two posts in one day!!!!!

I know, I go a whole month with out posting, then manage two in one day!!! I SCRAPPED this morning, and got a whole LO finished. I thought my mojo had gone awol with this pregnancy LOL May have something to do with the fact I got stuck in and cleaned up my desk yesterday...nothing more inspiring than actually having a space on the desk to scrap LOL. This is my first LO for this pregnancy.

I also had this LO in SM this month. Dont think Ive posted in on my blog before.

On the scrapping front I still have my awards for excellence entry sitting on my desk. Im a shocker for getting things posted off. I still have to do the materials lists etc before it can go. If it gets there, it gets there!!!!! Thank goodness for express post, at least i have another couple days to decide.

Since I last posted there is lots of exciting news around! Big congrats to Steph who welcomed a little baby girl into the world, to Kate who announced she is expecting twins, and to Isaacs God mother Ange who is expecting her third just after me...babies everywhere!!!! Just as well a girl is already pregnant or Id be feling really clucky by now LOL

19....20....21 months

Dear Isaac
Well forgive me for being so slack with your monthly letters, but just as you turned 19 months Mummy and Daddy got a huge suprise when we found out you were going to become a big brother. Mummy has been grappling with bouts of morning sickness (more like all day sickness) and feeling guilty about how much quality time Im not spending with you. It seems like Ive spent the last few months laying on the lounge, grumpy and feeling sick. It should get better soon little man!!!

We spent a week at the beach during the school holidays, it was lovely to get away as a family. Lots of walks on the beach, a trip to greenhills adventure park...you loved it all. You even slept in a big bed (with a saftey rail). The last few months have seen you develop quite a personality. You are extremely stubborn and like everything your own way. Unfortunately this is causing quite a bit of grief!!!! Your spoken language is still very limited, and so you have taken to squealing....loudly!!!!! Its driving us all crazy. You also have started grabbing a toy and bashing it on the coffee table when you get angry. I know a lot of it is frustration at not being able to talk much, but hat doesnt make it any easier to deal with , especially while mummy is feeling so ordinary.

On the flip side you can be the most loving little thing. You give us lots of cuddles and cute little kisses. You love to be right in the middle of what ever is going on. When daddy is around you are a real daddys boy....a good thing considering you wont be the absolute centre of attention for that much longer. You laugh uncontrolably, your are really ticklish and you frown at us all the time..its so cute!!!!!!
You arnt the most sociable little boy. you love being around older children, but around kids your own age you tend to pull hair and grab faces - not a good way to make friends!!!!! The only one you havnt tried this on is Jamie - lucky Jamie!!!! I know we should get out more to playgroup or visiting other little kids your age, but playgroups are always at your sleep times, which doesnt make for a fun outing, and I just dont seem to have the energy to get out and about at the moment.

The other day you managed the words "mumma baby" while we were looking at the ultrasound pictures of our new little one. It melted Mummys heart.

I love you my little man....to the moon and back!!!!
Mummy xxx

my final secret is out!!!!

This months FK is finally out and Im one of the 10 winners of their EDM album competition!!!! Ive know for quite a while now, and boy was that a hard secret to keep to myself. The entire album is above this post for those of you who are interested in seeing it.
I was so excited when I got the call all those months ago, and now cant wait to see the mag and the LOs that are showcased in there, and to find out who the other winners are - CONGRATS to you all. I was so happy with my finished album, and it was just the icing on the cake to recieve one of the prizes. Talk about happy mail - an awesome boxful of goodies. $1000 worth of product!

Check it all out. Thanks to FK & ASS and all the sponsors for their generosity.

