Red Alert - Laser Tag

A group of 8 year old boys, Laser guns, Mazes, running, sweaty, junk food, fizzy drinks, balloons, Birthday Cake - Must equal fun!  This was my sons 8th Birthday at the local Laser Tag Centre..   even my hubby joined in the fun with them for two games...

Happy Birthday Travis!!  We love you!

to finish the day off, we spent the afternoon going for a drive into Newcastle, checking out the beaches, going for a walk down to the BogeyHole along the Newcastle Coastline (The Bogey hole was hand constructed by Convicts in the early 1820's for the Major and Affluent people).

The Bogey Hole

The Stairs down to the Bogey Hole (Worse you had to walk back up them - Ouch)

Newcastle Beach

A wonderful and gorgeous day, and even managed to squeeze in a double layout!!  Yipee!!  Pics soons..

Love Lisxx

I feel like I keep repeating myself

Again more natural disasters, this time poor ole Japan!!  What a whoppa they have copped.  An 8.9 earthquake followed by a massive Tsunami..  I just cannot believe it.  Watching the news and the Tsunami coming in, and people being washed away, I was crying, the tears just wouldn't stop!  So devastating... 

I really can't believe how much we have had to succumb these past few months...  Mother nature truly cracked her whip this time, making christchurches earthquake feel like a ripple compared to the magnitute of what Japan has just experienced....

Again I am proud to see people of all walks of life help each other...  If these are the only truly wonderful experiences we can take out of such tragedy, it is a start....

My heart goes out to you all in Japan!  We have experienced every such natural disaster since the turn of 2011.  We have seen floods, cyclones, fires, heatwaves, earthquakes and now tsunami's.  What has mother nature got instore of us next, or do we really want to know!!!

Stay safe everyone and make sure you tell all those you love that you love them and give them an extra kiss and cuddle...

Love to all
Lisxx

News

I have been a lady of leisure since the kids started at school, especially since Cooper is now in Kindergarten.  I have had three days all to myself.  So going forward I had to try to fill my days, and I have done a good job of it.

Fridays mornings I have joined a Meditation class with some of the lovliest and most spiritually calm people.  really do look forward to my Fridays.  

At the beginning of March I was asked if I would like to teach a day class at a local Scrapbook Shop in Maitland.  Of course I jumped at the chance, best of both worlds, I get to scrap and teach between 10am to 1pm while the boys are at school!!!  Classes will start on the 5th April, these classes are fortnightly and the classes will be Double Layouts, as I find that all scrap classes available in the area are all single layouts..  Now just to fill the class and start in April..  Very excited.....

And of course what mother doesn't volunteer to do something with their childrens school at one stage or another.  So here I am dedicating my Wednesday mornings to helping the year 3s with their Reading... 

Ummm, OK, now what happened to my free days???  Ah, as they say what you give out you get back three fold.  Least I know I am making people happy and lending a hand where needed...

Last but not least, a little shout out to my little big man Travis who turned 8 on the 6th march!  Gosh how time flies.  We are off to Laser Tag with a group of his friends on the weekend for his party!!  Let the fun begin....

Love Lisxx

Our Own Mini Yasi

in my backyard.  Here I have been watching the devastation of Mother Earth occuring all around us over the past few months, Australia has weathered the fires, the floods, the cyclones, the heat waves on numerous occasions, not to mention our neighbours New Zealand with their earthquake only just over a week ago!! 

This afternoon what I thought was just another thunderstorm from the heat that we have been experiencing during the day turned out to be something much bigger.  With no warning, our thunderstorm turned into our own Mini Yasi.  Living in a city, (Newcastle, NSW) we are not prone to cyclones, so when this one hit, holy dooley, how frightening.  We had hail, massive winds, the noises of tin rooves, and colourbond fences being ripped apart was undescribable.  We had a trampoline from one street back, somehow got picked up like the house in the wizard of Oz, and dumped in our street, over two rows of houses only to land on a neighbours car.  Trees down everywhere, powerlines down, fences and people BBQ Roofs in other peoples backyards.  The noise of the wind howling against our windows with the force of the hail, was very frightening for the boys...  I can only imagine what poor Queensland went through only 1 week ago, and ours was minor and lasted 5 minutes.  But what a mess 5 minutes made.

Here is just a glimpse from my own street...

