picnic?? when??

Gary came home from work and announced we are going up the range for a picnic, which translates to fish and chips or pies in the park up there, GREAT the kids love it there and photo opportunities for me!! so...quickly finished the layout i was working on, showered, got kids ready and WE ARE STILL HERE 2 hours later..HE thought bef0re we go, he should put some baits down for the dreaded revolting vermin that have been having parties in the roof and walls (happens every year to the whole street)..now that was at 11.am it's now 1.30..i've got half a roof, and he's just popped to bunnings to buy more bait , it looks like it might rain, his battery on his cordless drill is flat (because he never charges it and that apparently is my fault). Kids are starving, dont feed them he says, we'll be going soon!!..If we do go anywhere today it will be a miracle. I'm so tempted to start my last vc BUT I know the minute i do that, he'll walk in the door and say WHAT??? I thought you wanted to go on a picnic (and then once again, it will be my fault we are running late!!)

CHILDREN To those of us who have children in our lives,whether they are our own,grandchildren,nieces,nephews,or students...here is something to make you chuckle.Whenever your children are out of control,you can take comfort from the thought thateven God's omnipotence did not extend to His own children.After creating heaven and earth,God created Adam and Eve.And the first thing He said was"DON'T!" "Don't what?"Adam replied. "Don't eat the forbidden fruit."God said. "Forbidden fruit?We have forbidden fruit?Hey Eve..we have forbidden fruit!" "No Way!" "Yes way!" "Do NOT eat the fruit! "said God. "Why?" "Because I am your Father and I said so! "God replied,wondering why He hadn't stoppedcreation after making the elephants.A few minutes later,God saw His children having an apple breakand He was ticked!"Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit? "God asked. "Uh huh,"Adam replied. "Then why did you? "said the Father."I don't know,"said Eve. "She started it! "Adam said. "Did not! " "Did too! " "DID NOT! " Having had it with the two of them,God's punishment was that Adam and Eveshould have children of their own. Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed. BUT THERE IS REASSURANCE IN THE STORY!If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give children wisdom and they haven't taken it,don't be hard on yourself.If God had trouble raising children,what makes you think it would bea piece of cake for you? THINGS TO THINK ABOUT!1. You spend the first two years of their lifeteaching them to walk and talk. Then you spendthe next sixteen telling them to sit down and shut up. 2. Grandchildren are God's rewardfor not killing your own children. 3. Mothers of teens now know whysome animals eat their young. 4. Children seldom misquote you.In fact,they usually repeat word for wordwhat you shouldn't have said. 5. The main purpose of holding children's partiesis to remind yourself that there are childrenmore awful than your own.6. We childproofed our homes,but they are still getting in. ADVICE FOR THE DAY:Be nice to your kids.They will choose yournursing home one day. AND FINALLY: IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF TENSIONAND YOU GET A HEADACHE,DO WHAT IT SAYSON THE ASPIRIN BOTTLE: "TAKE TWO ASPIRIN"AND "KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN"!!!!!

Monkey's mother!!

