Sisters are Special and Scrapbooking at last

I have had my sister and brother in law in visiting this past week - we have had such a lovely time together. Since they have moved to Emerald we are seeing a lot more of them. They came in with their eldest daugher and her young family for Natalie to have her MRI. ( A follow through from when she was flown in here by the RFD with severe migrane headaches. Natalie and the children went home on Thursday but John and Jude stayed until Saturday, so on Friday we took time out to go down to the Capricorn Coast for a drive and afternoon tea. It was just like old times - our lives have gone full circle. We used to often have holidays togetherbefore kids, when it was just the four of us. Now with our kids almost off our hands we had a little taste of what is in store for us again in the future. Sisters are special and I just want to say Jude that although we might be as different as chalk and cheese in some respects, I love catching up with you and spending this time with you. You have a heart of gold and I really do appreciate you more than you realize. Loved spending time with you these past few days.

Before I forget you have to go visit Lusi's Austin's blog.

She has an awesome RAK up for grabs on her blog. Some of her stamps - including my most favourite " You Rock my World" stamps - as well as a huge bunch of other stuff too.

You can see her stuff at Buzz and Bloom. Not only is Lusi is an amazing scrapbooker, but she is a warm, generous, compassionate person as well, and has has inspired me in not only my scrapbooking but also my Christian faith. You Rock Girl.

Oh for long weekends, I have finally got around to getting some scrapbooking done this weekend. I managed a double layout of our High Tea, as well as a few more pages for my JOY Journal. I have just about caught up again, although I am going to have to try and source some bigger rings for it as my album is almost full and I am only half way through the year. I am hoping to get in and do a few more layouts again this week. At least I have plenty of photos to scrapbook, all poatiently waiting on my scrapbooking desk for me to do something with them.

Chloe has been away all weekend on your Youth Group camp. If the photos are anything to go by, it looks like they have had a pretty awesome time. Although it was well after midnight on Thursday night before they got to bed, they all had to be up by 4am to attend the Dawn Service Anzac Morning - whilst some of the leaders headed back to bed for a bit of a sleep catch up. Quite a few of the kids decided they wated to sit on the beach and watch the sun rise. Check out these awesome photos of the sun rising over the horizon . They are breathtaking and I can only imagine what it myst have been like to actually experience it. For my own record, I have included the collage of the kids at camp as well as a Collage of some of the photos I like that the other kids took of Chloe. Can't you tell I am a biased Mum - just love that daughter of mine.

My friend Karen is due in for a visit again tomorrow. Her mum is being admitted for a Hip Replacement on Tuesday so I know that she would value some prayers for her Mum - that the surgery will be successful and she will be up and about in no time at all.

Also thinking of my son Pete who I know would really appreciate prayers on Wednesday this week. He has been shortlisted for a Graduate Program position as soon as he finishes his degree. His interview is on Wednesday and he has been loaded down with assignments. ( He had one due last Thursday, one due today and then another due tomorrow) This doesn't leave him a lot of time to prepare. Good luck Pete - I know that you would be a huge assest to anyone who would employ you and take the time to get to know you.

I found this great quote on Mel Harris's blog this week, and I am sure she won't mind if I share it with you. It is so true.

People are like stained-glass windows.They sparkle and shine when the sun is out,but when the darkness sets in,their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

And finally I thought this was definately worth sharing with you all as well.

I dreamed I had an interview with God. “So you would like to interview me?” God asked“If you have the time” I said.God smiled…“My time is eternity”“What questions do you have in mind for me?”“What surprises you most about humankind?”God answered...

“That they get bored with childhood. They rush to grow up and then long to be children again.”

“That they lose their health to make money and then lose their money to restore their health.”

“That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live in neither the present nor the future.

”That they live as if they will never die, and die as if they had never lived.”God’s hand took mine and we were silent for a while and then I asked...

“As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons you want your children to learn?

