Willro & Co Design Kits

I have been digital scrapbooking again, using the fabulous Willro & Co Design Kits. I love these kits. They are such good quality and great value, and I can defintaely recommend them. You can find these kits at these stockists.

Divine Digital
Acot
Faithsisters
Blue Bazaar
For this layout I used the following Willro and Co Design Kits
Divine Digital April 09 Collaborative Kit
Divine Digital March 09 Collaborative Kit
Divine Digital January 09 Collaborative Kit
Quality Time Kit
Noteworthy Alpha KitFor this layout I used the following Willro & Co Design Kits
April Showers Kit
Quality Time Kit
Noteworthy Alpha Kit

If you are interested in Digital Scrapbooking then I recommend these kits - go grab one today.

A Photoshoot and some digital scrapbooking

It turns out that the vomiting bug that we had during the week was highly contagious. On Thursday we found out that at least 18 people from church were sick Monday night and Tuesday. Some of us even thought at first we had food poisoning, but that was soon ruled out, cause some of us that got sick, had not even eaten, and since Wednesday, another 6 or 7 people have come down with the same thing. Both Steve and I had a couple of days off work with it, but other than a bit of tiredness and a lack of energy, we are much better now.

Yesterday my friend Katrina invited me to go along to a Photo shoot with her and the Camera Club. It was a "Dusk" shoot, capturing the Sunset (wasn't really much of one) and the night lights. We started out at Q Mag (Magnesium Plant) at Parkhurst. I felt a little nervous, as I am still learning to use my camera and these guys were all photography buffs, but I really enjoyed it and they were all very friendly and helpful. A couple of them even liked a few of the shots I had taken, and wanted to know what settings I had my camera on. Thought I would share a series of a few of my favourite photos.
My Photoshop course at TAFE is going well, although I think they are trying to race us through the course. I am trying to come home each week and so some homework and put into practice the skills we have been learning. I am sure that Gayle and Ro will be pleased to see that after a very long and barren dought, I have managed to digi scrap a page. Willro and Co Designs, have some awesome digi scrapbooking kits out, and yesterday I just got motived to have a play around and see if I could digi scrap a layout.
Here is the end resultThis whole layout was done from Willro & Co Design Kits.

April Showers
Quality time
Cuddle up
Heritage Garden
Notepad Alpha Kit
Typewriter Alpha Kit

Thought I would also share a couple of the projects we have been working on in our TAFE Course. We are given a folder of photos and we have had to produce a composition using at least three of the photos and also highlighting our knowledge of the tools. You can check out here to see the three photos we were given to produce this image.

This last week we were given a folder with several mexican photos and this was how my composite picture turned out.
This week I found this link on Beverley's Blog and had some fun creating this.
Finally, some things I am thankful for this weekend.

1. God's healing in our lives, not just spiritually but also physically this week.
2. For the opportunity to witness John and Irene's baptism, and see how overjoyed they were in sharing this testimony of their lives with friends.
3. For all the work that Chloe has had this week - over 40 hours.
4. For friends who just drink in to say hi and have a cuppa.
5. For the lovely time that Ann and I had yesterday, (shopping and coffee)
6. For the lessons I learnt yesterday on the photo shoot with the Camera Club and Katrina.
7. for healthy eyes that can see and appreciate all the beauty created by our Heavenly Father.
8. For God's palette of Colour- the beauiful shades of a sunset, the fullness of clouds, the beauty all around us.

What a night

Both Steve and Iwent to bed feeling a little quessy last night. By 1am this morning it had all started. We had obviously picked up a vomiting bug from somewhere. First we thought it might have been food poisoning, but neither of us had eaten the same thing, and Chloe who had was not sick. Secondly, we both had fevers and felt like we had been hit by a steam train. We were sick all night and have slept all day. It would be over 20 years since we have had this sort of bug and I hope it is another 20 years before it hits us again. We are both still feeling so incredibly weak. Appartently it is going around town.

SCRAPPING AT LAST
Finally I have managed to scrapbook a couple of layouts. On Saturday we had our monthly crop afternoon and I wasn't prepared at all and honestly had no idea what I was going to do. I had heaps of photos though. I am stuggling to find papers though to match Chloe's formal dress. I have so many gorgeous photos of her and her formal that I want to scrapbook.

