Okay...it's been over a month

... since my last post. July has been a hard month for our family and I guess blogging has been in the too hard basket.

DH and I had a wonderful 3 days in Auckland at the end of June for our 25th wedding anniversary. Priscilla was great and I had a wonderful day exploring the scrapshops of Auckland.

The following week we got a call from Steve's brother to say their mother, who lives in Christchurch and we knew she wasn't well, had been given 24-48 hours left by the Dr's. We managed to sort everything out and get all of us (including Izzy, Abby and Taylor) to Christchurch within the next 36 hours. We got some precious time with her at the hospital and I'm pretty sure she knew Taylor was there and who she was. Sadly she passed away on the Sunday (5 days later) It was special to have all the family there (from NZ and Australia) and it was the first time all the cousins had been together ever (except our precious Olly, of course) Also special was it was Abby's first time ever in the South Island and it snowed. Her funeral was what she had wanted, and Steve's oldest brother gave a lovely eulogy about her life. It was hard for all of us of course.....and I found it especially hard to see my wonderful boy's be pallbearers again!!! (they were pallbearers at Oliver's funeral too) I guess it's often the little and unexpected things that upset me :-(

Getting back into things after that took a while and I guess we have just been looking after ourselves. Work is pretty challenging at the moment for various reasons and all I would like to say is "watch this space".

Scrapwise I have been plodding on. I have stopped our Thurs night scrapping at the moment as I have committed my Thursday nights to babysitting Taylor while Izzy and Abby do a great parenting course called Incredible Years. I used to be involved with facilitating it when I was a family counsellor and I think it's the greatest course. Instead scrapping is going to happen on alternate Friday nights at my house for the rest of this year.
I did get over to Hamilton yesterday for Crop Waikato though and I got 4 pages done which I am pretty happy about. I'll try and get some photos uploaded this week. It was great to scrap with a load of people who I have met thru scrap events, blogging and forums etc. A big thanks to Neen and Vicky for organising it.

Oh and last week, my oldest baby turned 20 years old. What a milestone. My boys are now 20, 18 and nearly 16. How did that happen?? When they were younger I used to wonder what life would be like when they were all teenagers. Now, although I love them to bits and am enjoying them all at the ages that they are, I would give anything for them to all be loud, little boys again (especially to have 4 of them!!). I'm sure it was only last week ... how time moves so quickly.

So that's me for now. I'm in bed today with a cold and trying to get better as I have stuff on this week I need to be well for.

I'm going to try and blog more...Promise.....

Caio

Goodies and going away...

OMG......I had a Stampin Up demo at my house yesterday. 16 (yes 16) lovely ladies came and made a lovely card (I didn't coz we ran out of room at the tables and I was too busy helping the demonstrator lol) Some of them bought stuff (so did I) and now I get to choose loads of free goodies because there is an extra hostess promotion on at the moment. Awesome products and I love most of the catalogue. Think of me as I struggle to choose (insert evil grin here hehe.)

This week I only have 2 days of work as I am taking Tues, Wed and Thurs off. DH and I are off to Auckland for a few days to celebrate our 25th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. Well done us!!!! We are going to the stage show of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert one night and dinner up the Sky Tower for the other. He has a work meeting all day Wed so I am heading out to NZ Scrapbook for some scrapping retail therapy. Can't wait.....

caio

Sandra

Been sick....

Ok...so another post. Not bad.....2 weeks lol. I've been sick (NOT the flu) and I'm feeling much better but still in a bit of pain. Anti bugs are kicking in (on 2 sorts) and I even ventured out of the house today, taking my Mum to the supermarket and then a wee trip to HN's so DH could get some photos printed. I will go back to work tomorrow so I better feel better.

I've been doing some scrapping....but haven't taken any pics sorry. Maybe another day. I seem to be liking the way my supplies are set up at the moment so that is a good thing right!! The creative juices are starting to flow.