”God replied with a smile…“To learn they cannot make anyone love them.What they can do is let themselves be loved.”“To learn, that it is not good to compare themselves to others.”“To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most,but is one who needs the least.”

“To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in persons we love, and it takes many years to heal them.” “To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.”“To learn that there are persons who love them dearly but simply do not know how to express or show their feelings.”“To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it differently.”“To learn that it is not always enough that they are forgiven by others,
but that they must forgive themselves.”

“And to learn that I am here always.”

High Tea

Hopefully we are heading into a quieter week this week. Last week was busy - but in a kinda good way. Pete was home - home to study, not sure he did too much but it was so nice to have him home. Why does the time fly so quickly. Neither of us were ready to say good bye. I love it that when he comes home. His visit is never long enough - I love that our time together is just so special that we don't want them to end. We probably won't get to catch up again now until July.

Also had the girls that I used to work with over for afternoon tea last Thursday afternoon, there are only two of us left at school now - the others are either on leave or have moved on to greener pastures, but we have set aside an afternoon a month to get together for afternoon tea so that we don't loose touch with each other. It was my turn to have afternoon tea at my place, so I got to use my new cup cake stand, and with a little guidance from my daugher Sarah, I attempted to make the Rocky Road cupcakes. They looked great and tasted even better. This photo is for you Sarah.

I know it is not quite as fancy as yours were, and I have now learnt that the cupcakes need to be flat and level with the paper cup to be able to put the topping on successly so that you can just drizzle the chocolate on.

Five of the girls at church all celebrate their birthdays within 10 days of each other, so we decided to hold a "High Tea" to help them celebrate. Mind you, it was a very special birthday for my friend Jean as she turned 60, so I finished the little bithday book for her and I will share just a few of the pages from her book with you below. It is about the only scrapbooking I have managed to do in the past couple of weeks. The night was wonderful - a great excuse to get dressed up and play ladies. All our best china came out - we tasted all sorts of different teas, and sampled all sorts of yummy finger foods. Everyone had a great time, and it was decided that since we now have the decorations, and it was a huge success we should to do it again.

Here are some of the photos. The first couple are just of the table set up with some of the food. There was so much. It seemed to go on forever.

Photos of the Birthday girls, and some of the young girls who also enjoyed going to a Tea Party. I have put together some Collages, or the Decorations, Food and all the guests.

The shock for some of us mums was finding our daughters in the kitchen helping with the clean up of their own free will. Just had to take a photo of them doing the dishes. This does not often happen. But, then again, usually kids are always so much more helpful when they are out and not at home.

Just a bit of a highlight of some of the pages that were done for the Birthday book. I know Jean was thrilled with her little book. Made making it all worthwhile.

Well not a lot more happening here at the moment. We hope to have a relatively quite long weekend. Chloe is off to her Youth Group Camp. I have a feeling that my sister and neice might be in for a few days in the next couple of days. I am definately hoping to fit in a bit of scrapbooking for me during this next week. It seems ages since I have tackled the great pile of photos that are mounting on my scrapbooking desk.

Sorry about the LONG post - but I really do want to keep a record of the great girls night out.

Just wanted to share this in closing - it was in our church bulletin yesterday and I thought it was quite thought provoking.

"Everyone is like a pot that carries life. but not everyone carries a presence that blesses others. Religion tries to force people to follow laws to make them perfect, like pots without cracks. but if a light is put within a flawless pot and then covered, no one is able to see the light inside the pot. Perfect pots are not able to reveal internal light to illumine the way for others.

God chooses to shine through imperfect, cracked pots. People are blessed when our cracked pots let the light of Jesus shine though. Choose to be a glory-filled cracked pot allowing God to use you flaws and all rather than an empty pretty vessel."

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Girls Day Out.

I cannot beleive my holidays have come and gone. It has been a really great week. I have lots of photos to share. I didn't get anywhere near what I would have like to have got done around here, but I had fun. I actually feel like I have had a holiday.

