and a card or two!

that I did for the Scrapbook Essentials Friday night challenge, not that I did them on Friday night, but it is all good as you have till Sunday night to upload them. Just as well. I was inspired by the Hero Arts blog to do this one where the bear is only half stuck on like the one shown here

not sure if the bear works the same but it does look alright in real life. the other one is pretty simple, although it took me forever to get it together as i got the background all sorted but couldn't decide what the heck to put on the front, ended up being the original thing I stamped but just not layed out the same.

weekend was fine, mother's Day on Sunday was pretty much a non event, just a happy mothers day a poorly made card from Laura( I mean that in the nicest way possible, just I know she can do and has done so much better than the pencil drawn one she gave me)

Saturday was okay, Justin went to Auckland, Laura went to dance then Nana's as I had to be back to pick Alexander up from rugby as Grandma and Grandad had a party to go to. So it was just Alexander and I for the rest of the day. we went down to one of the empty sections around the back and played cricket for half an hour. Then I made my cards while he played on the xbox. I think he missed his sister! I know I missed her. we did have fun making sausage casserole for tea for the two of us.

Okay I have to go as they are waiting for me.

A Layout

at long last!! This is for the NZ Dares challenge. I did have several different ideas for this weeks challenge of using numbers on a page but ended up doing this one as I didn't have photos for any of my other ideas. you have to work with what you've got! It is okay, at the photos are now scrapped but it is lacking something down the bottom where the tags are.I was in such a rush to take the photo I didn't even clean up around it and you can see my rubbish! Sorry about that.

Our American night was good, I did American hot dogs and apple pie, we also had pork ribs, corn on the cob with salsa plus sour cream and of course Amelia's lovely brownie!

Isobel picked out our next nights choice and she pulled out Indian, us adults were hoping she would pull out adults night where we get to go out without the kids for dinner. So we still have that to look forward to. Of course the boys were saying that we can just cheat and order takeaway Indian but we haven't set a date so we will have to wait and see on that one.

well better go and sort tonight's tea out! Take care all. Talk to you later.

we are finally having another one of our themed night dinners this Saturday night. the country is USA, Justin wants me to do American hot dogs but I was hoping for something a little different but not sure what. for dessert I'm not sure about either as Amelia makes a lovely brownie so what does that leave me?? any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Justin and I have a date tonight, we are going for dinner and then shopping as we both need some decent winter clothes as ours are old and tatty! I am suppose to be organising where we eat and have a budget. I guess I better hurry up and make i organise it, I hate making decisions!
the kids are going to Nana's for the night who they haven't seen for a while, only 23 days until they go on their two month trip, how exciting. I so want to go! I looked up my air points the other day as I was worried when they expired turns out not until 2010 which is good as gives me more time to save and go further but bad as I want to go away. I really do want to have a whole family trip but man its just so dam expensive, but I guess we will sort something out.
I haven't done any scrap booking but have been enjoying the Hero Arts Bloghttp://heroarts.com/blogs/club/ this week where the CEO has been talking about the company itself. Makes me appreciate my Hero Arts stamps abit more which is good as although they are good quality they always seem expensive to me but as they good old Jennifer McGuire says "they are an investment"

Friday already! I ended up ringing by boss at my other job and getting an extra day off so the kids and I were able to nip away to Geraldine to stay at my Aunties and hang out with my cousin who was there visiting with her children. The weather was fantastic and it was really nice to get away. I didn't sleep well as I had Alexander next to me and I was worried that I would have to get him up to go to the toilet but he slept like a log, although logs don't grind there teeth! I tried to tell him to stop it but he was ASLEEP! He even slept in but so he should have, the night before I went to bed early as I wasn't feeling well and he stayed up with his father who was playing computer games and didn't go to bed until very late! Plus he didn't get to bed until late that night as well. My cousin, auntie and I all scrap booked while the kids watched a movie at night and of course after they went to bed. It is good having others to scrap with, there wasn't a lot of chatter but is still good to have someone that responds when you ask 'does this go alright here or would it look better here?'
I just drove off to come home and thought the tyres don't feel right so I got out to have a look as it had been fine earlier in the day and sure enough it was flat. Well actually turns out it had a nail in it! Uncle David took it off and put the spare space saver tyre on for me, he even changed it to the back for me, so we had to drive carefully home with that on. Glad it happened then and not later as I really don't know how to change a tyre but I did pay attention just in case I need too.
not exactly alot happening since we got home, the weather kinda matched the mood in our house today, gloomy with little rays of sunshine (the kids are so beautiful).
I have started working on my niece Eva's album that I am going to give her for her birthday in June. I actually made the album ages ago, gee it was last year as I was still at Mum and Dad's house. I think I painted here earlier in the year and now working on the pages. Last year I made her brother one in two or three days! Okay so they aren't similar at all but still at least I'm not rushing this one!
what is everyone else up to this weekend? Love to hear all about it.
Fiona

