gratitude ....
I'll be honest with ya here ... i have been a bit grumpy this week. i am a bit tired from my training, am not going to bed early enough ... i have a sore leg, and that is bugging me ... and i've just had alot going on!
so last night our Y2R class homework was to write a gratitude list ~ all the things you are thankful for. It was just what i needed to do ... it is always so humbling to stop and consider how many blessings we have in our life. I felt this amazing sense of peace at how lucky i truely am.
So today i have totally kicked butt with all my things i needed to get done. My whole attitude was so much brighter and optimistic .... how refreshing. I challenge anyone stopping by to do the same, take a quiet moment and make a list of all the things you are thankful for ... from the big things, right until the little things .... its worth it!
have a great weekend!

First time published ....
ok, so i'm in the office working today ... downside to working from home, emails come thru randomly completely distracting me from the task at hand ... today i had one that has completely thrown me off - i have had one of my layouts accepted for publication in one of the australian magazines - its my first time, i'm a virgin publisher - LOL! so i am pretty happy .... what a cool thing to happen today!
so had to share my buzz ....

yesterday i recieved my HAPPY MAIL ... such a cool cool thing. My happy mail person got their surprise too ... i love the concept, sending RAK all over the world! i photographed mine (of course) cute pink album and groovy paper ... just waiting for creating :-)

anyway, better get back to my bank account .... better make sure i balance the numbers correctly! LOL! have a great day

massage day ...

oh i love this day .... every fortnight i am having massages until i run the marathon. My body loves it .... i can feel the hard work that it has done, so so so nice to give it a treat - seen as i'm pushing it hard!
I have been tired today, a side effect from my big run yesterday and getting to bed late last night as i had the girls here watching Brothers and Sisters - which i totally love! I was supposed to swim, but was just too tired, so will swim tomorrow instead.
my lil sister and I went to the shops to try and find me something to wear to our brothers upcoming wedding ... i was even too tired to really be bothered, tried on a couple of things, but just not there .... sad hey! got Gi gi this cute lil dress, Em some shoes (seen as she's a flower girl) so all was not lost.
am going to make a wedding card now .... i have the house to myself, its very odd (as my lil sis and her boyfriend have been living here for 3 weeks so there has always been someone around) gary is at the driving range .... its actually blissful having some peace! enjoy your night :-)

a bit jaded ....

so it was a BIG night, got home at 2am .... then couldn't get to sleep - that's what happens when you are boogying on the dance floor like a 18yr old ... hello, i am not 18 anymore! anyway, i do love a good boogie!

so i was too tired for running yesterday, so went this morning after I dropped the big girls at school (luckily Gary agreed to take Gi for her swimming lesson) it was really good, until the last 3 kms or so when it was about 30degrees and i was too hot. anyway, i got home and flopped in the pool (i love our pool) ... and now i'm a bit jaded!

moral of the story, don't go out partying all night when you are trying to train for a marathon!

I have so many photos to scrapbook at the moment .... i will be scrapbooking forever to keep up with my photo taking - LOL!

why is it the weekends go so very fast????? i want to know!

card # 8 - shoes

the deck of me challenge this week is about shoes .... i chose my favourite ones at the moment, they are so comfortable ... i love them.

i am tall, and the only reason i don't wear them ALL the time is because sometimes i feel like a giant .... they are so comfortable. (edited to add, i posted this last night ... and obviously i was tired as you can tell from my repitition!) I got these shoes from my favourite shop called Petrol ... its this great shop in Paddington, Brisbane .... if you go there you get hooked for life - LOL! I should have also mentioned that I am taller (just) than my hubby in real life ... so that has been an issue for me with the high heal thing too ... it was groovy when Tom and Nicole were married and it was cool! LOL!

ok ... gotta go make our favourite "bill granger" hotcakes for breaky!

almost the weekend ....

today started with a run ... not a normal start to a friday, as usually i swim on a friday (however there is a carnival on today so no squad) so the run was ok - about 7.5kms .... i am going good wtih it and feel confident about the task ahead which is great.