Aaryn had a stack on his rollerblades not once, not twice but 3 times. I took photo's the first time, the 2nd time i thought about it and by the 3rd time i was totally over the 'my son has hurt himself' photo's...even though the last time was the best, resulting in skin off both knees and a huge bruise. (i'm so caring, i didn't even know he had hurt himself the 3rd time he didn't show us until bath time LOL) he's a tough nut that one, Last week, he put Gary's extension ladder up against the palm tree and up he went...we heard a god almight crash and screams...ran outside to see him under the ladder, yes, it had come down (well crashed really) Cameron said it was like a movie, the ladder slid to one side, Aaryn held on for dear life and just 'rode it to the ground'. We thought he had broken his arm and leg but no, he cried for about 2 minutes then jumped on his bike to prove nothing was broken. NOW the ladder is hung up so he cant get to it. we had to remove all the lattice work from the back of the house when he was 3 because he could use it like a ladder and get on the roof of the house, i could never get him down and had to always get the neighbour or gary to get up there and get the wretched child down! In comparison, he is identical to Luke, he used to climb onto the roof, jump off the roof, nothing was safe. I have a large tree, just outside where i scrap, quite often i look out to see, Mr Monkey up in the branches, it was hilarious on Friday to look out and see him and Luke up the tree, I grabbed my camera but they saw me and jumped out. I will get that photo!!! I guess my kids are just tough nuts i dont know. Hayley used to be always breaking herself, once she fell off her rollerblades and broke her wrist another time she was getting on her bike, managed to get her leg caught and fell, breaking her wrist again, she dislocated her knee playing soccer, cut her finger opening a can of dog food (that was hilarious, she had to have gas just to have stitches, and then only had 2 stitches LOL)..and the best was when told to clean up her disgusting messy bedroom..yes..she tripped over the clothes on the floor and fractured HER WRIST ... Tina is the only one i haven't had to take to emergency (unless you count childbirth LOL..) we had a time when we lived at the ER and i'm sure child welfare services had a file on us LOL. Although, we haven't been since Aaryn, jumped off the shed roof, did a somersault and landed head first on the concrete slab. slight concussion they said..i wanted an xray done to see if the child had a brain in his head!! apparently they take after their father, who was a bit of a daredevil in his hayday. I get a bit complacent, being the mother of a monkey i guess. That is why, poor Luke, walked around with a shattered shoulder-blade for nearly 3 months, i got sick of hearing him whinge about how his shoulder went pop every time he lifted his arm up, it didn't hurt much he said, just went pop, so we went to the doctor who said it was a torn ligament, so off for reconstruction surgery, only to find when he went under, that the complete shoulder was shattered and the only thing holding his arm on was the tendon, the doc was stunned..he had titanium pins to hold the shoulder together and that was supposed to be permanent, but a couple of years later, you could see the 'bolt' through his skin, so he had to have it removed. OH YES tough nuts my kids...sometimes i wish they were 'sookies' but then i'd only tell them to get tough LOL

THANK YOU

just wanted to say a BIG thank you to everyone who commented for your support and well wishes. The closer the day gets, the more scared i'm becoming. Debbie Y came for coffee, i was shaking just telling her about it LOL so she can vouch for my nerves. Really dont know how i'm going to get there in 14 more sleeps!! BTW i've changed the appointment time..having it done at 10am now, just really want it over and out of the way!!

NY resolution COMPLETED!!

For years, i've hated my smile (aka teeth), tried not to smile in photo's (which result in my looking usually gormless) and get very embarrassed if people look to closely at my mouth. One of my NY resolutions was to do something about it, SO, last week, I went and had my quote done! NOW, to say I am petrified of the dentist is an understatement. Tina and Monika had to escort me in the door (to make sure i actually went in), the longer I had to wait, the paler I got and by the time the Dentist called me in, I was in a state of panic, sweat pouring off me, i sat in his chair and burst into tears i was so frightened, he thought he'd have to sedate me just to do the exam, he was very nice and didn't even use his 'counting stick', gave me a sticker and balloon afterwards too!! After all that, the quote wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, (although Gary nearly fainted when i showed him, and yes, he did say..I COULD BUY MY NEW BOAT MOTOR FOR THAT WIH CHANGE!!! rofl) TODAY, i had my first impressions done (nearly threw up in fear but I managed to get myself to the dentist ON MY OWN!!!!!!) He was impressed that I came back and told me I should be congratulated, he has never seen anyone as frightened as me before!!! I go back next Monday for my final impression and choose the 'colour' ( i want movie star WHITE lol) and then on FRIDAY THE 13th (OMG couldn't they have chosen a better date) at 2pm, i go under sedation and have my procedure. TO say i'm excited would be a lie, i'm actually Petrified, apprehensive, Terrified, nervous and perhaps maybe just a tad excited. I keep trying to imagine what it's going to look like. but naturally i cant..I can say however, that when the receptionist told me that the bill was 100% paid for, i felt like sitting down and crying as there was no turning back. To be sure, it's the best present i've given myself, one that is going to help my self esteem a bit (I hope), and i may even start to smile more in photo's!!!!

Pyromanic in the making???