On Friday I got to catch up with the girls I used to work with. I love it that even though we don't work together anymore we still make time to catch up with each other. Jannett picked us all up around 9am and we took off to the beach for the day on a shopping trip. A new shopping centre opened in Yeppoon a couple of months ago and none of us had checked it out. That was our first stop, and I was so proud of myself, because other than a few cards and some wrapping paper, I was very good and didn't spend anything. Next we stopped in the main street of Yeppoon and found two of the most devine shops, and I had my little splurge, but I was so happy with my purchases. (Check out mine below - all beautiful things for my home- I have been looking for a cup cake holder like this one all year, so when I say it I just had to get it - definately cupcakes on the menu for afternoon tea with the girls this week)

We found this amazing little shop called "Kaboozie's Lollie's & Gifts". They had all these homemade chocolates that honestly just melted in your mouth - we all tried different fudges and they were divine. After spending more than we should have, we then checked out the shoe shops for Robyn, she is our "Imelda Marcos" and is addicted to shoes. (I think she honestly has more pairs of shoes than the rest of us put together) She managed to buy a pair of course. We then went to the Keppel Bay Sailing Club for lunch and sat looking out over the water. It was so relaxing, and we had a lovely time laughing and chatting. After lunch we headed to Emu Park where we had afternoon tea at this little retro coffee shop before stopping off to check out Jannett's new beach house they are building at Zilzie. Once we got back into town, I stopped in at a scrapbooking shop to finish off the day.

Friday night we got to spend with these lovely friends of ours. Ann is one of the girls who helps run our monthly crop and we have spent a bit of time this week planning our weekend retreat which is coming up at the end of May, as well as finalizing our planning for a "High Tea" we are holding this Friday night to celebrate , Jean's 60th Birthday, along with a few of the other girls from church who are celebrating their birthdays this monthl. Look what I am going to be resurrecting out of my cupboard to use along with my new purchases from my girls day out. I have some lovely tea sets in my cupboard, maybe it is time I had some more tea parties so that I can put them to good use. Normally we use mugs at home here, so when I pulled these out for a practice run the other morning when the girls were over - my poor DH nearly had a fit - "How do you expect me to hold that and drink my tea" was his quote. Anyway we are all looking forward to playing ladies on Friday night and I am sure that I will have some gorgeous photos of it to share next weekend (Well I am hoping I do)

Scrapbooking wise, I have done very little this week, I made this little 6 x 6 Birthday album for my friend Jean. Rather than make a birthday Card, I decided to make her a little album instead, and have left places for everyone to sign their names and write a few words to her. I also intend to use some of the photos from the "High Tea" to put in the back of the album as a reminder of her special night. I am sure she will love it as she is such an encourager and absolutely loves writing letters to people. I am praying that the words from everyone here will let her know just how special she is and what a huge encouragement she has been to us all over the years.

I managed to get most people to write in it this morning, so now that they have written their little messages, I can finish decorating it this week (will take photos when it is done)

I also did another digital layout this week - I ventured a little further this time and added a frame around my photo.

The Credits for this layout are:

Paper: Shabby Princess Designs "Sweet Serenity"

Title: Elegant Word Art

Photo Frame, Flowers and Doodle were all created by Mymy at http://mymy.sdigiscrap.over-blog.com/

I have also spent a bit of time this week, downloading some more digital scrapbooking kits. I am amazed at the amount of freebies there are on the net for digital scrapbooking. I don't think I will ever be able to give away paper completely though. There is something very therapeutic about working with paper and scissors.

Some of the youth at church have organised a church Futsal team to play competition futsal in town on a Monday night. Both Steve and Chloe have been roped in - they had their first training session today after church. What a mixture - they range in age from 10-51 years of age (My DD being the oldest). The youth were all keen for him to play with them. I do wonder whether he has biten off more than he can chew though, (I guess time will tell - I am praying for no injuries) Other than Ricardo, the others are all mostly in their late teens and early 20's. They certainly had a heap of fun at practice today.

