Tunnel Beach

Well yesterday they went down to Tunnel Beach for a play, I think they might have had a picnic down there as well.
Jade halfway down the hill!

The sandcastles, the sea will eventually wash out.

Jade and Quinn on top of the world.

At the top of the track - it is a long way down.

The correction I knew would come

Well i did say I would be told if I had the information incorrect regarding the brick at the Dunedin Railway Station, so my mother e-mailed me with:

"Brick at Railway Stataion was paid for when they re devolped entrance to Railyway Stn certainly not when it was built in 1800's when Mum and Dad weren't even born!!!!!"

How many !!!! did she really need to put!

Dunedin Railway Station

Well another day of excitment in Dunedin was had by Jade, Bob and Quinn.

This first one Mum took of Jade, when asking what she was up too, Jade informed Gran that she was spying, I am not quiet sure how you spy upside down, in full view of whoever or whatever you are supposed to spying on!!
This next photo is of the kids outside the Dunedin Railway Station. They are looking at the brick that Mama and Yaya (Mum's parents) had paid for. I think when the railway station was being built you could "sponser" some money towards the railway station, and they put a brick into the gardens with your name stamped on it. If this is not totally correct I am sure I will get an e-mail of advice.

I am not sure how far they got on this jig. Cheaper for the fuel bill, but would not like to be going up the Dunedin hills!

Imagine falling from this bike.

Well the weather still seems to be holding out, so maybe camping on Saturday will happen. I certainly hope so it will be a nice change.

Waterslide Fun

Gosh I am so lucky that digital cameras were invented! I am getting photos every day which is so cool, so I get updates of what the terrible children are up to every day, and of course getting lots of ideas for more scrapbooking pages!!!

Well they went to the movies today to go to the BEE MOVIE, which they all enjoyed. They went down by bus, but they left their sun hats on the bus!!! So they had to wait and the bus stop for the correct bus to come around again to get their hats off!!
Then good old kiwi fun, Mum made a water slide for them in the back yard with black plastic and a hose.
What a hoot.
Lots of fun had.
They will back again next year Gran!!

Well Ralf has been building the herb garden in the back yard which is going well, they back wall has all been built, now he is back into concreting in some more posts, then I think it is my job to go and organise some more wood to finish the rest. It is going to be quiet big, a built up raised garden. So that will be good to have the fresh herbs outside the window again instead of having to have some on the window in the kitchen.

As I said meant to be camping this weekend - please hold out weather!!

Butterfly House

Jade, Bob and Quinn went to see the Butterfly House in Dunedin. Jade happily told me that they had teranchila (spelt that wrong) spiders there, knowing full well I do not want to know that!! She also told me that Gran only looked at them a little bit! They had alot of fun, and then a picnic afterwards outside, I think they are all having a great time staying with their gran.

I on the other hand made chocolate waffles for dessert last night, god they are so nice, I even have spare ones in the freezer!!

Jade's Tarras Photos

Well Jade and Mum are back safely from Tarras and sounds as though they had a fantastic time, with the weather being typical Tarras and very hot.

Jade in the river having fun, apparently she speant the whole afternoon just swimming around, reminds me of when we were kids, we used to some times spend the whole day in there.

This one is of Jade talking on her cellphone to me, they have to walk to the top of a hill to ensure they have coverage to make the call! They did it everyday, and belive me it is not a small hill to walk to the top of to make this call!

This one is on the bridge that crosses the river, the big pipe beside takes all the water up to the water race which goes all over the valley to help with the irrigation on the farms. The same bridge was there when we were kids as well, except they had to replace some of the planks last year. It does seem alot more wobbly than when I was a kid, but perhaps I am just a little more careful!!

This next one Jade was stalking the sheep that were coming down to the river to get a drink, but she did not want to get sheep poo on her hands, so she had her sandals on her hands to stop that happening!!

This one above is a picture of the campsite, Mum must have walked over the river to take this picture, Jade is sitting in the front. The river was so low this year, it must have been very dry. They left a day early as the water had actually stopped moving outside the camp site.

Random Ramblings

Well with Ralf back working on 3 Sqn with the helicopters the trips away start up again. It has just been confirmed that he will be going to East Timor for 3 months, leaving in April, but not sure what date and back towards the end of July. He is really looking forward to the trip away so that is good, hopefully we will be able to save enough with the money from that trip to get the deck done on the house so that will be good.

Next weekend is the long weekend here in the Manawatu, so Ralf and I are going to go camping, yes just the two of us as Jade is still down with my Mum in Dunedin. Not sure whether we will do one or 2 nights, will depend on how it goes and of course the weather. We are not going far, just a small wee beach side place past Wanganui, so that is going to be good.

