Reality Scrap Qualifing Challenge

Well here it is, my layout. Wow finally finished a layout. It is quite simple but I am happy with it. 8x12 size photo, what was I thinking.

School is almost here

WOW where did the holidays go, another school year and it is only Jamie going back. I have wrestled with this for some time now as my friends talk about there kids starting their first day of high school. This is a big step and I remember when Matthew and Charlene had done this. But this year it is different, Jamie should be starting high school this year, grade 8. A very big milestone and one he does not get to achieve. It is quite hard to get my head around and I always have difficulty with this sort of thing but this time it has hit me harder.
The good thing is Jamie is excited to go back to school and he knows he will not have Mrs Brown this year. I thought this might be an issue since he has had her for 2 years in a row and became very attached to her. Hopefully tomorrow will be a great day for him, not sure how I will cope but I am sure I will, I always do...

Good luck to everyone's kids that might be starting year one and especially to Mason, Lara and Christopher who starts prep this year....

Sorry I know I did say the next time I make a post I would upload my layout for Reality Scrap Qualifing Challenge. It is complete and just deciding if I should sew on it since I have a little extra time...

New Beginning

Well I got out of bed this morning and thought enough is enough, I am going to get some organisation back into my life. So I was up early and started the housework and put on a few loads of washing, cleaned up my scrap room and pulled out a photo of me and sat down and looked at it for quite sometime. I walked away did more housework and more washing had a coffee and back to my room. Sat there and pulled out some papers that I was previously working on for something else. WOW getting started and it feels good, its not easy but at least its good.

So NO more dwelling on things or having self doubt, the household seems to at least be normal. Andrew and I had a good talk to Matthew and hopefully something has sunk in and we can get back to our pleasant little household.

Andrew and I are good, more than good, we have had a few good talks and he is starting to understand why I have been feeling this way. Yesterday he put on this song on the stereo and said just listen to this and always remember I am here for you. It was one of my favourite songs and it definitely had plenty of meaning he said you have always been there for him and when he listens to this it reminds him of how I helped him out many years ago and now it is his turn. Bernard Fanning "WATCH OVER ME". I sat there with tears in my eyes and thought yes sometimes you do need people to help you through it and that is alright you don't have to do it alone!

So thankyou everyone for your emails and comments, I appreciate everything. Now it is time to get back to scrapping, I want to make sure I am a definite competitor for this reality scrap. It will definitely bring me motivation and you know I just loved to be challenged. SO next time I post on here I will definitely have a layout to share!!

CRAPPY CRAPPY week

Christ how do we get here, how do we let ourselves feel this way. After the other day I thought I was starting to perk myself up and all of a sudden you are back there! That little horrible place called depression, I have always been able to get myself back on top but I am starting to think otherwise. I really think I have not dealt with allot of stuff that has gone on the last 4 or 5 months and now it has come back to haunt ME... They always say you should sort it out than and there and never sleep on it, well I have done that slept on it for way too long. I kept saying I am right, I will be fine, I am a big girl get over it! But now I need to reach out and find myself, need to get myself back up, I need my life BACK!!!!

Reality Scrap has started this week, its the qualifying challenge. Of all weeks it had to start, I have had no MOJO for weeks but NOW I have nothing! I have nothing to give to my scrapping, I cant even walk in that room. Its a layout about ME, someone I just don't want to be right now so how can I scrap this!!!

A Better Day

The last couple of weeks have just appeared to get on top of me and I have been down in the dumps. I cant believe how we get here sometimes but it happens and the best medicine is getting together with your FRIENDS....
So today I dragged myself out of bed and met up with a bunch of girls that I would call my closest and dearest friends and each and every one of them give me something not of value but of something more significant there support and FRIENDSHIP that just brightened my day. Yes you know who you are and I thank you for making me get out of my house and getting to class and to have plenty of laughs, much needed hugs and even have a shoulder to cry on. Oh and we even managed to scrap. I thank you so much, you really don't know how this meant to me TODAY.
I was at my lowest that I have been in awhile and you all just made me feel so much better. You definitely have some words of wisdom and I appreciate everything you say and the advice you give. I have had some issues with lack of confidence in myself, you didn't know but our conversation today made me feel that I am somebody and what you said was just I need to hear. I wonder sometimes how is it that people say the right thing at the time that we need to hear the most....To you all you know who you are and what you did in every different way to make me feel so much better about myself... Thank you...

