A New Day is Here

I am all alone in a very quiet house. No husband, no babies. Just me. It's weird and not at all exciting or relaxing as I imagine it should be. I'm still here, while my family is roaming the town with Grandma, because it's my sleep-in day. Every morning when Ellie gets me up early after a shocking night with Kahlei I look to Saturday, I yearn for my time to sleep while someone else gets up. So, I am feeling ripped off right now, as by the time James got the girls dressed and ready I was well and truly awake and once they had gone my neighbour started making a racket and I just couldn't get back to sleep. So, now I am just a tad grumpy with a killer headache, waiting for James to call. I don't want to call him, as he'll probably think I am checking up on him after I kept reminding him about things he would need to take last night and I think he was insulted. It's not that I don't think he can take care of the girls, it's just that he's not done this before and I know for experience what you need to make an outing bareable!

Now, I want to share Caryn's new release, A New Day.



Let me tell you, I have been amazed, inspired and touched by the layouts Caryn's CT have made with this kit. Something about this kit encouraged the most beautiful, heartfelt and honest pages. I already knew these women were awesome but the things that were shared - just wow. I strongly encourage you to visit Caryn's Blog and check out what everyone has created.

Here are my LOs



(click image to see larger)

If you're inspired and ready to create something beautiful and touching grab this kit from one of Caryn's stores Digiridoo Scraps, ESS, SDD and and, to make it even more tempting it is currently 40% off till SUNDAY ONLY!

To top it all off Erin of Scrappyweiss Designs has created an awesome freebie to co-ordinate with A New Day. You can get it here. Make sure you leave Erin some love when you download it!

There's a New Kit on the way!

Just wait until you check out Caryn's brand new kit. It's stunning and has really inspired us all. I am really loving being on such a wonderful CT with so many amazing women!!

Not long now..

I just want to say that I can't wait for our neighbour to be gone. She really manages to bring out a whole otherside to James that is practically reserved just for her. Honestly. I have to say, though, that I have never met anybody as rude and I have never encountered an elderly person I couldn't get along with until her. So, I totally get his frustration, but his reaction to her surprises me everytime, especially since he is normally able to tolerate so much. There are things he puts up with that I am simply amazed by.

Alright, that's enough about that!

I have recently join a new creative team for the awesome Erin, aka Scrappyweiss Designs, and I wanted to share some layouts I have made with her newest kit, Caryn's Wild Meadow.

For this one I also used
Template by Mychl's Flights of Fancy 23/06 #1 & 2 which will be available free on the Digiridoo Blog

I used Template 10 by Color With Caryn, which is currently free at ESS as part of the Build a Fairy Treehouse challenge.

Well, I have to go now, Ellie's cut down her naps to an hour... Sooo not thrilled!

Inconsiderate + Layout Overload + Freebie

I haven't written much here about our neighbour, possibly because I have nothing positive to say about the lady. As a rule I disagree with the use of 'Bitch' to describe women, but in this case it is truelly fitting. She hasn't spoken to us in 6 and a half months after she decided to yell at James on our front lawn. We were in a hurry to get to the Doctors and he didn't have time to stop and talk to her about the fact taht she had hired a man to prune (hack) the trees in our front yard (on common property) and had taken the money out of our joint account without so much as a word to us. Once we got home, she had a fit about how we parked our car and came around banging on the front door while Ellie was having a sleep. Since that day (a day before Kahlei's birth) she hasn't said a word to us. Instead, she makes it known that she doesn't like us by being as loud as possible when the babies are trying to sleep -  stamping up and down her front steps, practically yelling when she speaks and general annoyances. But, today she surparssed all, even the times she used to yell for James to come talk to her from her verandah or phone us and demand he come around for any whim that took he fancy. More so than her ripping us off in how we split our bills and suggesting that she should pay even less.

This morning she had a garage sale. On common property. Without a single word to us. Luckily, James's mum phoned last night to warn us, otherwise I think James would have stormed out there when all the noise drew his attention to the people milling around on our driveway, near his car and all the cars in our street parking us in. Last night her family arrived late, making as much noise as could be possible and then this morning they started scraping the furniture from out the back to take down to the street (which is right next to my head in bed).

To save James from making a scene (mainly because we have to stay in this street) we went to visit his mum. Ellie had a lovely time playing with the dogs, cat and watching the fish.

And when we came home we decided to get into the house as noisily as she normally doe (yes, a little childish, but it was fun) and boy she must use a whole lot of energy to be so loud and annoying!!!!!!

