Greeting cards

This week has been a busy week making greeting cards - heaps of birthdays at the moment, so it may be that you receive a card similar to one of these in your mailbox over the coming week. Have had lots of fun making these, using scraps as well to make some of them. Perhaps I should have put some of them in the scraps swap competition over at Scrapbook Essentials www.scrapbookessentials.co.nz - just thought about that then ... cut off is tonight I think - will see if I get around to it.

I have taken papers, scissors, templates and paint to work this week and have been cutting out flowers and inking them during my lunch break - well I figure with all the birthdays and how-de-do-dees coming up - it was better that I be doing something creative at lunchtime than walking the streets spending money ... now that's something that I don't need to do - lol! Last night the hammer and brads came out ...and I had ribbon going through the wee Xyron machine - what a little ripper of a gadget.

Today was a day spent at the athletics track - last visit competition wise this season - yahoo! Nathan attends a high school as we lost our intermediate schooling a couple of years back when the big wigs in the education offices decided Invercargill's intermediate schools had to go - now that's a whole different ball game altogether and I don't choose to go down that road at the moment ... but Year 7 and year 8 still come under the Primary School Association when it comes to athletics, don't ask me why or how, but they do. So this year he is in Year 8 and competed for the last time at the Southland Primary School athletics championships. A very good day overall. He was placed 2nd in the 12 year old boys shot put, he will tell you that he didn't perform to the best of his ability - but hey, a second is a second, is a second!!!!! Well done wee man. He won his heat of the 100 metres and in the final came home in fourth place ... it took forever for them to decide the placings and they had to go the photo finish camera on numerous occasions to work the placings out. The first four of them, there was something like the equivalent of a length of a ruler between them. It could have been anyone's at the end. No post mortem's, he did very well and he PB'd - to those of you not in the know, that means a personal best. So that was absolutely brilliant as far as we were concerned. The discus, well we won't talk about that - all I will say three no throws - don't ask - subject closed. The Southland Boys' High School 12 year old relay team won - yep, that means they were first, the best, numero uno - 1st!!!!!!! Congratulations boys.

So overall the young man had a very good day. He was asked to run the 200 metres, but we decided no - we didn't know if his ankle would get him through the day.

So to our wee man - we are proud of you, congratulations, you have had a wonderful season at the track this year. You have done us proud!!!!!

Downtown Disney

Three pics taken of Nathan while we were in Downtown Disney - Megan off the Scrapbook Essentials DT very kindly joined them all up for me using whatever programme it was that she used ... love the pic - this is another one of those pics on the pile to be scrapped.

Love the way that Nathan mimicked the statues. I thought they were neat pics ... just thought that I would share.

It's a year ago now that we both flew out to the States - that year has gone very quickly and I wish I could do it again now - wishful thinking.

Air New Zealand had one way flights from Auckland to LA at $499 on special today on the grab a seat special - when I first heard about it this morning and checked the website, there was 143 seats showing as being available. Within the hour they were gone, kaput! I would imagine a few stipulations - one of them was maximum visit of five days. So guess if you just wanted to take the family and do the theme parks, it would be a very reasonably priced trip - $1,000 a pop return ... although for those of us that live at the bottom of the world - it would probably cost about that again just to do the Auckland - Invercargill trip. Such is life!

On that note, enjoy your weekend and try to fit in just a little creativity ...

I've been tagged ...

I've been tagged ... with the quirky tag ... lol

What is a quirk ...

quirk (n.)
A peculiarity of behavior; an idiosyncrasy:“Every man had his own quirks and twists” (Harriet Beecher Stowe)
quirk (n.)
An unpredictable or unaccountable act or event; a vagary: a quirk of fate.
quirk (n.)
A sudden sharp turn or twist.


Now you know that ... I'm supposed to share with you five quirks - crikey - only five ... this is going to be interesting ... although, this will make you laugh out loud as well - I'm actually going to admit that I have got a couple of quirks that are exactly the same as a couple of other people I know - so they are going to be laughing when they read this blog post ...

So I'm really not so peculiar after all ... lol!!!!!! No smart ass comments required either ... lol!

So here goes ...

In no particular order ...

My linen cupboard - has to have the towels all folded the right way and placed sitting just the right way in the linen cupboard ... if they aren't folded just right, [as in someone else has folded my washing] out they come and I just have to refold them - sad but true! I think that one is all the fault of my DH - cos he likes them folded a certain way and it has rubbed off on me.

I will not leave the house/property unless my make up is on. I kid you not! I do not go out to the letter box without my make up on - another one, that is sad, but true! Well other people may find that one sad ... but that's just me. Peculiar? Well I don't think so ... but I would say that, wouldn't I!?!?!?!? Hair has to be done as well - if it's not quite dry when I leave in the morning - it has to go up into a curly bun thingymajig slide clip thing, cos it just gets curlier as it dries.

