Hello & Cuboree for Emma...

Hello!  Is anybody still there?  I've missed my blog, I decided to focus on other things but sometimes things happen and I want to record them and without my blog there really isn't a way for me to do that. I know that I have family that live in far distant lands and others that we don't see often and they like to read what we are up to so hello again I hope you are still reading/checking in and haven't given up on me.

Last week we had a big event happen around here, Emma went off for Queensland Cuboree for cub scouts.  A whole 5 nights away for the very first time and a 2/12 hour drive away.  We had been anticipating camp for months as she prepared.  She came home a very happy camper which was a big sigh of relief for everyone.

She left early Sunday morning and she shed lots of tears as she said goodbye.  

Her first night away she got to celebrate her good friend's birthday with cake.  Not a bad start.

On her first full day she got to go whale watching and see whales and on her second day Nathan and I went for a visit.  We got to participate in lots of activities with her.  Juggling, magic, bubble blowing and panning for gold. 

  

She also got to do obstacle courses and craft and so much more.

I was so happy to see her having a great time it really is such a wonderful thing they get to experience.  It won't be long now until she leaves cubs and becomes a scout.  

Great Work Nathan...

Nathan makes me proud pretty much every day.  He is growing into such a mature and responsible and all round nice boy.  

I was super proud of him on Monday night when he was invited back to Cub Scouts (which he moved on from and up to Scouts at the start of the year) to receive his Grey Wolf Badge.  This was special because it is the highest badge you can earn at Cub Scouts and not something that everyone chooses to complete.

Such a great achievement.  

And here is a photo on another proud day.  Nathan got up and headed to the Wamuran dawn Anzac Day service to play in his school band on April 25th and then after a quick breakfast at home he went along to Caboolture and marched for Scouts, staying for the service so he could help pack up after everyone had left.  

Emma marched with the Cubs at Caboolture too, her first time marching.

Swap goodness and Nathan heads off...

During our weekend away we participated in a swap between ourselves.  We were given our partner in April and the rules for this swap were:

1. Minimum of 3 gifts
2. One gift must be hand made
3. One gift must be for the home

Pretty simple.  My swap partner was Katrina to I set to work making her special gifts.

I made her a rag quilt as my first present.  I used  blues and reds with a bit of black. 

 I bought her this cute little owl.

I also got her this bracelet.

And lastly I made her a set of placemats and coasters which you can see below.

This is what my little package looked like before I wrapped it up using tissue paper and mini pom poms (which I totally forgot to photograph).

 As an extra treat for everyone I made up these cute little packages using paper bags, doilies and some punches and alphabet stickers.

I filled them with a handmade soap that I bought at a local market and I appliquéd a very simple bird onto a washer.

I actually made a few other gifts for my other swap partner but I can't find where I put the photos, so when I find them I'll post about those ones as well as the gorgeous swap gifts I got.

On another note:

I have been feeling very strange this weekend.  On Saturday morning I farewelled Nathan off on his first ever big camp.  He headed up to Cuboree which is in Rockhampton (about 8 hours away) for 5 days.  I have never had any trouble with Nathan leaving before but it is so far away this time and he is on his own and for a long time that I find myself wondering about if he is OK. If he's warm enough, dry enough, finding friends etc all the time.  I am excited that he get to go on this awesome experience but I will be very happy when he is home again.  And I have to say that the Cub Scout Movement have been really wonderful constantly posting on Facebook and on their blog with updates and photos of what all the kids are up to.  Anyway here are a few photos of him before he left.

It will be an experience he will remember for ever so I am grateful that he was able to go. 

Where does the time go?

So much has been happening around here that the last few weeks have flown by.  We have spent the last couple of weekends at soccer with Nathan and this weekend was Emma and dancing on Sunday.


Lots of sewing has been happening here too, lots of it is still secret squirrel stuff for my girls weekend away swap but I thought I would share a glimpse today.


First of all some photos of Emma at dancing today.  They danced in pairs or small groups today at a very informal mid year concert.  Emma did a really great job and so did her dance partner Cindy.

They got ribbons for the dances they did so that was really nice.

Nathan was meant to be away this weekend for a scout kayaking camp but it was cancelled at the last minute due to the poor weather.  This week though I spent a lot of time unpicking and resewing badges for him.  He used to have a small scarf for his scouting badges but it was not very practical or useful for him so I bought him a polar fleece blanket that he can use as a camp blanket and reattached all the badges to it.  I embroidered his name for him too.  At least now he has something that will keep him warm and show his badges at the same time.

It will be perfect for when he heads off to Cuboree in a few weeks time. All the way to Rockhampton for 5 days with no Mum or Dad.

I am so happy to say that my swap pressies for our girl's weekend away are almost finished.  I can't show the final products complete just yet but I can show a sneak peak.

  

And today I packaged up some extra little surprises for some special people which they will get soon.

I have a simple but sweet project in the making using these gorgeous punches.

I really love embroidery and I have quite a collection of threads now but I have struggled to contain them in an orderly fashion for ages.  That was until I saw this idea on Hungry Hippie and decided to copy.  Now all my threads are nice and organised and not all in knots! 

And on a final note I have to say that Pinterest is taking over my life....well it definitely is taking over my blogging!  I love it, if you haven't joined yet, you should try it out, so many awesome ideas, so little time to make them... You can follow me on Pinterest with the link button on the sidebar.


I'm going to be back this week to share the rest of my cruise holiday photos, although it was so long ago now I feel like I need to finish what I started.  I'm a stickler for finishing things :)

Last week...

I know I am a bit behind because today I am going to blog about what we did last Sunday... better late than never I suppose.  Anyway last Sunday Nathan, Emma and I went to Bribie Island for the day with Nathan's cub scout group.  We spent a few hours at the Bribie Island Seaside Museum and then had time at the beach and park and had a sausage sizzle.  


I have to say that I was not over excited about heading to the Seaside Museum but when I got there I had a really good time.  I found it so interesting to hear all about how people used to get to Bribie on the Ferry and go there for their holidays etc.  It is definitely worth a visit.


Some photos from the museum.

Then we walked along the waterfront to the park.  I was in a photo taking mood and it was such gorgeous weather.

And while we waited for the sausages to cook we headed down to the beach.  Emma had fun just playing around on the sand and in the water.

While Nathan and a friend made rafts to float out to sea.

Sometimes the events we are not really looking forward to turn out to be the best ones!