Anyway, she will be gone soon and we'll have new neighbours. I really hope it's somebody nice and we don't have any dramas.

Now, I have some layouts to post :)

Digiridoo Scraps Designers:


Spice of Life collab kit by The Digiridoo designers


Sweet Turtles by Designs by Pebbles


Counrty Charm by DigiDesigned byWilma


Country Charm by DigiDesigned byWilma


Tangerine by Sarah Barber Designs


Template Pack 2 by Felicia Staulters
Zoo Friends by Felicia Staulters


Family Time Word Art by Felicia Staulters
A Day Just For Dad Remixed by Inspiredbydominic Designs

Oh, also - I have some Sims 3 Inspired Papers available for download here

June Design Me This + P365

I have been a bad, bad blogger of late... but with two sick babies, a sick hubby and feeling under the weather myself I have found it too hard to wade through the fog that is my brain.

The girls are still sniffly and not sleeping great at night but they have improved. Ellie is well enough to run around all day like a nut and for the past three days has cut her day sleep down to an hour. Can't say I'm thrilled with that, especially as she was up during the night last night.

Okay, on to a catch up for P365!

Day 123: Backyard Safari

Day 124: Sisterly Love :)

Day 125: Beauty

Day 126: Tree View

Day 127: Tootsies

Day 128: Blue What?

We've had sooo much rain and cloudy weather it's a relief to finally have some sun!

Day 129: Flower

I have no idea what kind of flower this is (James?), I've taken it for the Digiridoo Scraps June Photo Challenge

Now, this month's Design Me This Challenge has really had me stumped. I've been playing with my papers since my birthday and nothing has really come up the way I wanted. Finally, I have come up with four papers I can live with

If you like them you can download them here (click image to view larger preview).

Well, I best be off - really need a nap!! Before I go; check out my picks for Twilight Character Sims 3 downloads. Do you have a completely different view of the characters from the books??

What a day..

Well... It's been a day and half here! Last night was a shocker with Kahlei barely sleeping and James and I both being sick, so it's safe to say I wasn't in the best of moods this morning. It all seemed to start well, Kahlei finally fell into a good sleep (much to my frustration, it was at a time when I couldn't be sleeping too) and Ellie seemed to be in high spirits, even though I am sure she must have been disturbed last night.

Everything went as normal, we ate breakfast and James went off to work and Ellie and I made the bed before I turned on the TV for Ellie to watch In The Night Garden. As the show started, it all fell apart. I don't even know why - all of a sudden Ellie was screaming, crying, carrying on and throwing her arms about in the air. No amount of Igglepiggle stopped the racket (and boy can that girl SCREAM - I mean piercing straight into my brain)! Somehow, we pulled ourselves together to go out as we were about to run out of nappies, which we seem to be doing a bit lately. Where once we had boxes and boxes we now seem to be living one bag to the next - it's a tad stressful.

So, we went out and the girls were perfect (thank goodness)!  I was thinking we'd come home, I'd pop both girls in bed and have a sleep myself and it seemed to be going that way. Both girls went to bed without a peep. 5 minutes later Kahlei was awake and playing with her mobile and being generally noisy, so I decided to get her up and put her in bed with me. I gave her a feed and thought she would sleep, but instead she started chatting to me. Now, I love to hear her gorgeous little chatterings, but I was seriously so tired, I just wished she would stop!!

By the time Ellie got up there'd been no sleep for me... For whatever reason Ellie got up in a terrible mood and Kahlei decided she was actually extremely tired and grumpy (*sigh* go figure). Arsenic hour in our house normally starts at about 4.30 pm and reaches it's peak at 5.30 pm if James hasn't come home by then. Today, it began at 1pm and didn't end until about 5.30.

Once things had calmed down I prepared dinner, James and Ellie fed Kahlei a bottle and all seemed right with the world. Until I got dinner on the table. I was just about to sit down when Kahlei started whinging, I figured she was ready for bed, as she should have been and picked her up as she projectile vomitted ALL over me! I have serisouly never seen a baby vomit that much. She was covered, I was covered, James was kind of laughing and somewhat frozen from shock. As was I. Then she started heaving again, so I did the only logical thing (in my shocked state) and turned her around. Now I am covered, she is covered, the rug is covered... Good move...

I was standing there saying to James "Help?" and he had no idea what to do! I quickly sat down with her on my lap to try and calm her and she brought up another litre of projectile yellow vomit (okay, maybe not literally that much but it was heaps). After which she started chatting and smiling, obviously that did the trick.

