I am just me..... e

Pure Mania

It is a great way to describe my brain right now. All the things to think of and take care of but actually I kinda feel like today it will come together. Till now I thought I was just chasing my tail round in circles.

3 cars sold which is a huge relief for me. I was trying to think about what the heck I would do with vehicles if there were any left when we needed to leave....just didn't find a good idea for that. Now they have sold and we can move on to the next thing. Craig has a date at last to start the new job. June 9th. It seems so close. The kids will finish school on the 23rd and they will all go north to get out of the way of the packers. Joel Craig & I will remain and sign off the container & then fly north hopefully on the 27th......that is the plan.

Madness......I never thought this would be hapopening now. I feel like I have so many things unfinished here.

Anyhow....we are stil alive......just not kicking as hard as we woiuld normally.

hugs all....check in again soon.
e

{Life is a journey}

This post has been mulling around in my head for a while. I had to wait for Kaitlyn to take care of a few things before I could type this out.

Life is such a journey right? I mean it can change from one moment to the next. Good or bad or even just different, change IS the only constant thing in this world. Well we are about to embark on some changes of our own. Great changes. Huge changes. Fabulous wonderfull (and slightly scary) changes. You see when I married my husband, I temporarily forgot just how clever he was. I remeber that ever now and again, and I always tell him how clever he is and how proud I am of him. What has hapopened over the last little while has confirmed that for me.

We recieved a call from an agent who felt that my man was perfect for a role she was recruiting for. We are so happy here and settled, but Craig said you know what "It can't hurt to see what she has to say" (probably the craziest thing but hey). In a nutshell, 2 very long phone chats, 2 trips to Sydney (meanwhile a wife who is saying no way.....not Sydney....lol) and the role is Perth based. AND HE WAS OFFERED THE JOB! It is a wonderful huge humungess role and my man was the right person.......all the way over here, he was the right person. HOLY COW PEOPLE......WE ARE RELOOCATING TO PERTH!

Did I say that out alloud? I mean it feels weird to say it. It was a bolt from the blue and a shock, and even we thought it was mad, but when the role was offered with the package etc, it was a no brainer. NZ bucks just couldn't match up. So....we are moving to Perth. THE OBSOLUTE FREAKING BEST PART.....is that half my extended family are there. My Dad who I dearly will love living near, and loads of other amazing family. We reminded ourselves that we moved here to zero friends and family and we made it work, so this will create a network of people and we are as I mentioned slightly terrified but thrilled.

So again....I AM SO BLOODY PROUD OF MY MAN. I don't think he realises that by being an absolute genius he has brought myself and my children closer to a part of their family they have only had brief visits with.

I AM MOVING TO PERTH! WE ARE MOVING TO PERTH!

Kaitlyn was giving our full blessing to make a decision wether she would stay up North or come and she is coming. I have to say I am thrilled as I would not have wanted to be without her again.

The kids are excited and sad all at the same time as we are. Saying goodbye to some of the amazing people we have become so friendly with will be very very difficult, but I know it won't be the end. We will keep the property here and that will be a great excuse to return.

so......that is my news. End of May or somewhere around there we will leave here and return North to spend time with family before heading over. We are guessing that start dates will be something like the 2nd week in June but have no confirmation of this.
I hated telling Lyn at TSS I guess because it is where I love being. I love the ladies who come and chat, or scrap. I just love it. I will miss that place, and loads of others too.
Anyhow....that is about all I can say for now.....I am still in a stage of "is this real?" and I guess the sinking in period will take a little while. With such a short period of time before the move though we will certainly get it soon

Dad....this is no joke....lol

hugs all

e.

NZ Post take a bow!

A few hours in the making and I was ready to post my Mums little portfolio card I made her. I have never had a huge success rate with the NZ Post times from here. Maybe it is the fact that there is a chunk of water in between or maybe just the distance....I duno....anyhow I thought I was being really good. Mums birthday is the 19th and so I got all the kids to write their massge on the back of the little photo tags inside and it was done. I took it to the post shop and paid fastpost (never had next delivery before) thinking at least t would make it by the 19th.

Then the next morning the text came. .....it was there! Holy heck NZ Post....I mean I don't want to be picky but it is either too late or too early.....anyhow....glad it is there, and Mum, we miss you and hope you have a wonderfull day. Here is the card

Friday tomorrow and that means I get to spend the day at the store. My second favourite place next to home. Ok....I lie.....it is my most favourite...tee hee. We have a great special on Cuttlebugs too so that will be super, loads of new stuff to scratch and sniff (comon I know you all sniff new products...lol) and generally a good time.

