If only....

If only everyday had 48 hours.

If only the human body only required 4 hours sleep everyday.

If only Christmas wasn't just around the corner.

If only three year old boys did what you tell them to do.

If only money did grow on trees.

If only, if only, if only....

Anyway, just my rant for the day. At least it will finish off with a dose of a few of my favourite TV shows: McLoed's Daughters, CSI Miami, ER & Survivor.

The picture of the candle is the one I made for Kody's Christening. It has a small tag book hanging off the side of it with pictures and quotes that were relevant for the event. I am teaching a Christmas version of this candle at Scrapbook Dreams in December.

Boys will be boys

Never a more correct statement has been said. All three of my boys are getting on my nerves today. Tuesday nights I normally get together with Sharon & Elvi and do some card making and instead of asking DiDi to babysit the boys tonight and tomorrow night (I didn't want to wear out my welcome), I thought I'll take them with me. I should have known better. Riley just wouldn't sit still and Kody was crawling everywhere. And because Sharon's house is so so perfectly clean and neat and tidy, I was terrified of my kids messing it up, so by the time I unpacked everything and got set up , I just couldn't handle the boys and work at the same time, so I just packed everything up and headed home. No cards made. - Yesterday my friend Kate and her husband Brad welcomed their first child into the world... a gorgeous little boy they called William. Congratulations guys!!! You will both make great parents, and because you had a boy I will be sending all of Riley & Kody's outgrown clothes over to you. - Working hard on the day care Christmas Party at the moment... we need a Santa! Presents for 100 kids! Food for 200 adults! It's all too hard and there is never enough time.

Teaching my lovely aqua and beige heat embossed Christmas Cards at Scrapbook Dreams tomorrow morning. Looking forward to it as they are a really nice card and those that have already done the class are pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Then tomorrow night I am teaching the Journaling class as Week 1 of the Scrap Start Intermediate Course. And then I will also have the newsletter to put together. I've got a very busy week coming up.

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Kody must be going through a bit of a growth spurt at the moment. All he wants to do is eat!!! So I'm doing off to feed him. I'll have more pics to upload soon.

Distressed Flowers Card Set

Some pics of a card set I taught earlier this year at Scrapbook Dreams. This was a very easy card to make and proved to be a very popular class. - - Wow, I am so excited. Someone has actually taken the time to read my blog. This is such a big thrill for me. Thanx Lusi. - Time to go and get my reality TV fix... Survivor Cook Islands and then tomorrow night is the premiere of the new series of The Amazing Race. Can't wait. See ya!

Pic: Birthday Invite

This is a picture of an invitation I did for a 1st birthday party for a little girl.

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Mum wanted a poem for the actual wording. It took longer to concieve than the whole invitation took to make.

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It reads:

-- A year has passed and I’m turning one,

- So mummy and daddy have planned some fun.

- November the 5th is the date we have got,

- So put a big circle on this calendar spot.

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- - High noon is the time I’d like you to arrive,

- So don’t be late or divert your drive.

- #################### is the venue,

- And I know my mum has got a great menu.

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- - Please call and advise your rsvp,

- No later than November 3.

- I’d love for you to come to my party,

- And celebrate with my family.

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Just thought you might like to see!!!

Melbourne Cup Day

Usually Melbourne Cup Day is a bit of a big thing in my family and mum usually organises a group of ladies and we book a table at a function being held in one of the major hotels. Over the years we have gone to The Regent Hotel, The Sheraton On The Park, The Park Royal in Parramatta, Rosehill Racecourse. This year was at Rydges in Bass Hill. Since having kids things have changed and Karmen (my sister) and I have decided to take turns in going to the Melbourne Cup function, so this year was my year to babysit the kids. Firstly I had to take Riley & Kody to swimming lessons were both kids were awarded "Swimmer of the Week" in there seperate classes. I'm a proud mummy today. Karmen dropped her kids off to my place while I was at swimming, which meant that Uncle Darren had to spend some quality time with his niece and nephew. Riley, Kody and I were home shortly after. I gave Kody a bottle and put him to bed and then I took the others to the local McDonalds. Despite Karmen's initial concerns about Jack running off when getting out of the car, he was very well behaved. The kids had a ball at Macca's in the playland. They all had happy meals and got a free matching McDonald's cap. Upon our return home, we setup a table in the pergola and spent the afternoon making Christmas cards with stamps and ink pads, stickers, pencils and kindy glitz. Wow!! That was an eventful time. When Karmen arrived to pick Tayla & Jack up, Tayla was covered in gliiter while Jack had green hands from the stamp pad, but they both went home happy and with about half a dozen handmade Christmas cards. Mum always buys tickets in the sweeps for all the family and for a $0 investment we won $102.00. So we indulged and had yummy Chinese for dinner (leftovers for tomorrow night!!!) Ho ho ho ho he he he he he!!!!!