I was talking to Mum and Jade tonight, they are in Tarras camping at the moment, well they are leaving tomorrow, and the river which normally flows well past the camp site, is almost stopped moving, man the weather must have been very dry down that way!

Right well I had better go Criminal Minds is starting and I do love that show!

Xmas Photo

Thought I had better add a photo as well. This is of course the Thomas-Skeggs Family Photo for Xmas 2007.

God we look great!

Broadband - Finally

Wow we have broadband! i blame it all on Jase! We speant Xmas with Mel and Jase in Auckland and he has broadband, and even better he has wireless broadband, well we got back and I had convinced Ralf it was a good idea, so now we have broadband and both laptops have wireless!!! Fantastic!!!!

While in Auckland we went to the Zoo which was fantastic, we spent the whole day there just looking around, there certainly are a lot of exhibits. I even went and sore the horrible big hairy spider!

We also went to Kelly Tarlton's which was overated and very expensive for what it was, not that seeing the Penguins was not cool.

Then we spent a day at Ralf's Aunty and Uncles place north of Auckland in a little place called Leigh. Beautiful place, went swimming in the sea and had a fabulous lunch. And of course Mel and I had to do some shopping and some more shopping.

One day Jade, Mel and I went to the movies and Jase and Ralf went and played golf. Apparently it was a very hilly course!

Second week of the holidays Ralf's sister Tania who lives in England came to stay with us for a few days so that was really cool. We had only seen her about 9 months before that, but it is always great to see her. Such a nice lady!

Had a fantastic new years eve. Deb, Nat and Gundi came out, we had a BBQ and watched Ralf and Gundi get very drunk! Funny! Got to bed around 2am after many a game of poker!

Jade is now in Dunedin with my Mum having a 3 week holiday, so loving that. They are in Tarras this week camping which we are very jealous of. So we have decided we are going to go camping for Xmas for this year, yes to Tarras as well.

Ralf and I are also going to go camping on the long weekend which is not this weekend but the next, thought we could have a romatic time away in the tent! Ralf stipulated we had to stay near the sea, as he is obsessed with catching a fish. So I have found a site, about an hour from here I think, not sure whether we will go for 1 or 2 nights, will depend on the weather no doubt, I have to e-mail them tonight to see what the deal is, whether we have to book or not.

Hopefully some scrapbooking this weekend, I will have to ring Miss Jo and see what she thinks, although I checked out what they had planned with Bruce when he dropped off some wire etc to work yesterday, and he said there was nothing on the agenda, so I am sure it will be all on.

Anway know this is short and sweet but, time for bed!

Dial Up Rocks

Wow dial up is even slower tonight, as it keeps getting worse and worse i keep thinking more and more about getting broad baand... I know many of you may be thinking oh my god how can she cope with dial up it is just so slow. You wwould be right it is slow, but I keep saying to myself I am not in a hurry like I am at work, so what is the rush, and therefore I keep comvincing myself to stay with dial up. I am sure it will not be far away before they tell us dial up is gone forever and then I will have to switch!

Ralf is away in Waiouru at the moment, you may have seen the damage he has done since being there for the week. I just sent him a text saying 3rd time Waiouru has been on the news in the week, 2 scrub fires, 1 the army's fault and 1 3sqn's fault!! Then tonight the medals stolen from the museum! I wonder - just jokes! They are up there training, but don't worry they had time to stop in at Burger King on Saturday and collect some cardboard crowns to take back to camp.

Jade and I went to the movies yesterday, went to see "The Game Plan", a disney movies but it was really good I quiet enjoyed it and being the pathetic person I can be I even cried! Then a little shopping was done followed by a two hour swim at the pool with the Toomey's.

Today we went to visit my friend Mon from work for a cup of tea and then I had to mow the lawns for Ralf before he comes home. They do look good, but god do I hate doing them, I have to say I really do think this should be one that stays as a man's job!

A busy last few weeks ahead before Xmas happens. This weekend coming up Ralf comes home on the Friday night, but Jade and I are babysitting for the Toomey's. Saturday Ralf has the Xmas Cheer at the gold club, Jade and I have the Bulls Xmas parade, and Jade is as usual on the School Float. Sunday is my work Kids Xmas Party, so Jade will be looking forward to that.

The following 2 weeks I think are full as well, with one Saturday having 3 functions on the same day, but we will manage it!

