Big Red

She continues to grow. Funny that.
7 years ago, her father's eyes met mine and and in unison we said, " She's got red hair!". Who would have thought! She astounds us daily with her abilities & brightness - not bad for a child who was predicted during pregnancy to be set for significant problems.
Happy Birthday Big Red!





I have been tagged by one of my lovely cyber buddies on SOF Karen

Here are the rules:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

My 7 facts:

1. I have bought 2 computers in the last 2 weeks coz ones I had died...aaggghhh

2. I went to boarding school in Sydney (for yrs 11 & 12) and lasted for 2 weeks until I cried on the phone sufficiently to my mother to bring me home.....she made me go back though.

3. I grew up on a sheep/wheat farm. Don't like sheep. Boarding school was the better option.

4. I had my own private physiotherapy practice for 14 years. Don't miss the paper work!

5. (before kids) I went as support crew for my DH, brothers & cousins on a motorbike trek from central NSW to Ayers Rock and back. Crazy adventure! [note to self: trying to average about 500kms per day and set up camp every night in a different place is NOT a clever plan]

6. I drive an XR6 turbo...it really is a 'boy' thing though...but he has to drive the old ute to work *wink*

7. My whole life is shaped by the knowledge that God loves even me & has a great plan for my life :)

I'm now supposed to tag 7 more people. I'm not sure that I have 7 people to tag that haven't already been tagged....and all who know me KNOW I wont respond to those chain letter type emails....so I think I'll just answer the questions and leave it at that!

AND (don't be shocked now)
I actually scrapped something - Yes, with real paper all you cynics out there! It is just a basic little LO - I really love that whole CI range of cut out paper. I figure if I do a LO telling them that they are best friends, I might actually convince them of it...eventually anyway....if they don't kill each other first....

Is it nearly Christmas?

Scary thought!

BUT in I thought I would start getting ready.

'Have you done your Christmas shopping?" I hear you ask.

Nup...but I did make this little Santa today. I MIGHT even do Christmas cards this year.

(don't hold your breath!)

Saturday ramblings

Hmm seems like blogger does not like my new laptop..or vista...or both? Unfortunately the picture has to be at the top of the post.

So. What have I been up to? Well, since the last lot of NZ ramblings, I think I had overdosed on blogging and let everyone's ears have a rest...or eyes I guess really. Work has been frantic. I think I worked more than double my normal hours in the last fortnight - so not much has happened. Including housework.

However, I decided that it was time to have a break and do at least something creative...so I have been practicing my digital designer skills, and making some stuff from scratch... a sample of which is above (but should have been below!). Maybe one day I'll be a real designer? (no offence to all the real digital designers out there).

Oh, and this little gem arrived in my inbox :)

Where's Wally?

A perceptive question, no doubt!
Needless to say he was not technically at Shoalhaven Library. A delightful impostor was however.
Grace was unsure exactly what it was all about, but her eldest sister convinced her that she had to get dressed up to find out. After being decked out in a pink version of Wally, her sister decided that she would not embarrass herself by dressing up and left Grace to front as Wally on her own.
Perhaps that is being Wally in the truest sense?
She was crowned the smallest Wally for her efforts. Her father is still unsure whether this is actually a good thing or not. It did however fill up a few hours of school holidays.
Thanks Gail :)






The weekend also brought a visit from the Cooks.
Beach weather is on the improve.











thanks for the great weekend guys (no, we wont mention the lollie repercussions Auntie Leisa)


Scrapping?
Yeah..havent done that for a while. Good intentions. Darn work!

Day 14 - Home Sweet Home

A few hours in the airport....


A few more hours in the plane...and we were home. My biggest disappointment of the whole trip was coming into Sydney airport. I hadn't realised that the plane would circle around over the city to land & I missed the most amazing photo opportunities over the Harbour bridge & Opera House.
We'll just have to fly somewhere else so I can get the landing photos.



Fish & chips then ice cream with Nan's airport shuttle service.
Thus ends our adventure.

Day 13 - our last day in NZ

*sniff*
really, we had lots of fun....but I had now had enough of living out of a suitcase and was ready to go home. But first, let's make the last day count!
We booked a sightseeing day in Christchurch...the 'big 5' you have to see before you can go. We set a cracking pace and maintained it all day...hardly stopping for food (we were reminded constantly of that deficit however).

Stop #1
The Antarctic Centre.
This has attraction has a special blizzard room...just in case you hadn't experienced one and didn't want to die wondering. They suit you up, then lock you in a room with about a hundred other tourists and turn the dial down to -20 degrees & the fan up flat out. I am sure they are all standing on the other side of the glass laughing. Grace didn't laugh for very long. She states she will never return.

The centre is also home to many penguins and related displays. These things dart around so quickly they are very hard to photograph. I think the only ones I got successfully were stuffed with wadding or humans.

Stop#2
Willowbank Wildlife Reserve

A nice conglomeration of animals. The girls whipped around each, pausing only to try and locate the elusive kiwi. It was there somewhere in the dark. You weren't allowed to take photos. We were lucky enough to return with a fluffy impostor that when squeezed apparently makes a kiwi chirp. Sounds like a bell bird being strangled.

Stop #3

Christchurch wildlife cruise

Searching for the rare hectors dolphin that can be found only in these waters. We found 1. He didn't want to play. Their claim to fame is that there fin looks like a Mickey Mouse ear. I suppose so.

There was conjecture between the ship's captain and first mate as to whether it was male or female. One felt it was male because it was smaller, the other was sure it was a girl because it was bigger. The boatload of Japanese tourists were none the wiser & took lots of pics.

Stop #4

Christchurch Gondola

Now this was worth doing. Spectacular views...and the best coffee (and I know coffee) and souvenir shop that we had encountered on our whole trip. Should have saved our money for here :)

AND lucky last #5

The Christchurch tram

A nice way to rattle around Christchurch.

And finally to finish of the Christchurch experience...banana splits :)