I still cannot believe that we have had so many natural disasters since the beginning of the year.  Seems like there is a new one each week..  I did read a book called 2012 by Doreen Virtue, who foresees a huge change to the world come 21st december 2012, leading up to this date, especially 2011, we would see huge natural disasters world wide.  Well I have to say, she is right on the money... 

Praying for sunshine tomorrow!
Take care
Love Lisxx

March Scrap Class

Hello

How is everyone?  I have been scrapping up a storm of late.  So far advanced that I am, I am all set for classes up until and including July!  I know super organised..  Kaiser have some lovely papers coming out and just couldn't hold myself back..  Here is March, April's and May's classes.  Will post pics of June & July shortly. 

March Class - Our family is blessed

Papers:  Kaisercraft Homemade

April Class - Cherish

Papers:  Kaisercraft English Rose

May Class - 1st Year

Papers:  Kaisercraft Devonshire

March's Class is Monday 14th March at 6.30pm girls.  Apart from your pics the only thing you will need is some white alphabets for your title...  Everything else is supplied.  Can't wait!!  See you then..

Love Lisxx

I just cannot believe it..

Here mother nature goes again!   Now Christchurch has suffered at her hands with a massive Earthquake leaving devastation, destruction and absolute disbelief.  Though again I am humbled at the people who risk their own lives to try to help rescue people, those who volunteer to help in any which way they can, these people are true heroes and makes me very proud that when disaster strikes, people band together no matter of nationality, race, social status and help each other.  People this is what life is all about.  No judgement, everyone is treated equal..  I think Mother Nature is trying to give us a lesson.

To all those people in Christchurch, I pray that you are safe.  For my friend Hilary and her son Toby, I pray that you are unharmed.  Please let us know when you can how you faired.  To all those out there affected by Christchurchs Earthquake, godspeed to you all.

Love and Light
Lisaxx

Riding the breakwall

Schools out for the weekend, and what better way to take advantage of the break that to take the kids into the foreshore to ride their bikes along the breakwall...  Of course first stop on the way, Macca's breaky, armed with Coffee, where we sat under the picnic area at Nobby's beach.  The day was a little overcast, nice and cool, we saw dolphins in the harbour, the boats on the water, fisherman fishing the breakwall, and all the little Nippers doing their thing at the Surf Life Saving Club.

Boys riding the Breakwall

Afterwards we went for a drive around Newcastle, taking in the sites.  The boys wanted to go and have a look at the graveyard behind the Cathedral church as I had been talking about it a few days earlier about how old the graves were there.  They date right back to the early 1800's.  I'd say the first settlers of Newcastle..  Amazing really!  We have such history and heritage in our own back yards...

Sites of Newcastle

We are so very blessed to live in such a beautiful city!!

Newcastle Rocks!!

Love Lisxx

My heart goes out...

Too all those affected by cyclone Yasi and the devastation and floods that she has caused...  My heart sincerely goes out to you all...   Here I am siting in the comfort of my own home with disbelief of what is going on all around us and the devastation that Queensland has been confronted with in the past few months..  "Shaking head in disbelief"  We certainly have made Mother Nature quite upset, though what can we do to help heal her?

Sending all those affected my sincere prayers, a donation and love and healing for mother nature.

Lisxx

The day has come.....

and I lose my baby to Kindergarten!  Boo Hoo!  So now I have both my beautiful boys at school.  travis is now in Year 3 and my baby Cooper is heading into Kindergarten.  Gee honestly where does the time go?  One minute they are babies and totally dependant upon you the next they are heading to kindergarten... 

Cooper - my Big Kindergarten Boy

In the transition of the holidays, I changed the boys from our local public school to our local Catholic school.  A few problems, worries and concerns fromt he public prompted me to change to the catholic.  Wish I had done it right at the beginning now when Travis first entered Kindergarten.  Never too late though!!

Godspeed boys
Love Mummy xoxo

Aussie Aussie Aussie

Its Australia day and I must say I am pretty proud to be an Aussie.  We have seen such devastation of late through all the natural disasters that are occuring around Australia at the moment, and it warms my heart to see the compassion and morale of people step up and help out with rescues, with shelter, food, accomodation, love, support and everything else in between.

What does Australia day mean to you?  Sand, Sun, Surf, Beach, Thongs, BBQ's, Beer, Family, Friends...

