364

364. Three Hundred and Sixty Four. Sounds pretty close to a year doesn't it?

It's not. That is the number of photos I've just gone through and put on a disc to get printed. wow! OK so I won't be scrapping EVERY SINGLE photo - but wow! I thought I had a few to catch up on. Have I said it enough yet??!! Wow!

We only have dial up. I'm NOT going to be putting them through to DigitalMax in time to take up their special offer of 15c a pic. Bummer - 'cos that would have saved a wee bit!

These photos are all the ones from last year that have been put neatly into folders on the computer, waiting for me to come back and sort out which ones are the ones I really, really want to scrap. I still ended up with that HUGE number! A lot are still duplicates - I find it too hard from looking at one photo and then another and deciding which of the two I actually want. So, I'm taking heart that the majority of these will be sent to other homes of friends and family that are always demanding to see actual pics.

I thought I was going to get a couple of layouts done tonight - instead it has taken me best part of 2 hours to get this lot sorted. Clearly though, it's been a good 2 hours. In theory, I think it means that I will not have to go back to 2006 for scrapping sources. That is a good thing: I have a LOT to do from well before then! And I'm thinking that it might mean I can keep up to date with 2007. That's a good thing!

Mind you - I now have the photos - I'll need to get creating won't I?!

ROAR!!!! Little Lion

Last night while scrapping with my friends, I re-did a layout that was done in a "lesson" environment. I really didn't like the lo at the time - the style of the lesson was too plain and quite rigid and just wasn't me. I'd been wanting to start over for quite some time.

Then after reading Ali Edwards book on Patterned Papers, I got all inspired when my box of SE arrived last week. I am so pleased with the result - I think I am MUCH more a colour girl than I am a plain girl!

The lovely items I used are BG blush papers, and Heidi Swapp Newspaper chipboard letter.

That makes me 2/52 and on track for one of my goals for the year!

That makes me HAPPY!

Family Ties

I finally finished this LO today. All that was needed was the journalling but with Chrissy and all that jazz I never got around to writing it out.

Anyway, I'm pretty pleased with it. I got to use some rub-ons - and my favourite (well, one of many favourites!) thing - ribbon!.

I lived in Invercargill until I was 5. My Nana and Grandad havegone back there to live from Oamaru. Martin got to meet N&G when he was just 6 months old when we came home from Antwerp for Christmas. Simon met them for the first time on this trip (April'05). N&G won't fly so I knew that it would have to be us going down to see them. I am so glad that we did because by the end of 2005, Grandad needed by-pass surgery.

I would dearly hope that we get to see them again in the near future, but I am happy that the boys and they got to see each other on this trip. My husband doesn't have any living grandparents, let alone GREAT-grandparents. I just think it is neat that Martin just might have memories of this trip - and that each of the boys will know that he has the Greats.

The Limbo Week

I always think of that week between Christmas and New Year as one of Limbo. DH is usually off, none of us is doing anything we usually do, we often take off at a whim and do something different. Nothing on TV is the usual programming that I watch. I usually forget which day of the week it is fairly quickly! It's this period of quiet relaxation. I LOVE it! Pity the weather this year hasn't been quite so conducive.... might have to find a tropical island of my own one day!

Christmas itself was really nice. The familial travails on "his" side of the family got forgotten - mostly - and we got to enjoy christmas with a touch of "my" side. Dad did a great job on the cubby for the boys. They got to help him reconstruct it in its new environs - and thoroughly loved the experience. Dad and his new partner were here for a few days only, but we enjoyed their company and got to show them around a bit. Boxing day was really neat - weather was crap here in Wellington, but we escaped to Masterton and REALLY got some christmas summer. OK, so we hit the crap again just as we hit Featherston on the way back, but we DID have 24 o while we were in Masterton. Complete with the sun blazing from the sky. Niiiice!

The boys just loved the experience of having Pop here. DS2 did what I have never seen him do before - stop Dad in his tracks and demand to be picked up! That is normally reserved for Mum and Dad ONLY!! DS1 got to travel with Pop on his own on one of the outings. And chattered all the way - I was surprised that Dad's ear never fell off!!

Both boys seemed a little bereft when they drove away on Friday.

DH has spent the couple of days since we've been on our own to get a few of "those little jobs" sorted out around the house. Yay! (We won't mention that some have been waiting more than 12 months to get around to....!)

I got my results back from my second paper towards my certificate. I managed a passing mark. Not a brilliant one, but one that accurately reflects the tough time I had through the year with my health. And the main thing is I PASSED! Now I need to sign up for the next two papers towards the certificate. Decisions, decisions!

I have done NO scrapping for over 2 weeks. On one hand it's actually been nice to take a break. On the other, I feel like I'm hanging out - itching to get back into it! I have soooooooooo many ideas coming forward that seem to be reaching a bottle neck of actually getting around to doing any thing. So I need to get down to some work I think! There are still a few christmas cards that I need to finish and post out. yep, I always have a few that don't reach the post office until the New year. I should really do them as New Year cards shouldn't I??! I meant to post something here for the Daring Cardmaker's but missed it and now I think it must be several weeks ago.

Looking at some stuff I have on my plate this year, I think I'm going to have to really try and stick to a New Years Resolution for once in my life. i mean to say, I KNOW how great I am at procrastinating - wouldn't it be nice to show everyone I too can be organised???

So, I think that will be it: in 2007 I will be more organised with my life!! What does that mean?

• Well, the housework will get done (at least more so that it is at present!!)
• i'll do a tad more home baking
• I won't be late with the study assignments
• I will get DS1 to school by 8.30
• I will be timely with any swaps that I sign up for
• I'm going to try and get at least one layout a week done (so make that a goal of 52 for the year!)
• I'm not going to overload myself with stuff - you know, over-commit myself.

Ok.............. so check back here same time next year. We'll be seeing how much of that actually makes it through the year!

I've just signed up for a Circle Journal. i have no idea how to do one of these, but i thought it would be fun. And it's one way to ensure I get something other than bills sent to my letterbox, eh?!

Well, to anyone out there that might actually read this, Hope you have a lovely New Years celebration - what resolutions are YOU making??

See you on the other side.