I've got to check the mail box every morning before I go to work - and if I don't check it myself, DS gets to check it as we go out the drive. It's a real highlight of my day checking to see if there is anything exciting has arrived in the post. If it is empty when we leave and DH is home, I normally phone him at some stage and ask the question - any mail??? anything exciting for me ??? I've even been known to drive back down the driveway and go inside if there has been a parcel arrive from the States ... I mean hello - you don't honestly think that I could last all day at work knowing that there was really exciting mail waiting at home for me ... NOT!!!!! and I'm honest!

I've got a real thing with checking and rechecking doors and windows are shut and locked. At night I check and double check and when I leave at any time during the day, when everyone is out of the house, I go back round again and check again. Mum's do that, don't they!?!?!?!

When I first started work I collected handbags and shoes ... when I say collected - I mean a lot of my wages went on buying handbags and shoes [still does] - but back then [in the good old days] when I bought a pair of shoes, I just had to buy a handbag that matched the colour of the shoes. I used to have an account at a shoe shop in town. Looking back now, that was a little on the sad side - but true. I used to go and pay a certain amount every fortnight on that shoe account. I recall buying a beautiful pair of heels that were electric blue in colour and you guessed it, I had to buy a handbag that matched and did - electric blue with a pair of cane handles ... and wait for it ... that electric blue is back ... Glasson's have electric blue handbags - crikey! The cycle has done its thing again - lol! I remember a pair of burgundy heels and I then had to buy a beautiful clutch purse ... you guessed it - burgundy ...

But then, back then - I used to put my heels on first thing in the morning and they didn't come off my feet until I got undressed for bed at night ... I even used to lux in high heels, I would clean the bathroom in high heels ... they were just part of me. That one looking back, may have been a little on the quirky side ... lol.

Well that's five so called quirks ... I could tell you about the escalator thing as well - but hey, I'm supposed to limit it to FIVE!

Later ...

CJ - sneak peak

Strange to see another sneak peak of a layout with flowers - no it's not - it's me scrapping remember ... lol! Just kidding. This wee sneak peak is of my last CJ entry and this one is in LouLou's CJ - Little Me ... Urban Lily and Prima - what a beautiful combination.

Photographs of me are few and far between when I was a youngster ...this one was scanned and then printed ...so unfortunately the print quality isn't the best - but you have to do the best you can do, with what you have got!

It's amazing really when you look at some pics of friends when they were younger and you look at their children and think to yourself - wow wee - the phrase 'spitting image' takes on a whole new meaning ... with that I will leave you.

Have a good night ... I'm off to be a little creative.

Scraps and stickers

What a combination - stamps and stickers - but this one layout is going up in the gallery over at Scrapbook Essentials www.scrapbookessentials.co.nz under two categories - the scrap swap and the fortnightly stickers challenge. Thank you to my secret scrap swapper. I've used a few of the scraps in this layout ... there were a few green scraps, two of them were ripped and I used both of them and then the third green scrap I cut into flowers and scrunched and inked and I have also used the same paper on the chipboard circle. Pure, simple, honest, true, the words written around the layout itself, are the words that were printed on the paper used on the flowers. The white scrap paper with the embossed flowers was also in amongst my scrap papers. The stickers I have stuck to chipboard and inked around the edges. All in all I quite like the way the layout came together.

As you know, I so love to play around with flowers on a layout [and trust me on this one - I DO!]. I have used ribbon on cards as stems when using flowers, but this is the first time I have used ric rac on a layout - and I have scrap lifted that particular idea off one of the ladies on the Scrapbook Essentials forum - brilliant idea.

The pic isn't the best - playing around with the camera again tonight ... not 100% happy with it - so might have to take another pic tomorrow night after work with more natural day light.

Time to have a look at a few blogs and must put on my things to do list, to update some of the blog addresses showing in the links section of my blog - they would be some of my scrapping buddies who have gone over to Word Press ... and of course I have to add a few more outright ... not enough hours in the day!

Downtown Disney

Downtown Disney has some neat shopping ... trust me on this one ... I know these things - guilty as charged, your honour.

Downtown Disney has a really neat Lego shop, so thought that I would share with you some pics of the young man - who is still a huge Lego fan today.

It's amazing some of the lego creations that you can see and it's amazing too looking at some of the lego creations that Nathan has put together over the years. These days it is the lego train sets that he is more interested in along with his Dad. Although I'm thinking that Frizz might just to have one all for himself - lol!

The Letterbox

You will be thinking to yourself ... why is she posting a pic of a mail box?

Well this is a very special mail box! This mail box is at Disneyland on the main street and I posted an envelope to my darling husband from this mail box, knowing that this was going to be the last envelope I was going to be sending him before I came home.

My sis in Texas will tell you that I was missing him like mad. That saying ... truly, madly, deeply ... whoa ...takes on a whole new meaning when you are away from someone you love for any length of time.

Texting, ringing, sending emails and sending mail by the pigeon carrier are wonderful and without them I would have been totally miserable.

When I got home, let's just say that there was a mantlepiece full of cards ... didn't realise that I had sent that many ... lol!

I've got this pic printed and it is sitting on my pile of pics waiting to be scrapped ...

Love you my darling!

