Bags, glasses and drawings...

It's amazing what a day with the computer switched to the OFF position (yes you can turn your computer off, how funny) can do....

I gave myself a forced 'computer-free' day yesterday and was surprised at how much I got done. Actually I'd even say it was refreshing. And sad to think how 'addicted' I am to this darn thing...

Where was I? Oh yes, I got a lot of other things done. Not so much in the housework department (much to my husband's dismay), but I got a lot of sewing done... and can you actually believe it.... wait for it... I finished a project.

I've been procrastinating a lot (it's one of my better skills) lately with this gorgeous bag pattern I bought (Janelle Wind Collection). I decided I was going to make one for my friend Sarah who's about to pop with twins. A twin mumma needs a big bag. And this one is fantastic. 16 pockets in total. If that's not enough room for twin supplies... you need two bags!!

Ah yes, procrastinating. I've cut bits here, bits there, I even buckled down and sewed a bit the other night. But yesterday I really got into it... and come 11.30pm last night, she was finished!!

I'll be a little sad to part with this. (in fact I seem to make most things as gifts, and as such don't actually have many of the things I've made) But I think its created a passion for bag-making, so I look forward to picking fabrics for and making the other 3 Janelle Wind patterns I have... nice.

Anyway, so here she is. Sarah's Nappy Bag. I made it in the fabrics (plus a few more) she's used for decorating the nursery. So it will match nicely. And suit girls, boys or one of each.

One side...
The other side...
And inside...
Storage heaven. I hope she likes it.

In other happenings, we did our weekly cooking experience today. Ah, the simple stay-at-home life. Today we made a low-fat chocolate weet-bix slice. But the camera battery was dead, so no pics. I do love taking pics of the kids cooking though. Its so cute and they just love it. I think next week we might try something a little more healthy - maybe a quiche or zucchini slice or something...

Here's a couple of pics I did take this morning of the monkeys mucking around on the trampoline. Lani found my old glasses and was trying them on. So cute. Eli wanted in on the funny action too. He has some crazy posing antics lately. Crazy child.





Yes... he has no pants on. This is a regular occurence around our house. At least I don't have to wash extra pants. Even if its not so flattering for photo ops...

And yesterday... Lani had a great time practicing her cutting. I'm not sure if she's done much before (not with me she hasn't) but she had a great time making little cuts all around the edge of the paper. Actually I remember Eli starting much the same way. He's progressed a little more th cutting into the paper now, he just hasn't quite got a hold on how to hold his scissors...

And I taught Eli how to draw a person. I was most impressed, as was he. First he drew him - head, eyes, mouth and arms and legs attached to the head. Then I showed him how to draw a girl with a dress (triangle) for a body. And he seemed to grasp that pretty well. Then he also drew me with curly hair (a bit tricky!) and he even wrote MUM. What a clever boy he is... proud Mummy moment. These are now on the fridge.




Well, that's all for now. I need to go to bed. Night all.

Happy Fathers Day!!

Hope all the Dads are having a lovely day today.

We gave Daddy a spot of breaky and coffee in bed and pressies before we headed to my Mum and Dad's place for a cooked breakfast!

Greg got a couple of bits and pieces - a shirt, thermal flask for work, choccies and a couple of works of art from the little ones... and we bought something else special yesterday, but haven't set it up yet - a BIG Plasma! Nice (we're just on the hunt for a high TV unit before we set them up).

It is also my sister Alissa's 25th b'day today, so we celebrated with some yummy cupcakes (with gorgeous little flower toppers that my friend Lou sent me).

It was great to see my neice Emmeson again too, coz even though her and Liss are living with my parents, either Emme or both of them have been elsewhere when we've visited the last couple of times...

Here's my Daddy and I! Love you Dad...

Hope you've all had a lovely day with your Dads!!

Just some funny pics...

I wanted to share...

Eli and I posing and being silly for the camera (he's just like his Mumma this one!)

And Lani and I too, but she wasn't as obliging for the funny photos, and rather preferred to cry...

And we took the kids out the back for a picnic morning tea on Saturday. We took some pics, and Greg attempted to set up a family pic, but we only got this far, this kids didn't want to lie down together without kicking and trying to kill each other! (pic#3)

Have a great night!

P.S. I have no idea why the pics are showing up all speckled-y, they are clear when I view them on my computer... hmmm... I don't think I even made the file sizes very small either.... oh well...

Play rooms, craft rooms and dragons...

Hi everyone!

Life has been busy. How's yours??

