Sad Times...

Our puppies haven't been doing well - we lost the first girl yesterday afternoon (the one pictured below) a boy died around 9.30 last night (only to be put with Honey in the dog room, and when I came in with the mother from toileting, I heard peeping, and he was back!), and then passed again at around midnite...then not long after T'Keyah and I went home at 1amish - the little boy (last born) died - so we're left with three girls - two really strong ones, and one wee one that isn't as strong - infact I'm surprised she survived this morning - Jessie felt like she'd retained a pup (either one that died long ago and had calcified or a recent death) so we took her to the vets last night - we gave her three doses of oxytocin (me being the lucky candidate to give her two!! - real live injections intramusculary are soooo different than practicing on oranges in your nursing degree! But I pulled it off and did it right, phew!) she never passed the pup over night, and went to the vets this morning to have an xray (which showed no pup, but possibly the calcifed type) and then a c-section to remove it - turns out she actually had an introverted uterus - so that was corrected and she has recovered pretty well.

A friend of mums had a bitch that has 6 week old pups and still in milk, so she was a surrogate for the babies while Jessie was at the vet - the wee girl was fading fast, and we gave her some puppy formula, and she's actually responded to it really well. Heaps more lively and not as dehydrated as she was - I actually have a little more hope for her now, but I guess the true test will be to see if she survives tonight. So heartbreaking.

But, check out this ratbag - Molly loves the playstation, and we have fluffy games like wallace and gromit, the simpsons and ice age - this is our playstation queen playing the simpsons (she was actually watching the bonus videos and cracking up at them!!)

The 12 Days Challenge

is D.O.N.E. - and now I feel lost!

A double for the last day - this one you had to have 12 on the page somehow, so I did 12 photos -LOL. I actually couldn't get over how much Molly was into the presents this year - she didn't go searching, but if she saw a pressie or was given one - it was all hers!! (I've positioned this side by side, will be interesting to see how they sit after I hit publish!)

I've kind of got used to doing challenges, it's great motivation, though I will never be Kelly, she is truely the challenge queen and I'm in awe of the amount of pages that girl can do in a sitting! Janine had such a great response to this challenge, Heidi, Donna, Michelle, Kelly, Beverley & Mandy have all completed the challenge, and check out their work - it's all stunning!!

T'Keyah is baking scones (she assures me she'll clean the mess up - yeah right!!) and Molly is trashing the lounge and watching Monsters Inc - I so wish she'd watch Over the Hedge or Ice Age 2 - least I haven't seen those ones thousands of times!

edited to say that they don't stay side by side :o(

We have babies...

the furry kind, and they are so cute!!

This is baby girl #3 or Honey as she's been nicknamed - why honey? Well her mother got a little over-caring with the cord and tore it close to the skin, so I had to apply pressure to stop the bleeding and we put a little honey on it (magical healing properties in honey!) hehe, unfortunately though, after all the pups were born and put back in with Jessie, she discovered this pup with honey on her tum, and licked it off causing more bleeding! But all is good now, mother and six babes sleeping peacefully - we had two boys and 4 girls! First boy was born this morning at 4.30am, and the last boy at 10.00am this morning! So yes, my eyes are about hanging out and I'm probably going to get grumpy later on, but heck, baby pups are so worth it!!

Also mangaged to do another 12 days layout - so just one to go - which will be done tomorrow - last nights isn't flash, but I was tired, had no computer and really struggled to get "into it"!! (I really hate when that happens)

Oh and my pooch has re-joined the family after his bout of what we suspect was food poisoning - cat food. Cat ate maybe 1/4 and left it (must have tasted off, cos she likes he food!), dog walks past and thinks he's in heaven - scoffs the rest - cat was sick twice and seemed ok (don't know about her other end tho') but poor dog has been pooping liquid since Christmas Eve! He came right yesterday, and I bathed him as soon as I got home, he's loving being back with the family - poor bugger!

Well, Christmas came & went...

and there were NO family fights! That has to be a first - maybe because we didn't spend much time at my mums! Every year, either my brother, or my SIL, has started an arguement with me - it's unbelievable!! One year my brother told me I was a lousy parent, and had done a shocking job of raising T'Keyah, who was two and a half at the time. She had a slight toddler meltdown, nothing major - and that's when he gave me that snippet of information - twat. Ha, he ate those words though - (he'd also told me that T'K's behaviour was because of my slack raising of her, and that his child, who at the time was 5 weeks old, would *NEVER* behave like that - really, really stupid words to utter, considering his children's behaviours are 10 times worse than my kids!). Every year since, either one of his kids has had a major fit right on meal time, and I just smile to myself. You know, for a lawyer and a doctor, they can be pretty dense!

Anyways, Christmas is done and dusted for another year - too much stress and fuss for my liking sometimes, but on a plus, my Dad and stepmother loved their frame of things from their place in Karitane (oh, and the ride out there, all alone........BLISS!). Girls both got spoiled, and had a great day. I've done another challenge, two to go, three days left - I'm sure I can pull it off.

Another challenge

I scrapped yesterday, and it felt good!!! It's been a while...I got the last CJ delivered yesterday and I did my bit in the afternoon - it's a local journal, so I'll drop it off this afternoon seeing as I'm going past her place to go out to Karitane - Dad & my stepmother have a crib/bach out there, and I'm going out to take pictures (hopefully alone!! T'K is off to her Dad's and Craig told me to drop Molly off - I seriously can't wait to be alone in MY car with the CD player - oh the choices!! HEHE) and then getting them framed - prolly about nine shots of things about the property - the fence (dad made this cool as gate!) letter box, trees etc - not snap shots, but more arty type shots - hopefully it'll look good!

So this is my page for the 10th day - Christmas day entertainment...just three more to complete!! I went out to Mum's yesterday to help her make the christmas pudding and by the time I actually got the girls organised and got out there, she'd already done it! So I got a picture of it in the pot - and I'll take one of it on the day too...oh, and while I was at Mums I listened to Jessie's (the dog) pregnant belly with my stethoscope - and while I heard lots of Jessie's grunting, moaning and panting, I did manage to hear a puppy heartbeat! Still beating away like a wee timebomb! The puppies heartbeats tend to slow a day or two before being born, so between Mum checking Jessie's temperature (which also drops) and me checking heartrates, we generally have a good idea when the pups will come! (though we have been caught out once!!) She's due pretty much anytime next week - and I have made Mum promise NO christmas names! LOL

Santa claus and ambulances

Not a common combination you say? No, but for Molly anything is possible! Sunday night she developed croup at 10pm, mild and not too concerning - she barked, and continued sleeping...until 1am, when she started to cry each time she barked - and then because she cried, she got more upset - to the point where she was struggling to get breath in - blardy scary - we were organising ourselves for a trip down to the hospital anyways (the after-hours clinic was closed) and then she started gasping and struggling, so I called an ambulance. That had to be the most scary thing, looking at her struggling and getting scared!! So the ambulance finally arrives, and she's a lot calmer, but they take her and Dad to get checked over (I stayed home, Molly is a daddy's girl and T'K was sleeping) and after a steriod I went to collect them at 4am. She wakes up next morning, like nothing had ever happened!! So we went on the kindy trip - I felt a little odd, but I figured that I was right there, and she doesn't really interact with the other kids while I'm there anyway!

We got the bus to Cadburys to see Santa's grotto and Santa - Molly was delighted, she adores the man in the red suit, cute picture and a gorgeous Santa - he was talking to Molly while another child was having their picture taken with the Christmas Fairy (the option for those not keen on the red man) and I whispered to him that she doesn't have language and that she's autistic - he looked at me with wide eyes and then said his son was exactly the same, and that he talked - he touched me on the shoulder as we were leaving and said to look after that girl, she's a precious one, and that she will talk! Very sweet man!! He was brilliant with the kids.

