A day of self endulgence

Today was a nice day.....

I had to get up early to get Emelia off to Work Experience,

so i headed to the Gym early and caught up on all the news...

I never usually watch the news so its a bit different for me to be aware of world events...

The violence thats going on is so bad!!! No wonder i dont watch it!!

I did my 50 minutes on the cross trainer and burnt over 500 calories,

got changed and headed to the beauticians for some repair and maintenance before my trip to Caloundra this weekend!!!

I love my toes!! Very different for me to do something other than pink!!
But i went with the Navy as i wear jeans all winter, so it suits...

Pink doodly bits...

The finger nails have purple glitter acrylics with pink and blue doodly bits...

The photography course:

This week we started on Shutter Speed, ISO and Appature.

Its so another language for me, but here is some of my homework......

This photo, i am behind emelia with a torch and putting it in circles.

200 ISO and 2.5 Shutter Speed

This one I am holding a torch over her. 100 ISO and 2.5 Shutter

Same with this one

These ones Emelia has the sparklers out... ISo 100 and 4 sec shutter

Same again

Im understanding it all a little better. Will just take more practise.

Does my Butt look big in this motorbike????

Dont answer that!!
I can see it myself thanks....

Anyway, Stu took me for another ride today... We went out on the plains around Goran Lake i think it was...

Im getting more and more confident. I managed to corner around that 120 mark and felt pretty comfortable. I didnt have any scares, so thats always a good sign!!!

I gotta get that art work done... Shes very boring isnt she, compaired to Lily!!!

Isnt this a shocking angle!!!

Not long now till Mum and i head to Caloundra!!! Count down is on!!!

We are staying at a resort on the beach, and not gonna leave the place. Bit of a waste really hey!!!

Just gonna scrap scrap scrap!!!!

Going to call in and see my friend Trac on the Thursday and stay there and then stay with my friend Michelle on Sunday night!!!

Yay!!!

Seeya

BOOK REVIEW - What Alice Forgot

Sunday in bed reading a good book is simply divine....

I finished reading this book today

What Alive Forgot

by

Liane

Moriarty

What a great story!!

Alice falls at the gym and bumps her head. When she wakes up she thinks its 1998 not 2008.

She doesnt remember having her three children

The last thing she remembers is being pregnant with her first child "The Sultana"

Her sister treats her weird, her husband is really abrupt with her...

Its all very weird!!
Whats happened in the last 10 years!!!

This is so great, and it really makes you think about why we make the decisions that we do and where they will lead!!

Highly recommended!

Wicked Princess - GREED Challenge

These weeks are just flying by..

Here is my layout for this weeks Wicked Princess Challenge

Go and check out the gallery and vote for your fav layouts....

This is mine

Greed for Speed!!!

Im really finding these challenges so hard.

For one, supplies!!
We only have 6 days to get a layout done and uploaded and I dont have access to a scrapbooking shop. So i am relying on stuff i have on hand, and for the colour challenges, i dont have much stuff as i am a pink and bright girl.

I dont have much yellow at all....

So i have had to rely on more stamped flowers and paint and twinkling H2os!!

Im so over flowers!!
I dont have many left either....

I dont mind my card though....

Ive never made so many cards in my life!!!

A Saturday at home

After a week (or So) of being frightened of Cyn,

Stu lowered her for me this morning...

So now the seat of the bike is much lower and it allows me to put my whole foot on the ground, just makes me feel a little more secure....

Once i regain some confidence, we will raise it again....

(This is an older photo, but see the back bit over the back tire... That sits much lower now and there isnt much room between the back mud guard and tire)

So then we took it for a run to Emerald Hill and around back through Gunnedah. All up about 50 kms. A few sweeping corners etc.

OMG!! This bike is so good to ride. There is no wind on your body... But you can hear it buzzing past your helmet!!!

But i had a good ride, and i think once i do a couple more rides, i will have regained some confidence.

Im fine with slow riding, its just the fast stuff!!! but im not even gonna attempt anything fast until i am really happy with how i am riding.

