Early yesterday, late today!

Well, Florian is home, so instead of blogging after I put the boys to bed, we were chatting!
But I have been busy tonight.
Liz has 4 kits hitting the store tomorrow, and I got to play with two of them tonight! And boy did I have fun!

the first kit is "Under the Covers" a very cosy sort of kit!
This first one is of me and Florian at my cousins wedding!

Credits
Under the covers by Sweet Digi Scraps at BTST
wordart by KimB's Designs at DSO

And this is Richard sometime this summer with all of his teddies on the couch. So cute!

Credits
Under the covers by Sweet Digi Scraps at BTST

And Liz also is releasing a new Xmas kit tomorrow "Shabby Tidings"
It was fun browsing through last years Xmas photos, i found this one, that I just had to scrap. Richard making acquaintance with Father Xmas.

Credits
Shabby Tidings by Sweet Digi Scraps at BTST

Oh and Been There Scrapped That has a sale on too, so you can pick up these new kits at a great price! I can highly recommend them. In fact I am off to do another Xmas one now!

We had a good day today, the toy shop here is having a sale too, 20% off all toys and Mum and I went along and Mum now has all presents for her Grandchildren, and I got a couple too, won't post uncase they read this (don't think so, but you never know).
My Dad came up at lunchtime and the boys were thrilled when he picked them up at Kindergarden. They had made pumpkin masks so they spent most of the afternoon trying to make us scream! So cute. I will have some real Halloween pictures after all!

OK, thats all for today
Bye 4 now

An early post...

cause I have to go to a parents evening at Kindergarden in a bit! Mum has come up again to babysit the boys! Thanks Mum!

I have a couple of layouts from yesterday to show you. I took part in my first "Speed Scrap" I had soooo much fun. it was a chat and they gave you instructions for a layout every ten minutes something new! then after the hour's chat you had another hour to finish it off sticking to the rules and then post to the gallery. Well, here is what I came up with.

Really it is amazing how many different layouts came out from the same rules! If you want to see the others then follow this link here.


And once I had finished this, I was stalking my own blog, to see how many had visited and where you all come from, when I spotted that Heather had blogged. And wow, she has made her first kit. So guess what I grabbed it (I did say thank you Heather, I'm the second comment with the question marks!) and made this with it.

It's Richard when he was about 3 weeks old. We were on our way out to the carnival parade!

Credits:
Blue by shawtypscraplife

You should hop on over to Heather's blog and download it, its really cute for your baby boys. don't forget to leave her some love!

Not much exciting news from home life today. The most exciting part was for the boys, me I don't like it.
It was SNOWING this morning - Robert's first words were - "It must be Father Xmas Time". Luckily it didn't stay on the ground, but the boys thought it was great!

Oh and Robert had his check-up this morning and all is looking good. have to go back in 6 weeks for the next check-up and then hopefully this is one doctor we won't be seeing again!

OK, time to get ready
Bye 4 now

DSD DAC Jigsaw

What a lot of abbreviations in my title, let me explain for the few non-digi-scrapping-addicts that visit my blog - DSD - Digital Scrapbooking Day (November 1st), DAC - DigitalArts Cafe.

And what is all this about a Jigsaw? Well, DigitalArts Cafe have spread pieces of a layout across the team members blogs (one of them is mine!!) for everyone to find. Find all 7 pieces (I think its seven have to have another count) put them together - watermark them and post them in the DAC gallery by November 3rd and you get a $5 discount code to use at Checkout to the DigitalArts Cafe Boutique! Cool?! I think so!

So where to look for the rest of the puzzle pieces. Well, you may or may not have noticed that I have updated my sidebar to include my DAC friends - you might want to start there! ;o)

Oh, and did I nearly forget my puzzle piece? Here it is!!


have fun searching for the rest and you know what, we love visitors to our blog and a little "hello" in the comments, makes our day! And if you leave your blog address, I am pretty sure you may get a visit or two too! Oh and check out the labels at some of the stops, there are freebies all over the place ;o)

I'll be back this evening with my daily update!
Bye 4 now

More Psychedelic layouts!

It's official now, I have made it through to the next round in the Project Sunshine Design Contest! Actually all that got their kit in before the deadline last night made it, but hey I still feel as if I have achieved something!

And look what I found in the gallery this morning - Thanks Dinphy, I love that sort of wake up call! Really made me open my eyes properly, I just squint at the boys!

These layouts are of Dinphy's daughter when she was a lot younger. So cute! And Dinphy found the perfect quote to go with this first one!

Credits:
Psychedelic by KayJay
Wordart by Elegant Wordart

This is again Dinphy's daughter and check the journalling - she is having a bath in the bath that used to fit her Mummy in it! hihi!

Credits:
Psychedelic by KayJay
Wordart by Elegant Wordart

Thanks for these Dinphy - I love them. I was so unsure of the colours when I started out, but seeing the layouts by Dinphy and Benita, makes me think that they are good after all!