Speaking of creative juices, I'm really impressed with DH's photography at the moment. He has come a long way and is currently putting together an assignment for a course he is doing.
I'll leave you with a few of my favs.



And (of course) a couple of the very lovely Taylor....


Better go and finish a report I am writing and then I guess it's Monday tomorrow

Ciao

Helllooo....

.....out there. It's been ages since I last posted. Just haven't felt like it really and life is pretty full on. Work has it's ups and downs (what work doesn't I guess) and with the other private work I do I feel like I lurch from weekend to weekend really.

My scrapping mojo has been seriously absent lately....to the point where I have got grumpy and not liked anything I have been doing :-( I've still managed to purchase some goodies tho. One (very) rash spend has seen me get a Fiskars Threading Water punch. For those who don't know, it is a cute long scallop edge punch with holes in. I won it on Trade Me (apologies to anyone who I might have bidded against in the process) All's fair in love and scrapbook shopping right!!?? The boys have banded together and ordered me a cropodile bigbite (OK...well I had to order it) for Mother's Day, so once that arrives I'll have no excuse right. I'll have to get into it right???? Who am I trying to kid.

I went to my first Stampin Up party the other night (another rowing Mum) and I've said I'll have one myself. I bought some of their papers (great price) and the stamp cleaner thingy and a set of stamps for general cardmaking. I've got my eye on the scallop circle punch and maybe a few other things too.

My mojo got a bit of a fire up this weekend. I went to the Itchy Nail (scrapshop in Whakatane that I hang out at sometimes) scrapcamp for the weekend. 2 and a bit days of uninteruppted scrapping with some fun people in the most beautiful place on earth....right on Ohope Beach. No kidding...it was a 20 metre walk to the beach and we could look at White Island out of the windows while we scrapped.......bliss. Throw in a mobile massaage on the Saturday and wine with our yummy food and I had a blast. We did a cool thing on Sunday morning where we all contributed to each others pages (5mins then pass it on) Thanks to anyone involved who might read this. It will always be a special page :-) Watch out over at the Itchy Nail blog for pics.

Ok...that's me for now.

Caio

Yay...a quiet..restful...

....weekend. I've done some housework (yuk but very necessary) and this afternoon I have been making some cards for some people at work (like commissions really lol) Here they are. The cute handbags are envelopes and they have the matching little cards inside.








And here are some layouts I've done recently....


Otherwise a quiet one here really. Went to The Itchy Nail last weekend to crop and shop with some of my Thusday night scrapbuddies. That was fun...thanks Delys. I'm off to the Itchy Nail scrapcamp at Ohope Beach (one of my most favourite places) at the end of May. I can't wait. I bought my SENZ tickets this week too. DH and I are hoping to go down for a week or so and have a bit of a holiday together. We might even stay on a vineyard in Martinborough and do some wine tasting...yummo. Something later in the year to look forward to.

Caio

OK..so I haven't posted for a while...

.....does anyone still visit???

It's Easter, the rowing season is almost over, I've finished my module at WINTEC and I feel like I might have some life back. I've found my desk in my scraproom and started some cards and layouts...all is well lol.
Guess who came to stay with me Saturday night....



....wearing sparkly jeans no less. How cute is that?? For those who don't know, this is my DGD (Darling Granddaughter) She's not even 6 months old yet and she is trying to crawl.

DH and I had a very pleasant afternoon yesterday sipping pinot gris downtown Tauranga at the Jazz festival. What a huge event...the council now closes off about 4 roads...and it is such a cruisy atmosphere. Great music too.

Off to scrap some more. I need to make a dent in all this product so I can have an excuse to buy some more. I'm loving the new MM 5th Ave (Sophie) and the Animal Crackers.....such yummy stuff.

Caio

This is for Delys....

....yum, yum, yum...



...and it's soooo pink :-)

caio

Hi there...