I caught up with a girlfriend i used to work with like 10 years ago. We had lost touch and Gary ran into her before christmas, she has a little baby now ... so that was fun to re-connect - lots to tell.

Had another good friend call in for a quick chat .... its been a social sort of a day.

just finished this page ... i started it last night, and honestly was just not in the "zone" (if you know what i mean) i just couldn't pull it together and i ended up getting annoyed and going to bed .... so have just finished it and feel happy now. Have U2 DVD on and am rocking on!

We have a "welcome dinner" at school tonight .... then tomorrow night my sister's going away bash ... its going to be "FULL ON!" full on fun that is .... he he!

enjoy your weekend

Love is in the air .....

(edited to add our valentines dinner below)

Happy valentines day people. hope you are sharing the love .... such a happy, fun day! the letters are part of my contribution to our design team for Craft Online

and last night our BPS class got emails

from heidi who had this cool idea to scrapbook a book of chocolates. i loved the idea so much that i have just finished it ... and have given it to him already (but had to take it straight back so i could photograph it - LOL!)



















hope he shares hey!!!!!







have a great day

the girls were so excited about valentines day, they learnt all about it at school ... katya thought it was quiet a sad story. So with having my sister and her boyfriend staying until next week we decided to have a special dinner celebration, and they all did something special to add to the night. Katya made special print outs on the computer and decorated them, Emra made cute lil heart things for each of us and Gianna helped me (well i did it on her behalf) a heart shaped centre peice for the table. we had roast chicken ... it was delicious and very very cute.

Gary is going to buy us ice-cream from ColdRock for desert ... its this wikid ice-cream shop where you pick your ice-cream and then add in whatever you like ... of course all types of delicious sweet things. ok .... time to eat ice-cream ....

card # 6 - LOVE

of emily's deck of me challenge .... dedicated to my valentine, i am blessed!

I have also been working on the on the bottom section of Feb calender for heidi's class.

I went swimming this morning, i woke up and it was raining (which we totally need here) but just made my motivation dive. I managed to get myself there, and actually had a really good session.

Gianna is napping now, so i am spending the quiet time doing some scrapbooking. Brothers and Sisters was on last night. I love that show, its only the second episode and i'm hooked. love the characters and quirky relationships.

I AM ....

going to America! YAHOO! booked my flights today .. i am so excited. April is going to be an amazing month for me! Lookout world here I come!

chilling out ....

i love sunday nights .... they are so cruizy, love just kicking back after the weekend. we had a really fun weekend too. Last night went to a great dinner party .... my friend had gone to all this trouble, did this cool job - the table looked awesome. the place settings were lil espresso cups with our names on them, filled with yummy m&m's .... yum!

The food was really good too .... and the company, very entertaining. The night wisked away so quickly, before we knew it 1am it was! seriously good fun.

Today i have been painting some pots for around our pool area. Its good to get some things done, we have this massive list of things to finish around here. Our house is like 40 years old, and we are doing it up - slowly! thats ok - i am patient, and this year we are getting stuck into it.

I ended up going for a good run this afternoon. Wasn't intending on it, as it was really hot today, but felt good while i was out so did an hour run ... just mapped it, was 12kms - cooL! I must say my legs feel a bit tired now tho, but I feel really fired up - which is wikid!

ok ... have a few things to finish off before bedtime .....

{heart} you always + i've been Tagged ....

(edited to add) the Craft Online Feb DT is up .... http://www.scrapbookaustralia.com.au/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=lastup&cat=-72

will post my pics on here later .... have to race off to ballet!!!!

I've been tagged by Jessi .... here goes!

