Guilty as Charged

Nearly another month has passed and I haven't blogged! Have been sooooo busy, the silly season has sent me silly, I am sure! There are mad people in the shops, mad people on the road, kids going mad for Santa, and its just sent me MAAAADDDDDD!

Check this link out and Merry Christmas from the Hallet Clan!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1284593264

All the Cybercrop was the last time I blogged, can someone pleeease buy me some more time for Christmas, I would so love that! An extra day each week with a baby sitter so that I could have one day each week for Scrapping, catching up on all theblogs, etc, would be true bliss!

Well I am thankful at the moment that my dad has taken the kids for a drive to Maitland to pick up my mum from work, so I have a little time all by myself, so its update my Blog time while I have a few spare minutes. So I hope this finds you all well, looking forward to Christmas and hopefully starting to feel in the Christmas spirit! I am all done, everything is set to go except for the groceries which I will do Christmas eve, not looking forward to that one at all, think I'll get up at 6am and go and do it before the mad mad mad rush! Errgggg!!

So what have I been up to the past month, I went to a scrap night at a friends house where she managed to snavel Jen Hall as our teacher for the night and really enjoyed doing her class! Lots of layers and very arty, and I also enjoyed doing a pink girly layout, as with all boys in the family, pink rarely gets to see the light in my house!

Lacee on her 3rd Birthday (My god daughter) I have also submitted my work for a DT position at TSE, had to submit an Off the Page design, three layouts and a card, so I have been scrapping up a storm and managed to create all these requirements and upload them to TSE! I just love TSE, it is the most friendliest forum aorund and all the girls are so lovely, like a second home to me! Another extended family! I encourage you to visit and stop by for a chat, they will welcome you with open arms!

Tessa & Lauren (joined at the hip I am sure)

Stacks on Daddy was created using a paper pack I got from my Secret Santa, I also got a beautiful handmade journal, but have to report I have been too slack to take a pic, but promise Iwill soon, thanks Julie I just love my pressie to bits! Hope you like the layout I did using your papers!

First Born - Just love this pic of Trav and Me

The Card - Made a Chrissy one, seemed appropriate seeing that it is the silly season and all.

The OTP project, a Kaiser Advent Tree using Rhonna Farrer Christmas Papers!
Made all my Christmas cards this year for all the family and close friends, over 30 of them mind you, but the result was gorgeous. Heres a peak! Now who could resist that! Travis has graduated from Pre-school and they presented me with a portfolio of all his work, a report card, a graduation certificate and a gorgeous photo of Travis graduation, believe me when I said it moved me to tears, here I am standing in the Pre-school class room, trying not to ball, and tears are running down my cheeks, I felt so proud, but at the same time so sad that Travis is growing up so quickly. Don't you just love this pic!
We haved moved Travis to bunk beds as Cooper the little devil kept climbing out of is cot and crashing onto the floor, I was so scared that he was going to break something, so we had to bite the bullet, and right on Christmas of all times, go and buy Trav some new bunk beds, mattresses, doona's and doona covers, of course we had to get Transformers. The new thing, apparently! And Cooper got Travis's Red Racing Car Bed! Just have to find him a Bob the Builder Doona Cover as they had none when I got Trav's, so he has Poppy's Kenworth Doona which has a pic of one of Dad's Trucks on the front! My boys are growing up way to fast, I so wish I could slow the time down or sprinkly some magic dust on their heads and keep them young forever!

Also this month at TSE I am doing the December Sketch Challenge, so if you haven't submitted your sketch, come one over to TSE and join us! This month I designed the skethc, completed a layout using the sketch and for something different, also created a card using the sketch!

http://www.thescrapbookestablishment.com.au/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=604

The Layout - Princess Levi

The Card - Life's Journey

Last night we all went for a drive to see the Christmas Lights, the kids were so excited! This one house in Thornton, was amazing, they had everything, the lights were awesome, and to top it off, they had a Snow Maker in their front yard that blew snow everywhere, the lawn was white and all the kids (and well some of us bigger kids too) were jumping around under the snow, wish I took my camera, will have to go again another night and grab some photo's, it was awesome, really put me in the Christmas spirit, especially all the excited and squealing kids.

I also have to say a big thank you to all the girls over at TSE for all their wonderful Christmas Cards that I have received. I can't believe how many cards I have, my front window is full, truly amazing bunch of girls, thanks for making my Christmas!