These are the monthly themes and the LOs I did for each one -

July 2006 – FAMILY (Sponsor - JUNKITZ)
‘New Cousin’ (includes junkitz onsert), ‘These Guys’, ‘Great Grandma x 2’
August 2006 – SNAPSHOTS
(Sponsor – SEI)
‘Cry Baby’ (includes SEI onsert), ‘Toe Fluff’, ‘Mess’, ‘Big Sloppy Kiss’
September 2006 – CELEBRATIONS
(Sponsor – SASSAFRASS LASS)
‘One’ (includes Sassafrass Lass onsert),‘Silly Santa Hat’, ‘You complete Us’, ‘Celebrate Life’
October 2006 – HOME
(Sponsors - MICHAEL MILLER MEMORIES & BASIC GREY)
‘SAHM’ (includes MMM onsert), ‘Redecorate’, ‘Dream’, ‘Giddy Up’
November 2006 – SEASONS
(Sponsor – CAROLEES CREATIONS)
‘Banana Season’ (includes CC onsert) , ‘Always’, ‘Splash’
December 2006 – MY LIFE
(Sponsor – HEIDI SWAPP)
‘Teddy’ (contains Heidi Swapp onsert), ‘Laughter’, ‘Bathtime blues’
January 2007 – RELAX
(Sponsor – Li’l DAVIS)
‘Stretch’ (contains Li’l Davis onsert), ‘Brothers’, ‘Cuddle U Pillow’
February 2007 – CREATIVITY & HOBBIES
(Sponsors – STRANO & SCENIC ROUTE PAPER CO.)
‘Draw’ (contains Strano onsert), ‘New Perspective’, ‘Shoe Collection’

I think I used pretty much exclusively sponsors products through the entire album. Even the white cardtock bases are SEI page protector inserts! I made the actual album myself.

While I remember Ive been tagged by Miss Kathie! Thanks for your congrats too gorgeous! Im now officially nominated as a rockin' girl blogger

Check out the link to see what it's all about. Spreading the love :)

Now Ive got to find five deserving scrappers to pass on this nomination too...mmmmmmmmmmmmm

1. Katie

2. Roz (as long as she shares some of that divine strawberry pie!)

3. Nat

4. Kate

5. Steph (asssuming she isnt off giving birth right now!)

Lastly I will leave you with some more life journal pages. I havnt done all that many lately as Ive been feeling pretty crappy, but here they are anyway!

Time for an update!

Well its been quite a while since I updated, but there are good reasons for that! I will just do point form or we will be here forever!!!!

The main reason is that I have been feeling pretty off for the last few weeks. Queezy and vomiting on and off most of the day - morning sickness!!!! Yes we are expecting baby #4 (our surprise package!) in late February 2008!

I found out just after Isaac turned 19 months, consequently I didnt quite get around to his 19 month letter. Since he went 20 months yesterday I will get to one in the next few days - hopefully.

My boy turns 10 today - HAPPY BIRTHDAY Caleb!!! I cant believe 10 years has gone by so quickly! Im starting to feel old!

Craig also celebrated a birthday last Friday - Happy Birthday sweetheart!

Its nearing the end of school holidays here, we spent the first week on a nice relaxing family holiday down at Normanville. Had good weather, spent a day at Greenhills adventure park, which was fantastic. Lots of walks on the beach, and family time. Nice and relaxing until the moring sickness started tightening its grip on me over the last couple of days! Ive got heaps of photos to share, but they can wait for another day.

Huge congratulations to Janine and her family, who welcomed their newest addition a couple of days ago - a beautiful little girl named Kaitlyn Maree. CONGRATULATIONS guys, and welcome to the world little Kaitlyn!

Whilst Im on congratulations - Congrats to Nat and her family on the speedy arrival of their precious little daughter Lani Faith. That was a few weeks ago now (actually the day I found out I was pregnant!!!) but as I said, its been a while since I blogged!

I got the latest SM yesterday to show my sister the LO of her little girl in it...this is what it should look like...

Next is what it looks like in the mag GGGRRRRRRRRRRRRR........not real happy that my 81/2 x 11 got turned into a 12x12 just to fit in their vacant spot!

I also owe quite a few people emails that are embarrasingly overdue (especially Shazz - sorry sweetie!) They are all sitting in my inbox, and I will get around to getting back to you all. Sorry.

Well think I need to go and veg on the lounge again. My tummy is getting queezy yet again - Im not to bad in the mornings, but the later it gets in the day, the worse I feel!

