Happy Birthday Angus!

I can't believe that my little man turned 15 today! 

Where has the time gone? 

I promised him that I wouldn't embarrass him too much :D by plastering his photo all over my blog but hey what is a Mum to do when it's her BABY's birthday?!

Feb 1997 - 10 weeks old

He was such a cute and well behaved baby.
It's a shame that I didn't have any photos of him as a toddler on my computer. He was super cute then! Although he constantly had a dummy (pacifier) in his mouth.

Feb 2001 - Age 4

He grew into a cute kindy kid. He loved kindy so much but he was terrified when he 'graduated' and went to BIG school. He used to cry so much that he made himself sick. 

I remember one time when I was at work my Dad took him to school. Angus cried so much that Dad brought him to my work. My friend Elaine told him to take him back to school and that said that Angus would soon settle down. Dad took him back but it still took a while for Angus to settle. In fact it took him a few weeks before he got go to school without crying.

Feb 2006 - at age 9

My little cheeky chops. He still pokes that tongue out at people.

May 2008 - at Age 11

He was my little Dragon when he played soccer. He got most improved player at the end of the season. WTG champ!

April 2011 - Age 14

 See cutie I didn't embarrass you too much :P 

Happy Birthday Rexy!!

Finished Object - Crocheted Cushion Cover

Ta Da! I finished my cushion cover on Sunday night while watching Terra Nova.

It's definitely nice & bright and a lot of my left-over yarn has been used up! 

Which is a good thing because I had a fair bit of it.

Here's the other side.

My beautiful model - Angus :)

I can see this cushion getting used a lot and perhaps even fought over. At least while it's new. 

Meet Me On Monday

Questions:


1. I really need to clean my _________?
2. What food makes you think of Christmas?
3. If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?
4. What was your first paying job?
5. Have you read the Twilight series?

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My Answers!

1. I really need to clean my _________?
 shower, with two stinky boys make it really grotty & they never want to help clean it.I wonder how I can con bribe get them to clean it for me.

what I wished my shower looked like

2. What food makes you think of Christmas?
fruit mince pies

3. If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be? 
29, which it my age anyway :P it has been for years its much more believable than saying your 21 which is what my Mum said for years.

4. What was your first paying job?
Picking potatoes.

5. Have you read the Twilight series?
No. I have no interest in reading it either.

Crochet Rose Video

I've been watching crochet videos on youtube again :D

Here's one I found on making a rose by Regan of Emora Designs. She super fast with her crocheting but as Regan mentions in the video its just to share the pattern and not to teach you how to crochet.
So don't blink or you may miss her make the rose. She's that fast!

part 1

part 2

WIP - Cushion Cover

I started on the second side of my cushion cover. So far so good :) As you can see I am into pinks, purples and blues at the moment. I've been sitting in front of my computer crocheting and watching episodes of Heartbeat that I had recorded. I'm not sure the boys really want to hear me singing some of the songs but too bad so sad lol I'm happy singing away & keeping out of trouble.

It looks much nicer than the photo shows.

At least I am getting to use my Tunisian crochet hooks. I'm going to have to learn to make more things using them. Its so much faster than knitting but you don't need me to tell you that really do you :)

My New Knitting Book

I bought another Jean Greenhowe pattern book. This time it's the Storybook dolls.
I took photos of some of the dolls to share with you. There's also a Tooth Fairy and a Christmas Fairy. They look pretty much like Maid Marion & the Princess with wings.

Robin Hood & Maid Marion

I don't mind the look of Robin Hood and Maid Marion. In fact I loved watching the Errol Flynn version of Robin Hood. Although I don't mind Kevin Costner's version either. Mainly because Alan Rickman is in it. Hmm I may even watch it over the weekend. Angus has been asking to watch that movie for a while now.

Cowboy

What a cute little cowboy. I am thinking that Zavier (my nephew) may like this one or the pirate.

Pirate

Prince & Princess

Perhaps I could make for my niece, Moya-May, might like one of these dolls to play with when she is a little older. They would be perfect for a toddler being all soft & squishy.. Just as long as I make sure the pieces don't come off. I don't want any choking hazards.

I'm wondering which one I should make first. Which one would you choose?