In your neighbourhood

So who are the people in your neighbourhood ... well this neighbourhood was up in the mountains, somewhere in Washington State ... aren't they gorgeous ... more like holiday homes, but some people do live in the cul-de-sac year round. When we visited five years ago, there were only a couple of cabins/houses built, a few in the process of being built - now it's like a small community. Some of them [well the majority of them actually] are absolutely stunning cabin properties ... I'm sure given the opportunity I could live in any of them - lol - and all year round. Very nice indeed.

A nice leisurely stroll around the cul-de-sac viewing each property - a pleasant way to while away the time ... then back to Gina's to keep an eye on the squirrels and watch the blue jays playing amongst the trees.

I've now visited twice, once in the middle of summer and have gone for a walk down by the lake and now in the spring, obviously while there was still snow on the ground. Beautiful ... absolutely heavenly ... words can not describe how I felt especially last year ... naturally wishing that DH was with me ... thinking - yeah baby - I could live here ...

Dave Dobbyn eat your heart out ... this really is a slice of heaven ...

Another bobby dazzler day again the deep south - although the barometer has shifted slightly ... so will be interesting to see how the day pans out ... as I look out the office window - there's not a cloud in the sky ... think blue, blue, blue ... and beautiful!

Don't know where, or should I say can't remember where or when I first came across the saying 'bobby dazzler' - but I only seem to use it in relation to the weather ... will have to try and dig into the memory banks to see what I can recall ...

Away to the cricket pitch shortly with the young fella, so better get organised. I don't plan on spending the day there tho - will do a drop off, go visiting, be a little creative and then head back to the cricket this afternoon.

Must remember to slip, slop, slap ... especially the slop bit today with the sunblock.

Enjoy your day everyone ...

Dining out ... Meh-e-can

Dining out - Mexican [pronounced Meh-e-can] ...

Well somewhere in San Antonio you will find this restaurant - no idea where or how to get there - but been there, done that ...

What an experience - totally reliant on my brother-in-law, Daryl, for a little guidance, well actually a lot of guidance - otherwise, have no idea what I would have been eating - could perhaps say, even with the guidance, no idea - lol - just jesting Daryl - true!

I've since found out, I so do not do refried beans - yuck! Doesn't matter which way you look at them - it just wasn't a happening thing! I tried! But these things just do not agree with my palate ... and that's the story I'm sticking to ... they look disgusting, taste even worse. I guess it's one of those thing - it's what you are brought up with ... and trust me on this one, I was not brought up eating refried beans ... [for that I'm just a wee tad thankful].

I can honestly say that I ate most things on my plate - but not the refried beans ... sorry! We had an absolutely adorable waiter/host, don't know what the Mexicans call our hosts [well at least I am honest], but he was wonderful. He probably felt like throttling me with all my questions - but I figure, if you don't ask, you don't get to know ...

Food, food, food - glorious food - well sometimes it was, and sometimes it was just absolutely disgusting.

Might tell y'all one day about fried okra - I so do not do that either and just about embarrassed myself and my family in public ... ewwwwhhhh - that is sooooooo gross!

On that note ...

Oops, should say again ... it's another bobby-dazzler day - today tops yesterday weather-wise - it is a stunning day in the deep south - in fact should I say - too hot - might have to wash my mouth out with soap - lol.

I called in and visited my scrapping buddy Julie [aka Nan Jules or sometimes known as nztreasure] this morning and had a coffee and a natter with her, Oma and young Jess. Jess was being very creative and making herself a birthday calendar - another wee paper crafter in the making ... Josef was up in his bedroom putting together a Star Wars creation - most impressive it was too ...

Must be time for me to be a little creative as well [after I clean up the kitchen] and check the washing machine, empty the washing machine and throw another load in it ... take care.

Cracker day

Well it has been an absolutely brilliant day today in the deep south - what I would call a bobby dazzler ...

Temperature wise absolutely no idea, but I saw a few teenagers walking down the street wearing very little ... lol.

Today I was up with the sparrows again, Nathan had a school sporting exchange with a school up in Dunedin, so had to have him at school ready for a departure time of 7:00 am. Instead of coming home, I went straight into the office, so it has been a long day today. I'm thinking that I am going to sleep well tonight and my pillow will be calling me soon, the way I'm feeling right now it is going to be sooner, rather than later ... have to get some energy from somewhere.

I had some interesting mail arrive today and I want to go and play ... some pics for the photo swap over at Scrapbook Essentials www.scrapbookessentials.co.nz - and I will be scrapping a feline four legged critter and I say that in the nicest possibly way. Crikey, I haven't scrapped an animal before ... this is going to be a challenge and a half - but I'm up for a challenge, but that's not on the scrapping table until the recipe swap layouts are done, kaput and in the mail and I'm hoping that is going to be after this weekend.

I also received a template in the mail for a flirty purse ... should be interesting and I'm looking forward to having a play with that - this weekend - lol. I've got all sorts of ideas running around in my head now that it has arrived ...

Haven't brought anything major on Trade Me lately at all - a few scrapping magazines from a scrapper in Wellington - was bidding on these mags a few weeks ago and I get a text - is that you Michelle bidding on my mags - well I just about fell off the chair - how bad is that ... it was Jenny on the forum [who I had met earlier this year in the school holidays] ... it really is a small world out there people ... true!

