwards.

I went and did my 5km walk. I took Sarah's babies with me, man, I am very pleased that I will not be pushing 18mth old twins during our walk next week - what a work out!

I have been tagged by Karen thanks :-)

4 jobs I've had:
Owner and Branch Administrator U-Bix Northland
Mother
Secretary to Mayor
Typist

4 Movies I could watch over and over:
Sorry, I don't watch movies

4 TV shows I love to watch:
ER (when it is on), aside from that I don't watch TV

4 favourite foods:
Pot Roast
Bacon bone soup
Ham off the bone and avocado sandwiches
Protein shakes from the gym

4 tunes that play in my head:
At the moment, Ben Lee - Catch My Disease
Corrine Bailey Rae - Put Your Records On
James Blunt - Beautiful
and anything catchy on the radio that I start singing along to.

4 Websites I visit daily:
Kiwiscraps
Lots of blogs
V8 Supercars
American scrapbook sites

4 best scrapbooking lines:
Chatterbox
Scenic Route
Crate Paper
Maya Road

People I'm tagging:
Ruth - cos I see she hasn't done it yet :-)

I got my number.

 
Oh yeah, number 639 is me. What a cool number, if you put it upside down it still reads 639! Very pleased the 3 is in the number though. Registered Julie today too and she is going to walk with me, not sure what will get the most exercise the legs, or our tongues!

I was very cheeky at the gym this morning and made an appointment for Andy to go and check the place out, half expecting to ring and cancel the appointment a bit later. I was pleasantly surprised when he went along and had a bit of a trial. He really enjoyed it and ended up joining. He is back again on Monday to get a programme sorted out for him. Woohoo, I am so proud of him taking that step. 

Goofy pics

Why is it that you can never get a decent family pic where everyone is looking at the camera, not squinting or blinking and not pulling a stupid face? Man, trying to get a decent pic is a nightmare. All I need is 1, and I wouldn't have thought that was too much to ask. I think I am going to have to resort to cutting a head off one pic and pasting it into another to get everyone looking OK.

I have been trying really hard to get all my homework done for CC06, but ideas for layouts keep popping into my head. That doesn't happen very often so when it does I just have to stop and act. This layout is for another of Donna Downey's classes and the idea for the subject matter is what came to me today. More goofy pics of all of us, and I had quite a few to pick from especially for the boys. Oh well I guess that is where they are at right now.

Walk

Had a reassessment at the gym this morning which went reasonably well, my lean body mass is going up which has to be good. Interesting thing was that the fat measurement on my hip has almost doubled - made her recheck it 3times cos I didn't think my jeans were that tight. Seems my measurement in early July last year was the exact same thing so that is obviously where I store excess fat over the winter months! Bring on some warm weather now please. I am ready.

My weight had also gone up which wasn't such a good thing. Went over what I am eating and we really couldn't pinpoint anything. Working out on the cross trainer a bit later I suddenly thought I know what it is - my glass or two of bubbles every night. So, figured tonight I might try and do without the bubbles for a bit and see what that does for my weight.

Picked up a leaflet for the 10km Round the Mountain fun run/walk coming up on 6 August. I have often looked at those and thought about doing one, this time I thought very quickly and went online and registered. I will be walking and very definitely not running.

Happy Mail.

Woohoo, I got happy mail from Big Picture Scrapbooking. I enrolled in Donna Downey's classes for the third quarter and won a pack of her favourite products - check it out! 25 sheets of chatterbox - love that stuff and check out that fiskars drill, geeze, I can't put that thing down. Andy keeps laughing at me playing with my drill.

The finished product.

Cool, finished my jeans! Bummer, I had so much fun doing these, I think I got a bit carried away, oh well, I love my flowers! Sorry for the crappy pics, it is so dark and miserable here today and i had to use the flash.

Decorating.

Sorry, far too busy decorating my jeans to be spending time blogging. Most of the painting is done, just the blingy bits to add now.

Jeans

Back to the gym this morning after a couple of weeks off with the school holidays. I never realise just how much I miss that place when I am not there. Walking inside when I got home my body felt very pleasantly worn out, but my mind was racing here there and everywhere. Love that feeling! Can't wait to get there again tomorrow morning.