Since she was obviously feeling better we got in the shower, which caused a tantrum from Ellie who also wanted to be in the shower - not eating dinner with Daddy.

After the three of us had a nice warm shower things finally settled down. Both girls had a story and went to bed and they're still sleeping now. I just hope we have a good night tonight!

Before I go off to bed: Digiridoo Scraps is having a CT call. If you love digiscrapping, being a part of a fun community and the chance to work with kits from awesome designers then I suggest you apply!!

Look at my Girls!

They're on the mend :) Unfortunately, James and I have caught it (what a surprise) and neither of us is feeling very good at all! As the day has gone on I have felt worse and worse. Just sitting here now I am starting to get itchy eyes and a stuffier head. I must be feeling ill - I am finding Rove much funnier than I normally do...

Poor Bubbas

Both my girls are sick, poor little darlings :( Someone always gets sick after we go to the doctors!! Ellie was worse the last two nights but seems to be picking up tonight (she was running around like a crazy thing when james got home). Kahlei was okay the first night but has been worse since. She slept most of the morning and I am hoping a good sleep tonight will put her on the road to recovery, I don't like her not being her happy, content self.

Needless to say I am tired and on my way to being sick, too. Cuddling sick babies for much of the day and night will do that to you!

Now, I have some Project 365 to catch up!

Day 114: Rambo

Day 115: Birthday Girl (+ Hubs)

Day 116: Park Lunch Date

Day 117: Josh Wears Shoes!

And, yes, it's a big deal! Seriously, the boy is ALWAYS barefoot!

Day 118: *Shudders*

These freaky cows watched me as we drove home for AGES.

Day 119: Baby Mush - Yummo

Day 120: The Sims 3 fan page

Don't forget, if you want to be in the running to win your very own copy of The Sims 3 (or if you just want to help me win) support  my fan page. Thanks :)

Day 121: Lashes

Kahlei has really long lashes, surely didn't get them from me!

122: Sick Bubba

Sim It Up!

When I first discovered The Sims 3 was in the pipeline I had just ordered The Sims 2 Apartment Life, the last expansion pack in The Sims 2 line and decided I was going to totally avoid reading anything about the upcoming release. As a busy parent who rarely gets to play the games I already had I decided that my run as a Sims fan (or fanatic) was over.

I avoided checking The Sims 2 sites and forums - just in case. I was doing really well, until James started drawing my attention to screen shots, movies and tantalising tidbits of information that truely tested my resolve. I mentioned, on numerous occassions that I didn't want to know because I didn't want the game.

More exciting features were leaked to me by my loving husband and my wavering 'No Sims 3' stance took many blows, until I could resist no longer and had to peek at the video he was showing me. Who was I kidding? Of course I wanted it. All the things I never knew I wanted were being put into this release. A seamless neighbourhood in which to move about freely, endless customisation, the ability to create a truely unique Sim through a completely new create-a-sim where you can change practically everything in relation to their appearance and through the new personality traits.

Check out this Official Trailer out

The Sims 3 Trailer

Now you want it, too, right?

Yes, I wanted it. Still, I didn't ask for it and only took a couple of sneek peeks while wishing wistfully. Then, one day James came home all excited and as he has trouble keeping secrets from me he told me that he had pre-ordered it for me. How gorgeous of him!!

The release date was approaching and it was nice and close to my birthday; I had grand plans of Nanna having the girls for a day so I could play to my heart's content. But, the game never arrived. Two days ago James got an email stating that his order had been delayed.

I can't begin to describe how annoyed I am! I figure the whole point of a pre-order is to get the game as close to release date as possible without having to contend with searching the stores for what you want. Serious frustration.

Yesterday I entered The Sims 3 Ultimate Aussie Fan competition. By supporting my Fan Page and helping me out you can also win a prize for yourself! How cool is that? So, please support me (and validate it through the email they send). I will be updating my page with content, news, videos and pictures as much as I can, so if you're interested in all things Sim check regularly for the latest!

Gone in a Flash

The past six months have simply flown past. It's hard to believe that Kahlei is 6 months old already.  She's starting to get bigger now - her 0000 suits will have to go away now, some of the bigger suits still fit, but it's a stretch and she has the cutest chubby cheeks.

