Grandma

These layouts were completed very quickly~ I didn't want to think too much over the content. :(

FINAL VISITJournaling reads: This was the last time that I visited Grandma when she was vaguely coherent. She always used to notice my engagement ring & comment about how pretty it was and how big it was! This visit we talked about grandkids- she thought it was up to the parents to choose how many kids to have & what to name them. 7 Apr 10

ALWAYS & FOREVERJournaling reads: So glad that I took these... 7 Apr 10

Celebrate

Source unknown :(

Happy wedding day Jess and Andrew~ and many years of happiness together!

Christmas 2009

Christmas DayJournaling reads: We were lucky this year as we didn't have to choose who to spend Christmas with as both families met in Ballarat. We had cold meat & salad for lunch at Michelle & David's then yummy left overs at Annabel & Nicholas's new place. Our first Christmas married, and second together. 25 Dec 09

 

i love you

Journaling reads: We enjoyed a little swing in this hammock on Christmas Day in Ballarat. 25 Dec 09

Boxing DayJournaling reads: We celebrated all together on Boxing Day this year as Tim & Rach, Coops & Ty had a family Christmas. It was different but really fun and relaxed. Auntie Jundith came too. Grandma stayed at her new place in the nursing home. Silliness as usual! :) 26 Dec 09

Happy 1st Birthday just a little bit of you!

Today is this blog's first birthday! 

One year ago today I sat down and decided to start my own blog after reading everyone else's and feeling inspired. It's been a wonderful way for me to record special times, to log my memories and to 'meet' other bloggers around the world. 

Thank you for spending some of your precious time with me this year, whether you've been here from the beginning or if you're new.

Here's to another year of blogging fun together!

2009 in review

2009 a BIG yearA very quick layout. I created 4X6 collages using Picasa with each photo covering 3 months of photos. I also added text using this program too to describe what was happening and some important dates. Stuck them down, gave them a white outline and a title and done! 

Exhausted

Well I didn't get much sleep last night. It went something like this...

10:30pm go to bed

10:50pm stop talking and attempt sleep

10:55pm Toby is asleep

1:50am I crack it and get up. Time for a hot chocolate, some bickies and some Dr. Phil while snuggling Sandy cat in a sleeping bag

2:40am Back to bed

4:15am the last time I saw the time

I'm hoping I sleep better tonight.

Quiche

I made this again with a few changes. I used less sweet potato and instead layered a few sliced cooked potatoes on the base. I didn't add any flour either.

It was good!

Happy times in '09

happy day

We took these photos at cousin Annabel and Nicholas's wedding.

Journaling reads: We got all dressed up for the reception and took these happy snaps- they make me smile. 28 Feb 09

will you marry me?   yes!

Journaling reads: 9 Jun 09 What an amazing day and what a lead up! I had a hunch that htis was the day, but by 4:30pm as we left Healesvile Sanctuary I had doubts. He kept me hanging 'til I could hang no more and proposed by showing me photos of the day on his camera- then there was  photo of a ring! He asked "how did that get there? What do you think of that picture?" Then THE question... I said yes!

just a few of the REASONS I LOVE YOU

Journaling reads: you are kind, you respect me, you share things JUST with me, you are humble, you have integrity, you do silly dances, you're a good snuggler, you're silly, you love me so well.  Kangaroo Ground Tower 20 Jun 09

my love

Journaling reads: The details.. WHO: Mr & Mrs H, WHAT: Buying wine on our extra honeymoon, WHY: For our 5 + 10 year anniversaries, WHERE: Paringa Estate, Red Hill South, WHEN: Monday 19th October 2009

Layouts from yesterday

us time

Journaling reads: 18 Apr 10 Whe Tobes and I have a weekend afternoon free, we often end up here- at the Monash Art Gallery. It was here where we had one of our first dates & now where we go to take in some photography inspiration. It's one of our favourite places to get some us time. 