Not a lot of scrapping going on - must get the rest of Janines challenges done. I did my contribution for a circle journal and am just waiting on the last one (it's actually one I didn't manage to get done while Molly was in hospital, but it's local so I can drop it off before Christmas, and not worry about the postal service!)...I have one of Janines challenge pages on my table now, waiting for that bolt of inspiration!

two posts in one day

...three layouts in one day! And yep, more strip journalling - it's become quite the obsession lately, and the spooky thing is I don't even know I'm doing it half the time - it just happens and then I think - dang, strip journalling again!!

Day eight - all about what we do and who we see on the big day!

Day nine - all about Christmas cards, sending (or not! LOL) etc...And Miss Molly the little chubster! hehe she was so cute in her santa hat!

Still loving these challenges - I'm using so much Christmas stuff - and most of it I've had for ages and done nothing with!! What am I going to do when it's over??!

the eskimos play....

...walking in a winter wonderland! hehe, if that's even the words! Struggled to find my childhood photos over the weekend, so had to resort to this....no matter!! Still loving this challenge, might even be able to do a couple more this afternoon - catching up would be nice (though I do need to take one photo on the big day!)

Poor Molly had a bit of a rough start to kindy this morning - there is one teachers aide for the two special needs kids - they used to have their own teachers, but I guess they did a cost cutting venture, and unfortunately a lot of the time, Molly misses out because the other boy needs a LOT of one on one time/supervision. This morning he was in one of his moods and felt like hitting Molly (and destroying everything in his path) - they aren't really hard, but if Molly is in one of those 'sensitive' moods, well looking at her will bring on the tears!! Apparently she was a little tearful even after I left, and would be sitting doing something and then stop, think and then there'd be a few tears...poor baby girl! Though when I picked her up, she was doing puzzles and was as happy as a clam! She's now in T'K's room playing Elmo on the computer - great wee game I picked up for next to nothing and it's all about numbers and letters! She is such a visual learner. Ella (the lady that teaches Molly sign language) phoned this morning to see how we were going with the cards she dropped off last week. Because Molly is so visual, she's been 'reading', she'll point to words in books and for some words will say it (well as close to "it" as she can get) She dropped round 11 words, and I lay them out on the floor the other night and asked Molly to find me each word - no problems - she nailed it the first time. Her words this week are
Molly
Mum
Dad
dog
a
and
look
good
school
book
cat
Ella didn't seem surprised that she knew them all, and is madly preparing her some more for next Monday, plus a few extras that I can bring out each week over the holidays. I'm so proud of how clever this girl is!! With all that we struggle with, I'm really thrilled that she has this willingness to learn, and takes so much in!

Anyone know much about

Alien abduction?? I think that my eldest has been abducted and replaced with a malfunctioning clone - she's cleaning her room....and not just throwing everything into her blanket box either, serious deep down cleaning. There are outgrown clothes & rubbish bags coming out of that room!! And it's SCAREY!! Granted she is working for money....she's off shopping tomorrow with her friends from school and is trying to earn money to buy clothing and accessories for their end of year breakup/leaving dance. She just came in and said she's moving her room around - egads, that means she hasn't stuffed things under her bed either!!

Another 12 days challenge finished this morning - so I'm onto my sixth, so I'm not too behind now. Might go out to Mums either later today or tomorrow and get the Christmas pud recipe for the day 2 challenge.

Dunedin has put on another wintery day - our fire is still going! Crazy crazy weather. Though, I love scrapping on yuck days with my fire roaring - just wish I could keep the kids off the computer so I can use it more! LOL.

summer come back!!

Wednesday we basked in a glorious day...yesterday cool, overcast and then the rain came - and when I went to bed at around midnite, it was still raining - heavy, steady rain. Today like yesterday, overcast, cool - no rain, yet.

Another page done for the 12 day challenge - it's great seeing so many awesome layouts being done...I don't know about anyone else, but if it wasn't for this challenge - this stuff wouldn't be recorded - I'd do the Christmas thing, but not the depth this is going for, and I love it! Janine is awesome setting this up, and the generosity from Tamar is amazing!!

A few of you asked about the paper from the carol layout - it's by delish (www.delishdesigns.com) from the INdulge serious, seasoning appetizer...really cool paper that is done in blocks, so great for chopping up for multiple layouts or cards! It's a really gorgeous range!

another done,

only three behind (methinks!) Will go out to ma's sometime during the weekend and get the recipe for the food one - have to have to have to scrap steamed pudding - we've had money (wrapped in baking paper) poked in our pud for years! That and brandy butter (hehe, didn't have that as kids though) is just the best! mmmmm.

Did the Christmas carol one last night (and then find out TODAY that there is a kindy break up and the kids will be singing songs - hehe, not my girl though!) and have another in planning stages (ie papers cut, photos sitting waiting for the scrap fairy to come along with the inspiration LMAO!)

Managed to get one gift for Molly today - yup, that's it, really must get my skates on and get some shopping done!

woohoo

number 2 Janine challenge done! Think I need to go buy more Christmas papers though! (hehe any excuse). It's plain, simple and to the point....

Nothing else exciting going on...too tired to think!

falling behind

with Janine's challenge! After such a good start, I seem to be lagging - didn't help having shows all weekend, nor today...I'd promised myself the morning to scrap, but of course had volunteered to take Mum's car through for it's WOF - um, yeah - whole morning *poof* So I don't even feel like I've had 5 minutes to myself! My mother's hearing must be worse than I even imagined - she's worn hearing aides for years, but her car was making this hideous screeching sound because she had NO BRAKE PADS LEFT! And, she had never heard it *shakes head* Honestly, I thought that the idea of my brother and his wife & Mum living in the same blardy house would mean she'd be safe and looked out for - seems not!! Mind you, they are both so far up themselves I'm not entirely surprised, god forbid either of them would have to do anything for anyone else!! Anyway, my mother is now driving a safe car again.

Well T'Keyah is home, South Island Champs over for another year...her team came home with a silver and a bronze, not bad for 9 teams! She was home for all of thirty seconds before she started - I'm really tired of her attitude, she really doesn't get it at all...I know this is teenhood, but gravyboats, I'm sure I never raised her to be so self-centred and ignorant!!

We had the appointment with Dr Harris on Friday - she sat us down and started a brief history of Molly's health etc....we got to the nine month incident (possible stroke) and she stopped us. She asked a few questions about autistic tendencies and what did Molly do
Dr Harris - Does she flap?
Me - No
Dr H - Does she line her toys up?
Me - No
Dr H - Is she fixed on routine, has to have the same plate etc?
Me - No
Dr H - Does she stim?
Me - No
Dr H - Does she place her face close to a fence while walking past?
Me - No
Dr H - *blank expression*
Dr H - What is the basis of her diagnosis?
Me - that she has no speech & a lack of social interactions
Dr H - don't they kinda go hand in hand??
Me - (laugh) yeah, well that's what we've been saying.
Dr H - well, to be honest, I think that this girl needs an MRI to find out whether she did have a stroke, regardless!

I had told her about how the hospital laughed when we arrived and told me that babies don't have strokes - she must have thought I was really stupid - the wee girl I used to do respite care for had a stroke! She couldn't believe that we had no testing done that day. And now, I 'm back to confusion!! I have never accepted the diagnosis of autism, but I didn't really need to have all this dragged back out - now I have to phone our paediatrician and request an MRI - which I shudder to think how long we'd have to wait, and paying for one is kinda out of our reach. I just feel so sad for Molly, not that she'd ever know, but how has her life been affected due to all of this mucking around - if they'd just done some testing at 9 months, we'd know EXACTLY where we stand, but instead we've had three years of utter garbage, being fobbed off left and right!!