A=Available? Nope, not me ... i am married to my best friend our 12th anniversary is coming up!B=Best Friend - definitely Gary, but after that I have 3 best girl friends, Suzanne, Kathy and Elisa - i am lucky!
C= Cake or pie - cake for sure - and it would have to be chocolate!
D= Drink of choice? Earl Grey tea ... aren't I posh?
E= Essential item you use everyday - my phone, as i put all my appointments in there - so its sort of like a diary!
F= Favorite color: this is hard, as i really love all colours ... probably blue, i mean i love pink too
G= gummie bears or worms- Worms
H= Hometown - Auckland, New Zealand
I= Indulgences - pedicure, facial anything that is pampering
J= January or February - Jan, cause its summer holidays and gary's birthday and the start of a new year.
K= Kids and Names - Katya, Emra and Gianna
L= Life is incomplete without... LOVE
M= Marriage date - april 8th 1995
N=Number of siblings- 2 sisters and a bro
O = Oranges or apples - Can't pick
P= Phobias or Fears - Being in the house by myself at night, i'm such a sook!
Q= Favorite Quote - Its all good!
R= Reason to smile - My life is Brilliant
S= Season - Summer for sure, love the heat, the beach ... everything!
T= Tag 3 or 4 people - melissa, kathy, bronte, chris
U= Unknown fact about me: I love sambucca
V= Vegetable you don’t like - onion
W = Worst habit - leaving my tea bag in the sink, gary hates it
X= X-rays - oh, so many i cannot count. I have had disk replacement surgery on my back so have an artifical one!
Y= Your favorite food - Oh my, I am a big foodie ... so to name just one, well that is a killer. Chocolate is obviously very up there - truely there is not much i don't love!
Z= Zodiac Sign - Taurus

well that was fun. better get back to the task at hand. will update later on. Yay for Friday!
thanks Jessi!

its friday night now, just wanted to post my LO for the Y2R class. This weeks Art Challenge was to complete a collage of the people who we love. I enjoyed this, although found it took me quiet a while gathering my photos .... i feel very attached to the LO because it means so much. I also feel good cause I am up to date .... hip hip horray!

have had a bit of a "flat" day today ... gave myself some time off, have not done much today except finish this LO ... which made me happy. I think I'm a bit tired today too .... the running maybe caught up with me! its all good now tho, i've chilled and feel ready for the busy sat we have with the kids commitments. I got flowers today too .... the best gift on a day like this! :-)

Have a great weekend. We have some fun things to look forward to :-)

I caved in ....

its been a busy day here in Brisvegas .... i have been on the go, and have been a bit tired (i guess getting up at 5.30am doesn't help) I did get quiet a few things crossed off my list, however there are still quiet a few still there - so guess tomorrow will be busy too! no rest for the wikid!

By late afternoon i started slowing down, and decided to cave in and make cookies. I have heard alot about these cookies, and heidi shared her recipe - so being a foodie, had to give them a try. My report is .... they are FABULOUS! really really yum - looking at the pic, doesn't really do it justice - but couldn't help but snap a pic! just love that camera!

Just finished this LO for the local SBS - its one of the monthly challenges. I love these photos of Gi ... so cute. was fun to scrapbook these photos.

ok .. have to watch Prison break .... we got hooked .... maybe it was Wentworth????? LOL!

and the winner is .....











JESSI

you recieve a special valentine coaster from me. Just need to get your email address.

my sister is living with us at the moment, and last night she cooked a tofu and brocolli stir fry (don't gasp - we aren't totally health nuts, but are trying to be more healthy) and we told the kids and Gary that it was chicken sausages .... and they ate it. Gary thought it was interesting how they were so perfectly sliced and was suspicious. The good news is they all liked it ... such an easy meal.

I took one of my best friends for a pedicure yesterday as a treat for her birthday, i wanted to pamper her. when we got there i find out she has super sensitive feet ... and giggled the whole way thru - it was so funny. (it wasn't quite the relaxing experience i had imagined - but we had cute feet after)

ok .. lots to do today ... its early, i woke up by myself at 5.30 so decided to get into it .... i am ready to rock n roll, its going to be a productive day!

card # 5

for emily's challenge. This week is "use some ephemera from your week" this is my most recent ephemera - which meant i could use a photo from our weekend! YAY!

fun fun fun ....

i have had such a FUN weekend. I am loving it. Of course had our date night Friday night ... the movie was seriously good. I would recommend anyone seeing it, i wanted to go home and hug my kids ... and felt incredibly blessed for the life we have. Good to think about those types of things. We went for mexican afterwards - seriously delish! I love mexican food!