Thats nearly all from me, I have had another haircut, different again, did not like the bob too much, so now it is shorter again and kind of textured, spikey, layered, I have taken pics but the other news is I bought a new Canon SLR, and I have taken quite a few pics, but haven't down loaded them yet, so when I work that out, I will post up a pic of my new new do!
Hope you all have a truly magical Christmas and a wonderful New Year! Here't to happiness and health for 2008!

Love Lisxx

Geez, Time Flies

When your having fun, or is that when you are so bloody busy! Well no excuse really, just need more hours in the day like everyone else!

Well what has been happening in my world the past three weeks. Gee the ole brain really struggles to think back that far, sad i know!

Well I've been working quite a bit at the salon lately, helping Janet out where needed, and was actually offered to go back to work one - two days a week next year, so looking forward to that as Travis will be in School and Coop will start one day preschool, Oh how I would relish the thought of a day to myself, but unfortunately the money is needed more!

We have been getting Travis ready for big school at the moment, he has been attending transition classes every Friday in KIndergarten for the past three weeks, we have his uniform already and it breaks my heart! My first born off to school already, again, where does the time go! Though am a little undecided as to whether to put him into Kindergarten or the early learners programme they run at the school. We were advised that Children who do not turn 5 until 1 May do not have to attend school until the following year, so I can have the decision to hold him back a year, put him straight into kindergarten or put him into Early Learners. Early Learners is a little more flexible, they still go to school the same hours as all the other children and still go 5 days per week, but they don't go into the big playground with the other kids, don't have to do assemblies, and their learning is a little more flexible, gets them ready for Kindergarten the following year with a few more skills that other children. Also gives them an extra year of maturity and puts them in the eldest half kindergarten the following year. Apparently boys mature slower than girls and a higher percentage of boys will repeat a year if they turn 5 before 1 May 2007 and are sent to Kindergarten. This will also help in the years to come when he is in Year 10, he will be one of the first to turn 16, 17, get his license and hopefully will be less pressured from his peers. I know that I was one of the youngest in my years and the pressure to do things that the older kids could do (like nightclubs etc) was quite tough! Have a meeting today with the school to discuss Early Learners a bit more as I think I may go this way and give Travis that extra year of maturity and learning!

Apart from that I have been scrapping up a storm lately! We are in the middle of a Cybercrop of at the Scrapbook Establishment, so come on over and join in the fun if you like! I have got some OTP projects completed too! So here a few of my latest creations.

Christmas Countdown Tree November Cybercrop at The Scrapbook Establishment

5 Minute Card Challenge
Christmas Bauble Challenge

Challenge One - Stitching, Handwritten Journalling

and had three songs titles to choose from Challenge 3 - Assorted Text, Felt, Rouge de Garance Paper,
and a mask

November Page Challenge

"What in my handbag"

November Sketch Challenge

November Tribute Challenge

"Mums Siblings"

November Tribute Challenge

"Dads Siblings"
My Christmas Tree Album

Ok, now to head off Scrapbooking for a sec, I did have something exciting, well to me and Grant anyway. To get the gist of the story, I'll fill you in. Nearly three years ago, i miscarried my second child, a girl, at 12 weeks. (We named Emily). Was such a sad time for Grant and I, and in rememberance we planted a tree in front of the nursery where she would have been, and called it "The Emily Tree". Well nearly three years has passed (9th March 08 will be three years) and we finally have our first bloom from the Emily Tree. I was so excited, I went and grabbed Grant, and we had a little rememberence of our little girl we never had. Touched our hearts anyway. So here is Emily's first bloom! Very exciting!

Well thats it for me at the present, think I have you all up to speed! I am sure I have forgotten a few things, but I have captured the most important. Until next time, may you all shine!

Love Always

Lisxx

Three Cheers for Dad

For all of you who know my dad, his trucks are his life, and he is so proud of his business and the reputation his trucks hold.

Over the past three years, Newcastle holds a Truck Awareness Day at Newcastle Foreshore where hundreds of trucks donate money for each entry and have a Show & Shine, like a Car Show but for Trucks. All the money on the day is donated to the Westpac Helicopter. Families come to check out the truck, kids get to have a look and sit inside some of the trucks, very exciting for the little kids, there are rides for the kids, helicopter rides, and even a crane ride.

