Well earnt Rest and Relaxation!

Just wanted to brag about flying up to the Gold Coast tomorrow (saturday 28th June) lunch time for 2 weeks break!

This is so much needed and deserved after a hectic term of work. Wow! How busy has it been. Full on is an understatement! Work, travel, professional development, travel, work, lesson planning, work, travel, professional development. Phew!

I must say that I have fully enjoyed the work, travel and professional development, probably just basically being flat out. But the time goes far to quick.

Anyway back to the holiday.....the kids are so excited. They have just gone to sleep at now at 10.45 pm. I had to repack the kids bags as Matthew thought that he really needed a beanie and flanny PJ's just in case it got cold on the Gold Coast. Cold....compared to Goulburn. I certainly think not!

AJ.......well! Her luggage was fully packed. You know the essential items like 2 pairs of flanny pj's, two tracksuits, three t-shirts, two toiletry bags, two pairs of swimmers, nappies for her teddy. You have to laugh! God love her. I was most impressed that she actually used the special protector bag over her luggage. Well it is Spencer Rutherford luggage you no! Matching mother and daugther luggage!

Yes a bit special!

Troy has done all the organising and booking. Yes I know! Besides I haven’t had the time. He has even printed out maps to where we are staying, the layout of the airport at Coolangatta, hire car details, theme park info.

He has booked a 4 bedroom, two storey house with a pool over looking a canal http://www.stayz.com.au/30435 . He also has hired a Jeep Wrangler
for the fortnight. Just don’t know where we will fit the luggage, but that is a minor detail!

Finally, after 15 years of training! Opps I mean marriage! LOL!

Anyway go and get some much need beauty sleep for this holiday goer! Still have to finish off packing for me! Arrgh!

RECALL NOTICE!

The Maker of all human beings is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart.

This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype unit is code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units. This defect has been technically termed 'Subsequential Internal Non-Morality,' or more commonly known as SIN, as it is primarily expressed.

Some other symptoms include:

1. Loss of direction
2. Foul vocal emissions
3. Amnesia of origin
4. Lack of peace and joy
5. Selfish or violent behavior
6. Depression or confusion in the mental component
7. Fearfulness
8. Rebellion

The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is providing factory-authorized repair and service free of charge to correct this SIN defect.

The Repair Technician, Jesus, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs.

There is no additional fee required.

The number to call for repair in all areas is P-R-A-Y-E-R. Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure.

Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into the heart component.

No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with:

1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self control

Please see the operating manual, the B.I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) , for further details on the use of these fixes.

WARNING: Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids any manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list and w ill result in the human unit being permanently impounded.

DANGER: The human being units not responding to this recall action will need to be scrapped

in the furnace. The SIN defect will not be permitted to enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that facility.

Thank you for your attention!

Signed,
GOD

Please assist where possible by notifying others of this important recall notice, and you may contact the Father any time by 'kneemail.'

'For with God, nothing shall be impossible' Luke 1:37
'Obstacles are the things we see when we take our eyes off our goals'.

Yeah! Someone loves me!

Hip Hip! Hooray!

Someone actually reads this blog or does love me! Perhaps they read it out of desperation. What else is exciting in the news????? That's right it's all doom and gloom and people talking about other people! Nah....not for me!

Thanks Carol for tagging me! Atleast it makes me update this blog. The poor old blog. Yes definately a good thing, but when it comes to a busy life, especially at the moment.... it is definately a NON EVENT! You know the way too hard basket!

I think I need about 4 of those on my desk at work at the moment! Bring on the school holidays. I have only 8 more days of work to go before I have a 3 week break. Good stuff!

Anyway back to the tag. Focus! Now these are the tagged questions I am suppose to post a reply to. Let see:

5 things in my bag
5 favourite things in my craft room
5 things I have always wanted to do
5 things I am currently into
5 people I am tagging

I can hear Ro's mind ticking now. 5 things in Leisa's bag??????? No it is not that scary. But I definately have more than 5 things in my handbag! Mmmmm where to start?

