"That" Kid

It is that time of year where all the Facebook posts are of how amazing all my friends children did at school, how proud they are of the amazing school reports and their achievements during the year.

I have a child like that too, Abbey came home with an amazing school report, one that any parent would be proud of and amazing grades and many achievements.

But I don't share.

Why don't I share?

I have two children. One that gets amazing grades and one that doesn't. One that does great at school and one that doesn't. One that has lots of friends and gets invited over to peoples houses and one that doesn't.

I don't tend to want to rave about one of my children and not the other.

I have had a "feeling" about my son ever since he was quite little. I'm an Early Childcare Teacher, I know kids, I know what they are supposed to do developmental wise. So maybe I should have acted upon this "feeling" long before now, but the thing is no one ever wants to admit that there is something "wrong" with their child.

At the beginning of this term I had to make a very difficult decision, one that I haven't widely talked about but I thought it was time to talk about it, time to open up as I have about so many difficult times in my life. I need to write about it because writing helps me process things in my mind.

This term I made the decision to keep Riley back a year at school. He was supposed to be going to Intermediate School next year and the thought terrified me. How can I send my son to Intermediate? He will be eaten alive. He will drown. Let me explain my son to you all.

I have a sneaky suspicion that Riley has a form of Autism. I have wondered this for a really long time. So far it hasn't been a massive thing. He hates loud noises, he hasn't really got any close friends, he obsesses over schedules, hates surprises or sudden changes. His behavior is up and down. He sulks, won't talk to you and throws tantrums even though he is now 10! We went through mental health and they put his behavior down to post traumatic stress from the death of his Dad. He had counselling and things seemed to start getting better but once the counselling ended so did the progress. His grades have fallen, his behavior isn't the greatest again, things seem to be taking a nose dive for him. So back to mental health again, more assessments and at a terrible time of the year to try and get anything done.

I am scared for my son. No one wants their kid to be "that" kid, but my kid is. My kid is the one who is going to get picked on and bullied because he is different. My kid is going to get teased because he can't control his emotions.My kid is going to be ridiculed because of his irrational fears and insecurities. My kid is going to get eaten alive by the "normal" kids because kids are incredibly cruel. And it breaks my heart.

I love my son with my everything, I feel like I have failed him as a parent. I feel like I should have done more, been more involved in his schooling, talked to his teacher more often, taking more notice and done more for him. I feel like I have let him down.

I don't know if Riley is autistic. He might just be a weird kid. He might just be a little terd who doesn't want to do what he is told. My mothers instinct is telling me otherwise. His grades for his effort were all A and B which tells me he is trying but not understanding. And over the last year I have seen some massive positive changes in him. But he still isn't ready to be put in an Intermediate school environment. The thing that scares me most is what if even after this extra year, where I am planning to be on his toes the whole year, what if he still isn't ready? What do I do then?

It's so difficult having one kid who has problems and one who is the complete opposite. I want to shout out and praise my daughter and share all her achievements but I don't want to look like I have favorites. I love my kids the same, they are my whole world. It's just that one is a breeze to parent and the other is a nightmare.

So now I fill in lots of forms and then wait until the new year for another appointment with mental health to assess my son. I cry a lot about it and I pray that this coming year will be the year that he might shine and achieve what he needs and wants. I hope that I can make the changes to help him be successful.

Watch this space for more information and wish me luck!

Better Scrapbooking March Challenges

This months challenges are:


Layout Challenge: 
~Create a layout with the following:
~Pastel Shades
~Hearts
~Twill or sewing
~One photo
~Your own home made embellishments


This is my take on the challenge ~   
*Pastel Shades ~ Little Yellow Bicycle Fresh Print Clothesline
*Hearts ~ Punched with a Fiskars scalloped heart punch
*Twill or sewing ~ twill around the hearts
*One photo
*Your own home made embellishments ~ My stringed hearts 

Photo Challenge:  

St Patrick's day is coming up so take photos of something 'Green'.  Have fun with this and see what you can find that is Green.

It is not easy to find green around my house!! This is about the only thing I could find that wasn't in my garden!!!

Colour Challenges:  

Create a layout, card, or other paper crafting piece using colours from this colour palette.  You may like to use a couple of the colours or all the colours.

This is my take on the colour challenge ... I do really love the pink/green combo!

Can't wait to see your work in the Better Scrapbooking gallery!!