I definitely am thank-ful for Scrapbooking because with out this I would have never met these ladies, I have know them between 1 to 2 1/2 years and they are just as important or more than the ones I have know for 20.. Thank you ALL so much..

Most importantly this afternoon I didn't have to have my arms wide open, he had them open to me and a cuddle with a whisper in my ear SORRY... those of you who know will understand...LOL

And to top off the day too, I got to meet the lovely SARA. She was more lovely than I had imagined, I could tell the moment she spoke what sort of lady she was. She even had her 3 little munchkins with her and she is lucky that she is able to shop while they play... Glad to finally meet you in person!!!

I also got this SMS today from 2 close friends (do you believe 2 people would send the same message) and I wanted to share with you all also.

There are twenty or more angels in the world.
Ten are peacefully sleeping on the clouds.
Nine are playing.
And one is reading her text at the moment.

Thanks for a great DAY xxxx

Goodness me I really did say THANK YOU plenty of times didn't I...LOL

Stink'in Weather

I cant believe how the weather has changed so much lately, from the rain, the cool days to stinkin HOT! It definitely is starting to feel like SUMMER. We really haven't had that many real summer days and now it is making up for it.
I hate how hot it is and I know by the way Jamie gets that it is HOT! Because of his heart condition he sweats at the best of times. But when we get this sort of heat his poor little head is dripping of sweat, all around his ears and forhead. He does get blue around his mouth and I know his heart is working overtime. I really have to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't get de-hydrated. Lucky for me he likes water and this is a must, but than you have to becareful that it doesn't go to his lungs. To Jamie he thinks nothing is wrong and it is business as usual but to us MOTHERS it is panic time as his little heart should not have to work this hard...

Well NO scrapping again for ME it is too darn hot to concentrate!

University Acceptance

Congratulations to Charlene on getting accepted into UNI this year.....

As most of you know she deferred from Forensic Science last year at UNI after realising that the subject was just not her. She did state I think "BORING" was her words...

So she applied for Special Education Teaching at Mt Gravatt Campus as her first preference and got accepted. I am very happy for her as you all would know that this is very close to both our hearts.

She had been getting nervous the last few days and been saying to me "what if I don't get in" "than what am I going to do?" She just had no confidence and I just knew she would get in. I knew this was more her sort of thing, she is brilliant with Jamie and someone extrordionary is suitable for this kind of work....

So good luck to her and hope that she accomplishes everything she sets out to do

Happy Birthday Jamie

My gorgeous little boy turned 13 today so yes he is no longer my baby boy. We had a big day yesterday so we just took it easy today and Jamie spent the day at home playing with his new toys and watching his new DVD's.
We had KFC for dinner and I made him a Cadbury Mud Cake, his favourite. We went outside earlier to have a look through his new telescope but there is NO moon or stars even out tonight. Just clouds, I took a few photos. One was for Trini's 2 Day Wonder Photography challenge which was to take a photo of something with only the sky as the background. I layed on the concrete and took photos of Jamie looking through his telescope, I think everyone thought I was mad.... LOL




This is a photo of the birthday cake we made, just something small since he had one yesterday but I wanted him to have one on his birthday as well.... So HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY Birthday Jamie LOVE you Heaps MUMXXX

It's A Pirate Party

OMG I am so exhausted, it has been a long day preparing for Jamie's Pirate Birthday Party today. It was full of fun with a pinata, treasure hunt, pass the parcel and of course swimming in the pool. I did make the birthday cake and decorate it, and was very pleased with how it all turned out. Andrew and Stephen dressed Jamie up and he looked like the coolest little pirate. It was good to have a few of Jamie's friends there and of course there was plenty of family. This was a special occasion as Jamie is turning 13, a teenager!! Ok so I took 152 photos of the day and will upload a few to highlight how much fun Jamie did have and that's what is important!