This Aussie day I spent it with my beautiful little family at Nelsons Bay, having brunch with my gorgeous Cousin Nikkole and her beautiful family, then off to the Markets by the beach, lunch and of course a swim at Netty's favourite spot ( Also the spot where we spread her ashes)... 

Aussie day at Nelson Bay - Trampolines, Jumping Castles, and Swimming

We are so lucky to have some of the best and beautiful beaches and coastal lines around the world and they are right in our back yard, not to mention the vast array of restaurants there are, excellent food, entertainment and the like.  So cheers to all us Aussies!!  You do me proud!! 

Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi!
Lis xoxo

A few past and present

Thought I would put a few past and present double layouts up seeing that I haven't been very good with updating my blog last year.  So here are a few classes that I had taught last year and going forward this year.

Singapore Zoo

Papers - Kaisercraft Le Chateau

Kempsey

Papers - Kaisercraft Secret Bird Society

Our Family

Papers: Kaisercraft Urban Prairies

Levi

Papers: Kaisercraft Hey Birdie

Beach Boys

Papers:  Kaisercraft Offshore

New Zealand

Papers: Kaisercraft Pack Your Bags

So Handsome

Papers: Kaisercraft Bohemian Threads

I am just loving creating double layouts at the moment, they seem so rare, you look through the mags or online and the majority of layouts are singles...  I also love the way they look when you a flipping through you albums, so much more appealing to the eye looking at doubles.  They are all co-ordinating and uniform where as Singles of course don't match each other in an album.

What is your preference and why?  Would love to hear some feedback...  Of course there is no right and wrong.  I love singles too, and all different shapes and sizes as well as OTP.  Just having a phase on the ole double layouts at the moment...

Now going forward I have to thank Dani Krivan for her sketch and layout inspiration in December's Kaisercraft Sketch.. I just love this layout and of course I had to recreate it for myself..  Awesome!!

Surfs Up

Papers: Kaisercraft Seaside

Not long now until school goes back, time to start getting all the little knick knacks to go with the rest of their supplies... 

Chat soon

Love Lisxx

A simple layout to start off the new year...

Of course we all have taken many photo's over the Christmas period, I know I certainly did.  Taking photo's of the Putting up the tree ritual, the annual Christmas Card photo shoot, Christmas lunch and dinner pics, and not to mention the holidays thereafter... 

So to get back into the swing of things for 2011, I have created a simple double layout for my first class to teach, which is tonight, collating some of your pics from your Christmas season...



Kaisercraft - Tis the Season Collection

 I also wanted to share with you that my closest girlfriend in the world (jane) of over 30 years, and I, attended our first arfternoon at the Newcastle Spiritualist Church.  http://www.newcastlespiritualistchurch.com/ 
It was so enlightening and uplifting.  Nothing like a normal church service, no bible, the people talked about Law of Attraction, Spirituality, gave healing, we did a 10 minute meditation, two lovely poems were read, a lady gave a speach on Astrology we sang some well known songs like John Lennons - Imagine and Abba's - I have a dream and then the last half hour psychics gave little 5 minute readings.   Honestly I truly felt comfortable there, the energy was light, uplifting and peaceful and am looking forward to next Sunday... 

I will share with you a poem that was read yesterday.  Its called...  Live Each Moment


I may never see tomorrow, there is no written guarantee.
And things that happened yesterday, belong to history
I cannot predict the future, I cannot change the past
I have just the present moment, I must treat it as my last


I must use this moment wisely, for it will soon pass away
And be lost to me forever, as part of yesterday
I must exercise compassion, help the fallen to their feet.
Be a friend unto the friendless, make an empty life complete

The unkind things I do today, may never be undone
And friendships that I fail to win, may never more be won
I may not have another chance on bended knee to pray
And thank God with humble heart, for giving me this day.

How true is that, we should always live for NOW!!  And live NOW to our utmost fullest.  Never dwell in the past, it is over and done with, never worry about the future, as it is not here yet.  So live in the NOW as it may be your last..  Greatest advice I have had for the day!!