Anyway these are the two layouts I managed, and hopefully this will be the start of some inspiration and some more.
On Sunday we had a farewell luncheon for our good friends, Ricardo and Janelle, and then afterwards, they came over for that one last game of X-Box. (It's a boy thing) Janelle and I sat and did our Photoshop homework together. She is not able to finish the course, as they are moving to Darwin (feels like the end of the earth to us). Ricardo has a lecturing position at the University up there and starts at the beginning of April. We are going to miss them so much. It just might mean that we have to take a holiday in Darwin. Our loss is definately going to be Darwin's gain. Lusi has issued another challenge for "getting real" this week. KINDNESS.
I am real happy to share some of the amaing kindnesses that have been shown to us over the years.

REALLY, one of the most amazing examples of kindness has been my grandmother. We loved going to visit and stay with her when we were young because she always had time to sit and listen to us and do things with us. She lost her husband when she was only 40 and had to raise a young family of 4 on her own. She spent her whole life serving others, looking after sick family members in her older years and was alwasys there for us. She was a wonderful example of Christ's love for us.

REALLY, my dentist's wife showed amazing kindness when I misscarried with my second child. I had the miscarriage on Pete's first birthday and was devastated that I missed his birthday as I was in threatre. This all happened in Bundaberg whilst we were on holidays. When I arrived back in Rocky, she arrived on my doorstep with a cake and a hug. She was a wonderful Christmas woman with 6 children herself, and although she really didn't know me, she had been through it herself, having had a miscarriage on one of her daughters second birthday.

REALLY, I am thankful for the amazing kindness of the nurses in hospital when I almost lost Sarah, they organised a beautiful bouquet of pink flowers for me - and were just lovely and supportive especially through a difficult time.

REALLY, I am thankful for the amazing kindness of Friends, my friend Barb who has shown me kindnesses in too many ways to list - she has been an aunty our kids, spoiling them with gifts and treating them like her own children, having them at a drop of a hat, she hugged, cried and supported me through all my miscarriages, was there for the birth of Chloe, we sewed together, shopped together and even after 26 years we are still the best of friends, she is an amazing woman and special beyond words.

REALLY, I am thankful for the wonderful friends of our friends Ian and Kathy, who over the years have been wonderful mentors to us in living the Christian faith, especailly raising our kids. They have been a huge source of encouragement to us. When Sarah and Colin were first married and moved to Brissie, they blessed them by giving them somewhere to live until they found a place of their own. We treasure their friendship.

REALLY, I am thankful for our church family who have been a huge support over the years again in more ways than I can list - they have been family to our family helping to guide and mentor our kids, being examples of Godly love, celebrating the milestones in their lives, bringing us meals, and cleaning my house at times, when I've been sick or overwelmed.

REALLY, I am thankful for Bevan, one of the guys at church who sees his ministry as helping others, often when Steve is really busy, or we have been away on holidays we come home to find our yard all mowed and gardens all looking good - he has such a kind heart and such a servant heart. Each month when we have our monthly scrapbooking group, Bevan comes in before we ever get there and has all the room set up for us with all the tables out so that all we have to do is walk in. His love and concern for ministering to the needs of others is treasured by us.

REALLY, I am thankful for Jannett, Robyn and Caroline, whose friendship and support when I was going through a hard time at work will never been forgotten. I am blessed to have them as friends.

REALLY, I am thankful for Jenni, Eleonore, Ann, for just being my friends, being a listening ear when I need someone to talk with, for praying for us, for having our kids, and for just being themselves, wonderful caring giving woman.

REALLY, I am thankful for my friend Karen, who is like a second mum to Chloe, she treats her like one of her own girls, and often has her to stay. She has blessed us in so many ways, with her cooking, and friendship, and I treasure her gift of friendship.

REALLY, I am so thankful for the kindness of family, I am so thankful that I am part of a very generous and kind family - a family who has taught generousity in good seasons and bad, who give freely of their time, finances, and resources, who have arrived on our doorstep to help when I have had threatened miscarriages, who have flown me home to Bundy, so that I can be waited on and I can rest, whilst they chase after an active one year old, who still constantly want the best for us, and just love seeing us and spending time with us.