Fiskateer Online Crop

Last weekend I happened to pop into Fiskateers. I haven't been in there in such a long time it's crazy! But WOW!! Massive changes have gone on over there and I happened to pop in when they were hosting an online crop.

I LOVE online crops, even though it is difficult to manage to get much done with two kids and a puppy!!! But I caught as much time as I could and seemed to have my scrapping mojo flowing and ended up doing 3 LOs. Not only that but they are 3 LOs I am really happy with!!
So here they are .....

Cha Cha Cha Challenge Pump Up the Title
Make a LO of a team sport with a cheer as the title ....

Go Kamo! Go Kamo! ~ Hit A 6! Hit A 6!

Last year Riley started playing Cricket for his school team. He has never been interested in playing any sports before but for some reason he got excited about cricket. I pounced on his enthusiasm and away he went! He plays in what they call "Give It a Go" Cricket. It's a fun way for the kids to learn the skills needed to play cricket, and to learn about the basics of the game in a really fun way. Riley is thoroughly enjoying it. I am loving it and it has been so good for him. He is getting more confident within himself and I believe that playing cricket has had a lot to do with that. Riley's team are amazingly supportive of each other, he is the smallest on the team and never gets left out, always gets encouraged and never laughed at or put down if he misses or gets out. I am really enjoying how cool this whole cricket thing is!

Cha Cha Cha Challenge Punch Punch Punch Your Scraps
Create a LO using your scraps and your Fiskars punches

Using leftovers from one of the packs I got at the Christchurch Scrappin' Patch Retreat, I used my Fiskars circle punch & my Threading Waters border punch.

Halloween 2010 ~ My Mum & I made the best Sheriff Woody costume ever! And Riley rocked it BIG time!!

Cha Cha Cha Challenge Celebrate C-H-A
C ~ Cloth - I used Ribbon
H ~ Heart - hanging off my ribbon
A ~ Apple - apple button as well as on the pic of the book cover

Some CRAZY ladies who I call friends convinced me to go to the midnight premiere of Breaking Dawn Part 1. Well I managed to stay awake and have a really good time! The girls who organised it put together some awesome goody bags and decorated up RYNOZ (the before the movie meeting place) and the movie was my favourite so far! I am crazy in saying that I am looking forward to the next midnight premiere for part two!!

I am glad I seem to have my scrapbooking mojo back after having a bit of a holiday! So watch this space for more LO from me (hopefully!!)

Happy Scrapping!!

Better Scrapbooking February Challenges

Remember me talking about them back HERE ....
Well for a change I got all three challenges done really quickly and early! So here are my takes on the challenges

Layout Challenge: Copy this months Layout Guide

Abbey's Kindergarten had a celebration for the Chinese New Year by having a shared lunch and Dress up day, Chinese theme of course! Read all about it HERE


Photo Challenge:  Favourite Holiday photo

A friend of ours gave us a pool recently and the kids can't get enough of it! They want to be in it ALL the time! I just love this photo of Abbey with her goggles on!

Colour Challenge:  Create a layout, card or other project using this months colour combination.

My Lil' Monster! This photo was taken at the Fireworks display in 2010. Riley was actually showing me what was in his mouth hehehe


Would love to see you over at the Better Scrapbooking gallery with your takes on the challenges!!

Better Scrapbooking February Challenges

Great prizes up for grabs!! We are really trying to get more people involved so tell your scrappy friends and neighbours!! Come on over and get busy at the Better Scrapbooking Community!!

Layout Challenge: Copy this months Layout Guide
Use this layout guide to create your layout.  Either copy it exactly or let it inspire you.

Photo Challenge:  Favourite Holiday photo
Share with us your favourite holiday photo from this summer.  The way the weather has been it might even be a photo in the snow.


Colour Challenge:  Create a layout, card or other project using this months colour combination.

Have fun and I look forward to seeing all your creations in the Gallery soon!!