Pics today were taken in Washington DC, April, 2006 ... the bronze statue - is one Mr Albert Einstein himself ...

When Russell and I visited DC in 2001, I took a pic of him alongside Mr Einstein, so naturally it goes without saying that I had to do the same again with Nathan when we were there.

Another scrapping layout to be done ... along with the rest.

Another working week kaput ... time for a little R&R although in my case, I will be spending most of the weekend at the cricket pitch. Saturday morning cricket tomorrow and then a one dayer on Sunday - rep game ... it's a tough life ...

On the road

Well we are still on the road - although I have loaded these pics back to front ...

The first pic is downtown Dallas, and we actually got quite close to downtown Dallas, far closer than we should have. But we lost Mom and Dad ... we got pulled up by a State Trooper, now as much as I wanted to see a State Trooper up close and personal, my sister didn't want to see one up that close and personal like. Why, cos she got a ticket for speeding ... but almost a year later, I still can't work out how a State Trooper can ticket us - when we were travelling in something like five lanes of traffic and we were all doing somewhere around 70 mph ... why us, no idea, but he 'tagged' us at something like 817 feet away or something like that ... hello - did this man not have his quota for the day ... that's all I will say on the subject ...

So while we were travelling we had walkie talkie things, but needless to say we lost Dad as a result of our ticket - roadworks etc, missed a turn off or if I recall we had to go a couple of extra lay-offs - turn-offs off the highway whatever they call them ... and we were then out of the range of the walkie talkies ... so needless to say it was quite some time later than we caught up with Mom and Dad ...

Dad doesn't carry a cell phone with him - but I'm thinking that would be a good idea when travelling like that again.

The Waffle House pic is quite naturally of a place where you eat out, I guess, for you guessed it ... waffles. We didn't actually stop and eat there - but this pic was taken at around 6:30 am and the car park was quite full - I know people eat at all hours of the day and night, but this was taken so that people could see how busy some of these places are at ridiculous hours of the morning ... crazy. I shudder to think how they work out staff rosters at places like this for early morning starts - must be a little nightmarish.

Something totally different again ... I've just had a beer. Beer isn't something that I normally drink, well it's not normally my drink of choice. But I have come across Monteith's ... nothing new in having a Monteiths, but I'm drinking a Monteith's Radler Bier ... it is yummo.

Monteith's Zesty Radler Bier

And the label reads ...

Monteith's Radler is a refreshingly fruity lager based on a style first brewed in Bavaria. An easy-drinking beer brewed to full strength with light hoppy notes. A hint of natural lemon juice adds a citrus twist offering a refreshing and distintive tangy fruity character and zesy finish. Another Monteith's classic.

Not bad at all ... lol! To think that I'm supposed to be working on my recipe swap layouts tonight ... crikey - one had better be all I have ... lol.

Graceland

Graceland ... been there, done that and would do it all over again! Mom and Dad live in West Virginia and we were heading on a road trip like no other - a road trip from West Virginia to Texas. I kid you not! My sister Terry lives in San Antonio and I'll share something with you - there's a few miles from A to B - just quietly - a little more than 1600 of them - miles that is ... now trust me on this one - that's some serious travelling and those Yanks have got huge highways ... so think big wheelers and I mean, big, big, big wheelers ... they are everywhere and we saw a few of them too travelling the highways of the States.

I travelled with my sis Terry and it was wonderful - we talked about all sorts of things and learnt heaps about one and other and Terry I thank you for that precious time. Nathan divided his time between travelling with Grandad and Nana Sue and his mother and Aunt Terry. Mom and Dad deserve a medal as well for putting up with his chatter - lol! We were up with the sparrows while we were travelling, a quick shower, something to eat and on the road again. Even bright and early those big wheelers were on the road and if you weren't travelling beside one of them or in between a few of them, you could see some of them still on the road verge waiting for their drivers to wake and have them roaring down the highways again. It's a sight like no other ... got pics of them as well ... if I remember, will share some of them ... amazing.

Anyway back to the road trip. When Dad gave me an idea of where we would be heading to get to Terry's I saw that we skirted Memphis ... well I had to ask the question ... Dad can we please go to Graceland? Hello, we are talking about 'the King' here ... it was wonderful. I will treasure that visit for ever and if I had the opportunity, I would go there again. When you walked up to the entrance you knew, well I did, that his home was going to be a little magical. To me, it was.

I had problems with our camera - couldn't figure out how to turn the flash off and guess what - no flashes allowed inside - funny that ... well it wasn't funny for me. I snapped a couple ... well hello - could have used the dumb blonde bit if I got growled at [if I had to - lol].

We wandered around with our ears on listening to a commentary telling us all about what we were looking at ... he wore some amazing outfits, that's for real.

Memorabilia - that true Elvis fans would love to acquire - wow it was everywhere! I'm sure that were security cameras everywhere as well and they had some serious staff numbers wandering around the grounds and buildings as well ... just keeping an eye on everything. His records, his posters, I didn't know where to be looking and I was trying to take it all in.

