Kelly Rotherham

Well once again I am going to mention Kelly's blog. She is starting up Scrap Evenings and combining it with classes. What a fantastic idea. You can go along just to scrap with a great bunch of ladies, or you can go along and do that as well as a class. Now seriously the class she is running is at an absolute bargain!!!! Kelly scraps in a very cool fun style which I love. She also has prizes etc with sponsorship from Scrapbook Essentials which is also very cool, as Meg (owner of Scrapbook Essentials) always has the latest and greatest funky supplies.

Shame I will be away next Friday or else I would have been there with bells on!!

Anyway scrapping people get over to Kelly's blog to find out more details and book yourself in for a fabtastic night of inhaling glue!!!

Check out her blog for more details http://kellyrotherham.typepad.com/

A Whole Week......

A whole week has gone by with no post from me!!! Ralf has been away with work for the week, he had a great time and got home again on Monday night which was a nice suprise as he was not supposed to get home until Tuesday night.

We (Jade and I) went to Tawa on Saturday to visit the Kerr's and also the scrapbook shop in Wellington followed by a stop to see Ralf's parent's in Paraparaumu on the way home. So we both got home very tired.

Sunday was the "Op Shop" concert on in town at the Esplanade, a nice free concert put on by the council. Great night with fantastic music. Met up with Jo, Bruce and Taylor there, and so we all sat under our umbrella's (yes it was raining) listening to the music. Jade and Taylor went off to play on the rides and to get "Tattoo's", funny Jade came back with a puppy on her arm, and Taylor had an "I love Mum and Dad" one, god we laughed.

Anyway, must away to tidy the messy scrap room.

Martinborough

Only two weeks till Martinbourgh!!!

Play Lists

God the internet is just so cool, since I have had broadband I have scanned and looked through so many cool new sites.

My latest find is how to put a playlist on my blog, so all you lucky people can listen to whatever music I decide rocks while your reading it!!! Now for me that is so cool, but for some of you that might night be so cool, but never mind, it is all about me!!!

I love Scrapbooking

God I love scrapbooking!!!! And to proove it I did it all weekend!! Saturday morning Jade had her first swimming lesson in a couple of years. Thought it was time we tried to get her breathing properly, not that she does not know how to breath LOL!!!! Just her breathing when swimming!!

Saturday afternoon and evening I went to Jo's house to play, and we scrapbooked through the night, such a laugh. We always have a great time. Even better next time I go scrapbooking with her I can say I am going scrapbooking with Jo "she's a tart" ha ha, god I am funny tonight. Check out her blog (link on the right hand side) if you want to know why I am calling her a tart!

Right on with the good stuff. Below a great picture my Mum took of Jade when they went camping at Tarras this holidays, the title says it all. She looks the same as I did at that age, always in the river at Tarras, so hot!
The next layout is all Jade again!! She was running around Mel and Jase's house on Xmas day with the camera, madly taking photos. These are just some of them, funny looking at life from an 8 year olds point of view, and what she thinks is worthly of taking pictures off. I some how neglected to put in all the pictures she had taken of Mel and my butts!!! I wonder why!!!

Last layout is our family Xmas photo. God we had fun. Best buy ever was the metre long santa hat I brought for everyone. Jase set up the timer on the camera to take this shot, I was trying to get Jade to lie accross the front of us all, but she decided to be shy about it, hence she is half up and down, as I was trying to push her down! Next time I will just have to be more violent about it!!!

Sunday Nyah and Shea came around to play with Jade, well I am telling her they came around to play with me! We did after all scrap book all day!! Julie and Anton turned up to pick them up, and all the girls were saying Nooooooooooo! I hope they had a good time, I certainly had to laugh, I mean I do have a "small stash" of supplies, so I gave them full access to it all, and off they went, into the stamps, stickers, paper and cardstock!

Ralf is away for work from this Thursday through to some day next week, and I do say some day as he does not know when he is coming back - god how useful is that!!! Jade and I are going to go to a free Op Shop concert on Sunday night, so that will be cool, it is on in Palmerston North.

Scrapping

Miss Jo rung me yesterday, and after talking to her I felt guilty about not doing any scrapping in a while, she had done a layout, so I felt I needed to do some. So I pulled this layout together. It came together very quickly, but I really love it.