I stuck around that 90 - 110 today. Stu got up to 240, but we wont talk about that!!!

Hes a bad bad boy!!
He will get a spanking later!!!!

Emelia played netball and won!!! Yay!! Im so surprised at how great she plays, compaired to softball!!! I kept yelling out "Good Catch" emelia, and Sharon (Another Mum) would say "you sound surpised!!", I am!!! She enjoys netball!!!!

Then later on this arvo i went to the gym.

Did 5 minutes on the bike, 50 minutes on the cross trainer and jogged for 5 mins on the treadmill. I will build up the treadmill time gradually!! My ankle really isnt strong enough yet!

But i burned over 600 calories!!!

While i was there, they have a tv attached to the equipment and i was watching Max (We dont have Austar - so its a bit of a novetly!!!)

They had a feature on Bon Jovi, top 10 video clips.

OMG! I so used to LOVE Jon Bon Jovi!!!!

But that hair!!

Do you remember it!!! But so sexy!! Those outfits they wore... Ah, brings back so many memories... 1987 what a year!!!

Then in the 90s his look got a bit more cleaned up!!

Holy dooley, wasnt he SEXY!!!!

The there was another program that had some other widow clips and for the first time ever, I saw the Rock Lobster Video Clip by B52s. They were so feaky!!! 1979!! I was in year 6 at school!!! So long ago!!

So that was my day!!

I was hoping to scrap and get some packing done for the retreat.... Maybe tomorrow!!

Im running out of time!!!

Gotta wash and clean the car tomorrow!!!

123 Challenge - Blog Party!!!

The 123 Challenge Blog is having a

BIG BLOG PARTY -

held on Monday June 15th -

MUSIC, CHATTING and we have LOADS of prizes up for grabs -

with games to play - bingo,

treasure hunt,

blog hopping and

MORE!

and they'll be

ONE BIG SCRAPPING CHALLENGE.... there's only one catch -

you MUST complete the June 123 Challenge to be in the running to win!!!

More details SOON!!!

http://ourbrightstarsandus.typepad.com/123challenge/

123 Challenge - 1 Week to go!!!

ONLY ONE WEEK TO GO

to get your May 123 Challenge layouts in -

if you have been thinking of applying for the 123 Creative Team

this is your last week to get this part of your application in!

If you need some inspiration - go check out the 123 Challenge Blog

http://ourbrightstarsandus.typepad.com/123challenge/

Lily is on the Market......

Well, today is a sad day...

Lily is officially on the market...

See my ebay listing here

Some Photos I found...Scary!!

I had to delete a heap of photos off my external hard drive tonight and i came across this very scary photo!!!!

This was me in i think 2005?

Scary!!!!

Then this was me in 2007?

After loosing 35 kilos..
Isnt it increadible and beleive it or not, at this weight i was still considered obese......
So frustrating!!!
Anyway, not far off this again now...

The photo I promised you

Here is my photo this week!!
Ive done so well with the wieght loss this week.

Going to the gym has really given my body the kick in the butt it needed!!!

Ive lost about a stone now.....

I thought id put up a comparison photo... This is from 4th January....

I suppose you can see a little diference.....

I Cooked Something YUMMY!!!

Ive got a couple of things to blog about tonight.....

1. SEVEN POUNDS!!!

OMG! Have you seen this movie? It at the Video shop now, stars Will Smith.

I cant even tell you what its about, as it will give the story away, but beleive me, its awesome!!!

I bawled my eyes out!! No Joke! So Beautiful!
And what a very versatile and talented actor this bloke is...

Get it!!!!

2. I cooked something yummy for tea tonight!!
Im patting myself on the back because im so clever!!!

(Im not much of a cook you see)

I bought slow cooker about 8 years ago, but could never figure out what to do with it. I tired a few recipies that were in the distruction book..... but nothing that we would try again.

Then when i was at Woollies yesterday, I saw these sachets for the Slow Cooker.

Perfect for me!!
And so easy!!!

So i put a curry chicken on at about 1.oopm and tonight it was perfect.

All the family loved it!!!