I don't like Mondays (usually)

Another weekend over and another week begins. I have started to make my Christmas Cards and thought you might like to see one. As I was getting dressed for work this morning I have Kerry-Anne Kennerley on the TV. She was interviewing John Edwards... you know, the psychic guy who as the "Crossing Over" TV show where he says he passes messages on from the dead to the living. Those who know me, know that I don't believe an that crap... but there I was getting dressed and I glanced up at the TV to see one of my invitation clients. She was in the studio audience with her mum and JE was focusing in on her mum. I sent her and SMS later in the day, just to ask if it definately was her (which she confirmed) and also to ask if JE got the story right. She told me that he was right on the money. FREAKY!!!!! Those of you who know me know I love my reality television and on Thursday this week the best show of all is returning with a new angle on the normal. The Amazing Race but this thime with families (Mum, Dad & Kids) instead of just couple (spouse/siblings/friends). Tune in as I am sure it will be "amazing". Channel 7 at 9.30pm. Can't wait!!!!!

Time for me

For the first time in a long time yesterday was all about me, and yes... I will be scrapping it. I indulged and spent $200 to do two workshops at the Paper Crafts Festival held out at Penrith Panthers Leagues Club in western Sydney.

The morning class was with Carrie Utley from Chatterbox Inc. What a lovely lady. She certainly knows the way to a scrappers heart... FREE STUFF. She gave everyone in the class something FREE from the Chatterbox product range. I was lucky enough to win one of the new Doodle Genies that haven't even been released here in Australia yet. The title of this workshop was "Journey of 1000 Mini Books". Well, we didn't make 1000 but the three we did make are great and they give your creative juices a kick start. I am now going to be making mini books for all the family ans friends to go with there Chrsitmas presents. Carrie was generous with her time, her products and her heart. I really loved this class. She even gave all of us her direct email address to contact her directly... not many people in her position would do that in this day and age. -

- The afternoon was the class I was really hanging out to do. Elsie Flannigan is a scrapbooker that I have admired for ages and when I heard that she was coming out to Australia for some workshops I was so excited. I spent days making arrangements with family and friends for the kids to be babysat. And it was definately worth it. The workshop was called "A Year in Photos" and involved hand stitching a felt bag/pouch for the album to live in. It was really relaxing to just sit and stitch and chat with a group of women who love scrapping as much as me. Elsie is a sweet and "American" as I expected her to me. About a month ago a downloaded a radio interview of Elsie from the Diva Craft Lounge, with the intent on wanting to know a little bit more about her before I did her class. - One of the ladies I sat with in the Elsie class was Lusi Austin. She is a teacher at Scrapbooks Paper and Things in the Blue Mountains. She is amazing. Her spirit and her talent are so infectious. I have added her blog to my favourites. - I must give a huge THANKYOU to Sharon & Geoff for looking after Riley & Kody for the day allowing me to attend these classes. I really, really appreciate it. I have all the best intentions to make a "Thankyou Album" for them. I must say though that I think I need to give you guys lessons in changing a nappy. When I got home and had the change Kody's nappy, I discovered that the previous one had been put on backwards... pictured side to the back... it must have been awkward to put the velcro straps on. LOL!! - After such a "full-on" Satrurday it was great just to have a relaxing Sunday. I did have a staff meeting for Scrapbook Dreams teachers at 4pm, but it was really quick (compared to all the others). And if Belinda has time and does her research maybe we will have uniforms (aprons) before the new year. - As usual there is never enough time, I haven't really said eveything I wanted to, but it is late and I want to sleep. Goodnight!!!!

