My turn!!

To have a bout of the lurgy!!! I feel so peely-wally-not really ill, but out of sorts!I have been sleeping for Wales and then finding it hard to wake up...i just knew this would happen-after the children and Rob's trips to the doctor-it was only a matter of time. It seems to be settling in my throat today so at least I will have something to tell the doc-if I can get an appointment next week!!
Not even wanted to scrap at all-managed to shop a little though-got some gorgeous new Cosmo Cricket on its way from Mel and Jill.
Rob had a few days off at the end of half term, but Phoebe wanted to go the pictures with Maddie and with me being so lethargic, we just spent our time together potching around the house.Never mind-only 5 weeks until Easter!!! Training Day tomorrow at New Inn-not looking forward to it as it is the annual cluster Training Day-when all schools in the area train together-a day of total irrelevance to our setting!!Six hours of "Effective Questioning Techniques" which will be totally dominated by the comp teachers and their issues-if the past few years are any thing to go by.
This is a real moany post so its best I stop now and see if my mood improves through the week!!
Dawnx

I love my Robbie

After having a really frustrating week with this computer...it was taking 48 minutes(I counted!!)to start up and then cutting out for no good reason...my geeky husband has changed my over worked and crammed full hard drive for a fabby new one...it is huge and boy oh boy does it make a difference!!! I know I always moan at Rob when he spends hours and hours fiddling, but I really appreciate him today!!!!
Had a shopping day out in Bristol today with Jo, Mads and Phoebe...Phoebe was in a really difficult mood...although she is only 8, she is desperate to be 15...so there the battles began. We eventually managed to reach a compromise and found jeans, a top and a dress/top that we were both happy with...although I did give in to the flip flops in the last shoe shop-she had worn me down by this point.It was really warm in the Mall and by the time we got home, my head was pounding and I had to lie down for a little while. Poor old Will had to make do with a prize of a colouring book and some new felt pens-but he was thrilled with these-he is always so grateful for any little thing:)
Half term is passing so quickly-it has rained every day, so lots of scrapping time!!! Been playing with the new Basic Grey and just cannot stop! Phoebe just seems to match every photo in my pack-the colours are fresh and beautiful-and the patterns are so appealing...especially the birds (just for Jo!) Been trying to work my way through the masses of chipboard that I am saving-for what I don't know!! It is hard to use it-but I am determined to use up some of the clutter in my room. Just a little peek at the layouts as they are for the March gallery at A Trip Down Memory Lane!
Dawnx

Way hey!!!!

Don't you just love the video below-from San Diego-The Wrong Trousers-it really should not work-but it does!!!!!Rob and I have been "oh..oh..oh.ohh"ing at each other all week!!!
Finally, it is the Sunday before Half term-and I am so proud to have completed my first half term without a sick day since last Easter!!!! Hopefully, I have broken the pattern-and it will be onwards and upwards for the rest of this year:) William and Phoebe are finally over their infections, but Rob is still suffering with his throat-he has now had 4 lots of antibiotics since Christmas-I have passed the sick note onto him!!!
Anywhoo, last week was uphill all the way as the last week always is. The Early years Advisory team came on Friday for a lookie at our outdoor play setting-not much to see or photograph as there was torrential rain and we could not even put the equipment out under the canopies!! So, that just means that there will be a return visit in March.
Valentine's day came and went-with the usual slushy card from Rob-he does not say the the words-but he does love to write reams in cards for me-wonderful, until my mum decides to read the cards on the mantel!!And he topped up my saving fund and put the rest towards my new camera-so I am now the proud owner of a Canon EOS 400D-it is so fabulous...I love it!!!Just need to work out how to use it:)
More exciting news...the new Basic Grey papers arrived from Mel and Jill at A Trip Down Memory Lane...I say it every time, but this time the collections are out of this world!! I think Phoebe (as it would be) and Perhaps are my favourites, followed by Scarlet's Letter and then Stella Ruby. Not that I don't love the last two, but I think they will be the ones that grow on me!!
Yesterday was Crop Day in New Inn-very full this month,lots of new ladies and no spare papers in case of mistakes!!!I lost track of how many times we said...there are no mistakes in scrapbooking!!!And then tried to piece together strips of paper!!! It is a fantastic day-lots of wondeful home made cakes (not by me!)and good company-just how a day should be!!
The gallery went up on A Trip Down Memory Lane last week-this was the month for Karen Foster papers and the matching stickers-now these were a challenge for me-I don't think I have ever used stickers-I tend to cut elements from the patterned papers and use those as embellishments. So, to have prepared pieces was a bit of a luxury...

