30 Day Photo Project

DAY 27

A picture of yourself and a family member


I decided to pick two family members
Brother A and Brother B
My two big brothers, David & Tony and me on my wedding day!
My Dad is in a wheelchair, and I wanted to walk down these amazing stairs at the garden where Jase and I got married, so my brothers walked me from the car to the bottom of the stairs where my Dad was waiting for me.
They are great brothers.


For more 30 Day Photo Projects go HERE

Holland Festival - Queens Day

Koninginnedag (Queen’s Day) on the 30th April is a national holiday in the Netherlands. It is one of the most extraordinary and colourful events in the world: literally a whole country turns orange and parties!

Now that's MY kind of Party!!

The Quarry Arts Centre here in Whangarei held a Holland Festival of their own and as soon as I found out about it I knew I HAD to be there!! So the kids and I dressed in our Orange finery, dragged my Mum & Nephews Luke & Liam down to the Quarry to get our Orange on!


The entry was free if you wore orange, but otherwise they had orange things for sale at the door to wear. I just HAD to get these cool shades for the kids! The money all goes back to the Quarry so to me it's a good cause to donate to!



There were orange banners, balloons and decorations EVERYWHERE!
Like These ....





The first thing we did was make some Orange Paper at the Stand run by the Paper Mill




I helped Abbey and Riley did his own.

Then the kids got orange balloon creations ...




We had a lovely time and if the weather was better we more than likely would have stayed for longer. A definite must for next year!

And I must say that I think on my to do list will HAVE to be spending Koninginnedag in Amsterdam one year!! Orange Heaven!!!

Better Scrapbooking April Scrap Pack

Remember when I showed you all this back HERE
Well wanna see what I did with it????

Well I'm gonna show you anyway hehehe!


It's All About The Accessories
When I saw these papers I immediately thought about these photos of Abbey with ALL her necklaces on. She spent ages making them and then wore them ALL for days afterwards! Too darn adorable!


Fashionista
Abbey in her Tinkerbell outfit for the Fairy Festival, accessorised with wand, sunnies, flowery tights and ballet shoes ... a total Fashion Icon!!!


Abbey's Style
What does Abbey like in April 2011?
*Bear
*My Little Pony's
*Jewelery
*Tinkerbell
*Princesses
What a real GIRLY GIRL!!!


Glamour Girl
Abbey has her own Sunglasses but of course Mummy's are bigger and better!!! And look sooo much better on Abbey!

So if you would like to know how I made all these, as well as what the other Design Team members did with their Scrap Packs, pop on over to Better Scrapbooking and check out the May Newsletter

30 Day Photo Project

DAY 26

Someone you can talk to for hours


This amazing woman, Taryn.
Taryn, apart from my Mum, is one of the only people I talk with on the phone. You see since Jason's death I'm not overly fond of telephones, but I always have time to talk with Taryn and we usually give the phone at least a good 2 hour workout every time we talk.
I love talking to Taryn and I love hanging out with her even more! I can talk to her about ANYTHING and know that she won't mind, I can cry, get angry, laugh, say nothing much at all and I know she won't mind. I appreciate that more than I can say. And I'm sure I've repeated myself plenty over our many conversations!!
Love ya Taz xxxxx

For more 30 Day Photo Projects see HERE

Happy Mail & a RAK

My good mate Kristine has opened up her own Scrapbooking store from home called Scrap-a-Bull. I am immensely proud and jealous of her!!! She had a little Facebook competition and I won a Little prize which arrived in the post today!! YAY!!! Thanks Kristine & Scrap-a-Bull!!! Can't wait to test out my new goodies ....


Go check out her Website HERE and FaceBook HERE

And another scrappy friend is giving away a RAK on her blog! Go check it out HERE and leave a comment, the more comments she gets the more will go into the RAK! so get on over to Paper. Scissors. Chocolate.

A photo update post of the school holidays will be coming soon so watch this space!

30 Day Photo Project

Gee it's been a while but ....

DAY 25

A picture of your day.


Today is such a blerk weather day. I have put the heater on for the first time this year. It has been thundering and raining and it is incredibly windy. So since Abbey hasn't been well I popped her into bed for a sleep while Riley and I chill out on the couch with chips & dip and movies!

To see more 30 Day Photo Projects go HERE

Happy Easter

What does Easter mean to you?

I have mixed feelings and emotions about most Religiously based Holidays such as Easter and Christmas.

You see I right now am in complete limbo as to where my heart and beliefs stand.

