Going AWOL>>>>>>>

Hi
Just a quick update before we take off for a week away, well hoping to get the week in as it is raining ATM and the forecast is not the best for a tent!!!!! I really hope for the kidlets sake that we get some nice weather, they are so excited it is not funny and we have lots of great things planned for them.

It is great having my Parents here, I miss my Mum we always have lots of laughs and I soo need those laughs we see the funny side in things that others don't and have fun mucking with the kidlets which brings out the dags in them also, so I am looking forward to lightening up!!!
Mum and I played around with Stampin up stamps last night and did a L.O. which was fun, probably not anything over exciting but it was just fun to start off with blank paper and build it up with stamps and a lot of basic items and end up with a page that is not too bad. LOL.
I have cooked up a storm today so Mum and I are not thinking about tea and cooking in hell hour and D.H. has no meals to prepare which is a good thing as he really isnt much of a cook but he loves it that way as he never gets lumbered with cooking, only the BBQ. I was going to take scrapping gear away but decided tonight that I am leaving this holiday about the kids and will be busy creating stuff with them, lots of little projects for them to make and play with in the arvo after we have worn them out all morning fossicking at the beach..

So that is the plan but will see what mother nature dishes out. Hope you are lovin the holidays, catch you on our return.
Take care
Trace.

HELP, toddler needs taming.

Hi
As the heading says we are in need of a toddler tamer ATM. LOL. Oh my lord what started off as a Beautiful quiet Baby that did everything right from wo to go has now become a fully fledged demon, I dont know what is possessing this child but I will personally pack its bags and it can leave now!!!! Today because Big Bro was not around to play with he tried all sorts of nonsense till Mum lost the plot and then he settled it down for a while and then he got put to bed for his sleep and woke up a different kid. He climbs up the breakfast bar this morning and pulled my special bell Mum gave me for my Birthday a few years ago, I am making beds and hear the sound of beads spilling everywhere and here he is standing on the bench with bell in hand. Grrrrrr and once again Sisters saying "we saw him on the bench Mum, he has broken the breakfast bell", their favourite name for it. So down I get him and off he runs and I am left threading and trying to make it look similar but some beads could not be found but they have turned up in funny places all day.

Next whilst talking to Mum on phone, (dont you love the mischief they get up to when on the phone) he disappears so we have a quick whip around back yard and he is missing so we run out the front, shovel on front lawn left and big smell of Dog poop but no Zay, so cut Mum off and wonder which direction to run, calling, calling , next minute around he comes from side of house "WHAT" he says, okay settle heart down and mind from all the kidnapping scenarios, especially as Mum and I had just spoken about a kidnapped boy who has just been found after weeks of torture. OMG, so he high tails it back to backyard, so I lock the gate and get on with things.
I empty washing machine and head around to the clothes line, passed toddler going indoors on my way out and intuition is telling me to call him he up to no good but no ignore intuition, get the darn washing on the line and then I hear the girls say " I think he has toilet paper" then some quiet talking so I start pegging clothes furiously on the line as he is up to something else, all is very quiet. Come back around to the patio and the girls say "Mum, Zay has put toilet paper everywhere" Oh great girls why didnt you stop him, but there in all its unrolled glory is my new roll of paper towel!!!! Toddler no where in sight, missing in action, so Mum with steam coming out her ears goes hunting, finds target and gives a good telling off to him and sorts him out. Well he sat quiet for the rest of the morning till bed time thank goodness. You know some days they just get on a roll and it is full steam ahead until you burst and then they come good. Meanwhile you are exhausted.

Yesterday I had a lovely Day with Keelan shopping and having lunch together which is rare for us to have time on our own, it was so lovely and we enjoyed it. The little ones went to Tim's folks and kept them on their toes, Zay broke a photo frame of MIL's so he was in the bad books then but he felt bad, he couldn't even face her for ages. OH the tough times of a toddler.
Hoping he is going to be better tomorrow so I can catch up on some stuff before we go away.
Well off to go and make some cards.
Take care
Trace.