The next "Mission" (oh we are all called "Special Agents" over at the Sunshine Studio!) will not be posted until Friday, so time to relax and scrap, still have a couple of challenges at BTST to get done, so tonight is the night, I think.
I need to see some cute pictures of my boys the past two days they have been abducted by aliens again. Although today wasn't quite as bad as yesterday, it wasn't good either! Just a little bit of sunshine would be good.
But then again it could be a lot worse, my uncle in England sent photos this morning of SNOW!!! Brrrr, don't need that here. Apparently the last time snow in London was recorded was in 1934!!! (my uncle lives just north of there)

Bye 4 now

Psychedelic Alpha Freebie

I have a bit of a cold and Florian told me to try and get it to clear up by the weekend, and to take it easy in the morning - so I DID! And you get the benefits of me not running around and doing the housework, whilst the kids were at Kindergarden, cause I sat down and played on the computer, and look what I made for you

an alpha to match my entry to the Sunshine Project at Sunshine Studio Scraps *** sorry download has expired*** in case this is your first visit to here, here is my entry (image linked to gallery where you can download mine (sorry download has expired) and lots of other awesome entries)


And look what I found in the gallery at Sunshine Studio Gallery - Benita has been at it again, surprising me, I mean - thanks so much, Benita!

here is her layout, it's her granddaughter looking groovy! (click on the image to leave Benita some love in the gallery)

Credits:
Psychedelic by KayJay

and thanks to all those commenting on my kit, I get so excited about them all. And I was especially excited to see Liz and Dinphy there too! thanks girls!

OK, the boys are building a track for me to play with when they are finished, I'll be back later with an update on today (not that much has happened so far, still raining cats and dogs! Wonder where my cat is?)

Well, the boys are in bed, and not a moment too soon today. Since they got home from Kindergarden they have done nothing but whine and fight all afternoon! Neither of them ate much dinner (and that does so annoy me, especially today, when I was cooking EXACTLY what Robert had asked for!). I think we had about 30 minutes of no arguing whilst playing dominoes, then Richard got bored with that and started tormenting Robert with a balloon. More screaming and fighting! AGH!!! If I didn't already dye my hair I would have to start now!
Richard's potty training didn't go very well this afternoon either (two sets of clothes now in the wash!), his reply was "can't do it!" Funny, he could yesterday! Oh well, it was just an off day I think, better luck tomorrow!

Bye 4 now

Psychedelic

Thanks Florian for the name of my kit! He saw the first patterned paper and that was what he said! Perfect name!

But now to show you what I am talking about!

This is my humble entry to the Sunshine Studio Scraps Design Contest - Sunshine Project.
It can be downloaded in their gallery, you just have to register. (Image is linked to the gallery , sorry download has expired) Oh and thanks to Leigh for the idea of the Lava lamp, a great attribute for a 60's kit!

And I even found the perfect pictures to go with it! In 2005 my brother had a fancy dress New Year's party and the theme was the 60s! Perfect!
So here are my layouts with my very own kit!

This first one is me and Florian in our outfits. You can't really see here but I am VERY heavily pregnant (28 days later Richard arrived!)


And here are my Mum and Dad (a wannabe Elvis) all dressed up!


And look all us girls new exactly what you wore on your feet in the 60's!!!

Credits

Psychedelic by KayJay

Bye 4 now

non eventful day, and scrapping news

With both Robert and Richard back at Kindergarden this morning I enjoyed the peace and quiet before tackling the ironing! And then hey presto the morning was gone.
The weather today has been horrible, wet, windy and cold, so we spent the afternoon indoors playing dominos. Robert the game and Richard standing them up and watching them tumble. It was a great afternoon. Richard proved once again this afternoon that he does know when he needs the toilet and was dry until bedtime. Well done, Richard!

And that was it really today!

I do have a bit of news, i have entered another designing contest at Sunshine Studio Scraps, and am putting the finishing touches to the kit tonight. I don't really expect to get past this week there are so many well known established designers taking part too, but it's all experience and practise, and FUN! So watch this space for news of the freebie, which will then be available to registered users in the Sunshine Gallery (no worries though, this time you don't need to post before downloading!)
Bye 4 now

Cute things kids say...

or mine at least!
As I said yesterday we stayed the night with my parents. The last time we did this was probably last Christmas. And Robert proved that to us this morning.
He came into the lounge after getting dressed, turned to me and Pop and said in a very disappointed voice "Where's all the presents from Father Christmas?!" I replied "But Robert it's not Xmas yet" He said "Then why did we stay here?!" My Dad and I tried so hard not to crease up, but it was difficult!

The clocks went back this weekend, I vaguely remember the days, when this meant an extra hour in bed, why don't the kids get it! They were up at the usual time but the clocks this morning said 6am!!!! Oh well, they were later to bed today, so hopefully it will sort itself out tomorrow.
We had a lovely afternoon celebrating our friends birthday, the kids found a sandpit there and kept themselves out of mischief and we were able to catch up on everyone's news! I had the camera with me, but I was so busy chatting that I didn't get any photos. Oh well, maybe next time.

After the party it was back to my parents for tea. Richard was a bit overtired so when we realised that he had unpacked his juice at the party after I had packed it away to take home, and it was still at the party, he had a major breakdown. But it wasn't too long before he turned and told us he had finished - amazing how they can go from 100 to zero in seconds!

We're back home now, we have cleared away Sunny's snack - bird of some sort, at least there were feathers everywhere, the boys are tucked up in bed, and we are watching Mr & Mrs Smith
Bye 4 now

Birthday parties

We had a fun day. It was Mia's Birthday party (my niece) and we have just got back. We are staying at my parents, as tomorrow it is another b-day party!
The boys are really excited about it all. Sleeping in Nanna's beds, b-day party, seeing their cousins, and they don't even know it is another party tomorrow lunch time.
I got some good pics of the girls (I think, still on the camera at the minute), so more material to scrap.

Just a really short post tonight
Back tomorrow
Bye 4 now

It was the Bretzel's fault

not mine, that on our way home from a successful checkup at the doctors, I bumped the car in front of us.
But let me start at the beginning. It was an early start for Robert and me, as we had to go for his check-up. The doctor was very pleased with how things were looking and Robert was feeling fine too. He didn't even have a funny walk, which I was expecting.
On our way home, I got him a Brezel for being a good boy, and off we set on our short journey home. Mmmh..well, at one point he said "Look Mummy, I am using my Brezel as a steering wheel", so I turned and looked - BAD IDEA! As cute as it may have been, when I turned back seconds later to see the car in front had stopped to turn left, it was too late. I hit it! SH....!!!!