Deep snow

Tried to add the picture to the earlier post, but could not work it out...will this one work?

And more snow!!!

Well, that caught us all out!!William and Phoebe left at 7:30 on Friday to spend the day at Nanna's and it was lightly snowing. By 8 o'clock, it was very heavy and the decision had been made to keep all schools closed for this day as well! Leaving me in Pontypool on my own, the children in Newport and Robbie out in Caldicot with hardly any snow at all!!The snow kept falling all day, but Rob did not believe how deep it was getting until I sent him a photo of the street. It then took him 4 hours to make the usual 30 minute journey home, having to abandon his car at nan's and bring the children home in Dad's car.The snow has been rained away now, leaving me feeling like I have had a little holiday...wonderful:)Reckon I can easily cope with next week...only 3 1/2 days to teach until half term!!PPA and a maths course taking care of the other 1 1/2 days.
Spent my time wisely...and rediscovered my Basic Grey Blitzen and Dasher papers...add a little bit of black card, a bit of chipboard...what a wonderful way to spend a snow day!!!

Snow Day

The snow started here about 1:30 last night, but when I eventually went back to bed at 3:30 it had all but stopped, leaving just a little covering on the road. BUT, when I woke back up at 6:30-there it was in all its glory-only about 4", but enough to close every school in Torfaen for the day!! Exciting for the children of the county and even more for the teachers!!! It took a lot of persuading for Phoebe and Will to go out and play-they are just about over their chest infections, but not really up to much at the moment. Rob persuaded them to walk up to the canal with him, then me and Will built a snowman and that was enough for them!! They did go back out in the garden just before lunch and had a nicer time-by now the thaw had started and I think they knew this would be their last chance to play in it!!!
Aw, well,it was nice whilst it lasted!!!!
Dawnx

Poorly Girl!!

There is a definite theme running through this blog-a diary of sick kids! Phoebe has already gone to bed. That is totally unheard of for my girl...Phoebe can stay up much later than I ever can...and still get up the next day...grumpy and scowling, but never the less,up and ready for school by nine. This bug has knocked her flying-she has spent the weekend snoozing on the sofa and disappeared to bed at 6:30 this evening. If it was not a bug that everyone seems to have at the moment,I think I would be starting to worry about her..,and she is off her food too!!!
The circle journals are packed up ready for posting tomorrow-there is a little peak into "Signature Style" on this page, but I forgot to scan in my "Gypsy" entry before packing the parcel...duh!!I decided last night that my page needed 'something', so I dug out the pot of Stickles and got a little carried away...glitter everywhere!
Dawnx

Nurse Dawnie...

I never had any inclination when I was a little girl to be a nurse; two of my best friends became nurses and I could never understand the appeal of their chosen occupation. After almost four weeks of nursing one or other of my gorgeous family, I know that it is a blessing that I never started on that career path!!!! I am shattered from coughing children, in between changing sick beds...add that to a husband who is snoring like a hog every night due to his enlarged tonsils...I am looking forward to going to school in the morning for a rest!!! And when I am tired, I am not the most tolerant person!! Thank goodness for scrapping! I have had lots of projects to keep me busy this week...DT work for Mel and Jill-the gallery goes live on the 8th of every month ...and two of the most stunning Circle Journals I have ever seen arrived at my house this week. The pages are simply stunning-I keep getting them out and just looking at the work on each page...I am seriously out of my depth, but love the inspiration that each journal has brought so far!!!"Signature Style" is the title of the journal I have just completed a page for...and it really made me think. I don't think I have any particular style, I love to try lots of different styles, but I must admit that there are certain papers and colours that I really enjoy using, so I decided to focus upon those...and as I started I realised that this has become my style...for good or bad... I had such a good time making these pages that it has really made me want to scrap all day and all night...a feeling that I was beginning to miss!!!Today's layout is probably the last page that I really really enjoyed making...from last August...it has all the elements that I have descibed on the journal page today...so I must say a big thank you to Hannah (Noodle),I think you have helped me find the missing mojo!!!!!!
Dawnx