Happy happy happy

Is how I am feeling at the moment! Had a long lie-in til 9.30 this morning...poor Geoff went to work at 8am! Woke up to find Holly 'polishing' her shoes with anti-bacterial spray...she is such a sweetie sometimes! Em was worn out from her late night last night and was still asleep after I got up. Felt a bit sad this morning knowing I was missing some lovely people at Ally Pally today as well missing Anna's crop :( But the sun was shining, and it's been a lovely Autumn day.

Once we were all up and dressed we went for a walk down to the lakes.Holly was happy to pose for photos so the camera got a lot of use.We went to the playground and then for our traditional game of Poohsticks at the bridge.Don't know if there's something wrong with the rabbits down there though...there were an awful lot of dead ones and the live ones we saw didn't look too healthy either....:(

Geoff came home mid afternoon so we hopped in the car and went to my fave 'conker' haunt, Ayot Green.We now have two bags full of shiny conkers sitting in the kitchen! Then we came home and have a lovely roast for tea - what more could you ask for?!
Pencil Lines is live again with a new sketch :)

I used
Scenic Route Ashville papers
Black Bazzill
Souffle pen
Various angel Kiss flowers, chopped and doodled on!
Penny Black alphabet stickers
Love Elsie journalling stamp

Don't forget to check out Pencil Lines tomorrow too for some exciting news about our birthday celebrations :)
This evening I have done another layout and I can honestly say I love it! I will be able to share it tomorrow :)
Tomorrow I have the day off and am looking forward to spending it with Geoff :)
Oh...and check out Lyzzy's blog...you'd never guess we live in the same town...!!;)

Finaly found...

..what I've been looking for! I have been after these stamps for ages and thought they were only made by Fontwerks and impossible to get hold of! But I found them on the Capture The Magic stall at Ally Pally today...made by Penny Black! Confused? Yep, I am , but who cares, I've finally got them! They wiped out a big chunk of my spends so the rest of my buys were just papers and Bazzill,plus some really cute wooden buttons.I ended up being Billy No Mates and going on my own (sniff sniff!) but I like it like that...it's so busy there I'd find it impossible to shop with someone else!
I was in charge in the remote (for once!) this evening as Geoff and Em went to see Harry Potter.So I settled down with a pizza and diet coke , followed by hazelnut Galaxy and watched one of my birthday DVDs, The Holiday.Let's just say it was a welcome change from High Musical 2 being on 24/7 !

My Pencil Lines sketch this week is proving to be impossible to get a decent photo of, but here's a peak anyway!

Yikes

It is just dawning on me what a whole heap of stuff I need to be doing right now and over the next couple of weeks......!!Not a good time to feel inpiration -less! So , making these two clipboards yesterday was something of an achievement at the moment!I am forever losing school/ Rainbows/ Dance class letters at the moment.When I went to Caz's the other week, she had a very nice Basic Grey covered clipboard hanging in her kitchen,with her 'to do' lists etc on.So I've nicked her idea and made a board for each of the girls so that I can try and keep all their letters in one place!Thanks for the inspiration Caz! I've used Junkitz papers to cover both boards and then just aded ribbon and Angel Kiss blooms to the corners.Now I just need to get teh hooks to hang them on and I am one forward forward in trying to get organised!

I was planning to scrap tonight , until I realised that we are going to a senior school open evening with Em ! Whoops! Hence why I am blogging now as I'm sure I won't remember later!

Not much else going on here. The weather is driving me up the wall, sunny one minute , freezing cold and blowing a gale and raining the next!

This afternoon I am off to the library to return the overdue books, pick up a new film schedule and book tickets for Em and Geoff to go and see Harry Potter on Saturday night.

Right, I am to run around like a headless chicken again!

Madness & Mayhem

..are two words that best describe a party of 28 kids at Anna's!! I still haven't decided whether she was brave or just plain mad! ;) All I can say is I certainly admire her! Holly was a little overwhelmed ,bless her,and spent most of the evening glued to my side whilst Em was at her happiest,packing cake into the party bags!The evening was rounded off with a fantastic view of the moon through the telescope,cheesecake and a couple of cold drinks out in the garden :) We came home Sunday morning, leaving the Bowkis family glued to their seats watching High School Musical 2!Thank you for having us!