Over the past three years my dad has won Best Fleet for his pride and joys! Though this year much to his disappointment the trophy was handed over to another well deserved truck fleet. Competition is getting harder each year. Though we didn't walk away empty handed, we did win Best Rigid Tipper in the 1-5 year category for Dads Kenworth, so yippee, another trophy to add to the wall! We have quite a collection from other Truck shows we have been in too! So the day was great, weather was good, we all got a little sunburnt, though the morning was a bit of a worry because it was raining, but the truckies prayers must have been answered because the sun came out and it was a gorgeous day! So three cheers for Dad and is pride and joys!

The WINNER

4 Trucks out of the Fleet of 9

Happy Halloween

Well Halloween has been and gone and I thought I'd better write a quick post about our day! Travis woke up rather excited that it was Halloween, much to my surprise, didn't even know he knew anything about it, apparently when asked, it came from the cartoons! SO there you go, TV does teach them something! So Trav decided that we were going to have a Halloween party, with dress ups, scary food, go trick or treating, then have some scary dinner. So off we went that morning to find some scary things for our party! Firstly was a phone call to Nanny - This is the phone call, "Hello Nanny" says Travis, "Goodmorning Travis", says Nanny, "and then Travis replies "Its Halloween today Nanny, are you are witch"? Well nanny and I couldn't stop laughing, out of the mouth of babes! Nanny's a witch! LOL, nearly PMP!

Anyway, after that we all went shopping, Trav and Coop got pirate outfits, we got cobwebs, spiders, balloons and streamers, along with some scary foods - snakes, grubs, worms, ghost biccies, I made some chocolate spiders, and some choc biccies with grubs stuck in spiders webs. Mel, Tessy & Trey from next door came over all dressed up and we all went Trick or Treating, very funny, only visited the people we knew though! Too scary otherwise. Then we came back home had some more food, Sausage ROll and Party Pies in Blood! And washed it all down with Vampires blood and Witches Brew! Too funny, made the kids night though and us adults certainly had some laughs!

It all went Pear Shaped!

Well after the sunday we all went to Wollongong, life took a massive slide for us in the Hallett household, Monday afternoon, Coops silly little dry tickly cough, or so I thought, started to turn into a wheeze, by Tuesday morning, OMG, he was having a hard time breathing, so off to the doctors we go, was told he was having a moderate Asthma attack, was given some steriods, was told that if the steriods did not "MELT" the asthma in an hour take him to Hospital.

Well 1.5 hours later we were in hospital, stayed for the arvo and half the night, while he had 20 minute intervals of Ventolin, then sent home. Wednesday morning I woke to a child I was so afraid for. He had blue eyelids, blue under the eyes and blue lips, to say I was scared out of my mind would be an understatement, off we rushed to hospital once again. We are told he is having a severe asthma episode with cyanosis, and placed in Intensive Care Mode. Steriods, Ventolin Gas Mask, Oxygen nasal tubes and another white puffer with a green lid, have no idea what its name was now. Once we got Coop from 20 minute intervals to 1 hourly intervals of Ventolin, etc, we were off to stay at the Paeds ward.

We finally got to 3 hourly intervals and was told we could go home, but on the proviso that children are not usually sent home until 4 hourly but they felt confident enough that I was competent enough to continue the treatment at home as I was doing it all hands on whilst there and never left his side unless the toilet or shower called.

So just in time for the weekend, we're home, first day we back peddled back to hourly, but I took it as a stimuli to the outside air instead of air con he was used too, anyway, today is Monday, he is now at 4 hourly, slowly getting there, our next milestone is 6 hourly, then start decreasing the 6 puffs to 4 and so on. I was advised to change his linen to allergenic, so done that, bought some more spacers and ventolin to leave in the car and at my parents as well as having on in the house at all times.

Well this was how me and Coop spent the week! Over the weekend we just relaxed and did nothing in particular. NO scrapping either, but thats OK! Coop comes first. So tonight or when you read this give your babies and extra special kiss as they are so so precious. Here are some pics of my baby while in Hospital, not the best quality as I took them on my mobile phone, though better than nothing right! A scrapper has to capture every milestone, so the phone was it! Goodnight and god bless! Lisxx

Breaks your heart doesn't it?

Another Creative Weekend!