So we have the blood test form, and I will take her in for that - most of the other tests aren't free - the hair analysis is $100 and often comes back inconclusive, so I don't know if we'll even bother with that!

So tomorrow, I will scrap, be driven clinically insane by T'Keyah who has decided to have the whole day off, not just the morning, and phone the paediatrician....go me.

1st December!

Well, we're now on the countdown till the big day I guess! I suppose that means getting organised and thinking about gifts - I do this to myself every year, and every year I swear I'll be finished before the mad rush - hehe, maybe next year!

I've taken on Janine's challenge, the 12 days of Christmas - should be a blast! I've always wanted to have an album about Christmas, and now I will! Even better when someone gives you the challenge, I'm really enjoying doing challenges of late!

On Wednesday, Molly's kindy went for an outing to one of the local farms that is set up for school/kindy visits - I last went to this farm when T'Keyah was 5! Farmer Dave greets the group at the gate and explains to the children that they are farmers for the morning, and have to help him out by feeding the animals! So we fed the 2 goats, the turkeys (including Mr Turkey who was displaying his feathers like a true showoff!), the ducks, hens & roosters, the mini ponies, the sheep, cow & calf, two piglets and two baby lambs. We even got to see some week old turkeys - now they are really cute and incredibly soft - Molly seemed to really take a shine to them!! Snapped this one while we were having morning tea in the paddock - just wish this monster would pose once in a while!!

Right, better get organised, have an appointement with Dr Elizabeth Harris at 2pm - she's into biomedical testing - so this is our first meeting, hopefully she's got some ideas about Madam!!

11.16am

is what time Molly woke up this morning....a little late for kindy perhaps! LOL Poor wee short person hasn't been 100% this week, infact she's been off kindy all week. She had some mild cold thing last week, and then come Sunday, she starts out with this nasty chesty number (cold #2 me thinks!) and pukes Sunday night, so we stay home Monday. Yesterday she motioned to me (cos we have no language) and pointed to her ear and said 'air' (she has some words, which is fantastic!)...I asked her if her ear was sore and she looked at me all puppy eyed like and said 'air' again, along with the whinging and crying, I guessed it was sore (hehe, not much gets by me huh!) so I phoned for an appointment (7.15 thank you very much - though we are lucky they do late night thursday, and it wasn't too bad for phoning at 5.45!). So yes, that ear that she pointed to was red and inflammed! Other one is fine, smart little cookie!! So more anti-bs, a humongous sleep and my girl is sitting here was Roly Poly Olly, eating toast, drinking heaps (with disguised contents of a capsule) and seems to be way better (PHEW!!)



Yesterday we had the most glorious day, it was sooooo hot, and today - wind, much cooler and it's trying it's hardest to rain - no wonder we get sick with such changes in the weather!!



Off on Sunday to scrap! I really am looking forward to this, this week has been a long one, so I am really looking forward to some "ME" time! I really enjoy the Sundays scrapping with friends, it's really not long enough though 10-4 just seems to poof away in the blink of an eye!

I certainly have enough to keep me going - I've been printing photos off at good old Harvey Norman - most impressed with the quality of the photos and the price - especially their half price enlargements on Wednesday!!



I just glanced over at the short person - she's just about demolished two pieces of marmite on toast, crusts and all!! and the drink is just about gone, one pill down - two to go!!

Layout was a challenge from Scrapbook Essentials, using your's or someone elses handwriting, so I cheated, and used T'Keyahs handwriting (only because I hate mine!) and scrapped one of her notes that she used to write to me all the time, I have a few that I've saved, and will eventually scrap them all - they are too cute not too!

Many thanks for all your congrats too, most appreciated!! I can't wait to start working with the team!

Woohoo!

I've just discovered that I made it onto the design team for Scrapbooking Annies!! I'm so excited!

Nothing really other to report - oooh, lies - My CJ returned the other day - it looks fabulous. I must take some pics of it and post them later on. It looks so neat! And some yummy recipes are in there too!

This layout is one I did the other day for Scrapbook Outlets challenge (I'm really enjoying the challenges lately!!) It's scarey how big my "baby" is looking! Think she just needs to slow on down now!

Four seasons in one day

Yup, Dunedin is really turning on the weather - some obscene temperature on Saturday, and Sunday morning started off okay, but then the temperature plummeted and it rained - yesterday was not much different and today it's overcast and cool again! I knew Craig shouldn't have jinxed it saying we'd not need to light the fire again! LOL.

Have finished my 2 Cj's (just sign in tag to finish) and then will post off - one group it's the final posting, books are being returned to their owners - really looking forward to getting mine back! The work in the ones I've seen is just gorgeous.

Molly keeps on surprising me - on Saturday she put the alphabet magnets in order from G-Z (A-F had already been done) without missing a beat, it was fast and all in perfect order! Craig's mum tells me she did the whole thing the other week...then on Sunday night, the whole family met for dinner, and Craig's nephew (nearly 8) was doing the alphabet on the fridge - well Molly heard him saying the letters (and he was struggling - he does have underlying issues and has been removed from his mothers home, and lives permanently with Dad) and came in and took over, granddad laughed and told Molly to get out, she was showing up J*****! I really think that Craig's (step)Dad has just realised that Molly is quite smart - even though she squeals and doesn't talk! LOL. Though I was super-proud of my girl! The lady that comes to teach us sign language reckons Molly will be able to read really soon- and she really is already, I suppose - she knows her name and picks out words from books. Now I just have to start thinking about a school for her (egads!!)

I'll pop a couple of layouts that I'd been doing for challenges up (just to make it look pretty - lol) I'm enjoying doing challenges, I'm getting to use up some photos that have been sitting here for ages patiently waiting their turn - the elmo layout shows Molly still in the cot, I'm thinking these photos are about 18 months old??The boots photos are about 6 months old, maybe more - so great to finally start clearing the backlog!! Hmmm notice a theme? Title in the right corner, strip journalling, grouped photos? Rut-roh!

a layout....

seeing as I haven't really posted much in the way of scrapping lately - did this one this morning for the Scrapbook Outlet Challenge - have done the purple one too, and plan to do the other ones as well.....challenges are brilliant for motivation, and I love how sometimes, layouts just happen!

oooh a tag!

1. Things that scare me: mice that aren't in containers (or dead, lol) Spiders!
2. People who make me laugh: Molly!
3.Things I hate the most: Being sick 0r my kids being sick
4. Things I don't understand: How it's a universal thing that men are hopeless!
5.Things I'm doing right now: Answering these questions, telepathically telling DH to move his ass and get Molly to bed! Wishing the dog would just lie down already!!
6.Things I want to do before I die: Travel, own a house, be published!
7.Things I can do: Drive, scrap, play & read music.
8. Ways to describe my personality: Reserved, funny (perhaps), kind & caring
9. Things I can't do: car mechanical stuff, can't prefrom brain surgery
10.Things I think you should listen to: children - and it's even MORE important to listen when they are quiet!!
11. Things you should never listen to: whining.
12.Things I'd like to learn: Would love to learn the piano
13.Favourite Foods: Chicken, salad, chocolate, jellybeans
14.Beverages I drink regularly: Diet coke, coffee
14a. Beverages I'm trying not to drink regularly: none
15. Shows I watched as a kid: The Henderson kids, grange hill, count homogenised, Rainbow brite
16. Persons I am tagging: Zeetra, Angela, Lara (just to see who does read my drivel! LOL)


We're still cruising along, I've got the pack for Molly's blood tests, but will wait to make the appointment until I get a copy of her hospital records - I'm dying to know what the nursing staff wrote at Molly's nine month incident!
Nothing much has changed, we went along on Friday to see Dorothy's Dance Party - and if DH hadn't been there I might just have chucked my camera over the balcony. Didn't matter what setting I had that stupid little thing on, all the photos were dark and barely visible - I so need a new camera. What really gets me though, is this camera is only a year old, and was expensive - nasty little thing! LOL
I drove to Invercargill on Sunday, to take one of Mum's dogs down to hopefully become pregnant! I miss baby puppies - it's been a few years since we had a litter, and if she does manage to get preggo this time, it'll be perfect - puppies over Christmas.

