For today:

Outside My Window... a very starlit sky.  It was very pretty driving to and from town.  It is also surprisingly warm out still.  The weather is so bizarre this winter and so warm.  A few bitterly cold days last week especially for Brandy - just to make her feel better about being in Hawaii :)  but apart from that it has been so very warm compared to normal - and we have so little snow - there is still grass everywhere!  Apart from outside of Lorraine's house today hahaha :)

I am thinking...how nice it will be to have a break from daily classes next week and to do things with Abby and Sam again - science centre and museum field trips etc.  They have loved having people here every day - and I WILL have classes planned again very soon - but it will be a nice little interlude too :)

I am thankful for...awareness that this too shall pass.  For amazing friends who seem to come into my life just when I need them - and I hope I am there for them too and that they know that xx And a great lawyer - who although I panic sometimes and wonder what the hell he is doing or thinking, he always seems to be on the right track :)  Thank goodness I got a good'un :)

From the kitchen...we need to go grocery shopping!  Sam is asking for hash brown casserole!  Yesterday I made home made potato wedges with vegetables and sausages.  Tomorrow maybe a soup or stew.  I have plenty of beef to use up.  lots of vegetables too.  Hhhmmmm

I am wearing...old faded jeans.  tshirt and hoody.

I am creating...a birds nest bowl - that is what we made in sculpture class today :)  using wool and glue and balloons :)  I am also creating some fab art journal pages for my different classes.  I can't believe the first childrens course ends tomorrow!  Four weeks have FLOWN by!!!  :(

I am going... to the Starlite room with darryl this week to see Charlie Winston, which I'm looking forward to :)

I am reading...a magazine I was given for my birthday, a book on gluten free eating that a students Mom has lent me, and coursework for a class I'm taking.

I am hoping...to hear some good news this week about a couple of things....

I am hearing...pipes making noises now that the heating has switched off.  Rosie breathing on the bed beside me (not snoring for once).  Silence otherwise.  Kelly Clarkson singing in my head.

Around the house...life is ticking over.....the house isn't too bad - nothing major needs doing - I need to finish the painting!!

One of my favorite things...my teen art journaling classes :)  Oh and Instagram :)  I have 105 followers on there now :)

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...I have classes tomorrow and Thursday.  Thursday we are meeting friends in the afternoon - so looking forward to that!  Friday I am not sure but if we have the chance I think we will go to the science centre as we have membership there.  What else this week.  Oh my night at the Starlite Room with D.  Oh and he wants to cook me dinner for my birthday.....oh and fix my car....lol.  hhhmmm.  Susannah wants to take her learners driving test.  

Thank you Jennie!!!

Received a lovely package in the mail today from my friends in England

Jennie and Roger.  

So nice of Jennie to think of me on my birthday and send me this beautiful necklace.  

So thoughtful!!

She even enclosed some chocolate for the children :)  

As you can see they were VERY happy :)

English chocolate :)  

Scenes from our party....

Photobooth fun :)

Photobooth pictures with Leanne and Monique!

See more by CLICKING HERE

xxx

Snapshots from the party night.....

Soooooo many more pictures to come, but here are a few pictures from my phone for now:  

My Tiara and necklace for the night:

The stunning Topsy Turvy cake made by Melanie!!  Fantastic!!! :

Moniques cleverly thought out gift:

A 'few' of the empties from the night:

Gorgeous martini glass from Val and James:

Kicked off my heels:

3am after the last people had left and we had tidied up a bit and were thinking about going to bed:  

Beautiful necklace/ locket/ watch from Leanne:

Suckers on the candy bar:

I will post more tomorrow when I get the cd of pictures :)  

You can also see the fabulous and hilarious 'photo booth' pictures taken by Lorraine Marie Fotography by CLICKING HERE  until February 6th.

Susannah and I had such an amazing night of celebrating our birthdays with all our wonderful friends :)  

Thank you to everyone who came and helped make the night so special!!

xxx

My Baby Girl Turned 14!!!

On Saturday Susannah celebrated her 14th birthday.

We got up early and headed out for brunch at Cora's 

:)

And here it is :)

I'm 40 :)  

My 30's were fabulous and I have a feeling my 40's are going to be just as good...life is an adventure to be enjoyed :)  

Although I have some cruel, CRUEL friends......lmao....Sharon turned up at the CRACK OF DAWN this morning :)  Hahaha I was still in bed of course!!  But she knows me well!!!  So we sat and chatted and had coffee and I opened this gorgeous card (above) and some of Sharons incredible scones that she had brought with her - because she knows I LOVE them :) 

Apart from that it has been a fairly quiet day....a quiet start to my 40's :)  

Thank you for all the amazing birthday wishes via Facebook, Email and text today.  I feel so loved today.

xxx

Last day or my thirties......

Had a great time with this dork last night ;p  

Classes continue.....

Another week of classes is over....Some of the first series of classes ends next week....the rest the following week, and then a new set will be beginning.  This week in sculpture class we began two projects - using pipe cleaners as wire bases/ frameworks for our sculptures, and then using papier mache over the base.  We will paint them next week.  

Then we all moved over to a group project - paper sculpture - building up a sculpture using JUST circles and half circles of paper...working towards each others circles and building up and over and on each others work to create a really interesting design.  Hopefully we will have time to add to this in the next couple of weeks.  The spirals were really interesting.