Naught Oscar

Oscar decided she wanted to join in our meal this evening! Such a big table we decided she could hang out as long as she stayed down that end.

Herb Garden

The herb garden is complete! We went over to Feilding this morning and visited this fantastic nursery called "The Fragrant Garden", and it was just that, the largest display of herb plants in one place I have every seen. So that was great, we brought the remainder of what we needed and were also able to check out the plants we need for the next strip of garden we are doing. She has them very resonably priced and a good size.

We came home, weed matted the garden and then planted all the plants, and then barked it all. I am short by one bag, so will pick that up on the way home tomorrow night.

Herb Garden

Ralf has just finished building the herb garden. More dirt has to go in tomorrow, then just have to weed mat it all and then plant it out, before barking it all. Looks fantastic, I have the best husband in the world!!!

Naughty Ladies

God we are naughty. The trip to Martinbourgh has now changed, so instead of leaving at lunch time on the Friday to get down there in time for tea, now we are all taking the whole day off work and driving down in time to be there for lunch!

Fantastic to be going with like minded lasses, who love a good weekend away. It is looking to be a good one. Jo has set a challenge for us, told us what photos we have to bring, started telling us what papers etc, but of course there was no need we will all be bringing everything!!

Then we are all doing a surprise parcel, putting together a parcel ful of bits and pieces from our massive stash, which someone else will end up with. Very cool, as we all have cool things which I am sure we all want! So looking forward to seeing what surprise parcel I get to play with.

Jade and I went on a bike ride today, along the Manawatu river, should have taken the camera so someone could take a picture of us. Used our bike rack that one of the wonderful men from work made me for the first time. Worked out well, but had to stop at the bike shop to get a lock for the bikes so we could still go shopping after our ride.

Anyway, must away thinking I might tidy my scrapbook room.

Martinborough

Well Jo, Lou, Kris and I are going to have a girls weekend away scrapping. The first weekend in March we are meeting up in Martinborough to stay for a couple of nights. I can hardly wait, it certainly is going to be a good weekend.

Jo has convinced me that we should leave around lunch time, and drive down slowly, shopping and cafe hopping all the way there. Certainly sounds like a plan. Then Lou and Kris will come up from Wellington, and the wonderful weekend will begin.

I am sure this will be the first weekend of many to come!

Splash Planet

Well yesterday I took Jade and Nyah to splash planet for the day. What a long day, we left home at 7.30am and got home just in time for shortland street. Fantastic weather managed to keep the kids from being burnt all day so that was good, but of course missed a couple of spots on me!

It was funny for me going there, as I have not been since I was about 9 I suppose when we lived in Hastings and it was called Fantasyland. The train, pirate ship were still there, and the mini putt, and the tiny town village was still there, and yes it is still as I remembered it so that was fantastic. Jade and Nyah climbed in the big concrete shoe and pumpkin as I did as a kid too, but I did not have my camera with me then.

Lots of kids and families there, but the park is large enough that there was room for everyone. The kids could not be bothered waiting in line to go on the ride on jeeps etc.

A cool link

Well I have no idea how people leave a nice pretty link without it showing the whole www. bit etc, so bear with me. Scrapbook.com is the website that process all the Heidi Swapp kits, which I have been known to buy a few, anyway they are having a giveaway at the moment which some of you might be interested in, a basic grey rub on tool and a Valentines Day set of rubons all for free when you spend $40. Anyway here is the link http://store.scrapbook.com/bg-lovekit.html

So if anyway can tell me how to do a pretty link that would be fab!!!

Finally some Scrapbooking

Finally I have gotten around to show you some scrapbooking I have been doing, I know your going to say not much, and Jo even said not much considering you had no child there for 3 weeks, but what can I say.

This first one I started doing at Jo's house before she went away on holiday. The photo was done using a new technique that Jo learnt at crafting connections. I was a tad nervous I have to say, you put the photo into a bowl of water, and then take it out and sand the photo around the image you want left. As it is drying you dry brush in what ever colour you want to use on top. Came out quiet well. Jo's picture she did had bigger scratch lines which looked cooler as she used sandpaper and I just used an emery board. Next time I will give it ago with sandpaper.

