sunny QLD here we come.... part 1

Saturday - 1st October
Saw us waking at 4am and on the road by 4.15am heading to sunny Queensland, well, Coolangatta actually! We had the normal few stops on the way up and even a 1 hour break and walk around the shops for lunch at Coffs. We arrived around 2ish, so that was a pretty good run.
Joh, Nev and girls arrived some time after us which was great for the kids and good for us. We were all on the one floor so the kids had a ball running between the two apartments.

Sunday - 2nd October
What a CRAP day!!! It was absolutely pouring with rain. No swimming, No beach, so the kids were devastated. What to do..... go shopping!! And didn't we just.
We ended up at the surf shop outlets and spent a small fortune but saved an absolute bucket.
When we got home we checked the weather report for the rest of the week and they reckoned RAIN nearly all week, so our plan of attack was on the first sunny day hit the theme parks

Monday - 3rd October
And that was everyone elses thoughts too!
We opted for Dreamworld. Thank god Joh had pre-purchased our tickets cause the queue to get in was ridiculous and we just walked straight in. But that was the end of the short queues I'm afraid.
The log ride was first on the agenda..... one and a half hours later......
I started to regretting wearing jeans on this overcast day cause I was soaked! Nothing as attractive as looking like you've just wet your pants, lol.
We headed around the back of Dreamworld to the animals on our way to wiggleworld were we had lunch. I took the kids on the Big Red Car ride and while we were in the queue the boys snuck off to go on the motorbike rollercoaster..... let me just say I was just a little dirty bout them not waiting for me!
Next it was around to Nick Central were we spent the rest of the day. The kids loved it! I took Connor on the rollercoater and Avalanche (not called that anymore) and he thought they were TOPS.... I thought he'd get all scared. Shanice went on the Spongebob ride with me too.
Just before leaving at closing time we were in the shop and the lovely lady in there gave us a great bit of info about when the rides close, so me and the kids ran round to the rapid ride to quickly get in the queue before they closed, and we were lucky, we were the 3rd last boat.
And may I just say that by the end of the day my jeans had only just dried!

Me, Connor, Britney and Shanice on the rapid ride

Britney and Zoey with Dora and Diego

Woo Hoo the Big Red Car Ride - Me, Shanice, Britney, Zoey and Connor

The two biggest children on the motorbike rollercoaster - Nev and Anthony

Me, Joh and Zoey

Connor, Nev and Anthony

The girls wanted to be all grown up and go on by themselves - Shanice and Britney

In WiggleWorld - looks like something out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Hanging with the Koalas

Connor, Zoey, Britney and Shanice right after we went on the log ride

Part 2 coming soon

Welcome baby Mackenzie

On Thursday 30th September I was very honoured to be at the birth of my beautiful new niece, Mackenzie.
I think I was supposed to be there to support my sister as she was being induced 2 weeks early but as her labour really started and she started to cry, so did I. And then once little Mackenzie was here I became blubbering mess for 3 days - what an emotional rollercoster it is being on the other end!
She is so perfect. Weighing a tiny 2.7kilo (5 pound 15 in the old scale) and 49cm long.
Thank you Mandy for letting me be with you to share this special moment

Mandy and bub about 2 minutes old

Proud Nan

Very proud Aunty

Connor cuddles Mackenzie almost as much as I do

And big brother Hunter meeting his new baby sister

3 faces i love

Thought I would share with you piccies of 3 of the people I love the most

On Saturday we went out for a family lunch for mine and mums birthday. We went to the Alroy because not only is it a gorgeous place with yummy food but it's great for the kids.

Happy, Happy Birthday

A great big HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my mum today (oh and me...... which i do believe was the bestest birthday present a mum could ask for)

The spooky this about today too is.......... the date

8/9/10

LSBS retreat madness

On the last weekend of August I was lucky enough to participate with the girls from LSBS at their annual scrapbooking retreat. It was tops to get away and not have to run the weekend, but it feels strange at the same time.
I love these girls to pieces and had an absolute ball as always. Let me tell you they are a naughty bunch of girls when all in the same room. And i have never laughed so much - thanks Sami!