Here's my Pencil Lines layout for this week.We were sponsored by Frances Meyer and whilst I have to admit I didn't find my papers easy to work with, I am highly envious of the papers the other DT members got! Check out Tracies's stunning layout ! Don't forget, we are fast approaching out first anniversary and have lots of extras coming up in the next month for you!

After an eventful week last week, it all goes quiet again...no lunches out or exciting shoping trips planned here :( I am hopefully whizzing up to Ally Pally first thing on Saturday though :) I seriously need to see some stash in the flesh!

Catching up...again!

Just trying to remember why I didn't update the other night when I meant to...and I remembered - the PC had a hissy fit and shut itself down on me twice , so I gave up!
On Thursday Anna came over and we had another fab day :)First off we whizzed over to Toys R Us to do some last minute shopping for Izzy's birthday party.We resisted the urge to go in Hobbycraft as we didn't think we'd have enough time.Next we went into Stevenage town centre and dived into Tesco's (to buy High School Musical clothes(for the girls, not us!!))and Poundland for more party goodies :) Also managed to get the most fab Halloween stickers in there - I am determined to make it to a pumpkin patch this year!!After that we went to the pub for lunch.Whilst in there Anna phoned home and discovered that Peter was home and could pick up Izzy & Lilly from school - giving us extra shopping time:) So yes, we got in the car and hot footed it back to Hobbycraft! I was also lucky enough to get two gorgeous birthday pressies, a fab t-shirt and a necklace form the girls.Thank you so much!

Last night was the long awaited Disney premiere of High School Musical and we were descended upon by three of the girls friends.Sadly Holly, who was the most hyped up about it, ate too much chocolate and was sick half way through :(
This afternoon we are off to the Bowkis's for Izzy's HSM birthday party and me and the girls are staying over.Geoff is coming home for some peace & quiet!
Photos today are a sneak of my Pencil Lines layout for tomorrow night , and a pic of Holly trying catch up on some zzz's on the way home last Sunday! Love that photo!

14 years and a birthday feast!

Yep, today Geoff and I have been married for 14 years :) I'm not going to lie and say every minute has been wonderful, but no matter what we are still here, still together :) I know he won't read this, but I just want to say Geoff,I love you lots! Okay, mushy bit over and out of the way!
My birthday is turning into a very long pig-out! Yesterday Geoff and I went to Frankie & Benny's for lunch - yum!Then today I went to the Waffle House with Alison *waves* for a rather delicious Bannoffee waffle! I really thought I'd misheard when the waitress asked if I wanted a plain or wholemeal waffle!!Eh??Surely the whole point of a waffle is that it's unhealthy?!
Anyway, check out the photo...and judge for yourself whether I went for the healthy choice;) On Thursday Anna is coming over and we are out to lunch again! I will be the size of a barrel by the end of this week (oh, hang on - I already am!)So I am a sheep and got some Momiji dolls for my birthday.I wanted something that the girls could choose for themselves and luckily John Lewis sell them
:)Geoff also got me one, appropriately the one that likes chocolate cake!I also got a couple of DVD's ,(The Breakfast Club, so I can re-live my youth!),the gorgeous Scrap Studio Scenic Route kit, Love Elsie stamps, clothes and lots of chocolate!And then today as an anniversary presie I got the DVD of The Holiday.So all in all a fab day!
Today Holly started her netball skills after school club whilst Em started back at her dance class ,coming home with her latest exam medal.
I am off to pack up some apple muffins for tomorrows school cake sale!

Team Anna!

Wow, what can I say...what a fab day! Won't post too many pics as I have emailed some to Anna to put on her blog! Yep, she came along memory card-less yet again so I was chief photographer for the day.The weather was fantastic, the atmosphere amazing and I am in awe of Anna for doing what she did!So so proud of you hun!Added bonus was spotting ourselves in the crowd on the tv coverage this evening!

So, a couple of quick pics!

And I love this one of Holly and Lilly running off to look at the wicker elephants! (and yes,that is Holly's dress that Lilly's wearing ;) )
Whilst dipping her toes in the water at the Princess Diana Memorial fountain Holly declared it to be her 'best day ever' - bless!
Week 50 is now live over at Pencil Lines :)
I've used:
this months Scrapping Angels kit using the Tinkering Ink Noir Blank papers.
I also used:
Love Elsie stamps
Angel Kiss flower
Spotty bazzill brad
Rhonna Farrer Flourish stamps
AC Thickers

I will be back tomorrow with more pics from today.I am off to prepare myself for being another year older tomorrow....;)

Time flies....

