2 sleeps to go

Canada baby!!!!

In about 38 hours we board a plane and make the 14 hour journey to one of my favourite cities in the world - Vancouver.
From there, a lazy 2 hours being driven through some of the most amazing scenery that I have every seen, to find our home for a couple of weeks in white, snowy, beautiful Whistler.

In the past, skiing and I have not really agreed with each other. Last time we went to Whistler (2008) I had a really good time, and learned from some of the best instructors in the world. I wish I could say that I looked like this when I was on the slopes......

or even a very respectable......

The truth is, I tend to look more like this.....

or even this.....


But see that smile?? I WANT that to be me. Who cares if I fall flat on my face, I want to do it with a smile on my face. I want to enjoy myself.
And as much fun as it was, I don't want to do what I did last time and end up coming down the mountain like this..........

and ending up like this.......

AGAIN!!!!

BUT..............

I do plan on looking like this at some stage.....


I'm really looking forward to this trip.
REALLY REALLY REALLY!!!

K xx

Learning new things

Now that Bailey has gone back to Kindy, I had the time and energy to teach Ardyn to use her new sewing machine (a birthday/Christmas present from Gran and Pa).

She was very excited, but managed to sit and listen to me as I explained what everything on the machine does.

Then we just ran some fabric through the machine without thread, so that she could get the feel of it. She was a little bit apprehensive that she wouldn't do it right - what a darling - so we had a little talk about learning new things and practicing.

After that I ran some thread through the machine and away we went. After about 7 rows of "straight" lines she started getting a little bored. I had her do one more row so that I could at least take some photos.

Hope you are having a great day.

On a slightly darker note.......

To all of my friends in flood-ravaged Queensland, my thoughts and prayers go out to you, your families and your friends. At this time, (I think) 13 are dead and over 50 still missing. This is an absolute tragedy, and I can't comprehend the amount of devastation that I see on the news, internet, everywhere. I can't even imagine being in the middle of it. I aplaud your strength and tenacity to get through this disaster.

On a personal note, I just wish people would take this more seriously. I hear stories of people swimming in the flood waters with their children. I know a family who has decided to drive up from Sydney for a holiday (what the?!?!?!). It's not the time for using Queensland as a tourist destantion , if you plan on heading up at this time, please roll your sleeves up and help rather than possibly stretching Emergency Services even further if you get in trouble. Do something positive to help the people who are suffering, rather than worrying about your holiday.

This type of behaviour is selfish, reckless and downright UnAustralian.

Prayers to the families of the lost, love and hope to the survivors for a quick recession of the water, and best of luck with your clean up.

K xx

Goals, resolutions....whatever you want to call them

I prefer goals. Resolutions suck!
I think that as soon as you put 'that' word to it, you break them.

Goals. Short Term. Long Term. Lifetime.
I have some rolling around in my head, if I write them down, then they have to be achieved? Right?

The first one is a biggie! It means that I have to unlearn 37 years of learned/inherited behaviour. I don't know if I just do this stuff because I've been around it, or if I've inherited it.

I have a really bad habit of jumping to conclusions before someone has finished what they are actually saying, or explaining what they mean. It has got to the point that cal starts sentences with "before you crack it......", or "don't take this the wrong way......" because invariably I do. And it sucks. I know that I do it, and I hate it. I have to stop it.

My mum does it, and it infuriates me. She cracks it unnecessarily and over reacts to comments made. Have a learned to do it, or have I inherited it? Who knows. I just don't want my daughters learning it. I'm stopping the cycle.

And put that together with my stubbornness. Oh my! What a double. I'm definitely getting a lot better with that. I can back down, walk away and even apologise. But I can still feel that stubbornness overcome me every now and again. That one comes from my dad. Learned or inherited??? I wonder. Whichever, doesn't matter. I'm breaking the cycle. I see it in Bailey already, and I don't like it. Gotta stop that happening. Apparently it's coming out in one of my nieces on that side too. Her mother and I are banding together to break them. Sharing ideas and possible solutions.

So that's my first biggie. And it's not one of those that's going to happen straight away. It will take some work on my part, and some patience on my husbands part (after 16 years of it)....but we'll get there.

That's DEFINITELY a long term goal.

Short term is a lot easier.

Last time in Canada, 2 days before we flew out to come home, I got a little over confident in a snow drift and went arse over and tore my calf muscle. I was about half way up the mountain and had to get taken back down by ski patrol to the awaiting ambulance. Poor Cal had to lug a 5 month old baby, a 3 year old and all the luggage home as I was on crutches and no bloody help. Sue and I were looking forward to wandering up and down Robson St in Vancouver doing a spot of shopping - that was a bust. I had to shoot myself up with Heparin for the flight home as blood clots run in my family.........it wasn't at all good.

Short term goal - come home from Canada in one piece. Enjoy myself, but don't hurt myself. I AM NOT GETTING INJURED!!!

Mid term goal - Get Argy Bargy off the ground.

For years I have been to0-ing and fro-ing about sewing and selling my own designs. I have a whole sketch book of ideas which I have never acted upon. I was ready to do it, and then Cal lost his job - not the right time. Then he started work in May, and in about October I had some woven labels made up to make my stuff look a bit more professional.....and that's as far as I've got.