So what's been happening 'chez nous' over the past couple of weeks. I have lost track of time a bit.
E is back at school... year 11 this year so the big NCEA. He's not a fan of school so I am predicting a bit of a challenging year.
T is now working (not quite fulltime) at Pizza Hutt.... saving $$$ to go away in May or June. He turned down the last camp America camp he was offered and has just been offered another which he is considering.
E and T are both very busy with rowing. T is a coach and I am very proud of the commitment he is showing to his crews and the sport. It can't be easy to get out of bed at 5.15 lots of mornings when you don't have to and listen to 14-16 yr old boys whinge at you coz they have to train hard lol.
T turned 18 a couple of weeks ago. We all managed to coordinate to go out to dinner together about 5 days after which was nice.
DH is frantic with his new job...trying to get the place profitable again. His Wedding photography course has started for the year and he is also doing Artistic as well. He starts tutoring level 1 next term so he is right into it. Now he 'needs' another camera....apparently you need 2 cameras to do weddings lol.

I too am busy. I have picked up a post grad paper at WINTEC (Hamilton) this term so I have my head in the books... well, not as often as I need to. Work and my private practice work keep me pretty busy. I'm still committed to our Thursday night scrapgroup and with a bit of effort I manage to average about a page a week on a thursday night. Things will ease off when the rowing season finishes and my paper is over. In the meantime I just have to keep those balls in the air.
I saw my lovely grandaughter on Friday night....I hadn't seen her for TWO WHOLE WEEKS. She is sooooo lovely and I and A are doing really well in their own place.

Anyway...must fly. Essay's to write, articles to read, stuff to sort. I hope whatever you juggle is going ok for you.

Caio
Sandra

Some layouts to share....

I have been doing some scrapping in the last few weeks. Here is a selection of layouts.




caio

Friday night before a rowing regatta...

....means
- a trip to the supermarket to buy supplies
- cooking bacon for bacon and egg baps
- assembling a lunch for everyone including healthy buns for me and DH, B&E baps for DS x2, creamed rice for the rower, meusli bars ++ for snacks, juice, fruit, water bottles, flasks for making coffee at some ungodly hour of the morning when we leave, and maybe I might bake something yummy (or maybe not)
- find the binoculars, fold out chairs, something to read, camera, cap, sunblock, insect repellant, rain jacket, blanket etc, etc
Quickly do some housework coz I'm stuck at Karapiro all weekend.

Dilemma is ... do I spend the petrol and risk missing DS's race and sneak off to Hamilton to visit Create or Scrapbook Inn or Spotlight (and risk spending $$ I don't need to spend but gosh it's fun!!!!) while I am there or do I be the loyal parent and sit on those (very uncomfortable) fold out chairs all day to watch 2 races....I mean ALL DAY here...we will leave at 6am and get back at about 6pm when...on Sat night...I repeat it all again for Sun lol.

Did I mention that I do really love that our kids row. It is a wonderful sport.

:-} I am so glad Monday is Auck anniversary weekend and a public holiday in out neck of the woods.

Caio

Ps: I and A and my lovely mokopuna moved out today.

I'm thrilled they have their own place now but sad as well. I will miss them.

Just a quickie...

...because I've been up since 5 and have to get up at 5 again tomorrow. We had to be at Blue Lakes (Rotorua) at 6.30 this morning....only the wind was so strong they ended up postponing the regatta 2x then at 11 am decided to call it off until tomorrow. We'll try again tomorrow.

DH and I took the opportunity to pop into Rotorua for brekky at the Fat Dog...love that place. Popped into Spotlight too as we don't have one in Tauranga. They have my most favourite American Crafts Thickers (foam letters) for only $5 a packet. I loved them so much last year I ordered them from the states! Might have to pop back tomorrow and get some more. I am waiting on the new Basic Grey Two Scoops (I've ordered some) and some cool clear alpha stamps too.
I was thrilled to get an email from UP2SCRAP to say I had won these cool Queen & Co buttons on their blog.

