{M}ichelle

Easter Holidays

And its been full on.  So I have a confession, this is possibly the first time I have had the kids for more than a few days since my separation.  And the learning curve is certainly a reality check with lots of learnings served on the side.  I have learnt (and maybe remembered) what my strengths are as a parent and what my weakness are and then on top of that trying to figure out how to cope.  Cope in the sense that I am have them for only a few days and finding that line between not being there and having some rules in the house without going to crazy has been haha, interesting. 

So some pictures of our holiday so far and that I love is that the kids are happy to have the tv off (not including the computer for Tini 12) and have the music blaring while we write and do... scrapbooking, cardmaking, drawing and anything else along those lines.  That makes me smile for sure!!  The other fact I love aboput my kids is that they also love musicals...... namely Hairspray, Grease (yes!!), Sounds of Music, Mama Mia.  I know this because on Sunday night at about 8.30pm with no car radio or ipod, my kids are singing at the top of there voice (please remeber 4 children small car) Dancing Queen, Oh Sandy, Super Trooper, Ladies Choice.... it was wicked and I'm cracking up laughing cause they know all the words too all the songs... crazy but amazing...

My baby Joey (4) making his easter cards

Pare (6) finishing off her letter to her dad

Wiremu (10) drewing Ben 10 aliens

Tini (12) fighting against Aliens

While on holiday I have had a chance to do some digi pages which helps me find my "mojo" as they are quick and I do enjoying doing them.  I have spent a little bit recently on some Ali Edwards products and especially her templates which you can find here

To do the layout below I purchased

AE Gratitude Circles

Grunge Paper Pack

Bracket Paper

I have gotten better and better in terms of doing digi layouts and found that my style isnt that different on or off the screen.  My desk has finally arrived but am just waiting for my mate to help me dismantle it cause its to big and then put it back together in the office....

the other layout that I managed to get done is with my boy Joseph who cracks me up

WEll kids are yelling, must be time to feed them so I'd better get moving.  Atumn Escape only a couply weeks away... cant wait!

Not sure where to start

Maybe this is as good a place as any.  So pretty much 12 months has past since I last my last posts and in some ways lots have changedand have found out that thats ok :)  What has stayed the same, well I'm still in Aucklnd and have now been in my position for 12 months, wow that went fast.  I'm  no longer living in a shed pretending to be a sleep out that was no bigger than wardrobe, drinking my self to sleep every night instead am now in a 4 bedroom home with my cousin, have a room with an ensuite walk in wardrobe and my own scrapbooking/ office. Didnt think I'd get here thats for sure, could see what my future looked like 12 months ago and maybe even 3 but I am still  breathing and for that I am greatful. 

Scrapbooking, yip big non event but I have been doing a lot of photography and design work which I absolutely love and am always thinking about scrapbooking.  So to help me kick start myself, I am now waiting for my new scrapbooking desk to arrive, have made a few orders, just paid for the autumn retreat, subscribed to a monthly kit from the USA, got a new computer amped with CS4 and have tripled my brushes in Photoshop, all in the hope of getting back into. 

I have to apologies though, I have continued to be a blog stalker over the last 18 months and without doubt still re blogs daily.  But alas not ever commented, why I'm not sure but I felt like an imposter but can I say I MISS YOU GUYS, especially the BOP girls... i.e. Yolande, Delys, Sandra,

So a small something anyways........... a digi layout

 

This is my boy, Tini (nearly 12, gasp!)  whose team recently made it to the Hip Hop nationals having only been together for 8 weeks after coming third in the Waikato/ BOP regionals.  He's a talented young boy, who is costing a fair mint and is now excelling in a few areas and was recently on Small Blacks TV with the video link here and is at the beginning or Chapter 1 and half way thru chapter 2.

Ok aiming to be blogger regulary and tell lots of little stories rather than one long one for fear of crying :)