The Lisa Marie aeroplane - we were allowed into it and to walk right through - gawdy colours [just quietly] ...

I came away with a few wee bits and pieces as you do when you play tourist. My housekeeper is a real Elvis fan as well - I sent her an Elvis postcard from the States and she was just stoked.

So thank you Mom and Dad for stopping off at Graceland for me and for humouring someone you know during my visit ... love you guys.

Now birthday drum roll please ...

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to my scrapping buddy

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday Janine [AKA angel gurl] - hope you had a wonderful day and a nice relaxing afternoon away from the study books, cos after all it is your special day.

Angel gurl is one of my scrapping buddy's over at the Scrapbook Essentials forum ... I've never had the opportunity to meet her - but one day ... look out Janine - you just never know !!!

Well I couldn't resist sending Janine a special wee birthday gift ... I saw some angel wings and a halo [in pink] and thought to myself, YEP, I have to send them to her for her birthday - naturally one has to send a few bits and pieces for her to whip up a layout as well - cos I'm thinking she HAS to take pics and share a layout ... lol.

Happy birthday my friend ...

From coast to coast

These pics take you to the West Coast of the States today ... we visited Seattle and stayed with friends of ours in Tacoma. This particular day we visited Gina's business parter over on Bainbridge Island and caught the ferry over there ... well that's after we got on one ferry and realised that we were on the wrong one, backed off that one and drove on the right ferry. Wonder where we could have ended up if we hadn't realised in time. Could have been interesting.

Bainbridge Island what we saw of it was beautiful. Reminded me alot of Queenstown to be honest.

Nathan was involved in a school project with young Spencer who went to the local school on Bainbridge Island. This will have been probably four years ago and was an absolutely brilliant school project to be part of. Flat Spencer flew over here in an envelope, well he couldn't come in real life, and he stayed with us and we had to take Flat Spencer on visits with us as a family, take pics of where he went and keep a diary for a couple of weeks. So Flat Spencer came to New Zealand and visited around the Southland region. It was more the diary that was kept of what we did, a little bit about our family and culture and customs, etc living in another country.

So when we went to Bainbridge Island we met the real 'live' Spencer, had lunch and spent a couple of hours with him and his Mom, Chris. Lovely people and I would like to thank them again for their hospitality while we were there. We also went to the school that Spencer went to at the time for a visit and met his old teacher. Don't ask, but I was an honorary mouseketeer for the day - with the cape and the hat/ears thing going on as well - no pics on that score [thankfully]. M I C ... K E Y ... M O U S E ... think of the tune - ring a bell ... lol. Something else that I will remember for a long time to come.

On that note ... time to be a little creative ... on my to do list tonight - two of my recipe layouts before I go to bed ... better get cracking!

The Alamo, San Antonio, Texas

Wow, what a place to visit ... it's beautiful, it's old, it's amazing. I don't know what to say now that I have posted these pics ... I can't explain how I felt when I visited. I didn't know a great deal about what happened at The Alamo before I went.

The shrine is just beautiful.

The names William B. Travis, David Crockett, James Bowie - you may have heard of them [there are many others] they were very brave men, they were heroes.

I dug out one of the brochures that I grabbed while I was there ...

So you are about to have a history lesson - sit back and have a read ...

The Daughters of the Republic of Texas

present

The Story of The Alamo

Thirteen fateful days in 1836.

The Alamo's Historic Past

Originally named Mision San Antonio de Valero, the Alamo served as home to missionaries and their Indian converts for nearly seventy years. Construction began on the present site in 1724. In 1793, Spanish officials secularized San Antonio's five missions and distributed their lands to the remaining Indian residents. These men and women continued to farm the fields--once the missions' but now their own--and participated in the growing community of San Antonio.

In the early 1800's, the Spanish military stationed a cavalry unit at the former mission. The soldiers referred to the old mission as the Alamo [the Spanish word for 'cottonwood'] in honor of their hometown Alamo de Parras, Coahuila. The post's commander established the first recorded hospital in Texas in the Long Barrack. The Alamo was home to both Revolutionaries and Royalists during Mexico's ten-year struggle for independence. The military--Spanish, Rebel, and then Mexican--continued to occupy the Alamo until the Texas revolution.

San Antonio and the Alamo played a critical role in the Texas Revolution. In December 1835, Ben Milan led Texian and Tejano volunteers against Mexican troops quartered in the city. After five days of house-to-house fighting, they forced General Martin Perfecto de Cos and his soldiers to surrender. The victorious volunteers then occupied the Alamo -- already fortified prior to the battle by Cos' men -- and strengthened its defenses. On February 23, 1836, the arrival of General Antonio Lopes de Santa Anna's army outside San Antonio nearly caught them by surprise. Undaunted, the Texians and Tejanos prepared to defend the Alamo togther. The defenders held out for 13 days against Santa Anna's army. William B. Travis, the commander of the Alamo, sent forth couriers carrying pleas for help to communities in Texas. On the eight day of the siege, a band of 32 volunteers from Gonazales arrived, bringing the number of defenders to nearly two hundred. Legend holds that with the possibility of additional help fading, Colonel Travis drew a line on the ground ans asked any man willing to stay and fight to step over--all except one did. As the defenders saw it, the Alamo was the key to the defense of Texas, and they were ready to give their lives rather than surrender their position to General Santa Anna. Among the Alamo's garrison were Jim Bowie, renowned knife fighter, and David Crockett, famed frontiersman and former congressman from Tennessee.