...and I had no idea it was that long since I last updated!
I was going to blog last night but got back quite late.I went to Scrapbook Central's crop in Stevenage with Lyzzy and her daughter Laura :) Laura did the class and has a fab double layout to show for it! Lyzzy and I traded insults ,ate cake and even did a bit of scrapping.I finished my Pencil Lines sketch for tomorrow night and started another layout whilst Lyzzy raided my stamps!Well ,what's the point of going scrapping with a friend (a term I use loosely in this case :)!!) if you can't nick their stuff?! Afterwards we nipped to the chippy and I got home deafened by Lyzzy's tuneless singing and with a full tum!The cropping hall was great, really big and light, loads of room so hopefully we will be going again when the next one is arranged :)
Yesterday the Buddy elections took place at school (buddy's look after pupils who have no-one to play, are feeling sad etc at playtimes)Both girls stood ...and both won!! We are so proud! It's been a long time coming for Em, she has stood for election for the last two years too, so this makes it even more special for her :)
The weather has been gorgeous here this week.I love Autumn..especially weeks like this - lots of sunshine but it's not boiling hot!

Tomorrow Holly and I are heading to Hyde Park with the Bowkis family to cheer Anna on in her 5k race.I'm really looking forward to it,just terrified that I might lose Holly!We need to be up bright and early (hence me blogging now!)and will be travelling there by train and tube with Anna, Peter, Izzy and Lilly.As you are probably aware Anna is running in memory of her much loved dad, so please pop on over to her fund raising page and support her however much you can :)
I leave you with a sneak of my layout for tomorrow night

I have been tagged by the wonderful Gigi! I am usually rubbish at doing at these but I laughed so much as I did this in my head whilst reading hers that i have to do it!

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)
toffee volvo
2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)
phish food chocolate
3. YOUR "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
s dea
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
pink panda
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
denise welwyn
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)
con su

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put "The")
lime green the diet coke
8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)
granville ? (don't know the other one!)
9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy)
be kissable galaxy

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother's & father's middle names )
ann grenville

Thanks Gigi!

I'm going to tag Lyzzy, Caz ,Shirl and Annette !

I leave you with a photo of Holly and a sunflower, taken this evening :)

Eeeek!

So , this caught my eye in Tesco's this morning...Galaxy Hazelnut...'New' with roasted and caramelised hazelnuts.Huh? What was wrong with the old type?!I threw a bar in the trolley giving Geoff the excuse that 'I have to try it in case it's horrible and I need to go and stock up on the original sort from the corner shop'
Hmm, so it's in red foil..red? What was wrong with the gold foil? When it comes down to it, this new version does tatste the same....but, and a big BUT (which is what I have from eating so much of this stuff) the hazelnuts are all chopped up and tiny. And the whole bar is thinner...which is bad news.Because it's easier to bite into...therefore I eat it quicker...and because it seems thinner, I don't feel full up afterwards ,which is even worse news.So that is my review of the new Galaxy hazelnut - if you want the same enjoyment as you get from the original sort - try eating two bars together



Onto other things! Week 49 is now live over at Pencil Lines:) This week we were sponsored by SIS TV with a very bright and funky kit.I was going to go for a black and white photo but instead went for this one as it has so many colours in it! Huge thanks to Caz for printing the photo for me on Friday!

Muffins

Sorry, couldn't think of a more interesting title!

It seems that Autumn is fast approaching (what the heck happened to summer?!) so I really fancied making apple muffins today! Lots of cinnamon and nutmeg - yum! I've had this recipe for years, it comes from a school recipe book we had to contribute to in our final year at junior school! And yes, I still have my original copy of the book!

Not much done here today. The weather was supposed to be sunny...the sun appeared at 5pm!

We went through Holly's wardrobe and she tried on all the hanging clothes...and I've had a clearout of the things that don't fit!