Close call or what??? Gary was sitting on couch watching TV..i was blogging and scrapping (multi tasking !!)...now, my scrapdesk and computer are behind the couch with my back towards the lounge/hall and bedrooms...you get the picture?...Gary jumps up and heads calmly into Aaryn's bedroom (the first bedroom just off the lounge)..i hear him say.."you stupid little boy, your mother is going to kill you..just as well i smelt that isn't it?"...i turned around and said..smelt what/? then i smelt it..burning...the little SNOT had decided to do a little experiment...tore a page out of his book, and put it against the bedside lamp to see what would happen..oh yes..it scorched, thank god thats all it did, his bed is near his window, had it ignited, his curtains would have gone up first. I raced in, expecting to see a remorseful face at least, but no...the little TOAD was smirking, SMIRKING!!!! He isn't smirking now though, he has no bedlamp, no sony and a sore backside!! I'm only glad (for once lol) that Gary was home, because i wouldn't have smelt it until it was too late...I've stopped shaking now, just goes to show how quickly things can happen...(and i'm so glad we have insurance!!!!)

GREAT WEEKEND

WHAT a weekend in Maryborough it was, no sleep. lots of laughing, dips in the pool, dinner at the RSL and even managed to squeeze in a few layouts and 1 class!! the slide show's some of the pics taken in such a short time. Can't wait until the next weekend away!!!

OFF TO MARYBOROUGH!!!

SO EXCITED, 8 of us are heading off to Maryborough for a mini scrapping retreat at our friend Chrissie's house.. We've got mini classes happening, and Miss Maree is bringing along her new Click'n'Cut, for us to play with, if i like it I may think seriously about buying the Robo-cutter. I haven't seen Chrissie since just before Christmas, we were joined at the hip before she moved away so i can't really see much scrapping getting done, but you never know!! Thankfully, I haven't unpacked my scrap stash since SWIG, so all i have to do is throw it all in the car complete with NEW massage chair (other one died at J's the other night so Joyce Mayne, gave me a new upgraded model so i'm a happy camper!!!), RSL for dinner Saturday night should be nice!! Shall share pics when i get back on Monday!!!....

at last!!

Someone has recognised my potential....i've alway's said your a wonderful person Heike..the cheques in the mail!!!!!!!

The NEW improved TSH Inspiration team..

check out Bev's face....ROFL...

My moment of Glory..................

what a fantastic weekend..I have never laughed so much, Bev is just hilarious and just the best fun..even when i kicked her off the Inspiration Team and took over as scrapper extroadinare, now to be known as anon-Y-mous of buderim, she is a dreadful woman really and cases ALL my layouts, passing them off as her own etc, so it was about time i 'got even'. I even had my very own apron and name tag..but unfortunately, because Bev the scrapper from Nerang, had a tissy fit about being 'caught out' etc i reluctantly had to 'resign' my position and hand it back to her, but not to worry, i shall be sending her 'proofs' of my layouts for her to case after all, it's the only way i'm going to be published and well, she might as well have the glory and it's not really a coincidence that our daughters have the same name and also our grand-daughters too (who happen to belong to the daughters with the same name)...OK..i'll let you all in on the secret now...her daughter H's real name is Esmerelda and her grand-daughter E is really called Demelza, so now you can see why she has to name them the same as mine (also makes casing easier, she only has to remove my photo's and put her own there!!)

(THANKS BEV, for being not only a great friend but also one bloody hell of a good sport!!!!)

NOTE: this was a huge joke, by no means am i really on the design team, just a joke between 'friends'..that is all

Darer's go first??

I was issued a dare, by Jackie and Bev at SWIG..never one to back down from a dare i decided i would carry through when i got home.. SO ladies..yes..i came home, told my lovely husband how pleased i was to see him and how much i missed him, after 2 nights without him..gave him a huge kiss, put my tongue down his throat (as dared!)..choked him...the funeral is on THURSDAY...thanks a lot!!!!!!