Holidays

Hi

I knew these holidays would be fast and already we are looming on Wednesday the mid week of the first week LOL. We had a quiet Easter which was nice, took the Kidlets to a park yesterday and it was great, it is in a new housing estate and it is the best park around. Digger and see saw, they have a mini footy oval for kids, 2 cricket nets, a basketball court and a wall to play hand ball or squash so well thought out. They are still building a gazebo and I would think BBQ is going in as well. I think that is the only thing lacking in our estate, the developers were meant to put in a park but still havent so I would say it is not happening.

Today the kidlets have kept me on my toes, this morning Zay decided to empty Nutra grain pack on the mat in lounge room and then add milk so I was greeted with something I never before have seen from the other 3 although I dont know how much help he did or didnt get but I dont think they did anything to stop him so that started the day great!!!! NOT.
Lots of squabbles and mess today but hey its holidays.
Next week we are going camping with Mum and Dad so the kidlets are really looking forward to that as am I, we have not had a decent holiday for a couple of years so I hope they stay well and fit for then. I have some L.O's to share but hopefully tomorrow I will get them up here.

Happy Birthday to my SIL Kim for your 30th today welcome to the 30's. Although boo hoo I am on my way out of them. OMG August is looming too fast. On that note I am off to have a cuppa as us old boilers need after tea. LOL. But remember when we were 18 and 40 year olds were boilers to us, Mum used to say "YOU CHEEKY PUP THIS WILL BE YOU ONE DAY" guess I am not that Pup anymore just your regular up and coming boiler. OMG I need therapy, I just can't believe how once you breed time flies so darn fast!!! LOL. On that waffle Goodbye.
Take care
Trace.

Happy Easter Day

Hi,
Happy Easter Day, hope you are all satisfied on Chocolate!!!! My kidlets are sufficiently stocked up on choccie, I dont know how they are not bouncing off the walls ATM, LOL it is amazing how much they have grazed away on since 6.10am. I cooked them an egg on toast just to sober them up. LOL.
I just wanted to share another couple of L.O.'s I did this week, a lot of freestyling, loving it immensely, really have about 3 wheelbarrow loads of my stash that could find another home if I keep this style up as I really only need pens, colour pencils and the big must have in your stash Kraft cardstock. LOVING IT, will be getting a lot more with my next Stampin Up order and have been giving my customers a freebie piece to play on with their new catalogue. LOVE IT.


The L.O. above is using some S.U. stamps, the sweet spot stamp set to be exact and then Heidi swapp stars and Alpha. My own handmade journalling box and that is it.

This L.O. of Trin is using my pencils and pens again to do flowers and background on Kraft cardstock, you could also stamp the flowers and colour but I love drawing flowers, nothing perfect but hey I get good therapy out of playing. Then the saying is from my cricut machine as are couple of flowers in pale pink. Some wooden butterflies from my stash but even stamped and coloured ones with glue dots would have been nice too. Plus little sparkly flowers to add something extra. I am going to get creating some more this arvo. Not a lot else going on here, kidlets have painted the morning away, I have caught up on some home duties and it will be time to take the arvo easy. Hope you are having a good one,
Take care
Trace.

Happy Easter

Hi
I thought I would just take this moment to wish everyone a Happy Easter and a safe one. Enjoy the time to be with Family and celebrate with those you love.

I picked Rainee up from Kindy today and she looked like this, top pic so I thought I would get some shots of the kids wishing you all Happy Easter, Keelan is missing of course still at camp till 6pm. Can't wait to see what sort of time he has had
Other news from W.W. put on .3 this week so not too happy with myself but then weighed myself on my scales this morning and was lower than I was the day before so dont know why. Even feel like I lost some Easter will be a challenge as I am a chocolate lover from way back but I will do my best to balance the points.

