Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Year! Well ... almost ;)

Here we are ... new year's eve! Where has the year gone? Although P365 was a struggle, having arrived at this day I am SO happy to look back at the 223 photos I have. Let's see if I take any more today - but it's too stinkin' hot to go outside!

So what have we been up to? Katie has been playing with these really cool ol' fashioned paper dolls - remember those with the tabs? (thanks Ran!)


Here are some of our finished products - cool huh! Hugh's is on the far right but I did not tell you that he enjoyed designing outfits too did I?!



Before Christmas I had the brainwave to get scrap paper and the children made paper chains, the tree in the front yard looked ... well ... rather sad but somewhat festive ;)



Summer has kicked in this week. Once again we are SO grateful for our water tanks that allow us to play/waste water! Here are the kids filling balloons and throwing them at each other having a blast!




Love thist shot - SOOC!!

And this one too! Love how I seem to catch my girl in mid air so often - guess that's what happens when you are running from a big brother with a big water bomb!

Hugh's buddy Nathan gave him and Katie totem tennis for Christmas. The boys love it. Bit hard to find some ground soft enough to put the darn pole in! LOL! Den had to settle for the front nature strip outside our house!


Now onto to summer reading. I have been thrilled to keep record of my reads this year on my anobi bookshelf. Just finished my Tony Park book and all ready for new year, new book. My friend Nini has been on my case to read "Outlander" and I thought my timing was great. However, yesterday we went to the library - big mistake. Saw this on the new release shelf. Look at the cover Leah!!! How gorgeous is that! And I don't mind Anita Shreve and it is set in Africa - so I was hooked. But don't stress Nini! :) I have set myself the goal to read this book over the next four days. Hugh and I have a bet - I am to read this 300 page book and he to read his new 100 page book. But of course being a boy and setting him a challenge the little bugger finished his last night!! So my friend Nini, Monday I PROMISE I will start reading my gorgeous copy of Outlander - thank you!


Now to scrapping news ... the last of the Christmas pages ......




Love this kit of Ange's using non traditional colours .....



So back to where I started this blog post ... the new year is upon us. Facebook had this fun application to review your year of "status" - fun! And pretty good summation - even Leah got a look in ;) YAY!

I had a blast collating my P365 photos as I said. Here are two of the pages using the free template from Liz at Paislee Press ....


I am getting carried away (must have been a good year) for I did a month collage as well - this time using some of Nina's goodies that are up for retirement in the new year. Check them out and grab yourself a bargain!

And when Liz (Paislee Press) came up with yet another free template, it was so cool I could not resist doing a quick review for each of the children and their year highlights as well.




Can you believe yet another free template from Liz - well it's true. This time we were asked at the challenge at Oscraps to look forward to 2010! Well I can't see past February 2 when Katie starts school - I can tell you now I am going to be a mess. Not only cause she is my baby but coming to the realisation that a whole part of my life (SAHM) is coming to a close. This page below is my attempt to try and be positive about what this year may hold for me.
And on that note I wish you all a safe and happy 2010!
See you next year!
Off to read .......


** all pages are in my Oscraps Gallery and you can CLICK HERE for credits**

16 comments:

MariaT said...

That is so cool that Hugh finished his book so quickly! 100 pages is quite a good chunk of reading for his age :)

Happy new year to you!

Jane F. Smith said...

I love all of your pages so much...whish I could be that organized in my scrapping!!

Jane F. Smith said...

whoops I forgot to say I loved the photos!! I still think it's weird that you have December in summer!! But oh, how I wish we had the heat now!!
Happy New Year!

margote05 said...

Oh there there, at what a pleasure to look your photos! They are magnificent! And I find incredible to see that you are going to cross the New Year's Eve in summer;) here, it continues to be very very cold and we still plan some snow!!!! Your children take advantage well and that, it is really great!!! Your pages also are magnificent and I love particularly those of the retrospective of the year! Magnificent! I would have to make the same thing! New Year's) Eve to you and to your family! And happy New Year! That it brings you a lot of happiness and love

Leah said...

Happy New Year my friend!!!

I'm in LOVE with that book cover. Gotta add it to my list of 2010 to reads.

I'm so inspired by your scrap pages and it makes me smile that I'm in one!

Glad for another year "together" chicky!

Jacqueline said...

Well it's still NY Day here so I can say Happy New Year Helen (& family)
Your photography and layouts continue to amaze me - love the one of Katie jumping.

Let me know how you like the Anita Shreve book - will now have to visit Amazon and see where in Africa...
Think you should give a course on organisation don't know how you read, scrap, snap photos etc etc etc.
Lotsa a NY's hugs
Jacqueline

Nancy said...

really, really love your two thumbnail pages! i gotta try that, but god, it looks like so much work! i love it though it's beautiful!

Life in Colors said...

Happy New Year Helen!!!!! Love Katie's paperdolls, Kayleigh has exactly the same ones, lol. And love the ballgame Hugh did, Keanu did this past spring with his cousins, lol, things are everywhere the same I see! Love all your pages with lots of photo's of a whole year, amazing how fast time flies don't you think??
Keanu started the year with being sick, poor boy. It will be a short night tonight I guess.
Take care.
Astrid

Life in Colors said...

Oh btw, I'm so jealous you have to stay inside because it's too hot, we stay inside because it's still snowing and freezing, and coming week it will be more freezing, brrrrr.

Dig-Photos n Scrappings said...

your smart errands these scraps... wow i wish i had these ideas... smile
happy new year i got feel better from colds...

Dig-Photos n Scrappings said...

oops again wanna says these are wonderful prefection scraps beside prefect pictures taken!!

Nini said...

;) Love your post and specially those awesome "Year in review" layouts!!!
Ah! I see you've started the book! ;) Enjoy it!!!

Che said...

Helen your layouts are amazing!!! I am completely blown away by how beautiful your photos are!! I love love them and am soooo inspired!!

Zizazzi said...

What a long post !!
happy new year to you and your family helen ...

katell said...

Euh...how many Lo's in this post??? :-D
Happy new year Helen!!
In your country: sun and hot....In mine (in france) Snowwwwwww and cold...glagla...

Leiko said...

happy new year, girl! love everything about this post. the layouts, the photos, EVERYTHING! xoxo

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