Nathan became Senior Leader...

We had a special day this week as Nathan earned his Senior Leader badge at this new school.  Yep that's right new school.  He moved schools in the middle of last term.  Since moving the change in him is amazing.  He loves going to school, loves his teacher and is working hard to be the best that he can be.  

He had to apply for senior leader, meet certain criteria and have his application signed off by a variety of teaching staff.  We were really proud that he was able to attain this after a short time at school.

Good on you Nathan...

We had a proud family day today as we went along to see Nathan be inducted as a senior student for 2014 as well as house captain for his sporting house at school. 

So I wanted to show some photos of our morning.

Nathan receiving his senior badge from his teacher

Receiving his house captain badge from our local member

We are really proud of Nathan for his achievement, great work mate!

Some simple crafting...

We are in full swing getting ready to head back to school tomorrow in this house.  The uniforms etc are ready, the books are covered so today I worked on making Emma a couple of hair accessories for school.


Super easy to make. For the first ones I used some button blanks with the shank on the back.  Covered them with fabric to match her uniform (royal blue and yellow) and then threaded a thin blue hair tie through the loop on the back. 

Then I measured and cut some FOE (head band elastic) I had to fit Emma's head and sewed the ends together before cutting a couple of felt flowers in school colours and hand sewing them on with a button centre.   Easy, quick and inexpensive for school.  

I also did some other crafting this week.  I went to the local op shop the other day and found this little square frame for $3.  I grabbed it because I had recently bought an little square owl picture from here and it looked like it could possibly fit in there.  The picture is only 12cm x 12cm.  Impossible to buy a frame for.

Anyway I took it home, gave it a few coats of paint and some glitter spray and then a sand back.  Then I mounted my little picture inside and this is what it looks like now. Totally cute and the best thing - completely unique.  

I have another little picture from the same shop of a little vintage caravan, I wonder if I will be lucky enough to find another frame?

Road Trip Preparations...

We had an awesome Christmas in our house this year.  Everyone was very happy with their gifts and we celebrated our day at home with loved family and friends.   I always just take the time to enjoy Christmas and never really take photos so sorry, none of those today.


Now we move on to our next adventure...our first family road trip.  To Newcastle to visit wonderful friends and then to Dubbo to see the zoo.


I'm nervous, I don't know if we are going to like travelling this way and I don't really know how to prepare for it to be honest but I am just going with the flow.  I don't know if I'll be able to blog while I am gone but I will try.


I did think a lot about the kids in the car.  They got a few DVDs for Christmas to keep them entertained (I am thankful that my car has an inbuilt DVD player) and I have made them a travelling bingo game to keep them amused too.

I found a printable game online (I have no idea where, I just printed and didn't save it).   I did have to look a bit harder for an Australian version.  I printed it off, backed it on card and laminated it.  I bought a packet of whiteboard markers to cross off the pictures and sewed up on one of my large pencil cases to store it in.  Simple and quick (and I hope effective).

While I was sewing up pencil cases I made the kids' one for school next year. With so much planned for the rest of the school holidays I am wondering when I am ever going to get time to get any school supplies organised so I feel better knowing I at least have one thing done!

If you have any other suggestions or advice for a smooth and happy road trip I would love to hear them.  

Let's Go to School!

Yep, we were happy bunnies today to be heading back to school for the year.  Emma is in year 1 and Nathan is in year 4.  They both have fabulous teachers so we are looking forward to a really great school year. 

I was amazed this morning when I got up at 6.45am and found Emma, awake, dressed and with her bed made already!!!  That is a big deal for a girl who you are lucky to get out of bed by 8am normally!

Here are our traditional back to school photos for the year.

Gorgeous!

I'm Busy

Yes, the end of school year is approaching super fast and I am busy! 

NO! I hear you say, all the kids do is Christmas activities, play and have a fabulous time for the last couple of weeks. 