So what happens at retreat, stays at retreat....... but here are a few pics


The group shot - thanks to Kerryn for taking this great photo

........ dont know what to say bout this group of crazy ladies (thanks to Kathy for sharing this pic of facebook)

That would be Me, Sami and Joh

I did actually get some scrapping done..... even if it was only 1 layout, lol

I just adore this photo of my lil' terrors

This was Belle's class - i stuck with those paper flowers, all 14 of them. And i dont care that it took me exactly one week to finish them because I love the end result - thanks Belle

These were the two layouts from Kerryn's class. I love how easy they were to put together and great they look.

We did another class with Sherry Mendoza, but i cant share that one as it's already wrapped for my mum for her birthday tomorrow.

I cant wait to do it all again next year:)

OMG!!!!

I just booked my tickets to see



And I'm so excited it's ridiculous:)

new kitchen

For quite a while now (about 2 years) Anthony and I have been throwing around the idea of moving or extending our house and build a second storey. But nothing has happened and we just cant make up our minds, so instead we opted for a new kitchen to tie us over.
It had nothing to do with the fact that tiles started falling off, pantry door is broken, drawer fronts are falling off and my light fell and smashed!
And because I'm getting a new kitchen (at the end of September) Anthony insisted he needed on too, and here it is:

rather pretty i must say and it cooks a mean barbie

month of birthdays

August and September are huge birthday months here. It seems that every week there is someone in the family's special day.

Last week was Mandy's bday so we went up to mum's for a bbq lunch. Mandy & I stayed the night before with all the kids which was "fun"...... they are all so loud, lol, but cute.

Here are few piccies from our lovely day

I made yummy Raspberry & coconut cupcakes (from scratch - no packet mix for these sweet cakes)

Hunter helping mummy blow out the candles

My big girl - with a mouth full of chips

Doing a special smile for his favourite aunty

3 cheeky monkeys - dont know which one is the cheekiest

Shanice's last open day....

I cant believe that this year was Shanice's last Open Day book week parade at school. Has she really been at school 7 years already?....... high school in less than 6 months!

So, I went all out this year and made the kids costumes. I think they really loved them. And Shanice really did look like Alice from Alice in Wonderland.
The day started at 12 noon when we met the kids in their classrooms. Anthony, myself and Hunter went to Shanice first and Mum & Mandy went to Connor, then we swapped.
Of course this doesn't last long as the kids are too excited to do the treasure hunt and spend all their parents (and grandparents) money at the book fair.
After lunch we then headed into the schools new gym for the parade.
The teachers always dress up in the theme and do some little dance number which is always funny. This year they did Snow White. The principal was the Prince, the deputy was a bear, the head of primary was a frog, all the class teacher were dwarfs and one of the lucky teachers was Snow white.
In keeping with tradition, Shanice had her grumpy face on, lol.
It really was a lovely day and one i wont forget...... as my big girl is growing up far too fast.



Shanice as Alice

Connor as a knight

The terrors:)

Shanice & Britney with mum

Hunter having a little lie down with Snow White - he was so adorable and all the teachers came up to me and said that you cant half tell he is Connor's cousin

creating.....

for the past 3 days I have been here......

buried somewhere underneath a great big pile of fabric and patterns.

This year is Shanice's last Book Week parade so i thought i would do something a bit special for her and make here the costume that she picked. Of course, she chose her favourite character of the moment "Alice". She is obsessed with the Tim Burtons movie Alice in Wonderland.

I have enjoyed sewing the costume but I'm glad that I've finally finished.

And then i started to feel guilty about not doing something for Connor, so i was back at spotlight on Sunday buying more fabric and patterns because he wants to go as a knight. Apparently all his friends are going as knight and he was happy to go with a cardboard shield and sword, but i made him a special hooded cape. I'm hoping we can add to it for the next couple of years to get wear out of it.

But i feel so pleased with myself for making them.

And in between sewing like a crazy person I did a spot of scrapping too......

"Watching You" using Lil Robots by MME. I was testing out the glimmer screens too

"The Face" using more Lil Robots MME.

I love this face..... when you say to Hunter "Do the face" he screws up his little nose and breaths really loudly.... it's to cute

and "This Kid" using My Family by Fancy Pants