The final assault came before daybreak on the morning of March 6, 1836, as columns of Mexican soldiers emerged from the predawn darkness and headed for the Alamo's walls. Cannon and small arms fire from inside the Alamo beat back several attacks. Regrouping, the Mexicans scaled the walls and rushed into the compound. Once inside, they turned captured cannon on the Long Barrack and church, blasting open the barricaded doors. The desperate struggle continued until the defenders were overwhelmed. By sunrise the battle had ended and Santa Anna entered the Alamo compound to survey the scene of his victory.

While the facts surrounding the siege of the Alamo continue to be debated, there is no doubt about what the battle has come to symbolize. People worldwide continue to remember the Alamo as a heroic struggle against overwhelming odds--a place where men made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. For this reason the Alamo remains hallowed ground and the Shrine of Texas Liberty.

So there you have it ... a little bit of history and the story behind those thirteen fateful days back in 1836 ... it truly was an amazing place to visit.

Hope I don't get into trouble typing all that off the pamphlet ... just as well I have a high typing speed - lol.

Hope you enjoyed your history lesson ...

Next time when DH and I go back to visit my big sis in San Antonio, will take Russell with me and visit The Alamo. If you get the opportunity, I recommend visiting ...

Must be time to go and see if that cloning agent worked overnight [lol]. I must, I must, I must ... I must spend some time on my recipe swap layouts ...TONIGHT!!!! They aren't going to be put together without a little input from moi!

Take care.

I'm in love ...

Well it's like this ... I am in love ... yep, I'm in love with a new scrapping product ... some of you may already use it. But it's new to me and I am so loving it ... sad but true.

And it is ... wait for it ... Folk Art Papier Glass Finish. Admittedly, not the best of pics ... but here it is. I'm loving it ... using my paint dabber/dauber thingymajigs on chipboard shapes, waiting for the chipboard to dry and then you use the glass finish product on the top of it - you have to wait for about 3 hours or in my case overnight and wow - wee - I'm stoked with the end result. Absolutely stoked - will share something in a layout at some stage - but I tell you what, I am hooked ... hook, line and sinker - big time. Why has no-one told me about this before - I wonder???

Chipboard and I are the best of friends at the best of times - but with patterned papers, sanding and inking ... this glossy glass finish product and I are going to remain firm friends ... I kid you not!!!

Now onto my sneak peek - I'm involved with a recipe swap over with the girls on the friendly forum at Scrapbook Essentials www.scrapbookessentials.co.nz and 12 identical 8x8 layouts are due in before the end of the month and I'm thinking - well, best I get my A into G [excuse the expression] and put something together. So I've done my first layout and what do I need now - a cloning agent!!!!!! LOL ... I've got to have a conveyor belt working here ... I'm talking some serious copying going on and I would settle for a cloning agent right about now.

A scrapping friend said to me ... Michelle, has this recipe layout got any flowers on it ... and I had to think about my response, just for a minute ... LOL and yes, was the answer - funny that! There aren't too many layouts that I would do these days without a flower or two, or three or four. I'm telling you, a flower is my mark on a layout ... ROFLMAO ...

With that I leave you ... have a great night - if you are being creative - enjoy yourself. Tomorrow is another day and the start of another working week at the office. Take care.

Washington DC - Spring 2006

D.C., Spring 2006, a little nippier in the morning but come lunch time and we were wearing just our t-shirts ... beautiful weather-wise. D.C. in the spring, magical really - the blossoms were turning on a show and we visited the big weekend of the Cherry Blossom Festival - D.C. was bulging at the seams. I overheard all sorts of comments about how many extra people come to visit during the week's festivities - hundreds of thousands to millions. The foliage was awesome. We did quite a few of the touristy things as you do when you visit. We invested in a red trolley pass where you could hop on and hop off the red trolleys at will [at the designated red trolley stops] and there were so many people doing just that getting round the place that they had to put on quite a few additional red trolleys to cope with the sheer numbers. A very enjoyable way to get around the major tourist attractions and well worth the investment. Truly!

Seeing George Washington sitting on his big chair, looking back over the reflecting pools - visiting Albert Einstein's statue - had to take pics of Nathan with Mr Einstein himself - took pics with Frizz at the same statue five years prior ... too precious. Taking Nathan passed The Whitehouse and walking around Capitol Hill - Frizz and I had the opportunity to go inside and visit both on our first visit. So many things have noticeably changed in the five years following September 11.