30 Day Mum Challenge

I am struggling to be a Mum. It's hard for me to admit that. Ever since Jase died I have been struggling terribly with his loss. I have had to try to learn to live without my Love and best friend. Jason was a fantastic Dad. We worked really well together as a parenting team. We had strengths and weaknesses in different areas and I think we were good parents. I am really struggling dealing with the loss of Jason, and becoming a solo parent. I am hurting very badly and so are my children. I struggle with the day to day chores and at times am so overwhelmed with my own grief I forget that the children are grieving too. This has resulted in me becoming short tempered, un-attentive, lethargic, and un-responsive to my children and it pains me so bad to know that I can not be the Mum I used to be. I used to love playing with my children, now it seems like a chore. My children used to make me laugh and smile, now they make me shout and growl. Tears are streaming down my face as I write this because I absolutely HATE the Mum I am turning into. I NEED to change for my children. I NEED to be there for them, they NEED me more than ever. The last few weeks I have been trying so very hard to turn myself around to be the Mum my kids deserve. Tonight my friend Taryn pinned this onto Pinterest


When I have finished writing up this blog post I am going to go and print this out and attach it to my bedroom mirror. I am going to do each and every one of these things this month, try to blog about it (it will be easier when I get a new camera!) and I am going to try to enjoy my children again. They are my biggest reason for living, for carrying on, for not falling into that dark abyss I am balancing on the edge of. They are my light, I just need to turn it on.

I will start by giving both of my children a kiss as I tuck them in when I go to bed.

I love you Riley
I love you Abbey
alwaysforeverandeternity xxxxx

Addicted to Pinterest

I am totally addicted! There are the most amazing ideas on there! I also have lots of friends who are as addicted as me (well maybe not quite as addicted, not all of them anyway!!) A few of us were talking about how cool it would be to get together once a month and actually MAKE a lot of the stuff we have 'pinned' instead of just drooling over it!! So I started a group on FaceBook and we are hopefully going to motivate each other to make lots of amazing stuff!

Alisa is challenging herself to make more of her pins you can check her out over HERE

And I will also be updating when I make my pins here too!! So who's up for a Pinspiration Challenge!???!!??!



Come Join us on FaceBook at Pinterest Junkies!

Better Scrapbooking July Scrap Pack

Well the July newsletter is out at Better Scrapbooking and that means I can show off what I made with this months Scrap Pack.



I stole this pic of what was in the scrap pack from fellow design team member Karen, you can check out what she did with it HERE The papers were all from the Fancy Pants Hot Chocolate range.

CRAFT TO DO BOOK



I have sooo many crafting ideas that I want to do so I decided to make a book to keep all my ideas in. I have put 6 TABS saying:

*NEED TO - for all my unfinished projects
*WANT TO - all the projects I REALLY want to do
*DESIGN TEAM - all my projects for the Better Scrapbooking design team
*SKETCHES - scrapbooking sketches I want to do
*CONTESTS - any online competitions or challenges
*MARKET - stuff I am going to make for the craft market

with the all the projects I have put in the book I have also included all the materials I need to make it all. I am hoping that I will be able to be a little more organised with my crafts by using this book!!

MAGNETIC COASTER


I wanted to do something a little different with my coaster rather than just make a coaster so I decided to turn it into an inspirational magnet! You never have too many magnets aye!!

CARDS



Now cards have never been my strong point, I really don't like making them. But I think been on the DT is making me stretch out of my comfort zone and make more cards than I have before! These ones I quite like!

LO


This paper range was PERFECT for the photos I took on our recent Holiday to Taupo and Rotorua. The kids were all rugged up and in their warm jackets which we rarely wear up here in the 'Winterless North'. I love this photo of Riley in his jacket!

If you want to know how I made these head on over to Better Scrapbooking and check out the July Newsletter, also check out what the other Design Team members have done with their packs.

Also head on over to the Better Scrapbooking Blog to see the new July Challenges! Upload your entries in the Better Scrapbooking Gallery and be in to win a monthly prize!

Happy Scrapping everyone!

New Challenge Blog!!

This looks like it could be a fun one!! Check out Challenge Me Happy HERE and you might get a chance to win this ...



Also go check them out on Facebook HERE too!!

I LOVE me a good challenge!

Better Scrapbooking Bonanza Post

Lots of Better Scrapbooking stuff to write about today!

Firstly the new June Newsletter is out check it out HERE. I did a few Off The Page projects for this months Scrap Pack. I loved the Bo Bunny Petal Pushers papers so much that I forgot to take a photo of the papers and stuff before I dug into it so sorry!!

But here is what I made ...

I made these using 6 of the large matchboxes. Abbey loves it and it looks super cute in the bathroom and keeps her hair stuff nice and tidy!

I know I was on Off the Page but a scrapbook page was screaming at me from these papers!! Abbey outside blowing 'dandy clocks' were perfect photos to go with the papers!

I have had this sitting around for a very long time. I picked it up at the hospice shop for 50c.