Luckily I was going really really slowly, as we had just turned a corner, so no one was hurt. We were all a bit shaken, and the cars look a bit bruised. But other than that we are all fine. Annoyed with myself for being so stupid - but admit it, we all do it! Seconds that is all it was!
Luckily we are fully covered, we just have to pay the first 300 Euros (which is quite hefty, but better than all of it) of our damage, anything done to my "victim" is paid for by the insurance.
Once home I got all of that business out of the way, just have to make an appointment to have the car repaired (paintwork only) next week or so.

From after that though the day went pretty well. Robert and I took my Mum to the station this morning then after a little bit at home we picked Richard and his clothes up at Kindergarden. He did plenty of wee-wees on the "little toilets" at Kindergarden, unfortunately he dirtied his nappy big time once, and once with a wee-wee. So it was a good job that I sent so many clothes in with him. This afternoon however he was FINE! Again not even a dribble! So we will NOT give up.
Maybe next week when Robert is back at Kindergarden, he will have more luck! Fingers crossed. And we'll see how we go this weekend.

Florian got back home nice and early, and is not going to sport tonight (blisters on his feet from new shoes, so he would rather keep his feet in his slippers today!), so I am off downstairs to enjoy his company.

I'll be back though to post yesterdays layouts.

This one is my desktop for November, and also for the "Pimp my desktop Challenge" at Been there Scrapped That. I love this challenge, cause I get a new background every month, and I love that!

Credits:
Playdate by Sweet Digi Scraps
Wordart by Elegant Wordart

This is another picture Dad took of Zoe, and I used the opportunity to use the RAK I got from Liz this week. At the weekend, I hope to get some pics of the girls so that I can do some great layouts with "Pillow Talk".

Credits:
Modern romance by Sweet Digi Scraps and Amanda Geils available at Elemental Scraps

And this one is for the Lyrics Challenge at Been There Scrapped That. Liz chose "Your Song" by Elton John this month. I just love that song, and went for the first line for my quote..
The picture was taken on our walk this week. Aren't they cute my boys. I love them "lots and lots".

Credits:
Modern Romance by Sweet Digi Scraps and Amanda Geils available at Elemental Scraps

Bye 4 now

Successful operation

I'll try and blog quickly tonight for all of those out there waiting on an update about Robert. The operation went well, and by the looks of things, it will probably be less painful than Richards was. He has had some mild painkillers for bedtime, but hasn't needed any throughout the day!
That is the positive side of today.
However he did not take the anaesthetic well - he came around after an hours snooze after the operation, and was fine. All he wanted was the tube out of his arm, once that was out, he wanted off, and he was going to go on his own. However he could not walk (quite beside the fact that he SHOULD not!) Luckily Dad was with me and could help me get him dressed without him falling off the bed. And then the fun began!!!
He was not having it that he was not walking. He screamed when we carried him out of the wake up room. He screamed even more when, after he nearly threw himself out of our arms, we put him in a push chair. In fact he screamed so much so that the doctor himself came out to see about him. Apparently some kids react like this after the operation and it takes about an hour to wear off. He was right, after 50 minutes of high pitched screams, he stopped as if someone had switched a switch off. But that was after screaming all the way to the car park all the way home and quite a while at home. Tomorrow he may well be complaining of a sore throat as well as a willy! Silly thing!
Apart from a short screaming match this afternoon, when mean old Mummy wouldn't give him a second lollypop, he has been OK though, and I have forgiven him for hitting out at me every other scream on the way home!

On a positive note. Nanna gave Richard some new big boy pants today and he wore them all afternoon and not even a little leak! Toilet or potty everytime!!! Yippee - I hope its going as well for you Leigh and Alex!
Tomorrow he is going to Kindergarden in them too, plus 3 (!) changes of clothes! Can't turn back after such a success this afternoon.

Mum is staying the night again, as tomorrow morning we have to go back for a check up and she'll take Richard and his many clothes to Kindergarden.

Bye 4 now and thanks for thinking of us, I'm sure it helped.

RAKed, a Quickpage and an update

Well, I am as ready as I ever will be for tomorrow. The doctor's surgery phoned this afternoon and the good news is - Robert is first on the list, we have to be there at 8am. That means I won't have to keep him away from his juice for too long after he has woken up! My boys, you see, are always thirsty!
My Mum came up this afternoon by train to help me with the boys tomorrow, and my Dad is coming up in the morning to take us to the doctors, as there has to be two of you there to bring the patient back home again, one to drive and one to sit in the back and comfort him.
The boys are excited that Nanna is here and staying the night, and that Pop is coming in the morning.

I was RAKed this afternoon by Sweet Digi Scraps - just look at the kits I got
both available at Elemental Scraps and the images are linked to the store!



Now I am itching to get scrapping! But one last note on the scrapping front, remember this layout of Mia in the sunshine?
Well it is now available as a Quickpage at DigitalArts Cafe - check their blog here.

Credits:
Fall Swirl by Melothria at DigitalArts Cafe

Bye 4 now, wish me luck for tomorrow - thanks for your luck Dinphy, most appreciated!

He did it!

And no tears or screams! Yep, we went to the doctors first thing this morning and Robert was very big and very brave and had three tubes of blood taken! He wasn't too sure about it all, but remembered his promise, and once the needle was in, he was quite excited to see the bottles - I mean tubes - filling up. That was a big relief.
It was however heartbreaking when afterwards he said "Is my willy all mended now?" when I know that the worst is yet to come!

