Oh my goodness I have a layout to show!

I have been very selfish and not shown my layouts so far this year. And do you know what, I am enjoying scrapping for me and not feeling like they have to look a certain way. But I have just completed a layout that I am happy to show. I love the colours and the story…and another amazing thing it is using ‘older’ Christmas photos.

It is pretty simple, and I am enjoying being more simple and just getting the photos scrapped and the stories written! I am also enjoying using up my stash that has been sitting around for AGES. It feels good to finish packets of embellishments and cut into new/old paper.

And now for a rundown of the past week for my 365.

Monday: Still no photo for Monday yet. I tried to get a photo of T in his running gear tonight bit he got really upset with me! He wanted me to delete the photo. Steve said maybe we could come to an agreement, if he ran a certain time then I would delete the photo. Well, I can’t say I was all that happy with the agreement, I WANT a photo of him in his running gear. Anyway, he went for his run, and he was determined to do it, but it was cold and miserable. As he came down the back we could see he was trying so hard. Steve ran to meet him and as the 2 of them ran down the final straight I could see he wasn’t all that happy, he had tears and was very upset. So I deleted those photos, he had tried very hard. But I will get a photo before the week is out.

Tuesday was wet and horrible so we went to the movies. I thought we might go to Hotel for Dogs, but we ended up seeing The Tale of Desperaux. I loved the movie and so did the kids. A small mouse makes a big difference and saves a rat, a girl and her Dad and a princess.

Wednesday Adele, the twins and Aidan came over in the morning. I decided to make something and Tobyn requested mudcake brownies, mmm. The recipe showed using a heart shape cookie cutter and sprinkling icing sugar. Well I don’t have a heart shape cookie cutter, so I used a scallop and in my stampinúp! supplies I have a scallop circle punch and look what I did…

And my day 25 photo

The finished product, oh they did taste good!

Today, Thursday, day 26 has been funny. And I don’t mean funny haha, I mean funny weird. We were supposed to go to the beach today, but it was deffinately not beach weather. So it kind of threw me, I didn’t know what to do. I slobbed around until about 11am and then played with the kids a bit, organised french toast for lunch, which Isaac didn’t like! And when Isaac was in bed Tobyn played Kingdom of Hearts in the playstation, while I made cards, folded newsletters and stuffed and addressed envelopes, it took me about 4 hours to get it all done! It is good to have it done, but I feel like the day was not good enough.

Todays photo is of the TV screen showing Tobyn’s game. He has had this game for over a year and is on the final leg. He is so excited and wants to finish, but he doesn’t get to go on there often enough for his liking, LOL.

So the day is ending with me updating here and feeling tired. Tomorrow is a new day, Dr’s appointments and crafting with kids in the afternoon. It should be a good day.

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Water, water everywhere

Last week was a week full of water for us. Tobyn had swimming lessons 4 days and that meant leisure swimming for us all after the lessons. Tobyn did really well and today was his last lesson and I saw a huge improvement. He actually got the breathing, putting his head onto his shoulder as he took a breath, plus the kicking was faster and keep his body afloat better. So the photos last week are lots of water ones.

Wednesday, Tobyn’s swimming instructor was sick so we went to the cousins and had a run under the sprinkler. I even got down and had fun. The boys thought it would be fun to throw a ball and keep it away from Aunty/Mum, yes well I sure got a bit of a work out. Isaac didn’t get too involved until the sprinkler changed to the hose and he had control. He loved squirting his brother and cousins.

I forgot to take a photo on Thursday so my photo is from Friday but could have been most days last week. Tobyn in his swimming lesson. I felt pretty awful most of the day and thought I was going to have to cancel my StampinÚp workshop, but I got through it.

On Friday, Tobyndid so well with his lessons I said he could have a go in the big ball. He looked a bit like a hamster in a wheel. He was the 1st one of the day so lots of people were watching. He said he was embarrassed but he covered that up well. He also jumped off the diving board, which you wouldn’t see me doing!

 

Friday Steve and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary. We weren’t planning anything but I did surprise him and had organised to take him out for dinner. We went to a place I had been told was very nice, so my expectations were pretty high. Well it was nice but not fantastic. When we arrived we were ushered to our table and were surrounded by tables full of children. Now of course I have children so I don’t have anything against taking children out to nice restaurants, but I would have thought the establishment would have thought a bit more about where they place there tables of 2! It took them about 2 mins to come and take our order for drinks and then another 20minsbefore we even got a menu. Fortunately once we ordered our very pricey meal it came out pretty quickly. The food itself was very nice and worth every cent. So a nice evening but would have been nice somewhere a little quieter and more imtimate.