I will update again soon - hopefully with another bit of VERY exciting news to share - finally! and with some photos, and Isaacs letter etc etc etc!

Life Journal

Some more life journal pages.[It turns out these were the last photos the little camera took. I found a bargain at myer yesterday - Canon powershot A530 for $129! It is 5meg, 4 x zoom - apart from the extra mp it is pretty much the same as the 'old' one - great for the kids & DH, they dont have to learn how to use it!]

These are the other LOs I had in this months SM. My first article - for the telling tales feature - Journalling Boxes. A LO in the fabric gallery called Adored & an EK success product challenge, Follow me.

So not good...

...at being the centre of attention! Let me start off by saying that I really feel uncomfortable being the centre of attention. Im one of those follow along, go with the flow, types of people. I really dont like having to get up in front of groups of people, public speaking scares the sh*t out of me, I just like my quiet little life! So today put me breifly right out of my comfort zone, and let me say there is probably some por lady out there that now thinks Im a complete idiot!!!!

After I picked the boys up from school we popped into the newsagents to see if THE (you know..MY...LOL yep still excitied!!!) magazine was there yet. As soon as I walked in the door I was greeted by an excited owner (she said)..."did you know....your on the cover" I explained yes I knew, but I hadnt seen it. By this time Caleb had gone down and found the said mag and was holding it up yelling "can we get it? can we get it?" (Like there was any doubt, OF COURSE we are going to get it!!!!!!!!!) anyway there was another lady in the scrapping mags section giving him the once over. We got the mag upto the counter, and ripped it out of the plastic so the owners could check it out - he (owner) says to the young girls next in line, these are local lads on here, I just smile, while starting to blush a little and say "yep this one when he wasnt so hairy" (note to self....must book them in for haircuts - urgently!) Anyway the next lady in line (the one that was giving Caleb the once over, and is now standing there with a scrapping mag too waiting to pay) looks quizzically at me and says excitedly "are you Nicole Wood?" I nod and smile and turn a little redder "I finally get to meet you" I turn a deeper shade of red and laugh it off a bit,I try to grab my stuff and make a quiet exit, she then looks at the owners who I know, and I am sure were giggling at me starting to squirm, and says "shes my hero". Well that was the end of me, Im not sure what else was said, but Im pretty sure I looked like a complete numpty as I high tailed it out of there as fast as I could.

Hero?!!? I know this is a relatively small town and all, but come on!!!! OK I was a tiny bit chuffed at some complete stranger recognising me, but believe me, it was way over shadowed by the horror of being thrust into what I percieved at the time as the limelight! Must work on a musch more gracious way to deal with compliments me thinks!!!! Im used to being the one standing there while people recognise all the scrappers around me, not being the one recognised.

To the poor lady, whom Ive never seen before, but am sure I will see everytime I drive down the street now...if you ever happen by here, or if you mention your bizzar encounter with the psychotic scrapper Nicole Wood to another person who might LOL (mmmm dont think people actually talk about me that much - oh well!!!!) Im really quite a nice normal person (well kind of), Im not usually the embarrased bumbling weirdo you 'meet' today - Im sorry, and Im flattered that you did recognise me, and even more flattered that you like my work!!!

To everyone who left message of congrtulations on the cover. Thank you so much.

Ill post some more life journal pages tommorow too!

Super Dooper Mega excited....

My secret is out!!!!!





It hasnt hit the shops yet, in fact I will probably have to wait another week before it gets to my newsagents, but I just got a phone call from an excited friend who recognised my gorgeous boys on the cover of the latest SM when it appeared in her mailbox this morning, and also took a pic an emailed it to me (thanks Michelle! ) !!!! Im SO thrilled!!! Its also fantastic to see them using some LO with older boys on the cover of mags lately too!

Oohhhh did I mentioned how excited I am about this LOL

I think I also have a telling tales article in this issue as well as a product challenge and another LO of my niece Georgia........I want a copy NOW!!!!!

