Off The Top Of My Head: February 2006

Not much to report...

Not much to report here. I can't believe my days are completely filled, yet I don't seem to be getting much done!

I've been Blog-surfing over the last few days and I can't believe all the sad news some people have going on at the moment. I feel really sad for everyone with yuk-things in their life at the moment and really thankful that everything is rosey here, with not much to report.

Until the weekend...
xx S.

View from a Chopper

Just a quick post to show you the first layout from my helicopter ride on Friday. I took nearly 200 photos and I think this may be my favourite. This is the Billabong Village Shopping Centre in Kooralbyn. The little building at the front used to be the Real Estate, now it is a fantastic Crepe restaurant.

This was a quick digi-layout for the SAM cybercrop. The theme was to use something from your wardrobe or pantry. I used a licorice packet to tie in with the new Darrell Lea bar in the Crepe restaurant.

And this is the little helicopter I was in. The visibility was fantastic and some of the photos are really great.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Please leave a comment!! :)

xx S.

Yay for me!

I finally did it.... today, after twenty-five years of wishing, I had a flight on a helicopter!! Yay! It was so much fun. We had one of the doors removed so we could take photos and the pilot was a hottie - and very nice, too!! It was windy and fast and so much fun!! I haven't looked at my photos yet, but if there are any okay ones, I'll post them here later!

I'm off for a crop with the beautiful Amanda tonight and am hoping to get a lot of work done. Only 24 of 26 pages to do for my A-Z album!! Then I'll have to redo the two pages I have done!! lol

xx S.

I feel sick!!

OMGosh.... my evil, evil (but gorgeous, honey & lovely) old friends from school - you know who you are!! - took me out to Baskin & Robins for dessert after dinner at my place tonight. YUMMY!!! I think I broke the chocolate thing! We had some yummy icecream covered in, I don't know what I was thinking, cream and caramel!!! Some of the icecream had chocolate in it...

...I've decided to amend my New Year's Resolution. Can I do that? Instead of having no chocolate until easter, I'll have no chocolate bars/chocolate on its own until Easter!! I can still do that.

I was surprised to see so many people out and about on a Thursday night having coffee and fun!! I thought the world all went to bed at 9pm since I've had my three kids!!!

xx S.

Just a quicky!!

I have actually managed to get some scrapbooking done today and am pleased to say I finished off six layouts that needed that final touch. I don't really like two of them, but they convey the message and story that goes with the photos, so I'll leave them for the moment.

It's been nice to not be worrying about preschool today. I just didn't feel like being out and about today. I thought I'd get a lot of housework done, but I'm off to madly do that now before John gets home!! Cheeky, I know.

Finally, here are a few shots of my babies on the weekend...

xx S.

Visace

I can't help this one.... I've had the nicest weekend! I spent most of it at the Visace on the Gold Coast - you know, the place the movie stars stay? Yep, it's pretty nice!

Saturday was Dad's birthday, so I took the kids to see Mum and Dad where they were staying (at the Visace) and met my brother Charlie there too. We looked around, had lunch and just chatted. The Condo they have been in (for the better part of a week) is just gorgeous....

...and there are pools everywhere. The place is fairly stunning, although the foyer is quite ostentatious. I love the high ceilings and the Condo was a two bedroom, two bathroom with lounge and dining rooms plus kitchen. The kitchen even had a cappuccino machine!

John had to work, but it was nice spending time with my family and kids. We don't have too many photos of us, so we took a few...

Dad's 59 - I remember when my Grandmother turned 60... I can't believe that will be Dad next year!!

Sunday was even more fun, although a tad disappointing. Dad had hired a helicopter to go and take photos of Kooralbyn and along the coast. John stayed home with the kids so I could go back to the Visace and go on the helicopter with Mum and Dad. It stormed on the way down, and let me tell you having to do 40km/h on the 110km/h highway is scary!!

Because of the weather, we spent hours just waiting to see if we were going to get to go up in the helicopter. Dad was planning to hook onto the harness and hang outside the helicopter to take photos, and I was going to have a go at this too.... I was so excited.

Due to bad weather, we didn't go. Very disappointing, but I had a great afternoon with Mum and Dad and no kids! We had lunch, then in the afternoon, had High Tea. I had fun having some adult conversation with my parents, without having to look after the kids.

Of course, Dad and I pulled out our cameras and had a competition to see who could take the best photo. We never say we are competing, but we both know we are!! I was pretty happy with these two photos.

I have to acknowledge, Dad took the ones of the building and rooms above.... okay, so he wins this time. I still think the food photos are pretty good, though!!

Until next time...
xx S.

My first real test.

So I've lost 7kg so far, without too much hassle - actually, it's been easier than I thought and I'm quite enjoying jumping on the scales each morning. Today I received my first real test....

