Christmas '05.

I've been on here the last 2 days, written half a post, then got caught up doing something else, so I'll finish it this time.

Christmas was nice. Great day with family in Toowoomba. Nice air-conditioned drive up (not in my car). Lots to eat (in fact, we counted 15 different desserts; only 17 people), lots to drink (not me of course), lots to talk about, swimming and opening pressies, yay! The day was over before we knew it, as we had to leave at 4pm to take my sisters back to a party at a friend's house. We then went and crashed Mum and Dad's place (who had stayed in Toowoomba) - a pool, air-con and foxtel. Nice...

Boxing Day was pretty much a write-off. We did nothing. At all. A few hours of foxtel in the morning, a swim, then home, Red Rooster, a sleep and watching Madagascar. My kind of nothing day. Only thing better could have been a productive bbq with a bunch of friends, maybe.

Got spoilt rotten of course. As you know, Greg and I bought us the 350D, which we are slowly learning how to use, still need some practical assistance though to do anything 'creative'. Greg also got me a nice little pearl earrings and necklace set. Got some outdoor chairs for watching the view, some cash (nice!), clothes and shoes, and a voucher for a whole heap of services at a hairdresser and beauty salon from my sisters. Niiice - I'll need the pampering!!

Now to get the house ready to have people over for NYE party. Greg has today off, so we are doing a dump run (if we can get hold of a trailer!) to finally get rid of all the extra crap we've accumulated over the years. De-clutter!! I love it! I'm tempted to just throw everything out, but know we need to keep some of it!

Have a good day xx

2 more sleeps...

Busy, busy, busy...

Today I have to:

* wash bed linen
* pick up photos from Kmart
* finish canvases for Gran and Mum
* wrap presents
* make a few gift tags for presents (maybe)
* grocery shopping

So, I guess I better get off the computer hey?

Tagged...

Haven't done one of these in a while, thanks to Eck for tagging me :) :)

Never in my life: did I think I would be married with 2 children at age 24 (will be this year!)
When I was five: I was most probably a naughty little rat-bag. Mum and Dad always tell me what a terrible and embarrasing child I was... hehe...
High School is: when I lost my best friend. In year 12, he committed suicide.
There's this girl: that's thouroughly enjoying her life at the moment. A growing belly (for once it's ok!), a wonderful husband and family, a great new house and suburb and wonderful friends. (She's me!)
Last night: we had friends over for dinner. The first time since we've moved.
When I turn my head left, I see: another computer, a window and air-con unit and a few scattered boxes that haven't found houses yet.
When I turn my head right, I see: a CPU and a wall
A better name for me would be: Lazy Suzy.
I have a hard time understanding: how to use my new camera!!
You know I like you if: I clean the house when you come over.
My ideal breakfast is: at the moment, all I've wanted is peanut-butter on toast. But I can't go past a good cooked bacon and eggs, and tomoto of course!
If you spend the night at my house: you'd probably get lost in the boxes at the moment. Nah, we'd probably have a nice dinner, chat, play some board games and have a not-too-late night. If you're a close friend, I might just have to do a photo shoot with my new camera too!
I always make it a point to: compliment people when they look great!
I'd rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: do cleaning for a living.
And by the way: I hope you all have a fantabulous Christmas!!

I tag Brookie and Deb.

Family photo shoot...

So we finally got to use the 350D properly and I am so happy with many of the photos we took. I still can't get over how crystal clear they are! We decided to drag our crappy old downstairs lounge outside for the photos. The lighting isn't the best in some of them, but I guess I'm still learning. Didn't get any 'Christmassy' ones, but some much-needed and very nice family ones. I got my hair cut last week too, so I look much nicer in these pics than I would have with the feral hair I had before!

Here are some of my favourites:



The family shot I just love...
(oh, except maybe the crappy lighting)













Greg and I...









Oh, we're in love!!










My boys...









Jaidyn and I - I love this one!