I would have loved the opportunity to show Nathan inside both - but on a flying visit it was not to be. A shame really. But the young fella saw so much in such a short space of time - the museums are unbelievable and the treasures they hold are amazing. It was wonderful to be able to share with Nathan in real life some of these places that the majority of us [by that I mean people living in New Zealand] are only able to see on the TV documentaries or movies.

If you ever have the opportunity to visit Washington D.C. I would encourage you to go there.

We stayed at the Capitol Hilton - horrendous prices, but D.C. was full - our travel agent obviously got a better deal than someone who walks straight in off the street. I recall taking a pic of the tariff notice that was in the wardrobe - must have another look for that pic. The prices were way out of my league that's for real ... and no, didn't see Paris ... lol.

Wild and Wonderful - West Virginia

Just thought that I would share some pics of my visit to Mom and Dad's last year - they live in West Virginia and Dad will tell you they live on top of a mountain ... it's beautiful. I have only had the opportunity to visit twice, once back in 2001 in the heat of the Summer and then again last year in April, so that would be the start of Spring.

These pics are taken in Dad's backyard. The pic of the deer is actually taken from inside their house and I was standing in the kitchen holding the camera one morning while turning the coffee pot on. That's how close they come and visit.

The squirrels, well I could watch them all day running up and down the trees. Mom and Dad feed them and fill the feeder box with cracked corn and it really is a delight to watch their antics. Living in the southern hemisphere, a squirrel is something we see on TV - but over there they were up close and personal and I found them quite entertaining.

Nathan travelled with me last year and he saw his very first squirrel in Washington DC, we were walking through one of the parks - and it was priceless, one of those memories that I will cherish forever - he was just about beside himself and couldn't speak. Then I got a mum, mum, mum, mum ... look - there's a squirrel. He was grabbing my arm, he was wanting the camera and I still recall telling him something along the lines of ... it's not going to be the only squirrel you see right up close ... we are going to Grandad's ... plenty of times for pics ... lol!

So to Mom and Dad know that you are both constantly in my thoughts ... you are two very special people that I love dearly ... it's a shame that I can't be 'beamed up' to the top of the mountain more often ... love you.

Duck shooting

Thought that I would share these pics from duck shooting opening weekend last year. I tell you ... the boys have to look the part - in their camo gear as well - they blend in just nicely with the surrounding background drop.

I've even got the camo paper for the scrapping pages - on the 'to be scrapped pile'.

The Mai Mai

Well it's mid way through March and I've just thought to myself, crikey it's not too far away and it will be duck shooting season. [first weekend in May].

So for those not in the know - this pic is of a mai mai - this is my darling husband's mai mai to boot. Frizz is an outdoors kind of guy and lives for duck shooting season especially opening weekend. In fact haven't checked to see if he is supposed to be working or not - but if he is rostered on, I'm sure that he will try and get it off work. Opening weekend is the biggest weekend around here in the deep south. And for the ladies, it's known as duck shooter's widow's weekend. Crazy really. Now the young fella enjoys it just as much as his Dad and last year the tally was on ... one day it was one of them up over the other and the next day vice versa and I couldn't possibly keep a count on the ones that they missed ... lol.

So I will share some pics over the coming days - in fact haven't scrapped any of these pics either ... they are in the pile of pics still to be scrapped.

Roll on duck shooting - I will be able to take time and scrap to my heart's content. As long as I have a hot meal ready for them when they return and a warm house ... I think I can cope with that ... just!!!!!!!

Mother Nature isn't happy

Well today was a miserable day in the deep south, not pleasant at all. If you were a fish or a duck you would have been right at home in the wet conditions. The word 'wet' being the word of the day.

It's being blowing a gale and raining most of the day. I drove into town this morning and went to park my car where I do and I sat there for probably a good 5-6 minutes thinking to myself, do I really want to get out of the car ... and the answer was NOPE!

I arrived at the office looking like a drowned rat and trust me on this one, not a very professional look that's for real. This greying blonde had even more ringlets than normal for the day. A waste of time doing my hair this morning before work. Hairspray ... forget it ... that was a waste as well.

We moan when it is too hot, as it was last weekend and now someone has really p'd off Mother Nature, cos today wasn't pretty at all.

Tomorrow is another day and hopefully a better one weather-wise.

And of course tomorrow is Friday ... thankfully. It has been a very long week.

Weather vane

Another peak of something else hiding away in amongst the vegetation in our garden. We have just over an acre - and you can have lots of goodies hiding in an acre.

Well I've just thought about something - danger, danger, danger, the woman is thinking out loud [and in writing] - lol.

I'm done ... I am SO DONE! I've just realised that I will have completed the challenge - woo hoo ... I have posted a pic every day for a month - how's that - I have accomplished what I set out to do and you know what, it wasn't that hard ... so I can only hope that it is now so much of a habit, that I will keep it up. And to think that some of those days during the last month, I have posted more than once - I'm thinking Brownie points here guys [figure of speech]. Woo hoo - I'm rapt ...

Just thought that I would share that with you ... now if I can do it, post a pic on my blog for a month, you can too !!!!

Winter is just around the corner

Well we had an absolutely cracker weekend weatherwise last weekend - far too hot and I moan about it - crikey - how silly is that?