Well, from a teachers point of view there is a huge list of stuff to do:

• report cards
• resource returns
• class cleaning
• class moving
• new resource making ready for next year
• Christmas concerts
• Break up day preparations
• folio organisation for next year's teacher

And the list goes on...

I'll be back when I am less busy.

Good work Emma!

Well, we are away now but I have set some posts to come up while we are gone.   So today I wanted to show you some of Emma's writing.  She is in prep, she knows many sight words and all her sounds and letters (well, not long vowel letters).  Anyway I was really proud when she came home with this.

Look we can see a sea horse.

Of course I found it screwed up in the bottom of her bag!

Being a teacher...

Well, as many know I have had an extra 2 weeks off work for long service leave.  Over the last two weeks I have not thought about work, I have kept myself busy, been camping, been sewing, been enjoying shopping on a Thursday (when the specials start) etc. etc.  But today I saw some girls from work.  Fabulous, I love to see them and now I am in school mode again (I really did not want to get in this mode until Wed pm) but as teachers we just can't seem to help ourselves, why is it so hard for us to switch off for our whole break and just have a break???


Tonight I have had so much going through my head, do I need to do homework up? I've been into a website I found trying to set that up for my spelling activities, Ive been on the class website attempting to update our class page (attempting mind you, not achieving) etc etc.  And then thinking about report cards!!!!


Looks like I am back to work, break over.  How annoying! At least it lasted until today...

What the? Debbie was at the dump???

Yes, you see I found out that at the dump they have a shop to buy stuff and we really need a couch/chair something for this little room (formerly our offic) that we have made into reading corner.  So ooff I went today (with Anthony and kids) to look at this place.  Quite surprisingly, it was not too bad and I picked up a nice armchair for $10.  So I brought it home and gave it a once over and it looks really great. (don't mind the cushions missing, they are on the line drying after a heavy duty hot wash).  I got 6 old books for book corner too for a whole $1.  I was very proud of myself for venturing to this new place, dumps/second hand shops etc etc. are just not my thing!

Here are the photos of my diary that I promised as well as my new pencil rolls (made out of placemats) and my pile of boo boo bags ready to be filled for market this weekend.   I used some of my Sweet Vintage doilies to decorate my diary.

This is Matthew the whale, Little's friend, waiting to be sewn together.

Oh, No, Not work...

Well, I told myself this holidays that I was going to relax, do family stuff etc. etc.  and not think about work or do any work until the week that we return....gues what...it's here!  I can't believe we go back to work in only a few days.  So today among other things was a work focus.  I went to Spotlight and got material to make some new note pockets and some nice bright material to make some homework bags.  I bought stationary etc and some new other goodies to make my life a little brighter (and Toni's and our kids of course).  So it seems that I cannot put it off any longer as I step back into my work shoes. 

On another note which is very sad (for me).  I took Nate to the doctor today because about 3 weeks ago some monkey bars fell on him, on his leg.  He has been walking around, playing, riding his bike etc.  just fine, but the other day I touched his leg and he complained of the pain and then I noticed him limping when he runs so off we went to the GP.  Only to discover after an x ray that he has a fractured leg!  So we went to the hospital where they said they were going to just let it heal on its own and tomorrow we are off to the fracture clinic to have it assessed by them.  I can't believe my little boy had a fractured leg and we didn't even know, he didn't even complain (at all).  Let's hope the fracture clinic say all is ok and that it heals well and he is OK.. It would be so awful if he had problems because of it as he is a very active little boy.  We'll see...

I do have some pictures to share, but it will have to be tomorrow (depending how long I spend at the clinic).

All those teachers out there enjoy your last day or two!

I survived my first week back at work after 4 weeks off and I seem to have worked my bum off and organised myself once more for the last term of the year. I only have 2 more holiday stops to share which I will do tomorrow and Monday.

I just wanted to let everyone know that there is going to be a giveaway on the Embellish blog (link at side picture) in the next few days so keep checking to find out what it is.

Right now, I am once again cleaning the last part of the caravan (the stove) and packing the cupboards with non eatable essentials. Then after I pick up my new mattresses and put the new carpet down I will be all set to get camping!!! Yeh (I think).