This is what it looks like now ....


This was the very first 'binkie' Abbey had when she was in SCBU (Special Care Baby Unit) and to go with the little shadow box I made this to match ....



I am so pleased with how these turned out. And Abbey was too!!

Now onto the Cards ....



I made this card for my Mum for Mothers day. I put a magnet on the back so she could put it on the fridge. I printed the card template from HERE


'Hello' Card


Baby Shower Card

To See how I made all these go check out the June Newsletter at Better Scrapbooking HERE

Since the newsletter is out also means that there are new June Challenges!

Layout Challenge - Sketch
This is fairly easy - simply use the below layout (designed by Megan), as your guide and copy it. You are welcome to add some journalling and a title.



Photo Challenge - Change
With the change of seasons Megan thought a photo challenge of 'change' could be fun. It might be the change in the trees, or maybe your change of hairstyle/colour or even a change in the house where you have tidied/re-organised. Share your 'change' with us!

Project Challenge - The Kids Room
Create a fun off the page project for your child's bedroom. It could be a word banner, name plaque or hair bobs box. See what fun item you can come up with for your child's room and then share your finished project with us.

Card Challenge - Folded Embellishment
Create a card using an embellishment, some form of paper folding such as teabag folding or our fold-it flower template.

There is a prize for each challenge so to be in to win upload your photos to the Better Scrapbooking Gallery HERE before the end of June!

And speaking of prizes here are the winners for the May Challenges ....

Layout Challenge - Layering Embellishments

Congratulations to Cherie!



Photo Challenge - Reflections

Congratulations to Judez!



Project Challenge - Tribute to Mum

Congratulations to Jenny!!



Card Challenge - Waterfall Card

Congratulations to Jenny again!! Way to go Jenny!



Happy Scrapping everyone!!

May Challenges at Better Scrapbooking

Not so many entries in the April Challenges, Here's hoping for more in May but there were still some winners!!

Photo Challenge - Perspective, perspective, perspective.


This was one AWESOME photo!! Congratulations Jenny!

Project Challenge - Create a fun Easter Basket


Oh Congratulations ME!!!

And now for the May Challenges

Layout Challenge - Layering Embellishments. This is one of the trends in scrapbooking at the moment, layering. You may like to layer a flower over some chipboard with a stamped imaged layered on top of the flower. Let your creativity take flight with this one and see what fun things you can layer on a layout.

Photo Challenge - Reflections. Take a photo of a reflection, it maybe in a mirror, shopping window or like April's winner in the sunglasses.

Project Challenge - Tribute to Mum. With it being Mother's day this weekend why not extend it out to the rest of the month and show how special your Mum is to you by creating a tribute to her, it might be a canvas or mini album or something else.

Card Challenge - Waterfall Card.
Create a Waterfall style card. A waterfall card has about five decorative card squares that are mounted on a sliding strip. When the tab is pulled they open like the leaves of a book.

All entries to the online gallery challenges need to be uploaded to the online gallery at Better Scrapbooking before the 31st May. If you are unable to upload your photo feel free to email it to Megan at megan@betterscrapbooking.co.nz and she will upload it for you.


All entries go into the draw for a fun scrapbooking prize from Better Scrapbooking Ltd. I look forward to seeing your entries!!!

Happy Scrapping!

April Challenges at Better Scrapbooking

Lots more awesome entries for the March Challenges. And as you should know each category has a winner, so here are March's winners ....

Layout Challenge - Use Up Your Scraps
Congratulations to Clese!!



Photo Challenge - Everyday Life
Congratulations to Mummymoo!!



Project Challenge - CD Mini Album
Congratulations to Deb G!!



Card Challenge - Cupcake Card
Congratulations to Sandra A!!



If you want to have a chance of being a winner check out the April Challenges ...

Layout Challenge - Create a layout using chalks. You make like to use chalks for your title, on a border or on the edges of your photo mates. Lets see how many different techniques with chalks you can use on one layout. Have fun, and get messy.

Photo Challenge - Perspective, perspective, perspective. This has been inspired by the winning photo of March's photo challenge. Take a photo using an unusual perspective.

Project Challenge - Create a fun Easter Basket - with some lovely decorated eggs inside (these eggs could be bought chocolate eggs if you like).

Card Challenge - Create a fun pop-up card of your choice. You may like to create an interesting way for a pop-up to pop-up.

Hope to see you joining in over at Better Scrapbooking!!!