Have a fabulous Friday everyone and I will be back on Saturday with loads to share.

hugs
e

{and everything in between}

That is us at the moment. Kids, food, baths, camps, homeowrk, sleepovers, work, soccer, dance, nnnnnnnnnn and everything in between. I often wonder how we do so much or fit so much in one day but I wouldn't have it any other way....really I wouldn't.

Crazy couple of weeks. Liam has been off to camp and Nikita leaves tomorrow. She is gone a whole week so I am a little anxious about that. Crazy I know but I am not away from my babies often, and certainly when I am not there to supervise. Kinda weird feeling.

Layouts and classes have been few and far between. Had a fabulous class at TSS on Wed. This is the layout we did.

This is one I did for me.....

and this si that one I did a while back but this pic was awful so I thought I would share again.

and these are the yummy papers I will be using for a new class next month....mmmm....Cosmo Cricket has my vote for the moment....

Not a bad life huh!

Can anyone tell me what is wrong with this picture??????? and it aint the blanket!!!!!!

{be affraid....be very afraid}

{we live here.....how cool}

Ok.....I know this was a rando post with not allot but heaps.....so sorry just need to get to Greys....lol

hugs

e

{well here I am again!}

It starts with on a sad note. The Waikato has had the most tragic fire at an industrial plant and I just wanted to say that our hearts go out to the family of the Firefighter who lost his life to protect, and to the fireman who are still fighting for theirs.....fight hard guys! It is the first time in something like 25 years that we have lost a firefighter in the line of duty and that has to say something about the way these guys take their safety seriously and do their job. I was involved with the Fire Service in the capacity of a reporter for sometime and I have to say there is a culture or a brotherhood that you can feel between these guys. It is so sad when things like this happen....sad....very sad.

On a brighter note there is cool promotion coming soon that you will all have to watch for......check it out HERE to see what it is.....fun!

My next class is Wednesday at TSS and I can't wait. I love the colours and the papers and generally everything....it just feels good. It doesn't happen often when I really do feel great when something goes together but this felt great. Helps when it is the man of my dreams...lol....my husband, and they are pics that I wouldn't normally have cause he hates his picture being taken....argh! Here is the sneak peak again....fun fun fun

Be wathing the Fiskars blog for a heap of fun stuff happening over the coming Anzac weekend....that is all I will say....it will be awesome, and I can't wait to be part of it.  Click the link you can find here on my blog.

Other than that....teens. I had 5 of them in the house on Thursday night for Kaitlyns 16th and we had a blast! The are all super cool kids so it wasn't hard. Made a huge pot of butter chicken and laughed....remember how old I was and how shocked I was that I was the moth of a 16 yr old girl....HEEEEEEEEELLLLLLP! Here are some pics. Guy in the blue is her boyfriend sam....lovely boy! and the cupcakes....well we won't go there. Had some huge icing disasters but hey....made it all fun! Will leave these with you! Hugs e.  

{did you hear that}

It was the sound of the door squeaking as I walked in.....I don't use the door as often as I would have liked so the hinges are dry and need oiling....lol

GOTTA LOVE WEDNESDAYS! Wed & Fri are my 'store' days. I hang out in my LSS which I have to say is the coolest place in town! and talk to scrappers, selling scrapping, and general wallow in new scrapping products all day......I do some work for sure (honest Lyn I do!) but you know how it never really feels like work when it is something you love....yup that is how I feel.

Anyhow. I did loads of little jobs there today. I even scrapped since the last time the door was opened. 3 layouts in a week......yikes.....I am getting a groove on. One of them is for my next masculine layout class at the store next week so I can share a peak but no more....I know allot of our ladies stalk {yes I can see you...lol} so we can't let the cat out of the bag can we.

I can't wait for this class. It is going to be super-de-dooper fun!

On the Fiskars blog this month there are some cool things happening to watch out for. We have started a BOM prompting session. We will prompt you to create some of the pages that ordinarily don't get done. I mean we are always doing the kids and the pets and the men in our lives so we are the last to get creative with ourselves. I personally love this challenge. I started a similar project when I was working with the lovely Sasha at shop and crop, and it made me think about and do pages that I would never have started, like my parents divorce and nap times. It is fun to think outside the square, so head over to the blog HERE and have a go!

In other cool news. There is something awesome about to happen to my blog......well not exactly 'to' my blog but on my blog. Please check back and see as I know it will be coolio. All I can say is it is time to share some scrapping love soon......maybe there is free stuff coming.mmmmm......we love free stuff.

