Thursday, January 29, 2009

wow 8 years sure flew by



Sweet Michael turned 8 today and he came out of bed with the biggest smile I've seen since ages in the morning.



He got to open 1 present in the morning a big box of Star Wars Lego and enjoyed the view of his Avatar & flower (for the teachers) cupcakes that he could take to school. DH and I both worked on them and they looked pretty darn cute (as you can see those need some editing but i wanted to share them anyway).




When he got home from school he received his gift from Colin and really loved it, some iron on bead patterns from Pokemon and a pokemon surprise bal that contained a pokemon he didn't have (the boys really love playing with the little pokemon figures they have).

Then my parents & brother came and they gave him an even BIGGER box of Star Wars Lego and we went out for dinner as tradition calls for and this year Michael surprised us by requesting a pizza dinner so we all went out to the local italian and had a really good time.

Wish us luck tommorow, DH is going into surgery in the morning !

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Life's a rollercoaster

So this post was in the works in my head but it just never seemed to make it into blogger so I antidated it to keep the flow going ....

Talking of flows , we did not do that very well into the new year, things are a bit ups and downs so I've been very busy trying to stay positive (which unfortunately does not come naturally to me but is something I have to work hard at) & keep all the balls from crashing on me ! And so I thought I'd share some stuff as not everyone is aware of the stuff that's going on and hey if you were wondering why stuff is quiet or why I'm not calling, mailing, updating blogs or inviting you this is why..... but to keep it a bit upbeat I'll try and list something "UP" with every "Downer" as I'm trying to stay positive .....

Ups : Had a really good 2 weeks christmas holiday and got a lot done on my todo list like sort out DH closet, paint the doors of the boys with magnetpaint (3 layers and I'm doing one more), reorganised our clotheswardrobe so all of our bedlinnen fits in so we could sell our chest of drawers (our bedroom is looking more feng shui and less crowded), gave my mothers bedroom a extreme makeover in 2 days while my stepdad was in Canada and had fun with the boys.

Down: in the last week of the year we found out DH kneeproblem wasn't going away (it played up again after de makeover)and he needs surgery on the 30th ... It's his meniscus/patella and they also think that his partilage/gristle is damaged due to all the active sports he used to do when he was younger (like basketball, iceskating, judo, wing chung, american football, baseball, body building, jogging) so he's been in quite some pain since then as the dokters like to pull and bend etc. and he took a wrong turn with his back last weekend due the funny walk he has developed to take the edge off the pain.

Up: We've bought a new chair & footstool from ikea

Down : I've lost a brandnew redken rough past tube while shopping, I put it on the counter while paying at H&M and forgot to take it with me when I left ....

Up: We bought a couch from IKEA and it was delivered the same day

Down : the couch is damaged so we're not sitting on it, hoping to hear from IKEA tommorow !

UP : I got my first order for birthday cupcakes and the birthday girl exclaimed they were totally what she wanted :)

Down : Just yesterday we received a HUGE bill from the watercompany of 3000 euro, which totally freaked me out, bcause apearantly our meter thinks we own a swimming pool ..... God I sincerely hope this gets sorted because I don't want to shed any more tears on this than i did from shock....

UP: My 2nd attempt at Red Velvet Cupcakes (I converted the recipe myself this time) and OMG I totally get the addiction ! Great therapy that baking .... see downer above ....

Down: The scrapbooking industry is on it's ass (pardon the language) over here in the NL the shops are dropping like flies .... this might into an upper but I haven't found that so far .....we'll have to wait and see.

UP: I got the custest thank you gifts for my dt in and I can't wait to see what they think

DOWN: During december I found out I haven't been working enough hours in a week for the salary I'm being paid. A mistake in my contract and nobody (not even me) ever noticed it, now I have to work 4 more hours .....

UP : I don't have to pay back the 2 years of overpay

DOWN: I have to work even more hours because my colleague and I weren ever told by my boss to keep up a timesheet that calculates the worked hours in comparison with the holidays we get and if we don't want to work most of the summer holiday we have to work even more hours a week. I'm working 2 more a week and will probably have to work about a week in the summer holiday.

UP: we were invited to a fun new years party.

DOWN: So I work 25 hours a week now, besides having my own scrapbook store and a family

UP: I rearranged my hours so we only have 1 day we cannot pick up the kids and only have that day to organise whoever can to do it.

DOWN: I've gained a bit of weight over the holiday that I lost through all the fly so it's back on the health regime asap.

UP : We booked our summer holiday and we're going at the end of april LOL

DOWN: Mom's nek is still a big problem, she's getting a new consult from a neurologist

UP : She's taking the train to come see me and help us out where she can with admin and cleaning up around the house (I'm so grateful for the help bcause with all the hours I'm working now I just don't have enough time in the day)

DOWN: we had a very emotional Michael over the holidays, try to imagine a little boy who's already an emotional little kid but x 10 bcause of the holidays. While we're at xmas dinner eating chicken, which he thought was fish at first, and feeling sorry for the fish he suddenly begins sobbing for 30 minutes about our cat that died 3 years ago ... Still with me ? This happens every now and then, he misses her and the bomb exploded during dinner. Then a few days later because I wanted to take his picture and he refused. Now I have to tell you our boys rarely pose for us and I just couln't get it so I tried bribing, being stern nothing worked and he got really angry and after I put him in the hallway to cool down we had a chat and it turns out he hates being an older brother because he thinks he has to do everything perfect. Which he doesn't have to but because of his competitive and perfectionistic nature he thinks so and this makes his life harder than it has to be..... Boy this parenting thing is hard !

UP: he's finally settled into his new class as he was had a hard time adapting to 2 pt teachers & a new teaching method in this grade. Still doing brilliantly at his academic work, above average.