We have our playroom back - yahoo!!

Still working on transferring all the stuff into my craft room and deciding what gets the flick, but we're getting there and its SO GOOD to have the playroom back. This alone entertained the kids last week as they had *new* toys to play with again - things they hadn't seen in 2 months were favourites again!

Here's some work-in-progress pics...

The reading/puzzle/quiet play corner... (complete with number cards that are amazingly still there and haven't been ripped off the wall yet!)

The arts/crafts/manipulatives table and chest of drawers to house everything like puzzles, crafts etc.

Looking across most of the room from the sliding door to backyard...
(yes that is a giant Batman poster donning thw whole wall - compliments of Greg being an ex-manager of Toys R Us!)


The TV... and I FINALLY hung this IKEA toy storage thing up after having it for about 4 years! Oh, and my ABCs :)


Eli's train table... (and looking through the doorway of my craft room)


The walls are looking a little bare, and so I've got some things in store for those too, but they'll come when I get around to making/buying the things I need...

Which brings me to my craft room... which is DEFINITELY a work-in-progress right now. I've spend hours and hours this week searching eBay and my new IKEA catalogue (drool) and google for inspiration and pieces of furniture to put in here to jazz it up and make it feel crafty and gorgeous and comfortable and dare I even say 'organised'... ha, now I just need the money and the time...

Here's what it currently looks like...

Looking from the door across the little room to the window with its gorgeous window covering (a baby quilt I made for Jaidyn) while it awaits me to make some curtains...


Really the only part of the room that's 'set up' - this shelf housing photo albums, scrapbooking albums (which I wasted a few hours looking back through - ahh memories...), and some special things I love. Teddies made by my Nana. Circle Journals. Tins and other BTPs I've made (most not actually finished). And some things that friends have made me too.

Here's my sewing desk looking a bit drab and lonely - currently its being used as a 'dump as you sort things out' desk. I actually need to use it tonight though. Yay!

And here's the space where my scrapping desk used to go. We're getting rid of it coz I can't fit my legs underneath it properly (it has an annoying cut out for your legs - and well maybe I'm just too fat now, but it sucks either way.)


I'm looking to put a tall desk/table here for cutting out. I need something that is me height (which may be hard being 6ft tall) so that I can cut without killing my back and without sitting on the floor, coz there ain't a lot of that in this room! I'm hoping to get an adjustable height table from IKEA. Then these fabric boxes will fit underneath, and maybe another storage unit too. (this table will probably also double as an outdoor table when we need it, so adjustable and moveable is a must).

AND NOW..... THIS is the room I've been drooling over. Now I know mine will look nothing like it in the end, but I'm modelling my decor colours on this - yummy red and aqua and lots of polkadots - and I'm loving some of her storage ideas too.

So drool away...



And lastly, but not leastly, here's a little guy that Jai and I whipped up yesterday afternoon in about 40 minutes. Jai is doing drama at school and they need to make a sock puppet. He was not happy with his attempt and so I thought we'd make a simple one with some felt and button eyes... well it turned out harder than I thought for Jai to be able to sew when you have you make sure you don't sew through the other side of the sock.... and well we got a bit carried away with body parts too..

It's a dragon, can you tell... I think he's pretty cute for a quick job!! Jai loves him too...




Well, that's all. Its been a pretty mammoth effort to post all these pics, align them all right etc etc (blogger really doesn't like me I don't think) and I've almost used up all my 'kids sleeping' time...

Ciao!

Baking, riding bikes... just loving being at home!

I am really enjoying being a SAHM this week, and getting into a good routine regarding housework etc. There's still a lot I need to get in place, but its starting to get rolling, and the house is being 'maintained' pretty well now, to that if we have visitors I don't feel horribly embarrased about the state of my home!

This week we have enjoyed a playdate with one of my besties Sarah and her little man on Monday. Sarah is 6 weeks away from having twins - how exciting! I haven't seen her in so long either, hopefully we can make it a little more often now that I'm home (although soon she'll have her hands busy with twin newborns!)...

Yesterday we did a bit of this.... baking choc/strawberry swirl cupcakes:

(Eli wanted chocolate, Lani wanted pink, so we did both and swirled them together, YUM!)

And a bit of this... riding bikes and trikes (changed over often) under the house:

And also a bit of this... Lani's favourite thing to do - jumping!!

In other news, Greg and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary last Friday. We would have *liked* to have been celebrating in New Zealand, but our potential babysitters (the in-laws) were galavanting around Scotland... so we might just do it next year!!

