Anzac Day

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

She's Back!

Right, hubby is back at school and life is slowly returning back to it's usual routines and groove.
I like my routines....life feels manageable with them and I'm a bit of a list person..helps me to SEE what I have acheived that day/week/month.
So now....I need to start my attempt at keeping my goal to Blog twice a week.

What's new and exciting at our place?

• We have come to the crossroads as far as our car is concerned.... Our trusty little Toyota Corolla was my first car 7 years ago and has done us well except now it's too small. Two carseats on the back seat and there is no room for anyone else (us being such social people need room for more ;-) ) and going away with a pram and portacot etc......basically it just doesn't fit!! We definitely want more babies so we are taking the leap to the 'People Mover' stage. We have given a wish list to my brother-in-law and he is on the hunt for one through the Japanese auctions. That will definitely help us keep the cost down. So.....in near future you may see us zipping round town in a....wait for it...yip...you guessed right....a Toyota Estima.
  
  
• oooo I finished knitting my first Nappy Soaker!! It wasn't knitted on the round (as i'm not that skilled...yet...) but I'm stoked with my first attempt at knitting something other than a square. On to the next project....I think I might attempt one on the round... i like a bit of challenge
  
  
  
  
• hmmm I'm contemplating options for a quilt for JK or a pseudo quilt in the form of a duvet cover. I've seen quite a few patterns/designs that I like...now it's just a case of waiting till I finish LJ's quilt which after much unpicking and feeling like I could just throw the sewing machine through the window (Nooooo I don't have a short fuse....haha), my hubby and I have decided that I can get LJ's quilt machine quilted professionally (cost about $40). I feel like I'm cheating a little BUT then if I get really stuck it'll just end up in the cupboard unfinished and that is SUCH a waste. Then I was thinking about one for our bed....maybe done in the Tivaevae style (Cook Island quilting technique). In other words....so many ideas, just not enough time.
  
  
• On the weekend Emma (my little sister) and I are doing a market at Pirongia. A bit nervous about the whole thing as it's the first face-to-face test of the stuff I make, I'm highly critical of my own jewelery as it's never as good as I want it to be.....and people have the nerve to call me perfectionist...hummmph! Emma makes really cool 3D cards so her and I are in the cahoots together as we start our own little homemade biz under the name Esta Creationz. Our Dad is setting up a website for us (www.estacreationz.com) so we can sell our creations through that avenue. I had an idea last night to makeup some cool gift baskets using handmade items sourced from all you lovely NZ ladies who 'do it yourself'. I reckon there might be something in this!
  
  As much as I could go on forever, this must be it for today....more later on in the week....otherwise I might just end up doing a Postarama like Karen!!
  
  
  
  To finish off today....here is a lovely photo of my big boy JK at the park on the weekend.
  
  
  

Excuses Excuses

SLACK!!!

I haven't posted for ages!!
I have a raft of excuses

1. I am busy knitting my first knitting project since I was like....12 years old (a nappy soaker)
   
2. My husband (being a teacher) is home for the 2 week break at the end of Term1, so all normal routines kind of grind to a halt.
3. My parents have been overseas and I have been helping to 'oversee' the younger siblings
4. I bought a new quilting magazine and have had my nose buried in it.
   
5. I have just finished reading Mozart's Sister and am trying to catch up with my hubby who is coming to the end of Of Course I Love You....Now Go To Your Room by Diane Levy
6. My camera has died .....sob sob......so there are no interesting new pics (we will get one soon!)
   
7. etc etc etc etc

But really, they're just excuses....
So here's my resolution to at least blog twice a week.....starting at the beginning of Term2

Till then............Live Life with Passion and Exuberance