That doesnt happen at our house. Anything Stu likes the kids hate and visa versa. But they all have to eat whats infront of them and be thankful for it!! So they just wade their way through if they dont like it!!!

I took a photo of Emelias after she played in it for a while...

Doesnt look that flash.. but look how tender that chichen is... That was chicken pieces too!!!

3. WEIGH IN DAY.

Sorry, forgot to get a photo. WIll owe you one.

Anyway was VERY happy with the results this week!! Lost about 1.2kg which is awesome for me!! I havnt moved in so very long!!!

But ive been to the gym everynight after tea!! I do 20 minutes on the bike which burns about 100 Calories and then 20 minutes on the corss trainer which burns over 200 Calories.. Im thinking i should jsut do 40 minutes on the cross trainer!!!

Then i call into Maccas on ther way home and get a coffee as my treat!!!

But ive been so tired since i started it!!! I find it really hard to get out of bed of a morning!! And my legs ache.. but that will improve with time!!!

One of those Days... A Monday!!!

Today was definately a Monday!!!

We really need to have three day weekends, so we can have a day to recover from all our activites.

So, Monday is usually house cleaning day, but who wants to do that right?

So I txt the girls to see who wants to do coffee?

Brenda was having some time in town this morning, so we met for coffee at the Verdict.

I came home and started cleaning the house and then Stu mentioned that we should go out to lunch.... Ok, whos gonna knock that back..

And then Monday kicked in...

the Dental Surgery rang, they had a cancellation, would i like to come in the have my filling today!! Hmm, ok. (First wrong answer!!)

So we go to lunch, i come home and finish cleaning the house before heading to the dentist.

I told him that i am here for the filling. He had talked to me about getting a crown, which is thousands of dollars. We decided, no, we would just have it filled.

So I told the dentist, i wanted it filled, but then he sugested maybe a stainless steel crown!! I instantly thought YUK!!! I hate the taste of those silver fillings and any stainless steel in my mouth!! yukko!!!

So i delayed in telling him no... I asked if i could ring Stu and he laughted at me. He said ok, I will make the decision for you, you will have th stainless steel crown.

Oh, i asked about price too. He said the S/S crown was cheaper than a filling at $137.

So i did as i was told.

He grinded away until i started jumping too much, and then he deadened the tooth. I hate the deadner!!!

So after he grinded most of whats left of my tooth away, he tried to fit the crown. As the crowns are ready made, they have to make the tooth fit the crown.

So after trying 4 different sizes and really jamming them all onto my tooth and then crow baring them off, he sees that the crown dont suit my tooth.

He cant fit one.

So now i have no tooth, and no option but the thousands of dollars worth of crown when all i agreed to was a $137 proceedure!!!

So i am getting booked in again to get a (whats that stuff they make the temporay teeth out of - composet) thats it. He is making me a composite crown, which is something that they make as a temporary while ordering the real one?

So rather than just getting a cheap filling that will last me the next 10 years, i now have a tooth thats grinded right down, is sore!!! (My tooth WASNT sore - it just had a hole in it!!) and guess what?

All this crap cost me $90!!!! And i have come out worse than what i was when i went in!!

Im so cranky about it!!!

I should have just said NO, just fill it!!! I tell you, I have learnt my lesson about being assertive!!!

I tried to eat a bickie on it tonight and the nerve pain was incredible!!! I didnt have any pain before!!! But now its been grinded down to nothing, it hurts like a bastard!!
What do i do though? Im so pissed off about it!! I only have ONE tooth in the bottom of my jaw and it was just distoryed!!!!

So, anyway, I got my house clean, all the washing done, did breakie and then lunch, went to tafe and to the dentist and did an hour at the gym and cooked tea for the family, so all in all the day was pretty productive, except for the dentist trip!!!

Campdraft Practise Fun Day & Drag results for Gary

I started to do a Cybercrop this weekend at Chookscraps...

I did one challenge and started on a second, and that was that!!!

This is challenge 1

"A Family in Waiting"

This is my lovely preganat sister in law Kell, and brother Gary!!! I took the photo.. Im so pleased with it!!!

