an enormous update

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Those of you I know from Facebook will have already met our new VIP, but for everyone else, here’s a pic or two – Mason Joel, born August 2nd in Auckland. Hard to believe he’s already nearly one month old!

He’s absolutely adored by all his siblings, his mum and his dad. A wonderful gift that we didn’t expect, but now totally need.

Photos from birth and yesterday at four weeks.

catching up

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sorry have been very slack!
Right now, I am at home, having finished work (yay!), just finishing off some things, enjoying time with Si and waiting on bubs. We’ve done the “dry run” into the hospital (not very exciting), put part of the new wardrobe together (even less exciting, as we took the time to sort out/throw out/laugh at some clothing choices, and I realised I had a snowball’s chance of wearing some of these things this year) and just resting.

Bubs is all good and has an eviction date of next Friday, the 31st. I am huge, feel as big as I did with Bran, so a bit aprehensive! Never mind – he’ll come out somehow, right? Right?!!

And I need to focus a little on 365 – this has def gone by the wayside. Si hasn’t shown any enthusiasm for it which is making it really hard from my POV.

A very quick update on my week…

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Monday – boring. So standard I couldn’t even think what to take a photo of. Or talk about. Maybe the kids’ homework? The car dashboard? Dunno.
Tuesday – got onto JetStar and brought Si a weekend home very cheap. Brilliantly cheap!
Wednesday – was supposed to be the D Day for work. Instead they didn’t show up, causing a lot of resentment. The email came thru at 1.35pm about when they were coming – it should have been a lot earlier! But I found out I was nominated for the Warriors Women in League so Lynne and I are going to the function and games on Friday. Yay!
Thursday – amazingly, I almost slept thru the night. First time in two weeks and OMG I can see my ankles again! Got called up for my one-on-one late in the morning. Jerome said that he regretted to tell me that my application for X position had been unsuccessful. Said thanks, but actually I didn’t apply for that position. His face was priceless. Honestly, I could have wet my pants laughing – if it wasn’t so tragically Mickey Mouse. Pointed out that in the general meeting the previous day he had said this wasn’t an opportunity for promotion, and that I’d taken this on board. He said he couldn’t remember saying that, but in this light they needed to reconsider my application. Half an hour later, I have a job. I really think that I was going to be made redundant but their error has meant that they can’t. But happy, as now I have a leaving date, parental leave and a job to return to. Everything I wanted!
Friday – Got wolf whistled at and turned around. On seeing my 32 week belly, his mates gave him grief. Bit late, buddy, I said. Still smiling – he didn’t expect that! Then breakfast with Michelle at Divan. Yummy muesli and fruit. Some loose ends to tie up at work and then some business reading. I need to get some chapters read and notes down.

Project 365 – the second week

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Here’s the spread from this week…Monday is washing Bubs clothes, Tuesday is a print from a new title submission (quite unusual for me to like this sort of print, as I’m more an Impressionist fan, but it reminded me of a very intricate tattoo I once saw) and Wednesday is my catch-up with Barb, my midwife. Spookily I noticed that I drew, completely at random, the same set of journalling tags. Thursday was doing my “homework” or as it is better known, prepping for the interview; Friday was going thru the clothes Aunty Sharon brought; Saturday is about my league team, and being so happy handing out jackets; Sunday was about my altered tin project.
Enjoying this album – it’s not really like it’s work. Which is something I can relate to!

today’s project – scrapping an altered tin

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Got a bit bored today – the intention was to clean out my stash. Instead I got sidetracked (as you do) and here’s the result. I’m quite pleased with it – my first attempt at altering anything.

What you need:

  • a clean tin (mine measures 5.8 x 9cm)
  • strip of paper – I’ve used a 8.5cm wide strip of Bazzill. I then measured and concertina foldered this at 5cm spacing, with one space being slightly larger than the others – this gives 10 spaces for phots/journalling and one for the title (I chose to use the largest). I’ve inked this (Versa color 174 charcoal), punch a hole in the centre of the largest sheet and instead of ribbon, I’ve used twine as the pull tab. I also used the corner rounder on the pages, as the edges of the tin are rounded.
  • photos – here I chose 13 random ones from some of the places we’ve been as a family so far this year.

  • Rub-ons – using from the stash Making Memories Heidi
  • Pen – a plain black Zig marker
  • Glue – I just used plain PVA that was in the boys stash and to decorate the lid simply, a Pebbles, Inc sticker that’s been in my stash for a few years too.