Will post 2 L.O's tomorrow I have been working on.
Better go and get tea sorted out.
Take care
Trace.

Another L.O.

Hi again
I did this L.O. through the week, it was fun, My minds eye stuff is so yummy I just have to keep using it along with a lot of my doodling it has turned out fun and funky, like these 2 sisters are. I love this photo of the girls and have been waiting to get the right idea for a L.O. before I used it.

That is it from me. I hope to do some more tonight. Creating certainly takes my mind of eating naughty treats after tea so I should be getting lots done each night.
Well off to see how the photo hanging is going. See ya.
Take care
Trace.

Creative weekend

Hi

It has been a busy weekend with lots of coming and going of Keelan and his mates, wow we got swamped with his mates yesterday coming and going and it looks like in years to come we are going to be the local drop in centre with Tim being Mr fix it for all their bike problems but that is fine with us as if they are here we know what they are doing which most of the time is in Keelan's room versing each other on the playstation 2 or on the internet playing Runescape.

So in between all that I did manage to create some things and last night did some more to finish it. I stayed up till 1am in the peaceful quiet of the house and finished my OUR FAMILY canvas. I had lots of photos that I had used already in L.O.'s and reasons unknown to me I seem to have printed out too many so I decided to do the canvas which I had painted up ready months ago but was not sure once I painted it what to do with it. I am happy with how it turned out. The kidlets love looking at pics of themselves and seeing as my albums are not really organised at this stage they can't sit and look through them so this is the next best thing to liven up our living room.



The colours IRL look really yummy.
The ATC at the top is for a swaps I have done with the LSS the theme was buttons and I had forgotten I put in to do it and was reminded this week about it so I had to get cracking with it. I missed the Scrapbook Designs swap this month but I procrastinated too long, never mind will get organised for this month.
This L.O. is of Rainee, I think this would have been lovely as a canvas also. The journalling is about how Trin is in the background and that as a big Sister Trin is always behind Rainee ready to play with her and back her up when she is needed. I hope to keep creating while I am on a role as I have so much product that needs to be used up and I am working on having a wall in the house as a scrap/photo wall, I really need to brighten up my house so ATM I am trying to get D.H. to put some hooks in the wall for me.

D.H. is cooking a chook on the rotisserie in the oven tonight and Keelan is off to camp tomorrow so I have to go and pack final stuff. Hope you have had a lovely weekend and YAY school holidays are only 4 days away. This time next week the old diet might have blown out the window. I love chocolate. Yummo but apparently the better the brand of chocolate the lower the calories so remember buy the best. lol.
Take care
Trace.

Monster week

Hi
I have been flat out getting Kidlets new winter clothes this week, I find the boys are so easy to get clothes for and they will wear whatever I choose for them but the girls well that is a whole other epic episode. lol. So we have had try on's and me in the shops trying to keep Zay happy as first shopping day he wasnt so that made it even harder but yesterday I had Zay and Rainee and we had a great morning. My little shopping Diva is just so great, like shopping with your best girlfriend really. She pushes Zay and I have the basket and arms loaded. A Family of 6 sure guarantees you have huge amounts of your week tied to the laundry and ironing. I have folded and put the last of the new stuff in the drawers this arvo and I am so over bloody clothes lol. Then today I have also put in a huge de bugging, feralising generally major overhauling of the house really. Who needs a gym workout. I am now looking forward to cooking tea with a class of wine. I figure I have earnt a couple today.

D.H. will be happy to see the house back in ship shape, he doesnt do messy at all, he just stresses right out. But hey I am 1 person at war to keep a house clean that 6 people live in and I do the best I can. Anyway enough of the boring mundane duties of life.