REALY, I am so very thankful for the kindness of my wonderful husband, who even today when he was feeling everybit as sick as I was, got up to get something for us to try and eat, even though it has been as struggle for him. He has always shown love and kindness to our kids, and has such a generous heart. He has the gift of service, and I thank God daily for the many kind and helpful things he does to help around the place.

There are probably heaps more I could think off, but I really think these asprins are working off and I need to go lay down again.

P.S. One more last REALLY,

REALLY, I am thankful to Lusi who has challenged us with being real and given us the opportunity to think about and acknowledges some of the many kindnesses that we have experienced, and to be thankful for them.

One last trip up the Range - Farewell to USQ

Well last weekend marked the end of an era - the end of a very large part in our lives and that of our families. My job at USQ ended at the end of January, but the Uni invited us all back with our spouses for a Farewell dinner on the 7th March. We all looked forward to the getting together again for a whole weekend, but it was also tinged with a little bit of sadness as we realized that this was the last time we would all be together. Steve was pretty impressed that when we got to the Hertz counter at the airport, that the hire car was in his name. I was really excited about taking Steve with me for this final trip. Not only did it mean a great weekend away together, it also meant that he finally got a chance to meet the other RLO's.

Sorry for the long post, but I really want to document this for my memories.

Anyway our weekend looked something like this.
A very happy couple sitting at the airport ready to board our flight to BrissieWe boarded a plane just like this.We got this car to travel around in for the weekend. (Steve was real impressed - he is used to driving 4WD's - diesel at that - this car could really move)

Friday night we had some fun with out kids - went out for Dinner with Sarah and then caught up with Colin to take in a movie. On Saturday we left just after breakfast to drive up the range to Toowoomba, We arrived in Toowoomba just on 11am and decided to drop into the hospital to catch up with our good friend Sally who had give birth to the very gorgeous little Noah a few weeks early - got to visit him in the Premmie Nursery. It was so good to catch up with Sal -and I honestly believe that God has his hand in all the timing of us getting together.

At lunch time we arrived at our motel here
And there was lots of this happening as we caught up with each other there was even a little time for this
Poor Steve got roped into helping out a few of the RLO's who had planned some special events for the dinner.

Then Saturday night saw us all turn up to the "Burke and Wills Hotel" for our dinner. Some of memories below.

We all received Certificates of Service and a gift from USQ. They were presented to us by our former bosses, Professor Alan Smith, and Suzanne Milroy (the best boss you could ever wish to have)
We presented Suzanne with a beautiful Gold Watch and the Mini Album with thank you notes for each of us.
Maureen (from Bundaberg) wrote a poem about the RLO's (which Steve read) and Karen (from Emerald) read some funny reports and emails from us all that she had kept over the years. She definately is a wonderful story teller and had us all in fits of laughter.
We shared a few in house jokes relating to "Ducks" which flew around heaps at our last seminar after we all got the axe. We even played a couple of duck games.
Mary won the award for the most accurate shot and got the "Axe"
Beryl and Helen spent heaps of time preparing graduate awards for us all and Steve played the part of the VC and read and handed out each of the awards to us all.

Some of us got more preferencial treatment than others
After the awards, we had the offical photo session.First one taken with the boss.The RLO's
We've always wanted to throw those mortar boards Yah................................
It was after midnight by the time we left the Hotel - no one seemed in a hurry to leave. We all met again in the restuarant the next morning to have breakfast together and most of us were still sitting there chatting until 10am (I am sure that we would have stayed longer if we didn't have to book out of our rooms)
It was almost 11.30am before we finally left Toowoomba. We drove back into Brissie and caught up with our kids, and ended up all going out to Sizzlers for Lunch. We had a great tme together, and then Sarah took us shopping for a few minutes to check out some turtles. They had been tempted to get one as a pet.