This is like the buzz from my first ever acceptance -so cool!!!! This is also my all time favourite photo of Caleb & Nathan together, so that makes it even a little more special!

Life Journal

Here are the first of my life journal pages - some of the little snippets that make my life unique & special! I love the freedom this is giving me. So quick, so easy, so much fun! I can record all those mundane/odd things that run through my mind and my life...many of which would never be scrapped or recorded otherwise.
The other great thing with this is that its giving me the oportunity to be able to use up some REALLY old stuff, and play with other bits that I might not otherwise use on a full LO.

Wild Ice

Caleb standing at the back door at 7.45am -
"check this out mum, I found some wild ice!"
(No he hasnt brushed his hair yet, and yes he is in desperate need of a hair cut - he doesnt think so though!)

We had our first frost of the season this morning. The older two couldnt resisit going out and dragging their feet through the icy grass, and checking the trucks in the sandpit for 'wild ice'. Apparently the ice that you freeze in the freezer is very different to the wild ice that appears outside when its really cold LOL who would try and argue with the logic of excited boys nearly 9 & 10 years old! Isaac even got to touch the ice!
By the time I grabbed the camera Nathan was already inside sitting in front of the fire warming up LOL. Caleb was wearing his new fingerless gloves...which I suspect he may even have slept in last night ***rolls eyes*** but only his thin school shirt. Apparently he wasnt cold, only his hands were from touching the ice! BOYS!!!!

We rugged up and walked to school again this morning. It was a divine morning. The sun was out, the frost was still on the grass, the air was freezing, and their wasnt a breath of wind - truly beautiful!

SC colour competition

Congrats to the winners of this comp. There were a few new (well new to me LOL) names in there, and some that I recognised. Cant wait to see all the winners entries. Since Im not one of them, I thought Id share my LO here...

I think perhaps I choose the wrong colour combo - three of the five runners up were the pink & green combo! Not sure what the winners LO was though. Not to worry, I created a LO I love, and thats what really matters! I had been wanting to scrap this photo for ages, and for some reason when I was looking through my photos for inspiration for a green & black LO I kept coming back to this one. Dont you just love those chubby bubby baby hand dimples !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

its your birthday

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my gorgeous friend Kathie
Happy birthday to you

I hope you get spoiled rotten today!!!

Nic xxx

PS ooohh I nearly forgot..a huge happy 7th birthday to Zali as well !!!

slipping away

All those that pop by here regularly know I have a bit of a liking of eBay, and a lot of a liking for pumpkin patch clothes for my little man. Yesterday I decided that I would start culling some of the clothes I haven't been able to bear to part with.

They don't fit any more, but its just another bit of that little tiny baby, quietly slipping away!!! and they are so darn cute.

Its hard to believe that he actually fit into all of those little clothes -

I remember him propped up on the pillow, ready to come home from the hospital, looking a bit like the saggy baggy elephant. The waist turned over, legs rolled up, hands disappearing inside the sleeves, and socks pulled up to try and keep them on those tiny little feet. To think that was over 18 months ago. It seems like yesterday.

I never sold on eBay before...Ive bought quite a bit though ;) so I'm hoping it goes well. I cant wait to get my very first bid on something!!!

I went through ALL the boxes of clothes and have decided to give lot of it to our local op shop, there is just so much of it, and I would go around the bend trying to photograph and list all of it, plus it feels good to just give some of it away - I hope it all finds a nice new home!!!!

OK just one more photo to add. The most recent shot I had of Isaac on the computer. He is starting to wear size 2 tops now - eeekkkk. Lots of his size 1 stuff was just getting too short! LOL back to looking like that cute little saggy baggy elephant for a couple of months. Not a great photo LOL but look how much my baby has grown up :( He is so proud that he can clamber up onto the lounge by himself now. He gets up there and perches the edge with his legs dangling precariously beneath him, and the cheekiest, proud look on his face. I quite often find him up there, arm outstretched, TV remote in hand, pushing the buttons....sigh...yet another male in the house with a thing for flicking through the channels...whats a girl to do ?!?