At TSS this month we have an exciting sketch up! We do a challenge each month where our ladies can scrap a page loosely based around a sketch and win $40 worth of products....not bad. This month we are so pleased and honoured to have a sketch by the uber-talented Trina McClune up. This is her April sketch and I can't wait to see what the ladies will do with it.

Maybe we could have an online prize as well. Scrap a page using this sketch, email it to me and maybe we can have a public vote for the winner.  AAAAAAnd I will put up a prize! YOU UP FOR IT? Entries to be received by April 30th. WHAT YOU THINK? You in?

Ok....tomorrow is April 3rd. I can tell you what I was doing on April 3rd in 1992......I WAS HAVING A BABY! My first...lol.... Yup my baby girl turns 16 tomorrow. Yikes I can hardly believe it. She doesn't know it but I have some friends coming over for her favourite dinner (butter chicken) & I have a cupcake tower especially for her....black icing etc....you have to know her. Anyhow I will take pictures and be sure to share.

alrighty. I have some other things to share but not now....it is late. Nite all

hugs
e

I scrapped!

That really shouldn't be that exciting but it is. I mean it is so hard to find the time for my creative release amongst all this caos but I did, and I loved it. Even if the pages were not my fav's I was just thankful to be able to be here and create.

This is the first Riley page. I mean it was such a big thing for us and I have so many cute puppy pics but this travel range from Cloud 9 was super....the right colours and everything. You can find these ranges at your LSS or at Spotlight and Warehouse Stationary which is totally cool.

This next page was pretty fun. Nikita got a pink digi camera for Xmas and spent the next 8 weeks taking pics of herself and video too. I had to take advantage and do this page, and I am loving the new papers from MM Noteworthy. Also added some of the Cloud 9 Chcolate Chalet range which is very cool. Yummy rich colours and great designs. This is like the first time in ages I have done a double layout....just find them so tricky these days, but these papers really helped. Love the little clear coloured epoxy rain drops from the chocolate chalet range....yummy.

Have had an 'EGG-cellent' Easter break. The Fair was superb with the weather being amazing and the crowds coming in droves. Great to see so many people having so much fun, and kids with so much to do.

Ok....have loads of pics to get up at TSS blog. If your around we have some cool kits I am loading so go check em out.

Be sure to see all the coolness at Fiskars. It has been a busy weekend with loads of fun games and giveaways so be sure to see what you have missed.....congrats to all of those who have won little somethings. This was my tag I loaded for the challenge.

Now I know that not all of us are keen on spiders. Yes the eight legged freaks that inhabit our homes and workplaces......SO....if you are in any way squeemish of these critters.....DON'T LOOK ON! (ok....I have warned you!) So this is what I found walking the hall the other night. Not sure what type but thining it is one of the harmless timer based spiders we get down here. Pretty funny till I disturbed him too much and MAN COULD THAT SUCKER RUN!

Not sure why I had to share that but hey....there it is. Thanks....hope you all over-indulged on the chocolate this weekend and all drove safely!

hugs

e

Happy Easter everyone!

I am seriously having trouble getting my head around the fact that Easter is here and it is March....I mean it feels weird!

anyhow....not much happening here lately. Just the usual.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FRIEND JOHNNY MCINTYRE for winning the second consecutive NZ V8 Championship! Your a star and we know how hard you worked to this goal. Party after 3 I say! Liam was just so happy he even snaffled a JMR Racing t-shirt signed to show off to his friends....he actually nearly slept in it....we had to pry him out of it!

Craig is so busy at the moment. He seems to be away almost 3 days out of each week which makes for a very busy, stressed and tired me!...lol

Not allot of scrapping getting done but had my demo at spotlight last Sunday which was awesome. Thanks to all the ladies who came to say hi and to check out some of the cool Fiskars tools.

Loads happening on the Fiskars blog over Easter so head over and check it all out. There is all sorts and even some very very cool prizes! HERE THEY ARE!!!! There is even a coo play on the name happening right now so get over there. I made an Easter tag for the blog as part of a cool challenge so watch over there on Sunday for them all.

Riley is awesome....growing like a mushroom! Here are some of the latest pics!

Ok.....off to get some scrapping done. Have a fabulous weekend everyone. Easter Fair here Sunday and we will be enjoying all the fun that brings.

EGG-CELLENT CHOCOLATE EATING EXCUSES THIS WEEKEND! YAY

hugs
E

Holy smoke....

Here I am again wondering where the time has gone.