The kids went off to Kindergarden after that, and I went home to enjoy my ironing!

This afternoon it was off to the next doctors, the one that I can't spell - anaesthetist - I think that is about right! I was a bit worried, cause Robert is coughing a bit, but if it stays as it is, and his temperature doesn't shoot up, he will be operated on on Thursday. Tomorrow afternoon Mum is coming up, so that will take our minds off of it tomorrow, the boys are really looking forward to Nanna being here. And little do they know, but we will be going to the station to get her, so they get to watch trains too!

After the doctors I took the boys to the playground with the tunnel slide and if that didn't wear them out then nothing could. They must have gone up and down it at least 30 times! Richard got a bit slower going up towards the end of the hour. It started to rain (just a tiny bit) so we headed home after an hour. Once home the heavens opened, so it was a good decision to leave and not wait it out!

Time to go downstairs now

and this is what I have done so far downstairs! The Word Challenge at Been there Scrapped That was for the word "scare" in any form. Well, with that word going I just had to use my kit! Whilst blog hopping I saw a great layout by Ptitebouilles (check her blog and layout here) and had to lift it!
The photo was taken on our autumn walk yesterday, but it works great with the word "scare"!

Credits:
Spooked by KayJay

Bye 4 now

Happy Birthday Mia!

This is the card I made for her using my own kit and quickpage! Works quite well,doesn't it! We are going to her party on Saturday so so far she only has had it as an email. Print out to follow on Saturday. The boys sung to her this evening it was so cute, Mia was speechless after it, so I am not sure whether she was in shock or whether she was hoping for more! :o)

An up and down day today. It started off with a trip to our doctor for Robert, who is being operated on on Thursday, and they therefore need some blood. Oh dear. He started wimpering as soon as we entered the room where they take the blood. We managed to get him to co-operate and then it all went horribly wrong! Once she got the needle in, the vein hid itself away, and she had to "dig around", but she didn't find it! Trying to then convince him that we needed the other arm, was actually impossible. He fought with all his might and even between us, we could not get his arm for another try. In the end the poor nurse got the doctor who came and she is just so nice (has 3 kids of her own) and she calmed him down enough that he let her look at her arm and we now have some homeopathic medicine for his nerves and a plaster to put on the vein before we leave that will numb the whole area, so he shouldn't feel a thing! He also promised her he would be brave tomorrow - so fingers crossed.
Poor boy, he just can't understand it. I keep telling him he is having his willy mended like Richard, but it is a while ago that his willy last hurt so he doesn't think it necessary. But when it does start hurting again ( and it will!) then they can't operate until it is all better, so it is best this way. I am so not looking forward to Thursday and the days following!

This afternoon however was GREAT! We went for a walk in the village and across the fields. it was a beautiful day, the boys were in a good mood, and it was a really, really nice walk. I got some great pictures of the scenery and the boys, and all the fresh air (we were walking for about 90minutes) and walking wore the boys out. Both were sound asleep instantly tonight!

And here is a first layout with the pictures I took this afternoon. this wordart was just perfect for what I was feeling as I watched the boys have so much fun in the leaves and autumn sunshine!

Credits:
Heartfelt by KimB Designs at DSO
Wordart by Hilleke

Bye 4 now (and wish Robert and me luck for the morning)

Thanks Leigh - Another Spooked Quickpage!

Update 21. October 2010 - Spooked has been rereleased check post 21.October 2010 for links!

Surprise!!

Leigh surprised me with this the other day, and I have been saving it, for when the kit Spooked is available at DigitalArts Cafe - so today is the day, that Leigh and I are giving this away

Download it here

And I loved it so much, that I dug through the dress up photos of my boys and added my own photo to the Quickpage!


This is Robert at Carnival this year, seeing this though, I think he may well be an elephant again at Halloween - if - we go Trick or Treating!

Do you like this quickpage? Well, you'll love the kit! AND....
it's available for free at DigitalArts Cafe

And there are plenty more Quickpages to go with the one from Leigh above.

Benita created this one for you


Dinphy made this one for you on her blog

And I made these two

All images linked the the appropriate posts!

Come back later (when my boys are in bed) for my daily update!

Boys are in bed now! We cut Robert's hair this afternoon, he DID NOT want it done, I think it tickles him too much! It looks quite good, we need a bit more practise, as this time we did not just shave it all off, but tried to keep it long on top! mmh, the fringe is a bit wonky, but it looks OK, and he likes it!

this afternoon the cat brought home a trophy - a Jay!!! He put it down under the kitchen table, I got the cat out of the room, then got the dustpan! Well, you can imagine the scream I let out, when the "dead" bird I was putting on it, flipped over and flew off! It really made me jump! But I recovered to get some pictures, before it found its way out of the window! (watch for a layout!) And here it is!

Credits:
Playdate by Sweet Digi Scraps at Been There Scrapped That

Florian took the boys out for a bike ride and race, they love that. Mummy just watches and gives her orders, but Daddy gets on his bike and joins them! Unfortunately Florian had to leave today to go back to work, which was a shame as I had hoped to go out with my friends tonight, oh well, better luck next time! OK, not much more about today - oh the new dryer works great!
NCIS and Dirty Dancing for me tonight!
Bye 4 now

A new dryer and b-day party

That was our day in a nutshell! We went out this morning to two different electronic stores and bought a new dryer - a bit more expensive than we were hoping to get, but bargains weren't going this morning. Florian has it all set up for me, now all I have to do in the morning is the washing and we can try it out. It is a lot bigger inside than my old one, and it runs more efficiently, as it knows when the washing is dry and I don't just set it to 90 minutes and let it run. For once I am actually looking forward to doing the washing! ;o)

This afternoon we went to my god-daughter's birthday party she is 1 today! She enjoyed all the attention, only after having seen all the layouts in the galleries with really young kids getting messy with their very own birthday cake, I think she would have really really enjoyed that, but that is a tradition yet to be discovered in Germany, so she only got a less messy biscuit. Maybe next year, I'll get her a brightly coloured b-day cake for her to mess with! (Have to remember to take a cover for the carpet with me!)
My friend seems to have gotten over whatever was bugging her on Tuesday, so that was good. And we had a nice afternoon, the kids all played nicely. The boys (mine and my god-daughters brother) loved Lisa's birthday present. I got an all singing all dancing toy, you could unlock things, put shapes in windows, press buttons for music, play music, telephone and count with it! And they played with it for quite a long while, I don't think my god-daughter got a look in!

