I DON'T DO "SICK" VERY WELL.

i have had mark at home quite ill the past three days.
now for this work-a-holic husband of mine to not even open his laptop, turn off his phone, stay in bed and take pain killers, he really must be ill.
i think it is just the flu (and so does the doctor) but he has been so sick with it.

and then the doctor insisted on doing an ECG on him this morning because he could hear an irregular heartbeat.
mark just shrugged and allowed himself to be monitored while i sat there and stressed out big time.

why is it that men make such a song and dance about being ill (you know what i mean - the none-too-subtle moans and groans as they turn in bed, the feeble requests for a cup of tea, etc) and then they just shrug off something like an ECG.
well everything was fine but that's not the point.

mark's pop died at an early age of a heart attack after having several previously at the ripe old age of forty (mark is 42 this year) and his dad had a triple by-pass a few years ago.
hello....????
does anyone else see a family pattern here....???
when the doctor asks you mark, if there is any family history of heart disease, maybe you should say YES...!!!

anyways, i have done the "good wife" bit today and let him watch the dvds he wanted to, and kept the fire stoked all day to keep the house warm, and made him chicken soup.
i'm not quite ready to collect that life insurance policy on him just yet.

i am hoping to get a lot of scrapping done this weekend - i seem to have sooooo many UFOs and things i really want to get done, while not forgetting the los i have to do - but for now i will share a lo with you all that was this week's inspiration at tca.

the theme was "minimalism"

hoping you all have a fantastic weekend, whatever you do, wherever you go and whoever you spend your time with.

~*~ shazz ~*~

FOR MARIE

ok, ok....i know i should have done an update on the weekend before now
(i have received many requests for an update from the gorgeous miss marie which culminated in a threat yesterday to "update or else"....LOL)
so here it is.

i left home after i dropped kait off to school on friday and wandered up the highway to robina. i love just wandering around the place and looking at things without the pressure of making sure the kids aren't bored or pleas of "can we go NOW". it was just lovely to just wander and look and i didn't buy anything except a coffee.
when i got to margate i drove past where the SWIG was being held and not recognising anyone's car there i went and parked at the beach and read a scrapping mag i had in the car and then went for a walk up the beach. actually it was more a case of being blown along the beach because it was mighty windy. the walk did me the world of good and i felt the weight of a few problems in my life being lifted off my shoulders.
headed back to the conference centre and met up with ruthy and diana - lots of squeals of delight and hugs all round. it was so good to see them both again.

we set up and after dinner started scrapping. i surprised myself by completing my dt challenge for tca (we were all sent the same pic and had to scrap it)


as well as half of another lo by the time we wandered into bed about 1-ish. it was so good to be scrapping with friends as well as meeting up with the lovely owner of the scrap heap, christine and lots of the other ladies who are regulars over there.
everyone was so welcoming and friendly.
met the lovely chrissy and sue her friend. and so many other talented scrappers. i felt a little daunted by it all actually.
it was mighty chilly on friday night and i was ever-so-grateful i took my winter woollies and a hot water bottle.

saturday morning ruthy and i did a class with the amazingly talented and hilariously funny bev watt. she is an outstanding scrapper, a great teacher and kept us in stitches the whole time.
we spent most of the day scrapping and before we knew it, we we being told to head off and dress for the western night.
some of the girls went to so much trouble with their costumes and again it was the lovely bev who had us in raptures of laughter with her horse costume.


and let's not forget christine's attempt to get her "too-big-hat" through the "too-small-door".
just too funny.


i thought diana and ruthy and i scrubbed ok as scrapping sheriffs.


although ruthy would have done well to remember her hat - the beanie didn't QUITE work babe....ROTFL.
the flower was a nice touch though.


and the lovely miss diana looked the part of a country lady rather than a scrapping sheriff.
but we all had the best night.


and try to guess which one of us can't spell - RUTHY !!!!
(sorry about the blurry pic)


we watched the western classic "calamity jane" and sang along to all the corny songs. we scrapped and laughed and laughed some more.