It starts back at Christmas time, when we did the cookie-for-Santa thing. I broke the cream-filled biscuit (for the crumbs-on-the-plate effect), and poking out of the cream was the world's biggest hair. This was no ordinary hair... I didn't need any scientific tests to work out it didn't come from someone's head!! Needless to say, I was revolted and called the biscuit company. They were great on the phone and I sent them the offending biscuit.

Well, six weeks later (today) - right in the midst of my new regeme - a box arrives.... SIX huge packets of biscuits from the company!!! I haven't had a biscuit since last year (and only one piece of cake - can you believe it???). I've been so good. I'm sure I can resist most of these biscuits, too. I don't even feel like biscuits, really... except, one of the packets is a huge bag full of WHITE CHOCOLATE AND MACADAMIA NUT COOKIES!!! Okay, these are my absolute, all-time favourite kind of biscuits, but I'm too cheap to spend the money on a packet then have to share them with the kids, so I go without. What do I do with these biscuits??

Don't forget, I'm on a no-Coke-and-no-chocolate-until-Easter resolution, too..... does the macadamia cancel out the white chocolate???

Anyone for morning tea?

xx S.

Scoubidous p.Scooby-Doo's

Okay, okay.... I've lifted these pictures from official websites, but these are scoubies...

They are simply hollow plastic tubes that you knot in a fashion that makes pretty patterns. They are a French thing from the 1960's - I guess that boat got stuck in the Bermuda Triangle for 45 years!!

Mia and Chris are really taken with this craze and I have to admit, it takes me back to my school days making 'friendship bracelets'.

Mia has a few hanging off her school bag and Chris just carries his around with him.

Don't try it, though.... it is addictive and has no purpose whatsoever!!

xx S.

Tagged by Sami - my first Blog tag!!

Sam tagged me a while ago and I've been so crazybusy I didn't realise... not being a snob, Sam!!! So here we go.....

A is for age: 30.
B is for booze: Love my Boubon & Dry, but don't drink much anymore.
C is for career: Whatever I feel like at the time.... post kids? Photography.
D is for your Dads name: Peter.
E is for essential items you bring to a party: My kids. John (my DH), to look after the kids!!
F is for favourite song at the moment: ?? I'm back listening to my fav Counting Crows CD, but no fav song.
G is for favourite game: Chess.
H is for Hometown: Brisbane.
I is for intruments you play: The flute - just not the 'band-camp' way.
J is for jam or jelly you like: neither - I'm a bit of a Vegemite gal.
K is for kids: Amelia Louse (4), Christopher Joseph (3), Nicholas Andrew (18mth).
L is for living arrangements: In our own home with kids and John (DH).
M is for mums name: Margaret.
N is for name of your crush: Colin Firth (Mr Darcy) too!! He is divine.
O is for over night hospital stays: Three kids, plus plastic surgery when I was younger. I've also been in for a week with Nick (at eight weeks) for UTI & Chris overnight with gastro.
P is for phobias: Spiders & heights.
Q is for quotes you like: Not one in particular, but Eleanor Roosevelt said some wonderful things.
R is for relationship that lasted the longest: John and I have been together seven years.
S is for sexual preference: Only since having Amelia, have I become a girly girl. Prefer to drink with the boys, still, though.
T is for there is no T in this: My yummy new coffee!! LOL.
U is for underwear: Usually... LOL, just kidding. Granny knickers, mostly - sad, I know.
V is for vegetables you love: Any and all. I'm a vege nut!! (Even brussel sprouts!!)
W is for weekend plans: Kooralbyn for Dad's birthday.
X is for xrays you 've had: Knee after skiing accident. MRI, too.
Y is for yummy food you make: My family loves my mashed potato (it's true!) and I make a brilliant sweet curry chicken with jasmine rice.
Z is for zodiac sign: Scorpio - so watch for my sting!! LOL... not really!

You're tagged Alicia!!

Scoubies & Coffee

Okay, like I needed any more addictions...... last week I visited Peta to pick up a BTP and we had coffee. Not just any coffee... oh no.... Robert Timms flavoured Coffee Bags!! Have you tried these?? Well, Peta gave me the Vanilla one - well you can guess what I have in my cupboard now!!! It is sooooo yummy!!! Actually, hurry up and finish writing on blog, so I can have another one!!!

Another addiction??? Ever since my kid-cousins taught my own little babes what Scoubidous are, they have been bugging me to buy them some scoubies. I don't usually bend, but new challenges are another addiction of mine.... I finally bought myself a bag of scoubi brins and today, have taught myself how to scoubidou!! Stupid things!!! I have made four so far and am about to start my fifth!! They are totally useless and not even that exciting... I'm just making them because I can.... oh, and the kids keep chanting "Make another one - make another one!!" I'm always up for a challenge!!! I'll post a pic later, for those who don't know what scoubidous are!!

xx S.