What happened......

...to February? I can't believe that today is the last day of the month and it almost seems like I blinked and missed it. Who else is finding that 2008 is moving a little too fast for them?! Although it certainly has been an incredibly busy month and seems there's no time for sitting back and doing nothing. For those of you have have that opportunity every now and again I wish you all the best but for those of us that don't I wish every now and again we did. Clear as mud?? Yeh thought so...rofl!

Tim started back at uni this week and is already so busy it's amazing but he only has this year and finally....yes finally it is all finished. Nothing like taking 5 years to do a 4 year course and then decide to transfer it at the start of a new year. You see Tim was doing his Bachelor of Social Work degree and had to defer twice as our son Lance got sick at both those times. This year however he decided that Social Work was dead (the course that is) and couldn't stick it out any longer getting nothing from it so decided to transfer his course to a Bachelor of Arts Degree and he graduates from that at the end of the year. Thank goodness for that I say....lol. Don't get me wrong I have been very proud of Tim's achievements in his time at uni and getting where he has got however it is also good to see the light at the end of the tunnel finally and actually realise that this is finally the last year at uni....it just seems to have taken him longer to get there and we have managed somehow although sometimes I will admit is has also been one very difficult journey to travel. The end is in sight and that's great.

Lance is sick again and has just been put on another lot of medication. I'm not going to go into detail but apart from his presumed coronary heart spasm diagnosis Lance has other difficulties. After a pretty difficult weekend last weekend I had to urgently call his paediatrician and we got in first thing Monday morning and he has referred Lance elsewhere, popped him on other medication to help and we are just waiting for all that to come through anxiously. This poor kid has had such a difficult time in his life for someone so young and as his paediatrician said this time he isn't going to allow things to finish up and end before Lance is well and truly diagnosed (nothing to do with his heart) and there is a support system in place for him basically for good. I know that this time everything will sort out and there will be some action because I also know that I won't allow it to be anything else. A parent will do anything they can to get all the help a child needs and we have done that for Lance for the past 13 years.....unfortuntately the powers that be think that he can just manage without any diagnosis and will be ok when they clearly know he has a disorder and will not diagnose it cause it does not suit them. Lance is settling into yr11 okish. He has good days and bad and on the bad he calls to be picked up or doesn't go in. Thankfully he has a very supportive co-ordinator that knows Lance's situation and that helps tremendously.

Grace is still enjoying her casual job at Pinky's Pizza which is good. One of the girls is apparently leaving so she is hoping that she will get a few more hours work a week. Hopefully that will work out. As she is in Yr 10, work experience is about to start but what she is looking at doing which is in the health profession somewhere.....doctor, nurse, dentist, dental technician, paediatric nurse or doctor....she can't make up her mind yet......lol, means that she has to fit in with the hospital here and that also means that she will be doing it in a week that no-one else will be. But what an experience hey?! She also started the new season of volleyball last week and they lost last week but came a draw this week so that keeps her busy as well.

Stephanie had her hair cut last night and she loves it. Haven't got a photo just yet but when I take one tomorrow I'll plonked it on here so you can see. Nothing to outrageous thank goodness but a little style and a little shorter.

Maddi is settling into high school which is good as he found it quite difficult at the start of the school year. Big step going from head of a primary school as in yr6 and then a new school and being a new kid on the block as all yr7's are but he is starting to enjoy it and that's really good.

Life is busy and I feel I have barely managed anything. I have recovered well enough with my back problem although I still have to be very cautious with my movements and mobility but so much better each day and I can now sit at the pc long enough to do most things. Only problem is the kids all think once they go on it they don't need to get off it....ever....rofl and so the more time they spend on it doing homework and playing games the less I seem to spend on it. I'm getting tough with them now that I can sit longer and kicking them off of course unless they have homework to do. My physio assessment is due March 14th at the Rehibilatation Centre close to home as I had a phone call from them yesterday to say they were sending out all the paperwork today which I just received in the mail. I am hanging out to do physio so my back muscles can be strengthened and I don't have to go through that ordeal to many times again.