....and the "official" diagnosis is......

Autistic Spectrum Disorder - and then he asked me what I thought, and I said, the honest version, he said yup, and I said that his diagnosis was bollocks (hehe). I can't believe he's turned around and AGREED with Michelle - she's so set in getting Molly a label, Grrr - makes my blood boil!!! I noticed too, that the only person that didn't belive Molly was autistic or even on the spectrum, wasn't at the meeting! Makes me wonder if she was even included, or because she had a different view, she was outted!!

Okay, while I don't doubt there is something wrong with Molly, I don't entirely agree with their diagnosis - but time will tell, and the sooner we can get these blood tests going the better - and that's a whole 'nother post! Trying to get in contact with them is a joke!! Will try again tomorrow.

I cut Molly's hair the other night...whacked off a fair amount too!

Here are the before & after pics! I love it being shorter, less hassle and she looks cute too! Good friend of mine is a hairdresser and she's going to tidy up the

ends for me (when she's got a spare minute or three, she just gave birth to the most adorable baby girl on the 12th October, Charlotte Maree, weighing 5lb 12oz). I'd been toying with the idea of cutting her hair for a while, but chickened out everytime - I just couldn't do it - but it'll grow again - but I do love it like this!
Had a crop today with a group of friends, managed to finish a single layout, and have got part way through a double - still considering whether I'll submit for a couple of DT spots, but I'm still struggling with the whole OTP thing - not my strong point I guess, and so many of these talented ladies have such an amazing imagination and the whole ability to think outside the square! I haven't done a double layout in forever too, and it seems like a whole new adventure...hehe!

So, maybe I'm kidding myself with this whole scrapbooking thing - just showed Craig a layout, that I kinda liked - and he says, "is it finished? How many other photos are you putting on there? - there's too much white for me" ....and now I'm really doubting myself (sheesh!)

Oh, and hello all - would really love to know who does drop by, the numbers keep rising, so someone must flick by once in a while, would be cool to know who!!

snow

Yup, well into spring, and Dunedin puts on the snow - hehe, suppose we can't whinge now that we had no snow this year!
School is most definetly back, and Kindy for that matter, and I'm enjoying the peace that is my house after 9am! I haven't scrapped anything though, have cut cardstock, and that's about it - though last week I did finish off two CJ's and really enjoyed them - one recipe one, and one about a little boy's firsts - very cute, and I did enjoy working with boy themes!


















The basic grey one, is Pams CJ - a book of firsts for her newest wee man, Liam, and the other one is for Carols CJ, her albums is about her boys. It's amazing how refreshing using blue can be! I am really enjoying the two journal groups I'm in, and as we get further and further in, it gets better! I love seeing the other peoples work coming through, and there are times when you first open that parcel and you take that gasp of air - and then think 'wholly heck, I'm never going to be able to keep up the standards'!! Great fun though!

I'm still waiting for our registration pack to get Molly's blood tests going - for anyone interested this is a link to a site that compares autism and mercury poisoning - interesting reading! I'm actually amazed at how many people have been interested in the link or a copy of the list lately. And the best was when one of the registrars at the hospital asked for a copy and then came back to me telling me how interesting it was and that she was looking into it further - it'll be nice, that perhaps one day further on, some family will meet this Dr and she'll tell them about looking into alternative avenues...whats a couple of blood tests going to hurt? Too many 'professionals' are stuck in the view that this is your lot and there is nothing that can be done to change/improve. Will update here (even if it is for my own benefit, lol) when things begin to happen again!

hehe - proof my dog IS truely blonde

Yesterday, the dog decided to spice the afternoon up a little. First off, Bentley is blonde - very blonde, and he lives with a cat, but no other cat is allowed to set foot on the property (well actually, they aren't even allowed on the neighbouring properties!) and yesterday, this little grey cat came over while I was hanging out some washing...never thought anything about it as I walked back up to the house (chatting to Carol on the phone!) and closed the sliding door (was open about 5cm - always like that, just to let some fresh air into the conservatory) and continued talking....few minutes later T'K comes screaming in, "where's Bentley, where's the dog??" Told her he'd be outside somewhere and to look for him - then it dawned on me that the gate was down (it's not attached yet, something I'm still waiting on *rolleyes*) and told her he'd be mooching around down the bottom...no sight of him, so I abruptly finish talking with Carol and T'K says he's gone over the bank (which is infact a cliff, which is covered in gorse and what-not) and goes down onto a fairly busy road, so I grab my keys and drive round the bottom, trying to catch him before he either takes off, or gets hit by a car (like I said, he's not that smart!). Get down the bottom and can see T'K at the top - we yell at each other and call the dog, she then catches sight of him - slightly above the middle - and he's going no where. So I stand calling him for a while (why I don't know, when I know he can't/won't hear!!). Eventually realise that there is nothing we can do, so tell T'K to go call the fire dept. She returns informing me that she'd locked the door - fabulous...says she'll go next door and phone, but I knew they weren't home, so I jumped back in the car and drove home - heard the dog go nuts hearing the car leave and he no longer had T'K in his sight!!
Tell her to go back out and just talk to the pooch, he was heaps calmer just seeing her! So I quickly phoned Craig and told him, and said, do I just call the fire dept...he said no, I'll come home - then I just started to panic - told him no, I needed help now! So I hung up and called - never, ever thought my first 111 call would be for a dog! LMAO! They arrived within about two minutes, and saw where he was and two of them began to climb up..they were so good, when the reached him, they talked to him first before grabbing him, then when he saw me down below, he looked a lot less stressed. Then, the fire chief states he needs a photo (wonder if he's a scrapper, hehe) and grabs their camera out of the truck and snaps a few shots (and yes, I am going to get copies!). So, that was our Friday arvo - poor dog didn't leave my side for hours!!
Oh, and then today - the morning paper, page three - in the IN BRIEF column - Dog Rescued (oh shame!)
it says
A firefighter scrambled about 9m to 12m up a cliff to rescue a stranded dog in Dunedin yesterday. The king charles spaniel was caught on a scrub-covered cliff in D******* Street, when the fire fighters arrived about 12.10pm, a Fire Service spokesman said. The firefighter coaxed the dog into his arms and carried it down to its owner.
Hehe - like I said, stupid dog...the team was fantastic though, and we were really appreciative of their service and manner that they carried it out. Only thing is, he's a Cavalier King Charles, but oh well - LOL

We're home

and we're gaining some sense of normality! Molly has bounced back so well, and infact - she's cheekier than before, guess she's got three weeks to make up for!! Had a fab session at kindy yesterday and was straight into it again today! Yipee!
I managed to get to our little crop on Sunday - mind you, I spent 60% of the time doing nothing! But I did manage to do the sketch challenge from Scrapbookoutlet!

Was a great sketch, and it fell together pretty easily - just wish all scrapping was like that!