Here they are in the pet shop
Checking out this little fellow
Had to a snap a photo of my pair together
We dropped these guys back at Sarah's at 4pm and headed out to the airport to return this.
and then get ready to board this
Both very weary but happy after an incredible weekend away.
It was a wonderful weekend - but I got to admit, I think we over did it abit as I have been so incredibly tired the last couple of days. Yesterday I was barely able to keep my eyes open and came home from work and had a couple of hours sleep. Still feeling tired today but not quite as bad as yesterday.
Hopefully now I will be able to get into a bit of scrapbooking and have a few layouts to show you all in the next week or too.

Things I am thankful for today

1. The Opportunity to have a weekend away with my wonderful hubby.
2. Catching up with our kids and spending some time with them on the weekend,
3. Having the opportunity to catch up with Sal and meet the very tiny Noah Benjamin.
4. The wonderful opportunity of working at USQ for the past 15 years
5. The most fabulous boss you could ever have wished to work for.
6. Working with such a wonderful group of woman
7. The generousity of USQ in flying us all up to Toowoomba for one last farewell.

Her first triathlon

Just had to document that Sarah completed her first triathlon last weekend. I am so proud of her. She has been training for it since before Christmas. Whilst we were on holidays on the Gold Coast in January, she went running and riding her bike every day. Any she completed a 750m swim, a 20 kms bike ride and a 5 km all under one and a half hours. There is no stopping her now.
In other breaking news, got to welcome

NOAH BENJAMIN CLIFFORD

Congratulatons Mark and Sally on the arrival of your much loved son Noah. Noah was born 5 weeks Premmie, and Sally had to be taken to Toowoomba by ambulance so that she could deliver. It just so happened that we were up in Toowoomba for the RLO Farewell, so I got to go visit Sal and meet the tiny but oh so gorgeous baby Noah who is still in the Special Care Nursery. Have taken some photo of Noah for the SofF girls. He is just gorgeous, and I am thanking God for his perfect timing and also for the fact that we were priviledged enough to be able to catch up with Sal and meet this gorgeous young Babe.Introducing Baby NoahNoah wasn't hugely impressed with all the tubes etc and was protestly quiet loudly while we were there. I'm sorry that the photos are not the best but it is pretty hard to take decent photos in a special care nursery with poor light and no flash - and I knew you girls would want a peek.
One last photo.
This is what we caught our attention hanging on the power wires just outside the hospital.

We had a great weekend away - so much to be thankful for and so much to show, and share, but I will leave it for a day or so as it is late, and I'm feeling pretty sleep deprived. I also need to download and edit the photos so will be back in the next day or so to share all the goodbyes.

2 More Sleeps

Only two more sleeps until our weekend away. There is a part of me that is really excited about the weekend and a part of me that is really sad.

Who wouldn't be excited about getting to spend an all expenses paid weekend with your husband. We fly into Brissie on Friday night, and pick up a rental car from the airport. We get to catch up with our kids on Friday night and then drive up to Toowoomba on Saturday morning where we are put up in a Motel for the night.

There is also a part of me which is really sad. This will end my association with USQ. I have had the priviledge of working with the most amazing boss you could ever wish to work with, and 15 of the most wonderful woman, who have the most amazing senses of humour - I swear our week long trip to Seminar each September, is our laughter medicine for the year. Apart from working with wonderful motivated students, I will miss these guys and the time spent with them and it I feel so sad that this is our final get together. I know we plan to stay in touch, but I am sure that as time goes by, and our lives get busy and take different directions, that some of the friendships will fall by the way, and this makes me feel a little sad.

It is nice though that the University is bringing us all together once again for a Farewell dinner, and that they have also included our spouses in the farewell. None of us would have been able to do our jobs without the incredible support from our husbands and families and it is nice that the Uni is also acknowledging this.