I have been scrapping. Went to Jo's house a couple of weeks ago I think. This first one is of Jade's Army as I call them, all her littlest pet shop pets, but in reality this is not all of them as this photo was taken 6 months ago and yes they have grown since then, i think she has 80 now, and well xmas is coming up she just might make 100!!!

The next one is of Mum and the bear we gave her for Xmas last year with a picture of Jade on the t-shirt. Now Mum takes the bear all over the place and I get these funny pictures of where Jade has been lately!!

Anyway better get going and be ready to watch the Lion Man again with Jade, she really is enjoying this program.

Kelly Rotherham Rocks

god what an evil internet connection tonight, i am so getting annoyed with dial up!!!!

I just wrote this huge waffle and then up-loaded it only for it to crash! not nice! maybe i might get broadband - nah!!!

I forgot to tell you about the other cool thing that happened when we went to scrap camp up Pohongina Valley. Kelly Rotherham came out for a day and did a wonderful free class of make and take, it wwas fantastic! She was promoting her new web based classes that she is running through her blog http://www.kellyrotherham.typepad.com/ you definately should check it out.

the class she was promoting when she was there was "funky felt" the best thing about it all was the price, i was floored as to how aaffordable it was. Two ways you could do it, either the full price where you got a pack as well, and the pack was very cool it even came in its owwn container!!! I love containers!!! And if you already had felt etc at home and did not need the pack you could just pay for the class!! What a cool idea. I am going to sign up for some classees after Xmas!!

Anyway do check out her website http://www.kellyrotherham.typepad.com/ you certainly will not regret it!

Another Week Goes By

Well another week goes by and not much really happens, but I am sure I can waffle on with something.

Friday Jade went to assembly at school, first of all she got a certificate for good editing of her work and then she won the reportable, she was very excited about this! Your name goes in the draw if during lunch time you are playing nicely or picking up rubbish or just generally being a nice child, then the pull out a name at the assembly and they win a prize. Jade won a rock painting kit which she thought was extremely cool!

Friday night Ralf and I went to the erotica expo with Jo and Bruce, it was very funny! Then we went out for tea at a nice Thai restaurant, Ralf ate lots!

Saturday nothing exciting, but Saturday night I went scrapbooking with Jo, which of course is always exciting!

First one is another picture of Jade at Rarotonga, we introduced her to "Mocktails" she thought they were great.

Next one is another one of Jo and I when we were at scrap camp up at Pohongina. Jo poses in all the pictures and she tells me to too, but I can see a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye so I always start laughing, then click the photo is taken and she looks fab and I look like an idiot! A special trait of mine!

Today a nice parcel arrived for me from the States, yippee the next Heidi Kit, but I had also got a couple of extra specials for Jo and I! Very stoked, so might have to look at doing some scrapbooking tonight, cannot wait to have a play.

Ralf's Home!!!

Yahoo Ralf is home! For me the month went super fast, and I am sure the break did us both the world of good, but yahooo he is home!!!! So I finished work at lunchtime so I could collect Ralf and Gundi from the airport, and look what I had to collect -

Such a hairy man! He looks like a porn star with a moustache like that! let alone the hair on his head, and thankfully for you guys you cannot see the state of the eyebrows as well, so out came the clippers -

Ahhhhh much better, well the hair and eyebrows! Decided that he would keep the mou so he could pop into work on Monday (still on leave) and show it off so all the boys can have a good laugh. Come Tuesday though it will be all gone! Next time I have told him to grow a full grown grizzly adams beard, as that would be super funny!!!

Well we have had a great weekend. So Ralf was home, he had a new BBQ to build which he did on Friday night, and then Deb and Gundi came around for tea and we gave it a test run - worked fantastically. Today though we gave the rotisserie a test run! Fantastic, we cooked a whole chook on it, really cool. So that is it no cooking for me until April of next year, the BBQ reigns over the dinner menu!!!!!! FANTASTIC!!!!!

Next weekend we have another full on weekend. The erotica expo is on again, so Jo and Bruce are coming with us, will be really funny. We went last year and it was a huge eye opener, but certainly fantastic entertainment!! Maybe I can convince Ralf that he would go well in the jelly wrestling pool!!! Saturday Ralf will no doubt be golfing and I am scrapping with Jo that night, and then on Sunday we are planning on going to Paraparaumu for the day, Ralf's Dad's birthday is the next Monday.

Anyway better go and do more family things.

Another weekend scrapping

Had a fantastic weekend, could almost imagine that it was coming into summer, the weather was just fantastic!