I am so SLACK!

i mean that metaphorically, NOT literally LOL..look how long it has been since i blogged, DISGUSTING. I guess, however it means i have a life??..hmm..what has happened during January..WELL my brother, his wife and kids came to visit for 4 days. Will tell all later and add pics!...We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary..will tell all later...kids went back to school HOORAY!!!! Today is Gary's birthday, so i'm home NOT scrapping at daisy's (bah)..next week is SWIG so looking forward to getting away! Hayley and the kids move in on Monday, moving to mt isa on the 23rd, so i have 20 or so sleeps to try to persuade her to stay..i dont think that's going to happen...what else has been happening??? cant think at the moment...i think i'll try to find time over the weekend to add some photo's and do something interesting in here, well ihave to before my computer is taken over...hell that's why i haven't been in here LOL, Haylz keeps stealing the computer and i can never get online!!!!!!!!! my excuse..i'm sticking to it!!! oh...aaryn asked me tonight why when you die are you put in the ground?? my reply..(i'm very technical) because there is no room in the fridge....the look on his face was a classic!!!! yes i'm a horrible mother LOL

I cant believe it's all over!

Well, here we are, BOXING DAY already! Where has December gone? Christmas day, has been and gone, everyone is totally happy with this years pressies and peace reigns in the Youd household (for a few days anyway!). A big surprise for us on Christmas eve! Rosso, Lukes mate who is like a 4th son to us, walked down our driveway!! (he moved to Ingham about 18 months ago or more), I was only saying to Luke the day before, how much i missed him coming for his Christmas Dinner (he was bought up Jehovah, and had never had Christmas before he met us, he has spent every Christmas day at our house for the last 4 years, I felt overwhelmed that he had driven down especially to be with us! and to make it all the better, i had no idea!!)

Cameron received some (much needed?) PSP accessories and games and of course..the guiness book of records! Aaryn finally got his batman blaster and Hero guitar (which is one of the best sony accessories and i just love it!).

We had a great day starting at Tina's for Brekkie, Where Poppy, dressed as Santa and seemed to really enjoy his new role in life!! (very worrying lol)

then over to Hayley's for lunch and then back to ours for dinner! why do we just seem to eat all day?

Finished the day with the traditional Poker match! (hayley bought gary a poker set, so the 'boys' were very professional this year LOL.. (photo, Gary

, Rosso, Luke, Tina's head and Zeb)

I always feel a little sad on Boxing day so see Christmas gone, this year is the same, although not as bad as we get to do it all again in 2 weeks when my brother arrives!!...

It will soon be time to take down all the lights outside, but we'll leave them on for another week, AT least it's not going to be so hectic as it has been and we'll be able to relax and enjoy the Christmas season, hopefully do something nice new years eve with all the kids!

In regards to our wishing well, we have raised in excess of $300 for the precious babies at NGH, so will leave the well out until after new year, for passer's-by (we had heaps in last night, but left them to their own devices, we needed time out lol)..

I think to date, Christmas 2006 has been our best yet! Good friends, family and lots of love, that's the secret!!

Love this pic of Aaryn..the kewl dude he is!!

TA..DA..

and here is the finished project!!!...well most of it..you cant see the 8ft santa's on the lawn to the right of santa's workshop (aka the garage lol).. lights on the roof, move,and you cant quite see the blue drop lights that go along the front of the house between the blue poles..nor can you see the G'day Mate sign behind the palm tree, shall put in more photo's later, i was just learning how to use camera with aperture and some other technical term tonight LOL...

FINALLY

Fairy lights finished!

The end of painting the lights has arrived. I've painted 2050 bulbs this year now all that's left to do is put them up. I've just put the igloo into the garden and Gaz has to get on the roof and put up Santa and Rudolph and the other Santa in the chimney..The fairy goes on a 20ft pole to go up the 30ft Christmas tree in the front yard!!! BUT as luck would have it..it's too windy to get on the roof or put a pole up, so he's having the day off work tomorrow, hopefully it will be done then. That's it then, finished, ready for the big tour to start on Saturday!!..bit excited this year as a little birdy told me the newspaper is coming to surprise us with a little interview, quite famous, We've already been mentioned on the radio as we are fund-raising for the hospital and they arranged a little announcement to get the ball rolling!! which reminds me. THE WISHING WELL, has to be pulled out and put in the front garden with the signs around it. I guess everyone is sick and tired about hearing about the lights but to be honest, that's all that's happening here at the moment..give me til next week, then it's 3 of the 5 kids birthdays ..YES..3 of them in the space of 6 days!! Hayley on the 15th, Tina on the 20th and Cam on the 21st!! not to mention Monika (adopted daughter of sorts!!) on the 19th and her Citizenship ceremony on the same day..an exciting time for everyone!!... 20 MORE SLEEPS TO GO and then it's all over for another year!! (and still no presents bought, how slack i have been this year indeed!!!)

just an ordinary update!!!