Emelia and Solo tried campdrafting today....

Now apparently, this is Solos's "Thing!!", but he has forgotton obviously!!!

Here he is trying to chuck a spaz!!!

But he eventually got his shit together, and they didnt do too bad a job at stopping the cow.. I wouldnt go as far as to say Cutting the cow, because there was definately no cutting!!!

But he started blocking and chasing ok..

Emelias boyfriend Mat was giving her a hand...

And then shower her how its done..

Then Emelia, Mat and his dad teamed up to do team penning. They got all beasts in the pen in a very fast time... They did well!!!

So that was my day today..

DIdnt get much else done at all....

But on the DRAGS!!!
Stu got intot the final agaisnt a proper drag bike with the puller up thing on the back and all!!!

He dialled in 7 seconds, as he'd been running 7.2, 7.4, so thought he would be safe with 7!!

Guess what!!

He ran a 6.87!!!

So of course, he was faster than his dial in and LOST!! Well, got second anyway!!

BUT!!
He ran the fastest time the club has had on a bike!!! How awesome is that!!!

Bit scary though!!!!

So now there is another drags trophy in the cabinet... getting quite a collection now!!!

Today a received this Your Blog is as Deer to Me as Cupcakes...

Isnt this so cute!!

The lovely Charmane gave me this.... Check out her place..

So now its my turn to pass this on to those people's blogs that are dear to me....

Blogs i visit everyday are:

The lovely and very talented Kerry Murray...Cant wait to catch up in a couple of weeks!! yay!!!

My dear friend Brenda Schmitt - Who needs to blog more often!!!

Beautiful 007 herself Lindy Gallespie - This woman is amaising!!!

The Marvelous Scrapper Jules the Bling Princess - This womans work blows my mind!! So amaising!!!

My Amaising Talented and wonderful friend Jack Ellis - This woman has so very many talents its not fair to us average people!!

And finally Lisa Ashman - my dear internet friend who has so much in common with me we could be twins!! Scary!!!

So ladies, here is your award, now make sure you pass this on.........

Gunnedah Drags

Righteo, next drags there will be some photos of me on the bike!!!

Maybe....

If I'm not too scared!!!!

But for today, all I have is Stu (Now Josh has a girlfriend, his "interests" lie is a different area!!!

Here is Stu doing his burnout!!!

This photo is so funny............ The "Pit Girls" are supposed to be sheltering the riders from the Sun!! Here is a "Pit Girl" not quite doing her job correctly!!! See, she is fully sheltered, but for some reason she is standing beside the bike and not sheltering the rider at all..... The sun was directly in his face!!!!

She needs some more "training!!"

Doing the burnout........

At the line............

Off and racing

Got a bit of lift here.... Most of the guys are wheelstanding their way down the track.

This week our homework for photography was very appropriate to this weekends activities!!
We had to take photos of moving subjects!!

And i got it right!!!

Im so pleased i have learnt to do this properly!!!

Wicked Princess Challenge - Sloth

Boy oh Boy!!
Are these Challenges Challenging!!! lol

This weeks challenge was SLOTH

Make two of your own embellies, one of them out of non scrapping product, Light blue, stitching!

I made paper doiley flowers, and stamped flowers.. Sewed, and then the Sloth Photo.

This was me in 1982!!
It was Christmas Day and i have taken my brothers Donkey Kong game to play!!!

Look at those legs!!!

Oh my God, I should have remembered to bring them with me when i moved out of home!! Oh well, someone else has got them now!!! Too bad! :(

And my Card!!
I have such a huge selection of cards now!!!
Visit Wicked Princess here to look at the other challenges

and to vote on the layouts you like best....

CraftySketches - May 15th

May 15th sees a sketch by the beautiful Lindy......

Here is my sketch.....
Visit CraftySketches and take the challenge..
There are some great prizes on the line!!!

OPPORTUNITY AWAITS!!!!