First game is tomorrow night - they are sure to have a few of the side lines to encourage them along. Thought I would include a few shots of their practice today.

Looking forward to tomorrow (no not because I have to go to work) but my big boy is coming home for the week. I have not seen him since Christmas, so I am looking forward to having him home for a few days so that I can spoil him. Both Steve and Chloe are still on holidays for another week. Not at all fair. Steve's folks are also coming up for a few days in the middle of the week, so no doubt we are in for a busy week again this week.

Just thought I would share this.

50 Lessons Life Taught Me
1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don’t take yourself seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to dissagree.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. It’s ok to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement, starting with your first pay check.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
12. It’s ok to let your children see you cry.
13. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it. (what’s more you don’t want to be)
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, but don’t worry, God never blinks.
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living or get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood, but the second one is up to you and nobody else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today IS special!
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so called disaster with these words: “In five years, what will this matter?”
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone of everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in Miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
35. Whatever doesn’t kill you REALLY does make you stronger!
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children only get one childhood. Make it memorable.
38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion and eventuality.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere!
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab our own back.
41. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the best of it.
42. Get rid of everything that isn’t useful, joyful or beautiful.
43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved and were loved.
44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all that you need.
45. The best is yet to come.
46. No matter how you feel, get up, get dress up and show up.
47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
48. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
49. Yield.
50. Life isn’t tied up with a bow, but it’s still a gift. Celebrate it.

and if you got through this long post - you are amazing. Just want to document all this for my future - this blog is a great record for my annual Christmas letter. I would also like to thank everyone who comes and visits my blog and leaves such lovely and encouraging comments. Your kindness is much appreciated. I love to see who has visited, so thanks again to everyone who says a big HI.

Have a GREAT week.

I love Holidays

I have managed to have another little play around with digi scrapbooking this week while I have been on holidays, as well as complete a couple of my layouts for the Scrap of Faith challenges for the month of April, so have a couple of layouts to share.
Digi Layout Credits:

Paper - Lisa Minor (http://www.ronimasil.blogspot.com/)

Flowers - Mymy (http://mymy-sdigiscrap.over-blog.com/)

Journalling: Elegant Word Art (http://elegantwordart2.blogspot.com/)

Doodle - Unknown.

This layout was based on the Challenge 1, which was a sketch challenge based on this sketch.

My second layout was Challenge 2 which was a Verse Challenge - To do a layout any size, traditional or layout featuring the following verse: "Psalm 46:10"

This week is going way to quickly though and it won't be long before I am back at work. Chloe has had a heap of work this week, but has managed to have the last couple of days off. I have quite a few photos to share this week as my friend Karen and her boys from Emerald have been in for a few days, and yesterday we took the kids to this cool park we found during the floods back in January. Her boys just loved it - they had a ball - Karen and I were busy snapping photos. We spent a couple of hours there, before coming home for put Matti down for a sleep.

Karen and I ducked off to Embellished to check out all their new stock and have a bit of a shop. I was trying to be so good too - but they really did have some gorgeous new papers it and it was very hard not to have a bit of a spend up. I was pretty good though considering, and I did get some lovely papers to have a play around it. Now I just have to find the time to do some more scrapbooking. This time I got some really nice papers to do some male layouts.

In the afternoon we went up to the zoo to feed the animals. It has been quite a while since I have been up there which is sad because it is such a beautiful park and almost on our doorstep. There are not too many parks in Australia where you can go and see Koala's and Kangaroos and other Australian native animals for free. I just love our native animals and think we are one of the most blessed countries in the World. I'm feeling very patriotic today. The kids had fun feeling the animals especially the turtles - there were hundreds of them, all eager to take the food from our hands. The kids (especially the littlies had a ball) They even managed to have a couple of turtle races. The kids had another play in the playground there before we flew home to get ready to go ten pin bowling.

Karen's sister Avril was also in town with her family so we all met up and went ten pin bowling together. we had a ball with even the littlies having a go. This was a real treat for the kids as Emerald doesn’t have a ten pin bowling alley.