I have been incredibly busy this last week or so tying up the loose ends with the Uni, and preparing for the weekend away. I was given the job of organising a thank you mini album for our boss who has been with us for the past 15 years. I have scrapbooked a mini album with all our photos and a pocket which will hold a personal letter from each of us. All the pages have the same layout, but each page is slightly different in the way it is set out, colour wise, embellishment wise. I won't share each page with you as I am not sure that a lot of the girls would appreciate having their photos on the net. However, I will share a couple of the pages and the cover with you.
In other news - last weekend the girls from church had a girl's weekend down at the beach. I decided not to stay the whole weekend this year - Life has just been too busy and three weekends away in a row would just take too much time to recover from. However, I did go down Saturday morning and I spent the day and evening with them. It was a pretty relaxing day, lots of chatting, I managed to do a little more handsewing on my Christmas stocking (will post photos when it is finished) and Saturday night we all went out for dinner here.
Great Thai restaurant - food was excellent, and we were seated on the footpath - with lovely ocean views accross the road and lovely sea breezes. It was very busy but the service was fantasic. Even with so many of us the food was served with 10-15 minutes of us being seated.
In keeping with Lusi's challenge of keeping it"REAL', I was challenged again today by reading Ange's blog here. This woman has been through the most incredible year, loosing her little baby girl within hours of her being born. She found out when she was 6 months pregnant that her precious baby daughter Audrey would not live for long once she came out of the womb.
Ange's blog has been a real encouragement to me over the last 9 months that I have been following it. The woman tells it like it is - warts and all, she is not afraid to admit, to her struggles, and weaknesses, but also admiting that her strength comes from the LORD. Here are some of my "REAL moments" for this past week.
Really, I have been incredibly tired this past week, and have struggled just to keep on top of things including my quiet times with God.

Really, my floors still have not been mopped (it is a month now) and in all honestly it is not going to get done again this weekend.

Really, I have been way to grumpy this week and not speaking as kind as I could speak.

Really, I need to get to bed a lot earlier so that I am not tired and irritable.

Really, I need to make a great effort to exercise and not find excuses to put off going,

Really, I shouldn't resent have to give up some of my precious time in the library at work to help a volunteer,

Really, I need to speak words of kindness and faith into my family and not get irritable and short with them.

LUSI'S PROMPT THIS WEEK WAS GETTING REAL ABOUT OUR HOLIDAY MEMORIES
I loved this prompt as I have lots of real holiday moments and memories that I am very thankful for.

REALLY, I am so thankful for all the wonderful camping trips to Pancake Creek and Jenny Lind Creek that we have had over the years our kids were growing up. These were wonderful holidays with wonderful memories and it grew us closer to gether as a family.

REALLY, loved travelling around the world when I was 16, especailly loved travelling through England and Europe - it certainly gave me a wonderful appreciation of history and art.

REALLY, I loved touring NZ with Steve on our Honeymoon and sharing with him some of my favourite places there, especially Lake Tekapo overlooking Mount Cook. There is the most wonderful little chapel there overlooking the lake, and I always wanted to come back and get married there. I didn't get married there but I did manage to come back for my honeymoon.

REALLY, we had the most wonderful caravaning holidays for 6 weeks back in 1997, when we took the kids out of school, and toured down to the Snowy Mountains and went skiing and to Canberra and Sydney and had the most amazing adventures as a family,

REALLY, I loved spending 10 days on Norfolk Island with my husband celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. It was a very special holiday together after a few hectic months preparing for Sarah's wedding. We enjoyed the peace and quiet of the island along with the exquiste scenery and views.

REALLY, I loved our two weeks holiday away with our very good friends Ian and Kathy in 2007, when we spent a week at Port Macquarie and then a week on the Gold Coast. It was a great relaxing holidays and we were able to share some visits with our kids as well as they popped down to catch up with us,

REALLY, we have just had the best week with our kids on the Gold Coast for a week in January 2009 - it was the first family holiday away in a resort since Pete left home - it was great to spend time together, relaxing as well as sightseeing and just generally enjoying our time together.


Finally, there are so many things I am grateful and thankful for this past week


1. I feel blessed that Steve and I are getting to go away and spend the weekend together this weekend.
2. I am grateful and thankful for Carol who faithfully comes and does my ironing for me each week.
3. I am thankful for the friendship and fellowship with the girls from church on the weekend.
4. I am thankful for our God's amazing provisions for us each and every day.
5. I am thankful for the time Chloe and I had shopping together today for presents and shirts for her dad. For the time we just had to chat together,
6. I am thankful that work has been calling Chloe in and giving her extra shifts.
7. I'm thankful that the car bill was only half of what we expected it would be.
8. I'm thankful for hot chocolates with lots of marshmallows in it and for friends who pop around and enjoy them with me.

Be back next week with hopefully lots of photos of our weekend away.