All you avid scrapbookers, if you want a challenge,

123 Challenge is looking for more Creative Team Members!!!!

Read all about it here

Give it ago, its great fun!!!

Gettin back on the horse..... or in this case, Bike!! But It could be the horse cause i come off that too!!!!

Josh took me for a ride today...

They are very concerned about me coming off again!!!!

Josh is so funny!!! Its weird him being the "parent" and me being the child!!!

Yes Josh no Josh!!!

But we went around to Mums, and then to the Video shop, to the school and i came home!!
I was so frightened the whole time!!!!

Stu is going to lower it for me, and i know i will be more confident when i can get my foot on the ground properly!!!

Look, we are twins!!!!

I have a Suzuki GSX650F and Josh has a Suzuki GSXR600.

I gave Mum her proper Mothers Day present today!! She loved it!! She cried!!

Its an album called

"Mummy's Baby Girl"

It has all my cute baby photos.

It was a Kaiser Challenge for Scrapbook Memories, so I cant show you yet..... but the Mag comes out in 3 issues, so you can see it then!!!

Here she is showing Josh.

Mum bribed Josh too. He has to look after me while i am riding and Mum will make him Lemon Marange Pie!!! He said ok!!! lol

Stacked it on the first ride!!!

Well, my new bike turned up today....

What a dream to ride!!! Its so smooth, and everything works properly!!! Theres a gear elector window so i know what i am in... cause theres 6 of them!!!!

I took her over for Mum to see and she took these photos.....

Im wearing joggers as i still cant get my boots on with my ankle!!! And i didnt put my gloves on or take my phone with me.....

A lesson.... in future wear gloves and take your phone even if your jsut riding around town....

Because i took her upto Porky Lookout and there is a really tight uphill bend... I stalled her! I went into the corner in too high a gear and didnt gear down fast enough... It kinda sticks in second and you have to like double clutch it to get into first, so thats what i was doing right on the bend and she stalled!!!

I should have geared down into first way BEFORE the corner and just revved it!!! I know that and i am so cranky i didnt do it!!!

So anyway, on a tight bend and uphill, it was so hard to hold up and i dropped it!!! I was able to keep it up so that it didnt drop too hard and it didnt scrape at all, so there was no ferring damage, but i did break the blinker and scratched the rear view mirror and a couple of points on the ferring.

But i scrapped my hand and hurt my ankle again by straining it too much!!! As i said, i forgot my phone, so i couldnt ring Stu and i am just standing there on the bend trying to hold this bike up!!! SOme dickhead, on a dirt bike came up behind me and just kept going!! Didnt stop!!!

So im staning there, and i couldnt push the bike the rest of the way up the hill, so i decided to start the bike and just idle it while i pushed it up the hill... SO i did that and made it as far as i needed to so i could get on properly!!!

Talk about a work out!!! My gut muscles were so sore!!!

Anyway, I came home and there was this car parked right across the driveway entrance! There wasnt even any room for me to ride the bike up the driveway, so i rode up the neighbours and across, parked the bike... Stu came out with this girl following him.

I broke down straight away crying telling Stu that id dropped it... This poor girl is standing there while i have this melt down!!! She had some flowers and i thought she was a customer that wanted some balloons attached to them!!!

But i stopped crying long enough to ask her "So, who are the flowers for?" You she said!! OK?? I opened the card and they were from my friend jo!! How lovely!!!!

So they were very well timed!! Thanks Jo!!!

So, Stu has fixed the blinker and you really cant see the damage to the bike. You really have to look for it!!! So all is a bit better now!!!

WEEK 19

You would think that by now i would have lost 19 kilos or so!!! Christ its so frustrating being me!!! I try and try and still nothing!!!

But i joined the gym last week and i go everynight after tea. I do fat burn!! thats all!! No weights and no heavy cardio! Just fat burn!!! I feel really good and am getting fitter. My food hasnt been the best, but its coming down. But my size is reducing!! I can feel it and see it.. I went shopping for some clothes yesterday and i felt pretty good about how they looked!!!

Here is me today...

Hopefully, there will be no more drama this week!!! Please!!