New pics - thanks Rozzy!

We had a wonderful weekend down the coast at Roz and Clints last weekend. And Rozzy took some really good photos (and some really bad, but thats the subject not the photographer!) of Greg and I, so I thought I'd just share some of my favourites. Will have to get some of these printed for round the house and to scrap!

Jesus Vs Santa

The topic of Santa Claus has been on my heart the last few days, and I've asked a lot of 'my girls' about it - where Santa fits into their home and their Christmas. There are varying views, and well I'm still not sure where he fits into our house, but I know the main point is the MAIN REASON of Christmas is celebrating the birth of Jesus, the greatest gift EVER given - a saviour and king to this world by the ultimate Father.

So here's a little 'comparison' one of the girls posted on SOF, and I thought it was great!

WHY JESUS IS BETTER THAN SANTA...

Santa lives at the North Pole...JESUS lives everywhere!

Santa rides in a sleigh... JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water!

Santa comes but once a year...JESUS is an ever present help!

Santa fills your stockings with goodies...JESUS supplies all your needs!

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited...JESUS stands at your door and knocks-and then enters your heart when invited!

You have to stand in line to see Santa...JESUS is as close as the mention of his name!

Santa lets you sit on his lap...JESUS lets you rest in his arm!

Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "hello little boy or girl, what's your name?... JESUS knew our name before we did! not only does he know our name, He knows our address too, He knows our history and our future, and he even knows how many hairs are on our head!

Santa has a belly like a bowl of jelly...JESUS has a heart full of love!

All Santa can offer is HO HO HO... JESUS says, "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you!"

Santa's little helpers make toys...JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions!

Santa may make you chuckle but...JESUS became our gift, and died on a tree!

It's obvious that there's no comparison! We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about! We need to put CHRIST back into Christmas! Yes JESUS is better!!!! He is even better than Santa Claus.

5 Things I'm thankful for today:
1. An AWESOME day with MY GOD, who breaks all chain of bondage and draws me ever close to Him and who wants to just spend time with me!
2. My beautiful friends at SOF, you girls mean so much to me!
3. Worship Music
4. That I did not go on the internet until my class tonight! Praise God for loosening those chains!!
5. Chinese take-away - just coz its yummy and I don't have to cook.

Happy Birthday...

to my beautiful friend Lusi!

I know you'd be having an absolute ball with your sis down in Melbourne (jealous!!). I just want to tell you how special you are to me, how much our friendship is core to my life now. It's only been 4 months, but I've hardly had a friend I can talk so deeply and real with mate. And I just love you so much! Can't wait till we meet in real life, so I can have a pic of you I here: ______

And call me when you get back ok! Want to hear all about your little holiday!

Nat xx

Back to Reality

Back to work for Greg. Back to school for Jaidyn. Back to reality and deadlines for me. Such is life huh! We had a wonderful relaxing week last week. Greg, Eli and I headed up to Caloundra to laze around the apartment and pool area for 3 nights. We haven't really been away (other than visiting family) since our honeymoon, so it was really nice, and needed. We spoilt ourselves by eating out lots, doing nothing and a little bit more of nothing!

Greg took Eli for his FIRST SWIM in a big pool. It was really exciting to watch, as a goo-gaa mummy, so I took quite a few piccies, with my zoom lens. At first he was a little unsure about it, but thankfully it was heated, so he enjoyed himself soon enough. Little kids get so cold in the water so quickly though don't they. His poor little blue lips when I got him out!! Here's a couple of the pics, I'll have to get in and scrap them soon!














How CUTE is my little man! Wish I got a few more close-ups of his face, but he was intent on looking into the water...

These couple are from when we were strolling through the park at the end of Hastings St at Noosa. Its bee na while since I went there, and I forgot how gorgeous that street is - so many trees! And this park out onto the beach was just lovely.








OnFriday we had a family photo shoot with my friend Deb. OMGosh how annoying was Jaidyn! He will not stay still, so I hope you were able to get some that you like Deb.... very frustrating for this mum that just wants a nice photo... we are trying to get Eli's attention for most of them - can't Jai just keep looking so when we do, we're ALL looking?? Maybe not...

Saturday we headed down to Rozzy and Clint's for the night. Was soooo great to catch up with you guys Rozzy - to see you for a bit longer than just a few hours in the company of so many others too. So thankyou for having us! We had a really great time hanging out with you and hope to have you guys up here to stay with us one weekend when Jeremy moves out. Rozzy took some pics of Greg and I and Greg took some of Roz and I - it was waaaayyy windy so not great conditions, so there aren't many good ones, but I'll upload some of those next time.