Everyone came home to our place for dinner. We picked up a heap of pizza on the way home as well as chick flicks. Us girls decided that since the boys spent the previous evening playing X-Box then we could have a girls night and watch some chick flicks on the big screen. We had the best day but were all pretty tired and both Karen and I nodded off a couple of times during the movie. I love catching up with these guys and we have really had a great few days together.

Tomorrow I am spending the day with some of my ex work mates – we are taking a road trip to Yeppoon to check out the new shopping centre, having lunch at the Sailing Club, driving through to Emu Park to check out Jan’s new beach house and then coming home. Should be fun. I miss working with these girls so it is really good that we are keeping up to date and catching up with each other. Must remember to take my camera.

A couple of thoughts to leave you with this week:

Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil- it has no point.

Prayer is asking for rain and faith is carrying an umbrella - Barbara Johnson

Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we respond to it. Attitude is the single most significant decision I make each day - C. Swindoll

Its not doing the things we like to do, but liking the things we have to do, that makes life blessed - J.W. von Goethe

YAH FOR HOLIDAYS AND MY FIRST DIGI LAYOUT

Such a nice feeling at the moment, I have officially started my holidays - a little extra sleep in tomorrow morning, although Chloe has an early start at work - this week I get to read some novels, scrapbook a little, catch up with friends, go to the movies, go out for dinners - so looking forward to it. We are staying put at home. After being away for every holiday over the last 12 months, I am actually excited about being at home for these holidays.
Life has been really hectic since Easter. We have had a house full of visitors, my neice was flown into Rocky by the Royal Flying Doctors last weekend with a suspected cerebal bleed. It was a little stressful, especially after all the sad news from the previous week, but thankfully lots of people were praying for her, and she is now fine. She had both Cat Scans, and a Lumbar puncture and everything looks OK, although they are still not sure why she is suffering such violent headaches and still want her back here in a fortnights time to have an MRI. She certainly is one very special young lady - so optimistic, so positive, so full of love for both God and her family and I love her to bits. It was great catching up with my sister (her mum) and BIL, as well as Nat (Natalie's husband) and her children.

Also had a surprise visit from my cousing Barry on Thursday night - we reckon it has been a good four years since we have caught up, so good to hear all the family news and it was great catching up with him - Hope it isn't that long until we catch up with him and his lovely family again.

Well I did my first digi layout today. Gayle and Carol will be proud of me, It is a very very very basic layout, but it was a good chance to play with layers and as I only had very limited time to get it done, it is a start in the right direction. Now that I am on holidays I hope to have a bit more of a play this week.

The title is by Terrie Logan - Paper by Shabby Princess and the butterfly is by Rowena Fields, Willro&Co Designs

I also managed to do one of the March challenges for SofF, which was doing a layout with the word "Create" in it. This layout was totally inspired by one of Kim Brimhall's layouts where she had stamped the background card and used a heart on her layout. Loved her layout and also love the way this one turned out.

At SofF we have been making some encouragement tags, these are a few of the ones I plan to contribute. Other that that I haven't done much scrapbooking of late. Hope to rectify that a little this week.

Had a great service at church today. I feel especially blessed to be part of such a caring community of people. We are blessed also to have such a great area of land so that our youth have somewhere to go with things to do. They have a tennis court available along with Basketball and Futsal courts, Beach volleyball court and even mini golf course. Took the camera today to get a shot of our church family to send to Sharon and Craig in PNG.

We also added these little treasures to our bird cage this week. Steve has tried unsuccessfully for years to bread these gorgeous little Red Star finches. They are just beautiful to watch. Hopefully we will have a little more luck with these one. The nest is being built - here's hoping there will be little ones soon.

Not a lot else happening here this week - would llove to leave you this quote this week.

Beauty Tips

by Audrey Hepburn:
“For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
“People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.”

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

1 Peter 3:3-4