I missed out on entering Up2Scraps DT, but was probably kidding myself anyways! Will do some stuff for a couple of more DT's and also the competition on Scrapbook essentials - how awesome would a cricut be?? No more hand cut titles (although I really like doing them!!)

Right I should go, do some housework while the girls not here - she's such a demanding little monster!

Back in hospital

Either Molly really likes the nursing staff, or the TV in bed thing, but we're back in hospital. We got discharged on Thursday night, and she was well right up to Saturday afternoon. She started getting really grumpy in the afternoon, and was off to bed at 6.30 (unheard of for Molly!!) We had a rough night, lots of coughing and puking up of phelgm....and that went on for most of Sunday too. The staff rang to check how we were doing on Saturday, but I phoned them on Sunday to query her state of unwellness. She gone back to the legthargy, listness, moaning, fast respirations and a temperature. Nurse said she'd get the registrar to ring, and within 30 seconds of me hanging up, she phoned back telling us to go straight to ED. So we got in there, triage nurse saw us and took Molly's stats - either it was a dodgy machine, or she was really sick, but her temp was 38.9 and her O2 stats were 82!! So she was called over the intercom, status 2 to resus 2, status 2 to resus 2 - poor Craig was looking rather grey and said to me what the heck did that mean, I quietly whispered it meant she was really sick, babe. They hooked her up to monitors and her stats went up to 92, still not good, but way better than before! We went to X-Ray then up to PAU, where they finally admitted us back up - not before sticking umpteen-thousand needles in - poor wee tarts veins kept collapsing. So she's on another antibiotic through the IV, but if they loose the line the anti-b can be given in the butt. So we're in for a few more days yet...thanks to all those that are texting, phoning and sending wishes, it's keeping our spirits up! It's much appreciated by us all. Photo was taken last Tuesday - poor wee turkey!

Though today brought sad news too...a dear friend that I went high school with lost her husband, Warren in on Sunday...Rest in Peace, Warren, my thoughts are with Melissa, Callum, Harri & Kaitlin - and their extended family. The loss is huge, for everyone and am still in utter disbelief!

Life is hetic

I haven't blogged in forever, but I did scrap over the weekend, at scrapcamp at the LSS - so cool, and it was fab to be out of the house after being sick all week, and with Molly being sick too. But today our princess was still no better, we'd been to the ER on Sunday night, and got the advice to give panadol and ride it out, well this arvo we took her back to the GP and he sent us to hospital. Because Molly won't take oral medications, she needed to be hospitalised to get this....though after being checked out down at hospital, we find that she has huge tonsils, a sore ear, and pneumonia! Poor baby. Daddy is staying over tonight, and I'll go in tomorrow. I'm off to bed though to catch some zzzzz's!

What a wait that was - blogger is slow tonight (or it's my computer!)

Anyways, last night I watched the documentary "mercury falling". So interesting and heartbreaking all at the same time, I so felt for that woman, I know just how she feels. These are the tests we're gearing up to take Molly for. Just to see what her levels are...it may not be "her" thing, but I can't NOT do something.

Have done a few layouts, this one was from our kindy train trip, and I like it - I admit I love clean, simple layouts, and I really have to be honest with myself in my scrapping - after all it is for me & my children.

The second one I did tonight - Molly's sandwich making efforts! hehe, she's such a determined little sausage.
Nice flash burn there too - might reload it tomorrow when I can take a decent shot. (removed this one!)

I am so looking forward to Sunday, I'm going scrapbooking, out of my house, all by myself (well apart from the wonderful company of fellow scrappers) and I'll have no children with me! yeee-hah! I haven't had a decent break, apart from the morning off the other day, and going scrapping is just the icing on the cake!

Molly is still coughing on and off - really nasty little chesty number, hopefully she'll kick it soon...Though Craig was the sick one over the past few days - came home on Sunday night looking terrible and puked (cue my phobia!) and wasn't too flash at all. We slept separately (part of my phobia - I can't stand to be near the sick person) and I scored the lounge! Felt like a sneaky kid, lying on the floor watching sky, hehe - fire was toasty too! Though he's much better and I'm thinking that he's beginning to understand my phobia a little more - I suspect he thought I just didn't like it, and now he's realising that its actually quite real!
Righto - I'm off, I'm dying for a drink (I had asked Craig, but I suspect he's forgotten - it was over 20 minutes ago -LOL)
OH, big congrats to both Trina & Evana on their beautiful little boys - both big, strapping lads - look forward to seeing some sensational pages from them both!

Winter is back...

and we're expecting snow this morning, I was kinda hoping it'd come during the night, and we'd get a 10am start...no such luck though. Thankfully, our fire is roaring and I'm enjoying sitting here listening to it crack every so often, and nothing else - oh lies - the dog is at my feet, snoring - and I can hear the washing machine spinning. But that is it, no TV, no kids, no nothing - BLISS. I actually had some time on Saturday to myself too...Molly woke at around 5am and came into bed with us, and me remembering what it was like last time this happened (think little feet on your back, pushing you out of bed!), got up and came out to the lounge and dozed on the couch (in between watching some animal programme). So when everyone else eventually got up at 8.30am, I felt like crap - so Craig dressed the girl and took her to work....so I did what any chick would do, I cranked up the fire, snuggled under a duvet and watched a movie!! It was so cool, to be able to sit under a duvet without Molly trying to clamber in the foot end was bliss, and to be able to watch a movie during the DAY was unthinkable. I felt great by the time I went to get her at 2pmish (but I went to spotlight before I got her!).
I'm in a funk - I don't feel like scrapping, well I do, but just can't do anything, I can't be bothered blogging, nor surfing the net - big bad funk! Need to snap out of it I think!!

High School Uniforms

are really, really expensive! We went to the Queen's open night last night, the school T'K has decided on going to - seems like a really good school too....got the uniform list and as of next year, blazers are compulsory - yeah they look nice and make the whole package look really smart, but dude, they are $250!! Her whole uniform (well NOT whole, it excludes shoes, P.E gear and sneakers) comes to $648.90 (*gulp*) Wonder if a 13 year old would appreciate a uniform for Christmas and birthday presents! LOL.

I received Ginas circle journal today (her theme is Something Beautiful) and it just all fell into place, so I've completed my page - just have to finish off the sign in tag and we're good to go! (in two weeks!)....started looking for some recipes for Beverly's healthy, but yum book (which, is the most gorgeous little handmade book, which she kindly sent me instructions for!).

We're off on a Kindy trip next week - a train trip, meal at McDees and a bus ride - should be a great day!!

I'll leave with a few sneak peeks of Gina's pages...

It'll be dumb luck

if this will post at all - I've just spent almost an hour waiting for this to load - HUGE test of my patience (which is now diminishing because T'K has just got home from OGHS open night, and is babbling her brain out and Charlie, the demented bird has started his nightly chirp!)
Well, Lucy came home on Sunday afternoon, I'd gone to see her on Saturday, and she was looking a lot happier, tried coming out of the cage to see me, and began her trademark purr! Took her to the vet this arvo for a check-up and in true Lucy form, she dug her claws in and bit me twice (mind you, I'd probably do the same with a thermometer up my butt! LOL), so the vet decided that temperature taking wasn't really necessary and we agreed that Lucy is back to her normal old self!! Still have no idea what her little episode was all about though!
But I've finally finished my journal (yup, a second circle journal) and have a few sneaky peeks (IF I can get blogger to co-operate and let me load them!!(OMG I'm on my 3rd (no, make that 4th) attempt and the patience is beginning to run out!)

