 HOME

Journaling reads: 15 Oct 09 A lazy day, getting use to our new life as husband & wife. Cleaning, playing & settling into our home

HAPPY NIGHT
Journaling reads: 10 Dec 10 Kat & I took these late at night as we waited for the train after seeing Mary Poppins- pure fun!

gorgeous boys

Sarah & Shane's wedding

celebrate Friends S & S

Journaling reads: Enjoying some silly moments at Shane & Sarah's reception with Todd, Kristen & their baby bump! 9 Jan 10

sare & beck

Journaling reads: 9 Jan 10 We met when we both did the GDT course in Townsville. We were 8 years younger than now & in very different places. We lamented the lack of good men in the world & wondered when our times would come. Within months of each other, we were engaged & married. We were both there for each other on our days- travelling to Melbourne & Cairns/TSV. So glad to have this lovely girl in my life.

perfect moment

Journaling reads: 9 Jan 10 We got a tad silly towards the end of Sare & Shane's reception with many P.D.A.'s and sitting on each other's laps! On cloud 9 after 3.5months of marriage & 2 years together. We praise God for the many perfect moments He's provided. 

My friend

i love you MY sweet FRIEND

Journaling reads: He is known by many names... Sandy... Sandles... Sandy Sumpkins... sweet one... sweet potato... Sumpkins... Sumps... stinker... grandson... boy... Sandy Cat... all names for the sweetest, most affectionate cat I've ever known. Even people who confess to hate cats fall in love with him and his headbutts! He has been such a comfort and companion to me when I've been living alone- always there miaowing at the door when I get home and snuggled on my bed at night. You are a sweet friend indeed Sandy Sumpkins! xoxo 24 May 09 

lovely, lovely, lovely

Source

I don't know why, but I love the word lovely.
I use it all the time.

A friend arrives... "Hello lovely!"

I send someone a text message... "Hi lovely."

Someone does something kind for me... "Thank you lovely."

Is there a word that you use all the time?

Capturing Ty

family i Love You

A simple capture of how we spend the hot afternoons in summer. 

This was one of Ty's first swims at ma and pa's.

this is smiley ty

Journaling reads: He is certainly a smiler! Ty flashes his 2 pearly whites at least 100 times an hour... unless Uncle Toby's hair is too long & he is too scary looking! Mar10

friends again...

Uncle Tobes and Ty made up!

14 Mar 10 

Ty

One of my favourite photos of Ty.

14 Mar 10

Baked cheesecake with lemon butter

I don't know how I did it, but I made up a recipe tonight for a baked cheesecake! I'd never made one before so I did some googling, realized there was nothing in common with any of the recipes, so I improvised and I am pleased (and surprised) to say that it's good. We enjoyed our dessert with homemade lemon butter, given to me for Christmas by a student.

Thus came after a prawn and veggie stir fry for mains.

I think I did ok! :)

T & S Marry

T & S marry
I love this layout. The colours, the linear journaling, the photos. It was a very hot and happy day.

Journaling reads: A bright, sunny day where we all got burned! Toli and Sarah looked stunning and so happy. It was fun to see the old BSFers, Thalia, Stu and Aimee. Heidi came too. This was the first wedding that we went to as 'marrieds'.  Abbotsford Convent 19 Dec 09 

 

Capturing Coops

I've made it something of a goal for myself to start posting some of my favourite scrapbooking layouts. Some are old, some are more recent. I'm going to be playing catch-up for a while too with older photos that I've been waiting to scrap. I don't feel anxious about it or the urgency to get up to date as I used to, I'm just looking forward to sharing the stories and reliving them through the layouts.

dance!

Here's a back to back layout that captures the dancing that we used to do at mum and dad's place. Coops used to giggle as I'd twirl him around. 

Journaling reads: 14 Mar 09 We had so much fun dancing around grandma and grandpa's TV room to the music of the Bush fire 'Sound Relief' concert. You didn't want to stop and even got Uncle Toby up! You're going to be a great big brother soon Cooper Jay!

5 

Journaling reads: 13 Apr 09 5 years old. Where oh where have all those years gone? Your favourites this birthday were Ben 10 ,The Richmond Tigers and Lego. A family celebration. You'll be a big brother soon!

Puffing Billy

Puffing Billy is an old steam train that is something of an icon in Victoria. I blogged about this day here.

It was challenging to include all of these photos, but fun at the same time. These photos make me happy!

More to come soon