Take care and be safe
Love Always
Lisaxx

Thoughts and Prayers

Hello Everyone,

I have been watching the unfolding of the devastating weather that continues to destroy our country, as we all have and have been sending prayers every night.  I can't believe that 75% of Queensland is affected by floods, and now WA, VIC and TAS are experiencing the same weather with cyclones on each side.  This is just not Australian weather at all.  Though whilst my heart strings have been pulled tight at all the devastation and destruction, I have also been amazed at the wonderful spirit of us Australians, and humanity in general, that pull together to help each other out in times of need.  People letting strangers into their homes who need shelter, the thousands of volunteers who are out there helping with rescue, with clean up, with feeding people, filling the sandbags, and every other thing these amazing people have contributed to.  Out of all the sadness I am so proud of these wonderful truly amazing selfless and brave people...  My thoughts and prayers are with you all, please stay safe!

It even amazes me that two sworn enemies can band together and help each other out in times of need..

I believe that we have come to a time in our lives that the world is in chaos and utter disarray, mother nature has lost her path, and that our world is in need of some true healing...  I am a big fan of the Secret and the Power, and we need to create peace, harmony and love to heal our planet. Please watch this video from  the link that I share with you below, it is just amazing... Think and feel only positive thoughts while watching, and lets raise the vibration of our planet to healing.

http://thesecret.tv/planet-...earth/

And have a truly wonderful positive day..

Love and Light
Lisa xoxo

Holiday Fun

Boys will be boys won't they!  At any age.  Ayden was visiting from Queensland, so what a perfect excuse  to go out for the day and visit the Skate Park & the BMX Track.

The boys had a ball, showing off, doing tricks, riding around, and watching the bigger boys on their skateboards.  They have done so much in the school holiday.  Movies, skate park, BMX track, Foreshore Rides, Laser Tag, Toboggan Hill, play dates and camp outs...  Gee have I missed anything....  Such a busy Chirstmas Holidays but we have had so much fun, and I have to say, am so not looking forward to them going back to school.  Especially Cooper starting Kindy, I lose my baby!! 

Skate Park

BMX Track

To cool for school these boys are...  what have you all been up to during the holiday break???  Would love to know..

Until next time, take care
Love Lisx

A wonderful friend of mine, Al Hannah, is starting the new year off on a positive note too, and created a vision board as a daily reminder of all the things she would like to achieve for 2011.  I was so inspired by this that I had to create one too...

A vision board is a collage of images, words and affirmations of your dreams, desires and all positive aspects of your life you would like to achieve.

This year I am embarking on a spiritual journey, I want to achieve more spiritual growth, find more time to meditate, find balance, do yoga, listen to harmonious music, I need to breathe, heal, be grateful for everything I have in my life, find acceptance, read more spiritual books, be creative and alot of other positive attributes...  I found creating my vision board quite humbling and made me really focus within on what I want to achieve this year.   I am not interested this year on focusing on the assets, of a bigger house, a nicer car, having this and wanting that, I am focused this year on my inner self, this year its all about me... 

 I would love for you to join me and create your own vision board as a daily reminder of your aspirations and how you want your life to be... or just post what would be on your Vision Board...

Believe in your visions, the law of attraction is a powerful thing....

I wish you all peace, love and happiness for 2011...

Love Always Lisa xoxo

New Year New Me

Hopefully 2011 is a more peaceful, happy and focused year for me...  Last year I struggled with alot of different aspects in my life, along with the death and mourning of my beautiful mum and I am determined that this year is going to start off positively...

The suicide of my mother has affected me in so many different ways.  Last year I had so many different things to deal with, try to accept, which all came as a domino affect after the passing of my mum...

I lost my best friend, I have had to try and find my way without her support, her love, her friendship, her advice, her humour, and everything in between..  At times I felt like I had an invisible wall up against me and the whole world, no-one could see or feel how I was feeling, how truly alone I felt, how some days I could not breathe or even want to face the world.  Though I got through 2010 and all it threw at me.

I am very proud of the fact that she was and will always be my mum, she taught me to be the person I am today, to love all people (and animals), to be kind, caring, to believe in spiritualism.  Though I really need to find the time to meditate and do yoga each day just like she did...  Find the calm within each day.... 

Thought of the day..
"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending"

For those of us who can't help looking back at our lives and wondering what we could have done to do differently, today's inspiring quote will hopefully flip you around and help you face what's ahead. Everything that has ...gone by is set in the stone of the past, but the future is in our control. And if you're thinking it's too late to start something new, or to change your fate, maybe that way of thinking is the first thing that you should focus on changing-- right now.


Have a life-changing day!

Love and Light
Lisa