Now they are all funny - but up!! Not going to argue with Blogger!!
Tomorrow I have no appointments - bliss!! Going to go have coffee with a friend and her poxy boy while Molly is at Kindy. OMG - now I've just lost my connection ARGH! Think I'll just finish this post for the night and close the computer down, don't know if I can handle any more technology tonight!!

She chooses the coldest night/day in weeks

to do her disappearing act! Lucy refused to come inside last night, which is really unusual for her, she's always inside, close to the fire, or sleeping on Molly's bed - today, she's at the vet - I came home this morning after dropping the girls off, and she heard the car...I come round the path and hear this unbelieveably loud meowing, and look to find poor old Lucy huddled up near the sliding door! Wet down one side and staggering over to meet me...so I do what any calm, collected person would - I phoned Craig -come home NOW I think the cat's been hit.
Vet is unsure whether she's been hit, her temperature is low and she's really pale...so she's down at the vet getting fluids, having blood taken (in case she's got an infection) and an xray. Poor puss - sad thing is she didn't purr once, and Lucy is the Queen of Purr!!

I've still to complete my circle journal, I've ripped the cover of twice for different reasons, and have got some more (was planning on doing that this morning, but plans change because of Puss!) so will cover it this arvo and hopefully settle on a theme - I really wish something would just jump out and grab me!!

I joined in on a ribbon swap through The Scrapbook Outlet, and got sent some gorgeous rich, reds - so I dug out one of the old black and whites of T'Keyah and did this, looking back, I really don't know if the primas across the page do it for me! LOL.
Anyways, must go pay bills before I have to get Molly from Kindy - really wish I didn't have to go back out, it's far too cold for my liking - lots of snow around on the hills too, and we're getting some yucky hail! Yay for the fire.

A change is as good as a holiday...right?

Week 1 of the school holidays down - woohoo - It's amazing how long days can drag out when you don't get out doing things - later in the week we had things to do, so it wasn't as painful as earlier in the week! lol
On Friday, T'Keyah's marching team accompanied the Brass Bands down the main street, to the lower octagon. I managed to get two pictures, they were moving quite fast!

<<<<>

Molly was unbelievably good, we were there at 11.45 and didn't finish it all until 2.30! Not one complaint from her - so awesome (it could've been a disaster of a day!)

Oooh, lucky me won a goodie parcel of Basic grey from Kelly Goree, an incredibly talented woman and totally generous! Thanks Kelly! I had followed a link through Nic Howard's blog - another extremely talented woman! I love getting scrapping mail! Speaking of scrapping mail, I'm doing a recipe circle journal with a group of ladies from The Scrapbook Outlet and the first round is here, so gorgeous - I have Donna's journal with me - she has a sneak peek on her blog, it's just beautiful - one of those ones you don't really want to touch incase you spoil it! I'm doing another one with another group of scrappers, but I haven't got a clue what to do this time! Any suggestions gratefully accepted (leave me a comment with some ideas!)

Oooh and Evana, the lucky thing, sent in her photos to Heidi Swapps water competition, and she's one of the three finalists!! If you go here you can see the pages Heidi has done, and the gorgeous one of Evana's and even vote for it! (I've already voted for Evana's page!). All the pages are just adorable!

Right, better get moving, we have speech therapy for Molly this afternoon - and I've still got to take her for blood tests (I'm so not looking forward to that) the paediatrician has ordered some genetic testing to find out if there is a reason behind Molly's delays - I'm also looking at some biomedical testing too, which involves more blood taking! But all worth it in the end, especially if we can get some speech from this girl!

Winter...

has arrived I guess, it's soooo cold here, so cold that even the old fire wasn't cutting it the other night...though I was coming down with a cold, so that could've just been me!
Late start for school and kindy this morning, 10am start, which is far more civilised LOL!! Molly had a blast at kindy, actually walked in and caught her standing on the table (probably dancing lol!), and the head teacher just gently aided her in getting down...she's dancing to Madagascar's MOVE IT - so cute! We've been to music, and she had a great time, though didn't participate as well as she did the prior week. A.T.T.I.T.U.D.E! So hanging out for Saturday for some me time! A Sensational Saturday Crop - can't wait!
I could really do without this cold, and to make matters worse, Craig has one too - and typical of a man, his is way worse, and he's dying....well dude, die quietly.
I think I'll be a kind mother, and go pick T'Keyah up from school, so she doesn't freeze her hieney off! So I suppose I should organise some wood into the fire, and go get her! Day is almost over.

Why is it that you hang out for long weekends, and then they're over before you know it!!? We had double shows this weekend, and Mr Poochie did us proud and managed to obtain Best in Show! The judge was Evelyn Hurley, from Ireland, a lovely lady - she wanted to take Bentley (and one of Bentley's daughters) back home to Ireland, pity she's left, cos I'm sick of him barking at his reflection in the window! He's truely a blonde dog. Sunday was the same thing, only a different judge, Jacqui Weekes, from Australia, but Bentley only managed to get reserve dog, which for him, is a small miracle - he normally misbehaves something wicked on Day 2!! He must be maturing (at last, considering he'll be four this year!!)
I went out yesterday afternoon, after a morning meeting, and brought the girls a thermal top each, and Molly a pair of slippers. Then popped over to get my album for my circle journal that I'm doing with The Scrapbook Outlet. Except, Madame Molly caught sight of it and thought it looked like a handy dandy notebook (from Blue's Clue's) and decided to draw a clue, thankfully in pencil!! So I found another small ringbound book and she's as happy as a clam with her handydandy notebook and some really lame drawings of the characters from Blue's Clues. I've got the cover layed out, not stuck down yet - will probably play around for a bit yet before sticking it all together.
We had Ella come over today, she is from the Robbie White Trust, and is teaching Molly, and us, sign language, which will be fabulous for Molly to be able to have a form of communication other than screaming!! She's having a blast at morning kindy, she was so ready to move up! Tomorrow afternoon we have an assessment with the occupational therapist - more of a follow up I think, to see where she's heading and whether there are improvements. Later in the month, we have a huge meeting with the entire team, to find out where we are really at, and whether there can be a diagnosis for us - not just a whole swag of tentative ones!
OOh, Dunedin had it's first snow of the season yesterday, none for us, but where the meeting was, it was fairly white! Today is lovely - 15 degrees at 2.30pm - hate to think what's coming for that though!! Great scrapping weather!!

Thursday.....already

I called T'Keyah's school this morning, trying to contact her teacher - last week, she had a pair of canterbury pants nicked out of her bag, and then yesterday, her MP3 player, and yeah, she probably shouldn't have had it at school, but she enjoys listening to music while she walks to and from school (and besides, the number of kids I've seen walk out of school with cellphones and MP3s....!!). But I couldn't get hold of her, so I guess I'll have to go in after school and see if I can catch her - I'm livid - some little creatin has rummaged through T'K's bag, makes me sick, do parents not get ideas when their kid comes home with things like that??

On a brighter note, I went to an 11 hour crop on Saturday, which was fabulous...certainly made up for the abismal mothers day (but I won't tell Craig just yet, I'll milk it for a bit longer! lol). I certainly didn't get loads done, but 4 completed pages is good in my books! I prefer to have them complete, rather than having to do journalling or titles at home (computer journalling and fonts for the titles!). Even managed to complete (and win!) the challenge! The Lashes layout was the challenge page, we were given one of those mosaic 12x12 pages and had to create. It was actually harder than I imagined and the anal side of me really has issues with the squares that still remain!