The girls were back to dancing on sat morning, so that was pretty busy .. they were so happy to be dancing again, and they have started at a new studio - very cool!

Sat afternoon and went up to mooloolaba with one of my best friends. They own a unit up there and she wanted to have some girls time to chill and do some scrapbooking ... how could i say no to that! of course i couldn't -lol! it was bliss ... we went for a body surf at the beach ... gorgeous beach too! then had thai at this small lil restaurant - really not flash at all, but the food was totally to die for, and the place was packed to the brim. we were actually really lucky to get a table. it was the best pad thai i have ever had ... and i am a bit of an expert on pad thai - LOL! i stuffed myself so bad, that my tummy almost exploded later ... i mean HELLO, where is the will power???? no - don't seem to have any!!!! LOL!

we went back to the unit and scrapbooked till midnight ... so fun! Slept in this morning, then got up to have a cup of tea and YES you guessed it scrapbook again .. oh what bliss, scrapbooking before breaky! LOL! Had breaky out (overlooking the beach) had a quick shop and got this cutie summer dress and top ... cool!

Gary came up with the girls (loaded up with our windsurfing gear) and we went to Golden Beach - one of our favourite places to be EVER! and went windsurfing. First time out this year ... love it, such fun. It was a bit short lived as the weather changed a bit early afternoon

... so we went down to check out friends we know who are renovating their beach house .. they happened to be there so we got the grand tour .. really totally cool. so impressed. had afternoon tea and hung with them for a couple of hours. then headed back to the beach for ice-creams and i had fun playing with my camera. did i tell you how much happiness i get from taking photos ...

well - ALOT! so took tonnes of photos ... have posted a few of my favs. I have booked in for a photography class next month so that will be helpful. I love the one of the girls with our big shadows in it ... i though that was pretty cool!

ok, i am tired ... wish i knew what emily's next challenge was! drat!

date night ...

yay for friday ... i do love fridays, i guess its the relaxed, chilled out sort of feel that the weekend coming brings. Its my fun day.

I went swimming this morning, good recovery for my body with all the running i'm doing. we have this cool swim squad and fun girls, so its a social thing that gets me there too.

I have found already, that i am so much more organised ... and it hasn't even been a full week of school yet. I think a couple of reasons :- firstly, emra makes a big mess everywhere, i spent time in her bedroom today cleaning it up, she is shocking ... just very messy, so the house is instantly cleaner as its only Gi here. Also i just have longer periods of time to do things, now Gi is older - its just so much easier.



After going to the natropath the other day, she told me i have to up my protein, so i cooked chicken drumsticks, made a vege frittata for lunch ... i tell you, i am just going like a trooper! I must be honest with you (can't remember if i've blogged about this) last year i ended up feeling very bogged down, kept getting on the edge of sickness - or getting sick. I was tired alot ... not good. I realised in Dec that i must be able to get my immunity in better shape, so made that one of my goals for this year. I went to my natropath (hadn't seen her for a while - ops) well she confirmed what i already suspected .... my bowel was not in good shape, i had bad bacteria (gross i know) so went on a detox which included eliminating SUGAR and yeast - i have the biggest sweet tooth in the world, so the first week totally KILLED me ... but i have adjusted, and i can tell you ... i am bouncing out of myself i have so much energy. She said its going to get better too ... so look out world, i am on FIRE!
Do have to share this wee story tho, i got a new juicing machine as well, its so great you just stick whole apples etc into it. When we were coming home from our adventure we went thru a town called Stanthorpe, they are the apple growers. Got this huge box of apples - got home and started juicing, but only had apples so we were having apple juice every day - on about day 4, we all (except Katya) came out in hives ... i mean HELLO! i'm trying to do the right thing ... hilarious!


ok .. if you are totally killing yourself laughing now ... i don't blame you, i do sound like a crazy person - and ok, I AM! always have been ... but i am loving this extra energy .. i am just achieving so much more - its wikid.


