2011 is a year Queensland will never forget.

This is definately one year that we in Queensland will never forget. After having 75% of the State devastated by floods in January, it now appears that in February the other 25% of the State has been devastated by Cyclone Yasi - the largest cyclone to ever hit our shores. It sure has been a terrifying week for lots of people in North Queensland. My heart goes out to them, I cannot even begin to image how they must feel coming home to find their homes completely destroyed - the massive cleanup - where would you begin..... one must wonder when this will ever end.
Unfortunately there is still more rain and cyclones predicted for March this year as well. I remember being worried last weekend when Yasi was expected to cross the coast just above Gladstone. I really could not imagine going through something as horrific as this.

I have been a slack blogger lately.... we have had so much to do since we have arrived home from our big holiday. It was pretty much arrive home and almost straight back to work. Our yard was a mess from all the rain that Rocky received over Christmas so have spent most of our spare time trying to get some order to our place and get the rubbish to the dump whilst there were no dump fees. I have just about finished cleaning out the van and getting it ready for our next holiday in it at Easter time. We have had visitors, and caught up with Birthday celebrations, and life has been busy.

The start of my work year has been enormously busy, with changes within our admin at school, major school renovations in the progress ( all hampered because of the weather) changes in classes but I am very thankful to be working back in the Library again this year.

Steve has had a huge start to the year as well, with the school upgrading their network system whlst we were away, so Steve was without a computer for his first week back, which really made life very difficult. He has lots to catch up on from last year, and as they also have new Admin this year, lots of changes in the direction of the school, so he is feeling a little overwhelmed by his work load at the moment.

Last week was the week of Birthdays:

We celebrated Steve's birthday by going out to Dinner at a lovely restaurant called "Sun Palms" gorgeous meals, and great company with just the three of us together. For his birthday Steve got the x-box kinnet, so we had a good time trying it out when we got home. It is actually way more physical than I thought. In fact we had lots of kids around on the weekend and it got a real working out.

Here are some photos of Steve and Chloe enjoying a good dance off together.He is one young dad at heart..... you can see they are having a ton of fun. I enjoyed the bowling and table tennis. Deffinately think these new systems are a great way to get everyone moving again.

There have been other birthdays this week as well as farewells.
Luke celebrated his 18th and we also farewelled him as he is off to work down south. The kids will reall miss him.
We had a farewell to Talitha too who is off to Tassie to live for 9months whilst she goes to GLO down there.

These two young guys are really going to be missed this year.

Other breaking news is that our family has been introduced to this little sweetheart
Our son Pete decided a little while ago that he would like to get a dog. He babysit "George" 12 months ago whilst their owners took a holiday, and ever since then he has longed to get a dog of his own. He was given the OK by their real estate agent, so he found this adorable little cocker spaniel. The kids had a golden cockerspaniel called "Honey" when they were young, and Penny almost looks like a miniture of "Honey".
We are yet to meet her, although Sarah has spent quite a bit of time visiting Pete and even babysitting since Pete bought Penny home. We can't wait to meet her.

It has been good to get back into some sort of craft after having a break from it for the past five or six months. Whilst I was away I picked up this little silver tree from the Target sale, and I hd fun making these little hearts to hang on it for Valentine's day. Really want to pull my sewing machine out more this year and sew a little more.
I'm quite happy with the way they have turned out and like quite lovely at night lit up with fairy lights and candles. Wonder what I can come up with for Easter.

I have also managed to do a little scrapbooking this week first. The last layouts I did were at our retreat back in May last year. I even managed to finish off this layout which has been sitting on my scrap desk since before we went away on our trip. Not 100% happy with it, there just seems to be something missing - but it has sat there for too long and I just wanted to getting in and finish some Christmas shots from the year before, before I start on our Christmas photos from Melbourne. Also have a back log of photos from 2010 that need to be scrapbooked before our holiday.

Just something missing on this one.

Chloe's Birthday photos from last year - loved how this turned out.
Sarah bought Steve a rip stick for his birthday last year. Definately something that needs to be documented.
Christmas lunch from 2009. Still have a few Christmas photos to do from 2009 before I can think about scrapbooking our Christmas photos from 2010.

I'm been thinking a lot about kindness lately. How important it is to show kindness to others, and how our words can really make the difference to the people we are around each day. Our words can either encourage or destroy people. I so want to be an encourager with the way I talk to people and treat them.

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
~Mark Twain

Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.
~Seneca

Kindness is in our power, even when fondness is not.
~Samuel Johnson

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
~Leo Buscaglia

The best way to knock the chip off your neighbor's shoulder is to pat him on the back.
~Author Unknown

In about the same degree as you are helpful, you will be happy.
~Karl Reiland

The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own.
~Benjamin Disraeli