I thought that it was just that I am a Olympic-level procrastinator that is keeping me from doing it. Then after a discussion with one of the school mums towards the end of the year, and some soul searching, I realise that I am just plain scared. What if I fail? What if I succeed? Anxiety. It's one of my biggest hurdles in life - in every part of my life. It sends me crazy at times, and other times it just makes me look like I'm lazy or procrastinating. I'm actually a pretty anxious person.

But after I come back from Canada (injury free), I am going to put my head down and get this going. This goal is that by July/August, when doing my taxes, I can be explaining to the accountant that I need to factor in business expenses (and income hopefully).

And for now, I'm going to leave it there. One short, one medium, one long. After I achieve #1, I'll find another short term goal. I think that the next one will have more to do with creating art - on a personal level.

I've put them out there, and I'm accountable now.
xx

Bugger!!!

Bugger!
I wrote this long, lovely (or at least I thought it was) post reflecting on the year past and looking forward to the year ahead. Then my computer crashed and I lost it all.

Maybe that's an omen? Let go of the year that's passed and concentrate on the future.

I'll be back later to contemplate what the future holds.

Happy New Year.
K xx

Just for Joyce

My lovely friend Joyce made a comment on Facebook this morning that my Blog needed updating. Yes, it does. BADLY!

All good intentions seem to go to the wayside these days.

Too much to do, and not enough hours. Before I know it, Christmas will be here.......oh wait! It's only a little over a week away!!

Things sneak up on you, don't they?

First day of holidays today. My 'Big Girl' graduated Kindergarten yesterday (Prep equivalent for those interstaters reading). I can't believe how fast the year has gone!

Ardyn has had a very busy end to the year. She has recently got through not only the end of her first year of school, but she had an amazingly fun birthday party at the starts of the month, a couple of dance concerts and photo day and all the fun and excitement that comes with the lead up to Christmas. It's been busy, but fun, for all of us.

Bailey participated in her first dance concert this year, and did a stellar job!!! She is still attending daycare for a little while longer, but starts at Preschool in February.

They are both getting so big!!

And of course in there Cal and I have been working (Cal), shopping (me), keeping busy, and having a great time with our adorable little girls. Cal has started to compete in regular Triathlons, trying to get his body ready for a Half Ironman that he has entered in May. So he spends a lot of time training for that. I'm really proud of him, and am looking forward to seeing him complete the 'Half'. Can't see me doing this type of thing, but good on him for doing it. Did I say I was proud? I am. Really, really.

The next couple of months will be busy ones, getting ready for an exciting 2011.

First and foremost, Cal and I are off to see Bon Jovi on Friday night!!! Woot woot!!!! I have never seen them in concert, and although I would never have considered going in the past, I really want to see the spectacular (or at least I hope) that is Bon Jovi live. And of course it will be nice to have a night out!

As Cal started a new job this year, he has to work the work days during the Christmas period. This means that we are spending our first Christmas with the kids at home. EVER!!! It's very exciting, but a bit sad at the same time as we won't see our families who live south of the border. We are planning a very laid back approach to the season, just the way Christmas in Australia can be enjoyed. Lots of outdoor eating and playing, the BBQ supplying us with great food, kids in the pool, lots of good wine. Should be fun.

We are spending Christmas Day and the days around and after it with various friends. We have been blessed to have made some really great friends since living in Sydney. They are my substitute family members, and I know that I can call on them for anything, just as family would do. I am looking forward to being able to share this time of year with them. There will be lots of holiday fun at the beach, in the pool, a possible camping trip, and hopefully some time to just relax and chill.

Not long after Christmas we will jump on a plane for a bit of a change of scenery and head from 30oC-odd to about -15oC!!! We are off to Whistler to enjoy a spot of skiing and partying and general fun before we get back into the the 2011 school year. Yippee!! Can't wait! Hopefully this time I won't need the services of the Ski Patrol and local Ambulance like I did last time we were there. Fun experience. Painful, but fun to be skiied down the mountain in a 'pod'.

And when we get back, life won't slow down - oh no. The kids go back to School/Preschool the day after we land, Cal is entered in a few Tris, it sounds like he will be doing an "Asia Trip" for work, we have some plans to get up to the Central Coast for a weekend or two as a family before the weather goes bad, I would like to get away with my girlfriend for a couple of days, Ardyn's dance teacher is talking about her taking her ballet exams this year (so that means extra time in the studio).........and then it's the end of Term 1. Easter.

Bugger me!!!! It's not even Christmas and it looks like we're booked up until Easter!
Well that's what life with kids is like isn't it? But it's good. So good. Wouldn't change it for anything.

There you go Joyce. Happy????
Blog updated.

I hope that you are all enjoying the start to your holidays and this lead up to Christmas.
K xx

Silhouette

There are other things I should be doing right now (like showering), but I was having my morning coffee and catching up on my FB gossip when I came across a Silhouette giveaway on The TomKat Studio page/blog.

I have always wanted a Silhouette. I was just telling Lisa the other day that it is the only cutting machine I would ever contemplate, but that I just can't afford one.

Maybe Kim over at TomKat will see it in her heart to make my wish come true.

Now, speaking of TomKat, wait until next week and I will post photos of Ardyn's birthday party, including lots of yummy TomKat ladybug goodness.

K xx

Labybugs

My world is currently ruled by ladybugs.

I find myself Googling all sorts of ladybugs products whenever I get a chance.

Not much of what I want in Australia, so much in the US, but can I get it here in time?

My time is also being spent MAKING ladybugs.

I need to get them done and out of my house by Friday.

And then I can get on with the stuff that I REALLY want and need to do.