A BORN LEADER

Just had to share this photo of my 6 year old. All these kids you see, from around the neighbourhood, are older than him, 2 7 year olds, and 2 10 year olds, and he is completely under control. He is organising mini putt in our backyard, hopefully it will be a trait that will see him through.

ON A HUNT

What albums do you use? I've used these, and to be honest, have no idea of the brand. I used to get them from KMart, but they don't have them anymore, inapparently they went on clearance. Does anyone know where to get them, or something similar?

ANOTHER ONE

I'm on a roll.

CHALLENGES

Been doing a little bit of challenges lately, more to just give me a kick in the right direction. NZ Dares latest one was Black & White with a colour pop. I had lots of ideas for this, and will probably do another couple as I like the way these look, but this is the one I've finished.

MY AREA

Janine challenged us to show pics of our scrap area.

I'm very lucky as I have a 'nook', off the side of the lounge. It's out of the way enough that most people don't know it's there, but it's close enough for me to supervise the children, hear the phone, and..... watch TV.
Lets me just say, I'm forever moving things around, changing storage, etc, so in a month it might be all different.

On the left is the official scrap area. I have large shelves which we made (it's just out of sight in these photos), but they tend to get junk put on them, but there is also photo paper, magazines, stationary tools that the kids are allowed to touch (stapler, etc)
I have a sewing cabinet that I had planned to actually work on, (but more often use the computer table) which has storage. I use the pizza boxes and concertina files down the bottom for papers, and current albums. In the drawers are my tools, and chipboard letters, (which when I pulled the drawer out for the photo I found some stuff I didn't even know I had)

My sewing machine stays out (notice the clothes that need mending, they have been there for 6 months despite me having used the machine several time for scrapbooking)

In the door is my paints.
On the little shelves up the top is rubons, HS chipboard letters, foam stamps, and tools.

On the right, is the computer desk. It has the compulsory pile of junk on it, everything gets put to the side, and every couple of weeks I have a tidy up.
Now believe it or not, amongst all that we run our own little business from home. At the moment it is low key, but last week we got some news that may change that. Jon is probably going to get made redundant, so we may take the business up a notch and it will be our sole income. Therefore, you will see the shelf above the computer is being cleared because we are going to have to have a more area for all the business stuff (which is currently in the filing cabinet behind the paint door)

Points to note:

- the Pringle containers have been saved over several/many months, they are for a friend, and for some reason behind the screen is a nice spot to keep them until I see her

- the layout on the wall, (there were a couple, but one fell done,) is there, because it needs something more, but I just don't know what

- the little bags pinned on the corkboard, that is my way of reminding me of the product I have, if I don't it gets put away and I never know what I have

BETTER

This morning was the first morning when I was able to just get up and get moving. The actual cuts are still a little tender, but the stomach itself feels a lot better.

Jon is away this week, yes, I know, but at least it wasn't last week like originally planned. The boys have been so good for me, and who said bribery doesn't work??? LOL

But....... I can't have been too bad. We did go to Rotorua on the weekend. Jon's work was supposed to have a conference which was cancelled, but the accomodation couldn't be cancelled, so they offered it to staff. When they first offered it, I said no, under the circumstances, and we also didn't have a babysitter, but when they rung us back and said there were so many rooms free that the boys could have their own room, we thought we might aswell go, and just take it slowly. We had dinner, and the boys had a swim, and a wander around the shops. On our way home I went to Spotlight, which has so much more stuff than the Hamilton store. I got some American Craft letter stickers, but I was so distracted by them I forgot to look at the papers, oh, well, have to go back!

This is another page I have done with the product from Lisa at SBD. I have to admit it is a sketch from Basic Grey because I have been a bit quiet since the op, and needed something to get me moving.

I'M BACK

A little worse for wear, but I'm here in 1 piece. Thank you all for your well wishes and messages, much appreciated to know you were thinking of me.

After the huge muck up with the times, we decided it was better to arrive earlier, than later, so checked in at 12. After discussion with the nurse, she informed us that I wouldn't go into surgery until at least 5, maybe 6pm, so I sent Jon home. I had really wanted him to be there with me up until I went in, but it was ridiculous him waiting for 5 hours. I spent the afternoon dozing, doing sudoku (my latest obsession) and watched a bit of TV.