Decided I needed to go and buy a cheap pair of jeans that I can paint and decorate for CC, so took DH out with me this morning, cos it was too cold to sit round at home. Scored the jeans and then figured I would try for the paint and stencils that I want. Bear in mind that I had no idea what the stencils would look like but I would know when I saw them. Went to several crafty type stores and eventually ended up at Spotlight where I was able to get the final bits that I needed. It ain't the same going in there with a bloke that isn't interested, and he didn't really buy the line I fed him about it being a girls tool shop. I have to go back again tomorrow so I can finish browsing.

Tests

Went and had the mammogram today which wasn't anywhere near as bad as I was expecting. A bit uncomfortable, but OK. Also did an ultrasound and according to the radiographer he couldn't see anything untoward. A report will be sent to my doctor tomorrow after a second opinion, but all is looking good. Still don't know what the lump is, but I guess the doc will work on that one now. A huge relief and now I feel like a dork being so worried and worrying everyone else. Thanks for all the support.

Virgin on the Ridiculous

My page for the "virgin on the ridiculous" challenge as given by the No 8 wired site. This will also form the front page of my album for our trip that I still haven't scrapped. Thanks for the inspiration girls, now that I have started on the travel pics I can't wait to get a whole heap more done.

Routines

More sightseeing yesterday up to Paihia and the surrounding areas with Steve and Marshall. Unfortunately the weather wasn't the best, but that didn't stop the enjoyment. We headed home early and the day cleared up so the boys could go and make the most of the trolleys again. Sitting in them is getting too boring so they decide to lie on their tummys and go down head first. I refuse to watch this.

A new blog to check out - No 8 Wired a Kiwi dare and challenge site set up by a hugely talented bunch of kiwi scrappers. The first challenge is to create a layout "virgin on the ridiculous". Hmm, lots of thought required here, but the thinking cap has been going hard out and inspiration hit. I will share a pic of the layout I created tonight when I get a pic taken - probably tomorrow.

Yay, the boys are back to school tomorrow, can't wait to get some peace and quiet again, but not really looking forward to the school lunches, and morning routines etc.

Beaches

What an awesome day. I took the boys and Stevie out to Matapouri Bay while Andy stayed home and put some finishing touches to a franchise application. It was an overcast day and the wind had a definite chill factor but that didn't stop the boys getting the soccer ball out on the beach. I managed to get a heap of pics - think I am getting better at action shots.

We stopped off for lunch at Tutukaka and while we finished up a bottle of wine sent the boys out to look at the boats. Of course they couldn't just walk on the footpath, but had to walk on the rocks that form the harbour. Tommy lost his footing and needed to bathe his knee. We headed to Wellingtons Bay and sent him out for a paddle.
Home again and I finally get round to taking a pic of my swap pins for CC06.

I am being kind to you and only sharing 3 of the 200 pics I took today :-)

Rang the doctor tonight to find out what was happening with appointments and I am on the waiting list, said I didn't mind going private and I go on Monday morning. Can't understand why they didn't give me that option first. Things are moving forwards and in the meantime my bloke is being extra cuddly which is always nice! 

Trolleys

Well the trolleys are finished and a huge hit. The boys have been up and down the driveway hill so many times and are now working out how to flip them out onto the grass. If they last long enough I might even get brave enough to have a go myself.

Lots of questions on my last post about the Big Picture Scrapbooking and the class I am doing with Donna Downey. So far I have completed one class which I did enjoy, working on the second at the moment but with school holidays and being away getting a bit behind with that one. A neat concept though and definitely worthwhile.

Worked hardout the last couple of days and have completed my swap pins for CC06 - I sure hope that 31 will be enough, it sure looks like a stack of them.

Lots of mood swings at the moment when I am way up and all excited and then really sad. I found a lump in my breast on Monday and finally got into the doc yesterday. She is sending me off for a mammogram when I can get an appointment. In the meantime I had the blood tests this morning and now I get to sit and wait and wonder!

Ali arrived back home today with Uncle Steve and Marshall who are up from Tauranga and staying until Sunday. Great to have my big boy back home again and wonderful to see Stevie who we haven't seen since before we went away a year ago. Might not get to post very much over the next few days while we have some time together.

Into it again.