sunday was another class with the lovely bev. we made a handbag album and it was so much fun and they look great.
(remind self to take a pic of it to share)
just before lunch the lovely chris millar paid us a visit. i knew it was her when she walked through the door. she has a smile that lights up a room when she walks in. it was such a thrill to meet her after talking online for so long.
after lunch it was sadly time to pack up and head home.

i had the best weekend though.
and it was good to get home to mark and the kids - i did miss them terribly.

i will post the los i completed tomorrow - just to give you something to look forward to....lol

i hope you all have a wonderful day (what's left of it)
mark is home ill today and i have been quietly tiptoe-ing around the house so as not to disturb him.

until tomorrow, take care

~*~ shazz ~*~

WEEKEND PLANS

i am all packed to head off to the SWIG with ruthy and diana.
have stocked up the fridge for mark and the kids, left the cards for the video shop, the list of phone numbers is on the pad beside the phone.
i am leaving after i drop kait off at school.
i hope to have lots of layouts and stories of the fun and frivolity to share....not to mention a pic or several.

hope you all have a great weekend whatever you plan on doing.
take care everyone

~*~ shazz ~*~

HOW SWEET...!!!

i went shopping for some comfy shoes this morning (oh the curse of having size 9 1/2 - 10 feet) - no luck - and met up with dad and nanny for a coffee and a chat. it is so cool having my dad and step-mum in town so we can do these things.
as i was getting in the car to leave a saw an elderly couple (probably in their 80's) crossing the road to get into their car. not only were they holding hands but when they got to the car, this lovely old gentleman opened the door for his wife and just before he closed it, after she got in, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
i was mesmerised by their obvious love for each other and was VERY embarrassed when the old fellow turned and looked my way.
with a lovely smile and a tip of his cap he got in the car and drove away.
how totally and wonderfully sweet to be so obviously in love at that age.
i hope mark wants to still hold my hand when we are that age.
it was a lovely private moment between two people obviously very much in love and i felt very voyeuristic witnessing it.

just a few los to share today.

this one i did as part of TCA's inspiration - using stamps for your title or as an embellishment.
i love this pic of kait taken on her 7th birthday (2003) - it shows what a little monkey she was at that age.

and this is a cj entry i did as part of TCA's DT. jayne, the owner chose the topic of "my favourite things".
lucky jayne should receive this in the next few days - i am still waiting for mine to come home.

thank you to those of you who left comments or emailed me about yesterday...it is a date that rolls around each year for our friends and for us as well.
i don't know that it gets any easier as the years pass.

mark's aunt ruthy has sent us some copies of some old family photos on a cd.
what an amazing wealth of gorgeous photoes and oh so scrappable...!!!
i have printed up a photo of nanna taken in 1926 when she was 21, to take to the SWIG with me and try to do it some justice.
these photos are all just so amazing - some dating back to 1893.

our family woke this morning to the smell of freshly baked bread
YUMMY YUM YUM YUM...!!!
i FINALLY got my bread maker out of the pantry and set the timer so there would be fresh bread waiting for us to eat first thing this morning.
not so good for the figure but such a deliciously delicious aroma to wake up to.

enjoy the rest of your day
and a happy tomorrow to you all

~*~ shazz ~*~
xoxo

SORROW

KRISTY LEE GRAHAM
September 18, 1982 ~ July 17, 2003

‘MOVING ON’

You can shed tears because she has gone
Or you can smile because she lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back
Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left you.

Your heart can be empty because you cannot see her
Or you can be full of the love and friendship that you shared

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live in yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday

You can remember her and only the fact that she has now gone
Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind
Be empty and turn your back.

Or you can do what she would have wanted
Smile
Open your eyes
Live life and go on.