Not a lot happening in this household other than LIGHTS, LIGHTS and more LIGHTS! we still haven't finished decorating but have to be by Friday ready for the start of the Wonderland of Lights tour!! I'll be painting light bulbs until new year the way i'm going, i'm still to paint the 6ft fairy and the 6ft santa going down the chimney, touch up some of the ones already up and paint the igloo doorway!! shouldn't take too long LOL...I'm going to work out exactly how many lights there are later too (just a bit of mathematics, Cameron will help me,!!! you get sick of people asking how many and just saying..A LOT..so this year i'm going to stump them by giving them a number LOL..) We are collecting for the Special Baby Care Unit at the hospital, so hope we can raise lots of $$ for them. Had the kids carols last night, we lasted 45 minutes! Absolutely DREADFUL, had to have them in the highschool hall because of rain, it was hot, stuffy and far too noisy, trying to fit a whole school into a far to small area, kids running riot, and the school band that they had were just woeful! couldn't hear the kids for the noise coming off the school, the classes were to have gone onstage at 5.30 at 6pm we were still waiting for the wretched noise makers to get off the stage so kids could get on..Usually our carols are one of the best around, but the last 2 years have been shocking..wont be going next year if they are in the hall, BRING BACK THE OVAL i say!!!..Cameron was pleased to leave as well, he said he wont go again!! Aaryn was not to pleased to say the least, he was having fun playing on the oval with his mates, and couldn't understand why we were so hot and frazzled..(probably because the man sitting beside me who i didn't know, was clapping so loudly, singing along to the songs just as badly as the kids and gave me a migraine) to add insult to injury, Miss Emily, decided that nanna's boobies would make a really good chair, so promptly, stood on my legs and then plopped her bottie square on them, she was the only comfortable person in the room LOL..when trying to get her off, the man beside me had a thrill, as my top came down with her and the 'seating arrangement' was revealed to all!! shall update with some photo's of the weekend later, i'm off to Tina's to do a bit of much needed christmas present scrapping now!!

Starting early!

This year, we have put up the tree a bit earlier than usual (well only 4 day's i'm sure nothing bad will happen)..we've just got so much on Friday that i'm sure we wouldn't have time to do it..what with outside to light up, and everyone coming to see that..The boys had a ball doing it, with absolutely no interference from mum! (which was really hard, but i didn't..ok i did..just once..i put my scotland and paris ornaments where they could be seen LOL)..have to yet put a little ribbon on the back of my little welsh doll and scottish doll to be used as a decoration too!! The boys did a really good job, it was funny to watch them step back to admire, then tweak and remove ornaments too close together..I thinkthey must be growing up!

It was Cam's turn to put the Angel on the top which he did just fine!!..

(probably not as lavish as other tree's but it's ours!! plain and simple!!)

The countdown to Christmas has begun. Today I got out the tree and Hayley made it all straight and tidy ready for me to mess up with decorations. Couldn't resist taking a few (well 30) photo's of the delightful Miss Em, just loved this blooper, which turned out quite cute...Emily trying to blow out the xmas lights!!! Aaryn was being a little snot today, so out came the telephone to ring the big fat man. I was having a very animated conversation with Santa (him and i are great friends you know), when suddenly the phone I was holding, rang!!! oh the embarrassment of it all..I've never been caught out before..and by the likes of a little snot too!!he had rung the house phone from my mobile to see if i was really on it, me thinks he is getting to old for THAT trick!!he hasn't let me live it down at all..I shall get him though...my brother is on standby, with his santa voice ready!!..It's a well known fact that I love everything Christmas..We had a test run of the lights extravaganza tonight and have to admit to feeling a little choked up when the kids went AWWW dad, it's fantastic..and we haven't even finished putting them up yet..Quote of the week has to be miss Em, when leaving the house today..looked at poppy, put her hands in the air and proclaimed..I JUST LOVE IT...I LOVE IT ALL...IT'S LOVELY!!! just too cute!!

birthday photos