Florian got a DVD out for us for tonight, we are going to be watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but I might still get a layout done whilst watching.

I did get one done! Liz (SweetDigiScraps) has a GREAT new kit out "Playdate" and I just had to play with it, and I knew the perfect photo for it!
My boys playing in their favourite place - the DIRT!

Credits:
Playdate by Sweet Digi Scraps at Been There Scrapped That
Stitches from Boy I'm Fallin by Colie's Corner at Been there Scrapped That

Bye 4 now

Yippeee!!!!

And another update (21.October 2010) - and I have re-released this AGAIN! Check the blogpost for October 21st, 2010 for the links!


UPDATE (11.SEPT.2009) - I WILL BE RE-RELEASING THIS KIT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, BOOKMARK MY BLOG OR ADD ME TO YOUR FEEDER TO FIND OUT WHEN AND WHERE YOU CAN GET IT - HUGS KERRI

I have got something in a store!!!!
Yep, the first of my freebies is up at DigitalArts Cafe! I am giving away my Halloween Kit "Spooked" made for the DAC Design It Contest at DAC,
Doesn't it look cool in a real store too!
Just in case you can't remember the kit, here is the preview again! And it is linked to the freebie at DigitalArts Cafe for easy access for you! (sorry link has expired, but watch my blog, I will be re-releasing it soon! 11.Sept.2009)
If you have stopped here from DigiScrapDepot for the kit, thanks for stopping by, you may want to scroll down and check out the great Quickpages I have here for you. And who knows there may even be another one this weekend....

So what else is new around here nothing really, I don't want to bore you with the details of my housework. Florian got home early today, the boys were so excited by it. He got a great welcome as he drove up! We stayed out longer than I expected as a friend of the boys from Kindergarden and his Mum and Dad were walking by and they played so nicely we didn't have the heart to part them. So Florian instead went to take my dryer to pieces again (yep, broken again) he got the faulty bit out and took it to a repairs place to see if he could get the part there. The guys there were actually amazed that there was still one of these dryers out there. It was a cheap Aldi one and apparently they weren't built to last and after about 3 years most of them were in for repairs of exactly the problem we were having now - mine however is about 15 years old! So I can't really complain. So tonight I am checking Amazon and such for a new dryer! I so miss it! - See now I have bored you with housework, sorry!

Oh, there is a bit of exciting news - for us at least - we have booked our holiday for next year!! Yep, we are going back to the same place in England that we went to this year for two weeks in the summer!! We are all quite excited about that, even though it is nearly 10months away!

Next week, I have a lot of doctors appointments lined up, Robert has to be operated on Thursday (like Richard was), only I am at the moment keeping this from him, as he does not deal with pain and illness well. Monday however I will have to tell him as we have to go and have blood taken. He is not going to like that! Mum is coming to help me on Wednesday, so between us, maybe we can cheer Robert up!

OK, back to admiring my kit in the store and maybe a bit of scrapping ;o)
Bye 4 now

Rainy day

so again the boys and I didn't get to out in the garden, all of those apples are still lying there waiting for someone to brave the weather! Heather asked if I lived on an apple orchard - no, not really, just a house with a garden that happens to have 4(!) apple trees (one pear tree, two plum trees and two cherry trees) in it! And this year is AN apple year, last year we had hardly any and this year I have already taken over 350kg to the juice maker! And the tree is still covered with them. But I am not going out in this weather to pick them up, so I hope it brightens up again soon. And not only for the sake of the apples, the boys have too much energy in them and being couped up indoors for longer periods of time is no fun for any of us!
As in more temper tantrums today, in fact Robert had a good one, and even without me saying a word, marched himself off to his room! Once there I am not sure what happened but he came back down with a huge bruised lump on the side of his face, he said something about "bob fell off the wall and I hit the door" looks like it could have been the door handle from the shape of the bruise. Poor fellow!
What else is new

I know, you should go and visit Dinphy, she has her new kit out and it is so cute!! I have already downloaded it, and started working with it, so check back here later to see, what I came up with!

I had great fun, with Dinphy's kit. the subject of all layouts is my niece Zoe, he was about 2 months old in these pictures.

Credits for all of the above:
Sweet Baby Girl by Dinphy (available on her blog)

Oh and incase you are wondering, my tooth is fine again today, I am even chewing on that side again now! The wonders of dentistry!

OK, the boys are finally quiet and I am off downstairs.
Bye 4 now

Dentist and other things..

I am a very big and brave girl! My pride is hurt, but oh well, 39 years without a filling is good going too, but I was aiming for 40!! Missed it by 8 months!
Yep, my broken tooth, really was broken and it had broken because it had caries inside of it! How did that happen?! Dentist couldn't really tell me either. But he did x-ray all my teeth just to make sure there were no more surprises in store for me. And the other teeth are all fine! Uff!
I think I needed a bigger filling than he expected, either that or he just didn't bother to tell me just how long it was going to take. It took 40 minutes! My jaw still aches! It's all very tender now, and I am a bit frightened to chew on it, but I hope that by tomorrow everything will be back to normal, as it is a bit tiring only chewing on one side. Can you tell, I am not used to problems with my teeth!!!
And I also decided that I am not a big fan of fillings, the noise of that drill is HORRIBLE! So I am hoping that I can go another 39 years at least without hearing it again!!!