They came and got me at 5.15, and the next thing I knew it was 7.05 and I was in the recovery room. I felt fine, hubby, kids and my sister were waiting in my room by the time I got back to it about 7.30. They stayed about half an hour, and then I just dozed off and on through the night, still feeling OK, still a bit dopey from the drugs, and had a decent sleep from 12 -4, and then dozed again, waking about 5 and not able to get back to sleep. The worst bit was I was right outside some of the 'staff rooms' and because I am such a light sleeper every noise jolted me awake.

By 7.30am, I was starving, as I hadn't eaten for 24 hours, so was looking forward to brekkie. Had breakfast, a shower, and was discharged, still feeling not too bad.

24 hours later, I'm quite sore, the rest of me is OK, although I didn't sleep too well last night, so am a bit tired.

Because I like to have photos in my post I'll show you the beautiful flowers I got from my hubbys work, a nice treat, even though I'm not a flower person, these are just what I love.

Anyway, peace is about to be shattered, hubby will be picking the kids up soon, so I'll go and get myself settled in my chair.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO ME!!!

No, nothing exciting here, we don't really do Valentines, once you've been together for 15 years it's just another day.

But, what is happening, is my operation. This time tomorrow I will be recovering from a cholecystectomy. It's just keyhole surgery, overnight stay, and if everything has gone OK, discharged 10am on Thursday, and a week or so recovery. I've taken 3 weeks off, lots of holidays up my sleeve, so want to make the most of it.

I'm really not looking forward to it, although I will be pleased it will be all over and done with, but I do NOT like coming out of anesthetic, so am hoping it goes better tomorrow. I tried to get a more accurate time of my surgery, so I can organise my hubby and kids, what a laugh. I rang the hospital (private), they said 'Oh, I can't tell you that, you'll need to ring the Surgeons office," so I ring them, "Oh, you would be best to speak to the hospital", Heeeeellllo?!?!? Never mind, I called on my faithful sister to come be with the kids, then I don't need to worry about timing.

Camerons birthday at the pools went quite well, will post some photos when I get back.

Anyway, I'd better go finish a couple of jobs so the house is tidy for my sister, and get a good night sleep.

SCRAPBOOKING BY DESIGN

I was lucky to be chosen to be a 'guest designer' over at Scrapbooking By Design and got sent a box of goodies.

Got to admit, when I saw all the pink I freaked, but I suppose if you treat it like anything else then you're away.

This is the page I did last night, and I have heaps left to do another, with enough to use the 'scraps' for a card or something.

Climbing up on my soapbox........

Where have people's manners and common courtesy gone?

It is Cameron's party today, and I still had not heard definately from one of the mums, despite putting an RSVP on the invitations. When I delivered the invitation the Mum talked as if the child was coming, so today I rang to confirm (and to check which house she would be at for a pick up) the reply was "Oh yeah, no, she's not coming, she's at her Dad's, oh, and their dog has had puppies, so she wants to see them".

How hard would it have been for her to ring, she needn't have given me a reason, but a quick phonecall to say, "sorry, C can't come to the party, but thanks for the invite" would have gone a long way in my books.

Anyway, that's my rant for the day, we are just about to have some lunch, and will go pick up those kids that are coming, so thankfully the weather is beautiful, and the rest of us should have a great afternoon.

YAY, LAST DAY OF HOLIDAYS

Ok, shouldn't really complain too much, the kids haven't been too bad, but I am looking forward to have a bit more routine around here.

We've passed time the last couple of weeks by keeping busy, pools, golf, went on a 'tramp'.

Now Cameron is old enough, he is able to stay at the pools by himself, which is great, as Braden tends to swim for half an hour and want to go home. This last week we all went up, but left Cameron there for a while to enjoy it, and boy, he had great fun. He also enjoyed the dive pool, which he hasn't been in before, so loved the slide and the mini tramp.We bought the boys a golf set, so they can follow in the family footsteps. Not mine though (can't play golf to save myself) These photos aren't very good, it was after dinner and there are too many shadows. We took them up again today, to show Grandma, but I didn't have my camera, so will have to get some better photos next time.

We decided to do something with the kids, rather than go somewhere, know what I mean, spend time rather than money (ie, movies, or rides, etc) so decided to go walk the Karangahake Gorge, through the tunnel. The problem was we went to the wrong place. We went into Waihi, and caught the train out, thinking the place to leave from was the Waikino Cafe, only we needed to leave from further up the road. Never mind, we got off the train, and went for a walk to the waterfall, and back and had some lunch at the cafe, and then back into town, and a wander around.