Check this out!

Just a quick post this morning. Wanted to share this photo of Caleb helping cook breakfast on Sunday morning. Bacon & Egg 'Nc-muffins' are a bit of a Sunday morning breakfast treat every couple of weeks in our house, piping hot bacon and eggs and a slice of cheese on freshly toasted wholemeal muffins- Yummo! Much healthier than Mc muffins!!!! Short back bacon (no one here eats the fatty bit of the bacon, much to the rest of my families disgust!), wholemeal muffins (cause they are just yummy!) and low fat cheese of course! I could almost trick myself in to believing they are really healthy if I keep going LOL. The kids love to help, and are quite good at cracking the eggs and cooking everything up now. Just have to work on getting them good at the cleaning up after!!!Anyway... did you have a good look in the pan? check out one of the eggs...a double yolker....I havn't seen one of these since I was a kid. He was so eggcited (LOL I crack myself up...hehehehe, sorry!). They were shop eggs too, not even yummy home grown free range ones!

My Monday MoJo

For some reason I always feel really creative on Monday Mornings. Maybe its the fact that I'm so relieved to have everyone back at school and work, and have some peace and quiet again.

There is so much to do though. A house to tidy after the weekend onslaught, washing to do, floors to wash, plus I look after a friends little one Mondays and Tuesdays from 10.30am.

This morning as I surfed my list of updated blogs, I was really inspired to begin this journal. I love looking at this girls work, she has such a wonderful sense of fun in her work, and always that quirky little twist...it makes me feel happy, and I love visiting her blog! Ive never met her, in fact I suspect she wouldn't even know who I was LOL, but that's beside the point. Anyway loved her life journal pages, such a simple idea, and it really inspired me to do something similar. I followed the link to her original inspiration and was blown away..stunning. Its just what Ive been looking for. Some where to play. No feeling the need to get in looking just so. Somewhere to record what ever I feel like...childhood memories, what we did today, inspirational anythings, funny things the kids did, the nitty gritty bits of life, that are so often hard to complete a whole LO on...especially when many don't have a gorgeous photo to go with them.

For the first time ever, both the bubs went down for a sleep at the same time (they are BOTH still asleep, bless their little hearts) SO....I went for it.

Ive had this 7 gypsies journal laying around for years...perfect. I wanted it to be pretty and girly...its not something I get to do often LOL.

Lots of flowers, some bling, kindy glitz and pretty girly colours.

Ive put tabs on every page...just cause I can. Anything I could find in my stash became fair game to be converted into a tab...it was so much fun!!! I cant wait to start filling it!

Feeling better...at last

Today is the first day in the last week Ive actually felt 'normal' (OK well as normal as I get LOL) What ever it was that I had really knocked me around, Im glad its nearly gone now!

Finally got a chance to sit down and have a look at SM last night. Ive got three LOs in there. Bit of a suprise considering I only knew about two of them LOL The winter one was accepted ages ago, Id just about given up hope of it actually making it to print...then as I flick throught the mag, there I am looking at myself LOL.

The final one I have in this issue is the LO I did using my home made fabric paper. It also contained snippets of an article I originally wrote for a Scrapbook Station newsletter about making your own fabric paper. Ive included the full article below for anyone who is interested.

Did anyone get the number of that truck?

I mean the one that it feels like must have hit me a couple of days ago. Ive got some sort of fluey thing, and I feel like crap. If I keep up the panadol its not too bad, but Ive just got no energy. I think Im feeling OK and then go do something and Im exhausted in no time!
The youngest two kids also have colds. I suspect Isaac is feeling abit like me, he is sleeping lots, which is probably the best thing for him. Nathan is just really snuffly, although he does seem a bit flat this morning.

I got some SUPER exciting news yesterday, but I have to keep you all hanging for a bit longer on that one LOL I will share really soon though! ( and NO Im not pregnant Janine :0 )

Ive done nothing but clean up this morning, now I just want to go curl up in bed! except I have to take Nath to footy in about 1/2 hour. At least its a home match and only 5 min away.