As fun as it is being away, I love being back home! We had a wonderful break and really enjoyed our hotel room overlooking the harbour and the ports of auckland. There is always so much to see going on there. We checked out the new shopping mall at Sylvia Park (boring, wait a bit longer), had dinner with friends, and then they came and had dinner with us. We walked up and down Queen Street and saw lots of weird sights. We checked out the IMAX theatre and watched Superman Returns (glad I have seen it, but won't rush back to IMAX again). Looked at my CC06 homework and put it back in my bag (oops). Sat in the car outside several boat shops reading my book while DH and boys went shopping. Went and visited Mum at Papakura and dropped off Ali for a few nights. Stopped off at a wheel shop on the way home to get some heavy duty wheels for the trolley the boys are making. Had a very pleasant drive home with only 2 boys in the back seat so they can't touch each other and fight.


Get home and check my emails and the most exciting thing of all. I signed up for Donna Downey's Big Picture scrapping classes and there was an email from her announcing winners of a bunch of her favourite products and my name was on that list - woohoo! There is a huge great list of stuff that is supposedly on its way to me now. I am kind of excited and kind of disbelieving. I sure do hope it is real though - can't wait to see. Anyway here is the layout we did in the first class.

Outta Here.

School holidays are half done and we are gonna take a break in Auckland for a few days. Have printed out all my homework for CC06 (only 5weeks away now) and will try and get all the photos and journalling etc that I need while we are away. Not taking the computer so no updates until possibly Monday night.

Day 21 Art Journal Challenge. Woohoo, completed! Now I just have to cover the chipboard and make the mini album. Just as well I made that mini album with Faye at scrapcamp and know what to do.

Mum & Me

My layout for the Me blog, showing a pic of who your mother is. When I went through my baby book there were only 2 pics of Mum and me so I had to use them both. Decided to chuck in a comparison with now too - scary stuff.

Heads up for fellow NZ scrappers, when I was in Warehouse Stationery to print out my pics I took a quick peek at the patterned papers and waddaya know - they now stock Wild Asparagus. It seems like it might be only the Series 1 papers, well they are the ones I picked up anyway, but hey!

Day 20 Art Journal Challenge

Day 19 Art Journal Challenge

Day 18 21 Day Art Journal Challenge

Ski Club Prizegiving

Nick wins the Junior Skimboard trophy for the second year running!















Ali takes out the Handicap Slalom Trophy ahead of Glen and Karen. A great trophy to win as this means you have improved against your previous scores more than anyone else.















Tommy wins the Handicap Wakecrossing Trophy - a huge surprise considering he refused to get out of bed for the last competition! The most excited winner of the day.
















Andy is awarded the wooden spoon for efforts towards and helping the club for all the work that he has done with newsletters and latterly the liaising with the Council to try and sort out a lease for the Club and the sponsorship gathering that he has been doing for the Nationals in February next year.







Wow, what a scoop for us, all the boys with trophies! I didn't come away empty handed either - the Treasurer's role for another year and inherited the Treasury role for the Northland Region as well!

Saturday

Cruisy lazy day. Attended online crop last night with lots of challenges and lots of chat. Too busy talking and keeping up to do any scrapping and then today I got all inspired to sort through a few things rather than scrapping too. Oh well, I will keep the challenges and will do them because they did appeal.

Andy and Nick went to rugby this afternoon to watch Glen (a fellow ski club member) play rugby. Unfortunately a couple of key players had been pulled to play for Northland in the next game and they ended up losing. I took the other boys to the supermarket (oh boy they were soooo happy about that) to get the dinner underway. While we were there we came across a sample stand of chocolate from Cadbuy. We succumbed to the Banoffee chocolate, mmmm too good and I am sitting here eating it right now, along with my bubbles :-)

Rhonna has posted the last of the quotes for the 21 day challenge but I don't like any of them so figured I would finish it all off with some of the other quotes I found - they suit me much better! Didn't get to do my challenge page today anyway and I doubt it will happen tomorrow either we will see though.

Tomorrow sees us at the Lake by 9am for the Regional AGM and then the ski club AGM followed by a shared lunch and then prizegiving. It is usually a hugely fun time and a great chance to catch up with everyone that we haven't seen for a couple of months. I have my treasurers report for the ski club all organised, but I am a bit worried about the regional treasury report which I inherited on Wednesday night.

A bit of fun for a Saturday night, found this game on one of the blogs that I read. Too funny, a word of warning - don't have a drink when a nose dive happens.