Keelan has camp next week so he is looking forward to it. He wanted me to get him a dressing gown seeing as the girls had 1 and he wants to take it to camp. OMG I can see him getting hassled big time and I was trying to think of ways to warn him about taking it but picked him up today and he says his mate has a navy blue dressing gown also and they both have new P.J's so they are taking them to camp and are snugging up in them as the dorms are wooden. lol. I love how he is his own person and that their is still some Mum's out their raising their kidlets like we were raised. Mind you if you saw these dressing gowns you would really want to live in them in winter they are so snug, soft and yummy. I will take a pic of them as the girls wanted me to get a shot of them the other night but time didnt permit. lol.

Well off to have that wine and get tea on the go.
Take care
Trace.

Update again!!!

Hi

I just did a great post and bad bad bad blogger put it into draft and I can't get it out. I will try this 1 more time. grrr.

I have this L.O. to share, my girlfriend Lainey gave me some wishmade products when she came to visit and I made all this up with them. How cute is my Niece and God daughter. I wish I had such gorgeous photos of my kidlets in hospital but I had a dodgy camera and was not able to get anything this good of my babes. Wishmade products are fun and funky!!!

Had a quiet weekend really, Keelan is officially a green belt, he did so well in the grading. They just amaze me all these patterns they learn and remember, he already knows the new pattern and he only learnt it on Monday night, but I really like this next pattern and so does he. It looks really cool. The rest of the weekend was really quiet and relaxing, got to play in scrap room on Sunday for a while and Rainee joined me, boy I think I am messy but she makes me look really neat. lol.
Went to my W.W. meeting tonight, I have lost .7 this week or 700 grams, total so far is 7.3kg's ticking away at it slowly this is week 7 starting now. I am going to get more serious this week and start exercising a lot more. See what result I get next week with a more disciplined approach.

Will leave it at that in case blogger loses this on me too. Off to have a cup of tea ahhh. Take care Trace.

P.S. Thankyou to the Ladies who leave me comments, I really appreciate knowing you have stopped by. I have been making a big effort to leave comments on other blogs I visit. It is fun getting comments.
Oh and the new Stampin Up catalogue came today. OMG I want it all, I will have my order next week for the new catalogues for my Customers so I will send them out as soon as I get them. They have such delicious stuff. My wish list starts at the front and finishes at the back. I was in heaven with my morning coffee reading it all and going to drawl over it again now. lol.

Happy 5th Wedding Anniversary Tim

Hi
I picked the kidlets up from School this arvo and while I was getting them out the car a florist van pulled in and presented me with these awesome flowers, I do love a thoughtful romantic husband!! Thankyou so much Tim and I am so glad we got a second chance to have happiness with each other and 3 wonderful children together and thankyou for accepting Keelan into your heart as your own. You are an awesome Husband and Dad and we love you so very much. I am so lucky to have my Hubby as my best friend and we have so much in common, I know we will be blessed to have many many years to come together.


Well off to get ready for Keelan's tae kwon do grading and we will have take away chinese for tea tomorrow night to celebrate. We just can't bring ourselves to get a babysitter to have the kidlets so we will celebrate at home with them. Take care
Trace.

Happy Birthday Babe!!

Hi
Today is my D.H.'s Birthday, we have fussed over him since he came home tonight seeing as time was too limited this morning. After school the Kids and I went shopping for a cake and lots of lollies to put on it, I just couldn't get my act together to bake one today, then off to the butcher for his request of Crumbed cutlets. So we came home decorated the cake, the kids did a brilliant job, I iced, Keelan did the freckles, Zay did the smarties, Trin cut and placed the snakes and Rainee cut and placed the marshmallows, it looked fantastic, I must admit on the way home I had visions of a cake smothered with lollies but they surpassed any effort I would have done on my own. Then it was quick clean up and make card from the kids and into the bath and showers so they were in their P.J.'s by 5.15pm all sitting on a stool with an opened beer for him when he walked in the door. He was thrilled. They all greeted him like royalty and then he opened his present. Thanks Rainee for telling him what his main pressie was before he opened it!!!! lol. So we have had a wonderful tea and cake and all feel like wombats now, I am so not doing cake for another month!!! I hope he enjoyed it, Tomorrow is our 5th wedding anniversary ( we are both 2nd timers) but our years together are ticking by. We will celebrate that with tea Saturday night as Keelan is grading for Tae kwon do tomorrow night. Rainee has been creating cards with me these last 2 days with a stamp set she got for Christmas which has greetings for Easter, Birthday, Valentines and Christmas, so Tim and I had a laugh when he got his cards from her, on each side was a different greeting, be my valentine, have a happy easter, Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas, bless her heart she didnt have them mixed up either each side was for that certain celebration. lol. Tim and I cracked up over him being her Valentine, we better save them for when she is 19 and ask if she still feels the same. lol. Well better be off,
Take care
Trace.