The unpacking hasn't really got much further either - I'm waiting (patiently) for him to put up some extra shelves and some sort of cabinet or shelving in the bath room, and as he's working 7 days lately, it hasn't happened! Though I think later today, I'll tackle the toy boxes and do a bit of a clean out - I'm damn sure those things breed, especially all those McDonalds toys!!
What I do love though, is how easy this house is to heat - its fabulous, suppose it's the upside of having a small house!
This is another layout I did on Saturday, the black lines are stitching (with a very dodgy sewing machine that didn't really want to sew), simple but I really like it. It's about my wish to find the key to unlock Molly's speech - someone thought I should do an album about the struggles we have, but I really am struggling with adding another album! I just think I might add it more into her books. I really, really want to do an album for the family, but don't know really where to start! The girls each have an album(s) on their lives, since birth (T'Keyah's is just that little bit harder with the lack of decent photos), but once they both leave home and take their books, I've nothing left. But I don't know where to start, and frankly - I don't know what to put in it!! I'd really, really appreciate some ideas!!

How long can one family live out of boxes? I have zero motivation at unpacking anything!! The kitchen is kinda done, I'm waiting for extra shelves to be put into the pantry - think that'll be about Sunday! And I need some sort of cupboard or shelving for the bathroom to house all the towels - I can't get over the fact that some houses have no storage areas at all! We've got a huge wardrobe in our room, but the other two rooms don't have anything - and no linen cupboard! (Must be designed by men!!) I'm absolutely gutted that this place doesn't have a dishwasher! Though, I've been so good, and dishes are washed, dried & put away every night!! (though, that old rule that the cook doesn't do dishes hasn't exactly been a happening thing, past 2 nights I've had to don the ole' rubber gloves!!) And sadly, my scrap stuff is packed away, and I'm itching to do something!! But it'll have to wait until we line the room down stairs and move the girls around...can't.wait!
On the positive sides, it has a fab view, is so close to school AND kindy...my petrol consumption has dropped so much!!
Had Molly's IP meeting at kindy today - we're gearing up for the transition to morning kindy (think it's the 29th she starts!) Six months ago when we had the last IP, I never in my wildest dreams thought Molly would be ready for mornings, but she so is, and even the Head kindy teacher said the same (LOL). We planned goals for the girl, and kindy is keen on taking on the signing too, which is awesome, Mops has taken to signing like a duck to water! (and it's really cute!) Adrienne then started to suggest the next IP meeting (which is in November) and then realised that Molly would be 5 in the February (geepers!) so it'd be a school orientated meeting - she asked me how I felt about the school issue, and I said about the morning kindy feelings, and that I knew in another six months we'd probably be in a different space, and Molly would be gearing up for school (hard to believe though)...sounds like she'd have a teachers aide at school too.
Though the other night I had this huge anxiety attack - I was sitting thinking about her being at school and the fact that she was still in nappies - then the anxiety hit - my daughter could be at school, wearing nappies and being ridiculed by other kids - that really ripped at my heart! I hope to God that it doesn't happen to her - I seriously hope she just 'gets' it one day and wants to go on the toilet!! I never in my wildest dreams, imagined how hard it is to raise a child with different needs - and I know that we are incredibly lucky, and there are children out there with far more serious issues!
I'm staring at my scrapping trolley and I'm dying! I need to scrap!

Me & Mine

Me & Mine

So who comes a-visiting?? Web-counter ticks over, but no comments...ghosts perhaps? lol.

give a girl a camera...

and this is what you get!

It actually cracks me up, downloading photos from the camera and finding all these kind of shots, or blurring fingers - I just have to remember now, when I'm taking photos, to check the lens....last time all my pictures were blurry, the lens was covered in sticky fingers!!

We're still on the huge blue's clue's run, don't think she's ever stuck with something for so long! It's been so brilliant for her though, lots of new words and sounds coming out. I found out yesterday at Kindy, that there is a place in Music Therapy again for Molly, and they wanted to know whether we wanted to do it again - I wasn't exactly thrilled last time, I think that Molly was too young, and she didn't really appreciate it nor get much from it - but now, she's so into her music and I think that she'll really benefit from it - new teacher too, apparently her teacher from last year has had a baby! I seriously didn't think that it had been that long! Molly's SES caseworker (the big-wig) came for a visit at kindy yesterday, she can't believe the change in Molly, loads of words, sounds etc, and her confidence in doing things is becoming so much better.

We're also on the waiting list for sign language - we've been using a few basic ones, and there is a rhyme that we say that has signs in it, and she's picked it up so quickly and uses the signs, so we thought it'd be something we could really utilise with the girl. I got the letter of referral the other day, Molly's condition is described as a lovely wee girl who has a diagnosis of developmental delay, tentative diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and possibly also dyspraxia (difficulty sequencing movements). So she's got a lot going on! We've got a follow up appointment next month with the paediatrician, so no doubt the diagnosis will be reviewed and possibly added to (hopefully some taken away, but!!)

I got pictures printed yesterday, thinking some fresh photos would help me in my rut, but I really don't know if it'll happen! I really hate how fickle your mojo is!

Chocolate Fest

How come these holidays zoom on by?? The girls had a great Easter, and had plenty of chocolate (in fact they still have plenty of chocolate!!) Molly had a great time, unwrapping her cousins chocolate bunnies and trying to disappear with them! Monkey.
She's been watching blues clues (we have about 3 videos and a DVD, but chooses to watch the same video over and over) lately, and has been coming out with words - she's now saying HI, which is really clear, Steve, blue, clue - so cute, and she does this little dance to the mailbox song! So, as annoying as it is, that she watches the same one over and over, she's really benefiting from it, so I'll suck it up and let her do it!
She's also learnt some sign language from a lanuage group we go to - so thats something I want to expand on!! oops, can hear the freezer door, someones getting the ice-cream out! I'm sure she'd almost live on ice-cream if she could! Phew, I won that battle and she's settled on toast.
Holidays, yay! I want to strip an old chest of drawers and a bookcase over these holidays and repaint them for Molly's room, the scotch chest she has is slowly falling to pieces, and we're having such wonderful weather! Hard to believe!

The photo makes Molly look like she's angry, but she's actually got a mouthful of easter egg! Can't wait to scrap that lot of pictures, and I took some yesterday of her making her own sandwich, the look on her face is priceless (must get a digimax card!)

GroundHog Day!

Do days just blend into one for everyone? Or do I need to snap out of this and get a life!? (lol). I just feel I'm living the same day over and over, get up, morning routines, school run, come home, washing, make beds, empty dishwasher, clean, lux, pick up toys, tell the bird and/or dog to be quiet - it's just the same old stuff!! Can I just say, thank goodness for Sundays and Carol!! We went scrapping on Sunday, and we're off again this Sunday - but the thing is, my mojo has gone - was talking with the others there, and we were talking about it - it's different from Scrappers block - you can't pick a magazine up or browse galleries - it's like I have a complete inablity to scrap - like I have no clue what I'm doing (hehe, not that I do most of the time) There have been times we're I've thought I'm kidding myself and should just sell the lot on TradeMe!! I'd really like to be able to scrap again!
Girls are fine, Molly's on a Blues Clues drive, so that's what we're watching, over and over! T'Keyah is back at school, playing rippa-rugby and miniball is going to start up soon - Marching season is over for now, so that's a little less taxi-ing about.
No kindy today, and no plans to go anywhere, I might get off here, do some housework and scrap for the afternoon (cross fingers I get something done!)