Jade had the school disco on Friday night, she was very excited as it was Halloween themed one so she got to dress up. Jade decided she wanted to go as a devil, might be something to do with the fact I had brought the horns a couple of weeks ago to wear at scrap camp myself. Well have to say she made a far better devil than I did!!! So good in fact she won first prize for junior girls for her costume, she was very happy to win some cd's, moro bar and a mcdonalds voucher. What more could a girl want.

This one is of Nyah, Bradley and Jade at the beginning of the evening, looking very frightening!

On Saturday Jo and Pauline came out to spend the afternoon and evening scrapping with me. That was alot of fun. We managed to make a rather large mess in the family room, thank goodness for the vacuum cleaner, it does work wonders!

First layout was for the scrapbook essentials guest designer pack which I had to load up to the website tonight. Loved doing this one, obviously it leads from our last scrap camp, as you would have seen the photo's earlier.

This next one was also for the guest designer pack, I started to do it last weekend, as it was our 12th wedding anniversary, so I was thinking of Ralf not being here, and how long we had been married. Hope he likes this one in his new album!

This last one is another one for Ralf's album, he does lead himself to having these pages made of him, I mean how many people do you knowo would let these pictures be taken of you, let alone pose for them! In saying that if you look very closely you can see his eyes look a little worse for wear, yes alot of bourbon had been consumed before this picture had been taken - what an evil wife stalking him with the camera!!!

Well Sunday rolled around and after Jade and I had finally woken up at 10am - yes you read it right 10am! Fantastic! I had to face the fact that the lawns had 3 weeks growth on them and I had promised Ralf I would tend to them while he was away - so outside I went! Thank god he is back this Friday!

Scrapbook Essentials Rocks

And boy do they! I had my name drawn out to be the guest designer for the month of October - how cool is that!!! So the wonderful Meg sent me a box of goodies to play with. Even though i had a 3 day weekend I still only got one page finished! Very slack I know but I have another in the making, so will up load them here and on the webesite as i get done.

I got another parcel today as well, I finally have done enough pages just about Ralf that he needs his own Album! So I had to buy one for him, I was good for once and brought him a green one instead of the pink which I really wanted to get for him!!

2 weeks to go until Ralf is home. It has gone fast for Jade and I but I think Ralf has had enough of living in a motel, not that he has not enjoyed having roasts etc for tea every night, with going to the various pubs etc for tea.

This weekend Jo and Pauline are coming to scrap with me on Saturday so that is going to be cool, not sure what time they are coming other than some time after lunch and staying well into the night. Better get some more photos printed out!

Anyway nearly time for the wonderful Shortland Street.

Even More Camp

I decided I would show you some other photos from scrap camp - which of course I so am going to have to scrap. First up me and Jo - yes I know my bra is supposed to be on under my top. But the theme was anything red, so be thankful I did not have my red knickers on the outside as well!!
Poor Lou she stood in the middle and was a very scared wee girl.
Four loverly ladies! Carolyn, Jo, Me and Anthea.
I could not help but jab Jo on the bum!
Naughty Jo was trying to steal little red riding hood's handbag!

God Scrap camps rock!

Scrap Camp

Well i finally got away to scrap camp on Saturday morning, Jade went to stay with her best friend Nyah, yahoo for the Toomey's! It seemed so strange going to camp the night after everyone else, so not fair they had at least 12 hours start on me! Not that it looked that way for some!

Scrapped all day but you will laugh when you look below and see how little I ended up getting done. Jo and I finally went to bed around 1am, but no sleep was managed by me, well very little, I was prepared with ear plugs as Jo has been known to snore very loudly! But... no snoring from Jo, just Pauline! Even worse when I woke at 6am, it was to hear that Jo had been up most of the night with a migraine and throwing up, she had been lying there patiently waiting for me to wake up - poor thing. So 6am i was up driving her back into town so she could at least be sick in her own bed! Poor Jo. So i scrapped for another day, started feeling a bit sick myself later in the day, not due to a headache or anything, won't go into details. Towards the end of the day Jo was feeling better, not great but better, so she came back to pack up her stuff, after tea we both decided to go home and get a good nights sleep.

So a shorter than normal camp was had by many people, it was a good camp, but very strange, not many people there and lots of people just coming for one day, not the norm at all.

Right onto some pages, this next one really needs no introduction, it is Ralf being himself when he has had to much to drink and his wife is in his face with the camera!

Then I covered my diary for work next year, decided it needed to look better than the old normal boring Collins diary. Very pleased with the outcome, but the boys at work think it looks very gay - I think they are jealous!

