Summer Holidays

Oh how I used to love summer holidays when I was teaching... they have very much lost their appeal now I am a childminder... especially as one of the children I look after is VERY weird and high maintenance!!! Roll on September...lol!!!

We've had a busy time just lately. The kids broke up from school last Wednesday so Thursday and Friday were mad busy entertaining a house full. Saturday we went to Mablethorpe for the day which was fab. The sun shone, but not too hot so Bear could enjoy himself too without fear of getting too 'over done'. We spent a small fortune on sand toys, donkey rides, the fair and the arcades.... you wouldn't believe how fast my eldest two can burn through money!!! I was very impressed with how brave Oliver was on the rides.... he went on some big ones with me, but of course there are no photos of those as Rob didn't think to actually use the camera he was holding!!! I did get this pic of him with his dad on the umbrella ride though.... very high! A very late night for all followed by an early start as it was Oliver's 6th birthday on the Sunday, and it would be rude to sleep in or allow others to sleep in on your birthday wouldn't it!!! He got way too much, again.... and his treat for the day was a trip to see Walking with Dinosaurs at the Sheffield Arena. He absolutely loved it but is now more than ever convinced that he is a velociraptor!!!

Back home on the Sunday evening to a house we left in a tip and more dirty laundry than you can shake a stick at!!! And of course it is raining pouring so now we have wet washing draped everywhere!!!

Tomorrow is Oliver's birthday tea, which is not to be confused with a birthday party but seems to be fast turning into a party with more and more children coming!!! how did that happen?!?!?

Last night we had a kitchen designer/fitter round to plan our new kitchen which is going in at the beginning of September.... hoooray!!! no more wood, wood, wood everywhere!

Anyway, with all this going on I haven't had chance to scrap... although I am planning to do a couple of LOs tonight. I can share these LOs with you now... they were created using the Crate paper Orbit collection from Sarahscards. Lovely papers to look at and stroke, but quite a challenge to use... although now I have used them and am happy with the LOs, I think I need to buy more of the papers, as I can see the potential for them for future LOs.

And these LOs were done using the July kit... The reason the snail was called Denys is because that is our neighbours name, and Rob gas told the boys to put any snails into next doors garden so they can eat their plants instead of ours!!! There is no hope for my boys!

At the weekend we are meeting up with my best friend Annie and her family. It was meant to be a zoo trip/farm park visit but it looks like plans may need to be re-thought due to a lousy weather forecast. Could be a visit to Cadbury's World or Think Tank then!!!

Right better go and detect which child is emitting a rather unpleasant smell.... back soon.

I'm so old!!!!

It was my birthday on Thursday... 21 again!!! I wish... 33, another year away from my 20s *sob*. I had a great birthday and was spoilt lots... Rob arranged a lucky dip present box, filled with polystyrene bits.... a good idea, until Harry decided to tip them everywhere... about 10 minutes after I'd hoovered up!!! I swear I am still finding bits now. My main present was new point and press camera as mine had slowed down so much it wasn't worth taking anywhere as by time it took the photo the moment had passed. So now I have a snazzy little thing which will be taken everywhere. I also got quite a few bottles of wine from various friends which has not helped at all with the weight watchers plan this week... but hey ho it was fun drinking it!

So what will my 33rd year have in store? I am determined that this year I will get to goal at ww, and continue to be more active. Recently I have been doing workout dvds and been jogging and using the outdoor gym equipment at the park with friends, I can tell a difference but there is still a long way to go....

I also plan to start a 8.5x11 scrapbook that is all about me, after being prompted by the lovely Jems to tell my story. Not sure how into this I'll get, but anything will be better than nothing, and as yet there is very little about me in my scrapbooks. So all I need to do is order a new size album and I'll give it a go...