Have a fabulous Saturday evening.

A busy week

I knew this was going to be a busy week but I am exhausted and I still have 3 busy days ahead of me! We have parents in for a healthy breakfast at school tomorrow so that has been on my mind a lot since last Friday, thinking of all the things I have to do. It is a bit of a mission getting organised for 21 small people to make and serve breakfast to adults.

Yesterday we had a very special event happen. Emma had her ears pierced. She chose gorgeous little purple stoned earrings. She looks beautiful. She did not shed 1 tear, in fact I don't think she even felt it, I put Emyl Gel on her ears before we went. So that is another milestone for Emma. I'll share some photos on the weekend.

I have done some creating this week. I made a little doctors/nurses set for the market stall. They are cute, I made a little carry bag for this one with a red felt cross on the front and a little apron bearing the same red cross. Again I have been so busy I have not photos yet, but will share on the weekend.

I have also been busy painting photo frames and making butterfly pictures. They are gorgeous, again, photos later. We do have some for the market on Saturday also.

And then there is Saturday approaching.. don't forget to come and see us at the Wamuran Q150 celebrations as we will have our market stall set up with all proceeds from the day going to the Cancer Council. I am anxious to see how the stall goes, we have planned it (and others) for what seems forever and now we actually get to go and do it. I hope people want to buy our stuff, maybe I am the only one who thinks it is any good? I'll find out I suppose.

If you drive into Wamuran you won't miss the celebrations they are right on the main road.

Well, now I am off to do some laminating and more preparation for tomorrow's parent breakfast at work. I also need to be at school by 7.30am at least to be ready for when the kids arrive. Who said us teachers don't do any work outside 9am -3pm? I wish...

Wish

Just a short post today, I found this word 'wish' at Loot last week and knew I had to have it to personalise my home. It is red mosaic and I really love it. It sits under the plasma in the formal lounge but I photographed it in Emma's room. The light was much better. If you find any words or intitals (A, B, D, E or N's) around let me know so I can check them out.

On a different note, this week feels really good at work, I actually feel like I am organised and don't have to stay at work til late and then work til late that night. That is a really good feeling, like things are normal again. Although, I have to say that I work at a very very lovely school and I am very thankful for that. I never realised how thankful I would be. No more better the devil you know when it comes to things for me!

Have a great Friday everyone!

Way too busy!

Hi everyone

I am really really busy at the moment with first few days of the new school year so will be back on the weekend to blog.

I have really enjoyed my first few days so that is promising, missing all my friends at lunch time though. I have to say I am getting lots of work done!!!

Back soon

Work, Weddings & Overseas Visitors

What a week! It has been a whirlwind. Started work (well setting up my room) on Monday and then Pupil Free Days on Wed, Thur, Fri. Am really happy with my new room, it is very exciting actually having all the mod cons and quite novel at the moment. We have our own office and our own storeroom. We share a kitchen but we have our own 2 flatscreen computers and the smartboard. Toni and I actually get a laptop each too which is really great, it seems that if you work over .4 you get a computer to yourself, so it looks like we have been tricked in the past!!!!

On Tuesday my fabulous cousin Toni Kelly got married up at Lake Weyba Cottages and Anthony and I were lucky enough to be her witnesses. It was an amazing day, the weather was perfect, the food delicious and everything went off perfectly. Kelly looked gorgeous. I made a little Aussie pack up for her and Justin as part of their wedding present, hence the Aussie hat etc.

So that is why I have been so slack with my blog this week. Thankyou Kelly and Justin for a great week, it was fabulous seeing and spending time with you as it always is.

Katrina, I just want to say that my thoughts have been with you all week and still are, stay strong and try to smile sometimes. I am there for anything you ever need.

I am now off to set up my scrapping studio (which doubles as my guest room) so I can get some creative juices flowing for my sparkle page for crop night. Girls don't' forget crop night on the 1st Friday of each month, first one at my house.