So Can you recognise this is the party boy!

What would a party be without presents... He got money from Uncle Al and Donna, Aunty Jacqui and Uncle Dave, Andrew's mum also gave money, you can tell Jamie is hard to buy for as they opted to take the easy option. Uncle Wayne and Aunty Rachel gave him Simpson stuff, bath products and a hat, Aunty Janice gave him a new outfit, Nikki and Daniel gave him 2 DVD's and he was so excited when he saw them. Nanny gave him a telescope so he can look up at the moon, he really wanted one of these. He will get presents from Us and Charlene tomorrow on his birthday....

Check out the earring and make up...

We even had the area decked out with balloons and streamers...

We even had a treasure hunt where the kids had to find the pirate puzzle pieces and fill the board to win a prize.

So this was all the food that was made, check out the cool pirate face biscuits in the bottom corner, Andrew's mum made these. They looked awesome! We had honey joys as gold nuggets, chocolate spiders, fairy bread, marshmallows dipped in chocolate, and of course the normal lollies, party pies, sausage rolls, Cheerios, popcorn and chips. Plenty of Junk food to get the kids hyped up to get into the pool for a swim..

And of course lots of time in the pool.


Ok and here it is the masterpiece I made, with 13 large cupcakes. I made a little treasure chest and had a PP on the bottom of a old treasure map etc. Topped it off with gold coins, gold candles and gold sprinkles. I even made a scroll and flag to sit on top of the mountain...

Sorry about all the photos but I could not just pick one or two there were heaps of photos to choose from. But it was an exhausting day and I cant remember the last time I actually put on a full on party like this. Definitely hard work but worth it when I know the kids all had so much fun...

Finally I would like to wish KATRINA a very happy birthday and hope you had a wonderful day with your family. Will catch up this week to celebrate Love Brenda xxx

Merry Christmas Lynette

I have been meaning to upload the clipboard that I sent Lynette for Christmas. As most of you would know she lost her grand-daughter late last year to a terrible car accident. Aleisha was her first grand-daughter and brought her up from birth as her own daughter. Lynette moved back to NSW early last year to be close to her, ever since Aleisha moved back to Canberra, Lynette was heartbroken and became unsettled in Queensland. So she sold her house and bought a lovely new one in Newcastle and lived there again with all 3 of her grand children. Her home was full of laughter and love again. So I know how much ALEISHA meant to Lynette's life so I made this clipboard as a momento of there love.... MY Little IRISH GIRL was her special nickname from Grand mother to Grand daughter... Glad you loved it Lynette....Love Brenda




















We thought of you with love today.
But that is nothing new.
We thought about you yesterday.
And days before that too.

We think of you in silence.
We often speak you name.
Now all we have is memories.
And you picture in a frame.

Your memory is our keepsake.
With which we'll never part.
God has you in his keeping.
We have you in our heart.

Sad NEWS

Well you know I just love reading BLOGS and one that got me all hooked on to them in the first place was ERICA's. I love her blog and the realness I get from her, her work inspires ME and she amazes ME with 6 beautiful children how she copes with her life and scrapbooking everyday. But today I read that she is taking a break from the Scrapbooking Industry and stepping back to spend time with her family. She is definitely going to be missed, but understand that family does come first and a big one like hers, I am sure everyone would understand perfectly!
I do hope we will still see her work in the magazines, and hope she will still have time to scrap for herself without the deadlines and commitments...

I've Been Tagged

Ok I have been tagged and finally got round to posting.
Thanks Michelle...