Last night I played along with Twisted Sketch 6... this weeks twist being to use stamping. I used 2 journal stamps,a date stamp, a ledger tab stamp and a number roller thingymajig. The photo is one taken of drew with our very good friend Sarah and her children Hannah and Adam. Sarah was great when I was expecting Drew and was on call for when things kicked off.... she came to look after Oliver and Harry whilst Rob and I went to hospital. It was only right that she was the first person outside of family to hold Dinky when he came home.... and he has lots of cuddles since. I used a mix of papers to pick out colours from the photo, and although they may not 'match' I think they work well together, and I am quite happy with the LO.

I was really pleased to learn that my Bear has a bubble gun LO was chosen to win a RAK for sketch number 3... it made my day.

Right better go and put away all the ironing that I did this morning before my Sunday night jog in the rain!!!

Scrapping sneaks...

Sarahscards sent me some gorgeous Crate Paper goodies to play with. They were perfect for scrapping pics of my three beasties... here are a few sneaks until I can share the whole LOs. Only 3 sneaks but I did do 4 LOs... we have lost a pic somewhere in cyber space;)
I have just realised I used my new Martha Stewart border punch on all 4 LOs too.... oh well, at least I can prove to Rob that it was money well spent.

Busy busy busy!!!

The boys and I went to stay at mum and dad's for the weekend and Saturday was spent at Sundown Adventure Land.... I wonder if my boys will ever get bored with this place! No photos to share as they were all taken on mum's camera... I get a new point and press for my birthday but Rob wouldn't let me have it early....booooooo!!!! Quite a few firsts happened this weekend... Oliver went down a fireman's pole on his own, Harry went on a ride and didn't cry, Dinky Doo started on baby rice. It's really quite scary how quickly time flies... I can't believe my baby is ready for solids so soon.... sob! He is loving anything banana flavoured and ADORES Farleys rusks.

We are on countdown to the summer holidays.... it can't come soon enough for Oliver, but the holidays have lost the appeal they had when I was a teacher... being a childminder it means I have to work even harder during school holidays. We are having a week off though to go on a family holiday to Butlins in Minehead. Both boys are so excited, especially once they found out that four arms from Ben 10 is going to be there!

Last night I sorted through loads of photos that I want to scrap and put them with papers that I am going to use... hopefully doing this will mean I can get on with some serious speed scrapping. It's always the choosing stash that takes me ages, so we'll see. Last night I did sketch 5 from the Twisted blog. I kept pretty true to the sketch this time too. The twist this week was to use fabric on your LO, so I made this cute little bird in a tree from felt and stitched it to the LO. It goes pretty well with the gorgeous BG bird paper and I am quite happy with the overall appearance of the LO. The journalling reads "We warned the photographer that you wouldn't smile, but she was adamant she would be able to make you. She tried all the tricks in the book but you wouldn't give in. We love these photos of you".

Harry is such a serious child sometimes... he doesn't give smiles out to just anyone, and he certainly won't smile on demand. The photographer was bemused that all the photos we chose to buy had harry with his fingers in his mouth, his shoulder turned to the camera or his arm up.... but we love them because it shows the real Harry.... the one we know and love.

My friend Jemma was the guest designer for this weeks sketch, her work is fabby and this has been recognised again as she has a new DT place over at Dotty Divas.... way to go Jems that is so stinkin awesome ;)

Right better go and get boring stuff done so the fun stuff can happen later :)

It's raining, it's pouring!!!

The great British weather eh!!! yesterday it was scorching hot and we were slapping on the factor 50, today it's wet, wet, wet and we have welly boots and ponchos on! Hey ho... at least I got to finish this LO this morning while Bear and Dinky had a nap on the sofa.This was done using the 4th twisted sketch which I turned on it's side. I used the gorgeous Little Sprout papers and stamps from Sarahscards, and a few October Afternoon rub ons that I have had for aaaaaaaages. The transparency is a wood grain Hambly overlay that my friend Jems sent me aaaaaaaages ago and I have only just been brave enough to use it.

Right off to shop for a new mobile phone, hair straighteners and an electric toothbrush.... all of which have given up the ghost over the weekend!!!