Enough about the dentist, although to be honest that was the most exciting thing of the day. The boys are their usual full moon selves, arguing over anything and everything. The best one of the day was the argument over the empty kitchen roll roll!!!! I actually had two of them, one each, but, NO, Robert wanted both and had a full temper tantrum, for which I sent him to his room! And Richard had one, because I did something that he had wanted to do himself, can't remember what it was now it was so trivial, but he didn't think so, he threw his juice across the room and threw himself down on the floor screaming. I just stepped over him and carried on with what I was doing!
So with all of that, I am glad they are now in bed!!!

I got some layouts done these past evenings, I will try and remember to post them in just a bit.
well here they are!
This first one is for the Template Challenge at Been There Scrapped That. I used a kit from BrokenJar Creations. She has a workshop at her Forum called the ABC Workshop, where you get a kit per letter per week. You can still sign up, and as you can see, the D kit is beautiful!

Credits:

D Kit by BrokenJar Creations at Do it Digi
Template by Colie's Corner at Been There Scrapped That

And I have also had the pleasure of playing with Melothria's new Kit "Fall Swirl" available at DigitalArts Cafe.
This first one is a photo Dad took of Mia the other day. Whilst I was scrapping it, the song kept circling in my head, so I thought, why not use it, I think it works well.

Credits:
Fall Swirl by Melothria at DigitalArts Cafe

And this is the same kit, the colours went so well, with this photo, so I scrapped it, I have to say here though that I DID win one game! (out of 4!)

Credits:
Fall Swirl by Melothria

Bye 4 now

A day spent...

waiting! First at the doctors with Robert. He had his check up on his heart because of the Kawasaki Syndrome he had back in April. We had to wait a while until it was our turn BUT it was all good news, his heart is exactly as it is supposed to be. And we only have to go back in 6 months cause that is what the books say...at least that is the impression I got. Well, I had thought that we would have time after the doctors to get the shopping and maybe even get the apples taken to the juice place, but no, by the time we got out of the doctors, we could just stop at the shop that was on route and get something for lunch, no time for more, we had to pick Richard up at Kindergarden.

In the afternoon we were going to go round to a friends, but I wanted to get rid of the apples today as they were getting no better being carted backwards and forwards, so I rang to let her know we would be running a bit late (only got her answering machine). Well, once at the juice place the queue wasn't quite as long as it had been yesterday, but I was no further forward than I had been when I left yesterday. I was 15th in line! So I phoned my friend to let her know, and she told us not to bother. She was put out that I hadn't cancelled in the morning. I can think of at least 1000 better things than standing in a queue with apples and kids in the car, but now I had to try to explain to the boys that all was not going as planned...shame...
Well, we waited and waited and were finished in just about 45 minutes, so I took them to the playground where we met some of their friends from the village, so they were OK then.

Robert needs a haircut, yes Florian I will now finally admit it! At bathtime I realised this and asked them not to get their hair wet, as it wouldn't dry in time...famous last words...I went to sort out their pyjamas, came back and Robert had VERY wet hair. So he had to get out before Richard today and he had his first ever experience with a hair dryer. He giggled all the way through it, I think it tickled. His hair is now "very spiky" as he puts it and at the weekend, I think it is time for a cut!

And now for a HUGE THANK YOU!!! to Leigh who "pimped my blog" for me yesterday, using my Kit Special Delivery! What do you all think? I LOVE it, thanks Leigh! She walked me through it all yesterday, what would we do without Skype! And wow, it looks good!
Thanks again, Leigh!

bye 4 now

Apple Odyssey and another layout with my kit!

Well, my plan was to go to the dentist this morning, but they hadn't got an appointment free until tomorrow, can't go then as Robert has to go for his heart check up, so the dentist is on Wednesday morning now. I can't say it doesn't hurt, but today it is a LOT better than yesterday, just a dull uncomfy feeling, so I am managing and hoping that it doesn't get worse before Wednesday!

So what did I do with my morning instead, the plan (and plans aren't going well today) was to quickly drop off the bags of apples at the juice place and then go shopping! Haha! I got to the juice place, and from the end of the queue I couldn't even see, where I was going! I waited 2.5 hours!!! And then when I was about 14 cars from the front of the queue I had to go and pick the kids up from Kindergarden, so I still have bags and bags of apples, no juice and no shopping! What a waste of a morning! but I must admit it was quite relaxing sat in the car in the sunshine listening to the radio and letting my thoughts wander. Some of the thoughts I put into text messages to Mum, who eventually phoned me - thanks Mum, it made the time go quicker!

This afternoon some friends came round for a chat and the weather was so nice that we were able to sit in the garden! Then they picked some of our pears (yep, we've got pears too!) to take home and make into something, not sure what anymore. They took a few apples, but we still have way too many!

Now about the layout! I had a really nice email a while back about my Tots Rule OK kit and although the links were no longer available in the forum at DAC I just HAD to give this lovely girl them as she had asked soooo nicely. And look what she did with what she got! Isn't it great, it is for a photobook she is making, a double page in other words. I love it! Thanks, Carmen for letting me share it!

Credits:
Tots Rule - OK! and Add on by KayJay (me!!)

All is quiet up here now, so I think the boys are asleep and I can go and make myself comfy downstairs.
Bye 4 now

A new look...