I had a great day

yesterday - and I don't feel that old (hehe). Got some nice smellies from the girls and didn't lift a finger - Craig was like my personal servant...nice too! Even if it was for one day.
I've just got back from another appt for Molly with the continence nurse - we're entitled to free nappies seeing as Molly is over four - but hang, they are butt UGLY! Must take a picture later and post them - T'Keyah has taken the morning off, and she was cracking up at them...but I'm thinking they will be only for nights anyway...I think the lady is sending out some pullups for day. Get this, they provide 3 nappies + 1 for night, and they courier them to us every three months...thats like over 300 nappies every three months!! Holy schmoly, I'm hoping the next place has some kickass storage LOL - and yup, we'll be moving again in about 5-6 weeks. The lease ends here and the landlords need to move in, and besides, I HATE driving over the hill 3-4 times a day, it kills my gas!
Well T'K is going to school at lunch time, and Molly is going to Kindy - which means I'm having an afternoon all to MYSELF!! Yay - might scrap some!

*GASP*

Finally, I can breathe - our house seems to finally be on the mend - crikey there are some yucky bugs about!! Craig coughed his liver out, well not really, but I reckon it was close. Molly puked on random days, then ate for the rest of the day, and T'Keyah puked on Tuesday night and has been in bed since!! It's been a real cheap week, no ones been eating!! But, tonight I think that everyone is definetely back...Molly has been better for a good three/four days, and T'Keyah has eaten today!! I really don't handle puking very well, so Craig has been such a rock!

Yup, my girl is wearing gumboots, or in Mollyspeak boooooooots - never, in all my wildest dreams did I think I'd let my kid wear gumboots....yeah, yeah, I'm weird, but back in the days when T'K was a wee dot, gumboots were U.G.L.Y. and I refused to buy them - they just looked nasty (hehe) but now they are so cool - there are some really awesome boots about, and Molly just adores her boots - she's real attractive in her pjs and boots!! But, what really amazes me with her, is she always has them on the right foot, no matter what! smart cookie. And she needs the next size up! Who woulda thunk, huh?!

Well, I submitted again this month, but still haven't had an acceptance - and yup, I know that one day it just might, just have to keep on scrapping, keep on scrapping (yup, we watched Nemo today). I really can't wait until Craig breathes those magic words and tells me to get my camera - I'm bursting to get a Cannon Rebel! soon, soon. I'm enjoying altering coasters though - I've got none left (only had 4 but!) and have some that I'm sourcing on trademe - though I have a sneaky suspicion that ma has some tucked away, and I know she doesn't use them! Might have to pay her a visit tomorrow. ooh, and she needs to measure Molly for a jersey she's knitting - a jersey she started knitting for T'Keyah, when she was 3!!! hehe, lucky Molly, it looks like she'll actually get to wear it!

Tomorrow I turn 34...3oblinken4! That is mighty scarey. I'm starting to realise that I'm aging...there are new wrinkles, loads more grey hairs, and even thinking about another child would probably mean I'd fall into the risk catergory! I can't be 34, there has to be some mistake - I certainly don't feel nor act 34!! (although the other day when I was coming down with the flu, and my bones ached, I felt like 64!!)

Righto, seeing as my body is crumbling away, I'd best be off for some beauty sleep - Muwhahaha, I'd need to sleep until I was 67!

Why 12 year olds versions differ

from coaches! T'Keyah came home from NZ champs on Monday, I asked her how they got on, answer - not good...that was it. Okay, so thats cool, they did their best and there are a heck of a lot of teams at the champs. She had a great time and that's what mattered. Then, the coach calls on Tuesday - general chit-chat, they had a great time, she was well behaved (just as well!) and she then tells me just how well they actually did! They qualifed for the plate march (i'm still lost with some of this) for both technical and display (great on it's own!!) The team was placed 13th on qualifying and 14th on the sunday for technical in a very tough and close competition. In display the girls came 4th - and were 4 points of being 3rd!! And one of the judges has the Under 16 display (T'Keyahs team) ranked higher than the team that eventually won!! So next year, the team should be on fire!!
She's got a display at the Go Otago celebrations in Dunedin on Sunday - so I hope to get some good shots of her all decked up in her uniform.
Molly is doing well, hanging out with a wee girl at kindy, and having a great time. I think that people are amazed at how well she's doing - and that's great!!
Scrapping is going well too.....I do get so annoyed when I can do a page and really get into it, be really stoked with the results and finish it - get out more photos (thinking I'm onto a good thing) and nothing works!! Drives me crazy!
I think that I'll pop into town shortly, my cutter blades are leaving those horrid fluffy edges - time to replace!! And then, off to coffee group, but today Molly is staying home with her dad - how nice it's going to be actually not having to worry what she's getting into!!

Can someone point me in the direction of the shishoni font? I'm spending waaaaaay too much time looking for it and getting really frustrated!

Saturday, and it's sunny!!

And warm even! Though, I can see some slightly dark clouds rolling in - shoo, I've got washing out!!
I have been admiring Keisha's altered coasters for ages, they are simply gorgeous - so I tried my hand, seeing as the coasters we have are pretty darn ugly & never get used, unless you class Molly using them like frisbee's, use!! So yesterday morning, I tried, and I'm pretty happy with the results! Cool, fast and good way of using up little photos too. I'm off for a crop tomorrow afternoon - really looking forward to it, even though I was just at one last weekend LOL! It's been a long week, and as much as I'm proud of Molly with her counting one-ten and back again - it does get old! Let's see how her Dad deals with it - though, knowing him, he'll take her out to his Mother's, so Molly can "spend time" with Nana & Grandad (in other words, so he doesn't have to be a fulltime Dad)
Must remember to text T'Keyah and see how her weekends going...feels weird knowing she's so far away! Hope she's having a blast though - and hasn't blown her spending money already!

And, so comes winter

in full force too!! It's 6 degrees right now - about 15 more and I'd be happy! LOL - I hate the cold!!

Isn't this face the cutest?? It's Molly doing her animal noises, I managed to catch her doing her "woof-woof" hehe, so cute!

I was just going through the photos on line, and they are shocking...that girl is becoming the worlds worst photographic subject!! She's just too fast, so I end up with shots of nothing, a blur, or her finger as she tries to touch the lens! Brat. She's a character though, and has become such a delight - just a year ago I could've given her up! (well, not really, but she was darn hard work!!)

T'Keyah is off tomorrow, flying to Wellington, then driving up to Wanganui for the Marching National finals - she's just buzzing - this is her third final comp, but her first in the under 16's! Just too exciting really! But on a sadder note, her stepmother has just been diagnosed with cancer, it's still really early, but she had a CT on Monday, and there is a mass near her heart, close to the sternum...it sounds like a hodgkins lymphoma - but T'Keyahs uncle (her dads brother) died just over 2 years ago from Leukemia, so its a bloody scarey time for all...and I know them all well (obviously seeing as he's T'K's dad, but I knew Cursey for years before they were even a couple - she was a great (and still is) friend. So we're all sending all the strength and courage we have - and hoping for a positive outcome, another CT is scheduled for Friday.

Righto, I'm off - have to watch Bad lads Army!!

Got Flowers?

I LOVE prima flowers, it probably borderlines addiction - but they are just so cool! I went halves with a great scrapping friend and got this lot! I'm busting to use them (but then again I don't want to cos my stash depletes! LOL) I just love the colours!
Oohh, and yesterday, Dunedin had a brand-spanking new scrapshop open up Paperworx. So cool, and they have a kids corner! So, yesterday while I shopped and browsed, Molly sat in her buggy eating a lollipop and watching the wiggles! Best of both worlds!! Here's a couple of pictures of what I got - there are truely some gorgeous papers out there!!















Oh, and I'm still sending in the odd submission, still no replies but... I'm really enjoying scrapping now, and especially since the weather has taken a dive - it's so cold today, I'm actually dreading going and taking Molly to Kindy - brrrr. Have an all day crop on Saturday, and I'm crossing my fingers madly that the second place for T'Keyah to go doesn't fall through!!