Greg took the day off work (the joy of being able to choose his own hours, yay!) - and the monkeys were in kindy, so we had a hot date!! We went to the movies to see 'The Ugly Truth' and then had Hogs Breathe for lunch - YUM!! I forgot to take my camera to lunch though...

Then we had a rematch of Risk (coz I beat him the first time, ha) and a cheese/bickies platter after the kids were in bed. On Sunday we went for our tradition of buffet breakfast up at Mt Cootha (where Greg proposed)... we just LOVE going up there - child-less of course, although it would be nice to take them up there some time too...

Here's a couple of snaps we took 'up top'...

Love you so much honey!!

The joy of being a SAHM will see me going on a school excursion with Jaidyn tomorrow to a local environmental educational centre. I used to LOVE going one when I was in school, so I'm looking forward to being able to support Jai in his schooling and hopefully I won't be an embarrasing Mumma - too much!

Bye for now xx

Today I'm thankful for:

1. Not really losing too much money by stopping work - which REALLY makes it worth it!

2. Rest time... ahh bweet bliss

3. A mostly tidy home (just don't look too closely, ha!)

4. That our flooring will be FINISHED this time tomorrow, and we will be able to set up downstairs again - yay my craft room back!!!

5. Godly women. Love you all xx

August so far, in pictures...

Was just looking over my pics from the last couple of weeks (I am taking many more now that I'm *home*, yay!). And I thought I would get some up here, just 'in review' kinda thing...

Most are from around the house, playing and spending time together...

Jaidyn, up a tree in the backyard... he loves it.

And striking a pose...

Eli having a ball at the playground...

Proud Mummy moment - Eli writing his name - at only 3!!

Making playdough cakes and blowing out the candles...

Lani NOT going to bed! Cheeky (but beautiful) girl...

Eli being cute...

And my time...

Washing and folding...

Dishes (and lots of them at times!)...

Baking some gorgeous black and white cupcakes for a special Ladies Pamper Night at church... and spending time with my friend Kerryanne at said Pamper Night (except thre's no more photos coz my battery died right at the start of the evening!)

And a spot of sewing (I found my patterns and some fabrics!)...

I made this journal cover from Janelle Wind's Thelma's Day Out pattern. Its for a friend for her birthday this weekend. I really like how it turned out, just don't look too closely! I'm going to make a few of these - they will make lovely gifts. I was thinking I might even try and modify one to fit my Bible, what a pretty cover that would be.

Anyway, that's about it. This post has taken me AGES to get right! (blogger is not liking uploading photos for me at the moment...ggrrrrr...)
We have our Brisbane Show holiday today. Greg's currently out playing golf, the kids are happily playing outside (for a few moments at a time between yelling at each other) and we're off to a friends for a BBQ lunch soon, so I better get out of my PJs and get organised!
Hope you're having a lovely day...

N xx

5 things I'm thankful for today:
1. A day off to spend with family (even if they are currently driving me nuts)
2. That I got my sewing finished, yay!
3. Coffee (Eli thought it good to wake up at 5am, so I'm tired already!)
4. Times Tables on CD
5. The Word of God - refreshing and renewing each day.

He pampers my soul...

Our church is having a Ladies Pamper Night tonight, and I've been asked to share a testimony on how I feel 'pampered' by God. I had some great God time last night, and this is what I'm going to share tonight:

HOW I FEEL PAMPERED BY GOD...

There are many ways in which my God pampers me, making me feel loved, cherished and special. I know that He loves me so much, and wants me to sit in His beautiful presence and feel like a Princess. Tonight I will share 3 ways with you.

1. His People...
I feel very blessed by the people that God has brought into my life – people from all places (many here in this room) - and many that I would not have met without the Lord’s leading and perfect timing and ‘divine appointments’. He has brought me many beautiful strong Christian friendships with women of all ages –and He uses these friendships to strengthen me and speak to me in times of need. It might be a phone call, an email, a simple encouragement or even a spiritual rebuke. But God uses the people around me to refresh my soul, to give me rest, to encourage me, and this makes me feel very loved and very blessed. He looks after me by the people He puts around me.

2. His Word...
The Word of God is truly a pampering in itself. God reveals Himself to me slowly and beautifully through His Word. He shows me that He knows the deepest desires of my hearts, that He knows when I’m hurting (and reminds me that He has felt this too), that He knows the temptations that might be plaguing me at any given time… and He guides me in His ways, gently and lovingly. He also uses His Word to unlock the promises He has for me – promises to prosper me with a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11), promises that He will never leave or forsake me (Deut 31:6); promises that I have been set free (John 8:36), promises that He will never give me more temptation than I can bear (1 Cor 10:13), promises that I do not need to worry about my life because He has it in His hands (Matt 6:25-34). These (and the hundreds more that are in His Word) nourish my soul, give me strength and help me to face every day.