5 things in my bag?

Did I mention that my gorgeous handbag is a Spencer Rutherford bag! Hence the picture on the blog, which is actually the fav' bag at the moment! And I do stress "At the Moment". That's right Focus! See handbags, I get easily side tracked.

1. My gorgeous Spencer Rutherford matching Wallet that actually does have money in it for a change!
2. The very important Revlon lippy! Nice!
3. The every important electronic boom gate tag for work so I don't have to park in the boon docks and walk for miles (but in true fact it really won't hurt me! LOL!)
4. My horrible unreliable mobile phone! Telstra's new G network.....what a waste of technology.
5. Avon Handcream.....what would I do without handcream???? Yes, have very dry hands! Dar!

5 favourite things in my craft room?

1. All my scrapbooking supplies of course!
2. One rather large sliding door cupboard to store all these supplies.
3. My ever messy office which consists of my trusty laptop, printer, shelving (jam packed), kids computer system and lots and lots of scrapbooking magazines on the shelf!
4. A tressle table jam packed with organised scrapbooking tools and equipment!
5. The kids toys, along with the Playstation 2 (& heaps of games), Tele and DVD player, DVD's, futon (gosh it is a horrible thing, thank goodness I have never slept on it)

5 things I have always wanted to do?

1. Go away on holidays by myself! I really believe that self restoration is one of the important things in life!
2. Diving.....how wonderful and peaceful it would be exploring under the sea!
3. Swim with Dolphins. What amazing animals these are.
4. Travel to South Africa and experience the true wildlife of this colourful country.
5. Take my family on an around the world holiday! To see the world through the eyes of my children would truly be an amazing experience!

5 things I am currently into

I could say work, work, work, work, work! But I won't!

1. Developing new resources for my classes at TAFE. Yes I know, boring isn't it! Sorry!
2. Getting as much Professional Development as possible and completed for work! Yes I know, another boring thing for some people!
3. Learning more about my digital camera! Wow! Something different, hey!
4. Scrapbooking the old fashion traditonal way, but I must say that gone as quickly as it came.
5. Enjoying having my children's friends over during the afternoons and the weekends. It's just great!

5 people I am tagging

I best pull a rabbit out of my hat!

Beverley

Lusi

Krystal

Cass

Kylie

Right! I'm done! That was I little more challengling that I thought!

Mmmmm!

!!Warning:- the contents of this particular post might shock some of you!!

Well miracles do happen! You might wanted to make sure you are sitting down and don't have a coffee in hand when you continue reading on.

Guess what? I actually did some traditional scrapbooking yesterday. Yes I know, such a big shock to the system! Especially mine! LOL!

Yeap no digital, just plain old fashioned touchy feely scrapbooking layouts. And here is the next surprisingly shocking bit.

3 double page layouts, and

6 single page layouts

Complete, all in one day! I need to say again completed all in one (1) day. I know, what goes on there? Well I will tell you.

After spending last weekend at the SWS Retreat, I thought I best start using up the many many supplies I have for traditional scrapbooking and besides I was in the mood!!

Amy-Jane went to one of friends house for a sleep over. Troy and Matthew went trial riding up the Cookbundoon Mountain range. So that just left little old me, alone at home, to yes you guessed it, scrapbook!

And I didn't even have to stop and feed children, run them around to places, go to sports, provide entertain to anyone, except for me! Hooray! I even had tea in the slow cooker - BBQ Beef Ribs - Yummy (thanks Carol for posting that receipe on SOF). All organised. So off I went. OMG - how productive was I. I am still in shock, I think!

I even rewarded myself after the vast amount of LO production with some Mercy Valley Sweet Chilli Cheese, Menindee Seedless Grapes, a little bit of Cabo, rice crackers and a glass of Cab Sav. This was well deserved!

Wow! I achieved, I produced, I didn't procrasinate! LOL!

I couldn't be bothered scanning in the layouts so I just took some photos of them. If you may notice that the Lusi Austin "Freestyle" effect is on just about every single one! See what you have now create Lusi Lou!