So back to real life now. Got lots and lots to do, as it always seems I do. don't know how I'd cope if I had to work too... I don't really cope that well as it is. I know this computer is a real huge part of that problem, and one the I really need to stand up straight and tackle head on. Absolutel time waster. And the Devil has that hold on me right now. Gotta give it all to God I guess.

5 things I'm thankful for today:
1. My To-Do list on SOF which *helps* me organise my time a bit better and get things done.
2. WORD bookstore. Had a nice little shop there yesterday.
3. God's grace, faithfulness and forgiveness. No matter how many times I stuff up on the same thing, He is there with open arms.
4.That my Mum is getting much better each and every day.
5. my gorgeous sisters, who are both overseas now. Love you BOTH!

And a Happy Birthday to my little sis Shanyn who turned 18 on Friday. Love you xxx

I'm updating Miss Russell!!

Gggrrrr.... I have just lost this all AGAIN!! Tried to insert a link with the icon above, and then everytime I clicked on ANYTHING it brought up the link window again - blogger is peeeeeving me off right now!!

OK, so yep, thought I'd take advantage of morning hours to update, just like you said Ali! Not sure what I'll have time to do before the little one wakes (other one is in front of the TV right now) but I'll go for some LOs first.

These are two I've done for the SAM Scrap52 challenge WITH Elsie Flannigan. Yep, she's actually popping in from time to time, commenting on LOs maybe, and I guess helping to judge at the end of the 6 months. I'm not sure how I'll go with it, as its a big committment of 2 layouts each and every week, but we'll see, I'mm give it a whirl.

Challenge #1 was to use the combo of blue, orange and brown. Here's my attempt:

Challenge #2 was to use journalling strips to include a quote on our LO. I found on on 2peas just in time!! I really like this LO actually - loving these Crate papers - I think blue, green and white is my fave colour combo at the moment (and esp good with two boys!)

And I've just had a little play in PS with making a photo gathering - thanks Jas... and I *think* I may have got it... needs a lot more fine-tuning - measurements to make them fit better, but that's ok, I'll do that when I have more time... now I just hope it will upload here....

This is a little handbag album I made for my Mum:

And one almost-the-same for my sisters 18th b'day which was yesterday! Happy B'day Shanny! Love you, and miss you loooottttssssss!!!!!

Well that's all taken me a couple of hours, so I'll sign off now. Gotta get ready to go the Rozzy's for the night tonight. Really looking forward to seeing you girl!!

Will update with some pics from our mini-holiday when I get back!

A beautiful afternoon

Aren't weddings just gorgeous!

I went to my school friend Erinna's wedding yesterday (or Saturday, not sure if this post will date as Sunday or Wednesday??). Just beautiful. And its all that more special when you've known each other a long time - we've been friends for about 10 years I think, since grade 9 in highschool, and our group of 7 girls have kept in contact ever since.

Erinna made a BEAUTIFUL, STUNNING bride, and they are such a beautiful couple. Erinna had her eye on this boy in grade 8 in school, and their paths crossed again in uni and they've been together ever since - 5 years.

Anyway, here are some pics from the day. I really must get around to scrapping these, what a special day!

*Even if we were late and missed her walking down the aisle... I was there *just* in time to compose myself before I had to do a reading...

Yep, so the 7 of us have been friends for at least 10 years (some of them even went to primary school together). We probably see each other every few months, and I think this may even be one of the last times we're all together, as the blondie (Katrina) is heading for a working holiday in UK in Dec, and I think Mel (tall, far left) will follow shortly after... so who knows when we all get together again...

Got these two *gorgeous* ones of Greg and I... I love em... well they are good of me anyways, that's what matters, right?? hee hee














Well I *was* going to put up some more pics, but it appears that blogger doesn't want to let me (again!!)

So anyways, other things....

YES!! School is back!! Waaaahhooooooo! Some time to catch up, recollect my thought and find my sanity (I'm sure its around here somewhere!). I even almost got the whole house tidy today..... well maybe tomorrow hey..?

Greg is on a week and a half's holidays as of Thursday (well, by now that's tomorrow!!). And YAY, we are going away up the Sunshine Coast for 3 nights next week!!! NIIIIIIIICEEEEE.... and no Jaidyn too (he has to go to school so will stay with his grandparents)... we both really need the break, to get out of the house, and well hopefully it will just be super relaxing!! (Of course, we'll be taking the baby though, but still nice :)

Then, we're all going to stay down the coast with Roz and Clint next weekend (21/22) - can't WAIT to catch up with my dear girl and spend some quality time with her... just relaxing again (oh, and Rozzy, I need an eyebrow wax, can you fit me in?? hehe). I think Greg and I might take Jaidyn to play at King Tut's mini golf on the way down though - what fun - he'll just love it there with its themed courses.... cool stuff..