I have seen some other altered tins that are highly decorated on the outside but that’s just not my thing. I have been thinking about how I could alter some other tins – maybe tags in one of those mint tins with the hinged lids? I can see myself buying Fisherman’s Friends and tipping out the contents…

Project 365 & a work update

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Just a quick update about work – I had my interview and think it went OK. I didn’t walk out with that “doh!” feeling that you can have, thinking oops I forgot to tell them this…so feeling pretty cool about things and just waiting to hear back on Wednesday.

Here’s the first page from my P365. As of right now I am up-to-date (gasp!) and should be posting this week’s pages tomorrow.

Some hidden journalling behind the Thursday photo, Friday is of Louise’s baking and the gorgeous smell that floats thru the house when she’s home; Sat was about setting up the cot and mobile (the same the boys both used, and Zac still loves), and Sunday is a portion of Bran’s ticket from Mt Smart, where he took part in the march-by of all the Auckland clubs before the Wariors played and beat the Tigers.

I’m starting!

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I’ve spent the last few days thinking on and getting my Project 365 folder together. Here’s the cover – the graphic is straight from Becky Higgins’ downloadable kit and to add a bit of kiwiana, a plastic tiki I’ve had for years. On the back of the tiki is really old Air NZ font which surprised me. I have no idea yet where it came from but hopefully it’ll come to me. Either that or Si will remember!
The album is a standard Pioneer 12×12, and this first group of divided page protectors is the Bazzill Lickety Splits. The stockist I got these from hasn’t got back to me about getting more, so I think I will either create my own by stitching the 12×12 refills that I have (which means I need to get that machine fixed in the next 10 weeks!) or craftytart’s website lists the WR Memory Keepers ones. We’ll see – depends on energy and finances, I guess.
The first page should be complete tomorrow so I’ll post then, and hopefully once a week from then on. Good intentions and all that!

Well! And Good Intentions…

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Had a “catch up” meeting today and walked away feeling very unsure. The HR person was from AU I think, and didn’t even know the laws relating to my situation and redundancy. Hmm.

Thank goodness for the Department of Labour.

My good intention is to spend time tomorrow with Z (off school, another eye infection) and get this project 365 album up and running. I think I have figured out how to create my own pocket protectors and have asked Megan (Sugar Spice blog as listed in my “following”) to confirm. Of course this does mean that I will need to get my Nana’s bernina record 730 serviced…which it hasn’t been for 13 years, but hey. The struggle there will be keeping it in my hands and not MOTAT’s!

Simon would probably like to point out that I should be completing the curtains with the machine. Or mowing the lawns if they have dried out some more – which is something I like doing, as the chamomile smells soooo nice…

Feeling Blah – so looking on the bright side…

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Today we had a big meeting at work – well, some of us got carted off to a lawyer’s conference room for the big reveal. Talk about scary – and my co-worker was freaking, which I admit now I have a VERY SMALL tolerance for, and that didn’t help.
Upshot is our positions are disenfranchised. What a stooopid word. There are positions that we can apply for, but in full on cynical mode I don’t see me getting considered. Who would hire someone 30 weeks pregnant? Would you?
So now I am waiting on my interview tomorrow. My entire paid parental leave hangs in the balance too so pretty sick to the stomach (altho that might be the two pieces of fudge).
BUT – having just got my daily fix of Ali Edwards, here’s a list of what I’m currently grateful for:

  • Si has a job, and is loving it (long may it last!)
  • I do have bubs to look forward to (if I could sleep thru labour, that would be the icing on the cake)
  • my kids are all healthy, good and adorable
  • my antenatal bloods came back and they were fantastic
  • I adore my totally supportive midwife
  • I’ve had phone calls of support from suppliers already. Word got out there so fast. Wow.
  • We currently have a roof over our heads and while I may have to go talk to the bank manager, let’s leave that until we know something concrete, rather than all these maybes
  • I might finally learn how to use Photoshop.
  • This might be a new door opening.

ARG!

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Those of you who are close family members – please hold that smirk to yourself.
I just found a grey hair. Promptly, of course, yanked it out. Then remembered the old wives tale about this making them replicate even faster…

Had a good weekend with excellent effort on the field and lots of help from Louise (who got to watch Twilight in peace and quiet last night, with no little brothers around to comment! Sorry about your Dad, honey, but I can’t control him) and conscripted help from Bran (hopefully that will be the last time he tries to get me up at 4am!); Zac enjoyed his playdate with Cole (they both refused to change or shower out of their playing uniforms!). So a clean and tidy garage – anyone else would park a car in there! – and lots of baby stuff to sort thru and wash. Lots of surplus stuff to list too.

No progress crafting wise but as the other half flies out on Sunday next for three weeks min I hold some hope there…