I must have found my mojo, as I have been creating so many things of late. Created another two more layouts on Saturday and created a Scrap Journal on Thursday Night. Friday night I went to a Scrap party with my next door neighbour Mele, and created a page designed by another lady, still have to adhere pics yet, so haven't uploaded that layout as yet!

I created the Scrap Journal last Tuesday night while I had a scrap night with Mele and Mandy at Mele's. Quick night, I was there about 1.5 hours and was able to complete my Scrap Journal. Jamiee from TSE created one for a Prize for October Tribute Challenge, and I so fell in love with the idea and concept that I had to make one for myself. This is where I can record the Magazines I have bought, their challenges, ideas I have, Sketches I want to scrap, Challenges that I have to enter and complete by a set date, Titles of Layouts I come up with, Quotes I love that can be scrapped, Friends contact names, email addresses, usernames, DOB, etc, and Passwords - All my usernames and passwords in Cyberworld. Always forget, I have Ebay's, Scrapbook Memories Scrap Room, TSE, Shop'n'Crop, My Blog, MSN, and who knows what others! Scary stuff really! Anyway, wanted to thank Jaimee so so much for her inspiration and idea of a Scrap Journal, What a useful tool to have in my world! Though thinking about changing the glitter flourish to a wooden flourish as I am not liking how the Kindy Glitz turned out green over the black paint. Just have to find a nice wooden flourish first!

On Saturday I created two Christmas Layouts! Was so so please with the results and the layouts couldn't have come up any nicer with out the use of Kaisercrafts Christmas paper range. They are to die for and a must if you are a scrapper. Their range is gorgeous. I bought mine from The Scrapbook establishment - http://www.thescrapbookestablishment.com.au/. Naughty or Nice is from a sketch and 'C' is scraplifted from Lou Spiden. Asked her permission of course, her layout was published in this months Scrapbook Creations, Page 98 (No 47 Vol 7 No 8). Thanks Lou, I just fell in love with this layout when I saw it and was doubley wrapped when I read your name, thankgod you are a fellow TSEr.

Sunday Dad, I and my two boys drove to Wollongong to pick up my mum from my Aunties. We reminisced and I drooled all over Aunty Trishes old photo's of mum and her family when they were younger. Amazing! Just love looking at our heritage and history! Can't wait to have these photo's restored so I can add them to mum and dads tribute album. Have some photo's from my Aunty Chrissy (Dad's sister) too of Dad's family. Really cool looking at my grandparents and great grandparents on their wedding day. These photo's are already with a photographer being restored. Just have to put mum's photo's in now! Too exciting!

Anyway that's it for me! Today is Monday, Swimming lesson day for the boys, then work work and more paperwork at Dad's! So have a great day all and enjoy this beautiful sunshine!

Lovin Ya's

Lisxx

A Tribute to my Parents

A Tribute to my Parents

My Parents are my life, and when Jaimee from The Scrapbook Establishment created a monthly challenge to create a Tribute Album for someone you cherish or has passed on, I jumped at the chance to create a heirloom of my parents to pass on for generations to come.

The first challenge was to create an album and scrap the albums cover!
The second challenge was to create the first pare - Who you were tributing and why,
the third challenge was to tell the story of who they are and what their favourite things are. Now I am on a mission and harrassing my beautiful Aunties from both sides of the family chasing pics of my parents as children, pics of my parents parents and pics of my parents grandparents. Have so many things I want to put into this album as well as following Jaimee's monthly challenge! What a way to celebrate someone's life. My parents mean the world to me and I feel very blessed to have them in my life!

Scrap me Happy!

OK, now where were we, thats right, I need to upload all my layouts I have completed since September, well here goes girls, get ready!

This one was for the Page Challenge for October - Your Intial

This one is for October Scraplift Challenge
This one is for October Sketch Challenge
This is September 123 Flowers & Buttons Challenge
This is one of the Cybercrop Layouts I completed
This is one of the Cybercrop Layouts I completed
This is one of the Cybercrop Layouts I completed (Scraplifted from Jane Jones)
This is September Pages Challenge (Something or someone you miss)

This is Septembers Sketch Challenge Layout Also we went and saw Thomas and Friends Live in Concert, Travis and Cooper had so much fun, and I have to admit I never expected it to be as good as it was, we all enjoyed it, and even Grant took the day off work and came with us! Was a great family day out!

Will update a few more things later when I have a few more spare minutes, until then take care!

Love Always, Lisxx