3. His Rest...
As a mother of three young, boisterous and energetic children, one of my biggest pampers from God is being able to Rest in Him. He knows when I’m weary, He knows when I need some sustenance and He gives it to me if I seek Him with my whole heart. He calls me gently to come and give Him my burdens (Matthew 11:28-30) Sometimes it might be a feeling of peace that washes over me, sometimes He whispers a sweet reminder of His love for me, and at other times he speaks directly to my heart about something I’m facing. It’s amazing how different a day of mine can pan out if I give Him some time each day – time to just stop and listen. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not perfect at this or anything, in fact, only in the last few weeks have I REALLY heard God talking to me in that still small voice. And He has shown me glimpses of His plans for me, He has given me overwhelming rest at times (sometimes almost instant even) and He has refreshed my soul and given me energy to face the rest of my day.

And so I encourage you all to give your whole hearts to Jesus every day, so that you don’t miss out on the pampering He has just for You. I think we can all too easily just miss it. We get caught up in our day to day events – work, the kids, housework, cooking - as a woman the list goes on and on… but don’t be too busy for Jesus. He has so many treasures in store for you and me. He wants to shower you with His Love and His gifts and His presence. So stop, just for a few moments even, and give that time to Him. And you will be pampered. For we are His Princesses and He wants to treat us like royalty!

And I want to end with this excerpt from the book 'His Princess: Love Letters from Your King' by Sheri Rose Shepherd.

My Princess - Hear My Voice
I am always here for you. I'm never too busy to talk to you, My beloved. If you will turn off the things around you that drown out My voice, you will begin to hear Me in your spirit. When you don't know where to go, you will hear Me give you divine direction. When you are in need of a friend, you will hear Me whisper "I am here". When you need comfort, you will hear Me call to you, "Come to me." Don't let the voice of your own uncertainties distract you from My still, small voice. Quiet your spirit, and know that I am your Heavenly Father and you are My precious daughter - and I love when you listen to Me.
Love, your King and the Voice of Heaven.
John 10:27 - My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

An ending, some happy snaps and a pig...

I finished up at work yesterday, and it was a bit of a bittersweet day. I was very excited to be finishing work and starting my new (again) role as SAHM but I will miss all the kids and staff too.

I had a great day though.

My gorgeous Assistant Elizabeth made me a cute piggy cakewhich we all oohed and ahhed over and then devoured... poor piggy....

Me and Liz... this girl rocks. She's so much fun and so great with the kids. I'll miss this smiling face and beautiful character.

My piggy cake... (which ones the pig huh? Knew you were thinking it...)

The girls (and boy!) bought me some lovely gifts too - a pretty bookmark, a perpetual calendar with verses for Mums on it, a cute packet of buttons and a voucher for Spotlight - they know me well! And beautiful words in a card too. I have loved working with these fabulous people - learnt so much about myself and each other too, grown in God together, shared parts of ourselves, even cried together - and of course many many laughs too. I have learnt so much about being a teacher, working with children, and being a Christian, and feel very blessed for this great opportunity I've had to work in a Christian childcare centre. They aren't getting rid of me totally though, and I'll be in and out doing relief work.

Here's me and my beautiful boss, Glenda. Amazing boss.

Me and Suzie, who I job-shared with for a while last. This woman has a beautiful passion for God and for His children.

Miss Nita and I - have loved sharing stories with Nita and learning about her home in the Phillipines. Passionate sould too, this one.

Telesia and I - funny girl, lots of fun.

Kerryanne is taking my place as Group Leader. Yes, we look alike.. and have had many of the kids calling Miss KA, Miss Natalie! Ha! I haven't worked a lot with Kerryanne but we've come to realise we have a lot in common and I'm sure its just the start of a beautiful friendship - I hope so at least.

And there are a few that I didn't get to take a pic with - Chloe and Teresa who are overseas right now; Mr Reece, Fiona and our chaplain Mel who has been such a blessing to me.

I even took pics with most of my kids... and had to take some with my *real* kids too!

Ahh, I'll miss being 'Miss Natalie' but I know that this is where God wants for this season, and I know that I'm going to thrive as 'Mum'...

God bless! xx