Anyway this photo was taken on Jade's birthday, I do a layout with the same info on it every year, quiet cool, seeing what things she has changed over the year.
This next one is Jade and Nyah. Julie looked after Jade one afternoon when I could not get home from work, and Ralf I think was still at golf. So Julie took them down to athletics. A nice quick simple layout to do.

Well Jade is back home with us now, which is very cool. Air New Zealand did there standard thing and left Jade's bag in Christchurch, so that was funny, they brought it out home later that afternoon when it finaally arrived on another flight.

Jade is going to a holiday program this week in town. She is enjoying it so far, there was crafts this morning, soccer tournament in the afternoon, and then a swim. Tomorrow is arts and crafts again, off to the movies and another swim. So everything she loves.

Friday Jade and I are taking Nyah with us and going over to Hastings to go to Splash Planet, really looking forward to going to that.

Backwards I know

Now I know I am posting stories and photos backwards but it has just happened that way. So these photos are from earlier today. Mum took them all down to the beach to go cockeling today. The found lots, Mum even took down a cooker so they could cook some up straight away, Linda and Jade ate some but not the others. Jade said they had some sand in them, because there was no fresh water at the beach to rinse them in before cooking them. She really is her Dad's daughter eating that horrible stuff!!!Apparently they found lots of crabs as well.

This next one is of the fantastic slave labour she had working for her putting away the firewood, I am sure they had never had to work so hard before, it would have done them all the world of good. I remember having to do it when we were kids and hating it, but well it never hurt us!

Jade's Last Night in Dunedin

Well tonight is the last night Jade has in Dunedin, our wee girl is flying home tomorrow. We can hardly wait to see her again, 3 weeks has gone fast but it has been a very quiet house without her constant chatter!!

Jade ruling Bob!
Toasting great cousins.

Eating what looks like burnt marshmellows. They had the fire going on a nice hot summer night just so they could toast them.

Air New Zealand

Wow! My Aunty Geg text me tonight to tell me she was watching the news and Air New Zealand have dropped their fares, god knows why they have but how fantastic. I have been watching grab a seat religiously for weeks now, wanting to book a flight for Jade and I to Dunedin to visit Mum for a long weekend while Ralf is away.

Well mission accomplished! I have booked the flights and guess what Wellington to Dunedin return for Jade and I was only $312! I could not believe it!

How exciting having a trip to Dunedin to look foward to, it will certainly break up the 3 months of Ralf being away.

Fiskars

I have just added the Fiskars website blinkie, down there on the right. Click on it to go to a very cool site, tells you all the latest product coming up for release and they put page layout sketches on there as well. So give it a click.

No Camping

Well there was no camping to be had by the Thomas Family - sob sob sob.

Ralf got home and it was blowing 20kmph winds (yes i checked the net) so it was never really going to happen. But Ralf being the good husband he is humoured me and we packed up the truck with everything and went for a drive, over to the beach, I think it took us about 50 minutes to get there.

Very nice camping ground, which was nice an sheltered, but when we got down to the beach it was sand blasting weather. So Ralf would not have been able to fish, which was what he wanted to do. We drove back home again and went to the Rat Hole with Gundi for tea instead.

A nice drive to check it out, and hopefully next weekend when Jade is home we can go camping for the night.

Me

Well I have put in so many posts over the last couple of weeks, but all about Jade - how rude! So I thought time for a me post.

I went scrapbooking last weekend with Jo, I got one complete layout done, which is below. This is Ralf when he came home from working in Blenheim for a month. What a big revolting moustache. You can tell his wife does scrapbooking, there was no complaint when I asked him to pose for me.

I also have started the yearly one of Jade, with her height weight etc, but I have not finished it yet, you will have to wait, hopefully I might finish it this weekend.

Still meant to be going camping this afternoon, just waiting for Ralf to get home from golf, then I am guessing we will have a discussion about the wind. It is quiet windy, so we shall see if we go, I am not sure he is totally keen on camping in hte wind. But it could be worse, it could be rain.

I think we should still go, it is only one night, and he can have the whole day tomorrow fishing in the sea, while I read some scrapbooking magazines, and I might even take a wee Mills and Boons with me. Have not read any of those for a long time!

We are not going far just to Kai Iwi Beach, which is just north of Wanganui. I have the camera ready to take, so there might be some more me time on the blog and some photos of us.

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.