~~ Author Unknown ~~

SHIVER

how cold is it....?????
and i LOVE IT.

loved waking up to hear rain on the pavers this morning; loved re-stoking the fire to warm up the house; loved vege-ing out in front of the telly this morning with mark watching some of the telly shows we have taped in the past week; loved cooking toasted sandies for everyone for lunch (not real keen on the idea that i got stuck with the dishes though)
YEP!!!
i unashamedly, 100%, totally LOVE winter.

thank you to everyone who passed on their good wishes regarding my health. i am feeling much better and aside from my normal cycle of insomnia at the moment i am feeling better and i actually got out and walked every morning this week.
i will admit i do need to get a full check-up but i need to feel comfortable with the gp i choose to see and who i choose to care for our family.
thanks again girls....you truly are the best.

not much to report on the scrapping front - a lo i have to add some finishing touches to before i post it as the inspiration for this week at tca.
i am trying desperately to get organised for the scrap heaps's SWIG next weekend. i am so looking forward to hanging out with my gal pals, ruthy and diana and not to mention all of the other ladies that hang out at the heap.
i don't imagine we will have a balanced weekend of scrapping and chatting. i think the chatting will far outweigh the scrapping but hey....that's what it's all about.

mark and jake have headed up to carrara to watch our local all-stars football (soccer) team take on the qld all-stars. the game is the curtain raiser to the sydney fc vs qld roar game. i contemplated going but the call of the scrapping dungeon was too strong.

i sent flowers to our dear friends, kel and janelle yesterday in rememberance of their daughter, kristy lee.
kristy lee was taken from us in accident on july 17, 2003.
not a day goes by that i don't think of her, nor of janelle and kel and the effect that tragic night had their lives.
i remember with all-too-vivid detail the dark dark moments of those days after her accident and i wonder how we ever managed to survive such a tragic event.
but survive we did and as i said to janelle last night, some days it is just a case of putting one foot in front of the other without thinking about it and moving forward.
i can't even begin to imagine the pain and sorrow that janelle, as a mother must feel - she not only lost a daughter but a friend, a confidante and the light of her life. because i know what a lasting and profound impact kristy's death has had on myself, on mark and on our children.
kristy was by no means a saint....she was a typical rebellious teenager that caused her mother and father no end of grief but she had grown into a beautiful young woman, finally got her act together and life was finally good for her.
to be taken in such tragic circumstances was almost unbelieveable and even today i find it hard to believe that such a shining light has gone from our midst.
she will forever more be the gorgeous and beautiful young woman that she had grown into.
our darling angel girl.
R.I.P. KRISTY

~*~ shazz ~*~

MISERY GUTS

i am sick.
and i don't do "sick" well - whether it be me or mark or the kids.
i need to see a doctor but with our much loved gp retiring earlier this year i am very reluctant to let a stranger prod and poke the parts that are hurting at the moment.

i need to get better though cause i have so much i have to do in the next week or so before i go to the scrap heap's SWIG with ruthy and diana.

so no scrapping, no chores, lots of sleeping and lots of feeling BLAH and sorry for myself.
and to add insult to BLAH-ness, mark has gone to brisbane for a business meeting tonight - just when i needed him at home to play mummy to the kids.

i am off to put my head down again i think...
sorry about the downer post.

a happy tomorrow to you all

~*~ shazz ~*~

I.W.B.D.F.Q.**

with views like this off our front balcony last night.......




** I WOULDN'T BE DEAD FOR QUIDS

have a great tomorrow everyone
look for the "happy" in your day

~*~ shazz ~*~

BUSY WEEK = LONG POST

how can it have been a week since i last blogged....????

* we sent matt off to work sunday night at 9.30 as our 17 year old son.....he arrived home monday (july 3) morning at 6.15 as our 18 year old young man.
happy birthday sweetheart!!!!
where have the years gone and where oh where has my little baby gone...???
my first born, my dear sweet matty who i always thought would be an only child because i could never imagine being able to love another child as much as i loved him.
now he would rather spend time with his friends (he used to cry so much whenever we left him); he sleeps long into the morning (he used to wake up early every day and we never used to mind); he loves the band "story of the year" (he used to sing along to the wiggles); he loves looking at fast cars and one day wants to own a monaro (he used to push his matchbox cars around the back yard).......
i know it's all part of growing up but part of me will always see my little boy when i look at him.
you have probably seen these before but i will share them again.