How's the scrapping been going I hear you ask? Well not too bad I say. I have managed 1 or 2...ok 3 or 4 LO's although I can't put one of them on my blog or throw them into my galleries just yet as it's for Bella Scraps Magazine which I CT for so that'll have to wait. The first one I created for Tara (Tara Dunstan Designs) and this is her beautiful baby girl Lily Anne born on January 4th this year. She is a beautiful little thing don't you think? I so needed to scrap a baby photo and when Lily Anne was born that was a perfect opportunity and I had also fallen in love with Sweet Lullaby by Jofia Designs. So that's how this LO came about and so different for me but I love it. Better still so does Tara which is fantastic.

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So there you go a little creativeness in this lot today and I do hope you enjoy reading my blog and checking out my recent LO's. As for now it's time to go get busy with my creativity and start another LO. Until next blogging, don't forget to pop in and say hi and let me know how things are doing with ya and as the weekend approaches for us....enjoy it well guys and take a little time out for some much needed R&R. I know I will be. Take care, stay safe and hugs. Chris xoxoxo

Bad bad bad blogger!

I am so bad with my blogging this year even I should smack myself on the hand and say "naughty girl"....rofl! There is so much to say and although I thought about blogging often I found other excuses and didn't bother, but I know I am not the only one out there in blogging world that does this. I mean there is only so many hours in every day although I wish I could have at least another 4 to be happy.....lol and with 4 teens and hubby here at home often over the school holidays I found it almost impossible to get on my own pc and so didn't even bother.

Yes school holidays are finally over and kids are back at school which is good not only for my sanity although I do so love the holidays and spending time with the kids, but also for theirs cause as you can well imagine having 4 teens (well 3 and an almost 13 yr old) home every day for about 6 weeks can be pretty overwhelming and finances just don't seem to cut it with what I get paid and what they want to do. Who else finds that lifes expenses are just rising so rapidly you can't keep up with it all? Everything is increasing so much and my pay doesn't seem to alter in anyway.

I can't believe that Lance started Yr 11 this year and he just got his L's last Friday as well (8th of Feb) whoa slow down a little I say and if you happen to see an L plater on the roads in a white Ford station wagon coming your way with Mum in the passenger seat pulling out all her hair and blubbering totally crazy things don't panic that will just be me with Lance in the drivers seat! ;)
Grace of course is in Yr 10, Stephanie Yr 8 and would you believe Maddi started high school this year and is in Yr 7. Man what an adjustment to make.....no more primary school and my baby is growing up....now how the heck did that happen??!!!!!

So what else is new.....thinking as I type and not much is going on in this brain of mine.....lol!
Went to Geelong at Christmas/New Years time and had a good time down there catching up with family and friends but boy was it hot hot hot so thankfully Tims parents onsite unit has an airconditioner otherwise we would have not survived.

The rest of the holidays we just sweltered here at home, stayed indoors with the AC flat out and didn't do that much else really just the odd day out shopping and kids went out with their mates here and there from time to time.

Then in no time at all it was time to get them ready for school and that was a busy and expensive time but they are all their now settling in somewhat and hopefully enjoying it as much as they can. Of course like any other child in school you have the good days, the bad and then the days that kids just can't get up in the morning and don't want to go to school at all. Yep it's all-a-happening!!!!!

Would you believe that this time last week I had just come out of hospital after being admitted cause I put my back out in such a bad way I had to be rushed by ambo on Sat (2nd Feb). Yep that was me. My back ceased on me ( I have had a degenerative disc in my lower spine for years)and went into full blown muscle spasms, nerve problems and major lockdown. After being put on some pretty heavy drugs in the emergency ward they finally admitted me Sat night and I came home on the 6th still very disabled and in pain and on heavy meds. Thankfully after xrays and an MRI I did not need surgery but with a little management for pain thanks to morphine and imflammatory drugs as well as a walking frame for the 1st few days things are finally settling down and I am slowly without overdoing it getting back movement, able to sit longer than a minute, no longer need my walking frame and no longer need the drugs as much as I have done so for the past week and a half. Yes today was a good day good enough to finally pop on over to PBP and catch up, good enough to drive the car for about 5 minutes tonight and free enough to move without too much drama because up until today things were not like this so with each day comes more movement and less stress to the back and I am happy. So if you wondered where I had been as I have been quite everywhere and MIA wonder no longer. Let's just hope each day is a good day and that with each day comes a better outcome then the day before.