Today went from one extreme to the other - boots, long pants and velvet jacket on to wear to work ... just a wee tad on the nippy side - but I'm truly not complaining ...

So I thought a pic of our wood stocks for the coming winter would be a good idea. I love the warmth from the Yunca multi fuel burner - although we tend to burn only wood and not coal too often. The heat emanating is beautiful ... really cosy and as sad as it may sound, I look forward to the Yunca being lit ... I know that I should wash my mouth out with soap - lol. That doesn't mean to say that I want it to rain, hail and sleet by any means of the imagination. A late summer is fine by me. I could handle another month or so of fine weather, as I can honestly say that summer has been a little sad overall this year for us in the deep south. The rainfall hasn't been there, but the balmy days haven't hung around either. Unfortunately.

Mother Nature if you are listening to me - be gentle ... a balmy breeze for another month or two would be bliss.

The face in the tree

You will recall in another post I said about boys and their toys - and in my case, Frizz and his chainsaw - well here's a pic of his handywork! Got home from work one day a few years ago now and he had been playing outside with his chainsaw. Now every year our face sprouts new hair [new foliage] ...

Just thought that I would share with you.

Boys and their toys!!!!

A walk in the park

A walk in the park - not in this case - a walk around the garden. We have a beautiful tree that I always refer to as our park tree on the far lawn and I love it ... my darling husband has been known to be trigger happy with his chainsaw on occasion and he has been threatened with grievious bodily harm if he goes anywhere near my park tree ... lol! I would be absolutely devastated if anything happened to that tree and he knows it ...

Well I was well and truly up with the sparrows this morning. The alarm went off at 6:20 am so that I could be out of bed getting Nathan organised to go to Alexandra today for a Southland cricket fixture - I'm guessing that they are playing a Central Otago representative team. It's a stinking hot day again down here, and it will be hotter in Alex. I have texted him a few times and reminded him - sun block, sun hat and drink and I have received one response - YES.

I dropped him off this morning over the coach's house and he was taking Nathan up with him - he had his big cricket bag in tow and a medium size chilly bin. Nathan looked at me last night as if I was on another planet telling him he was taking a chilly bin with him - he has got three water bottles and a big 2 litre bottle of soft drink with him in the chilly bin along with his lunch boxes. So I am hoping that he actually drinks the liquid and doesn't bring it home with him.

I spent the better part of the day yesterday at the athletics track officiating at the shot put circle and it was so hot out in the middle of the track with no respite from the sun. There were some competitors that found it a little difficult in the heat. But it was amazing the kids that came over to us for their competition that didn't have a hat on or any sign of a drink bottle - crazy really.

Well that's it for me - must whip down to the kitchen and stuff a chook for tonight's dinner and then I might just be able to whip into my scrap room and whip up a layout ... take care.

TTYL.

Saturday morning

Up bright and early this morning, quick check of the emails and then thought - pic and blog will do this early this morning, so here I am blogging already ... crikey.

It's not the rose this morning, it is the fern - lol and we have a few of them in our garden. I like seeing the fronds as they start to unfurl - precious and a beautiful coloured green.

This morning sees me getting ready to drop Nathan off at Saturday morning cricket and then I am off to the track to help/assist/officiate at the Southland Secondary Schools athletics champs. It is supposed to be a cracker day today so must remember to put some sunblock on before I go. It's going to be a busy day and a long day [and I really didn't want to get out of bed when the alarm did its thing this morning - well at least I am honest].

Enjoy your Saturday.

Walk around the garden

The day started off with a frost this morning, something we definitely aren't used to ... the change in seasons has started.

We had a cracker day today weatherwise and tonight I got home from work grabbed the camera and went walkabout around the garden. Found this delightful wee flowering cyclamen in amongst the aluminium plant growing wild in part of the garden. Loved the gentle colour and thought that I would share this with you.

To the girls from Scrapbook Essentials that are in transit to scrap camp this weekend in Bannockburn - enjoy yourselves. Find time to do a little scrapping and enjoy the camaraderie. I'm so totally jealous, but that's okay. Other commitments have kept me away ... Safe travels to all of you.

My latest layout

Well here tis ... my latest layout - loving the latest Basic Grey papers - divine! This was a challenge set by one of the DT members over at Scrapbook Essentials www.scrapbookessentials.co.nz and I'm done and dusted and it's only the start of the month. Things are starting to look up - just joking! The challenge was to use five ingredients and you had a choice of :

2 pp [patterned papers for the uninitiated]

rub-ons

brads

buttons

journalling

ribbon

chipboard

And guess what - I used the lot ...I've got handwritten journalling written on the reverse side of my tags and I generally don't tend to use my own handwriting - but I can assure you all that it's there.

But like any recipe, we add a few additional ingredients - and what would I normally add where I can - why flowers of course - lol!

On the back of my layout I have attached a small special plastic envelope with a couple of the dried petals from my roses. I am also planning on making a paper CD envelope and keeping the very special CD that my darling husband put together for me - originally left on pillow.

A very special Valentine's Day.

I love you Mr Friz.