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in the US who celebrate today.

Here's what I am thankful for this week:

• Brodie finishing High School. Congratulations Big Fella! 
• The opportunity to celebrate Brodie's achievement at his Valedictory Dinner.
• that the weather bureau got it wrong .. it didn't rain as much as they predicted. It's been nice to get my washing dry out in the fresh air :D 
• for reading so many interesting blog posts lately. I love finding out what my bloggy family is up to.

What are you thankful for this week?

WIP - cushion cover

I started working on this cushion cover last night because I want to use up my leftover yarn & I also wanted another cushion on our couch. At least this will match my other cushion that I made a few months ago.

Brodie's Yr 12 Valedictory Dinner

Last night was Brodie's Yr 12 Dinner. It was held at Rosco's Shed in Jindivick. The kids had a great time, as did the adults too. Well I guess I can still call them kids. They are all over 18 now and are officially adults (boy does time fly!)

Ut oh - I got the look for taking his photo ...

Now he smiles ...

The class of 2011

Of course the kids were embarrassed by the photos that the teachers shared. Photos that spanned from Year 7 when they started High School and were so little and cute through to photos from this year.

There are three kids missing but this is pretty much the WHOLE class.

Kathrine & Dean

Brodie's best friends. Celeste, JJ and Katrina. These girls have such beautiful spirits.

Brodz also went to TAFE with Tamara

Just before the kids were presented with a parting gift.

I am so proud of Brodie for making through Year 12. For a kid who had such a hard time when he started High School. He made it! There was many a time when I thought he would drop out. If you go back and look at posts that I wrote in 2006 & 2007 you would see that he spent more time at home than he did at school with suspensions. You would see why I am extra proud of him. He's the first grandchild (on my Dad's side) to have completed all of his schooling. It was one of Brodie's goals to finish school and it's so great that he achieved it. Brodz you ROCK!

Meet Me On Monday

I haven't joined in with Meet Me On Monday for a while. This blog hop had been on holiday for a while but I'm glad it's back. Thanks Java.

Hosted by Java from Never Growing Old

Questions:

1.  I wish I had more time to _________?
2.  What is your favorite kind of soup?
3.  Where will you eat Thanksgiving dinner? 
4.  What is your favorite time of day?
5.  Did you start Christmas shopping yet?
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My Answers!

1.  I wish I had more time to _________?

Do more of my crafts. I just love knitting & crocheting.

2.  What is your favorite kind of soup?

yellow split pea soup

photo from steamykitchen.com

3.  Where will you eat Thanksgiving dinner? 

Being an Aussie we don't actually celebrate Thanksgiving but I may make a pumpkin pie for us to eat :D

4.  What is your favorite time of day?

Usually its when the house is dead quiet. It doesn't happen a lot these days but when it does its divine!

5.  Did you start Christmas shopping yet?

I started my shopping last year on Boxing Day when all the sales started. I know call me crazy. I like shopping throughout the year. The trick is to make sure you have Christmas wrapping paper so that you can wrap things as you buy them or I am tempted to give things away as Birthday present.

What's For Dinner?

minestrone

We had soup tonight. I made minestrone for the first time ever. I've had the cup-a-soup version before but never homemade minestrone. I have to admit it was pretty good :D and it's low carb even though I did put a handful of angel hair pasta in it.

What's on your menu for dinner?

Work In Progress

Can you guess what I am making?
Sorry that the pictures are a little blurry.

Shall I give you a clue?

It's something that can only be made during the colder months of the year. Although you would never be able to make one where I live we don't get that cold white stuff here.

I know it doesn't really look like one yet but it's a toy snowman.

Did you manage to guess what it was?

Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty, Little Ball Of Fur ...

Leave me alone & turn that flash off!

Look who was asleep on my bed under the covers! It's the ginger snap, C.K.! I don't mind him sleeping on the bed but he is a bed hog! He takes up so much room on the bed that there is hardly any room left for his humans! Not to mention when its cold he try to sneak under ALL the covers. He wont try that with me as he knows I will throw take him out of the bed and put him on the covers but he does that with Mark. He will head butt him until he lifts the quilt up for him. Mark is such a softie!