Oh and to all those that knew via through the grapevine as my DD Grace sent a few emails out to those that just had to be contacted urgently when it all happened...thankyou for all your emails and well wishes and support through the forum over at PBP and Bella Scrap Mags. It is always truly wonderful that the internet keeps us close and in the support we need and that your well wishes, prayers, thoughts and support have been there for me, that simply just makes my day. I hope that my recovery just gets better and better from here onwards although I have not fully recovered and still need to take it very slow and very easy and make trips to the doctor, outpatients clinic and physio but I know you are all there thinking of me and so I thankyou all sincerely from my heart!

Although I have not managed to do any CT LO requirements since my stay in hospital and recovery at home I am planning to get to that slowly and surely with a bit of luck starting back with it all next week however I did manage a couple of LO's lately, otherwise me and my brain would have gone completely insane. The first one was done before my hospital stay and is a PBP CT LO but I simply had not got the LO into the gallery before hand so finally here it is.

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The LO above actually won last weeks challenge "Back in Black" over at Vera Lim's blog and I am so excited that my LO was chosen. Thanks girls! :)

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The LO above is for Vera's blog challenge this week. Theme is "I Love...." and this is my take on that theme.

So I think that is it for now and I do hope you enjoyed my post and my more recent LO's and once again my aplogies for not blogging sooner. Oh and by the way when you stop by let me know how you're doing! I would love to hear from you all so until next blogging and let's hope it won't take this long again, take care, stay safe and simply take one day at a time and enjoy it to the fullest!

Hugs

Chris xoxoxo

Happy New Year One and All!

Although somewhat late because we Turnbulls have been away I what like to wish each and everyone of you a very Happy New Year and I hope that 2008 is a year full of all things good and pure in your lives (as well as mine). 2007 was certainly a very challenging and difficult year for so many which includes me and my family. With a new and fresh start comes new and amazing things and I just have to share some awesome news. DD Grace went for a job interview at Pinky's Pizza on Friday and today she received the phone call saying she got the job. Tim and I are so proud of her and so excited although I am sure she is feeling a little overwhelmed. They were advertising for junior staff and she popped her resume in and as they say....the rest is history. Awesome start to the year already. She was given her shirt, hat and apron today and starter pack and then tomorrow we need to buy her black shoes and pants and uniform is taken care of for now until the winter when she will also receive the windcheater. She starts tomorrow at 5:30 pm and then Thursday and Saturday this week for training. Great thing is it's after school/weekend work which is awesome cause now she will have a little of her own pocket money and save for the things she wants. So that's that news and totally awesome hey??!!

Latest layouts!!

You wanna see my latest layouts.....silly question too ask of course you do so without further ado here they are.

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Enjoy and with that I bid you goodnight and sweet dreams.

Till next blogging take care and stay safe.

Hugs Chris xoxoxox

Merry Christmas!

Yes it's that time of year again when the festivities of this season take hold and the kids are so excited as Santa arrives tonight. Too all my buddies wherever you are at this time of year, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and I hope that you are celebrating this season with family and friends. We also celebrated Grace's 15th birthday yesterday and Happy Birthday Grace with loads and loads of love from your family. It seemed to be a fairly busy day yesterday as we had the car break down on us the night before and had to leave it and go back yesterday morning to deal with it. Thankfully we managed to get it home although it broke down again. With all this rain and flash flooding we have had over the past few days water got into part of the engine and after cleaning it up and doing what one does to get things back to normal we seem to have it running back to normal now. So yesterday we dealt with that, I also wanted to take Grace out for brekky first up so Tim could set up her brand new computer we had built for her and she had no idea she was getting so managed that as my sister came to the rescue to get us to and fro and boy was she surprised with her b'day pressie she had no idea she was getting. Of course all my kids on their b'day get to choose the kinda takeaway tucker they want and the kinda cake to go with it so pizza and Boston Mudcake was on the agenda and scrumptious plus.