Boy time flies.

Hi
Today has flown by and I have shopped enough this week I think!! Monday Zay and I did the grocery shop, trying to leave it to fortnightly ATM. This morning we dropped the 2 older ones off at School then headed to town with the 2 little ones to Birthday shop and grab some other bits and pieces. Came home and unpacked that, got some great colours of embroidery strands, more sore fingers coming up. lol. Then the rest of the day disappeared in some haze, D.H. came home to dinner cooked and ready for him just to mash and dish up and I was out the door to my meeting at W.W. Lost another 1.5kgs this week so thats 6.6kg in total I have lost. I am just getting back all my energy and starting to feel like weight some has been lifted off me yee ha.

Big day planned tomorrow, I am getting into this clutter that has once again built up in the house. I need to sort shoes and clothes out of the girls room, good sammies here we come. I need to do my scrap room over again and sort Zays room out, so I guess I have the rest of the week planned. Garbage bags and bums up for me!!! Invested in a laminator today, Keelan has been making book markers so we played with that tonight, pretty darn cool little inventions they are. I can see some mini albums coming up that I will put through it. That way the kids can play with them without wrecking it. Well better go and get some sleep.

Take care
Trace.

Rivendell Winery

Hi
Today we went to Rivendell Winery in Yallingup for lunch for Tim's Birthday which is on Thursday this week and for our 5th Wedding Anniversary which is this coming Friday, all celebrations we had early with Tim's folks and his Sister. We started off with wine tasting and found we all loved a lot but all agreed the Chardonay was a winner with us all and then we had the yummiest lunch OMG, it was all to die for and the setting was just wonderful, the Kidlets had a ball, they have gorgeous gardens, (shame it is so dry down here ATM) with little nooks and cranies everywhere, the kids found a little cubby in a tree and then Kings and Queen outdoor table and chairs all made from wood. When we first pulled up I thought "oh no this place doesnt look much, bad choice Trace" but then when we tryed the wines and had the food, this place was divine. I got some nice photos but we are going to go back, we didnt have Keelan, he is with his Dad this weekend but we will take him and it is relaxing and enjoyable with Kidlets as they have the garden to explore. I took some great pics but the ones with me in are not the best just had fun playing with the girls and taking them myself, Rainee was in fits as I kept missing bits of us till I got it right. It was a hot one too, went to Simmo's for ice cream afterwards but all decided we were too full so got takeaway tub. I certainly welcomed a great day today as yesterday was horrible for me, had some gastro virus I came down with on Thursday night and of course I would get it on the busiest day. Trini had walk a thon which I couldnt go to for risk of needing toilet in hurry and had that achy, fevery body happening. She was so kind to point out that I was the only Mother missing. Keelan had assembly with his class yesterday so I had to go and watch that at 2.30pm, Trins teacher was probably wondering why I got to that and not the walkathon. Then flew home and changed cars and up to Collie with Keelan to deliver him to his Dad's for the weekend. Tim was unable to get off work and take him but the pains held out till I got home thankfully. Had visions of taking bush with tissues and leaving 4 little kids in the car and that would not have been good!! Had my usual nerve shattering experience with Zay on the way home, they were perfect going up but coming home sucks!!! For them and Me. Did my usual not so calm mental woman snap and then all was pretty quiet for the last 45 mins home. Thank Goodness, fell in the door told Tim I needed panadol and bed and off I went for an hour and then got up and had something to eat. So I prayed I would be better for Today and thankfully I was. Tomorrow is going to be pretty full on here, clean 2 cars and get gardens up to scratch and then pick Keelan up late arvo. Just as well today was a great break. On that note will be off and pics below of our day out. Tim's Mum had no idea his Dad was doing the rabbit ears behind her head and we all laughed and she laughed with us not realising what was going on, so funny!! Take care, Trace. xx