anyway, so that explains the frittata for lunch etc. Have just been working on my DT projects. Can't show you yet, will post a sneek peak - (wish i could show you, i love it so much)
we are going on a date night tonight.. We are doing it once a month this year (another goal) going to see the new Will Smith movie (do love Will - he rocks) so looking forward to that. will give you are review

BTW here is my word for this year - ENJOY ... i found it in this cute shop in Melbourne and loved it. its in my kitchen now, so i can see it all the time!


even better news, gary called and is picking up the girls - yahoO! more time to scrapbook ... so back to it! see ya - have an ENJOYABLE weekend!

and the special valentine is going to get ....

had so much fun doing this, have to confess - i love most colours, they all make me happy ... but this was extremely fun and it doubles as one of my DT features ..... there will be more for the DT (actually i am on overload with ideas - i guess love hearts are my favourite symbol!)

anyone keen ~ post a comment to be in the draw! I guess i better draw it by Tues 6th so if an international person wins they will have time to get it before Valentines Day. Good Luck!

BTW ... the running is going well, thanks for your support ... its going to be a big journey and having friends to help along the way is wikid! Will get the running shoes on later this arvo, just an easy one today tho! :-)

me again, its a few hours on, and i have been working on my calender for the Y2R class. I am loving it ... very fun! each thurs we get an update for the week, so thurs night i have committed to do my homework then ... so i know i will have the time. I had been waiting for my box of goodies to arrive so i could start ... so i have completed the Jan part. We had more homework tonight, just gathering photos, so i have started on that too. wanted to share these before heading to bed ... i actually want to do alot more scrapbooking, i have the creative flow at the moment, but i did go for a run tonight and its taken it out of me! i am puffed ... so i will listen to my body (for once) and go and get some beauty sleep. night all!

oh i just realised tomorrow is friday ... yay! i love fridays ....

Valentine giveaway ....

ok i'm inspired to give an extra valentine this year. Have just seen a couple of Valentine's giveaways and I feel like playing too. I will post the present later today, and all you have to do is drop by and comment to go into the draw .... such a cutie idea! I love giving gifts ....

P.S. Happy February .... hope you ENJOY it! :-)

Big day here ....

wow ... its been a big day! Emra went off to Grade 1 ... 2 down, 1 to go - LOL! She was so excited, and was totally happy to be there starting her new journey. I however, did shed a tear! I am an emotional mummy .... she's my little friend, i will be sad that she won't be around! Don't get me wrong, i am totally excited for her and know she is SO ready and will grow, learn so much! It will be a different year for me, just having Gianna at home .....

Have had a fun few days ... they seem to blur a bit sometimes! I have some photos to share. We had friends over for a bbq on sat night - i don't know if you all had one of these growing up ... but these were all the rage when i was a kid. My girls just love it, and I scored our one from mum ... so we are bring back the pineapple. Ours is a bit more colourful than when we were growing up ....

one of our friends bought his little puppy over yesterday. She is so cute, and just wanted to play with our dog - full on! Yani was so good with her, as she was seriously just jumping on yani to whole time ... was so cute! the girls loved her of course.

and of course, Emra the big school girl ... i am so proud.

For any of the Y2R girls checking in, i got my box of goodies today. Totally love the new book Heidi has put out called "Just for Looks" its really cool ... very inspirational.

Finally ... Card # 4 for emily's challenge - i have to be honest, i am in love with this .... its cute, its fun and its quick ... sometimes, time is of the essence - i know you'll know what I mean :-)

i am off to bed, i am off for a 10km run in the morning ... onwards to my goal!

playing ...

i have been playing on my tidy, super organised scrapbooking desk. I love emily's challenge for scrapbooking cards each week, and i have started it myself. so here are my first 3 weeks.

week 1 - what am i proud of?

week 2 - what is powerful to me

week 3 - i am ....

its a great challenge, as they are small so its a quick and easy to keep on top of it. I have put the front and back under each other (i'm sure you get the idea)