UP: Colin started swimming lessons in december and he's doing amazing ! 2 x a week is a lot of driving up and down to heemstede but worth it by seeing how well he's doing.

DOWN: the theatre show we were going to with the kids got cancelled last minute and will not be rescheduled.

UP: The boys loved all their gifts from Sinterklaas and Santa. Fave is their new pj's, books, underwear and MP4 player with favorite songs and stories (Michael = old rock & house and Colin = sinterklaas & smurf songs).

DOWN: Car repairs costs were way more than we expected, aren't they always ?

UP: Tradition is that kids get a bit of money for new years from the grandparents but this year we also received a financial gift from my parents, that was so sweet of them and unexpected.

DOWN : I broke a mirror this month ....

UP: Thanks to my mom's help and Ed being at home to recouperate from his operation in a few weeks, it looks like we could get our taxes for 2007 & 2008 in on time :)

Down: I didn't go iceskating at all .....

UP: the boys did and that was a blast, so cool to see them getting into it !

DOWN: I had a huge fight with my brother on the day before xmas

UP: I read a book this month and plan to get more reading time in as I loved totally sinking into a story

DOWN: I lost a whole sheet of 50 postage stamps .... Bought them, walked to the next store in a shopping mall and lost them ....

UP: I really did make xmas gifts, mini albums for the granparents and my godparents of our latest photoshoot.

DOWN: I'm still mourning over things that happened a long time ago, or 5 years ago and cannot let things go. It's in my nature I just cannot shrugg things off when they happen, I need to wallow, adjust and then move on, but it's never ever forgotten ......I think I need therapy, but what kind ?

UP: I received a small payment from the insurance as compensation for my year of pain & weight gain due to the car accident.

DOWN: I have the working mommy syndrome; I feel guilty for not having enough time for the kids, not enough energey for them, for DH, for me.... it's getting worse every year ....

UP: Had a fab time at a junksale with Daphne and we're definately doing that again soon !

Uhm I think that's it for now, enough complaining and I have my fingers crossed for no more setbacks, as I really want to have more fun 2009. You know it actually helps to write it down bcause as I did I found I do have more ups than downs although it didn't feel like it before ! THANKS for letting me share and if you need to share you know where to find me !!!!

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Have you ever

Saw this on Haggit's blog and thought it was fun so I wanted to do this and encourage you to do this too ! Just copy and paste this entry and highlight the ones you've done.


1. started your own blog
2. slept under the stars
3. played in a band
4. visited Hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more that you can afford to charity
7. been to Disneyland (once and several times do Paris)
8. held a praying mantis
9. climbed a mountain
10. sang a solo
11. bungee jumped
12. visited Paris
13. watched a lightning storm at sea
14. taught yourself an art from scratch
15. adopted a child
16. had food poisoning
17. walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. grown your own vegetables
19. seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. slept on an overnight train
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitch hiked
23. taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping
27. run a marathon
28. ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. seen a total eclipse
30. watched a sunrise or sunset
31. hit a home run
32. been on a cruise
33. seen Niagara Falls in person
34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. seen an Amish community
36. taught yourself a new language
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing
40. seen Michelangelo's David
41. sung karaoke
42. seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. visited Africa
45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance
47. had your portrait painted
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (not the top just the 1st floor)
51. gone scuba diving or snorkeling (with dolphins but I found out I can't ...)
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud
54. gone to a drive-in theater
55. been in a movie
56. visited the Great Wall of China
57. started a business
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited Russia
60. served at a soup kitchen
61. sold Girl Scouts Cookies
62. gone whale watching
63. got flowers for no reason
64. donated blood, platelets of plasma
65. gone sky diving (no sky diving, but I did take a dual leap "parapenting" off a mountain and sailed through the sky. btw: wasn't afraid of heigths then)
66. visited a nazi concentration camp
67. bounced a check
68. flown in a helicopter
69. saved a favorite childhood toy
70. visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. eaten caviar, and it's gross!
72. pieced a quilt
73. stood in Times Square
74. toured the Everglades
75. been fired from a job
76. seen the changing of the Guards in London (a lot)
77. broken a bone (my wrist)
78. been on a speeding motorcycle
79. seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. published a book
81. visited the Vatican
82. bought a brand new car (yep our current one)
83. walked in Jerusalem
84. had your picture in the newspaper
85. read the entire bible
86. visited the White House
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. had chickenpox
89. saved someone's life
90. sat on a jury
91. met someone famous
92. joined a book club
93. lost a loved one
94. had a baby
95. seen the Alamo in person
96. swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. been involved in a law suit
98. owned a cellphone
99. been stung by a bee
100. read an entire book in one day

ok so what have you done from my list that I haven't ???

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

dreamy music share

Heard this one an old episode of House this week and loved it, just thought I'd share

Monday, January 05, 2009

Really like the circus

But somehow we never seem to go :(

On new years day we saw part of the 31st Circusfestival of Monte Carlo and I was very impressed with this and couldn't understand why they only received bronze for their act.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

A few of my wishes for you in 2009

A good friend who always has a listening ear
Lots of creative mojo
More balance
Less stress
Good health
Good Bargains
A whole lotta love
Flowers every day
Sunshine in your life every day
Good times
At least one co-worker to make you laugh (read this on another blog and thought it was a great wish)
Good fortune
A chuckle a day
Someone who smiles at you at least once a day
A good hug
Many a beautiful sunset to enjoy
Safe driving
The perfect cupcake
Lots of favorite songs

And here's a pretty one to start this year off (i have no idea what she's singing but her voice is so pretty !)