Finished all retreat class items.

Hi

I have finished all my l.o.'s from the retreat now. Top left is the tin from Erica's class, I just have to make the cards for inside it at some point, not sure when.

Top right is my second l.o. from Zina's fun with felt. I have loved playing with the felt and colour pencils and doodling, I have always been a doodler, especially when on the phone so I may have to put some bazzill and pen near the phone for future creating lol.

Middle left is another l.o. from Erica's class, I love this one, well really I love them all, so different from what I would create so it is great to do such different stuff. I just love the photo on the buddies l.o. as well, sorry my pictures are not looking the best, lighting tonight is not the best but I dont want to use the flash.

Middle right is a month in review, I chose Feb as lots was happening then admittedly lots of Go Karting but also some big things for the Girls. I also like this idea of a month in review, great way to highlight each months events so I am thinking of doing this every month and having an album just for each monthly layout. I think if I do this I can then get my albums sorted out into sole l.o's of each child and then months in review with family stuff in it. Lets see if I can make it happen!! lol.

Bottom left is Heart & soul l.o. which was great using stamps and making a stunning but simple l.o. I think a black and white photo would have been even better but I still really love this pic of Rainee.

So that is all my l.o.'s from the retreat. Now I will have to keep the inspiration happening and keep it up. I am surprised I didnt stress too much about having unfinished l.o.'s, I wont allow myself to create a l.o. if I havent got 1 finished. That is so I dont have them unfinished everywhere as I tend to do with crochet, I have blankets unfinished everywhere, so I have made a rule not to be like that with scrapping and now I really stick to that rule so on the weekend when I couldnt finish things for different reasons I was having to have a chill pill (not literally) and let it go. Tonight I have finished them so now my slate is clean to start something new. Well that was a bit of trivia.

On the family front all are well, Trin is still having friend issues at School, seems she can't bond with any 1 particular friend so she is playing or sitting solo and then like the odd magpie they are all coming up and picking at her. Every night before she goes to bed the woes start about it all. I really dont know what to suggest to her anymore. Kids are cruel and I know she can be sometimes too but I just wish this was not everyday. If anyone has any suggestions I am open to them. Better be off now and finish up for the night.

Take care

Trace.

P.S. Thankyou Kim G and Mardi for dropping by and leaving a comment, it was great to hear from you both and I am trying to get links up on my sidebar for all the blogs I visit but I still can't work that one out, if anyone has the answer could you please share it with me, that would be great. Okay bye for now.

Another layout from Sunday

Hi

Here is another l.o. I did on Sunday, I managed to do a l.o. of each of the Kids over the course of the weekend so that was great. Today I have unpacked my Scrapping bags and half of Maria's shop OMG, I have enough supplies till next year and all the inspiration I need to get it happening. I have also managed to re paint my letters for 1 of Erica's l.o.'s so I will get onto finishing that so I can post it tomorrow, will be taping programs tonight and getting my scrapping finished now I can enter my room again.

I skipped W.Watchers last night, been into the choccies since I came home from Retreat so we all went for a walk after tea last night and I have to get myself back onto the program and stop being naughty!!! spank spank. I am starting to feel normal again lol. but seriously it has taken me till now to catch up after the weekend and I didnt party late either. Must be getting to the big "40" that is starting to slow me down. lol. Can't believe I am admitting 40 this year!!! so sad!! Well better go and get kidlets from School, that time already. Sorry the picture above is not the best if you saw my scrap room you would understand why, must spring clean tomorrow!!! promise.

