It's Tuesday and I'm blogging!

Yes it's Tuesday once again and I am on this pc of mine not really knowing what to do with myself this evening so thought while I'm at it I may as well blog.....lol. Yes I hear you.....I could be scrapping and I have been and I've almost completed another LO but just don't have the brain power to focus anymore as I have a horrible headache that's kinda been there all day long. I have so much going on in my head at the moment that I simply can't stay focused enough on any one thing. I'm sure it's just about ready to burst and I think all I need is a good night sleep....well I hope so anyway. Last night I wondered why I even bothered because I was awake for most of it and so today I am feeling the affects as I am just not really with it. Today Grace went to Melbourne on an Indonesion excursion and needed to be at the train station at about 7:30am this morning...did that and popped back home in time to take the other 3 kids to school, did that and managed a couple of loads of washing, baked a slice, some grey water watering of some pot plants in dire need of a drink, and some more tiding up here and there and that was it, I was totally exhausted and not really feeling the best either. Fell asleep on the couch only to wake up at would you believe 1:30 this arvo...just in time to go pick Lance up from school and deal with phone calls. Have caught up in the forums and galleries and added another LO to my own gallery which I finished sometime ago but forgot all about it and finally remembered to upload it. This LO is of DD Grace and one of her best buds Bree and their 1st day in school this year and in year 10. Grace actually edited the photo and it's pretty awesome don't ya think?

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This 2nd LO (below) is last weeks PBP CT LO using some pretty gorgeous goodies from our awesome and talented designers there.

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So that's about it from me as I do believe it's time to pop the kettle on and make a cup of tea and then literally go to bed and it's not even 9:30pm yet.....told ya I wasn't with it....lol. Anyhoo have a great evening, or day depending on where you are in this world of ours and until next bloggin' take care and stay safe. Hugs Chris x0x0

Warning LO may contain tearful reaction.

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My latest CT LO for Tara Dunstan created and uploaded to my galleries yesterday. The photo was taken on Saturday when the family took a day out at Rosalind Park in Bendigo. We thought it was a great day just to get out of the house and do something with the day and go grab icecream as well. Unfortunately Lance didn't cope and the full realisation of just how unwell he is at the moment pretty well hit. We have thankfully managed to get some support in place and he is on more medication (nothing to do with his heart meds he is already on) and time will tell how that goes as it has only been a week since he started them. He has just been placed urgently on the mental health waiting list which happened yesterday and we should hear more about that next week once the team can fully assess his situation on Tuesday, (Monday is a public holiday here). So we manage one day at a time at the moment and sometimes a moment is all we can manage and get through. Lance turns 17 this year and since the age of 2 we have noticed things that have really caused us to be concerned. He has needed some sort of help on and off since that time and although all the experts say he has traits of this and that they have refused to fully diagnose him until he is 18....yep you read right, saying that once we label him it will be much worse but they forget that by doing it this way that not only does Lance suffer and often in silence until he simply can't do that anymore but so does the whole family and we get to a point we can no longer function normally. That is where we are at the moment but thankfully we had his paediatrician urgently see him a week ago and he has taken the necessary steps to put into action the help Lance needs with extra backup and support he needs until everything falls into place properly within the next week or so. The great thing about this is his paediatrician said he will not allow Lance to fall by the wayside anymore and he will make sure that whatever needs to be done this time he will see to it too make sure it will be done. In some ways it has been a relief and so the LO above is a little insight into the life we live dealing with the anguish of all those years of undiagnosed disorders inparticular my feelings into it all knowing the heartache we have had to live seeing our son Lance suffer for so long.

On to a different topic....yay I am blogging more often which is good and now I just need to try and catch up with friends blogs so over the next few days I'm a visiting you all.....lol now now don't be too surprised about that will you. Anyhoo gotta go and take Lance to school as he starts late on Thursday so till next bloggin' take care, stay safe and hug a loved one. Hugs Chris xoxo

Woohoo I won I won I won!!!!

Yes would you believe that this LO I created for Vera Lim's Blog Challenge a couple of weeks ago won LOTM over on her blog? I just found out and I am so doing the happy dance right now....rofl. Woohoo I have to admit I am truly excited and boy did it make my day. If you scroll further down to Feb 13 2008 blog post you will see that I have already uploaded the LO with full credits as I do when I finish them but I'll do it again anyways.

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So a huge big thanks goes out to Vera and her awesome CT girls for this. Not only do I love Vera's Designs but her CT girls are so inspirational and I adore their LO's as well. Although I started doing the challenges a month ago and have only managed 2 of those challenges as there is a new one each week, I find popping on over there to catch up with all the news and goodies a real pleasure. Apart from every other day of the week, Monday is a great day to see what the new blog challenge will be and then hope I can find time to be just as creative (although it doesn't always work), and have some real "me" time. I love being inspired by all the other girls that participate as well and for those of you who are not aware of VLD's blog challenges than pop on over and check it all out and even if you're like me and don't always get the chance to do the challenges weekly just get in there and do what you can. Take some time out from all your other committments and do some scrapping just for you.
Anyways folks that's all for now and so I'll bid you all a goodnight as it's almost my bedtime. Take care, stay safe and until next bloggin' let someone know you love them! :) Hugs Chris xoxo

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