A - Available/Single? Married
B - Best Friend? Nikki
C - Cake or Pie? Cake
D - Drink Of Choice? Coke Zero
E - Essential Item You Use Everyday? Toothbrush, computer LOL
F - Favorite Colour? Pink
G - Gummy Bears Or Worms? Worms
H - Home or Homesick? Home
I - Indulgence? Massage
J - January Or February? February - life tends to settle into more of a routine.
K - Kids & Their Names? Charlene(18), Matthew(16),Jamie(13) on monday.
L - Life Is Incomplete Without? Andrew, the kids,
M - Marriage date? 17 April 2004.
N - Number Of Siblings? 4 - a sister Janice and 3 brothers Wayne Tony & Marlin
O - Oranges Or Apples? Apples - especially in Apple Crumble
P - Phobias/Fears? Spiders
Q - Favorite Quote: Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye.
R - Real Hair Color? Brown with plenty of grey...
S - Season? Spring
T - Tag 3 or 4 people? OMG everyone has already been tagged by this...
U - Unknown Fact About Me? I only wear Colorado Shoes..
V - Vegetable you don’t like? Brussel Sprouts
W - Worst Habit? Bite my fingernails.
X - X-rays You’ve Had? teeth
Y - Your Favorite Food? Seafood, strawberries and cream. Turikish Delight
Z - Zodiac Sign? Taurus

Wow ok this will do...

Seeing in the NEW YEAR

Wow what an awesome night! We had such a good time. The hotel was just beautiful we had the honeymoon suite which was there best room in the hotel. It had the biggest bed, a large enclosed in balcony, the biggest bathroom and an awesome SPA. It was at the WATERMARK hotel right in Surfers just in front of the Q1 tower, this was the only downfall for the hotel. The Q1 building was built across the road from the Watermark, you still get a view of the beach etc but would be better if it wasn't there!



The bathroom was awesome and had the biggest spa in it, it had stairs that led up to the spa and it was right against the window of the bathroom so you could look out to the view. Had to have the blinds closed during the day as you would be able to see right into the window from the other hotel rooms, I noticed many people had binoculars..... But at night we turned out all the lights and opened up the blinds and sat there with the music playing in the back ground and looking at the great view, this was so cool. Yep that is right check out the photos, there was even a TV, stereo, DVD etc in a cabinet behind the glass wall...




The bed was huge as well and so comfortable and you had a pillow selection that you could ring and order a pillow that you needed. Was going to order a boomerang one cause I cant sleep without mine but the pillows on the bed were good enough. But at 1 am in the morning Andrew wanted to ring up and order a pillow just to get them to get us one LOL....
We had champagne on arrival, which we never drank, not into wine. We went for a walk into Surfers and had lunch at the Coffee Club. Walked around than went back to our room and had a SPA... we went down to the Club Room for free drinks and Canapes, before dinner. Than went back to our rooms and got changed to go for a walk on the beach, sat on the beach and had a few drinks and watched the fireworks. OMG it was completely different from what we were use to... Me and Andrew were sitting on the beach and he said exactly what I was thinking "this is different".... any other year we would just be at home either in bed before 12 or wait until 12 than go to bed.... boring hey.... but this year was awesome!





This photo is actually taken on the beach and you can see the blue light WATERMARK in the distance and this was our hotel.
We went back to our room and watched the midnight fireworks from there. We could see everything going on in the streets from our balcony. There were people everywhere it was loud you could see all the parties on other hotel balcony's. People were throwing rolls of toilet paper out there windows and it was flying in the air. But the good thing was once we shut our balcony door the noise was gone, we watched a bit of TV drank a bit more, yes that is right I was drinking. I was drunk mind you and I never get in this state, but why not we were here to party Andrew said...


Not the best photos of the fireworks, most of them looked like they were possessed or aliens....
Definitely had a great new year and can only hope it is going to get better for US from this night on. This was an awesome Christmas Present from Charlene and Stephen and glad we were able to share this with them, they had a room at the other end of the floor we were on. Thanks to POP too for looking after Jamie and Tonka....