I just had to share this little song from The Big Bang Theory.

Thankful Thursday

Here's what I am thankful for this week:

• The beautiful weather. It's been lovely for the past few days. Great weather for getting the washing dry It has been perfect spring weather
• Brodie being a good helper especially when we've been out shopping
• Brodie finishing his school work. All we need to do now is wait to see if he has passed so he can 'officially' graduate high school
• The boys joining me for a walk. It makes it much more pleasant to have someone to talk with while you're out & about
• for my knitting & crocheting. It helps keep me sane :) 

What are you thankful for this week? 

My Latest Projects

I was inspired by PoetessWug and all of the wonderful headbands she has been making recently. Today while I was watching a couple of my favourite shows (Touched by an Angel and NCIS) I decided to have a go at making my own headbands. I looked at a couple of patterns from the Lion Brand Yarn website and I really liked the crocheted braided headbands. I didn't do exactly what it said in the pattern, call it artistic license, but they still look good :D

Of course I had to add a flower :D It's one I made a while ago & I finally got around to using it

I might make a few more to use up the scraps yarn I have. I am sure that I can make some pretty ones for all of my nieces :)

A Nice View

Sorry the photo isn't the best but I took it with my mobile phone yesterday when Brodie & I were waiting at some road-works on the way out of Neerim South yesterday. That view is pretty much all you see just outside of town. Our town has similar views to this. Neerim South is a 15 - 20 minute drive up the mountains. Sometimes it takes longer if you get stuck behind a truck or a tractor. I just LOVE living in the country :D

It's mainly dairy country around here. There's a chicken farm and an egg farm in our area. Let me tell you the smells are NOT the best when the wind blows the wrong way. Thankfully we can't smell it where we live but I feel sorry for the people who can.

I need to remember to take my camera with me next time I go up to collect Brodie from work placement. That way I can take some more photos to share. It really is pretty up there. 

World Diabetes Day - Nov 14th

World Diabetes Day (WDD) is held every year on November 14th. It's led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). The aim of WDD is to promote awareness, education & advocacy for patients worldwide.

Diabetes Victoria are holding some events over the next few days to help raise awareness & to support those affected with diabetes. I'm not sure if we will go to any of these events but the boys & I are wearing blue today (and on Blue Fridays - every Friday in November) to show our support :D

Where's The Nearest Exit?

Look what Mark found when we went Op Shopping last week but guess who had to pay for it? :P

Stop I want to get off! Well that's how I have felt sometimes. Times where you just want to find the nearest exit and hit the ground running! Thankfully I haven't thought that way for a while now. Oh gosh I hope I haven't jinxed myself :-/ I'm sure I haven't but you never know....

Dermatologist Review

I had a review with my Dermatologist on Wednesday. It's hard to believe that its been 6 months since I last saw him. Its a good thing I made an appointment for when I did as he is finishing up working at the local hospital. He told me that he has been coming up here on a regular basis for 50 years and had decided to call it quits. Although he will still be working at his Berwick office for a while longer. Not to be mean or anything but he is at that age where he looks like he should be retiring. He's no spring chicken after all. He looks like he's in his 70's.

He was sort of impressed with my skin but not, if that makes sense. He was impressed that I had been able to go for 6 months without seeing him but saddened by the fact that my psoriasis was coming back. Me well I was impressed that he listened to me and actually took on board what I was saying about my skin and what lotions & potions he had prescribed in the past and which ones I felt worked best or not. Anyway I walked away with a prescription for some stinky tar based lotion which my poor chemist will have to make up when he isn't busy. I think they are grateful when I leave the script and tell them that I will be back in two days to collect it. It give them time to make it up then.

Remind me to take a photo of this 'potion' so I can show you how colourful it is. Just be thankful that you don't have to smell the stuff lol although you do get used to it after a while.

He said I don't need to go back and see him unless I need to (for scripts or flare ups). I guess that's a good thing. I didn't tell him that my GP is willing to prescribe the lotions & potions just as long as I get a printout from the chemist. I'm thinking I might do that in future. Anything that helps me avoid suburbia is a good thing. I don't fancy driving in the busy suburbs of outer Melbourne unless I absolutely have to.