This is the card I made for him…

Unfortunately I can’t take claim for the artistic style of this card. I got the ideas from 2 different card makers…KWerner and Dawn.

Saturday was spent cleaning…I was down on hands and knees scrubbing floors, washing down cupboard doors, cleaning bathrooms and toilets. Ah but the bliss seeing them sparkling clean at the end, lovely.

I sent Steve out with the boys to get the groceries. I figured he should find out what it silike to go shopping with 2 demanding boys, LOL. I have just started somehting new with T at the supermarket. He gets $10 to spend on extras i.e. chips, biscuits, snacks etc. Whatever he gets has to last for 2 weeks. It is good because he has to think about it, he has to work out specials and use math skills to get the right amount. But it does then mean we have to let Isaac have a choice too. Well Steve let Isaac get a HUGE cookie, LOL. No isn’t that a big cookie for a little boy?

On Saturday evening we had Steve’s Aunt and Uncle from England join us for dinner. We haven’t seen them since Jan 2005, so it was nice to see them again. The last time we saw them was under less than happy circumstances, it was at Steve’s grandma’s funeral. The boys were funny to start off with. Isaac gave Sue ‘the look’whenshe arrived, like ‘don”t mess with me lady, this is my house’ by the end of the evening he was sitting on her lap. Rick and Sue were on their way down the Island and were going to Paraparaumu to stay with Steve’s parents.

On Sunday we went to Paraparaumu to have a day with all the family. A lovely sunny day and I got some awesome photos! But this days photo is of everyone (excluding me) at the dinner table.

Steve’s Mum and Dad live on a large property with lots of pine trees. Isaac went pinecone hunting with Steve and came back with his arms full of pine cones. As he went up to stash his pinecones Sue came out of the house and Isaac said to her ‘these are not yours, they are mine.’ And he gave her ‘the look’ again. Too cute.

 

A couple of my favourites photos not included in the 365.

Cousin Adam.

Cousin Hannah

Adam and Hannah

I was thrilled with the light I had when I got these photos!

OK, enough for today. Plus I forgot to get a photo today, LOL. I think I will take a photo of the athletic gear I got for Tobyn today. I got him some swimming gear plus running stuff, he really looks the part for all the activity he is planning on this year. In fact he wore his new running gear for his run tonight and he cut 20 seconds off his run, woohoo, go T.

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Back to Day 17

So yesterdays photo

So any guesses as to what this is?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a kids toilet seat!

Now I know what a strange picture for day 17. But It is about the every day stuff and today was a whole lot of toilet visiting!!! Probably TMI so you can stop reading now if you like! Isaac has successfully learnt to go wees on the potty but #2’s are another story all together! Rather than use the toilet he will hold on for days! Yesterday he HAD to go but he was still resisting, so I visited the potty with him far more times that I would like to have to! It got there in the end, but that is the highlight of my day yesterday, LOL. The joys are having a child in the midst of toilet training!

Today I asked him if he needed to go to the toilet and he said “No I don’t need to go, I already told you I don’t!”This 3 year old can talk far too well sometimes, LOL.

Today’s photo is going to be a little cleaner than that one!

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A big day today

So before I show yesterdays photo of the day I wanted to record here for time in memorium a big event. Today New Zeland time, Barack Obama is inaugurated. I know there are a lot of people that hold high hopes with this man and I am sure he will be a wonderful leader. I think one of the most amazing things for me is that this man is proof that things change. Within my parents lifetime millions of people would never have thought that an african american would EVER be president. And I am sure that there are still thousands, millions even that still don’t want it. I will watch with eager anticipation over the next few months/years to see how America will change/improve. Isaac is a little American and he could choose to live and work in America in the future. And in 20 years time it might be a good thing?

 

Anyway back to the scheduled program. My photo for yesterday, Tuesday 20th. An interesting photo…

Actually scratch that, I will be back later I still have to download the photo, LOL.