Last night I scrapped so here's a sneak of my layout for tomorrow night :) Had a little sort out of one of my stash hidey holes today...hopefully stuff will stop falling out on me now! Anna has had the go ahead to run an after school craft club so I am sorting stuff to pass on to her too.I hate throwing anything away so I have lots of bits and pieces to pass on to her!

Oops...long time no blog!

Hadn't realised it was that long since I last posted, but have had my wrist slapped do here I am!
So we are getting back into the routine of school, work etc etc :(
Em is feeling very grown up as she started walking home from school with her friends and not me & Holly. The first thing she said when she got in today was...'That was cool!' She is growing up....and to prove it we had her 'Moving on ' pack today - applicatons for senior school next year.I think we have some heavy reading ahead of us!
Today I met up with lovely Caz :) We had a very slow wander round Hobby Craft and bought a few goodies.Shopping with a crafting friend is so much more fun! We bought and split a couple of packs of MM goodies and some ribbon and i have lots of things on a wish list!Caz also saved my life by printing a photo for me too so thank you hun! ;)

This morning I got happy post( along with a few others!),more gorgeous Scenic Route papers plus restocks of my faves!Would have been happier had the postie not bent them in half, but at least he pushed them the whole way through the letter box so they 'self flattened ' a bit!
Right, I am off to bed as I was supposed to go ages ago! No new photos so I leave you with a pic of scrapping angels CJ which is currently in Anna's safe keeeping!

Doh...

...hmm,so I messed up this morning....
I have it on my calender that the girls start school tomorrow.At 8.30 we were all dressed and ready to leave the house for my mum & dad's (kids were going there while I was at work)Then my dad rang and asked if I was sure they went back tomorrow as there were lots of children going into the school gates - (they (luckily for me!) live almost opposite the school).I rang another school mum to check and yes, I had it totally wrong...OMG!! We somehow made it to the school only 5 mins later than normal! Admittedly lots of Holly's stuff like her juice bottles and lunchbag weren't named and neither of them took their PE kit , but at least they made it! I cannot believe it though!Geoff has walked the kids into school with me on the first day of term every year..until this one - he has tomorrow booked off work!I know it's not the end of the world but I kicking myself! So this evening I have finished off the sewing on of name labels and sorting the PE kit....
In a way it was a godsend as Em had her new braces fitted yesterday :( To say she was unhappy was an understatement and the first thing she shrieked when I told her she was due in school today was 'I can't go'.She now has two braces to re-align her jaw.Yesterday at the orthodontist they had to bring her back out again as she was so upset and panicked.Thankfully though, it seems to be settling down okay, I just don't think she was expecting it so be quite so bad this time.I think going into school has kept her mind off it too, which can only be a good thing.
I'll leave you with a photo taken after school minus the braces!

week 48

...is now live over at Pencil Lines! Didn't think I was going to make it this week with Holly being unwell for a couple of nights(yes, I really do work that close to the deadlines - poor Anam!)I got there in the end though!
I used
Crate Papers Kate collection
Zsiage 'F' (inked)
Cherry arte cipboard letters (inked )
KI Memories gel candy letters
Lil Davis Crillon chipboard letters
Angel Kiss hydrangea flowers
Looking at it now, I think I could have chucked more on it! How come I love other poeples clean & simple layouts but always think mine look empty?!
Anyway, I do ike it, especially the photo.This was Holly's first sighting of the beach when we went to Filey this year.We walked for ages trying to find a way on to the beach and she ran off with excitement when she realised we were almost there! Love these papers, I was a bit loathe to cut them up but luckily I have plenty of scraps left!
We've had a quiet couple of days here.Holly turned out to have a build up of ear wax rather than an ear infection and was a lot more settled last night.We are putting drops of olive oil in her ear and have to go back to the docs this week to see if it's shifted.After a rough night on Friday, she has a sleep yesterday afternoon.I'd forgotten the joy of afternoon naps! Amazing what you can done in that time!Geoff was back at work today and although the weather wasn't great we had a bbq for tea :)
Yesterday we bought the girls the soundtrack for High School Musical 2.Oh the shame..I have to admit I quite some of it!Let's face it, I'd rather they listened to and watched that than some of the stuff that's around!
I leave you with a couple more photos of our trip out on Friday :)

I love the red pandas , they have to be one of my favourite animals! I was so excited to get this photo, they're always asleep in the trees when we go to Whipsnade Zoo!