I 100% believe in God, there is no doubt in my mind about that but things that have happened in my life have made me lose faith in that God I believe in. I have many unbelievable friends who have the most phenomenal Faith and I wish I could have an ounce of the Faith they have. It has been a long time coming this place where I am again "searching for answers I can't understand"

ANZAC Day 2011

A Tribute to ANZAC Day
With their hair a little whiter, their step not quite so sure
Still they march on proudly as they did the year before.
Theirs were the hands that saved us, their courage showed the way
Their lives they laid down for us, that we may live today.

From Gallipoli's rugged hillsides, to the sands of Alamein
On rolling seas and in the skies, those memories will remain.
Of airmen and the sailors, of Lone Pine and Suvla Bay
The boys of the Dardenelles are remembered on this day.

They fought their way through jungles, their blood soaked desert sands
They still remember comrades who rest in foreign lands.
They remember the siege of old Tobruk, the mud of the Kokoda Trail
Some paying the supreme sacrifice with courage that did not fail.
To the icy land of Korea, the steamy jungles of Vietnam
And the heroic battle of Kapyong and that epic victory at Long Tan.

Fathers, sons and brothers, together they fought and died
That we may live in peace together, while at home their mothers cried.
When that final bugle calls them to cross that great divide
Those comrades will be waiting when they reach the other side.

Ken Bunker

For My Grandad, Arthur John Church aka Jack

Words
"To put them on to paper and send them on to you,
Is all that circumstances will so far let me do,
Words are so inadequate when written down in ink,
They don't express one-millionth part of what I really think.
But the time will come eventually, when I am back with you
And then you'll know just what I mean, what I've tried to do

In the hell that's Egypt, I first knew what friends were
When mail came in every week they always caused a stir
Friends had not forgotten that I was overseas
They wrote me cheery letters of things they'd done and seen
It was a glimpse of home to me in Egypt's sun
To get those newsy letters with such a cheery tone

The months and years have passed since then and letters still arrive
As fast and regular as the P.O can supply
to have those friends, to know their worth, is something well worthwhile
That thought alone has helped me through many a dreary mile
When I return I'll do my best to let them know how much
It means to boys from home to get that homely touch

So friends if pen and ink have not said all I meant
Be sure the time is not far off when letters won't be sent
I will call and tell you, show you then and after
How you helped me through this hell, gave me joy and laughter
Thanks on paper don't mean much, but there's years yet to come,
When I can show you without words the wonderful job you've done."

AJ Church

Slack Blogger Alert!!

BIG catch up soon I promise!

11 Months

11 Months ago right now I was in the Hospital sitting with my husband who I knew was going to die tomorrow.

Back then I would have thought by now things would be getting easier, less painful, less raw. But it isn't. It is still hard, harder in fact than a few months ago. Still incredibly painful and very raw still.

Last week I started going to grief counselling. So far it is helpful in the fact that I know that it is ok and normal to be feeling the way I am. But one of the first things the counsellor said to me was

"I cannot make you feel better, I cannot make the pain go away"

Next month it will be a whole year without Jason and I'm not sure how I should be feeling about that. It's going to be difficult, heart wrenching difficult. It will be the first time in a year since I have been to the Prison. I will be seeing people I haven't seen since Jason's funeral, talking with the people who were with him when it happened. I will be blessed by the fact I will also be surrounded by my family and friends but they won't be able to take away my pain either.

I will never get over this, I will get stronger and perhaps start to wear my happy mask less, and actually wake up happy one day, but for now I grieve, and I cope one day at a time.

Rick, father of Elliot wrote something on his Facebook that I have stolen and altered a little because it rang so very very true to me

Please don't tell me you know how I feel,
Unless you have lost your husband early too,
Please don't tell me my broken heart will heal,
Because that is just not true,
Please don't tell me my love is in a better place,
...Though it is true, I want him here with me,
Don't tell me someday I'll hear his voice, see his face,
Beyond today I cannot see,
Don't tell me it is time to move on,
Because I cannot,
Don't tell me to face the fact he is gone,
Because denial is something I can't stop,
Don't tell me to be thankful for the time I had,
Because I wanted more,
Don't tell me when I am my old self you will be glad,
I'll never be as I was before,
What you can tell me is you will be here for me,
That you will listen when I talk of Jase,
You can share with me my precious memories,
You can even cry with me for a while,
And please don't hesitate to say his name,
Because it is something I long to hear everyday,
Please realize that I can never be the same,
But if you stand by me, you may like the new person I have become.

Gone but never ever forgotten, my love for alwaysforeverandeternity xxx