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VERY TIRED

Yes that describes how all 4 of us feel today! Because of this

At 1.30am the security alarm went. All 4 of us jumped out of our beds, met in the hallway with our hearts just about jumping out of our chests! It took a few minutes for us to realise what it was, I was thinking fire alarm initially.Then the boys didn’t want to go to their own beds. Tobyn jumped in with Isaac for a while but eventually went back to his own bed. Isaac took another hour to go back to sleep. He wanted his music on, a drink, a cuddle, you name it he wanted it. Then this morning while I was hanging out the washing it went off again. This time because Steve tried to open the wireless sensor, which he then found had a tamper seal. Today was a holiday here so we have to wait until tomorrow to contact the alarm people and find out how we change the battery in the sensor. Lets hope that it doesn’t go off tonight!!!!!!!

And that is also my photo for today Day 16

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WARNING…lots of photos

Wow, where did that week go? I had kids craft classes here 4 afternoons and it was fun! I got them doing scrapbooking, cards and OTP’s and they all enjoyed it!  It did meanI was busy preparing around it as well as running them. Tobyn is pleased that there are not any more these holidays! Tobyn participated in them all and produced too great layouts and an awesome thumb print elephant card, which unfortunately I didn’t get a photo of and he has already given it away. He ensures me he will make some more, it was so cute! Here is A with her cards

OK so I need to do a run down of the rest of the week for my 365…

Wednesday – Fun kids classes running

 

Thursday – A came for the whole day because her Dad was having an op and her Mum had to work. So I got her and Tobyn to plan our dinner and then we went shopping for the ingredients we needed. Their menu consisted of – Freshly squeezed strawberry, Orange and Pineapple Juice, Pasta a la Carbonara and Chocolate brownie muffins with cream. They worked together and came up with the menu and then most of the work putting it together was done by A and me *sigh* and that is where the photo for Thursday comes in, I forgot to take a photo until everyone was in bed and then I saw the mess I had to clean up *argh* In the kids class they made placemats and door hangers. I must take photos of my boys ones!

Friday – This was the quietest day in regards to the classes. One of the most fantastic things was that my 11 year old nephew came to the Thursday class and made an awesome rocket shaped door hanger. Well he rang me at 8pm that evening and wanted to come back on Fridayand do a scrapbook page. My sister does scrapbook and has done some with him before but I was thrilled that he wanted to come and do it with us. Well after he had finished and Isaac had woken up S actually played with him. When we came back from the States and Isaac was just a few months old S didn’t want him anywhere near him. But now that Isaac is older and doesn’t dribble and there is no chance of any horrible leaking accidents, AND he can talk, S is beginning to play with him more and it is gorgeous and wonderful and sweet.

Friday afternoon we also went and helped celebrate my friends little girls 1st b’day. It was fun shopping for a girl for once!

The weekend has been mostly wet. Saturday morning we went in to town, had a yummy lunch at the library cafe, bought some DVD’s with the voucher my bro gave us, Tobyn spent the money he got for helping Steve move the mountain if mulch, I tried to find some new sandels but can’t find anything I like or suits my feet and got some books at the library. We had nachos for dinner with fresh homemade guacamole, mmmm! As I was looking at Isaac across the table I thought the light was great, I got Steve to hold up a white shirt and shot some photos in RAW and I love the effect. I must look up RAW settings and see why they are different.

 The scratch on Isaac nose is from falling face first out the door of the bouncy castle at the party. A miss timed bounce by big brother made Isaac momentatily fly.

And today, it rained ALL day. I went in to The Warehouse and got some more black bookcases. So have been putting them together. Other than that very lazy, editing photos and generally fluffing around. Steve however has been hard at work. He went out between the showers and finished boxing the vege garden…

And Tobyn started cleaning his room out…it is scary how much he had stuffed away!

And I found him hiding behind the wardrobe door playing his DS, LOL

And for todays photo

Isaac watching the bread being made, so cute.

OK chatting with my Aunty in OZ on facebook, so off for now.

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Digi scrapping, sewing and baking – Day 10

Lovely aromatic smells emanated from our kitchen this morning! Not from me but from Tobyn. On Sunday he went through his cookbook and decided he wanted to make melting moments. We couldn’t do it on Sunday nor Monday so today it was, but it had to be done this morning because I had a kids scrapbooking class this afternoon.Well he started without me and did most of it himself! He did so well! Though he got to the cornflour part and said I don’t have enough for 1/2 cup let alone 1 cup and he desolved into tears “I have ruined it, I am useless” Oh dear he is good at beating himself! Well here I have a question for my blog readers that have older children…how old were they when you let them go down to the shop on their own? Well I have been resisting though thinking I should do it some time soon. So this morning I let him, I was still in my PJ’s and wasn’t planning on going anywhere, I had a tonne of things to do. He was thrilled that I was giving him this responsibility, and he did fantastically and came back unscathed! With the right amount of cornflour he continued and this is what the kitchen bench looked like

and look at the face, you can tell he was enjoying himself!