Today we have cleaned and done those last minute shopping things at the local supermarket mainly cleaning items.......lol, in readiness for tomorrow...Christmas Day. Pressies all wrapped last night and tonight we will go check out the Christmas lights that are on show all over Bendigo.

I will be the first to admit that I am looking forward to putting 2007 behind us as it has been an incredibly difficult year for us with so many different situations we had to endure and so with that I also wish to say thankyou to everyone who kept us in your hearts, in your prayers and in your thoughts as we dealt with Lance and the difficulty we had with his health and the even more frustrating part not knowing ("still") what is wrong with him. But there is one thing I do know and that is God is a miracle working God and I know that he has helped our family through this year. Not only dealing with Lance but for those of you who may know.....my hubby Tim is visually impaired and I am his full time carer. Along with him both Stephanie and Maddison are also visually impaired and they all have a genetic eye disease, no cure and nothing can be done for it. They have Best's Vitelliform Dystrophy. All you need to do is google it and you could also google Macular Degeneration, that should give you some understanding of it. Recently, about a month ago, both Maddi and Steps had another appointment with their eye doctor and Maddi's right eye has weakened. Not easy to deal with as he approaches high school next year and all that goes with settling and establishing himself there but with a disability and so many people NOT understanding what these kids go through it will be an eventful year for him to say the least. But we manage and thank God for helping us through even if so many times I feel I am just not coping and managing too well because I will for the first time say that I do have alot on my plate and it is far from easy!

For all of those out there in particular 3 families I know who are going to struggle this year due to the loss of loved ones in their family I wish you peace. I know it will be a struggle and very difficult for you but I know that you will also be surrounded by loved ones.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

It's not always.......

......... easy to blog new entries on a daily basis or even once a week. Life gets busy, things get in the way, there is often those things such as housework, feeding your tribe and running errands that often stop us from doing things that we really do wish we had a little more time for...........such as blogging and making it a little more regular! But I guess we just do the best we can. :)

The countdown finally begins as we near that special time when Santa slides down our chimneys and delivers those wonderful and precious gifts under our tree. When the children still believe, when Christmas is still magical, when the festivity celebrations are underway and when it is time to sit back, ponder and really think about the true meaning of Christmas, yes the birth of Jesus Christ and what that meant to the world and all those in it. A time to celebrate this miracle in all it's glory, a time to truly appreciate what Christmas is all about.

So as I sit here trying to blog a few words here and there my mind is elsewhere, thinking of a song that has been in my heart and on my lips for the past few weeks and although many others sing this song including Kenny Rogers and Wynonna Rudd, this would have too be one of the most truly beautiful songs ever written and is now renowned as a Christmas Song. Mary Did You Know words written by Mark Lowry and music by Buddy Greene. This song is full of power, passion and emotion. I have watched the video clips and cried and I have sung along with the song but mostly I have listened and I have imagined what the song is saying, the story of a mother and her child and emotion this song brings with it. It takes me to a different place, one of compassion, filled with emotion and power, filled with grief as only a mother can feel and above all, a place that I can draw close to God. I hope you listen to it and enjoy.

Scrapping.......yes I have done a little scrapping. The LO below is my latest PBP CT LO and the last one for the year as we now have a break to do those things that we need to do being Christmas and all. The photo was taken a couple of years ago and is of my youngest son Maddison.

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The CT LO below is the latest for Tara Dunstan Designs. Photo has been scrapped before (who could resist) and I just love my girl Grace with a little 'tude!

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I am working on 2 other LO's although neither of them are CT LO's and just popping the finishing touches on them before I pop them on here and in the galleries. I have just finished creating some bookmarks (as Christmas gifts) and need to print them off and I have also done some very simple Christmas Cards that I need to take photos of and plonk in here as well. So a little busy before the man in the big red suit arrives.

Well I am going to leave you with my latest LO's for now as my eyes are hanging out my head and I need to pop myself to bed. Till next time...stay safe and stay calm with all the festivity celebrations happening.

Hugs

Chris xoxox