Thanks Up2Scrap and Queen & Co.

Did 2 whole layouts on Thurs night while the girls were here...was really motivated. Will take pics sometime.
I am off to Auckland....the big little city???....what's with that??? DS has an interview right in the middle of town at 11.30 on Monday so I've taken the day off work to take him. Then he wants to go to the zoo. How cool is that...he's 17. Should be fun.

Anyway...must hit the hay.
Caio

Bliss...

...is a clean self. A long hot shower late this afternoon. Now all DH has to do is sort out the minor leaks with a bit of silicone. Although we have put a new shower in the UPSTAIRS bathroom...we are actually renovating the DOWNSTAIRS bathroom. But because the upstairs shower needed replacing eventually we put a new one in before we put the ceiling in the downstairs..if that makes any sense...because the bathrooms are on top of each other. Next step is gibbing and stopping the downstairs bathroom, laundry and hallway (well half the hallway) Oh, and putting the bath in downstairs. These are all exciting changes seeing as we demolished walls about 5 or 6 years ago and have lived with framing and no function ever since.

Big news is Abby and Izzy move next weekend or the weekend after and we have big 2 day rowing regattas both days. Challenge will be to get them to take all their stuff and not leave their rubbish...but not take any of our stuff. I guess in the big picture I'm not really fussed. Although I will miss them dearly, I know they need their own space and I will feel a little more in control of the house.

Exciting news for DS (17) A Jewish camp 2 hours out of New York is intersted in him and we are heading to Auckland next week for an interview. The place sounds amazing and once he has a definite locality I think it will become all the more real for him. What an exciting adventure he will have.

We have installed the awesome statue (? the right description of it) in the garden. I'm not sure it's in the right place yet but we can move it.


Caio for now

Edited to add...sorry about the blurry photo...nightime photography after a couple of beers...lol!!

Aaarrrgghhh.....

...we still have no shower. Now it looks like this....

Luckily DH has been away for work for a week in a motel in Auck and DS's have beeen at training camp for rowing. I and A have been going to A's mums for a shower and I have alternated with having one at work and one at my Mum's. But I want my bathroom back. DH gets back this afternoon so hopefully will sort it all out. Not a good start to getting sorted this year but never mind.

I've done a bit of scrapping in the last while....mainly of the lovely Taylor. It is such a novelty for me to scrap baby girl pages and buying lots of girly scrapping stuff. I have just ordered some Basic Grey Two Scoops which is divine!!!
I will post more LO's over the next few days but here are 2 I have done in the last 2 days.


I did a bit of tidying up in the garden last week and we have bought a scupture for our garden in honour of Olly. We were given $$ to put towards it 3 years ago and have just managed to bring ourselves to buy something. Will post a pic once it is in my garden. I have found this Christmas/New Year has been hard with the number of drownings...it all just reminds us of what we have been through, how much we miss him etc. If anyone thinks I am a together sort of person, be assured that not far below the surface is a blubbering grieving mess. It only takes one tragedy in another part of the country to 'bring it all back'.

Trust me...I don't believe there is ever such a thing as "over it"!!!

Enough said. Sad to hear about Sir Edmund Hillary's death yesterday. He was a great man and my thoughts are with his family who are grieving the passing of a beloved husband, father and grandfather.

:-{

Ssshhh.....

.....can I whisper a little secret in your ear?? Very quietly now...

.......it's nearly 4pm Sunday and the plumber is here. I can hear banging and drilling and other such sounds. Don't want to say too much too loud in case I spoil it and discover it's not real.....

;-)

Ok..Progress so far....

...or should I say "lack of progress so far". Got the pantry tidy and the study sort of under control. Why is it that piles of paper will always look messy???

Now the plumber saga!! DH organised with DS for his mate (who is a plumber) to come on Thurs to replumb the shower upstairs (currently the only operating bathroom we have).... DH gets up on Thurs and rips out the old shower....