Hmmm, what else... dunno, but I tell ya, I've been busy!

Oh, caught up with my gorgeous friend Roxy today, whom I have also known for 10 years since early higschool.... had a lovely catch-up - couldn't believe its been 5 months since I saw her last! Of course she thought my little man was to die for gorgeous!

I picked up my sewing machine yesterday. A friend from our old church is moving to USA with her family so she offered her machine to me. Its a fairly old one, and I don't know how to use it or fix it or what-have-you to save my life, so I better start learning soon... I want to uuuuuse it!!

Well, that's enough of my ramlings for now I guess. Will fill in again possibly after we get back from our trip - maybe before if I have anything interesting to say!

God Bless, Nat

5 things that made me smile today:

1. A happy smile as soon as I walked into Eli's room this morning :)

2. A phone message from my beautiful friend Lusi - sorry missed your call gorgeous!

3. Getting my 'to do' list mostly all done

4. A yummo lasagne for dinner - home-made by me too!

5. Boys in bed - peace and quiet....

Bits and pieces

Just gonna do the random today...

* Got a new *toy* today. Have been wanting an 'elliptical' for a few months now, to get rid of some of this flab and fit in better with the unpredictable timetable of a baby and school age child! I looked on ebay a couple of times, most went for about $150. I saw this one in the KMart catalogue this morning - for $100!! - and went down and got it - yay! It will most probably be part of my Christmas present though... its not as smooth and flashy as the ones in the gyms, but it will do quite fine for me!! Can't wait for my workout tomorrow morning!!

* Have had a hectic couple of weeks over the school holidays! Feel like I've done nothing at all really - but I guess the house and such can wait till next week when Jai's back at school - its important to spend time with him hey. We have been to the movies (Barnyard - good stuff!), to a big cool park in Chermside for a picnic, to visit Sal and her kids, today he went to the Museum with his Grandma and tomorrow we're going to Maccas for lunch with an old friend of mine and then Jai is off to my Mum and Dads for the weekend.

* Am going to my girlfriend Erinna's wedding on Saturday. We've been friends for about 10 years now I think - since about grade 9 or 10 in highschool. She is the only other one of the school friends that will be married - they are slowly catching up with me hey!! Still a *bit* ahead though with a husband AND two kids :) Should be a nice evening. I'm spewing though coz I *had* my outfit all sorted out, then my black skirt has torn, so I don't really know what do wear now. My white skirt (had for a year, and worn a LOT) might have to do though, coz I even went shopping today and couldn't find anything that looked half decent on my fat guts!! I'm just a bit *scared* coz there will be heaps of ppl from school there (I get really nervous looking fat in front of them, IYKWIM) and I have to do a reading too... so that means going up in front of everyone. I'm really peeved about that skirt... don't really have the time to take it back to Toombul tomorrow either - maybe I should *make* the time...

Well, I'm sure thre were other things to talk about, but I'll have to leave it for next time, as I'm meant to be doing up my class instruction sheets.

Take care, Nat

My 5 things:
1. The blessing of finances so I can buy things I desire rather than *need*
2. The girls at SOF - just love that I can be so open with you all!
3. That school starts back next week ... heehee....
4. But also for time to do cool things with Jaidyn and as a family
5. That Greg is going to be on holidays in a week :)

Wow, can you believe its October already! Goodness, the year is almost over and OMGosh, only 2.5 months till Christmas!! Yikes!

Anyway, I just thought I would do a little plug for me and for the Scrap of Faith site..
(and OMGosh I just realised there is an icon in blogger for inserting links - what a dill I am!)

These are the sneak peeks for my classes for October.

This month we're focussing on PSALM 23, one of the most popular psalms in the Bible. If you don't know which one I'm talking about - go find a bible and look... heehee... nah... 'the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want'....

This is the LAYOUT for the month:
Techniques used include: hidden journalling, journalling strips, sewing, hand journalling, a couple of french knots and making ribbon hinges.
















And this is the BTP for the month:
Its a little coaster set made from thick chipboard, a square tin and your regular scrap supplies. Techniques include a bit of inking and painting, lots of ribbons, combining pps and some hand-journalling too.


(I HAD wanted to put BOTH of my pics for each up, but blogger is being a big poo and won't let me upload any more pics - has been like this all day! gggrrr.....)

Anyway, classes are $10 each and $5 of that goes to charity. This month we are supporting the Pregnancy Problem Centre. So come and join in and support a great organisation!









I had other stuff to say too, but I've been spending all my time trying to upload those pics, so now I can't really be bothered!!

Seeya!