Take care

Trace.

2 posts today.

Hello again, decided it has been along time since I put some pretty pics up so here it is, top left l.o. I did in Zina's class, it was fun playing with felt and she was a great teacher, my flowers left a lot to be desired, I can do hearts and shapes but flowers well it is not something I am good at. Mum had them pumping out perfectly till I asked her to show me and then she couldnt make them work for a while, so felt flowers and me just dont mix!!! lol. top right l.o. I did on Sunday with Magnolia paper. It is so funky just love these papers and any lady who saw it was running off to the shop for some. bottom left are my black and white ATC's for the Feb Scrapbook Designs swap. bottom right is another l.o. of Keelan on his 10th Birthday. I have not finished another l.o. we did in Zina's class and the 3 l.o.'s we did with Erica still need final touches. I am going to get back into scrapping at night, been too much good stuff on T.V. lately but if I dont scrap at night I will not get anything done as while I am in here ATM, Rainee and Zaylan are undoing all the cleaning up I did this morning. I really thought having 2 home for 3 days this year would have given me more free time but I just have to be out watching them all the time, the minute I turn my back they are undoing it all and its not like we have a toy shortage or they dont have any activities to do, they are 5 minute wonders. So time to be off and supervising again before I have to clean everything from scratch again. I just wanted to add that Erica and Zina are great teachers and had wonderful workshops, I would have liked to do all the other workshops also but it would have blown my budget but Nic, Ali and Roz were all lovely and so much fun as well, Maria has the best Design Team out!!

Take care

Trace.

Great Retreat!!

Hi
Back from the Boxx Retreat and trying to get over being so tired. It was 2 days of full on fun and learning. I think the girls who did most of the classes must be totally exhausted!! Mum and I did 2 big ones and we came away exhausted. The design team is just great, they have abundant energy and gave completely of themselves all weekend, then Maria well I just dont know how she can do it, nearly 70 Ladies and design team to organise plus the shop, I just take my hat off to her. It totally rocked and I have come away with new ideas and have seen how Erica Glover's work looks in real life and it is beyond amazing and the same for Ali Stafford, she just does the best Boys pages and has a style that is so totally unique to her it is just amazing, I would have loved to have looked through these girls albums, I think Erica and Ali are in a league of their own by far just pure class. Made me realise that you dont need hundreds of dollars of products to produce some outstanding work.

Came home to lots of housework, washing well I cant believe how much I have had to do, really makes me question whether I will go on another retreat as I come home so tired and then I am straight back into Motherly duties, not really impressed with D.H. at the moment. Walking into tired, sunburnt, hungry kids was not fun. But that is about as much as I want to get started on this topic. I will get some of the l.o's I was able to do while away posted later, my scrap room has just had everything dumped in it and I have to find a home for it all now.
Take care
Trace.

The eve of the Retreat!!

Hi
Been like a chook with its head cut off today, scrubbing, cleaning and trying to get organised for the Boxx retreat tomorrow but had two not so helpful helpers in tow all day which has slowed down my progress considerably. lol. I always plan to take minimal stuff and to be organised but to no avail. Mum and I got our tags organised months ago, they were finished in January but then I found out we needed 70 so we are 8 short. Oh well too late to make more!! Then the mask OMG I think Ladies will look at that and wonder how I come to be at the retreat. My mojo is still missing and it is taking me so long to get things done. I hope this weekend will see my block disappear.

So all going well and if I can get my act together we will be out of here about 1pm tomorrow and on the road to Augusta, thank goodness it is only a stones throw away. Tim has been out and about delivering today and he said car loads of Women are heading to Augusta. WooHoo can't wait. Well better go and see what equipment I have got to pack.