...now it's Saturday and the shower STILL looks like that. The new base is in but we can't do any more until the plumber replumbs it so we can put the new fitting in and the new walls up. And he still hasn't come. We are all off to my mums for a shower this afternoon!! Apparantly said plumber is waiting for someone to get back from holiday coz his tools are in his car. Bad move on our part getting DS's mate to do it. Maybe we've learnt for next time...I hope.

As per the SBO forum I have chosen a word for this year for me. This year my word is

SORTED

Next few posts I will record what I learnt/achieved with last years word which was SPACE.

Lastly a beautiful photo of my darling grandaughter to cheer me up coz I have no shower lol.


Ciao

Happy New Year....

...and welcome to 2008. I have been up for an hour and have started the year with some time on the erg (rowing machine), the ab machine and the home gym. I didn't do a lot but it's a start. I have started walking more about a month ago and now I need to tone as well....watch this space!!

DH and I are in "get sorted and under control around the house mode" We have made a decision to look at putting our house on the market towards the end of this year. Most of you will not realise what a huge mission that will be. I kid you not...it is a very ambitious project.
A brief history of our home. We bought it in 1986. It had 8 bedrooms, 2 lounges/bathrooms/loos and an office and a games room. For the first 10 - 12 years we had many other young people live with us, including a stint fostering teens for the then DSW (now CYF's) About 6 or 7 years ago we decided to make it a little more like a family home and less like an institution lol.
So we started some alterations...knocking out walls etc. We had both architect and interior designer input (low key) BUT WE ONLY EVER STARTED!!! What with job disasters and losing Olly, motivation and funds became very low. In the last few months we have got back into it again and have begun to get somewhere. The idea is it will be a 6 bedroom family home with master ensuite etc. But we haven't done much (any lol) maintenence on it in the 20 years or so really.
It's a BIG JOB!! But we are determined (and on a shoestring budget)

I am going to use this blog to document our progress. I need to scrap it too as I have some photos.

Watch this space.

Today is simply - sort out the study and the pantry day. Baby steps really...but do you realise how much junk you can accumulate when you have lots of rooms and you live there for 21 years.

Will keep you all posted.

Caio for now

Seasons Greetings...

OK...I've been a slack blogger. My excuse... I just haven't felt like it and I do find this time of year I just need to focus on getting through it all.A quick update on life around here..
- Toby has now officially finished school with a second in Business studies and a 'Blue' for rowing. Very proud of him :-)
- Elliot has just bought his first car (aaarrgh!) and they are currently picking it up from Hamilton with a car trailer. It's going to
be a 'project car' I think.
- Taylor is now 3 months old and probably going to be spoilt rotten for Christmas. Izzy and Abby are doing a wonderful job as
parents.
- DH has resigned and starts a new job on Jan 8th. Hospitality is all about change and challenges I've decided!!
- I had a birthday and DH bought me a Zutter "Bind-it-all" I will have time after Christmas to play with it and I can't wait.

So, what's happening for Christmas round here???

We are going to have a quiet day really. My mum will stay tonight and have the day with us. My brother/sister in law and my nephew and niece are in Auckland and spending Christmas with my sister in law's family up there. DH's family are in Christchurch and Hobart so we are all a scattered bunch. Abby, Izzy and Taylor will only be with us for an hour or so as they have lots of family on Abby's side to visit.
Menu: We have a very non traditional Christmas meal
We will start with homemade breads and dips/dukka/pesto/aoli etc. Then for main we have freshly hot smoked salmon, bbq scallops/prawns, mussels and this year we have a crayfish as well. All with a simple salad and new potatoes. Then for pudding (or dinner really) we have brandy snaps and boysenberry trifle, fruit platters with marshmallows and chocolate fish and ambrosia. Finally we have mince pies, lolly cake and truffles. It's sort of a mix of everyones favorite food and a hang up from our days when we owned a catering business and got absolutely sick of ham, turkey, pavlova, gateau etc.