this was taken the day he turned one. mark and i had shown him how to point to one finger and this is what he was doing in this pic. i would so love to be able to travel back in time to give that chubby little man a great big cuddle and hear his giggles.

this pic was taken earlier this year.....he is such a gorgeous young man
(i guess that explains all the giggling phonecalls we get at home)

he didn't have a party as such....mark took him to the pub (right of passage they tell me) and then 20 of his friends arrived about 10 p.m. and partied on until about 3 a.m.
mark stayed up and kept an eye on things (but they are all good kids so there wasn't much to supervise), made them popcorn and put the empties in the recycle bin.
matt had a great night.

* mark, kait and i went to brisbane last saturday to attend our friend, graham's 40th.
graham and his wife, ruth are matt's godparents and matt was disappointed that he couldn't attend because of his soccer commitments.
on the way up we had a tyre blow out on the motorway at 115 kph - thankfully mark was driving and managed to pull the car up quickly because it had the potential to get VERY ugly, VERY quickly.
a quick tyre change and we were on our way again. we hit something on the road that slashed the tyre open the tyre guy said when i took it in on monday. he said we were very lucky it didn't explode the tyre because whatever we hit gashed the tyre wide open.
scary stuff.

* kait was a little off colour before we left home and got progressively worse as the day went on. by the time we got home about midnite on saturday she had a raging temp of well over 39 which lasted well into sunday.
she was vomitting, lethargic and just so ill. all that weight (well the whole 400 gms she had put on) ended up in a bucket. it's a case of one step forward, two steps back with her and her weight at the moment.
even her physie teacher noted how much thinner she was this week compared to last week.
she is a lot better today and is sitting hoe-ing into her breakfast at the moment.
she has a little friend coming over to stay tonight and they are off to do a beading course at the new local bead shop (what a treasure trove of gorgeous beads it has too)

* i called in to check out debra's shop while we were in brisbane. i was like a kid in a lolly store running from stand to stand drooling over all the lovely products debra has in.
as a result, my "no shopping again til i have done 20 los" rule just flew rapidly out the window.
i have set myself a new limit of 25 los now.
"MY NAME IS SHAZZ. I AM A SCRAPPING SHOP-A-HOLIC"
isn't recognition of one's addiction the first step...lol

* jakey played his first game back with his old club, italo stars, last weekend - a full game with premier reserves and he benched for premiers and got 15 minutes on the paddock.
if you know nothing about football (soccer), prem reserves and prems teams are made up of grown men so here is my 15 year old baby going one-on-one with the best adult players in this area - and doing a good bloody job of it too.
he was never happy at workers (he just seemed to clash constantly with the coach) and he took the initiative himself and approached the coach at italo stars to see if they had a place for him in the team, went to his coach at workers and explained why he was leaving then organised all the transfer papers, etc.
he is a very mature 15 year old and i am so proud of him and the fact that he isn't afraid to tackle the tougher challenges that life can throw at him.
and he is just so dang cute too....lol

* my gorgeous friend wren, and her husband brian welcomed there fourth child into the world on sunday.
congrats to you all.
wren gave birth to a precious baby girl last sunday morning and despite her sorrow at needing a caesar, she now has a beautiful little girl, with the thickest blackest hair i have ever seen on a baby. i visited them on monday and got in my fair share of cuddles.
now all she needs is a name wren....lol

* i am sending out my thoughts and prayers to my beautiful friend marie who has had an awful week with the passing of her father-in-law, one of her good friends and another friend suffering a miscarriage.
sometimes we don't know why we have such sorrow given to us but i believe that everything happens for a reason....it's just sometimes we don't know what that reason is and we may never know.
take care my dear friend.
love to you, kelvin and the boys.

well that is the end of this mammoth post
*NUDGE NUDGE* are you still awake...???
i hope you all have a great day, filled with laughter, rainbows and time to do the things that make your heart happy.

til next time

~*~ shazz ~*~

p.s. notice i made NO mention of the score in the final state-of-origin game nor where the title will be going for the next 12 months.