I love watching her take things in - you can just see her absorbing everything around her. Getting moving hasn't been much of a priority for her, she has been happy to go at a slow steady pace and concentrate on filling her little brain with as much information as she possibly can. Only recently has she started the kicking of her legs in anticipation of moving while having tummy time, or pulling her upper body up when she wants to sit up or the constant rolling to get where she wants to go. She's also started putting her dummy back in and can sit on her own for 30 seconds. Clever monkey. I am enjoying the fact that she's taking her time to do these things. At this age Ellie was well and truely sitting and almost crawling - she was in a hurry to be on the move and independent and while I was a proud Mumma things go way too fast in the first place without the bub fast tracking things as well!

Although, Ellie would be happy for her to hurry up a bit. She's forever telling Kahlei "Walk" and showing her with slow, deliberate moves exactly how it's done.

The only part of her 'taking it all in' approach that I worry about is when Ellie's throwing an award winning tantrum and Kahlei is sitting there smiling and taking in every little aspect. Here's hoping she won't be an even bigger Drama Queen than The Diva herself!

Look how much she's grown!

And before I go to bed (I'm writing this the night before because tomorrow we're getting in the car and going away - yay), tonight we did a 'bed swap' before story time:

My little girl in the big bed and my big girl in the little bed :)

<3

Not Sure I Would Agree..

Day 113: James Says We DON'T Need a Dryer

It's been raining here for days. Unfortunately, the washing doesn't stop piling up because the weather isn't optimal for drying. How inconsiderate. So, this is what our house currently looks like. There's clothes literaly everywhere. On the wall, on Ellie's play house, on the pram, the bookcase... If it's a piece of furniture, it's covered in clothes trying to dry before we go away tomorrow.

I vote Yes to Clothes Dryer!!

Go Me!

I don't have trophies or awards from my childhood or youth. I wasn't one for team sports, solo sports, dancing, music... In short I never did anything which would lead to some type of award celebrating my achievements or successes. Even with three brothers who regularly won trophies for which ever sport/instrument they decided to take up I wasn't too upset by my lack of prizes. After all it was my choice to not participate in things that offered such accolades.

Over the years, as I have become an adult, my wistful thoughts on the subject have been fleeting. Occasionally, I might think about how it would be nice to have a shelf full of shiny trophies or a scrapbook filled with ribbons and awards. I wonder what would be different about my life now if I had those things (not that I want my life to be different, I just wonder what kind of impact they have in the long run, ie would I be more successful?).

Until now I haven't really thought about how it feels to receive acknowledgement from others when doing something you love. Last Friday I won Layout of the Day at Enchanted Studio Scraps and was over the moon. I felt so validated in my passion. It was amazing. Then, today I sit down for a moment to email my mum and happen to check the Color With Caryn CT forum and find that I have also won Layout of the Week!!! Check my post about LOTD to see the layout I won with.

I am now in the running for Layout of the Month (if you're an ESS member go here to vote for me). I am up against three gorgeous layouts and don't expect to win at all, but just to be in the running is amazingly uplifting.To have something I have created recognised is awesome.

I even have some bling:

Finally!!

First, I know... 'later today' turned into 'tomorrow' for yesterday's P365 pic and as you've all been waiting so patiently - here it is:

Day 111: Bedtime Stories

Day 112: Getting Friendly

I know this shot is blurry, but I wanted to share what most toys in this house do quite frequently. They kiss. Everyone kisses. They're all very friendly!

Soo, I know I have been practically bombarding you with all this digiscrapping stuff that I am now doing, but I hope you know that I am only promoting things because I am really into the kit or community. And now, I am quite ecstatic to be able to share this new kit with you all. I have been waiting for what seems like forever for Caryn to release this!

In fact I feel so excited that you'd think I was the designer! Hehe. Drum roll please...

Color With Caryn presents  All Boy

Here are the pages I have done with this kit so far:

Other than the fact that this kit truly is All Boy (which can be hard to find) I just love the fact that I didn't have to double up on any elements for these layouts. There were perfect pieces for each of my unique brothers - it's almost as if Caryn knows them!!

Caryn has just opened a new store at Digiridoo Scraps, so she's celebrating with a Grand Opening sale - Her entire store is 50% off, making All Boy just $2! If you have trouble finding the perfect kit to scrap the boys in your life then this kit is sure to please!

Now, it seems I have a Wiggly date as Ellie's woken and decided it's time for 'Yummy yummy".

Oh! Before I go, if you love a template and you love a freebie pop over to the Digiridoo Scraps blog and join Michelle in Template Tuesday!