This next one is with jade and her new Tamagochi, she was not impressed when I brought her the budget one from The Warehouse, so she went and brought hte new one with her own money!
Poker night for ralf's birthday, the boys had a blast, even let me take some photos, less than I would have liked but not too bad for boys!
Last but not least, one of the time's Nyah came to stay the night they spent hours down in Jade's room creating things, and out they came, elephants they were! Made with sheets of paper taped together! They thought it was fantastic, I even think they had made tails!
Well that is all of me, better go and text Ralf, he is down in Blenheim for the month working for Safe Air - having a good time

School Holidays

One day before i start typing my next edition in my blog I might actually read what I wrote before so I can continue on with the story rather than sitting here wondering what I have told you and where i am up to!!!

Well School holidays is all over, two weeks goes just so fast. Jade spent the first week down in Paraparaumu with Ralf's parents being spoilt rotten. Breakfast in bed every morning, courtesy of Granddad. This consists of juice and a biscuit first, then followed by toast! She "the queen" thought she was in seventh heaven!! They had several trips down to the beach for a picnic and a play, and of course the trip to the movies i think they went to see Evan Almighty, which Jade described as "Sooooo Funnnny". This was the first trip away that she got right into texting me which was really cool. Normally it is just a yes and no reply to my questions, but this time I got all the smart little comments coming through all day long as though she was sitting beside me - very amusing!!

Second week My Mum and her student Tak came up to stay. It was extremely windy for the whole week they were here, so they were not able to do much. A few bike rides and a trip to the movies to see "Ratatoue" now i know I spelt that wrong! When I say they did not do much perhaps I should re word that to say Jade did not do much, my ever energetic mother, cleaned our windows twice! Weeded the gardens for us and of course continued on with her obsession to do all my washing! One day she will have to learn to just sit and relax but until then, our house will have it's once a year window clean. So good to see my Mum it always seems such a long time waiting for her to visit, and then she arrives and suddenly it is time to go home again.

Today i have just taken Ralf to the airport to go to Blenheim for the next 3-4 weeks to work for Safe Air. He had a month worth of long leave he needed to use up, so he is down in Blenheim with Gundi working. I think they were both looking forward to hanging out together down there. So Jade and I are cruising together by ourselves, i have told her she will be making tea for me every night, she thinks we will just have to have sandwiches and pasta!

Next weekend in scrap camp, I was not going to go, but Jade is going to stay with her best friend for two nights, so that is cool, I will miss Friday night, but be there Saturday morning, so I am very content.

Thought I had better include a layout I have done recently, went to play at Jo's house, and whipped this one up, a bit of a play on words, Ralf does not go out fishing very much at all, not much time in between Golf and general life, so I always give him hassles about catching nothing!!

Well better go and collect Jade from School.

How Slack Am I?????

It has been so long since I have posted anything on the blog I am sooooo slack! The worst thing is I cannot remember what I have done in the last month, so I am afraid it will be a bit empty of information, because I know it has been a super busy month.

First off all we had the soccer prize-giving which was very cool, Jade won a trophy for fair play, and me the great photographer for some reason the camera crashed on me, so I did not even get a photo of her getting it. She was so wrapped. The cool thing is she gets a minature to keep, so will have to take a picture of her with it later.

Today is Ralf's birthday he is 45!!! So old!!! Last Friday I organised for him a surprise poker night for him and the boys. I did so well keeping it all a secret until the Thursday night, then it was just too hard for me to figure out how to get all the beer cold without him knowing, so Thursday night I ended up telling Ralf so he could help me chill all his beer.

What a hoot of a night. Gundi, Gilly, Jimmy, Sandy and H all came around for the evening of silliness. Jimmy brought his portable poker table and all the chips around with him. Very serious business this game!

The first game Ralf got out rather quick, and Gundi had so many chips, you might be able to tell from this next picture that Ralf had several beers and thought Gundi was not the coolest! But Gundi did not care - he still did not win Gilly won!

Second game Ralf won, but that was around 3.30am! So being the wonderful nice wife I am I banged on all doors at 8am woke them all up, made coffee and cooked the breakfast.

Below is a page i finished up on Monday night, I have not done much scrapping of late, but I do love this page, of the wonderful Lou!

Miss Jade is down visiting her grandparents in Paraparaumu for this week being the first week of the school holidays. She is having a blast down there, being spoilt again having breakfast in bed every morning!!!

Next week my Mum is up here for the week with her Japanese student, so that is the school holidays all sorted.

Anyway short and sweet I know but the amazing race is on and I want to see it!