DH and DS are both working boxing day. I have between xmas and New year off and go back to work on the 3rd Jan. We plan on doing some house sorting and maybe a few picnics and I will get some scrapping done too. I only just found the top of my scrap table last night.

Thanks to all of you who visit my blog and wishing you a Happy Christmastime and may 2008 bring good things for you. Please cherish the time you have with those around you.

Many hugs and good wishes to you all.

Life of a rowing Mum...

Here I am at 10 to 6 on a Monday morning...taken the boys to training and blogging....how sad is that. Usually I'm a slacker and don't do the weekday runs, but today is DH''s day off so it's a bit mean to expect someone to get up a 5.25 on their day off eh!!

We had a regatta at Blue Lake on Sat and DH and I walked around the lake at 9am in the morning. It was lovely.

I've been walking to work 3 or 4 times a week lately (it's about 3.5kms) and DH has been doing lots of fitness stuff on the rowing machine etc. I'm so proud of him. This year he has worked very hard and lost 20kgs. It's doubly hard for him coz he works with food. I'm trying to keep up with him but I don't think I could manage 20 kgs.

We spent 45 mins with the vet last Monday and he showed us all the xrays and explained everything. I used to be a physio so it all made sense to me. Poor Mocha. No wonder he is not a bouncy puppy. He basically has stuffed hips, knees and elbows. His shoulders are ok tho! We tried him on a week of anti inflammatories and he was a lot better and now we are doing no meds...just to see the difference.

It's very sad and he will need to be put down at some stage...when will be up to us I guess. Depends on how much pain we can bear seeing him in and if his hips start to dislocate. Once DS and his lovely little family move out we will send Mocha to stay with them every now and then to get Java used to him not being around so much. It's very sad :-{


It's Toby's last day of school EVER today. Quite a milestone!! He has made this awesome canvas for his English teacher. She will probably cry I think.

Anyway, best get ready for work. I have something big on at work at the moment that is not going well (it's beyond my influence now) so it is pretty stressfull.

Have a good week
Caio

Oh Dear...

...news from the 2nd vet consultation is not good. The lovely Mocha has not torn his cruciate ligament (a rare injury for an 11 month old apparantly).....he has pretty major hip, knee, elbow and shoulder problems. $500 worth of x-rays later (DH asked the vet if that price included framing lol) We now have an appt with the orthopaedic vet tomorrow morning :-{ We are guessing we are looking at long term treatment...maybe try homeopathics first and drugs later. Depends on the cost really. Yay...more decisions.

Toby has 5 days of schooling left...that's scary. He won't get enough credits to get into Uni because he has only done well in subjects that are not 'approved' but he doesn't seem worried. He is nearly all the way through a Camp America application so now he needs a job to earn the dosh to go. He is loving coaching the novi boys in rowing so I am thrilled at that. I always thought he would make a good coach.

I've just done the 2nd to last journal in our scrapgroups circle journal round. Can't wait to get mine back. They have certainly stretched me in terms of page size, most have been quite small!!

I wasn't going to post another photo of Taylor...didn't want to seem obsessed but....well...couldn't resist this one.
Abby took it on her phone. Who would have thought, when I had my babies, that I would be taking pictures of my grandchildren on a phone...amazing huh!!!

Caio

The lovely Mocha...

...has ruptured his right cruciate ligament (in his knee) and needs surgery :-(

The good news is...it doesn't seem to be hurting him.

The bad news is....ACC/Medical Insurance won't cover it lol.

We have to make a decision about what type of surgery to go for by Monday afternoon. The options are expensive or very expensive. DH is very cynical about why the vet might be recommending the very expensive one.

Watch this space...meanwhile he is on 'kennelrest' (aka bedrest) That's hard when you are an 11 month old puppy but he is coping remarkably well.

Here is a photo of Taylor learning about blogging.


Caio