No staples on this page, just lots of Artline Marker pen, Lusi!

Yes Aunty Ro I tried to cram every photo onto the pages! LOL!

Lusi this photo doesn't do the LO any justice for the Artline Marker! But please take note!

Scrapping with Soul - Scrapbook Retreat - Hey What an Excuse!

Yes I truly don't need an excuse to get away and spend time with girlfriends and the occasional bit of scrapbooking! :)

Scrapping with Soul had their 3rd Scrapbooking Retreat from Friday 30th May to Sunday 1st June at Waterslea, North Nowra. It is such a beautiful place to go and just sit and relax and watch the dairy cows on the flat and the occasional boat go by.

This years theme was "Love". The girls always organise such a great weekend. We are so thankful that the SWS team are so organised and ensure that all those who attend have a great relaxing time.

Once again this year I took the trusty laptop to do lots and lots of digital scrapbooking! Ha! I did manage to unpack the laptop and set it all up, but completing lots and lots of layouts didn't happen. Oh yes I did a couple but that was about it.

I did more talking than anything and really I knew that was on the card for the weekend. So I thought I best do a couple of the workshops that the team organised so that I actually had something to bring home completed. You know, something to show productivity to the family!

The first workshop I did was an OTP (Off The Page). It was basically covering a recycled coffee tin with gorgeous paper and blinging it up! My type of project. The wonderful Gail Combers was our instructor for this and she just loves all and anything OTP. She is one of those extremely crafty and wonderful natured people who also loves a conversation or two.

So here is the final product of my attempt of Gail's OTP project! Dar Dar! It is now on display in Amy-Jane's room where I will endeavour to do the little book that Gail had provided the instructions for.

The second workshop was a grunge layout. Oh, a bit scary! Freestyle scrapbooking, no conventional way to scrap, no lines of symentry. It just wasn't me! I even told Ro that I was seriously thinking that I won't do the workshop and will pull out. I even forgotten to bring a photo for it, no harm lost I thought. Anyway then I thought "why not, you should atleast have a go and if I didn't really like it that I just won't do it in the future"! The SWS team had a printer and laptop set up at the retreat so I quickly printed out a photo on cardstock, which didn't look to bad for the project.

But guess what I did enjoy it! The very funny and talented Lusi Austin was the instructor for this workshop. Now how crazy did I think she was? Fancy using liquid paper on a LO (layout), and not to mention the amount of staples this lady uses. OMG! It first appeared to me that anything is fair game to use on a LO for this chick! CRAZY! What goes on in her mind???????

So we did a layout using what ever we wanted and using her new range of stamps. Well now featuring on my LO is the use of stamps, Artline markers, finger painting, a bread tie, torn bits of paper, staples, buttons, chipboard and lots of scribble! Honestly it was quite releasing! And I must say that it doesn't look to bad.

What has this girl started with us?

Anyway, Lusi showed us how to be less conservative with our layouts and spread our wings (so to speak). I can guarentee you that Lusi is quite a sane person and has given me such a different perspective on scrapbooking. As she mentioned in the workshop she doesn't have time and wants to be productive.....like the rest of us! As well as appreciate your own hand writing.

So now I am definately looking outside the square and instead of booting up the laptop to type up some journalling I just get the Artline marker out and journal away as well as doodle on the LO somewhere. I am getting that was now that it is starting to become compulsive to use that Artline marker. My nature I suppose.

On Saturday the SWS team organised a romantic, intimate dinner for 70 odd ladies. Just beautifully decorated. We were all spoilt and received at our place setting a gorgeous china cup as our little present! The tea cup has a beautiful phrase about love. You chose well ladies!

During the evening we heard Red Fulton speak on "Love Actually". She is such a wonderful speaker and I truly enjoyed listening to her. I also loved her sense of humor that she added into the talk. What a character!

Lou, Carol and Me enjoying our romantic evening meal with just 70 odd other ladies!