I can't wait to start scrapping some of them. Have got a few enlarged and a few printed normal size. Think I'll have to make some even bigger coz they weren't as big as I thought. Then I can try some Erica-style, enlarged photo layouts! Yum, I can scrap again. Am using some today to make MIL a canvas, which I really needed to send like last week! Yikes. I think she'll have to have a late Chrissy pressie.

Jaidyn is off at Mum's for a couple of nights. A much-needed break for both of us I think. Greg has today off so we are doing the rest of the Christmas shopping - yes late I know, grrrrr.... will try to get to the shops as soon as they open I think, more chance of a parking spot, maybe.

Hope you're all having a great and not too hectic lead-up to Christmas. I can't believe its this weekend!

A girl's best friend...

Jewellery of course! I went to a gorgeous porgeous jewellery party last night. Oh, I was in heaven!! Rozzie, Eck and Carol-Lea, you girls would have loved it too, being the bling things that you are! It's a new company called 'Jadela Jewels'. A lady called Angela imports and also makes some of the collection, and much of it was to die for! Literally I spent an hour and a half walking around and around a dining room table filled with beautiful pieces. Prices are between $10 and $50. I found a present for my Mum and my sister and also 'just had to' buy a gorgeous necklace for myself... now just trying to see if my sister will buy it for me for Christmas, then it's justified (What with just buying the camera this weekend and all)... now, if I had a USB cable for the camera, I'd take a pic of it and show you, but that's something I'll probably have to get today.

Anyway, I'm going to have a Jadela Jewels party at my house, and if you love jewellery, you'll want to come (if you can of course). I now live at Ferny Hills. The date will be Friday 6th January, 7.30pm. Let me know if you'd be interested...

Well, I have just found fleas in our house, which would explain the hundreds of bites all over my feet, so I'm not sure whether its from the cat that we have 'adopted' (that the previous tenants left here - how nice you say! - still not sure if we'll keep him), or whether its that the curtains weren't clean (wouldn't surprise me) or something else. So today I'm going to get stuck into the rest of these boxes, so I can properly clean the floors and hopefully get rid of the little buggers. What else can I use, anyone know? And I'll take down the curtains, and wash them, which I wanted to replace with some that I have anyway....

Nat xx

I'm baaaacccckkk.....

Hello strangers. Well, if anyone is still out there reading my little blog.

We have moved house and are now back online. The house is still full of boxes but oh well, definitely better things to do, lol.

Other news - guess what!! I GOT MY CANON 350D!!! Sooooo nice!! Yum.... don't really know how to use it, but I want to learn soon. I seem to have a problem with reading a manual and applying it to the camera - most of the terms just go way over my head, so I think I really need some hands-on in person training with someone who is experienced... till then Greg and I will just fiddle around I guess. But I am am soooo excited that I FINALLY have the camera I've been waiting for about a year for!! Yes! Finally its MINE! (well Greg seems to use it as much or more than me at the moment... ggrrr....)

Don't really know what else to report...

Had a great couple of days with the girls last weekend, which most of you would have already read about on Roz, Erica, Nic, Ali, Carol-Lea or Shari's blogs. Love hanging out with this bunch!! Wonderful, funny and super talented girls.

After what seemed like ages, Greg finally got a weekend off and we had a nice relaxing weekend together as a family, not doing a lot in particular, but just relaxing. We put the Christmas tree and our new lights up yesterday (with Greg up on the roof, not me!) and went to the local community carols last night with a bunch of people from church. It was great getting into the Christmas spirit a bit more! I love it all!

Well, will update again soon, once I've caught up on more things I need to do around this net - gosh, so many places to visit and bills to pay when offline for nearly 2 weeks!

Take care, Nat xxx

Oh, P.S. Found a new scrap shop at Arana Hills today that only opened on Saturday. Her shop is yummy painted in pink and brown and even pink, brown and cream mini couches for lounging, reading mags! The lady who runs it has FREE classes, yes FREE to attend, you just need to buy your materials there... plus she said she might give me a job there after Christmas - fingers crossed!