A very sad funeral

Puppies to train

Toddlers to train (he he)

Working 2 days a week

Mummy help for anything I can

General errands

amongst all the kaos....my hair is greying faster than you can say ' SALT AND PEPPER'

We are all fine here though. Just a crazy ole life I have decided. and nothing will slow it down for now.

Monday last wek started badly with the swift trip to the north island to attend a funeral. The man who passed away suddenly was a really close friend of Craig's & mine....we wanted to be there to support his family and we are pleased we made the trip. We all said at the after function that it is such a shame that we all get together after something so sad but that is just the way it is when we all lead busy lives all in different places. Our love goes out to the whole of the Ralph clan. I was so pleased to spend alittle time with Teri & Ethan and my how that gorgeous wee boy has grown! He loves a good joke, and in his little voice asked me 'what sound does a cow make when he laughs?' and then replied "MOO-OOH-HA-HA-HA" Too cute. What a great job Chris & Teri have done raising him.

Riley is doing great. Learning loads. Sit, Stay, Lay down, and not to race up to the food till I say 'OK' ...he is a smart little character. The only thing I have to curb is the growling noise when you walk past him if he has a bone. He loves to play with the kids when they get home, and loves loves loves falling asleep in the weirdest positions, on the couch. Lucky the furniture is now, after 3 kids on it, SHOT! If you are thinking of a small house dog....these little pups are amazing.

This sunday is going to be so exciting for me. I am off to Spotlight Nelson to hold my first Fiskars demo. So if your in the area people....come on down! I would love to see you. I got all my new stuff the other day. The New Chocolate Chalet & Travel range from Cloud 9....yum. If you haven't seen it it is amazing. The colours are divine and all the little extras like fabric tape....YUMMY! Head to your local Warehouse Stationary or LSS for a nosey. The Fiskars blog is rocking out at the moment. Man these girls are so dam talented I can't keep up. check them out at the blog!

Just a quick layout I did using some scraps and some old stash.  The Heidi Grace plastic flowers etc are so cool. I am determined to use up some of this amazing stuff I have here regardless of its age or popularity....it is someone we at TSS are focussed on this year and so I am doing my bit! The other layout (helen's rose) is the latest sketch at TSS.

Kids are all good. Kaitlyn is away on her yr 12 PE camp at Kaiteriteri, learning life saving skills....what a cool trip they will have. Liam is hardout at soccer and after a classroom change is doing great! (clash with less than satisfactory teacher which we have had before....don't ask) and Nikita is just cruising. Dancing her heart out....man that girl will be on So you think you can dance NZ one day. Joel is doing well. Still having a rough day here and there with molars but he has 2 of them so 2 down and 2 to go....yay! He actually had t have a haircut today. Sad really. He had what Kaitlyn called ' a dirty mullet' but actually it was one of those curly long woolly do's  happening. I liked it cause he looked like a toddler....now he just looks like a little boy....argh....everything points towards loosing my baby. he is a then and now. The shorter hairdo pic was taken on my cellphone....bad quality!

What else can I bore you all with....not much I don't think. Thanks for hanging in there. Hugs all.

e

{valium, prozac, something}

My baby.....in her first car. It is a mighty little car and she has been furiously backing and turning and parking round, in and out of the carport. Driving up to the gates but not touching them and backing into the tennis thingie on the lawn so she gets to know where the front and back of her car is. She is doing great.

We had been driving in the commodore but she will find this little car a breeze! Apart from the lack of power steering which took me by surprise when I brought it home...lol. The car has been owned by an older lady who has had it for a while. It was garaged for most of its life and so it is in fine nick!

Anyhow....Had to share. Hope your all well.

*now you know why I need the drugs for my nerves????*

In other stuff.

I have been creating for the amazing Fiskars Craft Blog. Here is a sneak  but to see all the rest of the pics youll have to link through and check it out. Loads of fun and super yummy products. Thanks Heidi Grace for making such scrumptuous stuff....YUM! For those of you that love Fiskars products, tools etc, I will be in the Spotlight store on the weekend of March 15th/16th (possibly the Sunday) demoing some fab tools, and showing off some real gorgeous products.

Sir Riley

Our little man is doing wonderfully! He has blended into this family so well and it is like he was always here. He is cheeky & mischievious but has a soft side. He loves to be close to me, I guess you get that when your the primary caregiver. But hey....I mean really close. I grabbed the camera and just took this....like now....like as I type...

yup....that is my Riley....sleeping over my foot. Aint he the cutest!

Everyone is good here. Not much else to report! Hugs to all.

e