I have been wanting to do a new header for a while now, and today I finally found a moments peace to do it! What do you think? I used my baby kit "Special Delivery" for it. I am also working on a blinkie, so keep checking the side bar, then you will be able to grab it, and link to me (if you want to that is!)
Well, remember that layout and story all about our wall the boys so kindly "painted" for us...it is now all WHITE again and hopefully it will stay that way now! We still have a little bit of paint over, which we will not be throwing away in a hurry!

I have been a bit under the weather this afternoon. On Thursday I thought I had something stuck between my back teeth, I couldn't get it out and couldn't really see either (even tried to take a photo of them). Florian had a look and I have broken a piece off of one of my back teeth, goodness only knows how, I don't recall biting on anything hard. Of course it being Friday evening I couldn't do anything about it but wait for Monday to call the dentist. And now since lunchtime it has started hurting. I don't think it is toothache (ah, you might not know, I have never had toothache, I have no fillings and never have had, and I am pretty proud of that fact), it hurts but it hurts like it used to when I had braces on my teeth and they tightened them up. I have had a disprin, but it hasn't really helped.
At least Florian took the kids out on their bikes and I got a bit of peace and quiet. And hopefully in the morning I will get to see a dentist, before I have to pick the kids up from Kindergarden.

Right now I am off to put the finishing touches to my blinkie and post it in the side bar. Keep a look out!
Bye 4 now

Too much food...

is what I had this evening - we treated ourselves to a meal out at the Chinese Restaurant with friends this evening and now I am sat here and I think I just might burst! I am so full. It was a buffet, and I saved a bit of room for deep fried bananas with honey and that last one, was too much! But it was so good!

The day in comparison to yesterday was pretty boring, but I am quite pleased about that, that was just too much adventure (as Dinphy so rightly put it) for one day.
Florian took my dryer apart and has found the fault, it will now hopefully run for a little bit longer, the washing is on, so that I can try it out again, whilst he is still here.
Florian also took the boys out on their bikes, this time with a difference he got on his bike too, and took them for a little ride down the road and back and back again and again and again! The grin on Robert's face when he came in and told me about it, said it all!

Speaking of Robert he reduced me to tears in the restaurant tonight (not that I let him see). For the first time EVER I heard Robert say a complete and clear sentence to one of my friends in GERMAN!!! We were all speechless, it was such a special moment for us.
Normally he never speaks German if he thinks I am around, but tonight without prompting he spoke to my friend and answered her in German. I'm so proud of him!

Bye 4 now

Locked out - locked in!!!

What a day! it started out OK, I got quite a bit of housework done but it all went downhill, when I went to pick the boys up at Kindergarden.
It was a beautiful autumn day, lovely and sunny, so I went out of the front door without my jacket to pick the boys up, pulled the door shut and oops! Keys for the house are in my jacket pocket, which of course is in doors. No time to worry about it now, have to be at Kindergarden on time. A friend in the village has a spare key, but it is school holidays here now, so she just might be away for the week. I went round to see, no luck there. So back home I decided - after checking all doors - for once I had remembered to close them all, bother, so I popped to my neighbour to ask to make a phone call, and let Mum and Dad know we were coming to them (they have a spare key too!) My neighbour being the angel he is, said lets see if we can't break in. Well no more details here, but yep, he was a pretty good burglar cause we got in.
Well, all was good then, or so I thought, we had lunch, Richard had a late and not so long snooze, then we were ready to go in the garden. Robert went upstairs to get his shoes, Richard followed, I stayed downstairs, BIG mistake - BIGGGGGG MISTAKE!
the next thing I know I hear a very faint - Mummy, help, Mummy help me! Mmh, what was that all about. I go up find Robert ask where Richard is, he points to my bedroom, uhoh door was shut, mmmh, well turns out Richard had locked himself in there. Its not a normal door, however but a 100 year old door with a bolt. and he had managed to lock it using the bolt, and it is a bit stiff and he couldn't pull it back!
After a LOT of coaxing and a LOT of tears (only Richard at this time), I got him to go in our ensuite bathroom where I after climbing out of the window and on to the roof of our utility room could see him and calm him down some. I tried to get him to open the window but he wasn't tall enough. To cut a long story short I had to leave him, go and beg my neighbour to help me again, and we together broke in to Richard this time and "saved" the poor but naughty thing! I don't think he will do it again, but to be on the safe side, we will have to either oil the bolt or try and get it off the door!

To cheer us all up again i took the boys out to the front of the house for a ride on their bikes. We have a rule that they may only go one way from where I stand or sit (I usually open the boot (trunk) of our car and sit in it), well Robert today decided that that rule didn't apply to him, I warned him 4 times, telling him on the last time that if he did it again, we would be going in, why he didn't believe me, I don't know, he did it again, and we went in - did you hear him scream!? It was loud enough to travel to whereever you read this. And it went on and on and on! Eventually he calmed himself down and apologised, and I made sure that he understood just WHY we were back indoors.

what a day! Between the two locking incidents I made this layout, therapeutic scrapping I would say! And also making sure that this story stays with us through the generations!

Credits
Monster Mash by Scraps by Jenn at BTST
Alpha from Get Dirty by Sweet Digi Scraps at BTST

If you can't read the journalling clicking on the layout opens the big version!
time to relax now
Bye for now

2nd Winner!!!!! Wooohooo!!!