Enough of my meaningless ramblings for this morning. Have a good weekend everyone!

I will leave you with a quick LO...still more of the mothers day photos. Had fun creating the journaling box with black & white pens. Love the result. Might make some more different ones!

STOP...slow down...please

18 months..wow..happy 1 1/2 years sweetie!

I know I say this every single month, but where is time going, it seems like every month you grow so much, you learn so many new things, its hard to keep up.
You are running everywhere these days. You wave madly, hug us, dance to music, climb onto the sofas all by yourself, and most of all LOVE being outside.
You understand everything we say to you, and are getting really good at following directions. I made you a special book with photos of you and the family. You love to read it all the time.
You want to play with what ever you see Caleb & Nathan with, you have little interest in your baby toys, you constantly have a matchbox car or motorbike in your hand. "Monkey see, Monkey do...and your the monkey" is what Caleb always says to you.


You love to help put away your toys, put cups in the cupboard, pieces of rubbish in the bin, and STILL are forever shutting doors! You imitate constantly. You take your little watering can and 'water' the plants. Its so cute to see you only go to the plants that Daddy usually waters with his watering can. You perch yourself up on the chair and point the remote control at the TV as you push the buttons, and you run the boys 'scanners' toys along the floor and cupboards just like they do as they scan the bar codes on things.

All four of your eye teeth have finally come through. You are still a fussy eater through. Bananas are your firm favourite, and you love your weetbix for breakfast. You whizz through three with warm milk every morning. You sometimes even have them for tea. If I ask if you want something to eat during the day, you head straight for the cupboard and pull out the weetbix packet. You are a funny little thing sometimes!

Tonight you layed in the big bed in your room and had a story with Nathan while you drank your bottle. I brushed your teeth, washed your face, and you trotted off to complete your bedtime routine... good night kisses & cuddles for everyone. As usual you grabbed Teddy and dummy, but instead of going over to your cot, you decided to climb onto the bed. I humored you and tucked you under the covers, whispered our usual "night night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite..love you Isaac" and sealed it with a kiss. I walked out and pulled the door across, fully expecting that gorgeous cheeky smile to pretty much follow me straight out the room. You stayed there. I checked about 15 min later and you were still wide awake, laying on the bed.

You eventually fell asleep.

Dwarfed by the size of the bed.

So cute.

So not my tiny little baby any more.

So begging for a photo or five!!!

I would leave you there all night except for two things.

1. The fire is on and I'm not comfortable with the thought you could stumble out near it if you wake.

2. I'm just not ready for that transition. Not yet. Its one of the last tangible links to you being a baby that remain and I just need time to slow down a bit while I catch up.

STOP...slow down...please don't grow up to fast my little man, Mummy's just not ready yet!

*****the next morning edit******I was heading of to bed just after midnight and flicked the bathroom light on to move Isaac into his cot. I decided to go to the toilet first quickly. I could hear what I thought was Caleb rustling around in his bed. As I came around the corner, there was Isaac riding his little bike out his bedroom door! SO cute!!!!! So not staying in the big bed!!!! LOL

Winter is coming

Its cold and wet, and Im lovin it!!!!!! The fire is going, Ive got a big pot of chicken soup started on the stove, the carpets was steam cleaned yesterday, as well as the sofa in the play room (thank goodness, cause it s a blue & white mattress ticking type fabric and it looked filthy and was driving me crazy!) the bathrooms are sparkling clean, Ive nearly caught up on the washing, & the new dishwasher is fantastic. Its amazing what a relatively clean house can do for getting you in a good mood! Ive still got LOTS of folding to do (its all over the sofa, so I have to get it done LOL) but I feel happy and content today!

We have a busy weekend. Kids football tomorrow, then out for dinner with my best friend at one of our favourite swishy restaurants. Sunday is my neices first birthday party.

I had a peek in the latest CK at the newsagents yesterday and I have this LO in there. I still love this photo of Isaac!
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.