And of course he was the first one to try his fare.

But there is more to this story, I was caught out in my PJ’s cleaning the bottoms of our kitchen stools! Yes, I clean in my pj’s, especially in the school holidays. Well I thought my friend and her mum were coming to help me with my fist go at quilting on Thursday morning but I got it wrong it was TUESDAY morning, doh. Caught out well and good. I had to rush out and have a shower and make myself respectable LOL. And then I had my first lesson. Oh dear, don’t tell Steve but this could be another craft I am going to enjoy! While Susan, the Mum, was quiding me, Larissa the 15 year old helped Tobyn ice his melting moments and give Isaac his first sewing lesson!

Isaac wanted to “make a bag like Mummy”

And on the theme of trying new things, last night I had a go at digi scrapping. This is not going to become a common thing and certainly not going to replace paper scrapping, but it was fun and it taught me a lot about photoshop that I have struggled to learn for the past year of having it.

Thanks to Kelly for pointing me in the direction of the video tutorials on 2peas.

And last but not least my week one layout for my 365 project. The colour is a bit washed out it is a lovely aqua blue background.

Thanks for visiting, sorry this was quite a long post tonight.

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Oops, a couple of days behind…week 2 day 8 & 9

OK, so my first week went well and then I got behine again…hope that doesn’t happen too often. But I am realistic and know it will from time to time.

I already gave a rundown of Sunday pretty much. But a couple of other things, Steve put up the clock Mum gave home for Christmas and it looks really cool. It is a lovely clock, it has a painted picture of a pohutakawa tree and the pop of red looks awesome against our blue and brown olour scheme.
Steve also made this

He got a pizza stone from my sister and I have to say, this is wonderful! We love homemade pizza and this just made it so much better than we have ever had it before!

Monday, day 9. The morning was spent shopping for the things I need for the kids craft classes I am doing this week and then we went to my sisters. Tobyn spent most of the time in his cousins room, either on the computer or Sheridans new PSP. They did come out for a bite to eat and then to play ABBA singstar. Tobyn gave his Aunty a really good run for her money, in fact he beat her every time…yeah that’s my boy!

My photo for today is of Isaac the chipmunk.

Ever since Isaac was very small he has stuffed food into the sides of his cheeks. To start off with it was because he didn’t know what to do with it, now it is because he doesn’t want to eat that particular thing. He especially does it with meats, but tonight it was the carrot. I think he looks pretty darn cute.

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Game Nights begin

We are instigating afew monthly things here in the Gregory house for 2009. First off game night. The boys will each get to choose a game to play with Mum and Dad. Tonight Isaac chose Hairy Mcclary. But all he wanted to do was move scarface claw, whcih you could only move if you landed on a certain spot. It was fun and Isaac won!!! After he went to bed Tobyn chose to play ‘Harry Potter Uno’ A good choice, even if Steve was mean to me! Tobyn did really well and won…maybe benefitting from Mum and Dad ouot to get each other? And the DAY 7 photo, Steve with his mean game face on!

The rest of the weekend has been wet. A bit if time has been spent reorganising cupboards…Steve has done a great job! The lovely clock Steve got from my Mum was put up on the wall. Tobyn has been for a run, a bike ride and a swim this weekend, he is doing really well. Isaac feels like he is missing out, LOL. And I have done 2 single scrap pages and my 1st doubles for my 365 album. When I initially started the project I thought I would just take the photos and record some journalling on my blog. But then I started to read other things online and thoguht why not actually make an album, it will be great to look back on in the future. So I am doing simple double layouts in blocks with journalling. I will take a photo of my 1st one tomorrow, I am very pleased with how it is turning out. It is going to be a wonderful album, let’s just hope I can keep the momentum up.

My day 8 photo will be posted tomorrow. But let me just tell you it is a YUMMY photo.

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Oh MY Goodness.

My Mum just commented on my blog…go MUM That is so cool!

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