Join me in my happy dance! I had a GREAT time during the five weeks. When I entered it, it was for the experience of designing, I was fully expecting to be out after Week 1, but DAC let everyone stay in the contest to the end, thanks. That was unexpected and I had to come up with a solution for Week 4 cause I was on holiday in Center Parcs there. Luckily there was an internet cafe in the village and I managed to get my kit uploaded and to Rhonda on time. And then came the surprise, not sure what I read, but I thought it was only 4 weeks, so when we got a task for a 5th week, I was a bit out of ideas, BUT I got Spooked done and I love that one, well, I love them all really.
So what does that mean being second winner, well, I get to put 3 of these kits in the store as freebies, and that way get my name out there! Not bad, eh! Melo, the owner of the store, will be choosing which ones, and letting me in on all the details at the weekend. I can't wait, I am so excited! I'll keep you all up to date!

So what else is new....i had a fun trip to the apple juice place - it was closed til Monday, well, it wasn't actually closed closed cause they were all working very hard, but they have had sooooo many apples delivered, that they couldn't take anymore. So I had to bring mine all home again!
But I will try again on Monday! With everyone else I should think!

This afternoon I took the boys to a different playground from our usual, they loved it! It had a few different things on it, a curly tunnel slide for starters and a wide slide that they could go down together, and some sand toys, where you pull it up to the next level and let it fall down a pipe or so! They had a great time and want to go back again soon. Unfortunately I forgot the camera so no pics from today! I got some dirty ones yesterday, so I might scrap them tonight.
Bye 4 now, I'm off to continue my happy dance!

Apples again!

Yep, we did more apple picking yesterday, mind you, we are not picking them from the tree, just the ones that have fallen. So far after yesterdays and todays picking we have two sacks and 4 boxes to take to the juice place tomorrow. We are going to be drinking a lot of apple juice - yummy! The boys actually helped me today, I held the sack open whilst Robert shovelled them up and in! Not bad, eh?! He thought it was great fun.
After that the boys got out the Bob the builder toys and sat themselves right in the middle of the mud and played so nicely that I didn't have the heart to get them out of there, so now I have some VERY dirty clothes and shoes to get clean! The getting clean is not the problem it is the getting them dry - my dryer, the one responsible for the power cut, has finally given up work after 14 long years, he's gone for good, well, he is still in the utility room, but not for much longer!
I never appreciated it as I should when it was working, but now. I still have wet clothes all over the place, AGH!!!
Shopping at the weekend, I don't want to be too long without one!

So, what else is new, no news yet at DigitalArts Cafe as to who won the contest....I keep checking very regularly....I'll just have to learn to be patient!

I have another layout but its on the laptop, so I'll post it later!

Well here it is! This is Zoe, my Dad took the picture when they went to watch a hockey match. I love it the sun in her hair, the look on her face, great. and look how well it went with Dinphy's last kit. I missed taking part in the DSO Colour challenge last month to busy designing (wow that sounds good!), but I really loved Dinphy's kit. And I finally had the perfect picture to go with it!

Credits:
Fall Leaves by Dinphy
Wordart by Valarie Ostrom Designs

Dad also got a good shot of Mia, and I found this wordart by Bethanynicks (Scrappin Daisies) online. The perfect quote for Mia, she can be a right little madam sometimes. But here she was just playing monkey!

Credits:
Boy I'm Fallin by Colie's Corner
Wordart by Bethanynicks (Scrappin Daisies)

and I think that is all, oh in case you were wondering, I watched all of Coyote Ugly yesterday - probably the reason I only have one layout for you, cause I was too busy jiggling in my chair and singing along!
Bye 4 now

Layouts and an award

I think I promised layouts yesterday, well, I have LOTS of them! Some were done during the Design It Contest but never got posted, but you might not have seen them in the galleries.

So I'll start with my desktop for October, this was done for the September Desktop Challenge at BTST, there is a new one up now, but I haven't done that yet!
Its "my boys" on our holiday at Center Parcs, don't they look super cute!?!

Credits:
Swim Fishy by Kristin Aargard

For the next two I used "Boy I'm Fallin" by Colie's Corner. this first one is my boys helping with the apple picking - a never ending story this year - this was the time they enjoyed it, today they let me do it on my own!

Credits:
Boy I'm Fallin by Colie's Corner

And this one is some more pics from Center Parcs from our game of Minigolf (also for the ABC Challenge at BTST) I tried my hand at journalling for this one.

Credits:
Boy I'm Fallin by Colie's Corner

The next three are CT layouts for Melothria (DigitalArts Cafe). She sent me her latest kit before our holiday, but I had to wait for it to be released before I could post, and what with the Design It contest, i forgot to post them. And honest all three layouts are using the same kit, very versatile!
this first one is my grandmother at 18, so beautiful.

Credits
Not another Autumn Kit by Melothria at DAC

This is Robert having mastered the art of cycling!

Credits
Not another Autumn Kit by Melothria at DAC

And this is Sunny our cat sunning himself on the kids climbing frame!

Credits
Not another Autumn Kit by Melothria at DAC

Are you bored yet?! no, good, cause here is one last one, this one is for the Quote Challenge at DSO.

Credits
Fall Splendour by KimB's Designs
Alpha from Indian Summer by Me!!! hihi!

Uff, that was a lot of layouts, and I intend to do some more tonight! Got some great pics of my nieces from Mum and Dad...

Now about that award! Heather (shawtyp) has awarded me with an "I love your blog" award

- Thanks so much Heather, I love yours too, so here is the award right back to you. I love Heather's layouts, and always look forward to finding them in the gallery at BTST!

Now to find 6 more blogs I love! Well, regardless of whether they already have the award or not, it would have to be

Leigh
Dinphy
Liz
Jan
Melo
Karyn (fellow Design It contestant)

Thanks again Heather.
OK, now do I finish watching Coyote Ugly, or do I turn over to CSI Miami?! Mmh, difficult decision! I love both!
Bye 4 now