Let's see, its the school holidays here and I have taken the first week off. Unfortunately we are not going away as I still have to work at the other job, that's the problem when you have two jobs!!
It was a beautiful first day though and so I took the kids into the gardens to get some nice autumn shots, but don't think I did that good a job. I love the red of some trees at this time of the year but only really found a couple at the gardens. we met Justin in there for lunch as well so that was nice, the botanic gardens run a puzzle quiz where you have to go and find things in the gardens which we did one other time. they are good fun free entertainment and kept the kids busy for awhile. Funnily enough the kids weren't even to old to play on the playground, it was nice to see that Laura even helped a little kid on the flying fox, that's always a good feeling.
We also did some shopping, even though Alexander wasn't excited about it. We did have some items that we needed to get, like a new bike helmet for Laura and some new school shoes for Laura but we didn't get either of those she got some cute camo slip on shoes though and sore lots of nice clothes that she liked! Alexander got a new highlighter for school, Justin got a paper tray for his mail and well I got the groceries or as the kids said I got to spend the day with them, which I agreed was priceless!!!! I will upload some photos tomorrow when the battery has recharged. I have spent the morning looking at blogs layouts thanks to Megan but still just went with a normal fixed template. I would really love something with scrolls and nice colours but have no clue how to do it! so this will do until I change it. take care.

well another weekend has been and gone, they sure don't last long do they?

I must apologise (not that they know i have a blog) to the girls at work as they did come out to Rolleston last weekend for the house warming but forgot some vital information, like where I lived and or my phone number!!!!!

Laura didn't have dance this weekend as some competition was on, so it meant that I got to go and watch Alexander play rugby! Which alos means I took a heap of photos!!! Here are just a couple.

He played out at Glentunnel which is where my parents have a little farm and they happened to be out there this weekend so they also came and watched. His team won and he did well considering he was on for the whole game. We kept thinking they should take him off as he looked pretty tired but he was doing okay. he got tackler of the day which was pretty cool to be there for, It's very good they stay after the game and have some food provided by the home team, and his team even have dress tops to put on after the game, its so cool!! Well I think so.

Our House Warming

party was on the weekend and it went okay, the house looked fantastically tidy, all those that physical replied they were coming showed up, a few that said they were didn't. Mainly the girls from work but I kinda figured they wouldn't show. the weather wasn't that great but it didn't really rain either so I guess that was good. We had far to much food and booze so I now have a well stocked liquor cabinet. Most people brought their own to drink and the other halves were the drivers. we will also be eating sausages for the next month or two! Alot also seemed to leave early but that happens when you have kids with you but we had a few that stayed late which was really nice. I didn't have anything to drink until later in the evening and I was still a useless host as I forgot to take photos and get everyone to sign my guest book. (much to Justin's relief as he thinks it dumb) I did manage to get about four people (the ones that stayed late) to sign it but still out of 25 or so that is pretty pathetic. Most of the kids seem to have a good time, some of them I did have to talk to as they were running around inside with no respect for the house, and no it wasn't the boys!
I had Sunday off work as Laura was suppose to have a dance day on but it was postponed, which I was a little annoyed at but good to have a extra day at home with the family. we did a cooked breakfast with some leftovers and Laura made waffles for everyone, as my Mum and Dad had stayed the night and we invited the Browns (neighbours) who we also had here for tea for more leftovers! Other than that we didn't really do alot.
Alexander also had his first game of rugby on Saturday and I didn't get to see it as I have to take Laura to dance in town at the same time! I was abit disappointed and Justin refused to take photos as he wanted to watch the game not take photos! I did manage to see him at practise for the first time on Thursday night and he was oh so cute and he seem to get into and do well! He did well at the game on Saturday both Dad and Grandad went and watched as it was in Rolleston against another Rolleston team and his team won so that was good. They have different tops to wear when they go into the club rooms after each game as they had to take a plate of food when it is a home game to share with everyone. cool aye?
Okay that is all for now. Hope everyone is else is fine.