Best wishes to my Gorgeous Brother Brad, GET WELL SOON, we are all praying for you and hope you make a speedy recovery. Too scared to ring in case you do the passing out act again. Remember that little talk we had a few weeks ago, if you dont take time to smell the roses soon I will personally drive up with a bunch and stick them under your nose. You know what I mean, slow that pace down!!!!!!!!!!!!!! REST REST REST!!!!!
Have a great weekend and stay cool.
Take care
Trace.

A bit more weight bites the dust.

Hi
Had weigh in tonight, I lost .3kgs so total loss so far is 5.1kgs I have not been very good ATM so I am happy to have lost a little something. I need to get my head back into it though far too much cheating and I have the retreat this weekend. I will have to be careful. One thing I have found is if I do overindulge I pay for it by being so uncomfortable afterwards, so my stomach is shrinking it is just my head that has to do the same. My body is willing to accept smaller meals my brain is the piggy and says "Oh Trace, you have been good and your body really needs a choccie fix so how about it, reward yourself" grrrrr Time to get the exercise happening too then I can allow for little lapses. Oh and has anyone tried the new Sweet Chilli thin chips, bad move if you do, they will take over your life. Keelan and I did the gobbledog on them the other day so I say no now, cause a couple is not enough. LOL. HOT HOT HOT today, poor kidlets at school, little Trini is always worn out after days like this with no air con in her class, we all give her so much love and sympathy when the tears and drama queen starts happening, nips it in the butt real quick. She is soooo like her Mother (poor child) we just dont do stinking hot summer!!! Okay off to bed was going to be an early night but as usual doesnt happen, been at it all day today shopping OMG what happened to $1 items everything over $2 these days and cleaning up major on the house front not that it lasts too long. My messy kidlets oh well. I will have to invent something in years to come when they have their own places that allows me to get airborne and hover when I enter their homes in years to come otherwise in old age I will forever be in a cast from falling over their shit. lol. leave it at that I think.
Take care
Trace.

Girls love Macros!!!!!

Hi

Here are some pics of Rainee yesterday after a shopping "spree" at Macros. What a dag she is, hair extensions, bunny ears, makeup, and sunnies all decked out. It is a real buzz to peel over the goods in Macros but I have to have a bit of savings as the girls want it all. Lainey, Trinity, Rainee and I spent a good hour and half fossicking in there and our trolley was needing hungry boards by the time we finished but great fun. lol. The other pic is My Boy Keelan at Go karts last weekend. He was awesome last weekend. The greatest Son all round a Mother could ever ask or wish for.

Okay so I have had the best soul refreshing weekend with the most awesome girlfriend. We have talked ourselves silly, indulged in good food and Champers and had a wonderful night away at a lovely peaceful resort. Thanks Lainey for giving me a well needed break, amazing how 1 night can just refresh you to come back and be on top with the Family again. Must also remember my D.H. here too as he was looking after our kidlets so I got a break and my D.S. of course such a mature and wonderful 10 year old son as Tim said he stepped up to the mark in my absence and helped Tim in all areas.

Last night we went to Speedway with the Kidlets and had a great time. The little ones are finally at an age where we can go out and all get enjoyment. Zay was not keen on the eyes full of dirt in the last race but all in all they really behaved great and it was just wonderful to be out of the house in the fresh air kicking back enjoying the racing. We thought about going to the drags tonight but we are all really buggered so going to veg today with DVD's and to tell you the truth after being on minimal house duties these last couple of days my laundry is swelling with dirty clothes and I think it will take me all day to catch up. I have 4 and a half days till Scrapboxx retreat so I am really looking forward to that as well. After having such a wound back quiet Christmas period we are making up for it now with something on every weekend for a while. Better go and spend some time with D.H.

Thanks Lainey for a great weekend, already got some ideas for a break up the track. lol. Girlfriends are so good for the soul. I just felt like I needed to be Tracey again and I certainly got a fix of that so its all good now I feel like a new Mum!!!

Take care

Trace.