Washing Machine, Swimming & Toilet Training - Tuesday, 31 Oct 2006

- It started out very early (7.30am) with a phone call the Fisher & Paykel serviceman coming to fix our washing machine. He said he was 15 minutes away, but he didn't show for an hour. Just for him to ring the doorbell cost $110.00. What a rip off!!! I admit, he did fix the problem with the washer though. I am so glad he got it working without too much expense, as the washer is only 7 years old and I really didn't want to have to buy a new one.

Then we had swimming lessons for both boys. Kody is only eight months old, so I still have to get in the water with him. Riley is over three now and I get to sit on the pool deck and watch him swim. He is getting more and more confidence each time, as he is now swimming the full length of the 12 metre pool, unassisted. He is no Ian Thorpe, but if he had to he could save himself. I just hope that a situation NEVER arises that he would have too.

We are toilet training Riley at the moment. #1 are fine, it is #2 that we are having trouble with. Today is no exception. We had another #2 "incident today. It is becoming more and more regular. So at the moment Master R is in the bad books and is not allowed to have any of the good things (The Wiggles anything, biscuits, juice, etc). He has to sit where I can see him, watch whatever I'm watching on TV, eat the food I give him and only drink water. We are hoping that he will soon learn that if he does #2 in the toilet he will get "rewarded" and hopefully grow out of this little problem.

Kody is trying so so hard to crawl at the moment. He is rolling everywhere and getting into everything, but is not quite crawling yet. He does get up on all fours and bounces a little and then almost does a dive, landing face first on the ground.

Darren is, as usual, a great help. He came to swimming lessons this morning and helped out with the boys. He is such a hands-on Dad, and loves sharing in the everyday things as well as all the big events.

Oh, I almost forgot... Riley did the cutest thing last night. When I went to check on him before going to bed myself, there he was, deep asleep, with a pair of his underpants on his head. I just had to grab the camera. I am anxious to scrap the photo and will definately upload it here when done, but as usual, right now there is never enough time.

Welcome to my BLOG - Monday, 30 Oct 2006

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OK... well most of the people I know don't really understand what a 'blog' is. "So why write one?" I hear you ask. Well, it is usually this time of the year that I start to think about making my Christmas Cards to send out to family & friends. And it is usually this time of year that I think, it would be nice to write a Christmas Letter to put in the Christmas Cards (like so many of my organised friends and family do) telling of the events and escapades that the family have completed in the previous 12 months.

- And then as the title of my blog suggests, there is never enough time and before I know it, it is December 2oth and not one card has been completed or posted. Then usually I end up only handmaking "the important people" Christmas Cards and then "the rest of them" on the list get a mass produced, store bought card, that I end up putting them in my trusty HP printer, design a Publisher template that I can mail merge my Christmas Card Excel spreadsheet with, careful to select a handwritten typeface, and hit ctrl-P. Ditto the envelopes back and front. Run to the post office to get them in the mail before Christmas is all over and done with.

- Very slack, I know. And how dare I catergorise my family and friends into "the important people" and "the rest of them". But this is REALITY and if it offends then, tell me and I will remove you from my Christmas Card list altogether. This could help me with the time thing. Anyway, back to the reason for this blog... I am going to assume that many of my family and friends are living in the 21st century and actually have access to the internet and I am going to handmake ALL my cards this year (I hope, hehehehe!!!) and put a note in each one directing them to this site to read my blog and see what my family has been up to. Doing this I figure I will cut my production costs, and do my small bit to help the environment by not printing out 120 x 4 page letters for my family and friends to feel guilty over when they throw it in the trash without even reading it. This way they can (you can) choose to log in or not to log in.

- I can't and won't promise excitment, controversy or even interesting entries in my blog. I can't and won't promise a daily or even weekly entry (mainly because of the never enough time thing). What I can promise is that I will write about my life, the way it interacts with my family and friends, and the things that happen along the way. And not just for your reading pleasure (that is if anyone is actually reading it) but also as a record of life for my boys and the future generations of my family.